Hong Kong: 'Virtual asset regulation on right path' Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui Since our announcement of the Policy Statement on the Development of Virtual Assets in Hong Kong in October 2022, the virtual asset (VA) market has been developing rapidly. While product offerings have kept evolving, we also saw volatile price fluctuations in certain cryptocurrencies. International organisations and regulators all over the world expressed their intention to strengthen the regulation of VAs. All these led some to believe that we had entered a crypto winter, and questions were raised on whether the Government would change its policy position on VA, especially in the wake of the JPEX incident last year. Our response is clear: Hong Kongs approach to VAs focuses on risk-based, prudent regulation. By adhering to the principle of same activity, same risk, same regulation and implementing comprehensive regulation, we seek to address the risks associated with VA activities in terms of investor protection and money laundering and terrorist financing. We firmly believe that encouraging financial innovation is only possible through providing a robust and transparent regulatory environment. Based on these principles, we have established a licensing system and regulatory requirements for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP), which commenced operation on June 1 last year. Currently, two licensed VA trading platforms, through licence upgrades, are able to offer Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) trading services to retail investors. Licensed platforms are subject to rigorous regulation by the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) to provide substantial protection for investors. Considering that some VASPs were already operating in Hong Kong before the licensing system came into effect, a transitional period was set up to assist these existing service providers in transitioning to the new system. If these service providers would like to continue their operations in Hong Kong, they have to submit their licence applications by February 29 this year. The SFC will consider whether the applicants can meet the regulatory requirements and whether they had substantial operations in Hong Kong before the commencement of the licensing system, before deciding whether to allow these existing service providers to be deemed as licensed from June 1 this year, until a final decision is made on their licence applications. If the SFC considers that some existing service providers could not meet the relevant requirements of the transitional arrangement, a no-deeming notice will be issued to these applicants. All existing service providers which have not submitted their application by February 29, or have received a no-deeming notice, must begin ceasing operations and complete the process by May 31 this year, or within three months since the issuance of the notice. As the deadline for existing service providers to submit licence applications to meet the transitional arrangements will approach at the end of this month, the SFC is actively preparing for enforcement work (including issuing a no-deeming notice to unqualified service providers), and will step up publicity efforts. The SFC will in a timely manner inform the public about, and provide updates to, the online lists of VA trading platforms, to ensure that the public can clearly know whether these service providers are licensed. I would also like to remind investors again that many VAs have no intrinsic value, and that the prices are highly volatile. Before engaging in related investments, it is essential to understand the details and consider the risks involved. For VA transactions, only platforms officially licensed by the SFC should be used. Operations of unlicensed providers and operators which have not applied for a licence may not be compliant with statutory regulatory requirements, and some unlicensed platforms may also have been involved in fraud, leading to losses for investors. On the other hand, the VA ecosystem also includes some over-the-counter (OTC) venues, often in the form of physical shops or online platforms, and are easily accessible to the general public. In fact, OTC venues played a certain role in some of the fraud cases involving some unlicensed VA trading platforms last year, having misled investors to channel funds to these unlicensed platforms. Therefore, we believe that it is necessary to bring OTC venues under regulation, and we will launch a consultation very soon on the proposed regulatory framework. We hope that members of the public and stakeholders will actively express their opinions. Those who have been following the development of VAs will know that, together with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), we are consulting the public on the legislative proposal on a regulatory regime for stablecoin issuers. The proposed regulatory system requires all qualified fiat-referenced stablecoin (FRS) issuers to obtain a licence issued by the HKMA. Regulating FRS issuers in a risk-based manner, and providing transparent and suitable guardrails, the system seeks to manage the potential monetary and financial stability risks. The HKMA will also introduce a sandbox arrangement, conveying regulatory expectations and providing compliance guidance to issuers planning to issue FRS in Hong Kong. At the same time, the arrangement will gather their opinions on the proposed regulatory requirements, facilitating the implementation of subsequent regulatory regimes, and ensuring that the system meets the regulatory objectives. As the two-month consultation period will end at the end of this month, please submit your opinions in time. As the transitional period for the VASP licensing system enters its final stage, we are gradually enhancing measures on VA regulation. With clearer regulatory and market development standards emerging at the international level, investors trading VA on licensed platforms should enjoy enhanced protection and have elevated confidence in the market. We will continue to use a multipronged approach comprising comprehensive public education, enhancing enforcement and timely information dissemination, to facilitate the robust and responsible development of the market. Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui wrote this article and posted it on his blog on February 2. This story has been published on: 2024-02-02. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The Afghan refugee suspected of a chemical attack on a family in Clapham, south-west London, should not have been granted asylum, according to Home Office rules. Abdul Ezedis 2018 conviction for a sexual assault in Newcastle, and his consequent inclusion on the sex offenders register, should have barred him from asylum. But his application was approved by an immigration judge on his third appeal after he claimed he had converted to Christianity and would be persecuted if returned to Afghanistan. Home Office guidance to asylum caseworkers states that where a person is required to sign the sex offenders register, you must refuse or cancel entry clearance or permission on the grounds of serious harm. On Friday, a Downing Street spokesman said Rishi Sunak did not believe that foreign criminals should be able to stay in the country, putting the public at risk. It came as the manhunt for Ezedi continued with police revealing new CCTV images of his last known sighting on a Victoria Line train heading south at 9pm on Wednesday, around an hour and a half after the attack in Clapham. The 31-year-old mother, whom he attacked with a corrosive substance, was described by police as very poorly with injuries that are expected to be life-changing. The wounds to her daughters, aged three and eight, are described as not as serious as first thought and not likely to be life-changing. On Friday, Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, wrote to James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, to ask whether the Home Office made representations during the appeal hearing that the individual should be denied asylum because of his offending history. It is of real concern that a convicted foreign national sex offender has been allowed to remain in the UK in these circumstances, she said. Home Office sources said Mr Cleverly has asked for a full report on all the criminal and immigration aspects of the case to establish exactly what happened. Suella Braverman said the case showed why the UK needed to quit the European Convention on Human Rights, which prevented the UK from deporting criminals. Spurious claims based on religion are commonplace in our asylum system. The bar is low, its easy to game the system and it happens, said the former home secretary. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The man being hunted in connection with the chemical attack in south London was last seen on a Victoria Line tube heading south, Scotland Yard has said. Abdul Ezedi was captured on CCTV at Kings Cross Underground Station at 9pm on Wednesday around an hour and a half after the attack in Clapham, in which a woman and her two children were sprayed with a corrosive substance. In a new image released by police, Ezedi can be seen walking through a tube station, bearing significant facial injuries. Police issued an urgent public appeal for anyone who might have seen him on Wednesday or since to contact them immediately, but warned people not to approach him as he is considered to be extremely dangerous. Scotland also released further information about Ezedis known movements in the hours before and immediately after the attack. It is now known that he left Newcastle, where he has been living, shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning. It is believed he drove south to London in his white Hyundai, which was spotted in the Tooting area of south London at around 6.30am. The car was further spotted in the Croydon area at around 4.30pm and then again in the Streatham area of south London at 7pm. The attack took place in Lessar Avenue in Clapham at 7.25pm and Ezedi then attempted to drive away but crashed his car and fled on foot. Eight minutes later at 7.33pm he boarded a Northern Line train at Clapham South Tube station and at 7.59pm is seen leaving that train at Kings Cross station in north London. At 8.42pm, after leaving Kings Cross station, Ezedi is captured on CCTV at the Tesco supermarket in Caledonian Road, where he picks up a bottle of water. He then appears to head back to Kings Cross where trains depart for Newcastle upon Tyne. But rather than attempting to return to the North East he once again heads onto the Tube and at 9pm boards a Victoria Line southbound. The Victoria Line from Kings Cross stops at Euston, Warren Street, Oxford Circus, Green Park, Victoria, Pimlico, Stockwell and terminates at Brixton. As well as issuing the updated timeline, police also revealed that they had raided a number of properties in Newcastle and east London. Commander Jon Savell from the Met said: First of all, I would like to thank the public and the media for sharing our appeals for information following the incident in Clapham, which I know has caused a great deal of public concern. We have received dozens of calls of possible sightings of Abdul Ezedi and every single one has been followed up and investigated. Fast-paced enquiries, led by senior detectives have been carried out in the past 24 hours to trace the whereabouts of the suspect. And Id like to thank Northumbria Police, British Transport Police and Transport for London for their help as we progress this investigation. A total of five search warrants were carried out overnight, including at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle. Two empty containers with corrosive warnings on the label were found at an address in Newcastle. Forensic tests are currently ongoing to see if the containers held the substance used in the attack in Clapham. 07:00 PM GMT That concludes The Telegraphs live coverage of the Clapham chemical attack Please check Telegraph.co.uk for any further coverage and updates. 06:41 PM GMT What happened today Were ending our live coverage of the Clapham chemical attack for this evening. Here are todays developments: The suspect was twice denied asylum in the UK before being allowed to stay after claiming he had converted to Christianity Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a detailed review of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum Staff at the Byker butcher shop in the east of Newcastle, where Ezedi bought Halal meat, said they were horrified that he had been connected to the attack because he was a good Muslim Rishi Sunak does not think foreign criminals should be able to stay in the UK Abdul Ezedi was placed on Sex Offenders Register for 10 years Church of England says it is role of Home Office to vet asylum seekers Commander Jon Savell says mothers injuries expected to be life-changing The suspect was last seen on the Victoria line 06:38 PM GMT Witness: 'There's always police in and out of there' Claudette Leham, 54, a cleaner, was one of the neighbours who saw the police raid in Leyton in the early hours of Friday morning amid the manhunt for the suspect, whose brother is thought to live there. Ms Leham told The Telegraph: I saw it at about 3am this morning. There was at least 20 police - I saw all the vans park around here and they all came out in their blue bio hazard suits all masked up. They took everyone out and along the high road there were fire engines and police cars. It was all quiet, my dog didnt even bark but its only because I heard all the clanking of the side doors. Its like a hostel, its always young people there but quite a quick turnover. I think its a place for young people who are in care and given their first flat, its multiple flats inside. I didnt see them take anything out but you wouldnt because there were cars blocking it. Theres always police in and out of there, theres always trouble like fighting. Theres a lot of changeover of young people in there all the time and they have cleaners go in, so its warden controlled. 06:32 PM GMT Police raid in Leyton amid manhunt for suspect The police raided a property in Leyton in the early hours of Friday morning amid the manhunt for the suspect of the chemical attack, Abdul Ezedi, whose brother is thought to live there. 05:52 PM GMT Yvette Cooper says it's 'real concern' that Ezedi was allowed to remain in UK after sex offence Ms Cooper questioned whether the home secretary in 2018 considered deportation following Ezedis conviction. Suggesting that he was later granted asylum in October 2020, she also asked whether the Home Office made representations during the appeal hearing that the individual should be denied asylum because of his offending history. She added: It is of real concern that a convicted foreign national sex offender has been allowed to remain in the UK in these circumstances. 05:17 PM GMT Labour says chemical attack 'raises very serious questions' Labour has written to James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, saying that the chemical attack raises very serious questions about the process that granted the suspect asylum in Britain. In a letter sent by Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, the senior Opposition MP said: You will also be aware that some information has emerged about the background of the man suspected of carrying out the attack that raises very serious questions which need to be answered about decision-making at the Home Office and the way his case was handled. 04:40 PM GMT Police presence on Victoria line There is a notable police presence on the Victoria line, after the announcement that the Clapham attack suspect was last seen on the Tube, the BBC has reported. British Transport Police officers are on board trains and have a visible presence at some stations, including Oxford Circus. 04:21 PM GMT Two empty containers with corrosive warnings found Two empty containers with corrosive warnings on the label were found at an address in Newcastle following police searches, Sky News has reported. Commander Jon Savell said: Forensic tests are currently ongoing to see if the containers held the substance used in the attack in Clapham. 04:15 PM GMT The Metropolitan Police have released new images of Abdul Ezedi Abdul Ezedi at King's Cross Underground Station 04:06 PM GMT 'Really important' for public to contact police with any information Police urged the public to help in their efforts to trace Abdul Ezedi, describing it as really important. Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said: We would very much like all of the publics help in identifying where hes travelled. If youve seen Ezedi, or you know where he is, then I urge you please to contact our hotline which is 02071752784. Or of course you can phone Crimestoppers. If you think youve seen Ezedi now, do not approach him, ring 999 and we will be there urgently. We need the publics help to trace Ezedi. Its really important. 03:57 PM GMT Timeline of the attack The police gave the following timeline of events: 1. Left Newcastle in the very early hours to travel south 2. 6.30am - seen in Tooting area 3. 4.30pm - seen in Croydon area 4. 7pm - seen in Streatham area 5. 7.25pm - attack in Clapham 6. 7.33pm - gets on Tube at Clapham South 7. 8pm - seen at Kings Cross 8. 8.45pm - seen in Caledonian Road Tesco 9. 9pm - seen on Victoria line going south 03:57 PM GMT Mother sedated and 'very poorly' in hospital A mother injured in a chemical attack in London on Wednesday is sedated and very poorly in hospital. A 31-year-old woman and her daughters, aged three and eight, were injured in the incident. Giving an update on their conditions on Friday, Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said: The mother remains very poorly in hospital and shes sedated at the moment. We expect that those injuries will be life-changing. He said the two children who were with her do not have injuries as serious as initially thought. He said: They are not likely to be life-changing (injuries). They remain with mum in the care of the NHS and we, of course, wish them the very best recovery that we can. 03:55 PM GMT 'Significant and important pieces of evidence' recovered Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said the manhunt for Abdul Ezedi continues after he was suspected of carrying out a chemical attack in London on Wednesday. He told reporters on Friday that significant and important pieces of evidence were recovered in searches carried out in east London and Newcastle on Thursday night. He said: In terms of our manhunt for Ezedi, weve got a large team of very experienced detectives leading the manhunt, using all the tactics that you would expect us to use, lots of officers out on the ground. Were working very closely with colleagues from Transport for London, British Transport Police and our colleagues in Northumbria Police as well. Last night, five search warrants were executed - two in East London and three up in Newcastle. Weve recovered some significant and important pieces of evidence which will help with our investigation. 03:49 PM GMT 'Very significant injuries' Making his direct appeal to Abdul Ezedi, Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said: Abdul, you clearly have got some very significant injuries. Weve seen the images. You need some medical help, so do the right thing and hand yourself in. 03:47 PM GMT 'Do the right thing' Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell has made a direct appeal to Abdul Ezedi, the suspect in the corrosive alkaline substance attack in Clapham on Wednesday, saying: Do the right thing and hand yourself in. 03:42 PM GMT Further CCTV images to be shared Further images from CCTV to be shared shortly. He urges those with any information to contact the hotline 02071752784. 03:39 PM GMT Commander Jon Savell says mother's injuries expected to be 'life-changing' Commander Jon Savell said that the two childrens injuries are not as bad as they first appeared. He added that the mother still remains in hospital and her injuries are expected to be life-changing. 03:36 PM GMT Media awaiting police statement The media are awaiting the arrival of Commander Jon Savell outside New Scotland Yard where he is expected to give a statement to camera about the manhunt for Abdul Ezedi. The sentencing of Brianna Gheys killers has now concluded so we are expecting the statement to begin shortly. 03:29 PM GMT Police update delayed The police update has been delayed until after the sentencing of Brianna Gheys killers. Scarlett Jenkinson was told she must serve a minimum of 22 years before being considered for release, while Eddie Ratcliffe was told he must serve a minimum of 20 years. 02:09 PM GMT Two senior MPS say those who arrive illegally and are convicted of offence should be deported Migrants who enter the UK illegally and are subsequently convicted of a criminal offence should not be allowed to claim asylum and be deported, two senior MPs have said in the wake of the Clapham chemical attack that left twelve people hurt. Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger, the co-chairs of the New Conservatives group of MPs, called for the overhaul of the asylum rules after it emerged that suspected attacker Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, was granted asylum after receiving a suspended sentence for a sex assault and exposure in Newcastle. In a statement issued to The Telegraph they said: Anyone who arrives in the UK illegally and is subsequently convicted of a criminal offence should not be allowed to claim asylum here, since they present a clear risk to the safety of the population as a whole. This tragic case demonstrates yet again how an immigration system that prioritises the preferences of individual foreign nationals over the security of the UK population as a whole will be abused and exploited and innocent people will suffer. Strong border control is not cruel - its the foundation of a safe society. If international agreements such as the ECHR prevent us from protecting British citizens by deporting foreign criminals then we must withdraw from those agreements. 01:52 PM GMT Church of England says it is role of Home Office to 'vet asylum seekers' The Church of England has said it is not its job to vet asylum seekers after it emerged that Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, the suspected chemical attacker, was allowed to stay in the country following a sex offence. Ezedi was allowed to stay in the country after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity and was wholly committed to his new religion. A spokesman for the Church of England said: This is clearly a shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by it. It is the role of the Home Office, and not the Church, to vet asylum seekers and judge the merits of their individual cases. A national manhunt is underway for Ezedi, 35, who is suspected of attacking a 31-year-old woman and her two children with an alkaline substance and attempting to run them over before fleeing. 01:40 PM GMT Pictured: Charity visited by Abdul Ezedi every two weeks St Vincent's Centre in Byker, Newcastle, where acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project - Raoul Dixon/North News & Pictures Ltd Ezedi went to St Vincent's Centre every two weeks for toiletries and food, according to a charity worker at the site - Raoul Dixon/North News & Pictures 01:23 PM GMT Suella Braverman says Clapham attack shows why Britain should leave the European Convention on Human Rights The former home secretary said on Twitter that the Clapham attack shows why Britain should leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). She tweeted: The immigration history to this case demonstrates why we need a fundamental overhaul of human rights laws. We need to leave the ECHR. Spurious claims based on religion are commonplace in our asylum system. The bar is low, its easy to game the system and it happens The Refugee Convention, the ECHR & the HRA prevent us from deporting convicted criminals because the privileges these agreements now give them trump the fundamental rights of British people to live in a safe country. This is a national security emergency and realistic, hard headed measures are needed if we are to control our borders & keep the British people safe. Failing to act isnt humane, its irresponsible & a betrayal of these criminals victims. 01:12 PM GMT Witness: Severely hurt mother selflessly sought help for her daughters' burns The mother who was attacked with chemicals in Clapham selflessly sought help for her daughters burns despite being severely hurt herself, an eyewitness has claimed. The 22-year-old man, who has been a resident at Clapham South Belvedere hotel for three months and who wanted to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: By the time Ive gone in my room all Ive heard is a car crash, screaming, people came running in. I saw the female who got attacked sat on the chair. It was a mixture of police and ambulance. The eight-year-old child was sat on her lap with burn marks on her face. On the eight-year-old child I saw six large red blotches all covering the left side of her face from the eye socket down to the cheekbone, you could see she had been splashed with something. He added: The mother was screaming help my child needs help. She wasnt focusing on her own injuries or anything she was more focused on helping her child Id describe that as a good thing, I think thats what any mother should do, putting her child first. 12:55 PM GMT Abdul Ezedi paid fortnightly visit to charity for toiletries and food Acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi visited a charity in Byker, Newcastle, every fortnight for toiletries and food, a volunteer who helped him has revealed. Ezedi was a regular visitor to the Justice and Peace Refugee Project, close to the hostel he lived in, which provides asylum seekers with basic provisions. A charity worker who knew him, but wishes to remain anonymous, described him as a very quiet, isolated and calm person who would never complain. The 32-year-old said: A lot of asylum seekers have aggression or are violent because of the trauma they have been through but he wasnt. I never had any issues with him. He added: I looked at the news and when I saw his picture I was shocked. My friend, who is also a charity worker, told me about an attacker who was from Newcastle. I never expected such violence from him. He was friendly. He didnt talk much about his life, he never mentioned his past or any friends. The last time I saw him he was thin, he looked weak and vulnerable. Its really frustrating to know this person has committed this crime as would have never expected it. 12:40 PM GMT Abdul Ezedi was placed on Sex Offenders Register for 10 years Abdul Shakoor Ezedi had been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years after admitting to exposing himself, court documents obtained by The Telegraph reveal. Newcastle Crown Court released further details of the wanted mans appearance in court six years ago. Ezedi, then just 29, was handed a 45-week prison sentence suspended for two years after he was sentenced on Jan 9 2018 for sex offences. He pleaded guilty to one offence of sexual assault and another of exposure. The criminal was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. He was also required to perform 200 hours of unpaid work in the community. The Telegraph submitted an application to His Honour Judge Paul Sloan, the Recorder for Newcastle Upon Tyne, for the particulars of the case on Friday. 12:27 PM GMT Rishi Sunak does not think 'foreign criminals should be able to stay' in the UK Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, does not think foreign criminals should be able to stay in the UK, according to an official spokesman. The official declined to comment on the suspects immigration status while the police investigation goes ahead but said that, more broadly, the PM doesnt think that foreign criminals should be able to stay in the country, putting the public at risk. The spokesman said: First and foremost on the attack, obviously, it was a horrific attack and the PMs thoughts are with the victims and their families. Hed like to extend his thanks to the emergency services for the very quick response to the scene and the five officers who were injured in the incident. 12:17 PM GMT Nearly 500 chemical attacks were reported last year According to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), some 472 attacks in which suspected acidic or corrosive substances were thrown at victims were reported to police in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023. However, the real figure may be greater. Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI), a charity that supports victims of acid attacks, found that there were 710 attacks in 2022, compared with 421 in 2021. 11:46 AM GMT Ezedi was a 'good Muslim', despite claiming he had converted to Christianity Staff at the Byker butcher shop in the east of Newcastle, where Ezedi bought Halal meat, said they were horrified that he had been connected to the attack because he was a good Muslim, Steve Bird reports. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the Halal butcher told The Telegraph: He was very respectful, I never saw anything bad about him. One of my customers sent me the news that he was wanted. It is horrifying. If I see him I will call the police. But, I thought he was respectful and a very good guy, a good Muslim. Read more here. 11:18 AM GMT Nick Robinson tells Robert Jenrick not to draw the 'wrong conclusions' On BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Nick Robinson told Robert Jenrick: Theres a danger, isnt there, from drawing from this case, the danger that its implied that lots of asylum seekers are criminals whereas the vast, vast majority are not. That it is implied a lot are sex attackers whereas the overwhelming majority are not. Jenrick responded: Youre right to say that we shouldnt jump to conclusions, and I would expect the home secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has gone seriously wrong in this case and to be put that information in the public domain. Youre also right to say that the majority the vast majority claiming asylum are law-abiding individuals. However, he added that when people enter the country illegally we know absolutely nothing about them. 10:56 AM GMT Recap: Ezedi's movements 10:33 AM GMT People refused asylum should be 'returned to the origin that they came from', says Labour's Darren Jones After refusing to comment on the Clapham attack, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury told Sky News: We know that this government has been failing to return people who have failed to be granted asylum in this country. Its right that we support people when they need that support. But if people have failed to have that asylum granted they should be returned to the origin that they came from before they came to apply for it. Thats why Yvette Cooper, our shadow home secretary has said that one of the things the Labour government would do would be to re-staff the returns unit in the Home Office to make sure that there was quicker processing of people who [are] failed asylum seekers to ensure that they go home. 09:05 AM GMT We need to investigate asylum situation, says Jenrick Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a detailed review of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, an ally of Suella Braverman who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme the case raises very serious concerns. He said: It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity. I think we need to investigate the particular circumstances. We shouldnt jump to conclusions, and I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest. 08:39 AM GMT Witness: My partner chased attacker down street Ms Christi also told how her partner chased a suspect, whom she described as dressed in all black, down the street. She said: He ran straight off towards Balham. My partner chased him halfway down the street but he was wearing slippers. The attacker was wearing all black, but I couldnt really focus on what he looked like because I was focusing on the little girl. Ive never seen them before, I think it was a domestic incident. There was another girl who was crying, she was about 8. I told her to come in with us. Im a mother with three children, my youngest is 2, so I feel like I had to get in and do something. Id step in again to do that if I had to. 08:39 AM GMT Witness: I went to hospital after helping young girl A mother who lives in the street where a suspected acid attack was carried out in south London last night has told how she went to hospital after helping a child who was attacked with a corrosive substance, Alex Barton reports. Shannon Christi said her partner chased the suspect down the street after they intervened in the attack alongside other neighbours following a commotion outside their homes in which a three-year-old girl was thrown to the ground. She told The Telegraph: I saw a little girl being thrown to the floor. At that point, I ran in and grabbed her off the floor. I heard her mum shouting I cant see, I cant see. So I called my partner to get some water. Staff at the hospital then came round and were dousing her with water. At that point, my skin started to tingle. Me and the little girl went into the block to wash our eyes and faces with water. I think what happened is she got it on her jacket when she fell on the floor and then it transferred to me. I went to Tooting hospital yesterday because my lips kept burning but they couldnt identify what the substance was. 08:29 AM GMT 'Mild-mannered Christian travelled length of country to carry out Clapham chemical attack Almost 300 miles away from the streets of Clapham lined with multi-million-pound homes, Abdul Shokoor Ezedi had been living in dilapidated hostels and halfway houses since he arrived from Afghanistan in the back of a lorry. The 35-year-old was described as mild-mannered and was said by neighbours in the Byker area of Newcastle to keep himself to himself. His last known address was at a hostel on the citys Wilfred Street, which is run by Tyne Housing Association and provides accommodation for people deemed homeless or vulnerable. He always appeared to be by himself and did not appear to have a wife or children, locals said. Read more here. 08:18 AM GMT Clapham chemical attack suspect was failed asylum seeker The refugee suspected of carrying out a chemical attack that left a mother and child disfigured was twice denied asylum in the UK before being allowed to stay after claiming he had converted to Christianity, The Telegraph has learned. Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who arrived illegally in the country in the back of a lorry in 2016, said his life would be in danger if he was returned to his native Afghanistan. Ezedi was convicted of a sex offence in 2018. It is understood that he was twice refused asylum before being granted leave to remain in 2021 or 2022 after a priest vouched for his conversion and argued he was wholly committed to his new religion. Read more on this unfolding development here. 08:10 AM GMT Mother and girl may have life-changing injuries A 31-year-old mother and her two children, aged 8 and 3, remain in hospital after the suspected alkaline attack in Clapham on Wednesday night. The woman and her youngest daughter have injuries that are potentially life-changing, the Metropolitan Police have said. Supt Gabriel Cameron, a senior officer who polices in Lambeth, said: it may be some time before hospital staff are able to say how serious that might be. Three members of the public who came to the aid of the family, two in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns. Scotland Yard said five officers who responded to the incident were also treated and have now left hospital. 07:59 AM GMT What chemical was used in the attack? The suspect is believed to have used a corrosive alkaline substance but police have said they do not know if it was a household product that was used. Products such as bleach and oven cleaners are alkaline substances. Contact with alkaline substances can lead to severe injuries to the eyes, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. The NHS website says burns caused by acid, alkaline or caustic chemicals can be very damaging and need immediate medical attention. 07:53 AM GMT Minister pressed on suspect's asylum claim Britain must end the asylum merry-go-round, the childrens minister has said amid the manhunt for the Clapham chemical attack suspect. David Johnston was pressed by Sky News on reports the suspect in the alkaline substance attack in south London is a convicted sex offender who was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Mr Johnston said: I dont have his case file and I cant say anything that might affect the polices investigation here. He is still at large and what we really need is anyone with information to come forward in order that he can be apprehended, given he is the polices key suspect. But on your broader point, its vital that we end the asylum merry-go-round that we have seen and thats what the Safety of Rwanda Bill is all about. 07:50 AM GMT Where was Abdul Ezedi last seen? Police released an image of the last-known sighting of Abdul Shokoor Ezedi which placed him on Caledonian Road, in Islington, at 8.48pm on Thursday. There had been a heightened police presence, including unmarked cars with blue sirens and police vans, in the area. Abdul Ezedi, 35, from the Newcastle area, who was described by Metropolitan Police Supt Gabriel Cameron as having significant injuries to the right side of his face, was last seen at a supermarket in north London on Thursday evening. Mr Cameron said: The image is taken from the Tesco store, where Ezedi is believed to have purchased a bottle of water. He left the shop and turned right. The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive. If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should not be approached. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Clark County firefighters battled a fire at the Wetlands Park area after a large black smoke column was spotted on Thursday. Clark County firefighters arrived shortly before 12:30 p.m. to extinguish the fire. A few minutes later, crews knocked down the fire near Meadow Foxtail Drive. The Bureau of Land Management responded to assist the wildland firefighters, and the scene was passed to them as Clark County crews returned to service. No lives or property were threatened by the fire which was estimated at close to three acres. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Its confirmed, the city of Biloxi said Friday: the Great Food Truck Race is coming to the Mississippi Coast. Several contestants in Season 17 of the reality cooking show on Food Network have announced plans and even menus for this weekend in Biloxi. They traveled to the Coast from Lake Charles, Louisiana, where seven teams competed in front of crowds and TV cameras on Monday and Tuesday. The show films each episode in a different city, and this season so far appears to center on the Gulf South. The competition begins with a group of food trucks who compete in a series of challenges to make the most money. The team that makes the least in each location goes home, and host and celebrity chef Tyler Florence cuts teams as the competition moves from city to city. The winner gets $50,000. The show worked with Harrahs casino and the event will take place Saturday at the Great Lawn, according to a press release from Biloxi. The public can join at 11:30 a.m. The trucks will also likely be out on Sunday, either at the Great Lawn or at the Harrison County West Biloxi Beach Launch south of Treasure Bay, according to the city. Here are all the trucks spotted in Lake Charles, and what theyve said about plans for the Mississippi Coast. Argentinas Empanadas The truck sells sells crispy stuffed pastry empanadas, and said on Facebook its already arrived on the Mississippi Coast. Coast foodies can order Tango Beef Empanadas with Chips, Loaded Gaucho Corn Mac and Ice Cold Argen-Tea, the food truck said on Facebook. The truck says its food transports customers to the tastes of Buenos Aires. SoLA Po Boys SoLA Po Boys has said its coming to Biloxi with a a unique menu. The truck is selling Banh Boy po boys with pork, carrots, cilantro slaw and rum-infused sauce. Its Cajun Elote Pasta dish has crab boiled bow tie pasta, etouffee corn choux with shrimp and cajun butter sauce, according to the trucks Facebook page. The truck also promised a foster desert with honey cinnamon crisp, rum bananas foster and whipped cream. Plates on Deck Plates on Deck serves eclectic soul food, according to its Facebook page. Its dishes include seafood boils, Cajun crab cakes and jerk shrimp pasta. The truck posted a video of the journey to the Coast. Wallys Waffles Wallys Waffles sells gourmet waffles with strawberries, banana, chocolate and other toppings. The food truck said on Facebook it plans to compete in Biloxi this weekend. Wallys Waffles announced it will arrive in Biloxi this weekend. Fishnet Fishnet is a seafood truck that sells fresh fish, with sauces and sides made from scratch, according to its Facebook page. Fishnet also said it uses hand cut russet potatoes for french fries. The truck announced it will come to Biloxi and said owners are extremely psyched to meet locals. Bao Bei Bao Bei is a Taiwanese street food truck that competed in Lake Charles. The truck had not posted plans by Friday afternoon, and its unclear if the truck will appear in Biloxi. Its menu includes popcorn chicken, and its bao or pork belly buns are popular Taiwanese staples. Down to Get Tacos Down to Get Tacos says it serves simple, authentic Mexican food. Owners were spotted high-fiving crowds in Lake Charles this week, but the food truck has not posted updates and it is unclear if it will appear in Biloxi. DTG Tacos serves corn and flour tortillas with barbacoa pork, al pastor chicken, carnitas, chicken tinga, potatoes, rice and more. Sun Herald editor Tim Thorsen contributed reporting. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Join Grand Junction at Las Colinas Park Feb. 24 for the Coldest Night of The Year 5K! The 5K is a family-friendly walk-in support of local charities serving individuals experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger in our community. The event, hosted by HomewardBound, has invited Grand Junction as the first and only location in Colorado to participate in the 5K along with 191 communities across North America. The early evening walk serves as a reminder for those who may not have a warm place to go during the winter months. Warm soup will be provided at the 5K to everyone who registers. You can do so for free at the Coldest Night of the Year website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. The newly installed dean of students at New College of Florida cracked homophobic jokes and made a series of bizarre comments as part of a recent stand-up comedy routinea bit thats managed to enrage some students and alumni even as the university continues to stand behind him. The man behind the tasteless jokes was David Rancourt, an ex-lobbyist who was part of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis overhauling of New College last year, which saw its old leadership stripped and filled largely with like-minded ideologues. Rancourt, who oversees the universitys 700 students, joked about exposing himself to a fellow childwho he calls a bitch at one pointwhen he was in elementary school, a drill sergeant sticking a baton up his butt, and his Peace Corp battalion being raped by native men in the Amazon. He also spoke about his love for sex and beer. In setting up his joke about the Amazon, Rancourt said the chief of a tribe thatd captured him and his Peace Corp buddies had given them two choicesdeath, or Bunga Bunga, which he later suggested was a euphemism for being raped by the tribe members. I dont want to die, Rancourt said, quoting a member of his group. I dont know what bunga bunga is, but give me bunga bunga. So they took that man and they strapped him down on the tree over on the side, bent him over, and every man in the tribe violated him. The joke didnt have a definitive punch line. Rancourt continued by saying the next member of his captured group was brought out and asked the same question by the chief, but he chose death. The chief ordered the man dead, Rancourt said, and the death was to be administered via bunga bunga. Then, the set was over. Video of the stand-up session was posted to YouTube on Jan. 25. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that it was part of a New College-sanctioned group comedy class that was hosted in downtown Sarasota. When reached for comment about the video, the university acted as if a news article about the routine was akin to cancel culture. Cancel culture is over at New College, said the universitys statement, sent to the Herald-Tribune. Comedy is a work of art, one that is reliant on our societys tenets of free speech and free expression. New College supports its students, faculty and staffs right to participate in artistic endeavors like a comedy performance, or any other civil exercising of free speech and free expression. Rancourt noted on stage that a member of the college's board of trustees was in attendance, joking that he hoped they were OK with his jokes. While New College itself unequivocally backed its dean, the college's president, Richard Corcoran, couldnt help but notice how often his colleague mentioned gay sex in the seven minutes he was on stage. Theres a lot of gay jokes there, said Corcoran, who followed up Rancourts comedy routine with one of his own. I think he's trying to tell me something. The comments from both college leaders come as LGBTQ students at New College have said they feel theyre the target of a hostile environment at the school, as The Daily Beast reported last year. A flurry of changes at the university are likely to blame. That includes the termination of a librarian whos LGBTQ, as well as the abolishment of its Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence, its womens and gender studies programs, and a designated dorm that was created for LGBTQ students. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Teree Becker. aged 20, was last seen on 4 December 1975 (Westminster Police Department) Colorado police have solved a nearly five-decade-old cold-case murder of a 20-year-old woman. Westminster Police identified Thomas Elliott as the murderer of 20-year-old Teree Becker, who was last seen on 4 December 1975, as she hitchhiked to visit her boyfriend at the Adams County Jail in Brighton, Colorado. Her body was found by a couple in a field near 100th Avenue two days later, police said. The 20-year-olds autopsy revealed that she had been raped and had died of asphyxiation. The identification comes 48 years after Beckers murder and decades of investigation from multiple police departments. The cold case has been reviewed multiple times over the decades, police said, including in 2003, when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation extracted a piece of male DNA from evidence related to the rape. However, investigators were unable to find a match for the DNA profile until 2013 when a sample submitted by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department for the rape and murder of a woman in her apartment provided a genetic match and police were able to determine that the same suspect was involved in both cases. Thomas Martin Elliott has been identified as the murderer of 20-year-old Teree Becker (Westminster Police Department) But despite the breakthrough, Las Vegas police were also not able to identify the suspect in their case. In 2018, the DNA profile created in Colorado was determined to be a good candidate for genetic genealogy and was submitted for testing again, Westminster Police Department said. Genetic genealogy compares DNA samples to each other to find people who may be related to each other. It would then take five years of testing for police to identify Thomas Elliott as the suspect. Elliott was already deceased, but in October, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department obtained consent to exhume his body in relation to the two homicides. His bones were collected and analysed, and he was then identified as a match to the unknown DNA profile in the murder of Teree Becker. Detectives later found that Elliott had spent time in prison for various crimes, including a burglary committed shortly before Beckers murder. He was sentenced to six years in prison for the burglary before being released from prison in Las Vegas in 1981. He then received another 10-year sentence for a crime against a child and was released in 1991 before committing the murder that led to the Las Vegas DNA profile, according to the Westminster Police Department. Elliott took his own life in October 1991, police said, and was buried in Nevada. We are thrilled we were able to solve this cold case and hopefully bring closure to the friends and family of Teree Becker, Westminster Police Department said. The baked goods offered at this new Columbus bakery are not intended for humans. But the goods are quite fit for the canine crowd. Franchise owners Tracy and Joey St. John hope to start selling fresh-baked treats and other pet supplies in Three Dog Bakery on Feb. 15 downtown on Broadway near Agave Bar and Grill. We chose this business because its something that makes us happy, Joey said. Our pets, our dogs, make us happy. Tracy St. John answers questions about Three Dog Bakery, located at 1106 Broadway in downtown Columbus, Georgia. Franchise owners Tracy and Joey St. John hope to start selling fresh-baked treats and other pet supplies on Feb 15. 01/30/2024 Three Dog Bakery was founded in 1989, and now has 50 bakeries in the franchise. The Columbus location will be the second one in Georgia. Despite being 35-years-old, Tracy said, Three Dog Bakery is not a big corporation. The franchise is run with a hometown-feel, she said, and they hope to keep this energy at the Columbus location. We want to know our customers by name, Tracy said. Or at least the dogs by name. Let dogs do the shopping Inside the bakery, humans and their dogs can explore the self-serve treats or walk over to the display cases where puppies can sniff out their favorite treats. Tracy and Joey want pets using their senses to find items that interest them whether its a treats smell or how a toy squeaks or crinkles. We definitely want the dog to do the shopping if the dog is with their human, Tracy said. Along with fresh treats, the store carries dog toys and a few dog food brands that include dry, canned, raw and freeze-dried foods. It will also offer Three Dog Bakery branded pre-packaged treats. These cookies are from a mini pack of six, golden and vanilla flavor sandwich cookies for dogs that will be for sale at Three Dog Bakery in downtown Columbus, Georgia. 01/30/2024 You might have seen a minimal assortment in places like Publix or Target, Tracy said. This is going to be the whole variety of what is made within the Three Dog brand. Seasonal treats will be available at the bakery, and treats are also customizable, she said. Customers can get treats decorated for their pups birthday or have their name written on the treat. All of the treats are made with human ingredients like rice flour and wheat flour, Tracy said. The coloring used for decorating are all plant-based. Every single thing going into these bakery treats are healthy for the dogs and actually edible for humans, Tracy said. But humans might be a little disappointed because theres no sugar. There are no products available for cats, she said, but if customers come in and show enough interest this could change in the future. Franchise owners Tracy and Joey St. John hope to start selling fresh-baked treats and other pet supplies in Three Dog Bakery on Feb. 15 downtown at 1106 Broadway in downtown Columbus, Georgia. 01/30/2024 Bringing a love of pets to Downtown Columbus One of the first things Tracy and Joey did after getting married was get a dog. Joey previously ran a doggy daycare business in Atlanta, while Tracy worked with the Atlanta Humane Society for a number of years. After meeting in college, Tracy introduced Joey to her hometown of Columbus. When they decided to have kids about 22 years ago, the couple moved out of Atlanta back to Columbus. Tracy and Joey owned and operated another franchise in Columbus, JumpBunch, for over 10 years before selling it to an employee in 2020. So, they had experience working with franchises before decided to open Three Dog Bakery, Joey said, a store theyd become familiar with years before. Whilst living in Columbus, the two became inspired by the growth they witnessed downtown, Tracy said. And they began considering what the area was missing. It was an experience for dogs. Downtown is such an amazing destination now, Joey said. . . . We saw the opportunity. You cant come downtown without seeing people with their dogs. Three Dog Bakery is located at 1106 Broadway in downtown Columbus, Georgia. 01/30/2024 Fetch Park is nearby in Midcity Yards, Tracy said, but the couple wanted to bring an experience for pets to Broadway. People can already sit at human restaurants with their docs, she said, but Three Dog Bakery is made specifically for dogs. Although dogs are welcome in the bakery,Tracy and Joey ask pet parents to be responsible by making sure their pets are leashed and at least tolerant to other pooches and humans. We want this to be a place your dog pulls you into, Joey said. (We want to) become a part of this downtown community. The Columbus man convicted of gunning down a father of eight on a neighborhood street in 2021 could have been sentenced to life in prison without parole, which is how much time prosecutor asked for. But Judge John Martin did not go quite that far Thursday when he decided how much time Deante Caruters would serve for the Jan. 20 murder of Joseph Dukes. Instead he sentenced Caruthers to life with the possibility of parole, plus five more years to serve and 10 years on probation. A defendant given life with parole typically serves 30 years before hes eligible for release. Caruthers is 32 years old. Assistant District Attorney Austin Hammock had sought life without parole for Caruthers, who had a 2019 conviction for theft by receiving a stolen gun. For that offense, he was sentenced as a first offender to five years probation. Had he completed that probation without a second offense, his record would have been cleared. Caruthers defense attorney, William Kendrick, said that previous offense was the cause of the dispute that led to Caruthers and Dukes stopping their cars in the street and facing off on Bayberry Drive. Deante Caruthers looks back at the courtroom as his defense attorneys William Kendrick and Mark Shelnutt talk during a break in Caruthers murder trial. Recorded on nearby home security cameras, they stood face to face, before Caruthers three times shot Dukes, who died after wrecking his car driving away. Both Caruthers and Dukes were charged with having a stolen gun in December 2018, but only Caruthers pleaded guilty. Prosecutors dropped all of Dukes charges, including one count of being a felon with a firearm, because of a 2004 conviction for entering an auto. Kendrick said Caruthers took the blame for the 2018 gun charge to free Dukes, and had complained about it, sparking the 2021 confrontation. Besides murder, a jury Monday found Caruthers guilty of aggravated assault, using a gun to commit a felony and being a first offender with a firearm. Dukes mother, Delilah Dukes, said after the verdict that she felt her family got the justice it deserved. Her son died at age 38. His youngest child never knew him, having been born weeks after his death. The 3-year-old never met him, Delilah Dukes said. He was born 18 days after my son was killed. She said her son was devoted to his family, and faithfully saw to her needs after her husband died. I could always depend on him. If I needed anything, he was always there, she said. My husband passed away in 2011, and my son was my rock. And when he got killed, it took so much, not just from me, but from his kids. Delilah Dukes, center, is surrounded by family members as she speaks to the media after a verdict was reached in the trial of the man found guilty of killing her son Joseph Dukes in 2021. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Two Columbus police officers are facing federal charges for allegedly stealing and selling multiple kilograms of cocaine, including from one of the divisions evidence storage rooms, and collecting at least $70,000 for themselves. Joel Mefford, 34, of London and John Castillo, 31, of Grove City were arrested and appeared in court on Thursday, according to Kenneth Parker, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. Indictments against the two include accusations of stealing from evidence rooms and investigation scenes, as well as passing off the narcotics to another individual to be sold. CPD Chief Elaine Bryant released a statement after the charges were announced. She said that the charges come from an investigation that has lasted years. This long-term investigation stems from 2020, Bryant said. We have been working in full collaboration with federal investigators, and will continue to do so as this case moves forward. Mefford is accused of stealing 20 kilograms of cocaine from the Columbus police property room in April 2020, replacing it with fake narcotics. He also is alleged to have deposited more than $72,000 in cash from the cocaine sales into his personal bank account. Meffords indictment, from February 2020, also claimed that he gained unlawful access to a detached garage during an investigation. Without a warrant, Mefford allegedly discovered two kilograms of cocaine in the rafters of the garage, according to Parker. The indictment said he unlawfully took one of the kilograms and left the other to be found during a search warrant the next morning. The defendant gave the stolen cocaine to another individual to be sold. In February and March 2020, when investigating drug-trafficking activity, Mefford is similarly accused of taking a bag containing multiple kilograms of cocaine from a house, before travelling to another house and removing a kilogram of cocaine. He was at the houses on investigations of drug-trafficking activity. An indictment against Castillo alleges that in February 2021, he took around 10 kilograms of cocaine from a home during an investigation and did not turn it into evidence. He allegedly planted two kilograms at the house to be discovered by law enforcement, but stored the leftover cocaine in another persons basement to be sold by another individual. Both defendants are charged in separate indictments with possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a federal crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Mefford is additionally charged with money laundering and two counts of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Mayor Andrew Ginther called the officers alleged actions selfish in a statement. I am disgusted, Ginther said. We have made great strides in rebuilding trust between police and the community, and we will not allow the actions of a few to deter our progress. CPD is fully cooperating, and the officers will be held accountable. Five CPD officers were arrested from 2023 to 2024, but these indictments mark the first federal charges against Columbus police officers in that time. In March 2023, three CPD officers were relieved of duty after each being arrested within four days of one another on unrelated OVI incidents. Sgt. Melvin Romans, one of the three officers, pleaded guilty in April 2023. A fourth Columbus police officer Trier Knieper was arrested just two months earlier, January 2023, on three charges including one for operating a vehicle impaired, but had all but a speeding charge dropped. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. In the months after Hurricane Irma devastated the Florida Keys, the Conch Republic Marine Army launched as a nonprofit that aimed to help clean up the massive amount of debris that ended up washing and blowing away from peoples homes, yards and businesses and into the sea during the powerful September 2017 storm. Everything from boats, to cars, to refrigerators, to hot tubs found its way into the ocean, Florida Bay and Gulf of Mexico in Irmas aftermath, and much of that remains in the mangroves to this day. Compounded by litter unintentionally and intentionally discarded, the Conch Republic Marine Army and its volunteers have removed hundreds of tons of trash and other debris from the mangroves and nearshore waters since the non-profit began seven years ago. On Monday, 10 high school students volunteering with them discovered something while scouring the shores of Big Pine Key that will likely make their trip from Missouri to the Keys something theyll likely never forget. Along with 346 pounds of trash, they also fished out a brick of cocaine coming in at just over a kilogram. It was found in the high tide line, and we called the proper authorities, Brian Vest, founder and president of the Conch Republic Marine Army said. Missouri students gather for a photo with Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies who met them Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, to pick up a brick of cocaine while they volunteered to collect along the Florida Keys shoreline. Vest took the contraband back to the dock, where he was met with Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies, who handed it over to the U.S. Border Patrol. Adam Hoffner, assistant chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrols Miami sector, said the total weight of the brick was 2.5 pounds, with an estimated street value of $35,000. While the cocaine package was an unexpected find for the young conservationists, its not unusual for smugglers to lose parts of their loads while shipping drugs to the U.S., and the Keys or the waters off the island chain are where those narcotics often end up. Over the summer and into the fall, there were several large loads of cocaine, marijuana, and even hashish, found washed up on land in the Keys, or just offshore. In late July, for instance, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was in the Keys fishing with her family when they came across what wound up to be 70 pounds of cocaine, which the Border Patrol estimated to be worth about $1.1 million. For Vest, he was amused at what the kids found, and glad those drugs will never hit the streets. In the meantime, his mission to rid South Florida of another scourge trash and debris thats endangering the Keys ecosystem continues. A brick of cocaine found by volunteers cleaning trash in the mangroves of Big Pine Key Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, is displayed on a table. He and his crews take volunteers out several times a week. They embark by boat, then get out in the shallows and scatter the shoreline for garbage. Since the formation of the Conch Republic Marine Army, Vest estimates more than 4,000 volunteers have come to the Keys to do their part. Theres a way for everyone to help save the Florida Keys in different ways, he said. For more information, go to www.conchrepublicmarinearmy.org. A career in construction may not be the path most students take in their higher education journey, but last week more than 3,000 students across Central Florida explored the possibility. The Central Florida Construction Career Days event, hosted by the Florida Department of Transportation, gathered department officials and students from several Central Florida schools at the Volusia County Fairgrounds in DeLand last week. It was a very successful day, said Carlos Dawson, FDOTs district maintenance engineer, in an interview. We had just shy of 50 buses. New in DeBary: Construction of DeBary's downtown launches with housing, shopping ahead Students participated in hands-on learning experiences through the events learning labs. These consist of various facets of construction and engineering, from electrical and rebar techniques to cutting-edge drone surveying, immersive VR technology and more. High school students work hands-on with recruiters from construction, engineering and transportation industry agencies during the two-day career day fair at the Volusia County Fairgrounds in DeLand, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. We had 35 learning labs, Dawson said. It was a really good opportunity for juniors and seniors from all across Central Florida to interact with professionals from the construction industry and really get a good understanding of what it takes to potentially take part in the field. Students test drove and operated a diverse array of heavy equipment whilst engaging with industry engineers, inspectors and field staff, according to the department. Some of the hands-on labs involved creating asphalt, piping systems and more. Students also participated in the equipment learning lab, with 15 different types of construction equipment, including learning how to operate mini excavators. The potential rewarding experience of a career in construction Dawson argued that exposing high school students to the possibilities within the construction industry job comes at an opportune time as the state is putting a heavy emphasis on transportation. High school students work hands-on with recruiters from construction, engineering and transportation industry agencies during the two-day career day fair at the Volusia County Fairgrounds in DeLand, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. The Moving Florida Forward Initiative, proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will dedicate $4 billion in state funds toward improving transportation infrastructure in the state. For example, $340 million of the funding will go to a new Interstate 95/U.S. 1 interchange project in Ormond Beach. So there is a lot of opportunity in this field to really learn about what it takes and provide different career paths where (students) could go straight from school, Dawson said. He said that contributing to the improvement of the local infrastructure and the benefit of so many can be a rewarding experience. When you use these facilities Interstate 4, Interstate 95, Interstate 75 it gives you a sense of pride to know that you had a part in building that facility, Dawson said. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Construction Career Days event gathers 3,000 students in Volusia CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) Authorities are looking for what appears to be a dark-colored Hyundai Elantra in connection with Thursday mornings killing of an 18-year-old Carolina Forest High School senior near a school bus stop in Conway. Conway police released a surveillance photo of a vehicle of interest on Friday as authorities continued to look for leads in the shooting that killed JaMir Johnson. It happened at about 7:30 a.m. in the area of Rufus Street and 8th Avenue, and the shooter or shooters got away before police arrived. Police are also asking anyone in the area who has security cameras to review the footage and contact police if they find anything that might possibly be connected to the investigation. Several students from Carolina Forest High School and Blackwater Middle School were in the area and witnessed the shooting, Horry County Schools said in a statement on Thursday. Officials said counseling would be available for the students affected by the incident. Meanwhile, a new post on the website Ever Loved is seeking donations to help Johnsons family. The post by his grandfather said the money will be used for funeral arrangements. We are incredibly grateful for everyones love and support, the post said. Johnsons obituary on the Ever Loved website said that although his life was short, he impacted those around him. He had a heart full of joy and kindness, always willing to offer a helping hand, the obituary said. Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to call Conway police at 843-248-1790. Download the News13 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WBTW email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WBTW.com for the Grand Strand and Pee Dee. Count on News13 for updates. * * * Dennis Bright is a Digital Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. One of the reasons I fell in love with the desert southwest is that I am not a big fan of cold weather. Ive lived places where I shoveled snow from October through April and have no desire to subject myself to that much cold weather, and I am not much of a skier. Recently, I was sent an article about how happy the people in Nordic nations are. The Worlds Happiest Country is Finland. With below freezing temperatures and lots of snow in the winter Finland topped the list for six years and offered a How to be Happy class. While I am sure the class drummed up some tourist business, I must agree with the takeaways from the class. The concepts taught in the class are some of the same things that I as a yoga therapist usually discuss with my clients: nature, support systems, work/life balance, and gratitude. Finns are happier because they connect to nature. Study after study regarding the exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, lower blood pressure and even upticks in empathy and cooperation. There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human wellbeing, says Lisa Nisbet, PhD, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature. There are healing powers in Mother Nature. Ashton Graham The Finns robust social support systems includes healthcare, education, and unemployment benefits. Positive social connections help individuals boost their resilience. I often talk with clients about their support system. Whom do they lean on during a time of crisis? Do they have friends or family who support them emotionally? Loneliness and/or isolation is a common source of distress and suffering and impairs ones quality of life. Human beings need social connections to thrive and being embedded in strong supportive networks can protect our wellbeing when were faced with difficulties in life, says Dr. Olivia Memes, a mental health researcher at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. I strongly believe in an attitude of gratitude by making a conscious daily habit of expressing appreciation on a regular basis for big and small things. Acknowledging the goodness in life helps us connect to something larger than ourselves. In positive psychology research, gratitude is associated with greater happiness by helping people feeling more positive emotions and relishing good experiences. No doubt gratitude can improve your health, help you deal with adversity, and build stronger relationships. Maintaining balance in your life can be challenging. I remember a teacher telling me she just did not have time to exercise, and I asked, Do you think exercise is important? Of course, she responded yes, and I said, If it is indeed important you will make time. Learning to prioritize among family, work, play and commitments is very important and is not something you can do in a flash. Take the time the time to pause, evaluate, and reflect on your life. Take the time to understand how various parts of your life are affecting one another and then establish your priorities. While I will not book a trip to Finland in winter, the Finns keys to happiness-- connecting to nature, strong support system, work/life balance and gratitudeshould merit your consideration to incorporate into your life. Turns out the Finns are cooland that has nothing to do with the temperature. Feel free to share your thoughts with me: ashton@ashtoncannon.com. Ashton Graham is an educator, book publisher, photographer, cowgirl and yoga teacher. She is currently studying to become a yoga therapist and lives on a ranch in West Texas. Visit www.ashtoncannon.com to learn more. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Some cool considerations Floridas leaders have tirelessly promoted reforms paving the way for financial stability in the Florida Retirement System and advancing the states pension plan. Now a legislative proposal would put this at risk by reinstating cost-of-living adjustments in the current pension system. We simply cannot afford to let the progress Florida has made over the years go to waste.If passed, House Bill 151 or the Florida House proposed budget would significantly impact Floridas economy by inflicting an estimated $67 billion burden on the state budget over the next 10 years. Lawmakers should weigh the substantial risks tied to an automatic cost of living adjustment for all FRS beneficiaries, including that all taxpayers will be held responsible for funding this benefit in perpetuity, and at an ever-increasing cost. Also, the Florida legislatures staff analysis shows this proposal will cost $2.4 billion per year. Senators and representatives listen to remarks presented by Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo during the opening day of the 2024 Legislative Session on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Over the years, countless Floridians have made significant sacrifices to help sustain Floridas Retirement System (FRS). If HB 151 or if the House proposed budget were to pass it will put the actuarial soundness of FRS in further jeopardy. Past reforms to FRS were essential for the programs long-term health, bringing that goal to reality demands ongoing commitment and perseverance. The restoration of COLAs would disrupt this process and set the system back.Even with significant reforms of the past, Floridas pension plan is still several decades away from fulfilling its commitments to state workers and taxpayers. Currently, the system is around $36 billion short in funding for previously promised benefits, according to the Reason Foundation; therefore, we must continue efforts to bridge this gap.If these proposals were to pass it could mean higher taxes for you and me. These proposals would require local cities, counties, and other government entities to contribute more for their workers into the pension system without funding their portion, which could lead to them raising taxes to make up for the shortfall.Furthermore, we have 60 million active 401K participants and millions of former employees and retiree recipients in the United States who dont get the benefit of COLA. Why should state workers be an exception to this type of adjustment when there are other ways to compensate people for the value they create?Depending on what legislators are trying to address with these proposals there are other ways to help current retirees deal with cost-of-living issues or to utilize other benefits to attract people into the state workforce. The state could allocate a one-time COLA cash infusion adjustment for all retirees. Lawmakers could allocate funds to pay our state workforce more, which would attract new people into these professions. HB 151 carries too many risks and unpredictable costs, a concern that was recognized years ago when COLAs were first removed to manage pension costs and help balance the state budget.States like California, New York and Illinois are examples of how this approach has not worked well and has cost every taxpayer additional costs.Lawmakers must prioritize the best interest of Floridians in their financial and retirement decisions. HB 151 poses substantial threats, and we must urge policymakers to fully evaluate its consequences before proceeding. Staying the course with the current system is the key to getting back on track toward full funding and upholding the promises made to state workers and taxpayers for a secure retirement future. Skylar Zander Skylar Zander is the Americans for Prosperity-Florida State Director. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to letters@tallahassee.com. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at Tallahassee.com/Zing. Submissions are published on a space-available basis. All submissions may be edited for content, clarity and length, and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: The costly consequences of reinstating COLA in Floridas pension plans The governments of Jamaica and The Bahamas, pushing back against a recent advisory by the U.S. State Department warning Americans visiting both places to be aware of violent crimes including a wave of recent killings insist that the island nations remain safe for tourists. Not withstanding the advisory, Jamaica remains not only a desirable destination but a safe and secure destination for international visitors, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told the Miami Herald. Sometimes, the unintended consequences of policies is they cause great harm and damage to the stability and safety of other countries. The State Department issued updated travel advisories for both countries last month. Though the risk levels did not change, the update came amid a killing spree in The Bahamas, where there were 18 killings since the start of the year. Jamaica had 33 homicides in the first 13 days of this year. The risk level remains at 3 for Jamaica Reconsider Travel and Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, for The Bahamas. The highest risk level is 4, Do Not Travel. Both travel advisories have language warning visitors that sexual assaults, armed robberies and other violent crimes are common. Similar to The Bahamas, we are aware of instances regarding U.S. citizen victims of violent crime, but are unable to comment on this further due to privacy considerations, the spokesperson said about Jamaica. The Jamaica Constabulary Force later said that despite the double-digit killings, homicides in Jamaica were actually trending down compared to the same time last year. The Jamaica Tourist Board said the crime rate against visitors to Jamaica remains extremely low at 0.01%, while Bartlett noted that 42% of the islands visitors are returning tourists. We have a 42 percent repeat business, which tells you that of the 4.1 million who visited last year, 42 percent have been to Jamaica before. He acknowledged, however, that there are imperfections in the country, which is struggling to build a strong economic base to enable its citizens to enjoy a higher standard of living while also marketing itself as a premier Caribbean destination. The travel alert for Jamaica has been at Level 3 since March 14, 2022. Before that it was Level 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was previously set at Level 2 on December 13, 2021. We are committed to working on our areas of imperfection and to ensure that where we see weaknesses like in some of the areas indicated, as our economy improves, and our resources allow, we will solve all our health and social problems, Bartlett said. On Jan. 24, a day after the State Department reissued its Jamaica travel alert, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau also issued a security warning for American travelers. U.S. citizens considering visiting the Bahamas were advised to be aware that 18 murders have occurred in Nassau since the beginning of 2024. Murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets. Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders. The day after the alert, The Bahamas tourism minister and deputy prime minister, Isaac Chester Cooper, visited Tallahassee to pitch the archipelago as a destination to the leadership of the Florida Federation of Alpha Chapters Alpha Day on the Hill. Alpha Phi Alpha is a historically Black Fraternity. Since the travel alert was reissued for The Bahamas, there have been two more homicides, including a woman who was killed during a triple shooting on Ragged Island Street in Nassau on Thursday evening. The Nassau Guardian reported that the killing happened just as members of the House of Assembly were debated amendments to the Bail Act in an effort to tackle this years soaring murder rate, which Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said led to a tragic start to 2024. Separately, police are investigating two separate complaints of sexual assaults against two people visiting The Bahamas, a 30-year-old Mexican woman and an 81-year-old Canadian woman. The incidents occurred on Paradise Island after the U.S. alert. Davis has blamed the outbreak of violence on a series of gang retaliations. Despite this, he said in a statement that the incidents described in the January 2024 U.S. embassy crime alert do not reflect general safety in The Bahamas, a country of 16 tourism destinations, and many more islands. The Bahamas, which had 9 million visitors last year, is taking steps to address the increase in crime, he said, and the government remains alert, attentive and proactive to ensure that The Bahamas remains a safe and welcoming destination. Davis said the countrys rating remains at a Level 2 alongside most tourism destinations. A State Department spokesperson confirmed that its Level 2 advisory for The Bahamas hasnt changed since the country was temporarily placed at Level 3 during the COVID pandemic. However, language was included in the new update about water safety. In both December and January, visiting U.S. tourists were attacked by sharks. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas, the spokesperson said. We take seriously our commitment to provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable information so they can make informed travel decisions. In both The Bahamas and Jamaica travel advisories, the State Department notes that the high homicide rate is primarily affecting the local population. It has listed several Jamaican neighborhoods as high risk. Caribbean islands are increasingly becoming battlegrounds for gangs armed by an influx of illegal weapons. Lacking training and equipment for their police forces, tourism-dependent islands often find themselves outgunned. In response, governments have sought to pass tougher gun legislation and have asked the U.S. and Canada for help. Some island governments have looked for assistance regionally. After a wave of fatal shootings in the Turks and Caicos, the British overseas territory called on the neighboring Bahamas and others to deploy police officers to assist its small force. On Thursday, the Royal Turks and Caicos Police confirmed that two men were shot dead at a popular plaza on Leeward Highway. In a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley, whose oil-rich country is also struggling to control violence, said theres a need for better regional security cooperation along with a crackdown on firearms trafficking. Rowley also raised the issues in a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Social media platforms have drawn teens in like no other demographic. While apps such as Instagram and TikTok were originally touted as ways to facilitate connection, they have also turned into yet another avenue where sexual predators can thrive. This was one of the main topics of discussion Wednesday as the Senate Judiciary Committee interrogated the chief executives of several tech companies, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, about harmful sexual content, online predators and the inability of his platforms, primarily Facebook and Instagram, to completely shield teens from being targeted. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, displays a message from Meta during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis on January 31, 2024, at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Sen. Ted Cruz, ever a litigator but also the father of two teens, lambasted Zuckerberg for not doing enough to protect children from explicit content and online predators. With a visual aid at hand, Cruz showed an actual warning screen that appears when someone is searching for explicit material that shows abuse of minors. Instead of blocking the content, Instagram gives predators a choice: get resources or see results anyway. Zuckerberg tried to explain the reasoning, or what he called the science behind such an offer and to tell Cruz how algorithms often work, to no avail. Mr. Zuckerberg, what the hell were you thinking? Cruz shouted. Zuckerberg did offer that Metas task force has done more to halt explicit content and hand over child predators than its tech rivals. If thats even partly true, it means theres so much garbage online and so many predators targeting kids that even a company with tech geniuses and a massive budget at its disposal cant completely stop it. At the prompting of another line of questions, Zuckerberg turned and apologized to families attending the hearing whose children had suffered from being targeted or abused. Im sorry for everything you have all been through, Zuckerberg said. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry leading efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer. According to Pew Research, the majority of children ages 13 to 17 say they use TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%) and Instagram (59%). A horrifying November Wall Street Journal report found that through code words and emojis, Instagrams algorithm actually spreads child pornography and aids sexual predators in finding minors to target. Due to the nature of algorithms, just as one might look for recipes or vacation spots on Instagram and continue to see more similar material, predators find more children to target or child-abuse content to view. Although Meta does have an established task force dedicated to addressing child-safety problems on its platforms, theyre still unable to screen or moderate all of it, such is the size and scope. In December, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez filed a lawsuit against Meta for opening children up to these crimes. It reveals that even in 2021, Meta was aware that around 100,000 children had been targets of harassment or predatory behavior daily. Social media for teens has become a Pandoras box with many players: Theres the teen users, their parents, the platforms, and of course, the predators themselves. Each plays a significant role. According to Instagrams community guidelines, nude images or videos are not allowed. Neither are images or videos of graphic violence, sexual activity, or even content that promotes smoking. But obviously, not everything harmful is getting removed or filtered appropriately. Meta must do its part and increase efforts to remove harmful content. The option for users to continue reviewing explicit content should not exist and would seem to contradict their own policies. CEO and founder of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis during a hearing today on Jan. 31, 2024, at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Then there are the predators themselves. While Cruz is right to hold Zuckerberg accountable, its almost like blaming a bar when a woman is raped after her drink is spiked with drugs rather than arresting the rapist. When child predators are discovered active online, they must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. This would eradicate the problem entirely. Parents must do whats best for their families, whether thats banning social media apps altogether, checking teens phones, or discussing with their teens the importance of what they post, whom they interact with and what theyre viewing online. Kids have to be 13 to use Instagram, and though the app doesnt offer parental control features, content and activity can be controlled through settings. The Florida Senate is working on a bill that would ban kids younger than 16 from using Instagram. State and local governments can and should do their part, but a lot of power lies in the hands of parents and teens themselves. Online predators have a harder time targeting kids who arent on their phones all the time. Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news and to publish those views in the Opinion section. Letters should be no more than 150 words. Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: Email letters@star-telegram.com (preferred). Fill out this online form. Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic. Missouri gubernatorial candidate Crystal Quade speaks at a fundraising event at Q Enoteca after she secured an endorsement from state LGBTQ+ advocacy group PROMO PAC on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crystal Quade has earned another influential endorsement in her 2024 bid for Missouri governor. The political action committee of Missouri's state LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, PROMO, announced its endorsement of the Springfield legislator during a Thursday fundraising event at Q Enoteca. PROMO PAC endorses candidates who demonstrate a track record of supporting equal rights and legal protections for LGBTQ+ Missourians. "In the last year alone, we've seen every single branch of our state government attack LGBTQ+ Missourians by not only hindering their ability to thrive, but debating their very existence," said Shira Berkowtiz, Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy. "Were ready for a governor who intentionally protects and serves all Missourians not harms, invalidates, or attacks their lives. Quade, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Missouri governor, currently represents District 132 in the Missouri House of Representatives. If elected, she would be the first woman to serve as governor in Missouri history. Its an honor to be endorsed by PROMO PAC. The work they do will make Missouri a better, more inclusive, place for LGBTQ+ Missourians is inspiring," Quade said in a statement ahead of the fundraiser. "In the face of a never-ending onslaught of legislation attacking the rights of LGBTQ+ Missourians, Im proud to stand alongside them." Missouri gubernatorial candidate Crystal Quade speaks at a fundraising event at Q Enoteca after she secured an endorsement from state LGBTQ+ advocacy group PROMO PAC on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. At the event Thursday evening, Quade expressed frustration at the lack of productivity on the Senate floor as Republican in-fighting continues. She said that it might be good at face value that Senate Republicans are getting so little done, but the role of the government is to help Missourians thrive. "What we're doing is we're harming or nothing at all," Quade said. "Watching this institution essentially crumble is really sad, and it's really scary." LGBTQ+ and transgender rights are sure to be a hot-button issue in the 2024 election. This year, the Missouri House Emerging Issues committee has already advanced four bills targeting transgender Missourians. Two of those bills concern school bathrooms, specifying that students must use the restroom that identifies with the biological sex designated on their birth certificates. The other two bills concern gender-affirming care in the state. Missouri lawmakers banned gender-affirming treatments for minors last year, but with an expiration date after four years. Rep. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, filed legislation this year to make that ban permanent. Another bill advanced by the committee would allow health care professionals with moral objections to providing affirming care to opt out of treating those patients. As chaos at the Capitol continues, bathroom restrictions were also added to a Senate bill attempting to create a "parent's bill of rights," which harkens back to Florida's "don't say gay" law. It would require teachers to notify parents of any perceived changes in gender identity expressed by students. "They're independent ideas from each other, which makes it a much more challenging environment to get ahead of understanding what the priorities are, where the real threats are," Berkowitz said. PROMO is currently tracking 39 bills that target LGBTQ+ Missourians on issues from education to healthcare and business. But Berkowitz added that anti-trans rhetoric in public spaces such as the legislature is making Missouri feel more dangerous for LGBTQ+ people than it actually is. "There's a lot of joy in being queer and trans. We have always had our community " Berkowitz said. "Regardless of how policy tries to erase us, we cannot be erased. Our joy cannot be taken away. Our community cannot be taken away." Quade, who grew up in Webster County, said that LGBTQ+ issues weren't a big part of her life until college, when she was able to identify as part of the community. As she got involved with politics, she started to understand what was happening in her home state. She realized that Missourians could still be fired for being gay, or even denied housing. Now, she thinks about what it means to be an LGBTQ+ ally: offering a safe, compassionate and loving space to individuals who need it. Missouri gubernatorial candidate Crystal Quade speaks at a fundraising event at Q Enoteca after she secured an endorsement from state LGBTQ+ advocacy group PROMO PAC on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Quade said since her first run for state Representative in 2016, each year has become more divisive, more harmful and more ridiculous. She said PROMO's presence and support at the Capitol is the only reason she can continue to do the work. Some days are emotional, especially as she has to be cordial with Republican counterparts who are doing "tremendous harm." More: Missouri Senate grinds to a halt as Freedom Caucus pushes for action on ballot measures "We have to be friendly with them because we're trying to get healthcare access. Or child care access. Or public education funding," she said. However, Quade also understands that being kind isn't always easy when someone's rights are at stake. She can remember times, especially in Jefferson City over the past year, when members of the community simply did not have the capacity to be friendly. Quade says part of being an ally is to do that when her LGBTQ+ constituents cannot. "And why should they? Because their own human existence is being attacked," Quade said. "That's where it's my role as an ally and a leader to jump in and be able to do that when they can't." Missouri gubernatorial candidate Crystal Quade speaks at a fundraising event at Q Enoteca after she secured an endorsement from state LGBTQ+ advocacy group PROMO PAC on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Quade faces competition in the Democratic primary from Springfield businessman Mike Hamra. Hamra is CEO of Hamra Enterprises, which manages chain restaurants such as Wendys, Panera Bread and Noodles and Co. The winner of the Democratic primary caucus in August will face off against the winner of the Republican primary. The GOP candidates are Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and state Sen. Bill Eigel. Quade has racked up a long list of endorsements from labor unions and political organizations since announcing her candidacy in July. She is endorsed by Access MO, the Missouri Womens Leadership Coalition, the National Womens Political Caucus, the Missouri Womens Political Caucus, the Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club, Missouri AFL-CIO, SEIU State Council and Healthcare, Missouri IBEW State Conference, UFCW Local 655, Teamsters Local 245, the Greater Kansas City and Sedalia Building & Construction Trades Councils, and the Missouri-Kansas-Nebraska Conference of Teamsters, according to past News-Leader reporting. Quade has also been endorsed by former Gov. Bob Holden and former Secretary of State Jason Kander, three state senators and 37 state representatives. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: PROMO PAC endorses Crystal Quade in 2024 Missouri governor race Europe is failing to deliver on its promise to send one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March, and the Czechs say it is time to look outside the EU for supplies. Source: European Pravda with reference to Politico Details: The EU initially pledged to supply one million shells by March, and France led calls for Europe to build up its own industrial capacity to deliver the munitions to Kyiv. However, the EU now says that Ukraine will receive 524,000 rounds by March, and only 1.1 million rounds by the end of the year. Frustrated by the shortfall, Prague is pushing EU countries to fund the purchase of what it estimates to be 450,000 artillery shells available outside the EU, four diplomats and a person familiar with the negotiations told Politico. When the EU outlined its military aid commitments in early 2023, France the community's defence industry leader insisted that subsidies be directed only to local production and not outsourced. But Czechia's call raises the possibility that Europe will instead turn to arms companies in South Korea, Turkiye and South Africa. EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell has highlighted that Korea, a major arms producer, could be used to obtain additional rounds. One diplomat said that the 450,000 figure was announced during an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels on Wednesday. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala told his counterparts during a summit of EU leaders on Thursday that the shells could be sourced from outside the EU to help the EU fulfil its pledge, according to another official briefed on the talks. Background: In early January, the European Commission expressed confidence that the EU would be able to produce one million rounds of ammunition for Ukraine by spring, despite the fact that the process has stalled. In early December, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius reiterated his previous statement that the EU would not be able to transfer one million munitions to Ukraine until spring 2024, but promised that the situation would improve. Support UP or become our patron! TULARE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A man has been sentenced on Thursday to life in prison after killing and torturing a 74-year-old woman in Tulare, the Tulare County District Attorneys Office said. Tulare man admits to killing and torturing woman, police say The DAs office says at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Jan. 20, 2022, Tulare Police Department officers responded to a trailer home fully engulfed in flames. Neighbors told officers a 74-year-old female resided in the trailer. Fire and emergency personnel say they located the deceased victim in the home and noted the strong odor of gasoline. According to officials, the victims car was parked in the carport with the trunk open. The DAs office says an autopsy report revealed that the victim was severely beaten and had been stabbed and that her death occurred before the fire. Through investigation and witness accounts, officers learned that around 5:30 a.m., a man dressed in dark clothing was seen in the victims carport area. Video surveillance at the time of the fire also showed the man entering and leaving the trailer igniting and reigniting the blaze. The following day, officers say they were called to a store where a male subject was loitering out front and making lewd comments. Officers contacted the man, 27-year-old Anthony Barra, and they found lighters and other items, including a red gas can, upon a search of his belongings. He was taken into custody. During the investigation, officers say a positive match was made of Barras clothing to that of the man in the surveillance video. DNA collected from Barra was also a match to DNA found in the victims car. DA: Man charged in mobile home fire death in Tulare While in custody awaiting trial, the DAs office says Barra incurred two additional cases for assaulting correctional deputies in 2022 and 2023. On Sept. 28, 2023, the DAs office said Barra pleaded no contest to first-degree murder with the special allegation of use of a deadly weapon, and felony elder abuse resulting in death. In the jail incidents, Barra pleaded no contest to assault and battery against custodial officers. Barra possesses prior felony convictions for burglary and vandalism. According to current California sentencing laws, the DAs office says Barra must serve 29 years in prison before parole consideration is granted. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The District Attorneys Office wont seek the death penalty for a man charged with two counts of murder in a shooting last year on South Union Avenue. Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel made the announcement in court Friday, and a new trial date for 30-year-old Brian Castellon was set in May. Castellon, who faces a total of 15 felony counts, is accused of shooting and killing two people at a mobile home community on April 12 in the 1200 block of South Union Avenue then attempting two carjackings. The slain men were identified as Ernest Dean Vega, 27, and Jordan Shelton, 29. Castellon was released from prison one week before the shooting and is a member of the Mexican Mafia, according to court documents. Castellon admitted to the shooting, according to the documents, and also admitted to attempting to carjack someone and afterward breaking into a home where he threatened to kill the residents if they didnt give him the keys to a vehicle. He admitted firing at the residents when they tried to leave, documents said. Deputies arrested him soon after the second carjacking attempt, documents said, and found him in possession of a handgun with no serial number. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A grieving woman is speaking out after Tampa police say her father was found dead in the Belmont Heights neighborhood two weeks ago. This is 67-year-old Billy McGill. Courtesy: Brittany Adkins His daughter, Brittany Adkins, describes him as a loving father, brother, uncle, and good friend. Hes a fun, loving person, always happy smiling, she said. Basically broken: Loved ones mourn fatal car crash victims, demand action from Largo police Tampa police said McGill was found dead lying on East Wilder Avenue just before 6 a.m. on Jan. 18 with upper body trauma. McGills family told 8 On Your Side that he didnt deserve to have his life senselessly taken away at what they describe as the best part of his life. Now, they want whoever is responsible to be not only brought to justice, but taken off the street. Everyones life is valuable, and my dads life was definitely valuable, Adkins said. They essentially took that away from him and us. Now, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is stepping in, offering up to $5,000 to anyone who can help Tampa police solve this case. Christian Zieglers search history revealed in new documents from Sarasota rape investigation Were trying to encourage the community, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay Executive Director Kelly McLaren explained. Somebody out there, anything that you know, any piece of information, dont think its too small. It might be what detectives actually need to break that case open. How important is it for you guys to really get justice for this family?, asked 8 On Your Side reporter Nicole Rogers. Its extremely important, Tampa Police Department Public Information Officer Eddy Durkin explained. Thats what were dedicated to. We want justice for the family, Durkin continued. The family deserves justice. This should not happen in our community and we know we have a very tight-knit community. Somebody out there knows something. Step forward and give us the information. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Jamie Morgan, an aquatic biologist at Jacobs Solutions, left, sets up a fish trap with employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at Fish Trap Lake Park in Dallas on Jan. 30, 2024. The EPA has begun a study aimed at measuring the cumulative effects of pollution from nearby concrete batch plants. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune DALLAS Fish Trap Lake, five miles west of downtown Dallas, glowed with sunlight, ducks and geese swam, and a man with a fishing rod cast his line on a warm January morning. On the trail that loops around the 10-acre lake located inside a park, mothers with strollers walked to the sounds of rippling water and birds chirping. Across the street from the park stands a row of industrial companies, including plants that turn sand, water and cement into concrete to build highways and subdivisions and high-rises in fast-growing Texas. While fish is in the lakes name, Janie Cisneros, 41, a mother and digital researcher who grew up nearby, says its common knowledge in the area to catch them, don't eat them. Locals believe the lake is polluted from wastewater runoff from the nearby plants. Cisneros, the director of the neighborhood association Singleton United/Unidos, said many residents who live nearby have long complained about pollution from the plants, and suspect that its contributing to health problems ranging from asthma to bronchitis to throat cancer. They also say the thousands of concrete batch plants located across Texas disproportionately impact low-income communities like theirs. West Dallas Zip Code 75212, where 27,000 people live, is 68% Hispanic and 25% Black. Cisneros, wearing her signature cherry lipstick and blue neighborhood association shirt, said that for decades a relentless stench has infiltrated the homes of residents in her working-class neighborhood. Residents say their concerns have been brushed off by the state. But now their efforts have caught the attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency has found that the air pollution and particulate matter from concrete batch plants can increase the risk of asthma and cardiac arrest if people inhale too much of it. Now it has launched a pilot project the first in Texas that will survey air, water, and soil to determine how the combined pollution from this cluster of industrial sites impacts public health in two predominantly Black and brown Dallas neighborhoods: West Dallas and Joppa in South Dallas. EPA says the project is expected to be completed by July 2024. The agencys final report will be shared with the communities, the city of Dallas and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the state agency that regulates batch plants. But before any of that can happen, the first step was going fishing. Janie Cisneros, director of the West Dallas neighborhood association Singleton United/Unidos, at Fish Trap Lake Park. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune The EPA's boat motor refused to start, so scientists paddled to the center of Fish Trap Lake to set up their gill nets. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune Fish will be tested for heavy metals By 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, three EPA scientists, wearing bright orange life vests, grabbed two Home Depot buckets, stuffing them with buoys and fish traps meant to capture predator fish like bass. They boarded a small beige boat branded with the agency's logo. When the boat's motor refused to start, they paddled to the lake's center. Using cat food as bait, they cast their nets. [These nets] are just a really effective way to try and catch a lot of fish in a short amount of time, said Rob Cook, an environmental scientist who has worked for the EPA for 12 years. Cook, a 54 year-old who wore rain boots, reflective sunglasses and a straw hat, said the group needs to catch three to five catfish and predator fish like bass, all similar in size, for a reliable testing sample. Nicholas Scott, 30, an EPA scientist who was on the boat with Cook, says they will filet the fish, freeze the filets and send them to a lab to test the tissue for heavy metals like lead and arsenic. The results from water sampling and the fish tissue analysis will help the EPA determine whether the lakes water or fish are harmful to human health. They paddled back to shore, leaving four red buoys floating in the lake, marking their nets location. Then they picked up trash around the lake for a couple of hours before rowing back out to retrieve the nets. West Dallas resident Charles Longoria, who found out about the EPA impact assessment through a neighborhood Facebook group, volunteered to fish during the EPA project. He caught one bass and donated it so the EPA can test its tissue. "I want to make sure that this is safe for the people. If I come out here with my kids I want to make sure the fish are okay to eat," he said. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune Left: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientists, Robert Cook, left, and Chelsea Hidalgo, prepare to set up hoop nets at Fish Trap Lake Park in Dallas. Right: Charles Longoria, a West Dallas resident, holds up a bass caught at Fish Trap Lake Park. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune Kirk McDonnell, a spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department which stocks the lake with catfish, bass and other species said in an email that because the lake is near industrial sites and sometimes receives flood water from the Trinity River, which is under a fish consumption advisory, the departments Dallas-Fort Worth fisheries division has "speculated that fish contamination could be an issue with the fish currently in the lake. McDonnell said the department has not stocked the lake with fish in over a decade. West Dallas resident Cynthia Medina, curious about the scientists' activities, stopped by the lake during her lunch break. The petite 30-year-old said shes interested in the test results because her husband comes to the lake regularly to fish. I tell him: Dont take [the fish] home, we are not going to eat it. It is not safe, said Medina, who has lived in the neighborhood her entire life and works at a nonprofit that connects children of color to books and promotes reading. She pointed to a shopping cart partially submerged near the lake shore. I dont know what those fish are eating. Scientist hopes study informs policy Aimee Wilson, an EPA scientist and project manager in a navy striped blouse featuring an embroidered EPA logo she stitched herself, said the agency decided to conduct a cumulative impact assessment in Texas because TCEQ was proposing changes to the states concrete batch plant permits, which sets the air pollution standards companies must follow. Those changes included lowering production limits, reducing dust coming from plants and setting minimum distance requirements from nearby communities, but did not take into account the cumulative pollution created by plants clustered close together, like those near Fish Trap Lake. For years, environmental advocates have criticized the state for not taking into account the health impacts for people living near multiple concrete batch plants. In 2021, Harris County attorney and Lone Star Legal Aid, a nonprofit law group, filed civil rights complaints with the EPA alleging that the TCEQ discriminated against people of color and those with limited English proficiency in the agencys permitting process to build new concrete batch plants and renew permits for existing ones. There hasn't been a lot of studies on [cumulative impact], said Wilson, who has worked for the EPA for 14 years. So we want to see what's there because we don't know. Residents have long complained to the states environmental agency about pollution from the plants near the lake and say their concerns have been brushed off. But now their efforts have caught the attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune Cisneros, director of the West Dallas neighborhood association Singleton United/Unidos, watches as scientists retrieve fish traps from the lake with her two nephews and her mother, Rosa Cisneros. Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune While TCEQ announced its new requirements for concrete batch plants last week, before the EPA study was completed, Wilson hopes their work can help the agency develop better guidance and policies for how to consider cumulative impacts from industry in future permit decisions. At noon, as the EPA scientists on the boat approached the lake shore, Cisneros, the neighborhood association director, waited with her two nephews and her mom to see what the EPA crew caught. The group did not catch any of the fish they were looking for, but a local resident who caught a bass with a fishing rod donated it so the EPA can test its tissue. Cisneros said the EPAs attention to her community is a relief because at times she feels like her concerns are ignored by state regulators. The EPA is being brave, Cisneros said earlier in the day while sitting with her 4-year-old daughter, Lila Rosa Bravero, under the parks pavilion. They are not fearing that this [project] might open up a can of worms. Disclosure: The Texas Parks And Wildlife Department has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. We cant wait to welcome you to downtown Austin Sept. 5-7 for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival! Join us at Texas breakout politics and policy event as we dig into the 2024 elections, state and national politics, the state of democracy, and so much more. When tickets go on sale this spring, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today. As our universe poofs out in every direction like an indestructible balloon thanks to dark energy, a force fully hidden to the human eye Dillon Brout is an astrophysicist trying to make sense of it all. Brout wishes to unveil the strange correlation that exists between the invisible and visible universe, understand how the fabric of spacetime flows and perhaps finally reveal the truth about whatever's causing the cosmos to bubble outward faster and faster by the day. To do this, he collects supernovas. When picking out which supernovas to add to the shelf, however, Brout isn't interested in them all. These star explosions are typically divided into two main categories : Type 2 and Type 1a. Brout wants the Type 1a's, and his reasoning is actually pretty simple: "They're not all exactly the same, but they're very similar," he told Space.com. Related: How fast is the universe expanding? New supernova data could help nail it down In essence, to solve all those aforementioned space mysteries, you need to measure some distances on cosmological scales. Only then can you know, for instance, how far and how quickly dark energy seems to have forced space to expand. Reverse calculate from there, and maybe you learn something about the nature of dark energy itself, too. Yet, to measure even such grand distances and elusive concepts, to probe how far back we can see and how much farther back that point is traveling, you still need something as basic as a ruler. Fortunately, because they're so standardized in brightness and general behavior, Type 1a supernovas are like the ticks on light-years -long rulers plunging through space. In fact, astronomers like to call them "standard candles" for this reason. They're perfect lighthouses that guide us as we calibrate our equations and search for some answers. The more we have, the better. a yellow gaseous star is being stretched and eaten by a bigger, blue star, which quickly engulfs the yellow and enlarges by several scales. Looking for efficiency and accuracy, Brout fills up his supernova collection by employing machine learning algorithms that vigorously scout out as many Type 1a's as possible. (Yet another reason why Type 1a standardization is helpful. Consistent algorithms love consistency.) He's part of the Dark Energy Survey collaboration, and earlier this month , the team announced their algorithms managed to detect 1,500 of these luminous natural markers in only five years. That's a pretty big deal. For context, Brout says it took scientists 30 years of regular Type 1a searching (aka, through using a trusty spectrograph) to find the previous 1,500 total subjects. DES got the same result within about a sixth of that timeframe. "One of the main things that made DES so special is that it covered so much area on the sky," Brout said, adding that he trusts his algorithms enough to say cross-checking the same parameters is more or less not needed. But things are about to heavily ramp up. Though DES yielded an impressive amount of Type 1a's, its associated instrument, the Dark Energy Camera, only covered 30 square degrees of sky. That's a relatively small fraction, Brout says. Enter: The Rubin Observatory. Or, more specifically, the Legacy Survey of Space and Time that'll be created in part by using the state-of-the-art LSST Camera starting next year. two dimly lit observatories sit as stunted domes beneath a vibrant night sky and a stretch of blue hued milky way. "LSST is going to observe the entire observable southern night sky ," Brout said. "You're going to go from DES discovering 1,500 to LSST discovering a million alerts, and we're going to filter that down, hopefully, using machine learning and other algorithms to get a few 100,000 Type 1a supernovas." One specific question waiting to be answered Fortunately once more, the Rubin Observatory is officially on track to be totally built later this year and the LSST will begin its journey early-to-mid next from the top of a Chilean summit, Victor Krabbendam, the observatory's construction project manager said during the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January 2024. "We're about 10 years into the actual construction phase," he said. "The sun is setting and we're getting close." And actually, Brout already has a specific puzzle waiting to be solved with the LSST. With their major 1,500 Type 1a supernova haul announced this month, Brout and fellow researchers sort of confirmed what we presently know about what's called "the cosmological constant," which you can think of as the value that represents dark energy in the universe's expansion equations. It accounts for the acceleration bit that normal physics can't totally explain. This "confirmation" might sound disappointing at first, but in a way, it's quite good progress. It means that one of the most precise calculations of the universe's expansion is telling us that we're probably right about everything we know concerning dark energy so far. Maybe more interesting, however, is that the team's work sort of hinted at a weird pattern, too. "We do have a section in the paper that combines all of the available probes of dark energy, not just supernova, and what we see is a lot of them are pointing towards a slightly larger value of the 'equation of state' of dark energy, which would imply that it's not a cosmological constant." In other words, that'd mean there isn't a value to blanket represent dark energy. Maybe it's flexible. "One of the major benefits we get from this new LSST analysis is that we get a lot more supernovas in the nearby universe, and that's because we're covering so much area of the sky," Brout said. "If you think about it, the nearby universe is the universe that, because of the speed of light , we're seeing the galaxies much closer to as they are today. If you're looking at the faraway universe you're seeing the universe when it was much younger." That's important, he explains, because the effect of dark energy is believed to be strongest in the recent universe. Why? Here's where it gets really weird. "Dark energy, we think, is a property of space itself," Brout said. "That's kind of what the cosmological constant embodies, which is like the energy of empty space." Thus, if dark energy is a property of empty space, that'd mean there's more dark energy in the universe today than there was in the past. This is because the universe is expanding, thereby creating more "space." "We think it does not dilute as the universe expands," Brout said, "so that means, relative to the amount of matter in the universe and dark matter in the universe, you're getting more and more dark energy." At this point, like I was, you might be wondering: I'm sorry, what? I thought the universe is contained? Where is the new dark energy coming from? It can't just pop into existence, right? "That's the million dollar question," Brout said. "Is it just a property of space? Is this a fundamental property of the universe? That as space itself expands, you would just naturally get more dark energy along with it?" And to get to the bottom of this, we'll soon have a multi-million dollar camera waiting. 2025's golden observatory There are four major steps left before Brout can start counting the days leading up to LSST's first light. First, the Rubin team must get some key mirrors ready to go. Then, the crew must get the glass necessary for the Simonyi Telescope which reportedly has flown through tests without even the proper glass component and mount the commissioning camera thereafter. Finally, the approximately $200 million LSST camera, currently being put together on the West Coast, will earn its spot. a tiny person in a full white jumpsuit peers into a giant lens attached to metal supports in a white, dimly lit room. "You still have to get that from California to the summit. It's a very delicate instrument. It's special in the sense that it's a $200 million camera irreplaceable," Krabbendam told Space.com. "It is a massive camera," he said. "It's 3.2 gigapixels for a focal plane." Related Stories: The mysteries of the dark universe could be solved by the Rubin Observatory We still don't know what dark matter is, but here's what it's not Hypothetical 'dark photons' could shed light on mysterious dark matter One gigapixel, for context, is equal to one billion pixels; a standard DSLR camera works on scales of megapixels, or millions of pixels. To really drive this home, consider how a million seconds is 12 days; a billion seconds is 31 years. So picture that resolution of camera power scanning the entire observable southern sky. This is why the observatory, built with about $500 million of National Science Foundation funding and a few $100 million of Department of Energy funding the latter of which is particularly interested in dark energy studies like Brout's is so highly anticipated. So highly anticipated. Update 2/1: 1 million seconds is equal to 12 days, this article has been updated to reflect that. An undercover sex sting operation in Dartmouth led to seven arrests on Thursday, the Dartmouth Police Department announced. The operation was a joint effort of members of Dartmouth Police Department Investigative Services Division and Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit to combat the growing threat of prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation, a release Friday from the DPD states. Through an online ad that was posted, detectives working undercover arranged meetings with the suspects at a local hotel/motel throughout the day and night Thursday. The sting netted a total of seven men who were charged with sexual conduct for a fee. This operation was the direct result of our commitment to combating the ongoing issues that we are experiencing at our local hotels and motels," Dartmouth Chief of Police Brian P. Levesque said in the release. "Though it is impossible to completely eradicate the inherent problems that come with the transient environment that these establishments support, I would like it to be known that we, along with our partners at the State Police, will be taking further progressive measures to suppress this activity moving forward. This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Dartmouth police crack down on prostitution at local hotels A 23-year-old Davenport man was sentenced Thursday to 17 1/2 years in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography, according to a news release. According to public court documents at the time of his plea, Benji Clark Engesser, Jr., was identified by law enforcement when a parent reported that they found their minor child exchanging sexual pictures with an adult. (Getty Images) The phone number associated with the adult was traced to Engesser. During the execution of a search warrant of Engesser, Engessers phone was seized. Law enforcement forensically evaluated Engessers phone and uncovered images and videos of child sexual-abuse material that had both been received and distributed from Engessers phone. After completing his term of imprisonment, Engesser will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system, the release says. U. S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit here. For more information about internet safety education, visit here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. A father picking up his daughter from a Philadelphia day care arrived to find the building closed and locked up, and his child still was inside, according to police and media reports. I was hoping that someone didnt take my daughter, and I was hoping that she was OK, the babys father, Camron Banks, told Philadelphias WPVI. Jessy Flores, the babys mother, told the station she thought the day care gave their daughter to the wrong person. Nobody even knew where she was at, Banks told KYW-TV The day care facility was identified as New Arisens Childcare Solutions, KYW-TV reported. McClatchy News reached out to New Arisens on Feb. 2 for comment but did not immediately hear back. According to the New Arisens website, the hours of operation are 6 a.m to 6 p.m. Banks arrived at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, according to KYW-TV. Firefighters cut through the metal grate on the exterior of the building to access the door, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters. The 6-month-old girl was found alone inside, sitting in her car seat covered with a blanket, police said. The baby was taken to St. Christophers Hospital for Children for observation, police said. Police said the investigation is ongoing. Mom covers 9-month-old sons face with blanket and kills him, Pennsylvania cops say Baby dies in the care of woman watching 13 kids at illegal day care, Virginia cops say Home where toddler got severe frostbite was 55 degrees inside, cops say. Mom arrested The Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, had some strong words for President Joe Biden on Thursday, condemning the commander in chief for aligning with Israels far-right government at a time when American democracy is incredibly fragile itself. During a segment on CNN, anchor Abby Phillips asked Mayor Abdullah Hammoud if he agreed with an emerging campaign led by some Arab and Muslim Michiganders to abandon Biden in the presidential race over his strategy in the Middle East. Ive run for office before. Ive never pointed at the voters of my district and said, Youre at fault if Im not elected. In fact, its me as the candidate, President Biden as the candidate, to put forward a policy platform that is receptive to all Americans, he continued. What were asking for, a cease-fire, is not something that only the majority of Arab Americans and Muslim Americans support. In fact, over 60 percent of Americans support a cease-fire. Over 80 percent of Democrats, he added. And so for me, I would urge President Biden to heed the calls of Americans from coast to coast. But Phillips proposed that a second term under Donald Trump could be even more devastating for Palestine, which in four months of battle with a Biden-backed Israel has suffered more than 27,000 deaths, lost access to power, water, and humanitarian aid, had the vast majority of its hospitals destroyed by bombs, and witnessed its journalists assassinated. Trump is a threat to American democracy, Hammoud threw back. So what will President Biden do to prevent the unraveling of our American democracy? Why is being aligned with [Benjamin] Netanyahu and the most right-wing government in Israels history worth potentially sacrificing our democracy? Dearborn, MI mayor @AHammoudMI: Trump is a threat to American democracy. So what will President Biden do to prevent the unraveling of our American democracy? Why is being aligned with Netanyahu and the most right-wing government in Israel's history worth potentially sacrificing pic.twitter.com/8WglBJQt2F Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) February 2, 2024 Netanyahu dramatically returned to power in 2022, winning Israels election for prime minister despite being on trial on corruption and fraud charges. His win came one year after the countrys Parliament approved a government of change, ousting the leader in a shocking 60-59 vote fronted by an unlikely coalition of political groups unified only by their desire to unseat the 12-year prime minister. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) accused Republicans of bending the knee to former President Trump in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Wednesday. Weve held 17 hearings, 17, on the border, and this impeachments part of that, Menendez said during a hearing on an impeachment resolution against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Menendez then pointed out the panel has yet to hold any full committee hearings on topics such as emergency preparedness, infrastructure protection and transportation security. We have not lived up to our oversight obligation here on this committee, because you all are obsessed with the border, because you bend the knee to the Orange Jesus, as you refer to him across the aisle, Menendez continued. The remark echoes comments made by committee Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) referring to former President Trump as Orange Jesus, as recalled by former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in her book Oath and Honor. Cheney said while in the GOP cloakroom in the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, members were encouraged to sign onto electoral vote objection sheets, according to CNN. There was a sheet for each of the states that GOP members were pushing back against, per Cheney. Among them was Republican Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee, Cheney wrote. As he moved down the line, signing his name to the pieces of paper, Green said sheepishly to no one in particular, The things we do for the Orange Jesus. A spokesperson for Green argued that what Cheney said about the lawmaker was false. She and her publishers would know this had they reached out to Rep. Green or his office, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. There was a large crowd in the cloak room that day and Congressman Green unequivocally denies making this comment. Menendez is the son of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who has faced controversy recently after being indicted on charges of bribery over allegations that he and his wife accepted $600,000 in bribes from three businessmen in exchange for favors, and acted as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt. The elder Menendez was hit with another superseding indictment last month, which alleged he accepted gifts from the Qatari government and helped a real estate developer obtain millions in investment funds from the Gulf country. He has denied the charges. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Democrats are urging their voters not to cast ballots for Nikki Haley in South Carolinas primary amid fears she would beat Joe Biden in a White House run. South Carolinas open primary system allows for voters to participate in either the Republican or Democratic primary. Voters can choose which to attend on the day. With Mr Biden considered a safe bet for the presidential nomination, Democrats in South Carolina may be tempted to skip the Democratic primary for the Republican one and cast their vote for Ms Haley in hopes of narrowing her odds against Donald Trump. However, Democrats in the south-eastern state are telling residents that a vote for Ms Haley would be a mistake as she would be a more intimidating opponent against Mr Biden than Mr Trump. Mother of MAGA In January, Democratic party leaders have been focusing their efforts on discouraging voters for Ms Haley, calling her the mother of the MAGA movement. Colleen Condon, who is homosexual and the South Carolina Democrats first nonbinary vice chair, told party members at a dinner that I had to sue her to get married, adding: Do not let your friend go vote in that primary. Please. In February 2023 at a town hall in New Hampshire, Ms Haley criticised Ron DeSantiss infamous Dont Say Gay measure that he introduced in Florida, saying it doesnt go far enough. Basically, what it said was you shouldnt be able to talk about gender before third grade [year four], the Republican presidential hopeful said. Im sorry, I dont think that goes far enough. Ms Haley went on to say that third grade, at which a child would be around eight or nine, was still too young to talk about gender. While there is no indication that a significant number of Democrats are being swayed to vote for Ms Haley, those thinking of backing her feel they must at least consider it because of how unco-operative their own primary is, according to The New York Times. Ms Haley is effectively the last candidate standing between Mr Trump and the nomination but she faces long odds in her home state. Mr Trump currently holds a 26-point lead in South Carolina over Ms Haley, according to a Washington Post-Monmouth University poll. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Two customers who were unhappy with a Derby photographer took their concerns to investigators. On Thursday, District Attorney Marc Bennett announced the investigation is over, and the photographer must pay the customers back. Bennett says the DAs Consumer Protection Division got several complaints about Caitlin Payne, who does business as CP Family Photography. After the investigation, the district attorneys office alleged that Payne violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) by deceptively advertising photography services using photographs taken by other photographers and failing to disclose to the consumers that the pictures were not hers. Illegal gambling machines seized at southwest Kansas gas station The Consumer Protection Division said it also got a complaint that Payne sent a replacement photographer to a wedding while she was allegedly attending another event and failed to disclose that the replacement lacked the skills to perform the agreed-upon services. Payne denies that she intentionally violated the KCPA but accepted a consent judgment to resolve the matter. Judge Deborah Hernandez Mitchell signed the judgment on Tuesday. According to the DAs office, the consent judgment calls for: $30,000 in civil penalties, additional investigative expenses, and court costs, A four-year probationary period with the Consumer Protection Division, Paying $2,349.70 in restitution to two customers, An injunction from engaging in deceptive or unconscionable acts, and Cooperation with any future complaints. Bennett says Payne has promised in future offers of her photography services not to use other photographers photos unless it is clear those photos are only a style she can reproduce. Kansas State Trooper helps deliver baby roadside KSN News reached out to Payne for a comment. She sent us this statement. The District Attorneys office and I have come to a consent judgment on this case. While this very public case has been incredibly detrimental to both the safety of my family and reputation of my business, I am glad we have finally come to an agreement and the issue can be resolved. I am grateful to the District Attorneys office and their investigators for their kindness and support. I would like to reiterate that I am not admitting any fault in the settlement, it is solely to get the matter resolved so all parties can move forward. I understand that many people do not understand the legal system, so I would like to point out that the restitution amount in this case is only a little over $2400 for two customers, with the other amounts being investigative fees and court fees. The $30,000 is held in abeyance which solely means that should a judge find me in violation of the consumer protection act again in the future, that amount would be due. I would like to thank everyone for their support in this matter. Caitlin Payne, CP Family Photography Bennett said there are things people can do to protect themselves when hiring a professional for a service: Make sure to get the scope of work and all promises in writing. If you pay for the services in advance or make a deposit, make sure you understand if you are entitled to a refund if the professional fails to perform services or you need to cancel. Always research the professional, including checking available websites such as the Better Business Bureau. If the professional provides references, be sure to verify they are legitimate. Ask for samples of work the professional has previously performed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. Hes back, and ready to once again piggyback on one of Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts big anti-immigrant spectacles to score some political points of his own. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday he would be sending troops from his states National Guard and State Guard to assist Abbott as the Texas governor declares a migrant invasion at the border, part of a multi-pronged but largely performative challenge to the U.S. federal government. DeSantis has offered to send about 1,000 Florida National Guard officers depending on Texass needs. States have every right to defend their sovereignty and we are pleased to increase our support to Texas as the Lone Star State works to stop the invasion across the border, DeSantis said in a statement Thursday. Our reinforcements will help Texas to add additional barriers, including razor wire along the border. We dont have a country if we dont have a border. What exactly those troops would assist with is hard to say. Abbott and other Texas Republicans have been making plenty of noise for the past week that gives the impression the state will defy a recent Supreme Court decision all without actually doing so. The ruling allowed the Biden administration to cut through border wire that Texas has put up along the border, blocking both migrants and federal Border Patrol from accessing part of it. As my colleague Josh Kovensky explained, Texas officials claims of defying the Supreme Court is, for the moment, all a lot of talk red meat served up on a platter for anti-government extremists, Trump supporters and the Republicans hoping to appeal to the two. DeSantis is one of a few Republican governors who have pledged their support for whatever Abbotts doing. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has joined the rhetorical fight, arguing this week that states have a right to defy SCOTUS if state officials have a different interpretation of the Constitution than the High Court. But this is not the first time DeSantis has seen Abbott making headlines for stunts that cruelly use migrants as props and has tried to get in on the action. The motivation for DeSantis, who is no longer running for president and who will be term-limited when his term is up in 2026, is just much less clear this time. For a good chunk of 2022 and early 2023, it appeared as though Abbott and DeSantis were in a standoff of their own, competing to see who could ruin their state the best in service of earning support from Trump voters as they both openly flirted with 2024 bids. (DeSantis, of course, was the one to actually pull the trigger and is currently licking his wounds after voters found him unlikable and robotic, and Trump easily demolished him.) One element of that seeming competition between the two men included a rather elaborate set of schemes that involved, if youve somehow forgotten, shipping migrants from Texas border to various blue cities and states, oftentimes without the undocumented immigrants knowledge where they were being sent or consent to go there. The scheme was Abbotts brainchild initially until DeSantis swooped in and one-upped the Texas governor, collecting migrants from Texas and shipping them off, unannounced, to Marthas Vineyard. DeSantis reportedly did this without communicating his intentions with Abbotts office, a move that sparked some tension between the two otherwise logical bedfellows. The Best Of TPM Today Anti-Abortion Activists Hope Kacsmaryk Will Help Get Rid Of Planned Parenthood For Good Yesterdays Most Read Story Alina Habba Gets Scorched By E. Jean Carrolls LawyerAnd Wilts David Kurtz What We Are Reading Inside Kevin McCarthys vengeance operation against the Republicans who fired him Politico Advertising agency for OxyContin agrees to pay $350 million rather than face lawsuits PBS Disney appeals dismissal of free speech lawsuit as DeSantis says company should move on AP WEYMOUTH The owners of commercial property whose bid to have it rezoned was vetoed by the mayor have decided to sell it. After Mayor Robert Hedlunds veto of a unanimous town council vote to rezone the 1-acre parcel at 238 Washington St. and two other unrelated but neighboring properties, developers and co-owners Christopher Bruce and Jason Kennedy were faced with a decision: create a development plan that would fit into the existing zoning or sell. The property cannot be rezoned for another two years because of the veto, according to the town charter. Plus, the developers primarily build residential properties, not commercial uses that are allowed in the existing zoning. While its not yet on the market, the developers will be asking for $2.2 million for the property, which has a single-story commercial building on it. Thats $800,000 more than what they paid for it in January 2023. Previous coverage: Weymouth council OKs zoning change. Mayor warns of 'exploitation.' Will it stick? It was not our goal to consider selling it at this point, Kennedy said. I feel just very disappointed with how this has all come together. Putting the property up for sale is the most financially viable option to move onto other projects, he said. The property was previously under the towns Commercial Corridor Overlay District, which had been created to encourage developers to redevelop so-called blighted properties. The town council decided to remove some properties from the zoning, including 238 Washington St. The property is currently zoned for business, which could allow uses such as a hotel, professional business office space or a trade school. A special permit could allow a service station, a parking garage or a wholesale business. Bruce and Kennedy had asked the town to change the zoning of 238 Washington St. and two properties to the north The Bicycle Link and Union Towers to the towns Village Center Overlay District. That zoning allows homes, mixed-use commercial space and funeral homes, with a special permit or additional review allowing a drive-thru restaurant, a bed-and-breakfast or an apartment complex with more than 20 units. Allowing the zoning for all three parcels would physically connect them to the existing overlay district. The developers did not have blueprints to show what their vision might look like, but they hoped to build a mixed-use development with between 35 and 50 apartments and three commercial spaces. The proposal would have had to go through additional scrutiny by the planning board. But Hedlund and town planning staff did not support the zoning change, saying it was akin to spot zoning, where one parcels zoning does not match that of the surrounding properties, and they were concerned about the level of public participation in the process. The developers denied it was spot zoning. The town council approved the zoning change by a vote of 11-0 in December. The mayor vetoed the vote two weeks later. Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Weymouth property owners decide to sell after mayor vetoes rezoning The second season of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur premieres Feb. 2, with its first two episodes. Diamond Whites superhero status in Marvels Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is a role she does not take lightly. As the first Black teenage heroine in the superhero franchise, White has seen the shows impact directly, proud that it won four Childrens & Family Emmy Awards in December 2023 for its debut season. Its exciting, White told theGrio. Im glad that the show is getting the response that it deserves, and it makes me happy to see people really excited about it. Diamond White attends the February 2023 red carpet premiere event for Disney+ and Marvels Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur at Walt Disney Studios in California. White stars as Moon Girl. (Photo: Steven Simione/Getty Images) The renowned animation series follows Whites character, Lunella, or Moon Girl, as she protects her community from villainous creatures and navigates the distinct challenges she faces as a 13-year-old girl. In Season One, viewers watched as Lunella used her intellectual brilliance and accidentally created the giant Devil Dinosaur, who became her partner in crime. Together, the dynamic duo fought threats that entered her Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City. White teased Season Two, which begins Feb. 2, noting that audiences will see Lunellas confidence in her superhero identity grow. Last season, Lunella was falling into how to become a superhero, White shared. The second season, she [Lunella] is more aware that she can make a difference and knows for a fact that she is protecting the Lower East Side. Whites character will also experience different hardships that intersect more with her personal life as she battles with the decision of whether or not to reveal that shes Moon Girl to the rest of her family members. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur expands Marvels increasing representation of people of a diverse range of races, genders and sexualities throughout the cinematic universe. This type of show was something I needed growing up, White said over Zoom. I see representation for myself, but also for the Latina community and the LGBTQ community. If you watch the show, youll probably spot yourself somewhere in it, so its really cool. White also recognized the importance of that diverse representation in animation and how the show intentionally creates a space where viewers of all backgrounds feel seen. When it comes down to it, its not just a Black show, White added. We represent America. We represent the world. We need to keep shows running like this, she continued, and keep developing more shows like Moon Girl for our younger generation to see. It needs to be seen. Robin Thede guest stars in Marvels Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur in its second season, which will begin airing on Feb. 2. (Photo: Disney) The shows high-profile guest star list also makes Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur unique. The first season featured Jennifer Hudson, Method Man, Arsenio Hall, Jackee Harry, Daveed Diggs, Wesley Snipes, Indya Moore and others. Cynthia Erivo, Andy Garcia, Alex Newell, Ephraim Sykes and other noteworthy guest stars are set to make an appearance in season two. TheGrio received an exclusive clip featuring Robin Thede as she also appears in the upcoming season. Thede voices Quickwhip, a villain described as stealthy, slippery and can usually talk herself in and out of anything especially capture. The series cast also includes Alfre Woodard (Mimi), Laurence Fishburne (The Beyonder), who also serves as the executive producer; Fred Tatasciore (Devil Dinosaur), Libe Barer (Casey), Sasheer Zamata (Adria), Jermaine Fowler (James Jr.) and Gary Anthony Williams (Pops). The second season of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur premieres Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. EST on Disney Channel and Disney XD, with its first two episodes also available to stream on Disney + the following day. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Diamond White returns as Marvels Moon Girl, the first Black teen heroine, just in time for Black History Month appeared first on TheGrio. Editor's note: The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, has been officially listed as a U.N. floating holiday as of 2024. This year, it falls on Feb. 10. To enjoy a traditional and fascinating Spring Festival, the most important festival for Chinese people, here are 16 days with unique traditions you won't want to miss this holiday season. Day 2, Little New Year (Feb. 2 or 3, 2024) Little New Year, regarded as the prologue to Spring Festival, is celebrated on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month in North China and on the 24th day of the same month in South China, eight or seven days before Spring Festival. In 2024, it falls on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, respectively. This day is also known as the Festival of the Kitchen God and families usually make offerings to the deity on the day. It is said that the Kitchen God returns to heaven on this day to submit his annual report to the Jade Emperor (the supreme deity of Taoism). Therefore, families offer sticky sweets to him in order to sweeten his tongue so that he only reports good things. Family members, especially children, also enjoy more sweets on this day. Day 1, Laba Festival (Jan. 18, 2024) Traditionally, Spring Festival countdown preparations begin on Laba Festival, the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, the last month of a lunar year. In 2024, it falls on Jan. 18. Laba Festival was originally held to mark the Buddha's enlightenment and has since evolved into a popular folk festival. Eating Laba porridge on this day is an established tradition, as the porridge symbolizes good fortune, long life and a fruitful harvest. The specialty is usually made with at least eight ingredients; therefore, it is also called eight-treasure porridge. Filled with cereals, beans, nuts and dried fruits, today's Laba porridge is both tasty and nourishing. Local festive food also includes Laba wine, Laba noodle soup, garlic pickled in vinegar and pickled Chinese cabbage. More about Laba Festival Chinese keywords and Laba Festival From mom-made porridge to Laba Festival WAUPUN Waupun Correctional Institution, which has been on lockdown for 10 months, is lifting its restriction on showers as part of a wider easing of lockdown measures at prisons, the Department of Corrections announced Wednesday. However, advocates for people incarcerated at the Waupun and Green Bay prisons say there have been few substantive changes since Gov. Tony Evers and DOC Secretary Kevin Carr announced in November plans to begin lifting restrictions. Waupun Correctional Institution went on lockdown, or what the DOC refers to as a period of "modified movement," in March. Green Bay Correctional Institution went on lockdown in June. Wisconsin prisons are allowed to suspend standards required by law except those related to use of force, firearms or "incapacitating agents" if there is an emergency or disturbance "that prevents the normal functioning of the institution," according to state law. Under the lockdown, the Waupun prison has not had to provide prisoners two "bathing periods" per week, as is normally required under state law. Kevin Hoffman, the DOC's deputy director of communications, said in an email the restrictions at both institutions were put in place after "multiple instances of assaultive behavior" by prisoners toward staff and other prisoners. To justify the eight to 10 months of lockdown restrictions since then, the DOC has cited staffing shortages. At an event hosted by criminal justice reform group MOSES on Thursday night, prison reform advocate James Wilbur said he was skeptical of the governor's announcement about lifting restrictions. "Nothing of substance has happened at either Waupun or Green Bay," Wilbur said. "The men in these facilities are continuing to be subjected to nothing less than vicious conditions. I really need to emphasize that word the conditions that these men are being subjected to are absolutely vicious." Time spent outside cells still limited at Waupun and Green Bay prisons The Waupun prison still does not allow in-person visitation and restricts "leisure time activities," according to Wednesday's news release. State law defines "leisure time activities" as free time outside of cells for activities like "recreational reading, sports, film and television viewing, and handicrafts." The law stipulates prisons should give at least four hours of leisure time per week to prisoners under ordinary circumstances. The DOC says prisoners at the Waupun prison are now getting out of their cells for recreation twice a week. Despite the limitations, it's the most freedom prisoners at the Waupun facility have seen for months. Video visitation was reinstated Dec. 9 meaning prisoners were unable to see the faces of their loved ones for at least eight months. At Green Bay Correctional Institution, only leisure time remains restricted, the DOC says. Prisoners there are getting one period of recreation per week. But that doesn't mean all other movement is back to normal. People incarcerated at both prisons are still receiving meals in their cells, rather than the meal hall, and have been doing so since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly four years ago. And prisoners are still receiving fewer opportunities for showers than they would under normal movement, due to other restrictions. Sara Williams, community organizer for JOSHUA, an interfaith justice advocacy organization that is the Green Bay affiliate of WISDOM, said family members of people incarcerated at Green Bay Correctional Institution still share stories of dire conditions at the prison. "We appreciate the focused attention that's starting to finally happen and the possible forward movement that is beginning, but that doesn't negate the fact that we still have human beings living in a facility that we wouldn't put our animals in," Williams said. Williams added that she is still hearing from family members of people incarcerated at the Green Bay prison that they are on long waitlists for education classes and mental health appointments. RELATED: Are prisoners getting visitors, showers, or fresh air? As partial lockdown persists, officials are vague on details RELATED: A homicide, assaults on staff and rodents: Inside the crumbling Green Bay prison DOC says staffing issues are improving In Wednesday's news release, the DOC announced academy graduations in November and December brought 300 more correctional officers to prisons across the state, lowering the correctional officer vacancy rate from 35% in August to 26% by the end of January. The DOC says the newfound interest can be partly attributed to a plan secured in Evers' biennial budget in June to raise pay for state employees, bumping the starting pay for correctional officers to $33 per hour. According to DOC data, as of the end of January, Waupun Correctional Institution had a 55% vacancy rate, with 155 vacant positions. Green Bay Correctional Institution had a 39% vacancy rate, with 91 vacant positions. Although the staffing shortage continues, the DOC said the Waupun prison was able to reinstate the minimum of two showers per week by by temporarily bringing in security staff from other prisons. In early January, that plan increased the number of additional officers helping at the Waupun prison from 22 to 33, the DOC's news release said. While we understand the work is not yet finished, were encouraged by both the growing interest in corrections officer jobs and the tremendous work from our staff to help get us to this point, Carr said in a statement. RELATED: Here's what you need to know about the Waupun prison lockdown, now in its eighth month Waupun Correctional Institution is reducing overcrowding The cells at the Waupun and Green Bay prisons, which measure roughly 8 feet by 7 feet, were originally designed for a single person. But many people at Waupun have been sharing cells for years. In November, the DOC announced Waupun Correctional Institution would move to single-person cells by March 1 by transferring about 220 people to different facilities. In Wednesday's news release, the DOC said 54 prisoners still needed to be moved to meet the goal. Reducing overcrowding in the prison "will help take pressure off of the facility's security staff," the news release states. Both Waupun Correctional Institution and Green Bay Correctional Institution the two oldest prisons in Wisconsin are over capacity and have crumbling infrastructure. According to a 10-year DOC facilities assessment plan completed in 2020, the cells at the Green Bay and Waupun prisons are not compliant with standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design, or by the American Correctional Association. Laura Schulte contributed to this report. Kelli Arseneau can be reached at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Showers reinstated at Waupun but other prison restrictions continue Charles Maltby was one of the first people Abraham Lincoln met when he moved to the village of New Salem in 1831, explained Wayne C. "Doc" Temple. Both worked in a general store operated by Denton Offutt, where, according to lore, Lincoln picked up the nickname "Honest Abe." Although the store had a short run, their coming together ignited a lifetime friendship, Temple said. Later, as president, Lincoln would reward Maltby with a U.S. Mint position in San Francisco, where Maltby had settled. More: 'Important effort': Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force works to connect projects Maltby's name might not be familiar, even to Lincoln historians. "People had lost track of (Maltby)," Temple explained. "(Lincoln's law partner and biographer William) Herndon didn't find him, and some other writers didn't find him. They saw the name, but they never followed through on it." Temple's intent is to do just that. Temple, one of the preeminent Lincoln historians, turns 100 on Monday. He will celebrate with a party his fellow Masons and some historians are throwing for him. A sought-after lecturer, Temple has written more than 20 books, mostly on Lincoln covering everything from his military service to his religious beliefs. Pulitzer Prize-winning Lincoln biographer, the late David Herbert Donald, called Temple's "Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet" the "best book ever written about Lincoln's religious views." Springfield historian and author Wayne C. Temple photographed in the Illinois State Archives in 2006. Currently at 96 years old he is regarded as the leading Lincoln historian in the world, He is the author of 20 or so books, most on Lincoln, and some 600-plus long articles and book reviews extending back to the 1950s, in addition to working at the Illinois State Archives into his 90s for 56-and-a-half years. [Justin L. Fowler/The State-Journal-Register] Now the script is about to be flipped. Temple confirmed Indiana-based writer Alan E. Hunter is working on his biography. Hunter wrote a 2020 book on the Petersen House, where Lincoln died the day after he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre. Temple's scholarship hasn't abated. He wants to turn the Maltby piece into a pamphlet or longer article. On Feb. 12, Harold Holzer's new book, "Brought Forth on This Continent:Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration," will be released. Holzer turned to Temple for advice during the book's early stages. "He not only read the first few chapters, but he also made editorial notes in pencil, he made suggestions, he complained about mistakes I made, he corrected them and he gave me new information I never knew," Holzer said, from his home in New York City. "And he was 98 at the time. "I talk about him in my acknowledgments with great reverence and appreciation. He's a phenomenon. He's a generous, generous phenomenon, too." To that, historian Tom Emery, whose 10th book on Lincoln is being released in the fall, said he can attest. "He's so accessible, so willing to help," said Emery, who lives in Carlinville. "He proofreads all my Lincoln manuscripts. He's been a tremendous mentor to me. I just think the world of him." That Temple still does original scholarship on the eve of being 100 "still floors me," Emery said. "I've always said this, and Doc (will say it, too): there's so much to be learned about Lincoln," he added. "The people who say everything's been written about Lincoln really don't know what they're talking about. There's so much more that needs to be written about Lincoln from so many different angles and Doc is extremely well aware of that and welcomes new, fresh research." Rev. King spoke at the Illinois State Armory in 1965, his visit will be commemorated Temple has made an art of shining a light on lesser-known figures in Lincolniana. His mentor at the University of Illinois, Lincoln scholar and author James G. Randall, suggested Temple do his doctoral dissertation on Noah Brooks, a close confidant and biographer of Lincoln. Temple hunted down Brooks' papers and later published a book about him. Temple admitted one of his proudest moments was getting a plaque placed on the grave of Thomas Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's father, acknowledging his service as an ensign, or second lieutenant, in the Kentucky militia. Thomas Lincoln is buried just south of Charleston, Illinois, near where he lived and farmed. While Abraham Lincoln had a strained relationship with his father, Temple sought to repair Thomas Lincoln's reputation, proving, among other things, that as a military officer, "his dad could read and write. (He had to because) he had records to keep." Emery said Temple is probably "the world's expert on Thomas Lincoln. Again, he's the world's expert on a lot of different things. That's nothing new." A native of Ohio, Temple attended a one-room schoolhouse in Delaware County which is about 25 miles north of Columbus and finished out in Marion County, also in the north-central part of the state. Temple served during World War II as a junior officer on Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhowers staff, where he befriended "Ike." After earning his doctorate in history, Temple taught at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee before beginning a more-than-five-decade career at the Illinois State Archives in Springfield. He retired at 92 in 2016. Teena Groves started at the state archives as a clerk in 1984 and typed many of Temple's books. "He still calls me his secretary," Groves joked. Wayne C. Temple And, no, Groves isn't surprised Temple is working at 100. "He's still got it," Groves said. "He tells me that as much as he misses Sandy (his wife of 43 years, who died in 2022), he must still have work to do. That's what I told him, As long as people keep asking you for help and you keep helping, yes, you still have work to do." Holzer, the New York author, turns 75 on Monday. He corresponded with Temple as a teenager about Lincoln. "So he gets the blame for everything I've done wrong since," Holzer joked. A total eclipse in these parts: How and where to watch the April 8 solar phenomenon Temple, Holzer added, has "always been a willing participant in the formative process (of writing). He'll talk to you cogently, usefully, inspiringly about any subject. That's his nature and that's his spirit." As for the Maltby story, "It'll take me a while to do it because I work slowly now," Temple said. "I don't do computers, so I depend on other people to help me with research. I'm just lucky my mind is still working." Temple can point to some good genes for his longevity. His mother died at 89 and his father farmed until he died at 85. "I've seen the world rotate a good many times," Temple said. "I've had so many great friends. I couldn't stay living alone without such good friends. I've been such a fortunate man." Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Wayne Temple a preeminent Lincoln scholar turns 100 years old By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A Virginia doctor who prescribed more than 500,000 opioid doses in less than two years had his conviction and 40-year prison sentence thrown out by a federal appeals court on Friday, because the jury instructions misstated the law. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia also ordered a new trial for Joel Smithers, 41, who has been serving his sentence in an Atlanta prison. Overprescription of painkillers is one of the main causes of the nation's opioid crisis. Nearly 645,000 people died in the United States from overdoses involving opioids from 1999 to 2021, including 80,411 in 2021 alone, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prosecutors said Smithers prescribed controlled substances including fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone to every patient he saw at the Martinsville, Virginia office he opened in August 2015. A majority of patients traveled hundreds of miles each way to see Smithers, who did not accept insurance and collected more than $700,000 in cash and credit card payments before law enforcement raided his office in March 2017, prosecutors said. Jurors convicted Smithers on 861 counts in May 2019, after being instructed that the government needed to prove he acted "without a legitimate medical purpose or beyond the bounds of medical practice." The appeals court found this instruction defective in light of a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that said the crime of prescribing controlled substances required a defendant to "knowingly or intentionally" act in an unauthorized manner. Writing for a three-judge panel, Circuit Judge Roger Gregory said Smithers' jury instructions were defective because jurors could have convicted him solely for acting outside the bounds of medical practice, regardless of his knowledge or intent. He also said such an error was not harmless, even in cases with "copious evidence of a defendant's guilt." The office of U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh in the Western District of Virginia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "A doctor's guilt depends purely on his subjective beliefs," said Beau Brindley, a lawyer for Smithers. "Any attempt by the government to pretend otherwise was resoundingly rejected." The case is U.S. v. Smithers, 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 19-4761. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot) This image released by the U.S. Coast Guard, shows Connie the container dog, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, with the four marine inspectors from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston who found her when randomly selecting containers for inspection at the Bayport Terminal at the Port of Houston. The officers heard sounds of barking and scratching coming from inside one of the stacked shipping containers. Coast Guard officials would later determine the canine had been trapped inside for at least eight days, with no food or water. (Petty Officer 1st Class Lucas Loe/U.S. Coast Guard via AP) HOUSTON (AP) It was just another routine day of inspecting shipping containers at the Port of Houston for U.S. Coast Guard officer Ryan McMahon when he and his team thought they heard barking coming from inside one of the thousands of containers that surrounded them. Oh, its scratching, dude, one of the inspectors said in video they recorded Wednesday morning as the team looked up at the container, stacked about 25 feet (8 meters) in the air. A crane was used to bring it to the ground, and out popped a very sweet and friendly dog. As soon as we opened it, we could see the little dogs face poking out. She was right there, like she knew we were going to be there to open it for her. And she just, she wasnt scared or anything. She just seemed happy more than anything, to be out of that dark space and in the arms of people that were going to take care of her, McMahon, a petty officer 2nd class, told The Associated Press on Friday. Coast Guard officials would later determine that the canine since nicknamed Connie the container dog had been trapped inside for at least eight days, with no food or water. She was a little dirty and definitely pretty skinny, McMahon said. McMahon and the three other inspectors drove Connie to an animal shelter in the Houston suburb of Pasadena, where she was checked out. A rescue group, Forever Changed Animal Rescue, has taken her in and is working to get her healthy and ready for adoption. Coast Guard officials are not sure where the container came from, but inside were junked vehicles that were likely being shipped overseas to be sold for parts. So based on that, they think that the dog most likely was in a junkyard, in a car. And thats how she accidentally got put in the container, Guard spokeswoman Chief Petty Officer Corinne Zilnicki said. McMahon said hes grateful he and his team were at the right place and at the right time to hear Connie barking and prevent the container from being put on a cargo ship. They usually conduct inspections once a week throughout the Port of Houston, and on Wednesday they were at the ports Bayport Container Terminal which likely has over 10,000 containers, he said. It would take at least another week to get to where she was going (on a cargo ship) and two weeks without food or water. I dont think she would have made it, McMahon said. Forever Changed Animal Rescue thanked all of the amazing people involved in this rescue and saving Connies life. The rescue group said in a Facebook post that Connie was a bit underweight, tested positive for heartworm and would be getting treatment for it. We will also be doing a full workup on her to ensure that she receives all the care she needs and deserves, the group said. The inspectors had thought about adopting Connie, but it wasn't the right time for any of them. We know with all this, shes going to go to a good home where they love her and take care of her, McMahon said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on X, formerly known as Twitter: twitter.com/juanlozano70 Editors note: This story is part of Deseret Magazines January/February double issue addressing political polarization. It is now difficult to remember that, until a few decades ago, most Democrats did not hate Republicans, and most Republicans did not hate Democrats. Very few Americans thought that the policies of the other side were a threat to the country or worried about their child marrying a spouse who belonged to a different political party. All of this has changed, at rapid speed and to an astonishing degree. Sixty percent of Democrats and 63 percent of Republicans would, according to Gallup, now balk at their son or daughter marrying a supporter of a different political party. Meanwhile, the number of political partisans who think that the country could withstand a victory by the other side has fallen precipitously. In the run-up to the 2020 presidential elections, both 9 out of 10 supporters of Joe Biden and 9 out of 10 supporters of Donald Trump were convinced that a victory by their opponent would cause lasting harm to the United States. As somebody who has lived in many different countries including Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom before coming to the United States, I have long had the sense that American levels of partisan animosity have become exceptionally high. Although, in plenty of other nations, the left and the right mistrust and dislike each other, it never felt to me that their hatred was quite so personal or intense as in the U.S. Related A study published in 2022 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace confirms that impression. Drawing on V-Dem, an international dataset published by an independent research institute in Sweden that covers 202 countries and goes back over two centuries, its authors assess to what degree each country suffers from pernicious levels of partisan polarization. Do many citizens have such hostile views towards supporters of other parties that they become more likely to engage in violence or breaking the rules of the political system in ways that put the very survival of democracy at risk? The authors conclusion is startling: No established democracy in recent history has been as deeply polarized as the U.S. It follows that there is little precedent for what we would have to do to ensure that America might one day become less divided than it is now. For the United States, Jennifer McCoy, the lead author on the study and a professor of political science at Georgia State University, told me in an interview, I am very pessimistic. No established democracy in recent history has been as deeply polarized as the U.S. There is little precedent for what we would have to do to ensure that America might one day become less divided than it is now. The problem of polarization is worldwide. On virtually every continent, supporters of rival political camps are more likely to interact in a hostile manner than they did a few decades ago. According to the Carnegie study, us versus them polarization has been increasing since 2005. McCoy and her colleagues do not attempt to explain the causes of this change, but the timing and the global nature of the increase in partisan polarization do strongly suggest one of the culprits: Social media makes it easier for existing political parties to become radicalized, for upstart extremists to storm the political stage, and for supporters of opposing camps to vilify one another with abandon. As near-universal as the phenomenon has been, it is far more pronounced in some countries than in others. On a five-point scale, with 0 indicating a country with very little partisan polarization, and 4 indicating a country with extreme polarization, both the U.S. and the rest of the world displayed only a modest degree of polarization at the turn of the millennium: they each scored a 2.0. By 2020, the world average had increased significantly, to a score of about 2.4. But in the United States, polarization accelerated much more sharply, growing to a score of 3.8 out of 4 by 2020. Such high levels of polarization are hardly without historical precedent. Over the past century, many dictatorships have manifested dire levels of internal enmity; so have societies beset by civil war or widespread political violence. But among countries whose political institutions have been relatively stable over time, America in its current state is an eye-popping outlier. Very few countries classified as full liberal democracies have ever reached pernicious levels, the studys authors write. The United States stands out today as the only wealthy Western democracy with persistent levels of pernicious polarization. When I spoke by phone to McCoy, she was even more categorical: The situation of the United States is unique. Related This finding has particular salience. To live in a country where political disagreements can turn into personal vendettas or to feel that the stakes of the next election are the very survival of democracy is, to say the least, no fun. But of greater import is that pernicious levels of polarization tend to involve a cascade of other consequences. As a growing body of research shows, pernicious polarization makes harder the task of tackling urgent social problems, from corrupt officials to dangerous pathogens, erodes trust in democratic norms and political institutions, and may result in political violence and civil war. As we are already seeing in the United States, such extreme polarization also makes it much more difficult to safeguard democratic institutions. The fundamental premise of democracy is that citizens agree to be ruled by whoever wins the election. But if many citizens come to believe that letting the other side rule poses a threat to their well-being, even their lives, they may no longer be willing to accept the outcome of an election they lose. The January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol is, among other things, a symptom of pernicious polarization. The problem of polarization is worldwide. On virtually every continent, supporters of rival political camps are more likely to interact in a hostile manner than they did a few decades ago. One reason to study polarization around the globe is that the history of other nations problems may offer clues to how the U.S. could get its polarization under control. Over the past century, there have been some notable cases from Italy in the 1970s and 1980s, to Rwanda in the 2000s and 2010s of countries that have undergone a process of depolarization. In Italy, an escalating spiral of political violence from both the far-left and the far-right threatened to tear the country apart; but in part because political leaders from rival parties came together to denounce political violence, the country proved capable of lowering the political temperature and putting an end to endemic terrorist attacks. The Rwandan case is even more dramatic. In the 1990s, Hutus murdered hundreds of thousands of Tutsis; but in the aftermath of the genocide, a concerted attempt at national reconciliation (albeit under the leadership of an authoritarian strongman) was able to sustain a long-lasting peace. Could such cases of depolarization provide inspiration for Americans who want to put an end to their own spiral of mutual hatred? Unfortunately, the data provided in the Carnegie study does not offer much cause for optimism. In about half of the countries that experienced pernicious polarization over the past century, a state of mutual distrust and hatred turned into a permanent condition. Although political tensions waxed and waned as elections and other political events came and went, these countries never fell below the threshold of pernicious polarization for an extended period of time. A great many countries on every continent never recovered: Once polarization has set in, it seems to last forever. Related That leaves the other half of the cases. But those dont offer that much reason for hope, either. For one, many of these supposed success stories saw, after a decade, either a relapse to pernicious levels of polarization or only a moderate degree of depolarization. For another, most of the countries that managed to depolarize in a lasting way did so in the wake of major political disasters. They experienced civil wars, were ruled by cruel dictators, or lacked national independence. Only after they had ended hostilities, thrown off a dictator, or won national independence were they able to escape a vicious cycle of polarization. The prevalence of systemic shocks in bringing about depolarization, the studys authors note, was especially striking. That no such systemic shock has struck the U.S. in recent history would seem to bode ill for American prospects of depolarization. The examples from elsewhere might even suggest that things will have to get a whole lot worse before we can dream of their getting better. Is it naive, then, to hope that we might one day have a more functional polity? Or must we resign ourselves to the accelerationist maxim that things need to fall apart before we can put them back together? The United States stands out today as the only wealthy Western democracy with persistent levels of pernicious polarization. Pernicious polarization is one of the most vicious problems that democracies around the world now face. The state of Americas union is especially fractious, with many predicting that the spiral of mutual mistrust and even violence is only going to accelerate over the coming years. These are grounds for grave concern. Yet I believe the predicament we face in the United States may not be quite as dire as it appears. The limitations of the Carnegie Endowment study are a good example for why it is important to take the predictions of doom that are now so prevalent with a large grain of salt. While the data about polarization on which its main findings are based technically aggregates 120 years of historical information about a large number of countries, it is actually generated in a rather modest manner by asking between five and seven country experts a single question about any given nation: To what extent is society divided into mutually antagonistic camps in which political differences affect social relationships beyond political discussions? If the experts answer that this is the case to a noticeable extent, with supporters of opposing camps more likely to interact in a hostile than friendly manner, this counts as a 3, on a scale of 0-4. That score is enough to qualify as pernicious polarization. Whats more, this assessment is highly retrospective: the datasets score for how polarized America was in, say, 1935, or in 1968, or in 1999, is based on an assessment that a handful of social scientists made within just the last few years. This method of quantifying polarization creates two possible sources of distortion: presentism and provincialism. Experts who are evaluating how polarized America has been at various points over the past century have very different information available to them about each of the years for which they are giving an assessment. They might remember having a shouting match with an uncle at last years Thanksgiving dinner, but they cannot possibly have such a visceral feel for political divisions in, say, the 1910s, however much theyve read about the period. This is the risk of presentism. With their personal experience of partisan conflict and the shrill tone on social media understandably top of mind, they may overestimate how much partisan hatred there is today and underestimate how much partisan hatred there was in the past (or, alternatively, project their heightened sense of polarization today back onto the past). Expert surveys are subjective, McCoy admitted, when I put this concern to her. There is no way of getting around that. Whats more, experts who are answering the survey question may have different cultural assumptions about what constitutes a hostile political interaction. This the danger of provincialism makes comparisons among countries more difficult. In America, what is salient is how much nastier and more aggressive political discourse has become in recent decades. In a society that recently experienced civil war, what may be more salient is that people who were until lately killing one another are now willing to debate their disagreements without resort to violence. This disjunction could lead experts to assess a comparatively peaceful country that is more divided than it was in recent memory as more polarized than a war-riven country that is less divided than it once was. Related The risk of provincialism is especially pronounced in the American case. In many of the countries that have experienced pernicious polarization, partisan political identity aligns almost perfectly with visible markers of ethnic or religious identity. In countries such as Lebanon, Kenya or Nigeria, it is enough to see the name or a photograph of a person to predict with a high degree of accuracy whom they would vote for. When polarization spikes in these places, supporters and opponents of a political candidate dont just shout at one another at campaign rallies; they refuse to cooperate on basic civic tasks and even police neighborhoods with vigilante violence against members of the wrong group. If you work for the Croat Catholic fire department, Eboo Patel, a prominent interfaith leader, writes about Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you dont respond to the burning buildings of Bosnian Muslims, even if you happen to be closer. And if you work for the Bosnian Muslim fire department, you let the flames engulf Croat Catholic homes. Americas polarization seems to differ from Bosnias which experts scored as a 3.2 out of 4, significantly lower than the United States in two crucial ways. First, the overlap between partisan polarization and other social divisions, like race, class or religion, is at best imperfect. Although demographic patterns do, of course, offer clues to the likelihood of peoples support for Democrats or Republicans, a lot of white Americans still vote for the Democratic Party, and a significant number of Latino Americans indeed, more and more, if recent polls are to be believed vote for the Republican Party. And second, there remain many spheres of life in which people put their political differences aside or may not even be aware of them. With some notable exceptions, Americans who belong to different political camps treat one another respectfully when they meet in the workplace or at little league games. And the local fire department certainly does not ask for your voter registration before deciding whether to put out the fire engulfing your home. The country urgently needs institutional reforms and visionary leaders who can lower the stakes of political competition. The survival of the American Republic may depend upon it. Perhaps America is not so much uniquely polarized as polarized in a unique way. Fifty years ago, the main forms of outgroup hatred in the United States involved race and religion. They pitted Protestants against Catholics, Christians against Jews, and, of course, whites against Blacks. Most Americans did not care if their children married someone from a different political party; but they would have been horrified to learn that their child was planning to marry someone of a different race or faith. These forms of discrimination obviously have not disappeared. But over the decades, they have significantly attenuated. The number of Americans who oppose interracial marriage, for example, has fallen from well over 9 in 10 to far less than 1 in 10 since 1960. And as the rapid increase in the number of interracial babies shows, this is not just a matter of people telling pollsters what they want to hear. In contrast to many other deeply polarized societies, in America the boundaries between the opposing political camps are based less on enduring demographic characteristics and more on ideological ones. A host of recent social science studies backs this up. In one experiment, for example, a sample of Americans were asked to award scholarships to fictitious high school students. Presented with a candidates resume that suggested the applicant they were evaluating was of a different racial group to theirs, the subjects engaged in surprisingly little discrimination. (In fact, white Americans were likely to favor, not disfavor, African American candidates.) But presented with a resume that suggested the applicant had a different political party affiliation to theirs, they had a very strong tendency to engage in discrimination: when choosing between similarly qualified scholarship candidates 4 out of 5 Democrats and Republicans favored an applicant who belonged to the same political party. Even the overlap between ethnic identity and partisan polarization in the U.S. has weakened in recent years. One reason why Donald Trump was competitive in the 2020 elections is that he significantly increased his 2016 share of the vote among Black, Asian American, and especially Latino voters. A leading reason why Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States is that he won a much higher share of the white vote than Hillary Clinton did. A voters racial identity was much less predictive of their voting behavior in 2020 than in 2016. When I asked McCoy about the difference between the United States and other deeply polarized democracies, she confirmed the stark difference on this point: Unlike many other polarized democracies, we are not a tribal country based on ethnicity. The key identity is party, not race or religion. If this is Americas uniqueness, then it is at least possible to construct a more hopeful story than the headline findings of the Carnegie report about polarization might suggest. When partisan polarization neatly coincides with ethnic or religious sectarianism, historical experience suggests that only a cultural revolution can overcome the dangerous tensions of yesteryear. Related In the Netherlands, for example, the centuries-old enmity between Catholics and Protestants subsided only as the Dutch people became overwhelmingly secular. When polarization is primarily a matter of partisan political identities, solutions might be achievable by more practical measures and on a shorter timeline. It is at least conceivable that, under such circumstances, institutional reforms or the actions of courageous political leaders could bring the country back from the brink. One possible scenario for the U.S. would concentrate on institutional reform. At the moment, many congressional districts are gerrymandered, giving incumbents secure majorities, shielding them from competitive primaries and making them hostage to the most ideologically extreme elements of their party base. Some states have attenuated this problem by taking districting out of party-political control. Other changes to our electoral institutions, such as adopting the single transferable vote or creating multimember districts, could also change the incentives now driving the polarization spiral in the country. California has already adopted what may be the most modest and therefore realistic innovation. In so-called jungle primaries, candidates from all parties compete in the elections first round; then the top two finishers face off in the second-round general election. As a result, moderates with cross-party appeal get a fighting chance at being elected. And if this works in deep blue states like California, it can also work in deep red states like Alabama. There is a reason why the soothsayers of doom are in such high demand at the moment. As the headline finding about the U.S. in the new study by Carnegie suggests, the degree of American partisan polarization is undeniably at perilous levels. And the 2024 presidential election, which looms on the horizon ever more menacingly, is almost certain to make things worse. Yet Americas comparative competence at managing its ethnic and religious diversity, which has so far ensured that partisan political identities do not neatly map onto ethnic and religious ones, could be a saving grace. The country urgently needs institutional reforms and visionary leaders who can lower the stakes of political competition. The survival of the American Republic may depend on it. But despite the paucity of historical precedent for countries coming back from the brink, a process of depolarization in the United States is not unimaginable. The problem is that Americas political partisans may already hate one another too much to take the steps that are necessary to avoid catastrophe. Yascha Mounk is a contributing editor to The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. This story appears in the January/February 2024 issue of Deseret Magazine. Learn more about how to subscribe. STURGEON BAY - The work that's gone on for almost two and a half years on the Door County Granary mostly has been invisible to passersby on Sturgeon Bay's West Side waterfront. But now, the work becomes much more visible as the project moves into its second phase. Phase II of transforming the former Teweles & Brandeis Grain Elevator into a three-season public gathering venue and interpretive museum begins Monday. When done, that will complete the work needed to fulfill the agreement the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation signed with city to develop the 123-year-old building, foundation president Laurel Hauser said. "Technically, when Phase II is done, we'll be able to open for business," Hauser said. This is an updated rendering of how the Door County Granary, the 123-year-old former Teweles & Brandeis Grain Elevator on Sturgeon Bay's West Side waterfront, is expected to look when it's ready to open as a community events center and free museum later this year. This phase will restore the interior of the historic structure, complete the exterior, build the catering kitchen and public restroom addition, install landscaping and signage and prepare the ground floor for occupancy. Hauser said people will be able to see a lot of work taking place during this stretch, with siding, windows and doors being installed and work on the landscape and walkways. Also part of Phase II is research, gathering artifacts and putting together displays for the interpretive museum, which will cover the history of the grain elevator as well as role agriculture, shipping and the railroad industry played in the city's development. Work will begin with repairs made to the grain tower's 19 wooden grain bins and other features, which will run into March. Construction of a railway car-inspired addition that will include the catering kitchen and public restrooms and the installation of siding, windows and doors is scheduled for April and May. While Phase II is expected to wrap up by August, the foundation is planning just a soft opening for the granary in the fall. Hauser said the building won't be ready to host events until the spring of 2025. "We're still going to be in a stage where we're trying to figure out (the logistics of hosting an event), where all the tables go, what needs to be done," Hauser said. The granary on the banks of the Sturgeon Bay channel was built in 1901. It is considered by many a landmark of the waterfront and the city's agricultural history. But it sat unused for many years, and the city bought the property in 2012. After being told it was dangerous and irreparable in late 2017, the city decided to dismantle the granary in January 2018 with hopes of redeveloping the property. But a group of citizens concerned with preservation of historic buildings and structures formed the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation and fought to preserve the granary, getting it named to the State Register of Historic Places in 2017 and the National Register of Historic Places a few months later. A private party bought it from the city and donated it to the foundation, and it was moved across the Maple-Oregon Bridge, sitting across the water from its original location for more than a year while the foundation, the city and other parties debated its future. The foundation and the city eventually reached an agreement that saw the granary move back across the bridge to its original location, where the structure is being converted into the new community center and events venue. The ground floor, known as the workhouse, will serve as a grand entrance to the museum while hosting events such as holiday markets, weddings, family and class reunions, lectures and other classes, pop-up art installations and theatrical shows. A railway car-inspired addition to the side, where Ahnapee & Western Railway cars pulled up to load and unload at the grain tower, will include the catering kitchen and public restrooms. Tents and food trucks are expected to be able to set up in the green space next to the building. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held Nov. 19, 2021. Since then, work by the contractors has included sinking new pilings into the lake bed, pouring a new foundation and sending 30 support columns to Tennessee to be refurbished. The columns were reset inside to support the top two layers of the structure. There's also a new roof and everything was extensively cleaned from top to bottom. Plus, Hauser noted, there's all the design work and paper work that needed to be done before physical work could take place. "The thing people don't see is the thousands of hours on design and permitting," Hauser said, "all the work that had to be done negotiating this project with the city, the legal work." Hauser said contractors didn't run into any of the major unexpected issues that can arise when remodeling or renovating a building that old. She said the main surprise contractors weren't expecting was an issue with methane, because a landfill was nearby many years ago. "In terms of any major surprises in the building we didn't know about, no, they weren't there," she said. "We didn't discover anything that caused us to say, oh my gosh." Hauser said the foundation has funding in place to finish Phase II and make the granary ready to open the museum and host events. However, the foundation continues to raise funds to enable visitors to access the headhouse at the top of the structure, about 60 feet off the ground, and take in views of the bay, bridges, railway spur and surrounding area, which are meant to not only awe visitors but also help them understand how the granary worked and why it was strategically located there. For more information on the project, visit sturgeonbayhistoricalsociety.org/granary. Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com. MORE: Anthony Gonzalez found guilty of reckless homicides in fatal Butch's Bar fire in Sturgeon Bay MORE: Door County is your home for fun February festivals and events. Here's a look at them. FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Door County Granary in Sturgeon Bay enters Phase II of museum project You are here: Arts A Spring Festival event has been held at a 900-seat opera hall in Bucharest. Diplomats, scholars, public figures, and representatives from the Romanian government gathered on Wednesday evening to enjoy a performance featuring Romanian musical pieces performed by the orchestra of the Romanian National Opera. The event also included traditional Chinese compositions, martial arts exhibitions, and marionette shows presented by the Quanzhou Folk Song and Dance Inheritance Center and Quanzhou Intangible Heritage Protection Center. Traian Laurentiu Hristea, state secretary with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the enduring friendship between the two nations. "Romania and China have a long-standing friendship," he said. "Culture unites beyond borders. Our relations have covered everything, from culture to academic exchanges." The event, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Chinese Embassy in Romania, and organized by the China Cultural Center in Bucharest and Romania-China House, concluded with a spectacular fireworks display in front of the opera hall. Keith Lee mania finally made it west to Fort Worth, where he brought his family to Taste Community Restaurant where his question were answered by Julie Williams, wife of Taste Project founder Jeff Williams. When this popular social media food critic walks into a restaurant anywhere in the country, his more than 15 million followers on TikTok hangs on his every word. Then Keith Lee mania makes it west to Fort Worth, taking his family to Taste Community Restaurant, a faith-based nonprofit with a mission to feed, educate, and serve our community, according to its website. Lees review was effusive as it was reverent. And, surprise, no food talk. I have found one of the dopest restaurants I have ever seen, Lee tells his fans in a TikTok video. As you can see, I have no bags. More trending stories: Want to make $275,000 a year and work from home? Is COVID variant JN.1 too smart for home test kits? What science says. Here's why your 2024 tax refund may be delayed. Instead, Lee tells his legions of fans how taken he is by the restaurants mission. The concept is simple as it is mind blowing, he preaches. Whatever you got to pay or whatever you want to pay is what you pay for your meal, Lee explains. And I mean everything on the menu. You pay a $100, a $1,000, a penny, a dollar, zero dollars, whatever you feel the meal is worth. This visit was a departure from how he has approached the half dozen restaurants he has visited in North Texas since he arrived in the area Sunday as part of his national food tour. He normally rates the items in a restaurants menu, delivering on his catch phrase: He got em, he tried em and rated them 1-10. He was there, but he did not try the food. We didnt want to take the spotlight or the shine off the food or the mission theyre there to accomplish, Lee said. But how did he rate the place? This is a place that should be shined, celebrated and highlighted everywhere in this community, not only in this community but the world, he tells his millions of followers. The Taste Project was started a few years ago by Jeff Williams, who with his wife, Julie, and an army of volunteers they call Taste Buds, help fight food insecurity in Tarrant County. The restaurant is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with sit-in service only and has rules on over ordering. To avoid food scarcity and make sure everyone can eat, Lee declares in his video message. Its a mission that I personally agree with 1,000%. To back up his words, Lee and his family asked if they could leave a $4,000 donation for the project, to which Julie Williams responds: That is so sweet, you can absolutely do that. Of course because Lee is a food critic but did not try the food at the restaurant, he asked his followers to share their impressions of the food, If youre comfortable sharing. Here are the North Texas restaurants Lee has visited so far According to the Dallas Morning News. Thunderbird Pies in East Dallas Terry Blacks in Deep Ellum Halal Fusionz in Farmers Branch Hutchins BBQ (locations in McKinney and Frisco) Absolutely Edible Cakes and Catering in Rowlett Sweetly Seasoned food truck Double murder suspect arrested on Ohio States campus, seven years after brothers were killed For an earlier report on this story, view the video player above. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A man was arrested in connection to a double homicide nearly seven years after two brothers were killed. According to the U.S. Marshals Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST), the task force, along with a Franklin County Sheriffs SWAT team, arrested Brian Banks for the murder of two brothers, JeVohn Hill, 27, and Jeronn Hill, 26. Banks was wanted by Columbus police for killing the Hill brothers on March 10, 2017 at a home on Maize Road, near Cremeans Park. Death of Casey Goodson Jr.: Testimony continues in Jason Meade murder trial This embedded content is not available in your region. That night, at approximately 8 p.m., police responded to reports of people crying and screaming and glass breaking at the North Linden home. Officers found the brothers unresponsive and suffering from gunshot wounds. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. At the time CPD did not have any suspects or leads and did not know what led to the shooting. Police investigate a double murder at a home on the 3100 block of Maize Road in North Linden. (NBC4) On Wednesday, a break in the case resulted in the indictment of Banks in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. The U.S. Marshals Office investigation led authorities to the 900 block of John H. Herrick Drive, on The Ohio State Universitys campus, where Banks was arrested Friday morning. Banks was safely taken into custody and is being held in Franklin County Jail. He is charged with murder, aggravated murder, felonious assault, aggravated robbery, having weapons under disability and improper handling of a firearm. This embedded content is not available in your region. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Authorities in Sunny Isles Beach were confused about whether they would be able to charge a teen who allegedly ran over a police officer with a crime. Avraham Gil was arrested, mug-shotted, and later released after police were informed they could not keep him or charge him because his father is a U.S. diplomat. However, the United States government has now set the record straight on whether the diplomats son is above the law. Avraham Gil allegedly struck a Miami-area police officer on a motorcycle. (Photos: Google Maps, YouTube screenshot/Local 10) Gils lawyers thought he would avoid facing two felony charges after allegedly running over a Sunny Isles Beach Lt. Ruben Zamora during a traffic stop on Collins Avenue near 174th St. on Saturday, Jan. 27, because of his father. The officer told him to stop weaving in-between vehicles. Still, instead of following the officers command, a police report states he accelerated his vehicle and intentionally ran him over, causing him to injure his leg. Lt. Zamora stated that the defendant then intentionally ran him over at which point he grabbed the defendant with both of his hands and redirected him towards the ground to stop him, according to the report. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics transported Zamora to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital. In addition to the collision, police reports indicate that Gil was driving without a valid license and operating a motorcycle that had no license plate on it. He was also fined $300 for not having a license, which the state requires. It should be noted that Avraham spontaneously uttered that he was sorry and that he was just driving in between vehicles to cut in front of the line because he hates waiting behind traffic, the report reads, according to the Miami New Times. Police bodycam footage of the incident has been released to the proper authorities. The 19-year-old was then nabbed by the police and hit with a first-degree felony charge for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence. Shortly after taking his mug shot, in which he looked as if he was crying, higher-ups were called, and Gil was released. Gil is the son of Eli Gil, a diplomat stationed at the Israeli consulate in Miami. Diplomatic immunity provisions extend to family members forming part of the household of diplomatic agents [who] enjoy precisely the same privileges and immunities as do the sponsoring diplomatic agents, as stated by the U.S. Department of State. While the teens lawyer contends that these regulations apply to him, some legal analysts believe Gils family is stretching the interpretation to keep him out of trouble, noting that his father is not the type of diplomat included in this exception. Diplomatic immunity is not given to people who are called consular officials, and those are people who are not the head diplomatic agent of a foreign country here in the United States, so there is a distinction, legal analyst David Weinstein told Local 10. This also aligns with what the State Department states, absent a bilateral agreement, the family members of consular officers enjoy no personal inviolability and no jurisdictional immunity of any kind. Now, authorities will be moving forward with Gils arrest. Defense counsels representation was relied upon and the defendant was released on his own recognizance, the state attorneys office said, according to the Miami Herald. After receiving confirmation from the State Department, Office of Foreign Missions, that neither the defendant nor his father have diplomatic immunity, we are proceeding as usual with our investigation. The U.S. Department of State even backed the State Attorneys Office up. We can confirm that, as the dependent of an Israeli consular officer, the concerned individual is not entitled to civil or criminal immunity, the department said in a statement. This is also not the first time Gil has been in trouble with the law in the last month. On Dec. 31, Gil was fined hundreds of dollars when a Miami Shores police officer caught him speeding 35 mph over the limit on Biscayne Boulevard. Traffic county records indicate that he was riding a black Suzuki motorcycle and had the consulate license plate sealed purposefully. Records show Gil still owes the city $537 in traffic fines something he will have to pay as he fights his new case. Double Privilege? Israeli Diplomats Son Tries to Get Out of Two Felony Charges After Running Over Florida Cop While Driving Without License AUSTIN, Texas (KETK) The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of 36-year-old Texarkana gang member, Markeis Big Kei Jamal Richardson. 16-year-old in custody after barricading self in Jacksonville Richardson was recently added to the Texas Most Wanted Fugitives list. According to officials, multiple warrants were issued for Richardsons arrest in June 2022 and in July 2022 a warrant was issued out of Arkansas for Richardsons arrest. DPS described Richardson as 6 feet tall and weighs about 245 pounds. He has tattoos on his chest and both arms. He may also be known by the nickname Big Kei.' He allegedly has ties to both Texarkana and Dallas and is affiliated with the Loyalty Cash Business gang. Richardsons wanted bulletin can be found here. People wanting to submit an anonymous tip can do any of the following: Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-8477 Submit a web tip through the DPS website Submit a Facebook tip by clicking SUBMIT A TIP under the about section For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Ohios senators said they are pushing their legislative leaders in the U.S. Senate to bring the Railway Safety Act to a vote. Saturday, Feb. 3, will mark one year since 38 cars of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, spewing toxins that fouled the air and ground in that small Ohio village and forced its residents to evacuate. >> MORE COVERAGE: EPA proud of progress of cleanup so far in East Palestine The railroad tracks that run through the backyard of the Conard family in East Palestine are a reminder of the hazmat disaster that continues to change the lives of the Conards and everyone else who lived in the area. We were just throwing their things into a bag, Jessica Conard told a reporter with News Center 7s sister station WPIX. And I had no idea where I was going or what was happening. Some lawmakers began pushing for change in the weeks following the derailment. But with no laws to show for their efforts, News Center 7 Investigative Reporter John Bedell pressed Ohios senators for answers about the status of the bill they introduced right after the East Palestine derailment. So weve got it out of the commerce committee on a bipartisan vote, Republican Sen. J.D. Vance told Bedell. And then the only really remaining hurdle is that the Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, has to bring it up to the Senate floor for a full vote. I think he will do that. I think we have the votes to pass it. Its just a question of when. Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown expressed frustration with the lack of progress. This is why people hate Washington, he said. This should have been acted on before. I am pushing hard Senator Schumer, the majority leader, Senator [Mitch] McConnell, the Republican leader, to get both of them to schedule the legislation for a floor vote. News Center 7 reached out to Norfolk Southern this week, ahead of the one-year mark of the East Palestine disaster. There CEO sent this statement, which in part, reads Well continue keeping our promises and listening to the community. Together, were focused on economic development to help the East Palestine community thrive for the long term. Meantime, Ohio has sued Norfolk Southern for damages. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said he plans give an update about that lawsuit on Friday. President Joe Biden is expected to visit East Palestine this month. EASTLAND, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) An Eastland ISD teacher has been charged with Improper Relationship between Educator and Student. William James Culverhouse was taken into custody Thursday on one count of Improper Relationship between Educator and Student, according to Eastland County Jail records. The Eastland Police Department told KTAB and KRBC the Texas Rangers are handling the investigation into Culverhouse, so they are unable to release any additional information at this time. Eastland ISD has Culverhouse listed on their website as a high school chemistry teacher as well as a boys and girls golf coach. KTAB and KRBC have also reached out to the Texas Rangers, who are expected to release additional details soon. Check back with BigCountryHomepage.com for any updates on this case. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Effective Law Enforcement for All, a nonprofit organization that specializes in reshaping police departments to reduce use-of-force incidents, has been chosen to oversee the city of Minneapolis' state and federal consent decrees on policing. The group is led by David Douglass, deputy monitor for the city of New Orleans, which has been under a federal consent decree since 2013. It has offices in Louisiana and Maryland. City spokesperson Sarah McKenzie confirmed the selection Friday morning. As the evaluator for Minneapolis, ELEFA will have the power to determine when the city has achieved sustained, constitutional policing. The process could take many years, and ELEFA may be paid up to $1.5 million each year. For the duration of the consent decrees, ELEFA will be responsible for reviewing and approving the Minneapolis Police Department's policies, assessing the city's performance and engaging with the public. It will need to post semi-annual progress reports to its website as well as survey police officers and the community on their satisfaction. ELEFA informed community groups this week that it had risen to the top of a competitive selection process that attracted 14 local and national applicants. Three finalists flew in to Minneapolis last month to present their credentials at two packed community meetings. During the question and answer periods, Douglass emphasized his group's methodical approach to keeping track of complex reforms and willingness to ask the court to impose sanctions on the city of Minneapolis if it demonstrates resistance to change. ELEFA's team in Minneapolis will be co-led by Michael Harrison, a former Baltimore police commissioner and former superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department the only chief in the nation with experience overseeing two departments under federal consent decrees, according to ELEFA's application. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice investigated MPD and found over a decade of civil rights abuses, particularly against Black and Native American residents. Minneapolis entered a court-enforceable settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights last summer. The U.S. Department of Justice is still negotiating the terms of its consent decree with the city. The city's contract with ELEFA is subject to approval by the Minneapolis City Council with an anticipated start date of March 9. Within 90 days of assuming the job, ELEFA will have to come up with a plan to implement the first four years of reforms. As a professional educator in high school and college classes, I yearned to meet education experts with only one arm so they cannot keep saying On the other hand. No matter what the issues are, researchers can find consultants that subscribe to one educational theory just as easily as finding others that argue just the opposite. Nowhere is this more obvious than analyzing student performance in online classes compared to traditional in-person classes. A report by the Public Policy Institute of California evaluated student outcomes in online classes and in-person classes in the California Community College System. The research often found contradictory results. For example, short-term learning outcomes for students in online classes are poor, but the long term outcomes are not. Students are less likely to complete online classes than a traditional class and they are less likely to complete the online class with a passing grade. Lower success rates are evident across the curriculum and the different ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Online class success rates are between eleven and fourteen percentage points lower than in traditional classes. The data show that Latino students are less likely than other racial groups to take online classes. Similarly, males are less likely to enroll in online classes than females. Success rates are lower in online classes than traditional classes. About 60.4% of students in online classes complete the course with a passing grade compared to 70.6% for students in traditional classes. Online learning exacerbates achievement gaps across racial groups. The achievement gap between white and African American students is 12.9% in in-person classes compared to 17.5% for students in online classes. Students are less likely to succeed in all academic subjects in online classes than in traditional classes. That is the essential problem: How effective are online classes? Recently, many colleges have implemented hybrid classes whereby online instruction is supplemented by in-person classes. According to a report in the US News and World report, early analyses have found that students in these hybrid classes have better success than either online or in-person classes. A more fundamental difficulty is that our educational system keeps trying to measure two things that cannot be measured: learning and effort. Despite our best intentions, we can only measure student performance under a specific set of circumstances. Students who are sick with long-term covid will not perform as well as they would when they are healthy. A college student who takes an exam when he is recovering from a night of binge drinking will not perform well. A student who missed the lectures on the ideal gas laws will not do as well as one who attended the lecture. The professor cannot be sure who is actually doing the work for the online classes. Students at BCTC who take math classes online are required to take a proctored in-person final exam. Unsurprisingly, some students admitted that someone else did the assignments which caused them to fail the final and the class. Students in public schools often have other challenges that negatively impact their performance. For far too many students, the only meals they ate were the breakfast and lunch at school. When the pandemic closed the public schools, I am sure kids went hungry. In my years teaching public schools, I was required by law to report several cases of sexual or physical abuse. If students are enrolled in online classes, who would be able to report abuse? A huge advantage of in-class instruction is the opportunity for social interaction with a wide diversity of students. Sadly, many school shootings were committed by students who felt disenfranchised or persecuted. Online classes exacerbate those feelings and foster paranoia. Taking online classes requires much more self-disciple than in-person classes. My experience from teaching high school and college mathematics classes revealed that many students enrolled in online classes lack the self- discipline to be successful. Students in online classes often fail to complete assignments on time and found that they cannot catch up. The best answer to the question of which is better: online or in-person classes is It depends. Each pedagogical model has its strengths and weaknesses. Suppose Mary and Bob go to an ice cream parlor where Mary orders butter pecan and Bob orders strawberry. Who made the right choice? Both of them chose the. one they like best. Some motivated students will do fine in online classes, but weaker students are better served by in-class instruction. One size does not fit all. As H.L. Mencken said: For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. Roger Guffey is a retired teacher in Fayette County. Zimbabwean students learn Chinese martial arts from a member of a visiting troupe from the Henan Provincial Shaolin Wushu Training Center during a cultural exchange event in Harare, Zimbabwe, Jan. 31, 2024.(Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) A cultural exchange event was held in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, on Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon. The event at the China-Zimbabwe Friendship High School in Hatcliffe of Harare was attended by Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding, and Zimbabwe's Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Torerai Moyo, among others. Vibrant local dances and drum performance by students from a school entertained the Chinese guests while Zimbabweans were awed by a Chinese martial arts performance by a visiting troupe from the Henan Provincial Shaolin Wushu Training Center, a magic show and Chinese dances. "These performances will open a window for you to the magnificent world of Chinese art and culture. Hope you all enjoy it and I wish you all realize your dreams in the future, and contribute to the modernization and industrialization of Zimbabwe," said Zhou. Zhou reaffirmed China's support for Zimbabwe's development, especially in the education sector. For his part, Moyo said the celebration helps strengthen the bonds between the two countries and highlights the importance of diversity and inclusiveness of Zimbabwe's educational institutions. "By celebrating the Chinese New Year together, we not only honor the Chinese community, but also foster a sense of unity amongst all of us. Education is a powerful tool that breaks down boundaries and broadens horizons. It enables us to embrace different cultures, traditions and perspectives, promoting a global mindset that is essential in today's interconnected world," he said. At the scene, local students attending the event enjoyed the opportunity to learn Chinese martial arts from the visiting troupe. "Today I joined the Chinese Kung Fu group. The martial art is difficult, but it's amazing. I would like to join again," said Brenda Moyo, a student from the school. Another student from the school, 20 year-old Benon Jairos, said this was his first time to attend a Spring Festival celebration. "I really enjoyed this event. The Chinese martial arts troupe showed us how they do martial arts, and I really enjoyed it to such an extent that I would like to join the martial arts team," said Jairos. The 2024 Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, will fall on Feb. 10, kicking off the Year of the Dragon. MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) The Madison Police Department is investigating an incident at UW-Madisons Hillel Foundation on Tuesday night where several eggs were launched toward the higher floors of the building. Hillel Foundation staff self-reported the incident on Wednesday morning, and after detectives reviewed digital evidence, it was determined the incident happened around 9:15 p.m. Michigan man charged for multi-state murder spree extradited to Wisconsin, makes initial appearance in Brown County court The building was not damaged but staff estimate it will cost several thousands of dollars to have cleaned. The eggs hit the higher floors of the building, making it harder to clean. The UW Hillel Foundation provides a home for more than 4,000 Jewish students attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Hillel is a pluralistic organization supporting all of the Jewish movements as authentic expressions of Jewish Life. 74-year-old Wisconsin man charged with intending to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine The Madison Police Department says that no arrests have been made, but the Hate Crimes Task Force has been made aware of this incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014. No additional details were provided. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) An El Paso man was sentenced to 130 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to a news release sent by the United States Attorneys Office Western District of Texas. According to court documents, Gary Everett Rinker, 56, sold approximately 200 pills containing 19.8 grams of fentanyl to a buyer at an El Paso hotel. The criminal complaint, which was filed July 12, alleged that over a separate three-day period Rinker sold quantities of counterfeit Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 mg tablets to the buyer, totaling approximately 55 grams of fentanyl, according to the news release. Rinker was arrested in July and pleaded guilty November 1. This defendant was a prominent fentanyl dealer in the El Paso community who will spend the next decade off our streets, largely due to his extensive drug-related criminal history dating back to 2007, said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. I commend the joint efforts of our partners at FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the dedicated attorneys of the Western District who continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders. Fentanyl continues to be a considerable threat to our communities, ending the lives of our neighbors, friends and loved ones who, in many cases, arent even aware theyre taking the drug, said Special Agent in Charge John Morales for the FBI El Paso Field Office. FBI El Paso and our Drug Enforcement Administration partners are working together will come after anyone supplying poison to innocent lives and bring them to justice. Our Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT) does not just investigate fatalities caused by fentanyl, said Towanda Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge of the DEAs El Paso Division. By putting Mr. Rinker behind bars, FORT worked proactively to potentially save lives. Rinker was not the first fentanyl dealer targeted by our FORT, and he wont be the last. Additionally, the FBI and DEA investigated the case. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives from international organizations, overseas Chinese and personages from China's Hong Kong and Macao, who have been invited to sit in on the "two sessions" of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have commended the region's rapid economic and social development. For the first time, foreign guests and media have been invited to sit in on or cover the annual meetings of Xinjiang's lawmakers and political advisors, during which plans for local economic and social development in the year ahead are discussed. The annual session of the regional people's congress opened on Tuesday, and the annual session of the regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opened on Monday. According to the regional government work report released during the annual session of the Xinjiang people's congress, the region achieved a regional gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.8 percent in 2023. Sohail Khan, deputy secretary general of the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, said that through the meetings, he has learned many development plans of Xinjiang in various areas, such as agriculture and economy and trade. Khan said the invitation for the meetings offered a good opportunity for foreigners to learn about how things are being done here responsibly by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government. During the "two sessions", Khan visited several places in Urumqi, the region's capital. While visiting an archives center showcasing a rebuilding program of an old town, he witnessed the huge transformation of the former run-down urban areas into modern residential communities over the years. People of all ethnic groups now have access to modern housing facilities, which demonstrates the Chinese government's responsible commitment to the people, Khan said. Last year, the region's import and export volume grew by 45.9 percent, while the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents increased by 5.6 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively. Hu Yumei, president of the Central Asia Overseas Chinese Friendly Association of Kyrgyzstan, sat in on the meetings and said that she is very glad to hear the encouraging data. Various undertakings in Xinjiang have undergone rapid and remarkable changes, especially in terms of economic development, she said. Maliya Huopuer, an Uzbek official, focused on topics of cooperation in culture, tourism and education, and people-to-people exchanges among Belt and Road Initiative participating countries. During a break between meetings, she engaged in discussions with others on how to better serve as a bridge for exchanges between Uzbekistan and China. In 2023, Xinjiang's tourism industry has achieved rapid growth, with the region receiving 265 million visitors, a remarkable 117 percent growth, setting a historical record, according to the regional government work report. The tourism revenue of the region totaled 296.7 billion yuan (about 41.76 billion U.S. dollars), up 227 percent, while the airport passenger throughput exceeded 40 million for the first time, an increase of 143.8 percent compared to the previous year. Wang Xihua, chairman of Xinjiang Association of Hong Kong, said that, although he lives in Hong Kong, he pays great attention to Xinjiang's development. "The development achievements in Xinjiang inspire me, and I will bring the spirit of the meetings back to Hong Kong," he said, adding that he expects to forge a bridge between Hong Kong and Xinjiang to contribute to the high-quality development of Xinjiang and help Hong Kong to integrate into the overall development of the country. Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary, deputy chief of Mission of the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, said that he is interested in relevant policies on opening up in Xinjiang, adding he will introduce those policies to more Pakistani companies and promote cooperation in various fields between the two sides. Your slice of the headlines in Ukraine. Daily. Friday, February 2, 2024 EU brings Hungary on board for 50 billion ($54 billion) in aid; Ukraine waits for Republicans in US All 27 European Union member states agreed to a four-year 50 billion ($54 billion USD) aid package for Ukraine, previously stalled by Hungary, European Council President Charles Michel announced on X (Twitter) on Feb. 1. Zelenskyy to dismiss Ukrainian army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi this week Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to dismiss Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi this week, CNN reported on Feb. 1. Ukrainian Defense Ministry plans contracts for hundreds of thousands of UAVs The Defense Procurement Agency of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry plans to sign contracts for hundreds of thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) this year, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Feb. 1. Sunk Russian corvette carried anti-ship missiles, Ukraine says The sinking of guided missile corvette Ivanovets is a "very significant loss" for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the Ukrainian Navy said in a Telegram post on Feb. 1. Tighter rules for Ukrainian food exports to EU New rules for exports of agricultural products to some EU countries came into force in Ukraine on Feb. 1, with violators facing fines and export restrictions, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports. US Senate reluctant to seize frozen Russian assets former ambassador to Ukraine The U.S. Senate is not ready to pass a law to enable the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine in 2003-2006, John Herbst, said in an interview with NV. Over 900 Azov Regiments defenders still captive after major Jan. 31 swap, says battalion commander More than 900 Azov regiments soldiers w[1] ho defended the Ukrainian city of Mariupol remain in Russian captivity after one of the largest prisoner swaps on Jan. 31, the Azovs Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Denys Prokopenko, call sign Redis, wrote on Facebook on Jan. 31. Ukraines bold strike: Belbek Airfield in Crimea hit as Kyiv sends unmistakable message to Moscow Strikes against the Belbek airfield in the temporarily occupied Crimea were routine tactical aviation operations, Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said on Feb.1. Hungarian PM Orban tires EU, not Ukraine, says Tusk There is no fatigue from Ukraine in the European Union, but there is fatigue from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after arriving at a meeting of the European Council, reported Interfax-Ukraine on Feb. 1. Ex-Sevastopol Governor arrested in UK over sanctions evasion The UKs National Crime Agency arrested the former governor of occupied Sevastopol, Dmitry Ovsyannikov, for evading sanctions on Jan. 31, The Times reported. 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 European Council has revised its 2021-2027 budget to inject an additional 2 billion (approximately $2.26 billion) into migration management efforts, Interfax-Ukraine reported on Feb.1. Leaders from EU nations consented to bolster Chapter 4 of the financial framework, which focuses on migration and border management. $2.26 billion allocation aimed at supporting member states that are grappling with urgent migration and border challenges, particularly those at the forefront of migratory flows. Read also: EU extends protections for Ukrainian refugees until March 2025 The funding is intended for refugees from Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as to facilitate the implementation of the migration and asylum pact once it is adopted. This pact includes provisions for new border procedures. The European Council also pointed to the possible utilization of European cohesion policy funds to meet the migration-related demands and challenges. In response, the European Commission has suggested aiding member states in harnessing these funds for migration concerns. Read also: Majority of Ukrainian refugees express willingness to return, yet only a third likely will, sociologist says The budget amendments account for a 7.6 billion (approximately $8.59 billion) surge in funding for Chapter 6, which covers neighborhood policy and international cooperation. These extra resources may be directed towards partnerships that address migration issues, including efforts with Western Balkan nations. 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 Many EU member states are not providing sufficient military support for Ukraines defense against the Russian invasion, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Feb. 1, as reported by Sky News. Read also: US Senate to vote on border security and Ukraine aid package early next week In many capitals the question has to be asked: are we actually doing enough? said Scholz. The answer in most cases can only be no. The chancellor also noted that Germany, as Ukraine's largest military backer in Europe, cannot single-handedly compensate for the halt in U.S. security assistance to Kyiv. Berlin announced a new military aid package for Ukraine on Jan. 31, which includes armored personnel carriers, all-terrain vehicles, and anti-aircraft munitions. Read also: EU to finalize 13th sanction package against Russia ahead of invasion anniversary 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 boy stands in the doorway of a container home near Kahramanmaras, where he and his family were housed after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on 06 February 2023. Boris Roessler/dpa The European Union is to send 26 million ($28 million) in humanitarian aid to Turkey to support refugees near the Syrian border impacted by earthquakes last year. The EU "continues to stand in solidarity with the refugees" in Turkey, EU Crisis Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said in a statement to announce the funding. On February 6, two large earthquakes and many aftershocks shook south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria, killing more than 50,000 people, according to the commission. Of the 26 million announced, 4 million is to be provided for education needs. Other funding is to be used to provide healthcare and sanitation services. The funding comes on top of previous pledges for aid. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, the EU provided Turkey with 400 million in disaster relief. According to the commission, Turkey hosts the largest refugee population in the world at nearly 4 million people. A woman stands with her children in the doorway of a container home near Kahramanmaras, where she and her family were housed after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on 06 February 2023. Boris Roessler/dpa Palestinian refugees gather outside the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in Beirut to protest against a decision by several countries to stop funding of the organization over Israeli claims that some of UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas 07 October attacks. Marwan Naamani/dpa The European Union on Monday announced a review of its funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and that payments would be stopped until the end of February. The EU demanded an urgent audit following the allegations by the Israeli authorities that some UNRWA staff participated in Hamass October 7 attack. What is absolutely clear is that these actions are urgent. They are important and they should be launched without any delay," European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said. The audit must be led by EU-appointed experts and conducted alongside a UN investigation into the claims, a commission statement said. The statement added that humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank will continue unabated through partner organisations. UNRWA WARNS OF HUMANITARIAN DISASTER The Wall Street Journal reported, quoting an Israeli dossier, that 10% of Palestinian UNRWA employees have close links to terror organisations operating in Gaza. The New York Times reported previously, referring to the dossier, that one UNRWA employee had been involved in the kidnapping of a woman from Israel, another had distributed ammunition and a third employee had been involved in a massacre in a kibbutz in which 97 people died. The dossier contains allegations against a total of 12 UNRWA employees. Washington categorises them as credible. In response, UNRWA fired several staff members over Israels accusations, which have prompted numerous countries, including the United States, France, Britain, Germany and Japan, to announce they were suspending further funding to the UN agency. The UN agencys Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the funding suspensions as shocking, stressing that more than 2 million people in Gaza depend on UNRWA for their mere survival. He urged the countries to reconsider their decisions. UNRWA said it would have to end operations within a month if funding was not restored. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths has described UNRWA as the centrepiece of humanitarian care for the people of the Gaza Strip. The life-saving work of UNRWA in the course of the war should not be jeopardised by accusations of the alleged actions of a few individuals," said Griffiths at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday. Griffiths was appalled by the allegations and said that all efforts would therefore be made to guarantee the worlds demands for a politically neutral organization. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has promised an urgent independent review of UNRWA but also pleaded for donor states to guarantee the continuity of the agency for the sake of the desperate populations it serves. At an EU leaders summit on Thursday, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell warned that hundreds of thousands of people would perish if funding ceased. If you cut the funding to UNRWA, you are punishing the whole Palestinian people. There is no alternative to UNRWA... if you want to keep these people alive. So, no collective punishment to the Palestinian people, he stressed. AUSTRIA, CROATIA, GERMANY, ROMANIA AND SWEDEN TO SUSPEND PAYMENTS The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it has suspended its voluntary payments to UNRWA. Until the investigation is concluded, the ministry will not make any new voluntary contributions to UNRWA, the ministry said. Croatia did not plan any donations to UNRWA in 2024. Previously, it made donations only exceptionally, upon appeal, the Foreign Ministry said. The Austrian Foreign Ministry stated that the allegations... are deeply shocking and extremely disturbing. All contributions to UNRWA have been suspended until all these allegations have been fully clarified," the statement added. Sweden, traditionally a strong ally of UNRWA, has decided to pause the funding while the Swedish development agency, SIDA, is investigating the situation. I share the view that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is horrible. Sweden wants to help the civilian population, but we need to make sure that the support is not being used for the wrong things, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a press conference. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who suspended the aid for the moment, demanded quick investigations. The situation in Gaza is simply hell, Baerbock said on Wednesday in Berlin. UNRWA is almost the sole provider of supplies in Gaza, as all other aid organizations there can hardly be active at the moment, she said. Last year, Germany funded UNRWA with a total of 206.5 million ($223 million). According to the German Foreign Ministry, Germany will not authorize new payments for the time of the investigation. In any case, no new commitments are currently pending. CALLS FOR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEBATE The conservative European Peoples Party is requesting a debate on UNRWAs alleged participation in the Hamas attacks at next weeks European Parliament sitting in Strasbourg, the Swedish MEP David Lega, member of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, announced on X. There can be no business as usual we must once and for all stop funding terrorism, he wrote. POSSIBLE DEAL? The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli secret service Mossad informed the ministers of the war cabinet on Monday of the outlines of a possible truce agreement. This involves the release of 35 female, sick, injured and elderly Israeli hostages taken by Hamas, in a first phase in which the fighting would pause for 35 days. This would be followed by a further one-week ceasefire, during which the negotiators would also attempt to release young men and hostages who Hamas considers to be soldiers. A central point that is not yet resolved is a Hamas demand that the agreement provide for a permanent ceasefire, which Israel has ruled out. The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, AGERPRES, ANSA, APA, Belga, dpa, EFE, HINA, STA, TT as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project. Philippe Lazzarini (2nd R), Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, speaks during a visit by the German Development Minister to the UNRWA headquarters in Amman. Hannes P Albert/dpa PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A man was arrested Wednesday morning on charges stemming from multiple anti-Semitic vandalizing incidents at a Eugene synagogue last year. Eugene police say they had a dedicated detective working on cases of anti-Semitic vandalization at Temple Beth Israel. These happened on August 20, September 11, and October 7 of 2023, officials say. Then on January 14, the synagogue was tagged again. Man accused of burning down home said voices told him the place contained vampires Officials say the detective identified a suspect, 34-year-old Adam Edward Braun, and was granted a search warrant on Brauns home. Eugene Police served the search warrant and found multiple Nazi-themed items. Braun was subsequently arrested, charged with four counts of second-degree bias crime and taken to Lane County Jail. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. China has recently released a guideline aimed at preparing for consistent low temperatures, rainfalls and blizzards as the Spring Festival holiday approaches. These adverse weather conditions will linger across the central and eastern regions of the country in the forthcoming days, with certain areas expected to endure record-high snowfalls, causing disruptions to transport, power supply and livelihoods, according to the guideline issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council. The guideline called for intensified efforts to strengthen the monitoring and forecasting of meteorological changes, emphasizing the broader use of media platforms to issue timely warnings. In addition to ensuring the availability of emergency and relief supplies, nationwide coordination of transport networks is essential, and efforts should be made to enhance transport capacity, facilitating the smooth operations of the railway and civil aviation sectors, the guideline said. It added that efforts should also focus on comprehensive overhauls of grids, telecommunication networks and infrastructures related to oil, gas, water and heating supplies, while also guaranteeing adequate supplies of key farm products and daily necessities. This year's Spring Festival holiday runs from Feb. 10 to 17 in China. The annual festival travel rush, also known as "chunyun," sees hundreds of millions of people return home and reunite with their families and friends. The final of the National Selection will start at 18:00 on February 3 The Eurovision National Selection finals will take place on Feb. 3. 11 representatives will compete for the right to represent Ukraine at Eurovision in Malmo, Sweden. Ukrainians will be able to vote for their favorite artists via the Diia app. But audience support is only half the battle, as the jury members Andriy Danylko, Jamala and Sergey Tanchynets will also render their verdicts on the performances. Read also: Ukraine loses favorite status for Eurovision 2024 victory Both factors will help determine the winner, whose victory will be depend half on audience support and half on jury scores. The contest will be broadcast via the Diia app, as well as on the Suspilne Culture TV channel, on the Suspilne Culture website, and on the Facebook pages of Suspilne and Eurovision Ukraine. Read also: The broadcast will also be available on Radio Promin in two languages Ukrainian and English. In English, the event will be hosted by Victoria Kryukova and Denys Denysenko, who will offer their comments on the event. Bookmakers currently predict that duo of alyona alyona & Jerry Heil, with their song Teresa & Maria, have a 65% chance of earning first place. Melovin, meanwhile is given only a 9% chance of victory. 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 US has welcomed the agreement by EU leaders to allocate 50 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine - however, the White House said that emphasis remains on the importance of American support, particularly in the domain of security. Source: European Pravda, citing John Kirby, White House National Security Council Coordinator, at a briefing He said the EU aid programme for Ukraine is not designed to provide military assistance. "Its certainly going to be welcome to the Ukrainian people, no question about it, because it will help alleviate some of the financial strains that theyre already under. And so, again, we welcome it. But its not a substitute for American leadership when it comes to security assistance," Kirby emphasised. He added that the US presidential administration will continue to urge Congress to pass an additional request for national security, which includes over US$60 billion specifically for military assistance to Ukraine. "As Ive said many times, it was carefully arrived at. The Ukrainians need it. And we need Congress to act on it," Kirby said. Background: On 1 February, EU leaders overcame Hungary's long-standing opposition and reached an agreement on a 50 billion macro-financial assistance programme for Ukraine. The programme will last for four years. The summit's conclusions state that Ukraine will be able to receive funds if it meets a number of preconditions. It also states that EU leaders will hold annual debates on the programme, and in two years they may propose a revision of the entire multi-year financial framework to the European Commission. Support UP or become our patron! Earlier this week, the Republican-controlled House Homeland Security Committee voted on party lines to recommend the impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas. Lets break it down. Who? Alejandro Mayorkas, the United States secretary of homeland security. They still call it homeland security? Was consecrated soil of the motherland security already taken? The months and years after 9/11 were a time of strong emotions. OK, first of all, you can impeach a member of the Cabinet? Yes. Its happened once before, to Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876. Belknap, who was charged with accepting kickbacks from a government contractor, was acquitted, although he had resigned before his Senate trial began. Incidentally, the official congressional write-up of the affair attributes Belknaps behavior to the greed of his luxury-loving wives in a very anachronistic way. (The woman to whom Belknap was married when the bribery scheme began died of tuberculosis after giving birth in 1870that does sound a little selfish, hmmand he remarried in 1873.) So, who is Mayorkas and what did he allegedly do? Mayorkas is a former federal prosecutor who held high-level immigration-related roles in the Obama administration before being appointed to his current job by Joe Biden. The articles of impeachment drafted against him by Republicans on the Homeland Security committee say he has repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security. They claim that Mayorkas should be holding every undocumented migrant encountered by border agents in detention while their cases are being processed and that he is violating the law by releasing some of them into the country while they await a ruling on their status. Is that a fair charge? People besides Republicans on the Homeland Security committeeincluding prominent conservative legal commentators and the editorial board of the Wall Street Journalgenerally agree that it is not. In recent years, starting during the Trump administration, the U.S. has seen an unprecedented surge of attempted migration. There are vastly more people trying to enter the country over its southwest border than there are federal facilities to hold them in, and there are not enough federal officials to handle the many claims of eligibility for asylum that these individuals submit. The backlog of cases in immigration court is yearslong, and both the Biden and Trump administrations have responded to the overload by releasing some migrants while they await adjudication of their status. Could Mayorkas and Biden simply turn people away without taking their asylum claims? Noor, at least, a federal court already ruled that this was illegal when Trump tried it in 2018, which is why a bipartisan group in the Senate is reportedly negotiating legislation that would give the president more authority to do so. The bill would also reportedly appropriate money to hire more asylum officers and immigration judges. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, however, says the lower chamber will reject this bill, again on the grounds that Biden and Mayorkas could be doing more under current law. In addition to their problems on the merits, the articles of impeachment compiled by the committee are sloppy. David Bier of the libertarian Cato Institute noticed that two of the court cases that Republicans cite to argue that Mayorkas has certain existing authorities were actually reversed on appeal; another section bops the secretary for allegedly terminating an immigration-related program that was actually ended by the State Department, which is controlled by a different member of the Cabinet. Is the rest of the House going to vote to move forward with impeachment? Maybe not. Republicans currently hold a 219213 majority in the chamber, which means they can afford only three defections from their cause, given the strong unlikelihood that any Democrat will vote to impeach. One Republican member has already said hes a no vote, and others say they are on the fence. And even if the House does impeach Mayorkas, the Democrat-controlled Senate will acquit him. (Recall that a conviction on impeachment charges requires a two-thirds Senate majority.) So whats the point of all this? The single most unrelenting advocate for a Mayorkas impeachment, despite the fact that she does not sit on the committee that impeached him, has been Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, which is to say that the endeavor does not have a point in a way that can probably be understood on a deep level by anyone reading this article. Enjoy your weekend! By Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk and Liz Lee KYIV/BEIJING (Reuters) -China demanded on Thursday that Ukraine immediately remove more than a dozen Chinese companies from a list of firms designated as "international sponsors of war", saying it wanted Kyiv to "eliminate negative impacts". The remarks came after Reuters reported that China's ambassador in Kyiv had told senior Ukrainian government officials last month that the inclusion of the companies on the list could hurt bilateral ties. "China firmly opposes the inclusion of Chinese enterprises in the relevant list and demands that Ukraine immediately correct its mistakes and eliminate negative impacts," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters after the report was published. It did not specify what those impacts may be. Beijing has close ties with Moscow and has refrained from criticising Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but it has also said the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected. It has offered to help mediate in the war. Ukraine has listed 48 companies globally, including 14 from China, as "international sponsors of war" whose business activities it says indirectly assist in or contribute to Russia's war efforts. "The ambassador said that all this (the situation with the blacklist) could have a negative impact on our relations," said one of two senior Ukrainian sources who spoke to Reuters about the meeting. The source added that China had not set any conditions for Ukraine, but simply expressed its view about the list. The second source suggested Beijing could link the matter to Chinese purchases of Ukrainian grain. Before Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, China was Ukraine's biggest trade partner and it remains an important consumer of Ukrainian grain, sunflower oil and iron ore. The blacklist, which has no legal implications for the firms it includes, takes issue with what it describes as extensive cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies in sectors including oil and gas, the main source of revenue for Moscow. It features Chinese energy giants China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). Sinopec and CNOOC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CNPC stated that the list was not a new development. 'REPUTATIONAL TOOL' Ukraine's National Agency for Corruption Prevention describes the blacklist as a "powerful reputational tool for achieving the benevolence of elements of global supply chains (and) the exit of international business from Russia". Though China is widely seen as an ally of the Kremlin, Ukraine has been careful not to anger the world's second largest economy throughout its war with Moscow, and it has repeatedly appealed to Beijing to join Kyiv's diplomatic efforts for peace. Ukraine has been promoting its blueprint for peace at a series of high-level international meetings. China attended one of the meetings in Jeddah last year, but it has since refrained from attending. China was the main destination for Ukrainian food exports shipped under a UN-brokered grain corridor established after Russia's invasion but now defunct. It accounted for around 7.9 million metric tons of the total 30 million tons transported via that route. Under Kyiv's new Black Sea shipping corridor established last August, government data shows, some 30% of Ukraine's maritime exports, including food, metals and ore, were shipped to China. With 14, China has the most companies on the blacklist, followed by the United States, France and Germany which have eight, four and four respectively. China said on Tuesday that Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met with Ukraine's ambassador to Beijing and exchanged views on issues of common concern, and that Sun had said the countries should respect and treat each other sincerely. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv and Liz Lee in Beijing; Additional reporting by Andrew Hayley in Beijing; editing by Mike Collett-White and Gareth Jones) EXCLUSIVE: Black Mauritanians face death due to apartheid in the northwest African nation. Members of Congress have written a letter to the Biden-Harris administration requesting President Joe Biden grant Mauritanians Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to ethnic cleansing in the Northwestern African country. U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fl., told theGrio that more than half of the Mauritanian population is vulnerable to enslavement-like conditions. The U.S. Capitol building is shown in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) She stated that Black Mauritanians, who are at a higher risk of being enslaved, have sought refuge in the United States to escape sexual assault, family separation, and murder. Currently, 8,000 Mauritanians live in the U.S., and Cherfilus-McCormick says it is the duty of the United States to protect them from deportation and grant them TPS. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, our obligation as being the consciousis to speak up for Black people who are suffering these conditions, she said. In the letter, Cherfilus-McCormick along with Reps. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, and Mike Carey, R-Ohio, stated that, if Black Mauritanians were deported back to their African nation, they would likely face violence and potentially death. In 1989, Mauritania stripped citizenship from roughly 50,000 Black people, forcing them to surrender their nationality documents. Black Mauritanians, for decades, have been subjected to racial profiling, torture, extortion, and slavery. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, (pictured) is part of a group of Congressional members seeking Temporary Protected Status for Mauritanians. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Joyce Beatty) Although slavery was outlawed in 1981 and criminalized in 2007, Congressional members argue that the government does not successfully enforce anti-slavery laws, which allows the practice to prevail. Black Mauritanians who face enslavement are often sexually assaulted, separated from relatives, and killed. Black Mauritanians who are not enslaved also face hardship when trying to achieve daily activities because of a language barrier. Most of the countrys Black population speaks French, which was widely spoken throughout the nation before the government declared Arabic as the countrys official language in 1991. As a result, Black Mauritanians experience challenges when performing everyday duties, applying for jobs and obtaining medical records, court records, and government-issued documents. Cherfilus-McCormick told theGrio, that she is hopeful the Biden-Harris administration will respond positively to the letter. She stated, For decades, there has been a bipartisan consensus in the United States government to protect Black Mauritanians, and she does not believe the Biden-Harris administration will stray from that. On the contrary, she stated that the U.S. is seeing a rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric and hopes that does not impede the process of granting Mauritanians TPS. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, conducts a news conference following the CBCs National Summit on Democracy & Race on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, near Capitol Hill. (Photo by Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Members of the U.S. House of Representatives stated in the letter that if the Biden-Harris administration granted Mauritanians TPS, it would save lives and demonstrate the administrations dedication to upholding human rights. Cherfilus-McCormick told theGrio that Mauritanians living in the U.S. who have been granted TPS are contributing members of society. She said that now the objective is to get conservatives on board with seeing the benefits that Mauritanians and other migrants offer as opposed to engaging in xenophobia and anti-immigration rhetoric, which harm the migrant community. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Members of Congress urge Biden administration to stop deportation of Black Mauritanians due to threats of racism in the African country appeared first on TheGrio. The Elba Island LNG facility sits on the Savannah River. Environmental groups and clean-energy advocates are lining up in opposition to the proposed expansion of natural gas exports from a Savannah facility that also is one of the areas largest producers of climate-impacting pollution. Southern LNG, situated on Elba Island in a bend of the Savannah River, is one of just two East Coast exporters of liquified natural gas. The facility is authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy to send more than 300 billion cubic feet of LNG annually on ships to foreign markets. Some 182.5 billion cubic feet of that total can go to 20 countries with which the U.S. has official free trade agreements. Another 130 billion cubic feet is permitted for non-FTA nations. Last year, Southern LNG asked federal regulators for approval to significantly increase exports to non-FTA countries. But on Jan. 26, President Joe Biden announced that the Department of Energy would suspend reviews of such requests while it reassessed the environmental and economic impacts of natural gas, effectively putting Southern LNGs request on hold indefinitely This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time, Biden said in announcing the review. While MAGA Republicans willfully deny the urgency of the climate crisis, condemning the American people to a dangerous future, my administration will not be complacent. We will not cede to special interests. The political tone of Bidens comment underscores the reality that natural gas has become flashpoint for debate over the future of fossil fuels in Georgia and beyond. Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, whose coastal Georgia district includes the Southern LNG facility, argued that the pause threatens our nations global leadership and plays into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin by potentially increasing demand for that countrys natural gas, which he then can use to weaponize access for political gain. The United States has clean, affordable and reliable LNG, Carter added. If President Biden is concerned about global emissions, he should increase domestic production, as we have some of the cleanest LNG in the world right here at home. More: Elba Island LNG export facility nears completion A bridge too far? Domestically, utilities including Georgia Power look at gas and see a reliable bridge as they shutter coal-fired power plants and look to a future when most energy will be generated without the burning of fossil fuels. Thats because compared to coal, gas generates about half the heat-trapping pollution that causes climate change. And unlike solar panels and wind turbines, gas-fueled facilities can run uninterrupted when the suns not shining and theres no breeze. However, critics counter that while a shift to natural gas is largely responsible for U.S. carbon emissions falling by more than one-third since 2005, adding fossil fuel generation even as coal plants are retired will continue to drive temperatures to a point where the impacts of climate change become catastrophic. For Georgia, that includes sea-level rise, dangerous heat and extreme rainfall in areas already prone to inland and coastal flooding. Rapid expansion of LNG exports like weve seen at the Elba terminal accelerate climate risk, make prices for U.S. customers more volatile and strain resources needed to make the clean energy transition, said Alys Campaigne, climate initiative director for the Southern Environmental Law Center. "We strongly support the Department of Energy taking a close look at the serious climate and economic consequences of LNG. The Elba Island facility as seen from Causton Bluff. File photo. Exporter, consumer, polluter As it pursues a hike in exports, Southern LNG finds itself at the center of energy-related debate as a mover and user of natural gas, and as one of Chatham Countys largest emitters of climate-impacting pollution. LNG takes up about 600 times less volume than natural gas in its vapor state, making it ideal for shipping. But liquification is energy intensive because it requires chilling the gas to roughly minus 260 degrees. For Southern LNG, that process involves hundreds of compressors actually fueled by natural gas. Top 10 Carbon Polluters in Chatham County by savannahnow.com on Scribd This embedded content is not available in your region. In 2022 the latest full year of data available from the EPA operations at the Elba Island plant led to almost 140 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution. Nearly all of that was carbon dioxide, the leading contributor to climate change. That level of emissions is the equivalent of what would be produced by more than 31,000 U.S. passenger vehicles over the period of a year, according to the EPA. In Chatham County, only the International Paper Savannah Plant, U.S. Sugar Savannah Refinery and City of Savannah Dean Forest Landfill emit more greenhouse gas pollution. Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc., which operates Southern LNG and holds a 25.5% ownership stake in the facility, did not directly address questions about its liquification process. Kinder Morgan is committed to public safety, protection of the environment and the responsible operation of our facilities, company spokeswoman Vicky Oddi wrote in an email. It is our goal to cooperate with all stakeholders regarding environmental, health and safety issues. While the company currently owns an interest in, or operates, about 82,000 miles of pipelines, 139 terminals and 702 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity, Kinder Morgan says its 500 natural gas-powered compressors are its largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Thats not likely to change, at least in the near term. While electrification is widely favored as a potential means of reducing (greenhouse gas) emissions, we found that electrifying our natural gas-fired compressor fleet would be neither economically feasible nor particularly effective at reducing combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for us at this time, CEO Steve Kean noted in the companys 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. Scope 1 emissions are tied directly to a companys facilities, while Scope 2 involves pollution produced through the generation of energy used to power operations. While a large-scale transformation of our compressor fleet to electric power may not be an option today, we continue to look for other ways to make progress on our emissions reductions, Kean continued. We expect that, in time, cost-effective technologies or other solutions for reducing GHG emissions from our compressor fleet will be developed. That means in addition to being a major transporter of fossil fuel domestically and internationally, the Southern LNG facility will remain a significant consumer of natural gas, as well. More: What a $2 billion expansion on Elba Island could mean for one of Chathams biggest tax payers 'An open and transparent process' Whats uncertain is how much liquified natural gas the Savannah facility ultimately will be permitted to send overseas. The Biden Administrations pause does not impact current liquid natural gas shipments from eight U.S. export facilities, which averaged 11.6 billion cubic feet per day in 2023. But the review will reevaluate the lifecycle impact of the process. That includes methane released into the atmosphere when natural gas is extracted through the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, of shale; and from leaks as it is distributed. Methane is itself a heat-trapping gas, about 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide, so even small amounts have an outsized effect. In addition to nearly 135,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide, the Southern LNG facility in Savannah released more than 4,000 metric tons of methane in 2022, according to the EPA. Over time, the climate impact of that amount would be equal to emissions from an average American vehicle driving 287 million miles. Once dispatched from the liquifying facility, ships transporting LNG produce significant carbon dioxide emissions. And when the shipment reaches foreign docks, the overland transport process and associated methane leaks is repeated. Finally, the burning of the gas sends the highest concentrations of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We need an open and transparent process for determining how best to assess these critical concerns, Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in response to Bidens announcement. The public deserves to be heard on how our government decides whether projects are in the public interest. The Golar Freeze LNG Tanker pulled loose from its moorings early Tuesday morning when another ship passed on the Savannah River. The incident caused a partial shutdown of the LNG facility at Elba Island. John Deem covers climate change and the environment in coastal Georgia. Contact him at jdeem@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Biden pauses divisive expansion of Savannah natural gas facility Special counsel Jack Smiths team has questioned several witnesses about a hidden room and a closet that the FBI did not check while searching former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence in 2022, sources told ABC News. Some investigators after the search came to believe that the closet, which was locked during the search, should have been checked, sources told the outlet. Investigators later learned that Trump allegedly had the closet lock changed while his attorney was searching for classified documents in a basement storage room, according to the report. One former maintenance worker described the request as unusual, sources told the outlet. Trumps efforts to conceal the classified documents from his own attorney were part of the indictment brought by Smith. The questioning suggests Smiths team is still trying to determine if there might be more classified documents there, ABC News reports. Jordan Strauss, a former Justice Department national security official and prosecutor, said the failure by the FBI to search the closet is a bit astonishing given how especially thorough the agents were. "You're searching a former president's house. You [should] get it right the first time," he told ABC News. Agents were unable to unlock the closet door because they could not find a key and were told the space behind the door went nowhere so agents decided not to break it open, sources told the outlet. Agents also decided that they felt they had been at Mar-a-Lago long enough, sources said, but a senior FBI official pushed back. "Discussions took place that day about additional areas of the property and it was determined that actions already taken met the parameters of the search warrant, the official said. Strauss questioned the FBIs decision. "[The FBI] is almost notorious for their relentlessness and follow-through," Strauss said. The FBI also failed to search a so-called hidden room connected to Trumps bedroom, sources told the outlet. Smiths team was later told that some Trump employees heard that the FBI missed at least one room at Mar-a-Lago. Unlike the closet, the FBI was unaware of the hidden room at the time of the search, sources said. A senior FBI official told ABC News that agents focused on areas they believed might have government documents. "Based on information gathered throughout the course of the investigation, areas were identified and searched pursuant to the search warrant," the official said. Its unclear whether prosecutors or Trumps lawyers were aware of the unexamined spaces and whether Smith considered seeking another search warrant to search Mar-a-Lago for additional documents. A spokesperson for the Trump campaign called the investigations into the former president desperate attempts at election interference ... to stop the presumptive Republican nominee for President." Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, who served on special counsel Bob Muellers team, tweeted that the report suggests that an insider has tipped the FBI off, suggesting another cooperating witness in the case. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance on her Substack blog called the FBIs failure to search the closet and hidden room troubling. Its inexplicable that agents didnt insist on being provided with a key or break the lock in order to look into the space. Important national secrets were at risk, and they were authorized to look into any space within Trumps control where they could be stored, Vance wrote. Though investigators did not appear to seek a second search warrant, it doesnt mean this evidence couldnt prove to be useful, she noted. The meat of the case against Trump is his effort to obstruct the investigation and to keep classified material from being recovered by the government, even after his own lawyers advised him he was required to return it, she wrote. If Jack Smiths team has come up with evidence that Trump, for instance, changed the lock on his closet and stored documents there to conceal them from the government, that would be powerful when the case goes to trial. LOS ANGELES (AP) Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are independently harmful to the human body, but together their impact on cardiovascular and respiratory systems is more dangerous and affects some communities more than others. A study published Friday in the journal Science Advances said climate change is increasing the frequency of both hazards, particularly in California. The authors found that the combined harm of extreme heat and inhalation of wildfire smoke increased hospitalizations and disproportionately impacted low-income communities and Latino, Black, Asian and other racially marginalized residents. The reasons are varied and complicated, according to the authors from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Structural racism, discriminatory practices, lack of medical insurance, less understanding of the health damages and a higher prevalence of multiple coexisting conditions are among the reasons. Infrastructure, the surrounding environment and available resources are also factors. Homes and work places with air conditioning and neighborhoods with tree canopy cover are better protected from extreme heat, and some buildings filter smoke from wildfires and insulate heat more efficiently. Areas with access to cooling centers, such as libraries, also offer more protection. Even if youre very susceptible you have a lot of comorbidities you may have many opportunities to not be impacted, not being hospitalized, not having to go to the ER, but if you live in a place that is quite remote that does not have access to a lot of social services or amenities, ... it may be more trouble, said Tarik Benmarhnia, a study author and climate change epidemiologist at UC San Diego. Experts warn that climate change which is worsening extreme weather events such as droughts, heat waves and wildfires will increase the frequency and intensity in which they occur simultaneously. While the study focused on California, similar patterns can be found in other parts of the western United States such as Oregon and Washington state, in parts of Canada including British Columbia, and in regions with Mediterranean climate, said Benmarhnia. Researchers analyzed California health records broken down by 995 ZIP codes covering most of the state's population during episodes of extreme heat and toxic air from wildfires. They discovered that between 2006 and 2019, hospitalizations for cardiorespiratory issues increased by 7% on days where both conditions existed, and they were higher than that in ZIP codes where people were likelier to be poor, nonwhite, living in dense areas and not have health care. California's Central Valley and the state's northern mountains had higher incidences of both hot weather and wildfires, likely driven by more forest fires in surrounding mountains. Residents in the Central Valley agricultural heartland are particularly vulnerable to the adverse health effects of both because they are likelier to work outdoors and be exposed to pesticides and other environmental hazards, said Benmarhnia. Beyond the health risks, being hospitalized has other significant consequences, such as losing hours of work or school, or being left with hefty medical bills. During extremely hot days, the human body has a harder time cooling itself off through sweating, said Christopher T. Minson, professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon, who wasn't part of the study. The body can become dehydrated, forcing the heart to beat faster, which elevates blood pressure. If youre dehydrated or if you have any kind of cardiovascular disease, ... youre going to be less able to tolerate that heat stress, and that heat stress can become very, very dangerous, he said. Some particles found in wildfire smoke can enter easily through the nose and throat, eventually arriving at the lungs, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The smallest particles can even enter the bloodstream. The combination of heat and smoke can cause inflammation in the body, Minson said, which is going to make all your cardiovascular regulation worse, and youre going to be at even more risk of heart attacks and other problems like long term, poor health outcomes from that. So its definitely a snowball effect. A 2022 study by the University of Southern California found that the risk of death surged on days when extreme heat and air pollution coincided. During heat waves, the likelihood of death increased by 6.1%; when air pollution was extreme, it rose by 5%; and on days when both combined, the threat skyrocketed to 21%. When Dr. Catharina Giudice worked at a hospital in Los Angeles, she noticed an uptick of emergency room visits from patients with various health conditions on extremely hot days. When wildfires blazed, she saw more people with exacerbated asthma and other respiratory diseases. As climate change fuels the intensity and frequency of heat waves and wildfires, Giudice worries about the low-income and minority communities that are less adapted to them. For a variety of reason, they tend to feel climate change much worse than other non-underserved communities, and I think it's really important to highlight this social injustice aspect of climate change, said the emergency physician and fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who was not part of the study. The authors noted that agencies like the National Weather Service and local air quality districts issue separate advisories and warnings on days of extreme heat and toxic air. But they argue that issuing a joint warning earlier considering the compound exposure would be beneficial. The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment Generative artificial intelligence tools shouldn't be banned in schools but should be applied safely and appropriately to empower the innovative development of education, experts and officials said. The swift advancement of ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies has offered more opportunities for teachers as well as students, experts said at the 2024 World Digital Education Conference in Shanghai, which concluded on Wednesday. It also poses new challenges regarding information security and education equality, they said. Zheng Qinghua, president of Tongji University, said China should embrace the opportunities and challenges of AI-empowered education and guide young people to understand knowledge created by technology while stimulating their motivation for learning. "Generative AI technology has become an essential tool for obtaining and spreading knowledge. It has an impact on teaching, learning and even school management," said Zheng, who is also an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He said that various models developed by internet companies and universities have been applied to educational activities, and the majority of college students in China have used the technology, including Ernie Bot, an AI chatbot product developed by Baidu Inc. These kinds of tools, with ChatGPT as a leading global example, are capable of writing essays and solving science problems, helping students with their assignments and tests. A survey by the online learning platform Study.com found that 89 percent of students who responded had used ChatGPT to help with a homework assignment, which has raised questions about academic propriety and the disruptive effect of generative AI in education. "We cannot simply let AI provide answers or do homework and tests for us. Instead, we should, based on the technology, better cultivate students to be more innovative and integrate professional disciplines to solve real problems," Zheng said. "One of the new goals of AI-empowered education is to innovate theories and methods to tackle engineering and technical issues instead of simply answering general questions," he added. Colin Bailey, president of Queen Mary University of London and a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said that with the rapid growth of ChatGPT, the question is not whether to use generative AI in education, but how to use it safely, effectively and appropriately. "The worst thing we can do is to ban generative AI in schools. The major challenge is how to make sure we use these technologies appropriately to enhance the education so that students have the skills they require for the ever-changing job market," he said. Universities and teachers can help prepare students for real-world applications of the technology they will encounter in the modern workplace, as many industries are embracing generative AI as a tool to increase efficiency, he added. For teachers, the technology has been used to improve the marking and evaluation of students through personalized data analysis rather than exam papers. Harm warned However, poor design and misuse of AI systems could cause individual and social harm due to biased data and insufficient privacy, Bailey said. Approaches to regulating AI have been emerging globally to support the ethical and responsible use of generative AI, such as the release by the United States of the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights and a pro-innovation approach to AI regulation in the United Kingdom. In China, the Cyberspace Administration and other departments have jointly issued interim measures, which took effect in August, for managing generative AI services. Chen Jie, vice-minister of education, said at the conference that education and research institutions should cooperate to avoid problems brought by AI, including privacy leaks, bias and algorithm abuse. "We should work together to promote the equal access of technologies and prevent security risks," Chen said. China has established an expert advisory body for education digitalization and an ethics committee for AI, which have formulated a standardized system for the application of digital education, he added. TAVARES The man possibly facing the death penalty for sexual battery of a child pleaded guilty Friday in return for a life sentence without parole. Joseph A. Giampa, 36, of Leesburg, was arrested on Nov. 2 and charged with six counts of sexual battery of a person younger than 12 and three counts of promoting the sexual performance of a child. Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson decided to pursue the death penalty after the law was changed on Oct. 1 to include sex crimes against children. Before that, the death penalty was a possibility only in first-degree murder cases. Capital sexual battery on a child younger than 12 carried a mandatory life sentence. This was the first case to apply Florida's new law. "Resolution in less than 100 days is proof that Florida's capital punishment statute for sexual battery of children is effective," Gladson said in a Friday press release. "By passing this law, the Florida Legislature and the governor have sent a message that Florida has zero tolerance for those who prey upon our most vulnerable and that the punishment will be certain, swift and severe." In my 30 years of law enforcement, this is one of the worst cases of abuse to a child Ive ever seen, Lake Sheriff Peyton Grinnell told the Daily Commercial at the time the state announced is filing decision. The state attorney has my full support in seeking the death penalty for this monster. A call to Lake County Sheriffs deputies led deputies to a camper where they could see a laptop with Giampa abusing the victim who was wearing a white dress, tube socks and bunny ears. Giampa could be seen in a portion of the video giving directions and abusing the child. In January, according to court records, Giampa was charged with escape after he was taken to Advent Health Waterman Hospital for treatment of self-inflicted injuries at the county jail. He reportedly struck medical workers and deputies and had to be subdued with a stun gun four times before he could be restrained. At one point he appeared to be reaching for a deputys handgun. Kill me, he shouted, according to the court records. Why dont you just use your gun and kill me? Prosecutors later dropped the charges in that case. Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Camuccio and Katie Cosden successfully prosecuted the sexual battery case. This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Life in prison for Lake County, Florida man in child sex battery case (Bloomberg) -- Fani Willis, the embattled Fulton County district attorney prosecuting Donald Trump, was subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee for documents relating to allegations that her office misused a $488,000 federal grant. Most Read from Bloomberg The subpoena on Friday follows a report this week by the Washington Free Beacon citing claims that Willis fired a whistleblower who tried to stop an aide from misusing a grant targeted at youth empowerment and gang prevention. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan wrote to Willis as House Republicans are examining whether she used federal funds to investigate Trump. Shes also facing intense scrutiny over claims she had an affair with the lead prosecutor in the election interference case against the former president. Trump has been charged under Georgia racketeering law for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The committee is seeking the information because it may try to establish clear guidelines outlining the permissible uses of federal grant funds, according to the letter by Jordan, an Ohio Republican. In a statement, Willis said the whistleblowers false allegations are included in baseless litigation filed by a holdover employee from the previous administration who was terminated for cause. The courts found no merit in the claims and expect the same result in any pending litigation, she said. Any examination of the records of our grant programs will find that they are highly effective and conducted in cooperation with the Department of Justice and in compliance with department requirements, Willis said. Willis is scheduled to respond in a court filing Friday to a motion by Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, who accused the DA and lead prosecutor Nathan Wade of having a secret romance. Roman says they took vacations together while he earned more than $650,000 in taxpayer money from the case since 2021. Roman asked a judge to dismiss the criminal case charging Trump and more than a dozen others with a racketeering scheme to reverse President Joe Bidens election victory in 2020, or at least remove Willis, Wade and the district attorneys office. --With assistance from Billy House. (Updates with response by Willis.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. An employee assembles multi-wire sawing equipment at a workshop of Yantai Likai Numerical Control Technology Co., Ltd. in Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 26, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] China's fiscal expenditure on science and technology development has increased by 6.4 percent annually on average over the past six years, according to the Ministry of Finance. From 2018 to 2023, the country's sci-tech expenditure has grown from 832.7 billion yuan (about 117.2 billion U.S. dollars) to nearly 1.06 trillion yuan, Vice Minister of Finance Wang Dongwei told a press conference on Thursday. While ensuring strong fiscal expenditure, financial departments have been actively supporting innovation through tax incentives, government procurement, asset management, as well as fiscal and financial policy tools, Wang said. The vice minister added that more effective measures will be adopted to promote the building of a modern industrial system led by sci-tech innovation, as well as develop new productive forces. Pilot reforms will be advanced to stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of scientific researchers, Wang said, adding that in terms of the use of funds, efforts will be made to deepen the reform of the allocation and use mechanism of science and technology funds. HANOVER BOROUGH, Pa. (WHTM) A wanted man is dead after an officer-involved shooting at a York County gas station on Friday, according to a news release from State Police. Richard Bolen was fatally shot by police at the Sunoco Gas Station, located at 403 Broadway Street in Hanover Borough after he pointed a handgun at officers, State Police in York wrote. The shooting happened after an officer with the Hanover Borough Police Department spotted a Honda Pilot parked at the gas station that was from a be on the lookout alert for Bolen. Troopers wrote that multiple other officers then arrived at the scene to help take Bolen into custody. When Bolen saw officers enter the store, he tried to escape through a back door but ran into additional officers who were positioned to the rear of the store. Bolen then circled back around to the front while drawing a handgun and was met by even more officers. Bolen, Troopers wrote, then pointed the gun at officers who then opened fire at Bolen, fatally striking him. A warrant for Bolens arrest was filed earlier in the week by Penn Township Police for possession of a firearm and brandishing a firearm at officers. The officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative duty pending a review of the State Police investigation by the county District Attorneys Office. Previous coverage -> Police search for wanted man in York County The York County Coroners office says they responded to UPMC Hanover after the fatal officer-involved shooting in Hanover. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania The area was closed off to the public for hours because of the shooting. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. The Palestinian Red Crescent said Tuesday that eight days had passed since it heard from an ambulance team sent to rescue a 6-year-old girl believed to have been trapped in a car with the bodies of her 15-year-old relative Layan Hamadeh and others after they were fired on by an Israeli tank. "I'm so scared. Please come," Hind Rajab is heard saying in a recording of a phone call to ambulance coordinators, which was released by the Palestinian Red Crescent. In the audio file, along with the little girl's voice, sounds resembling gunfire can be heard in the background. Hind Rajab is shown in this photo shared by the Palestinian Red Crescent. / Credit: Palestinian Red Crescent Response Coordinator Ranah Al Faqeh said in a video posted online by the Palestinian Red Crescent that Rajab stayed in communication over the phone with them for three hours, repeating her pleas to be rescued and saying she was afraid of the dark as night fell. "This is one of the cases that we dealt with that was painful, because everyone knows what it means to be a 6-year-old girl in such a place, in such an environment," Al Faqeh said. The situation came to the attention of the Palestinian Red Crescent, the regional branch of the International Red Cross, as it received reports on Jan. 29 of an incident involving a vehicle surrounded by Israeli forces near a gas station in Gaza City. Aid workers from the Red Crescent called contact numbers they'd been given for people believed to have been caught up in the violence and a teenage girl answered, the charity's Central Operations Officer Omar Al Qam said in a video posted online. Al Qam said he spoke with the older girl, who begged for help, but then heard gunfire and screaming, and lost contact with her. "I found myself in a situation where she was begging for help and I couldn't do anything," he said. Though the older girl disappeared, the phone line remained open and 6-year-old Hind continued pleading for help. A Red Crescent psychological support worker stayed on with her until her exact location could be coordinated and an ambulance team was dispatched. Soon, however, the Palestinian Red Crescent said it lost contact with its ambulance team, as well as Hind. Where is Hind? Where are Yousef and Ahmed? Are they still alive? We want to know their fate. The fate of our colleagues Youssef Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoon from the PRCS EMS team who went to rescue 6-year-old Hind remains unknown for 8 days.#Save_Hind #HumanitarianHeroes pic.twitter.com/RyFi4OaICX PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 6, 2024 "Where is Hind? Where are Yousef and Ahmed? Are they still alive? We want to know their fate. The fate of our colleagues Youssef Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoon from the PRCS EMS team who went to rescue 6-year-old Hind remains unknown for 8 days," the Red Crescent said in a social media post on Tuesday, including photos of its staff and Hind. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces told CBS News last week that they were not aware of the incident, but the IDF has been quoted since as saying it is investigating. Israel launched its ongoing offensive in Gaza against Hamas, which has controlled the enclave for almost two decades, in response to the Palestinian militant group's Oct. 7 terror attack, during which almost 1,200 people were killed and more about 240 abducted. Health officials in the Hamas-run territory say more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's relentless bombing and ground war. While Hamas does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, it says most of those killed have been women and children. Taylor Swift makes history at the 2024 Grammy Awards Killer Mike seen in handcuffs during Grammys after winning 3 awards Fed Chair Jerome Powell: The 2024 60 Minutes Interview Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota has faced criticism for her remarks in a January 27 speech at a Minneapolis event marking recent elections in her home country of Somalia. Rhoda J. Elmi, the deputy minister of foreign affairs for the Republic of Somalilanda small breakaway state on the horn of Africa that is not recognized by any foreign nationtweeted a video of the speech with English subtitles that landed Omar, who had addressed the largely Somali American crowd in her native language, in hot water with critics. We were profoundly surprised, even shocked on discovering the remarks made by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D) of Minnesota in a recent public forum, widely circulated on most social media platforms and attached below for your reference. The language she employed was regrettably pic.twitter.com/7Ag9ZafTKY Ambassador Rhoda J Elmi (@AmbRhodaJElmi) January 28, 2024 Those critics have homed in on two specific statements: 1) we are an organized society, brothers and sisters, people of the same blood, people who know they are Somalians first, Muslims second, and 2) the U.S. government will only do what Somalians in the U.S. tell them to do. They will do what we want and nothing else. They must follow our orders and that is how we will safeguard the interest of Somalia. Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, the Republican majority whip, demanded that Omar resign from office. Ilhan Omars appalling, Somalia-first comments are a slap in the face to the Minnesotans she was elected to serve and a direct violation of her oath of office. She should resign in disgrace.https://t.co/O3lAEGlokt Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) January 29, 2024 On January 31, Emmer also demanded an ethics investigation into Omars remarks. No sitting member of Congress should be able to blatantly spew anti-American rhetoric and get away with it. I am demanding an ethics investigation into Ilhan Omar's appalling, Somalia-first comments. https://t.co/GsvJDYohIq Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) January 31, 2024 Her comments are frankly a slap in the face to the Minnesotans shes elected to represent, and it is a dereliction of her oath of office. In fact, I would argue its in direct contradiction to the oath she took for that office, Emmer said in a January 31 interview for Twin Cities News Talk. Time and time again, Rep. Omar has demonstrated that her priorities are not with America or our allies. However, the Minnesota Reformera St. Paul-based nonprofit news outlet that covers Minnesota politics and policy issuespublished an article Thursday featuring two independent translations that conflicted with the subtitles referenced by Elmi and Emmer. Red flags shot up for Reformer journalists when they noticed that seemingly nobody had confirmed that the subtitles reflected an accurate translation of Omars remarks. If you look in the story that [Emmer] shared, it says they could not independently confirm the authenticity of the translation, which I found to be a little shocking, J. Patrick Coolican, Reformer editor in chief, told The Dispatch Fact Check. Coolican spoke to a Somali-American source with language certifications who provided the Reformer with an initial translation. When that translation differed from that of the video, deputy editor Max Nesterak worked with a court interpreter to have a second translation provided. The two independent translations were almost identical, and both differed in important ways from the subtitles provided in the original video of Omar. Significantly, both of Omars most controversial quotes in the video were mistranslated. If you look at the transcription, thats not really when she said at all, Coolican explained. Instead, according to the Reformers translation, Rep. Omar actually said, We are people who know that they are Somali and Muslim, and, My answer was that the U.S. government will do what we tell the U.S. government to do. That is the confidence we need to have as Somalis. We live in this country. This is the country where we pay taxes. This is the country that has elected a woman from your community. For as long as I am in Congress, no one will take over the seas belonging to the nation of Somalia and the United States will not support others who seek to steal from us. So feel comfortable Somali Minnesotans that the woman you sent to Congress is aware of this issue and feels the same way you do. Omar defended her remarks in a January 28 tweet, saying that interpretations of her remarks were slanted and completely off. Its not only slanted but completely off, but I wouldnt expect more from these propagandists. I pray for them and for their sanity. No nation state can survive if its states start to get involved in land lease negotiations with other countries without the consent of the federal https://t.co/bmdEAN6aUH Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2024 In her speech, Omar discussed the issue of Somali unity and criticized a recent deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland to allow Ethiopiathe highest population landlocked country in the worldaccess to the unrecognized breakaway states coastline. Somalilands deputy minister of foreign affairs, who is opposed to Omars position on the issue, posted the original mistranslation of Omars speech. Theres so much motive here to distort what [Omar] is saying and to create a mess for Omar in her domestic politics, Coolican said. Despite the Reformers translations clarifying Omars remarks, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is still moving to force a House vote to censure Omar. Greene introduced a resolution accusing Omar of making treasonous statements that directly quotes the inaccurate translation of her remarks. On Thursday, after the Reformer had already brought the mistranslation to light, Greene read the false translations verbatim on the floor of the House. Rep. Omar, Rep. Emmer, and Rep. Greenes offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The attacks being lobbed against me are not only completely false, they are rooted in xenophobia and Islamophobia, Omar said in a statement to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. This is a manufactured controversy based on an inaccurate translation taken entirely out of context. If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. 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. A teacher at a Louisville Catholic school faces federal charges on allegations he spread altered child porn images online that included photos of local students. Jordan A. Fautz, 39, was charged Friday with distributing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse and distributing child pornography, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Western District of Kentucky office. Fautz was a teacher at St. Stephen Martyr School at the time of the incidents the charging document said he currently taught seventh and eighth grade students. A statement from the Archdiocese of Louisville said he was a "part-time religion teacher and member of the maintenance staff at the parish for 9 years." Fautz will not be returning to the school, the statement said, and the parish and archdiocese are "fully cooperating with the investigation." A parent meeting will take place Saturday, with archdiocese representatives and FBI personnel on hand. A federal charging document says the FBI had probable cause that several incidents took place between March 2022 and January 2024. In that time, Fautz is accused of using Photoshop to alter images of nude females to include school yearbook photos of several students and at least one adult. Images Fautz is accused of distributing included the real names of one minor and one adult used in morphed images, the document says. Other images in a folder of child sex abuse material he's believed to have sent to an undercover agent include altered images and videos of students naked and/or taking part in sexual acts as well as non-nude images of students that included their real names wearing red "SSM" shirts standing in front of an "SSMCardinals" backdrop. An investigation tracked the IP address used to distribute the images to Fautz, the document says. In a statement, the FBI Louisville Field Office said it's seeking to identify potential victims. Anyone who may have information is asked to contact the FBI at ssmtips@fbi.gov. Victims may be eligible for restitution and other services in accordance with state and federal law. If convicted, Fautz faces between five and 40 years in prison, along with a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville teacher Jordan Fautz charged over altered child porn images The FBI may have missed a 'hidden room' in the hunt for documents at Mar-a-Lago: report Two spaces may have been skipped in the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago, sources told ABC News. Special Counsel Jack Smith has reportedly asked about a closet and a "hidden room" off Trump's bedroom. Business Insider was unable to independently verify the report. Special Counsel Jack Smith's team has been asking about two Mar-a-Lago locations that the FBI may have skipped in 2022 when it sought to recover missing classified documents, sources told ABC News. Unidentified sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that in several interviews ahead of former President Donald Trump's indictment over the documents, Smith's team tried to find out if further documents were still to be recovered from two potential locations. The FBI recovered hundreds of documents during its August 2022 raid. However, the reported line of questioning suggests that Smith's team believes further documents could remain in two locations not searched by the FBI. The unnamed sources told ABC News that the FBI didn't search a "hidden room" off Trump's bedroom that they had been unaware of, as well as a closet that was locked on the day. Trump is alleged to have had the lock on the closet comprising an under-stairwell space equipped with shelves changed without the knowledge of the FBI and while his attorney was elsewhere in Mar-a-Lago's basement, the outlet reported. When agents approached the closet, they were told the space went nowhere, and they decided not to break it open, the sources said. Smith's team learned soon after the search that officers had missed some of the rooms, the sources said. It's unclear if any remaining classified documents are in either of the spaces, ABC News reported. Former federal prosecutor and Department of Justice national security official Jordan Strauss told the outlet that the reported omissions are "a bit astonishing," as the FBI is "notorious for their relentlessness and follow-through." Business Insider was unable to independently confirm the report, and a spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment, sent outside of working hours. But a Trump spokesperson told ABC News that the document case comprises "just desperate attempts at election interference ... to stop the presumptive Republican nominee for President." Trump, who has all but seen off the competition in the race to become the GOP's presidential nominee, faces a criminal trial related to the documents, which is set to begin on May 20. Read the original article on Business Insider Central China's Henan Province launched a Level-IV emergency response, the least severe one in China's emergency response system, at 9 a.m. Thursday due to low temperatures, rain, snow, and freezing, according to the emergency command center established by the provincial government. The Henan Provincial Meteorological Observatory said that from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday, widespread moderate-to-heavy snowfall occurred in the northern, central-western, and eastern parts of Henan, with remarkable temperature drops and strong winds. The meteorological department predicted that the rain and snow would last for about seven days, making it the longest such weather conditions so far this winter. As the Spring Festival travel reaches its peak, the command center has instructed all regions in the province to prioritize transportation efficiency, strengthen road safety, ensure effective de-icing and snow removal as well as ensuring the safety of the vulnerable populations. More than 10 flights at the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in the provincial capital were delayed on Thursday and several trains departing from the Zhengzhou Railway Station have been suspended, according to the airport and the train station. The Ministry of Emergency Management said on Wednesday that this winter's weather pattern is the most formidable since 2009, prompting a Level-IV emergency response in seven provinces including Henan. A work team has also been dispatched to Henan to guide the response to low temperatures, rain, snow and freezing. Sen. John Fetterman on Friday expressed support for journalists who have taken to picket lines or have been laid off from their jobs in the past few weeks. A living wage and a fair contract are necessary to maintain a free press, and that's what we need to maintain a functioning democracy," Fetterman (D-Pa.) said in the statement. His statement came a day after more than 200 journalists from the Chicago Tribune and seven other newsrooms staged 24-hour walkouts across the country on Thursday, demanding fair wages and contract negotiations. Fetterman specifically pointed to a local outlet that participated: the Morning Call in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, whose website calls it the "the third largest newspaper in Pennsylvania." It wasn't the first media walkout of the year. Two weeks ago, members of the Los Angeles Times Guild walked out of newsrooms following an announcement from management about plans to lay off a significant portion of its journalists. 2024 has been off to a trying start for the news business. Over 500 journalists were laid off from newsrooms in January alone, according to a report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That number doesn't account for layoffs announced at The Messenger and The Wall Street Journal this week as well. The Messenger announced plans to shut down on Wednesday less than a year after its launch with founder Jimmy Finkelstein citing financial difficulties. Fetterman took aim at the billionaire owners of The Messenger" who "shut down the news site and fired hundreds of workers with zero notice." Fetterman urged a resolution to ongoing contract negotiations. "Management needs to stop dragging their feet and give these workers what they deserve," he added. "Weve seen through the historic United Auto Workers deal, the SAG-AFTRA agreement, and so many other labor actions over the last year just how powerful workers can be when they stand together and demand their fair share." The NewsGuild, an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America, represents journalists from media outlets including POLITICO. According to a statement by Eves Fund, students were selected based on demonstrated financial need, scholastic potential, and leadership skills. Each recipients award fully covers the schools required academic and residential fees. (photo/Eve's Fund) A nonprofit working to promote health and wellness in Indian Country has awarded $15,000 in scholarships to 15 Navajo students attending Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, New Mexico. Seven of the students are receiving the scholarship for the first time, and eight students are continuing from previous years. According to a statement by Eve's Fund, students were selected based on demonstrated financial need, scholastic potential, and leadership skills. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Fire crews safely lifted a tranquilized mountain lion out of a tree Thursday night in West Valley City. The citys fire department said the incident happened near the intersection of 4000 South and 5200 West after a man spotted the big cat in a tree. University of Utah requests $6.5 million in state funds for presidential debate He called the citys nonemergency line, and police officers assisted Division of Wildlife Resources crews with tranquilizing the mountain lion. However, the cat didnt fall down. It hung in the branches of the tree. Thats where the firefighters came in. Using a ladder truck, the crews lifted the animal out of the tree in a large sack, video posted on social media shows. The mountain lion was handed over to wildlife officials to be released outside the city, the fire department said. Scott Root, outreach manager with the Division of Wildlife Resources, said that while these incidents are rare, they do happen in the Salt Lake Valley. I mean, weve had mountain lions at the, you know, where the Jazz play basketball downtown, he said. Weve had them, it happens, especially this time of year. The mountain lions enter the valley this time of year following the deer, Root said. Thats what they are chasing for the most part, he added. West Valley City is located roughly 10 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited people in the northern city of Tianjin ahead of the Spring Festival. Xi also made an inspection of the city. On Thursday morning, he first visited a village in Xiqing District to learn about the recovery of farming activities after last year's floods. He also visited people affected by the floods there. On Thursday afternoon, he went to a historical street in the urban area of the city to check the supply of goods for the holiday season, as well as the protection and utilization of historical and cultural blocks. PROVO, Utah (ABC4) Just two weeks after a 17-year-old in Provo was arrested for allegedly taping fish to ATMs, PETA has written an urgent letter to the Provo School District urging educators to teach animal empathy. The Provo Police Department said there were roughly 13 times where the teen had taped fish to ATMs and other objects, including a Provo City Police patrol car. TeachKind, the humane education division of the animal rights activist organization, said that whether or not the teen was a student with the school district, students have likely heard the news reports. BACKGROUND: Teen facing charges for allegedly taping fish to ATMs in Provo Its vital that schools set a standard of compassion by fostering empathy for animals throughout their lessons and activities, and research suggests this can even help students academically, wrote TeachKind Correspondence Coordinator Julie Everett. Along with her letter, Everett included links to free resources such as PETAs Empathy Now program which she described as a step-by-step trauma-informed guide to addressing and preventing youth violence against animals. ABC4 reached out to the Provo City School District for comment regarding PETAs letter but has not yet heard back at the time of publication. PETA said that cruelty to animals and violence against humans are linked. In her letter, Everett said many educators are aware that serial killers and school shooters tend to have a history of cruelty to animals. PETA continued by saying fish are smart, empathetic and playful beings. They said they share knowledge and have long memories and cultural traditions. Utah County metro area one of the best places for first-time homebuyers, report If you can teach a child not to disrespect a fish, you do as much for the child as for the fish, said PETA Senior Director of Youth Programs Marta Holmberg. Compassion and empathy are especially important in these troubled times, and TeachKind is here to help young people learn that everyone, whether a carp or a classmate, deserves respect. In addition to its letter and animal empathy materials, PETA said it is also arranging to send fish-free filets to Timpview High School for students and staff to enjoy. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Five javelina were lurking near a picnic table at an Arizona park when they spotted a 64-year-old woman walking her dog, wildlife officials said. The wild animals then charged at them at about 4:15 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at Madera Park, according to Arizona Game & Fish Department in Tucson. The pig-like creatures knocked over the woman, and one bit her ankle and arm, the agencys spokesperson, Mart Hart, told McClatchy News by email. (Its) unclear how the attack unfolded, or which javelina was the biter, Hart said. She was taken to the Tucson Medical Center for her injuries, officials said, and has since been released. Whats a javelina? At first glance, a javelina appears to look like a pig or wild boar, but the animal belongs to the peccary family a group of hoofed mammals originating from South America, according to Arizona Game & Fish. Javelinas weigh about 40 to 60 pounds and have salt and pepper coloring when they become adults, wildlife officials said. The animals pig-like nose gives it a great sense of smell, but they have poor eyesight, according to Arizona State Parks & Trails. Their poor eyesight may make them appear to be charging when they are just trying to escape, wildlife officials said. In addition to living in Arizona, these hoofed raiders of the night are also found in Texas, New Mexico, Mexico and Argentina. Do javelinas attack often? In Tucson, people with dogs are attacked by javelinas every three to six months because the animal may think the dog is a coyote, Hart previously told McClatchy News. The best thing to do if you encounter a javelina while dog walking is to turn around, Hart said. If a javelina begins to charge, you should pick up smaller dogs and make noise by throwing objects, or wave your arms, Hart said. Fight back or kick the animal if it begins attacking, he said. Avoid getting between a javelina and dog, which is how most bites happen, Hart said. Hart also said to keep garbage in an enclosed area until pickup day and to pick up any fallen tree fruit, spilled bird seed and leftover pet food outside. Javelina bites womans leg during fight with her dogs, Arizona officials say Javelina tries to bust into home, then emerges stuck in dog door frame, video shows Javelina attacks 11-year-old girl walking dogs in Arizona, officials say Millions of homeowners are at risk of soaring energy bills as the Government forges ahead with plans to roll out thousands more heat networks across Britain. Around 480,000 households are currently supplied by the communal heating systems, meaning they are charged at commercial rates, cannot switch energy suppliers, and are not protected by the Ofgem price cap. As the energy crisis pushed up gas prices, some consumers have been trapped paying up to 50p/kWh for gas, adding thousands of pounds to their energy bills. The domestic gas price cap is currently set at 7.4p/kWh. Despite a lack of regulation, the Government is pushing for more homes to be supplied by heat networks in its drive to reduce carbon emissions. The Climate Change Committee estimates 5.5m homes could be supplied by a heat network by 2050. The energy department has said the heating systems, pitched as a more affordable alternative to electric heat pumps, will play a key role in achieving net zero. However, Stephen Knight, head of non-profit consumer champion The Heat Trust, warned that without introducing a price cap, heat network expansion will leave many households with higher bills. He said: If we have another energy crisis that pushes gas prices up in the commercial sector, there will be more and more consumers exposed to volatile energy markets and uncapped prices and that is a concern. Heat networks act like large, communal boilers, carrying hot water from a central source like an industrial-scale heat pump through a series of underground pipes to commercial and domestic premises miles away. The heat network operator usually the landlord, freeholder, or building management company buys energy at commercial rates and then sells it on to residents. Charlotte Jones, 31, lives in a new-build block of flats in South London that is supplied with gas via a heat network. In 2022, the price of her gas shot up to 32p/kWh, four times the national price cap, which stood at 8p/kWh at the time. To avoid a huge bill, she reduced her usage to a bare minimum, even leaving her oven door open after cooking to try to heat up the two-bed flat. I put my heating on once in those three months, and I had Covid and a fever, she said. Doing that during snow and sub-zero temperatures is crazy, really. If I had used the same amount of gas as the previous year my [quarterly] bill would have cost 400. Ms Jones, whose electricity is not supplied through a heat network, added that fellow residents had been getting 700 gas bills for three months of usage. Heat networks have become a popular choice of heating system in a range of domestic and commercial premises in Britain, from schools and hospitals to luxury apartment blocks and council houses. They can harness energy that would otherwise be wasted, from power stations, incinerators and data centres, for example. Some consumers on heat networks have paid less for their energy than domestic consumers because their housing developers negotiated a cheaper rate from wholesale gas suppliers. The Government has committed 530m of funding to expand and upgrade heat networks over the next three years, as part of the Heat Network Transformation Programme. Yet the systems operate in a regulatory blind spot. Ofgem has no automatic oversight, meaning customers are not covered by the price cap and have no recourse to the ombudsman if a dispute arises. The lack of transparency in the billing process also makes heat network customers easier to exploit than those with domestic supplies. I dont even know who my provider is, Ms Jones said. All I know is our bill is agreed between our property management company and whoever our provider is. We have no oversight of the contracts. I cant tell you if theyre getting the best rate or a fair rate. We are signed up to a one-year fixed contract in May each year, so even if prices fall, we still pay the higher rate. The Governments Energy Bills Discount Scheme, introduced on 1 April 2023, offered some protection to heat network customers by capping the unit rate of commercial energy customers pay. But at 7.8p/kWh for gas, the cap is still higher than the maximum rate of 7.42p/kWh that domestic customers pay. The scheme is also due to end on 31 March. Despite the scheme, Ms Jones currently pays the equivalent of 18p/kWh for gas, because the property management company adds a heat loss surplus to residents bills to cover inefficiencies in the heat network. She said the rate is extortionate, and that she feels trapped in a system which operates like the wild west. The one thing any consumer can rely on is that you have choice. You can shop around and try to reduce your costs. When its something as important as heat, and you have no control, other than to not turn your heating on for three months, its incredibly distressing. Change is coming, but slowly. The 2023 Energy Act handed ministers the power to lay down regulations in collaboration with Ofgem. The Government is currently consulting on how best to protect heat network consumers. But Mr Knight said it could be two years before Ofgem is in a position to hold heat network providers to account, or offer compensation for outages. Whats more, there are as yet no firm plans to introduce a price cap. He added: At the moment, regulations are focusing on the operators of heat networks, rather than ensuring the operators have access to good-value energy supplies from energy suppliers that they can pass on to consumers. There needs to be an equivalent price cap for commercial suppliers who are in turn supplying domestic consumers. This is a big gap. Sarah Finnegan, head of policy at the National Housing Federation, said she welcomed the incoming regulation on heat networks, which were essential to achieving net zero by 2050. However, she added that the technology was not appropriate for all homes and the lack of price cap means customers could be facing higher bills. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said it was wrong to suggest that consumers on heat networks risk being exposed to higher energy prices. She added: Families on heat networks pay on average 100 less per year than those using gas boilers. The spokesman reiterated that households are protected under the Energy Bill Discount scheme until 31 March. They are also protected from price increases by the Energy Bill Discount Scheme, capping how much suppliers pay for energy, which they are then required by law to pass onto consumers. Businesses including heat network operators received 7.5bn in support last winter. From spring 2025 we will put Ofgem in charge of regulating heat networks, giving them the power to intervene where prices appear to be unfair, so that families can benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating. Recommended Households could get solar panel subscription under new government trial Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Its been a turbulent few weeks for aviation, to say the least. We kicked off 2024 with a door plug literally jettisoning itself off the side of a plane. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes with plug doors; in-house inspections at Alaska Airlines revealed that many of those planes had loose bolts. On Jan. 10, a United Airlines Airbus A319 plane was grounded because of a faulty door indicator light. Less than a week later, a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330 flight was canceled after a passenger noticed four missing screws on the planes wing shortly before takeoff. (A Virgin representative told Business Insider that the missing parts did not represent a safety risk.) To cap it all off, on Jan. 20, the nose wheel of a Delta Boeing 757 plane came off and actually rolled away while the plane taxied on the runway. In response, some people are canceling their flights. The online travel booking service Kayak saw a fifteenfold increase in the use of its filter feature, which allows travelers to exclude certain aircraft models (such as the Boeing 737 Max 9) when booking a flight. Even those who know the aviation industry intimately, and vouch for its safety, have loved ones who are fearful. I had people here visiting with me last week that said they were afraid to fly home that Friday, says Kathleen Bangs, an aviation safety analyst and former commercial pilot. Her take on the industry might be useful for anyone planning to board a plane anytime soon: You have absolutely no reason to be afraid whatsoever. According to the stats, its mind-blowingly safe to fly. A 2020 study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated that the global commercial airline fatality risk between 2008 and 2017 was 1 death per 7.9 million passenger boardings (and 1 death per 33.1 million boardings in the lowest-risk countries, which include the U.S.). In comparison, you have a 1-in-15,300 chance of being struck by lightning in your lifetime. Note that flying wasnt always this safe: In the 1960s and 70s, the global risk was 1 death per 350,000 boardings. This massive improvementand the ongoing disparity between flight safety in U.S.-based airlines vs. those of higher-risk countriesis a testament to the regulations, redundancies, and quality controls in the American aviation industry, according to experts. Flying is literally safer than sitting on the ground, says Bangs. I dont know how I can stress that enough. This Feb. 12 will mark 15 years since a commercial plane crash has resulted in a fatality in the U.S. Bangs says no one would have bet on that a couple of decades ago. There used to be flight insurance booths in airports, she points out, so that a travelers family could get a payout if they died. Now its simply too safe for insurance companies to make money that way. The system has really exceeded everyones expectations, Bangs says. Nobody in aviation ever really thought you could fly this many billions of peoplebillions of peopleevery year in the U.S. and not have a fatal crash. Regardless of the stats, though, its hard to read about incident after incident and not wonder: What the heck is going on? And if this keeps happening, is it really still so safe to get on an airplane right now? So I reached out to a few aviation safety experts, like Bangs, and peppered them with questions: Are planes getting more dangerous? Is there a part of the plane that is the safest place to sit? Even if flying is still very, very, very safe, would it be reasonable to avoid Boeing? The answers were consistentand comfortingamong the group. Aviation, especially commercial aviation, especially in the United States, is an incredibly safe form of travel, says Jeff Simon, a pilot and mechanic with an authorization from the FAA to perform aircraft inspections. In fact, he adds, its because aircraft incidents are so rare that they generate this much media attention. The public tends to hear about aviation safety in the context of something going wrong. But flight data is collected minute by minute 24/7 and analyzed by the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, says Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the independent nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation. Monitoring healthy planes is analogous to a person getting a blood test to screen for diseasesbut imagine getting that blood test every single minute. If youre only learning from rare incidents, then youre rarely learning, says Shahidi. Because of that proactive, predictive kind of analysis, we have a very safe system. OK, but given all the proactivity how were these recent issues missed? Its a quality control issue, says Bangs. Theres no question that Boeing has a quality control problem. (Even Boeing says as much: Weve taken significant steps over the last several years to strengthen our safety and quality processes, but this accident makes it absolutely clear that we have more work to do, CEO Dave Calhoun said in a statement, referring to the door plug flying off.) Boeing has been accused in the past of prioritizing profit over safety. I would absolutely not fly a Max airplane, said Ed Pierson, a former Boeing senior manager, to reporter Kiera Feldman at the Los Angeles Times. Ive worked in the factory where they were built, and I saw the pressure employees were under to rush the planes out the door. The experts I spoke with were oppositely equivocal, despite acknowledging the apparent quality control issues at Boeing. I have flown Boeing in the last week, and Ill fly Boeing again, says Simon. I definitely would say there are legions of pilots out there that are very loyal to Boeing jets, says Bangs. Most pilots Ive talked to who fly the Max 8 love it. (Two planes that crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing a combined 346 people, were both new Max 8 planes; a 20-month investigation attributed the crises in part to faulty software design. The Max 8 resumed commercial flights in 2021.) As to the apparent uptick in loose bolts and missing screws, which have happened on both Boeing and Airbus planes, Simon points to supply chain changes that came in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. When you have a highly regulated system that requires a lot of expertise, and you stress that systemchanging of suppliers, changing of manufacturing, changing of staffingyou end up with a situation where you really do rely on the checks and balances built into the system to work, he says. In other words, more variability in how the plane is made means that the humans doing the quality checks have to be all the more attentive. And humans make mistakes. But this leads us to the golden rule of aviation: redundancy, redundancy, redundancy. What is important in aviation is to make sure that there are redundant processes and systems in place to make sure that in the event of human variability, there are no consequences of that, says Shahidi. That might mean theres a backup (or two) of a hydraulic pump or computer or sensor, so should one fail theres no issue. The system is so carefully designed with conformity in mind that most problems, which inevitably happen, do not become catastrophic or even concerning, says Simon. (The door plug that flew off midflight, of course, is an example of a serious problem that should not have happened.) After grounding the planes with door plugs, the FAA released a statement on Jan. 11, saying, The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 MAX to service. Boeing 737 Max 9 returned to the skies last week. Even with all the redundancies and regulations in place, flying still feels so damn scaryand theres good psychological reason for that, says David Ropeik, a retired Harvard instructor who studies risk perception. Theres a feeling of no control in a plane; plane crashes tend to be more deadly than car crashes; the idea of hurtling out of the sky is just horrifying. Its not the odds, its the nature of how youd die, he says, that makes people afraid. But that doesnt change the fact that packing your suitcase, walking through your house, and driving to the airport are all more dangerous than the flight itself. If, as a consequence of these plane incidents, people opt to drive rather than fly, it could actually result in more deaths, says Ropeik. At the end of the day, you should do what you need to do to make yourself feel safewhether that means sitting in the aisle seat (this helps some people regain a sense of control, says Ropeik), paying more attention to cabin and crew instructions (you should always do this, even as a seasoned traveler, says Shahidi), or not flying Boeing for peace of mind. But dont let your fear allow you to take a bigger risk by driving cross-country when you had planned to fly. Dont forget to wear your seat belt. And always listen to your cabin and crew, who are well trained for situations that will hopefully never happen. Im a pilot, which by nature means Im a little bit of a control freak, says Bangs. But when she flies commercial, I sleep like a baby in the back. A few years after Smuttynose Brewing Co. christened a new $24 million brewery, a contingent of Wachusett Brewing Co.s brass drove up to Hampton, New Hampshire, to scrutinize the gleaming campus. Wachusett Brewing's founders Peter Quinn, Ned LaFortune and Kevin Buckler at the LaFortune family farm in Westminster. The start of a Granite State brewery tour this was not: Wachusett had ideas of buying Smuttynose. The two breweries celebrated their 20th anniversaries in 2014 and trod similar paths in craft beer. But in 2017, they were barreling in different directions. Embroiled in financial turmoil and facing foreclosure, Smuttynose went up for auction. Interest in its brand had waned after decades of growth, and production fell sharply. All of this coincided with Smuttynoses investing millions into a massive brewery that now could not dream of reaching capacity. Meanwhile, Wachusett had rounded into a brewing and packaging behemoth, equipped with one of the fastest canning lines in the country. The brewery had recently rolled out packs of two popular new hazy IPAs and expanded into hard seltzers, all while sprinkling in some brewing and packaging for other brewers, also called contract brewing. Wachusett was well on its way to cracking the U.S. Brewers Associations ranking of the 50 largest breweries in the country brewing nearly 70,000 barrels of beer and now eyed bringing Smuttynoses legacy brand and state-of-the-art brewery into the fold. Ultimately, though, Wachusett would pass on submitting a bid for Smuttynose. Six years later, Smuttynose is the brewery on the rise. Wachusett faces the double-digit production declines, struggling to capture the same success in the retail market that it scrapped for during its early years. And Smuttynose, not Wachusett, is the buyer. On Jan. 17, Smuttynoses parent company, Finestkind Brewing LLC, purchased Wachusett for an undisclosed amount. The draft lines at the Brew Yards in Westminster and Worcester will continue pouring, according to a report from the trade publication Brewbound, as many of those employees kept their jobs. However, production of Wachusetts beer core brands like Blueberry Ale will slowly shift to Hampton. Smuttynose has already begun auctioning off the majority of Wachusetts brewing equipment. And while reports have had Wachusett touting its ability to save 90% of the jobs at its brewery, the 10% of employees fired after the sale, Im told, included all full-time employees with benefits, such as brewers, packagers and administrators. I reached out to Smuttynoses CEO Steve Kierstead, formerly its vice president of sales, several times last week for comment. He did not return my calls or emails. John May, part of Wachusetts ownership group, Blueberry Ale Inc., also did not return a call asking for comment on the sale. Smuttynose and Wachusett brought in outside investors hoping to shore up their futures, so why was there such a dramatic flip-flop in fortunes? Smuttynoses investors led a turnaround to grow its production, incorporate new brands and expand its distribution. Wachusetts investors, a group run by Worcester-born entrepreneur Brett Williams, doubled down on the brewerys contract brewing operation, most notably for the Long Island brewery Montauk Brewing Co. Wachusett Brew Yard at the Worcester Public Market. The group arrived amid a flurry of activity at Wachusett. There had been new beers and seltzers and, for the first time in its history, the brewery embraced the taproom model, opening its Brew Yards. That momentum weakened during the pandemic and then eventually dissolved. According to interviews with former Wachusett employees and current retail customers, Wachusetts new owners didnt connect with the 29-year-old brewerys grassroots identity during the over three years they guided it. I dont think they realized what our identity was, and little by little they started to get rid of our identity, said T.J. Morse, Wachusetts former director of sales, who spent close to 20 years at the brewery. Changes at the top Williams bought a stake in Wachusett in September 2020, a tumultuous time for the brewery. The pandemic had hampered Wachusetts Brew Yards in Cambridge, Westminster and Worcester. Its retail and restaurant sales had suffered amid the lockdowns. Still Wachusett stayed afloat, and its leadership team deferred their salaries to preserve jobs. Williams and Ned LaFortune, Wachusetts sole remaining founder, grew up together in Westminster. Before investing in Wachusett, Williams had played a critical role in fostering the partnership with Montauk Brewing Co., which he had also invested in. The Williams group, after taking the reins of Wachusett, hoped to grow the contract brewing side of the business one the brewery had begun in 2012 when it bought a canning line by adding more contract brewing partners. Over time, the Montauk deal would pull resources away from other Wachusett brands, said Dave Higgins, Wachusetts former head brewer. Wachusett, at one point in the partnership, brewed some 50,000 barrels for Montauk. Wachusett closed its short-lived Boston Brew Yard after one year. Montauk had been growing faster than Wachusett and later moved on bought by another company leaving Wachusett without its biggest contract customer. When they went to that model, they put all their eggs in the Montauk basket, said Higgins, who left the brewery after 17 years shortly after the Williams group came on. It kept everyone busy. We had to work overtime to keep Montauk products out there. Once Montauk left, it exposed Wachusett to what it was: a brand that had been dwindling. The Montauk numbers saved it. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Wachusetts production dropped by 12%, 14% and 22%, respectively, according to the Brewers Association. And in 2021, the brewery quietly closed its Brew Yard in Cambridge. Williams ushered in other changes, according to Morse, Wachusetts longtime director of sales, like parting ways with some of the more influential voices on the brewerys leadership team. The leaders removed from Wachusett included Brad Dufour, Wachusetts director of operations and its MacGyver executive engineer who joined the brewery in 2012; and Christian McMahan, who took over as president in 2017 and oversaw key improvements, new beers and product lines, and opened the Brew Yards. Morse, whod been with the brewery since 2006, was fired, too. He had been Wachusetts point person for its wholesalers and its oldest retail accounts. The Williams group is made up of brilliant businessmen; the guy has turned breweries over left and right. You cant deny his brilliance, Morse said. The problem is, with Wachusett, that was never our identity. We were grassroots. In the end, even LaFortune lost his influence. In June, Wachusett terminated his contract and got an order barring him from the brewery he helped build. A diminished local presence To its retail customers, Wachusetts leaders always had a face. The owners were all local guys, said Chris Pompei, whose family has run Wyman's Liquors in Leominster and Fitchburg for 52 years. They were around. They did tastings and events. You had them everywhere, all the time. They were around to help when you needed. Wymans has sold Wachusett beer for decades, and its founder, Pat Wyman, used to offer marketing tips to LaFortune, according to a 2014 Massachusetts Beverage Business story. In recent years, its three stores have sold around the same amount of Wachusett, Pompei told me, yet the local connection seems to have frayed. He could not remember specifically meeting Williams, for example. I do think, as all the original guys moved away from the company, the direction and focus of their resources seemed to change, he said. Wachusetts legacy and future I didnt get a chance to talk to LaFortune on the record about his brewery; he has been out of the country. But I know he would agree that, aside from being the oldest brewery in Central Massachusetts, Wachusett was the scrappiest. LaFortune and his fellow founders Peter Quinn and Kevin Buckler used their backgrounds as engineers to cobble together their first brewhouse by reusing old equipment, like a discontinued shrimp steaming kettle from Louisiana. Unable to afford a lawyer, they incorporated Wachusett themselves in 1993. After they brought in a new $1 million canning line, they had it disassembled and rebuilt, just so they knew how to fix it should it ever break down. Those guys were so hands-on, Morse said. Its probably one of the only reasons we succeeded for so long. Wachusett survived massive changes in craft beer and the bust years of the early 2000s, when about half of the craft brewers in Massachusetts who opened in the 1990s shuttered. Now Wachusett must survive new ownership, in a new state, without the three engineers who kept it taped together. The pressure is on Smuttynose to keep a piece of Massachusetts craft beer history alive. I hope they preserve everything that every single person thats worked one hour for that brand accomplished, Higgins said. Its an iconic brand and a mainstay for that part of Massachusetts. Everybody knew that brand. We were in Fenway Park one year, having a big party there for Green Monsta IPA. I hope it doesnt go by the wayside. God, I hope they preserve it. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Making sense of Wachusett Brewings sale to Smuttynose Brewing Co. Officials from towns along Route 23 are calling on the state to elevate a portion of the highway after it flooded and shut down twice in a matter of weeks, each time paralyzing traffic for miles. The flooding also affected local commerce as officials said thousands of travelers had to wend their way on secondary roads, bypassing retail plazas and shopping malls. The issue elicited a response from state Sen. Kristin Corrado, a Republican from Totowa who said she supports any road project to relieve flooding woes in this area. These closures caused disruptive detours throughout the region, said Corrado, who serves the 40th Legislative District. I continue to be open to exploring solutions to mitigate flooding and its devastating impacts on our communities. Jan 10, 2024; Pequannock, NJ, USA; Route 23 Southbound in Pequannock is closed on Wednesday due to flooding. The six-lane highway, which runs from Verona to the New York state line, crosses the Pompton River at the border between Pequannock Township and Wayne. The low spot, officials said, is north of the bridge and south of the intersection with Alexander Avenue an important artery that provides access to and from Newark Pompton Turnpike. Wayne Mayor Christopher Vergano said the state should consider raising the grade of the highway by 2 feet over that half-mile span. Its a crying shame that the road was designed improperly, he said. Im sure everyone who sat in traffic would agree with me, but its much more than just sitting in traffic its businesses that were hurting. Back-to-back rainstorms in the past two months left many residents in the river basin fatigued and, in the worst scenarios, at a loss for shelter. Environment: Paterson seeks new wall to mitigate floods but not in vulnerable Northside neighborhood At the height of the storms, as floodwater cascaded over Route 23, northbound motorists were backed up beyond the Alps Road intersection. Those who exited the highway at Black Oak Ridge Road were forced to follow miles-long detours in the wrong direction, Vergano said. People could not get from one town to another, Vergano said. It took people hours to get home. Story continues below gallery. Pequannock Township Mayor Ryan Herd agreed with the proposal to raise the highway, saying it is part of the solution for flooding challenges we face. Herd noted other measures that should be considered, including dredging of the Passaic and Pompton rivers, and opening of the floodgates at the Pompton Lakes Dam ahead of torrential storms. The latter point has been argued about for years. It was debated again, in advance of the storm last month, when the state Department of Environmental Protection denied requests by Herd, Vergano and other mayors to unlatch the gates. The state Department of Transportation released a statement Tuesday through a spokesperson, who said the agency incorporates flood-mitigation measures in its construction projects when possible. Senator Kristin Corrado speaks during a ceremony to swear in Nadia Kahf (not shown) as judge of the New Jersey Superior Court during a ceremony in Paterson on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Most projects are required to upgrade existing drainage to improve flooding issues caused by inadequate drainage, said Lizzy Galamba, the spokesperson. When flooding is caused by a river or stream, she said, the agency will evaluate the floodplain elevation to decide whether an affected road could be raised. Bergen County: State orders testing of soil Ridgewood used to build Route 17 berm, piled at historic site Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to address flooding along state highways, Galamba said. In certain instances, she said, elevating the profile of the road was the answer. Federal funding of $48.5 million is being spent for ongoing upgrades to the drainage system along 5 miles of Route 20 in Clifton and Paterson, she said. The project, which should be done by the end of next year, will also mitigate flooding by raising the highway surface at the Fifth Avenue intersection in Paterson by 3 feet, Galamba said. More work is set to begin this week at milepost 14.3 on Route 23 south in Kinnelon, she said. Crews will start repairing a culvert just before Cutlass Road, closing the shoulder in that location for two months. Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: devencentis@northjersey.com This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne NJ mayor suggests lifting Route 23 to stop flooding A Florida advocacy group is launching an effort to put Medicaid expansion on the ballot in 2026, over the overwhelming opposition of the states GOP-majority Legislature. Florida is one of only 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare, and proponents argue the measure would allow more than 1 million residents to gain coverage. With more than 1.4 million Floridians missing out on essential care this expansion would provide, the need to bring this policy across the finish line has never been greater, said Jake Flaherty, campaign manager for Florida Decides Healthcare, which formally launched the effort Thursday. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government pays 90 percent of the costs of expanding Medicaid to childless low-income adults. The states are responsible for the remaining 10 percent. The 2021 American Rescue Plan included a 5 percentage point increase in the federal matching rate for two years after expansion takes effect, which experts have said will more than offset the increased state costs of expansion during those two years. The additional incentive applies whenever a state newly expands Medicaid and does not expire. Expansion would allow Floridians earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level about $20,700 for individuals and $35,600 for a family of three to qualify for health insurance. Right now, the only adults eligible for Medicaid in the state are pregnant women, the elderly or disabled and adults with minor children who earn less than $5,314 for a single parent, or $6,713 for a family of three. The GOP-controlled state Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) have long opposed efforts to expand Medicaid. State Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R) at the start of this years legislative session called expansion a false government promise. The remaining holdout states are all Republican-led, but Medicaid expansion ballot measures have succeeded in Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri and South Dakota. There was a similar effort to get Medicaid expansion to the Florida ballot in 2020, but supporters said the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting requirements for signature-gathering derailed the push. Supporters must gather 891,523 signatures to get the amendment on the 2026 ballot. It would then need support from 60 percent of voters to succeed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A federal appeals court has blocked a Florida law that restricted Chinese citizens from buying land in the state from being enforced against two people who sued over the ban. A panel of judges from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals said in an order Thursday that the plaintiffs showed a substantial likelihood of success in proving their case against the law, which was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in May 2023. The appeals court panel did not entirely block the law but granted an injunction for the two plaintiffs, Yifan Shen and Zhiming Xu, who feared they would have to cancel contracts they had signed to buy homes. The panel wrote in its decision that the plaintiffs were granted the injunction because their recent and pending transactions create the most imminent risk of irreparable harm without the courts intervention. Judge Nancy Abudu, a former civil rights lawyer who was among the panel, wrote in a concurring opinion to the order that the Florida law blatantly violates the Fourteenth Amendments protection against discrimination. The amendment protects citizens and non-citizens alike, meaning both are entitled to equal protection of the laws of the states within which they reside, noted Abudu, a President Biden appointee. The plaintiffs were represented in the case by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which released a statement celebrating the courts decision. Theres no doubt that Floridas discriminatory housing law is unconstitutional, Ashley Gorski, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU, said in a statement. The courts decision brings two of our clients tremendous relief, and we will continue fighting to prevent this law from being enforced more broadly. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. When news began circulating that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was bringing back the Florida State Guard (FSG) in 2022, many claimed he was creating his own "personal militia." Since its revival, the guard has only been activated twice: Once in December when heavy rainfall, locally damaging winds and isolated tornadoes were expected and weeks later when similar conditions threatened the state again. However, DeSantis has now announced plans to activate 1,000 National Guard and FSG members to support Texas in placing razor wire along its southern border despite a Supreme Court ruling that the federal government had the authority to remove it. 'Inflection point': Gov. Ron DeSantis sends Florida National, State Guard to Texas Analysis of the bill that allowed for the revival of the FSG concluded that the FSG could only operate "within the jurisdiction as considered necessary by the Governor," leaving many pondering the legality of the move. A new bill, HB 1551, is now moving through the House to give DeSantis definitive authority to send the FSG to support other states. Here's what to know. What is the Florida State Guard? The Florida State Guard is a state-funded group that focuses on the needs of Florida at the discretion of the governor. It partners with the Florida National Guard and other agencies to help rapidly respond and ensure communities are provided with humanitarian assistance and disaster response when needed. The agency's purpose is to: Preserve the public peace. Execute the laws of the state. Enhance domestic security. Respond to terrorist threats or attacks. Protect and defend the people of Florida from threats to public safety. Respond to an emergency. The FSG was created subject to an appropriation in the General Appropriations Act of 2022, which distributed $10 million from the General Revenue Fund for the group. Florida State Guard vs. Florida National Guard The Florida State Guard is different from the Florida National Guard in that the state agency cannot be mobilized for federal service and is not funded by the federal government, according to Military Times. "The Florida State Guard is able to stay longer at the scene of a disaster ... allowing the National Guard to return to other duties. The two forces complement each other." All training programs for the Florida State Guard are required to be at least equivalent to the training requirements of the Florida National Guard. What's happening at Texas border: Supreme Court says feds can remove barriers in Texas meant to block migrants Can the Florida State Guard be legally sent to other states? While more than a dozen other states have sent members of their state national guard to Texas since 2021, the waters begin to get murky when considering the legality of sending a state militia group. Florida HB 1285, the bill that was used to revive the FSG, states that it "shall be used exclusively within the state, or to provide support to other states," but staff analysis of the bill wrote that "defense forces," which the FSG falls under, are for use "exclusively within the jurisdiction as considered necessary by the Governor or chief executive of such jurisdiction." The Florida Legislature is now trying to clear up any confusion by introducing HB 1551, which would remove the requirement that the FSG can be used exclusively within the state. More specifically, it removes language from the creation of the section of the Florida State Guard Act that provides the FSG may only be used exclusively within the state and clarifies the ability of the FSG to provide support to other states under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The bill also expands the governor's ability to activate the FSG by allowing activation: During a declared state of emergency when the FLNG is not in active federal service. During periods of civil unrest. At any other time deemed necessary and appropriate. This isn't the first time Florida has sent National Guard to Texas DeSantis sent members of the Florida National Guard, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to Texas since 2021. During those three years, the FHP has allegedly intercepted 150,000 people crossing the border illegally, the Florida National Guard has helped staff observation points, patrols and assisted with fencing and barriers, FDLE has helped arrest people who entered the country illegally and FWC has deployed hundreds of officers, more than 500 four-wheel vehicles and 24 vessels to patrol the border along the Rio Grande. Contributor: Cheryl McCloud - USA Today Network-Florida This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Can DeSantis legally send the Florida State Guard to other states? Speakers: Mr. Deng Xiaogang, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs Mr. Chen Bangxun, director general of the Department of Development and Planning of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) Mr. Pan Wenbo, director general of the Department of Crop Production of the MARA Mr. Lei Liugong, director general of the Department of Market and Informatization of the MARA Chairperson: Mr. Xie Yingjun, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO Date: Jan. 23, 2024 Xie Yingjun: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we have invited Mr. Deng Xiaogang, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs, to brief you on the performance of agriculture and rural economy in 2023, and answer your questions. Also present at today's press conference are Mr. Chen Bangxun, director general of the Department of Development and Planning of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA); Mr. Pan Wenbo, director general of the Department of Crop Production of the MARA; and Mr. Lei Liugong, director general of the Department of Market and Informatization of the MARA. Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Deng for his introduction. Deng Xiaogang: Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I would like to thank all friends from the media for their interest in and support for the work on agriculture, rural areas and rural people. Next, I will brief you on the performance of agriculture and rural economy in 2023. In 2023, facing the complex and serious domestic and international economic situation as well as frequent and recurring natural disasters, departments of agriculture and rural affairs have thoroughly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important remarks on work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers as well as the guiding principles of his important instructions in this regard, and implemented the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council. We have made all-out efforts to overcome difficulties and solve problems to maintain the momentum of steady performance in agriculture and rural development. The fundamentals of agriculture, rural areas and rural people have been further enhanced, providing strong support for economic recovery and solid progress in high-quality development. First, China secured another bumper grain harvest, with supplies of important agricultural products well guaranteed. We overcame the negative impacts of natural disasters, including rare protracted rainfall during the harvest period in the Huang-Huai region, severe floods in some regions of North and Northeast China, and droughts in some areas of Northwest China. The country's total grain output reached 695.41 million metric tons in 2023, an increase of 8.88 million metric tons over the previous year, hitting another record high. This is the ninth consecutive year that China has registered a grain harvest higher than 650 million metric tons. Significant progress was also made in expanding the planting of soybean and other oil crops. The total soybean planting area reached 157 million mu (10.47 million hectares) in 2023, staying higher than 150 million mu for the second consecutive year. The soybean output hit a record high of 20.84 million metric tons in 2023. The total planting area of oil crops crossed the threshold of 200 million mu. Hog production remained stable. Pork output reached 57.94 million metric tons, up 4.6% year on year. Meanwhile, outputs of beef, mutton and poultry, milk, as well as aquatic products all increased and the supply of fruit and vegetables was sufficient. Second, achievements in poverty alleviation have been consolidated and expanded, ensuring that people do not sink back into poverty in large numbers. All localities improved monitoring and assistance mechanisms to prevent people lifted out of poverty from slipping back into it again, striving to spot trends early and intervene through support measures. The risk of slipping back into poverty was eliminated among over 60% of them, and support measures were implemented for all the others. We also put greater emphasis on providing assistance to develop local industries and boost employment. Among the central government funding for promoting rural revitalization, 60% was allocated for industrial development. Counties lifted out of poverty have developed a group of industries that leverage local strengths. A total of 33.969 million people who had been lifted out of poverty found employment, which is 3.777 million more than the annual target. Third, science, technology and equipment have provided greater support, with solid progress made in the development of modern agriculture. We built and upgraded 86.11 million mu of high-standard farmland, and the high-efficiency water-saving irrigation area reached 24.62 million mu. Initial success was achieved in invigorating the seed industry. We completed the largest national census of agricultural germplasm resources, collecting more than 530,000 crop germplasm samples. Pilot projects were successfully completed for the commercial production of genetically modified corn and soybean varieties. We also made breakthroughs in shoring up weak links in agricultural machinery equipment, with 320-horsepower tractors with a continuously variable transmission, corn planters for mountainous areas, and other needed machinery entering mass production. Large high-horsepower farm machinery and small agricultural machinery for hilly areas have been made accessible. Fourth, green agricultural development accelerated while the agricultural ecological environment continued to improve. We used fewer but more effective chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The comprehensive utilization rates of livestock and poultry manure and straw, and the agricultural film disposal rate exceeded78%, 88%, and 80%, respectively. The 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River led to significant achievements. The livelihoods of more than 230,000 affected fishermen were ensured, management of the waters under the fishing ban was generally stable, and the river's aquatic organism resources and diversity showed encouraging signs of recovery. Additionally, progress was made in agricultural production and the development of pollution-free, green, organic, and geographically indicated (GI) agricultural products. The number of newly certified and registered green and organic agricultural products, as well as those that are famous, special, novel, and high quality, reached 15,000. The percentage of agricultural products passing national quality and safety tests reached 97.8%. Fifth, rural industries experienced strong growth, providing rural residents with increased job opportunities and income. The agricultural product processing sector advanced smoothly, hosting more than 90,000 companies above the designated size. Rural e-commerce also saw robust development, with its annual online retail sales reaching 2.49 trillion yuan. We enhanced the construction of modern agricultural parks, building 50 new national modern agriculture industrial parks, 40 special industrial clusters with competitive edges, 200 towns with agricultural strengths, and 100 agricultural modernization demonstration zones. Commercial agricultural services were provided for more than 1.97 billion mu of land and over 91 million small agricultural households. Driven by industrial development and employment, the growth of farmers' incomes was sustained. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, rural residents' per capita disposable income reached 21,691 yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.6% in real terms. Sixth, we summarized and popularized the experience of the Green Rural Revival Program, which was initiated in 2003. This program aimed to renovate about 10,000 incorporated villages in five years, transforming about 1,000 central villages into models of all-round moderate prosperity. This contributed significantly to creating a beautiful and harmonious countryside, desirable for living and working. Rural development initiatives were thoroughly implemented, focusing on inclusive and fundamental public services that ensure basic living standards, thus addressing rural public infrastructure challenges more rapidly. Living conditions in rural areas continued to improve, with more than 73% of rural households having access to sanitary toilets, over 40% receiving domestic sewage treatment, and domestic waste from more than 90% of villages being collected, transported, and treated. Rural governance capacity also improved steadily. A total of 100 national rural governance demonstration towns and 1,001 demonstration villages were newly recognized. Governance approaches, such as list-based and point-based systems, continued to expand. In-depth rural reforms were sustained, with steady progress on pilot projects extending second-round rural land contracts for another 30 years upon expiration, as well as trials for reforming rural residential land. The agricultural and rural economic achievements in 2023 did not come easily. In 2024, agricultural and rural departments will fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the second plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We will thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourse on agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents. Following the deployments and requirements set at the Central Economic Work Conference and the Central Rural Work Conference, we will focus on building up China's strength in agriculture. Moreover, guided by the lessons and experiences from the Green Rural Revival Program, we will spare no effort to enhance agricultural production with an emphasis on food security. We will also advance rural revitalization in a coordinated manner, focusing on the construction and governance of rural development. This approach will promote sustained improvements in the work related to agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents. Thank you. My colleagues and I will now take your questions. Xie Yingjun: Thank you, Mr. Deng. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking your questions. Florida Democrats are pushing back against a new state policy barring transgender residents from changing the gender on their drivers licenses, decrying the abrupt change as an attack on that community and calling for the federal government to step in. Floridas Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles informed county tax collectors, which issue drivers licenses in the state, in a Jan. 26 memo that gender markers on newly issued Florida drivers licenses should reflect individuals sex assigned at birth as opposed to their gender identity. Permitting an individual to alter his or her license to reflect an internal sense of gender role or identity, which is neither immutable nor objectively verifiable, undermines the purpose of an identification record and can frustrate the states ability to enforce its laws, Deputy Executive Director Robert Kynoch wrote in the memo. Furthermore, misrepresenting ones gender, understood as sex, on a driver license constitutes fraud, Kynoch wrote, and subjects an offender to criminal and civil penalties, including cancellation, suspension, or revocation of his or her driver license. The policy, which replaces a 2011 mandate that trans people in Florida may change the gender marker on their drivers license with a letter from their doctor, does not specify whether transgender Floridians who have already amended their licenses could face fraud charges. In a letter sent Friday to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Florida Democrats, led by Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), requested the department draft a rule under the Real ID Act that would void the states policy. Forcing Floridians to carry driver licenses that may not correspond to their gender is in direct conflict with the stated purpose of the REAL ID Act: to make our identity documents more consistent and secure, states the letter, signed by all eight Florida Democrats in the House. The DHS rule should include, but not be limited to, requiring ones gender/sex identifier on compliant state identification to match the gender on ones Federal identification documents, the Democrats wrote in the letter. If there are any other avenues through which this discrimination can be combatted, we encourage the Department to pursue those as well. Individuals under current federal policy may self-select the gender marker on their U.S. passport, including an unspecified gender identity denoted by an X. The gender selected does not need to match the gender on supporting documents, like a birth certificate or state ID, according to the State Department. The department in 2021 rolled back a policy requiring transgender people to submit medical documentation to change the gender marker on their U.S. passport. If the policy change instituted by Floridas Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is allowed to stand and similar restrictions are adopted by other states they will undoubtedly continue to spread, creating more confusion and inconsistency while severely hampering Americans ability to travel, including LGBTQ+ Americans ability to leave states that are hostile to their existence, Democrats wrote in Fridays letter to Mayorkas. This is nothing short of a hateful attack on the trans community with the goal of trans erasure, Frost added in a Friday post on X, formerly Twitter. Molly Best, the departments communications director, told The Hill on Friday that the new policy should not be confusing to anyone. You are either a man or a woman, and your driver license must list your accurate biological sex, she said. A bill making its way through Floridas Republican-controlled House would similarly require transgender people to list their sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity, on their drivers licenses. The bill, H.B. 1639, would specifically strike the word gender from the list of required displayed identifiers on a Florida drivers license and replace it with sex, defined as either male or female based on a persons sex chromosomes, sex hormones, and internal and external genitalia present at birth. LGBTQ advocates worry the legislation could invalidate the drivers licenses of trans and gender-nonconforming people in the state. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFLA) A Florida man was arrested Thursday after a woman ran out of his home while covered in blood, according to police. NBC affiliate WBBH reported that Thursday morning, residents of a Fort Myers neighborhood spotted a woman running out of a home on Rogers Street. FHP trooper, semi-truck driver killed during wrong-way pursuit, officials say According to the witnesses, the blood-covered woman was screaming for help. The woman came out of the house, screaming help me, help me, and she landed in a neighbors yard, resident Peter Hartmann told WBBH. The residents said they came to the womans rescue, helping her after she fell before an ambulance came to take the woman for treatment. According to Fort Myers police, the suspect in the case was Glenn Vaters, 58. He was arrested on several charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault with a weapon, and drug possession of a controlled substance. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Feb. 1 he will be sending members of the Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard to Texas to help stem the flow of illegal immigrants crossing the border. The Supreme Court ruled in January the federal government had the power to remove razor wire and other barriers the Texas government has erected along the border. The Texas National Guard has continued placing the wire along the border. Here's the latest on what is happening and Florida's involvement. "Florida has been assisting at the southern border since 2021, and we are sending more support from both the Florida State Guard & up to one battalion of Florida National Guard," DeSantis posted on Facebook. "Their mission will be to assist Texas in erecting barriers at the border to stop the invasion of illegal aliens. The goal is to help Texas fortify this border, help them strengthen the barricades, help them add barriers, help them add the wire that they need to so that we can stop this invasion once and for all, DeSantis said. "The states have to band together. 'Dereliction of duty': DeSantis says Florida will do its part Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the audience backed by members of the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida National Guard, and the Florida State Guard. DeSantis held a press conference in a hangar at Cecil Commerce Center on Jacksonville, Florida's westside Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, to announce plans to deploy members of the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard to the borders of Texas and other areas to help slow down the tide of individuals entering the United States illegally. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] DeSantis called the situation at the border an American issue and doubted President Joe Biden would choose to remove the barriers Texas placed during an election year. It's sad that you don't have a president willing to just, you know, put his foot down and say I'm not going to let this happen to my country, DeSantis said. But in the absence of that leadership, in the face of the dereliction of duty, we're going to step up and do our part. "Biden has the authority to close this border today if he wanted to. He lacks the will to get the job done. He lacks the capacity to see the problem for what it is so the American people are basically left scrambling and they're left to have to deal with this all on their own." Texas has the most Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees as of Jan. 12, according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a nonprofit data tracking organization out of Syracuse University. The organization says 67% of them do not have criminal records. What agencies has Florida sent to Texas? Texas National Guard soldiers install additional razor wire lie along the Rio Grande on January 10, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. Following a major surge of migrant border crossings late last year, miles of razor wire as well as huge quantities of refuse remain along the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass. The governor said Florida has been helping Texas defend its state since 2021, sending members of the Florida National Guard, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, all of whom are "helping make a difference." The FHP has intercepted 150,000 illegal aliens and has been instrumental in generating over 2,000 human smuggling and human trafficking charges in the state of Texas, DeSantis said. The Florida National Guard helps staff observation points, patrols and helps with fencing and barriers. FDLE assists with the arrests of criminal aliens, including violent gang members. The FWC has deployed hundreds of officers, more than 500 four-wheel vehicles and 24 vessels to help patrol the border along the Rio Grande. "I believe a state has a right to fortify its own borders. We have stepped up probably more than any other state has stepped up and we are proud to do that," DeSantis said. "However, we don't think this is enough." What is the Florida State Guard? The Florida State Guard is an all-volunteer force that helps the Florida National Guard and other emergency responders during natural disasters and other emergencies. The Florida State Guard was "created to protect and defend the people of Florida from all threats to public safety and to augment all existing state and local agencies." The agency's purpose is to: Preserve the public peace. Execute the laws of the state. Enhance domestic security. Respond to terrorist threats or attacks. Protect and defend the people of Florida from threats to public safety. Respond to an emergency. Florida State Guard's mission: Florida State Guard helps during disasters. 13 things to know about volunteer group Florida State Guard director responds to Texas assignment The Florida State Guard is prepared to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with state agency partners in direct support of our brothers and sisters in Texas grappling with an unprecedented surge of illegal immigration along their border, Mark Thieme, Florida State Guard director, said. The Florida State Guard is postured to deliver rapid emergency response, public safety operations and humanitarian assistance wherever the need arises. Does the Florida State Guard serve only in Florida? The Florida State Guard was created for use exclusively in the state when activated by the governor. The agency "is at all times under the final command and control of the governor as commander in chief of all military and guard forces of the state." However, HB 1285 known as the Florida State Guard Act in 2023 said the guard can be used "to provide support to other states." Bills filed for the 2024 legislative session HB 1551/SB 1694 would allow the governor to send State Guard members outside the Florida's borders. What was the Supreme Court ruling regarding Texas? The Supreme Court has allowed the Biden administration to remove razor wire barriers Texas erected along a 29-mile stretch of the Rio Grande meant to block migrants at the Southwest border. The 5-4 ruling was a temporary victory for the Biden administration and gave the federal government the upper hand in its fight with Texas while the underlying lawsuit continues. "Texas political stunts, like placing razor wire near the border, simply make it harder and more dangerous for frontline personnel to do their jobs," White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez said in a statement Monday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott authorized the installation of the razor wire as part of a broader effort to deter migrants from crossing the U.S. border from Mexico. What has Florida done to protect itself from illegal immigration? DeSantis said Florida has signed strong legislation to protect Floridians against illegal immigration, including: Banning sanctuary cities. Having E-Verify for employers. Increasing penalties for human trafficking and human smuggling. Banning local governments and non-government organizations from issuing ID cards to illegal aliens. Invalidating out-of-state licenses that have been issued to illegal aliens by states like California. Contributing: Ana Goni Lessan and Hanna Holthaus, USA TODAY Network-Florida This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida National Guard, State Guard deploying Texas.What we know China's National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's national political advisory body, are inviting local and international journalists to cover their annual sessions to be held in March, according to an official statement released Friday. The second session of the 14th NPC is scheduled to open on March 5, while the second session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee is set to begin on March 4. News coverage of the two sessions can be carried out through various means, but mainly through on-site reporting, said the statement jointly issued by the general offices of the NPC Standing Committee and the CPPCC National Committee. A media center for the two sessions will be open from Feb. 27, according to the statement. China-based foreign journalists who want to cover the two sessions should submit their applications to the press center, while those not based in China should apply to Chinese embassies or consulates in their countries or via visa organizations authorized by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Reporters from Hong Kong and Macao should apply at the central government's liaison offices in the two special administrative regions, and reporters from Taiwan should apply to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. The deadline for applications is Feb. 18, and more information about the two sessions is available on www.npc.gov.cn and www.cppcc.gov.cn. A former CIA employee was sentenced to 40 years in prison after carrying out the largest data leak in the agencys history, the US Attorneys Office of the Southern District of New York announced Thursday. Joshua Schulte who was accused of handing over reams of classified data to WikiLeaks in 2016 was convicted in 2022 of illegally gathering and transmitting national defense information and obstructing a criminal investigation and grand jury proceeding, among other charges. He was also found guilty in 2023 of receiving, possessing and transporting child pornography, according to the US Attorneys Office. He had worked as a computer engineer within the CIAs Center for Cyber Intelligence, and created cyber tools that could grab data undetected from computers. Schulte defended himself at trial. An earlier trial ended in a hung jury in 2020. Joshua Schulte betrayed his country by committing some of the most brazen, heinous crimes of espionage in American history, US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. He caused untold damage to our national security in his quest for revenge against the CIA for its response to Schultes security breaches while employed there. When the FBI caught him, Schulte doubled down and tried to cause even more harm to this nation by waging what he described as an information war of publishing top secret information from behind bars, Williams added. And all the while, Schulte collected thousands upon thousands of videos and images of children being subjected to sickening abuse for his own personal gratification. In this courtroom sketch, Joshua Schulte, center, is seated at the defense table flanked by his attorneys during jury deliberations, March 4, 2020, in New York. - Elizabeth Williams/AP Today, Joshua Schulte was rightly punished not only for his betrayal of our country, but for his substantial possession of horrific child pornographic material, FBI assistant director in charge James Smith said in a statement. The severity of his actions is evident, and the sentence imposed reflects the magnitude of the disturbing and harmful threat posed by his criminal conduct. Schultes issues at the CIA began in the summer of 2015 when he began to feud with management and a co-worker, ultimately filing a restraining order against the co-worker in state court, court records show. Schulte and the co-worker were both transferred as a result of the feud. Investigators alleged that Schulte became enraged when CIA officials wanted to hire a contractor to build a cyber tool similar to one he was building, prosecutors said. A year later, investigators said Schulte stole cyber tools and source code and transferred them to WikiLeaks, according to court records. He then tried to cover his tracks, erasing any and all traces of him accessing the computer system, prosecutors said. Schulte quit the CIA in November 2016. But in March 2017, WikiLeaks published the first installment of its Vault 7 leaks, which originated from two programs that Schulte had access to, court records show. WikiLeaks put out a news release to go with the information, saying that the data had been provided anonymously by a source who wanted to raise policy questions, specifically about whether the CIA had overstepped its hacking capabilities and exceeded its authority. Schulte, who also allegedly lied to CIA and FBI investigators to cover his tracks, was arrested in August 2017 on child pornography charges. He was indicted on the charges related to the data breach months later. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A former CIA officer has been sentenced to 40 years in jail for divulging a cache of classified hacking tools to the whistle-blowing platform Wikileaks and possessing child abuse images. Joshua Schulte, 35, was sentenced for charges of espionage, computer hacking, contempt of court making false statements to the FBI, and child pornography, federal prosecutors said on Thursday, Prosecutors accused Schulte of carrying out the largest data breach in the history of the CIA. And the transmission of that stolen information to WikiLeaks is one of the largest unauthorized disclosures of classified information in the history of the country, prosecutors said. He was accused of leaking the CIAs so-called Vault 7 tools, which allowed CIA officers to hack Apple and Android smartphones in overseas spying operations and also turn internet-connected televisions into listening devices. "Joshua Schulte betrayed his country by committing some of the most brazen, heinous crimes of espionage in American history," said US attorney Damian Williams. Schulte denied the charges and accused the CIA and FBI of making him a scapegoat for the public release of a trove of CIA secrets by WikiLeaks in 2017. In this courtroom sketch, Joshua Schulte, center, is seated at the defense table flanked by his attorneys during jury deliberations, Wednesday (Elizabeth Williams) The US intelligence agencies faced major embarrassment after WikiLeaks in March 2017 began publishing materials detailing how the CIA conducted surveillance on foreign governments, purported extremists, and other individuals by exploiting their electronic devices and computer networks. Prosecutors said the leak "immediately and profoundly damaged the CIAs ability to collect foreign intelligence against Americas adversaries; placed CIA personnel, programmes, and assets directly at risk; and cost the CIA hundreds of millions of dollars." Prosecutors alleged that Schulte, who worked as a software developer in the Center for Cyber Intelligence, orchestrated the leak as he was angered over workplace disputes and he tried to burn to the ground the very work he had helped the agency to create. He believed that the CIA had disrespected him by ignoring his complaints about the work environment. In his closing argument, Schulte claimed he was singled out even though hundreds of people had access to (the information). Hundreds of people could have stolen it. The governments case is riddled with reasonable doubt, he added. "Theres simply no motive here. Schulte has been held behind bars without bail since 2018. He was convicted in July 2022 on several charges. A former college criminal justice instructor pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of arson, including for igniting wildfires in 2021 behind firefighters who were already battling one of the largest California blazes. Gary Stephen Maynard, 49, admitted to setting four fires in the summer of 2021, according to the U.S. attorney's office: the Cascade fire, the Everitt fire, the Ranch fire and the Conard fire. Although he had been initially suspected of igniting other fires including the Bradley fire that burned more than 300 acres the four fires Maynard admitted to setting remained small. Maynard had initially denied setting the fires, but entered the guilty plea Thursday as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors. The San Jose resident had originally been charged with four counts of arson; as part of the agreement, he pleaded guilty to three of them and agreed to pay $500,000 in restitution. Court documents accused the 49-year-old academic of going on "an arson-setting spree" in the summer of 2021 while firefighters from multiple agencies were fighting the Dixie fire, which scorched 963,309 acres across five counties. Read more: Ex-college instructor arrested in connection with 'arson-setting spree' near Dixie fire Maynard taught briefly at Sonoma State and Santa Clara University. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Dixie fire had been burning for seven days when, on July 20, 2021, an investigator first came across Maynard, who was about 200 yards from what would later be called the Cascade fire. Maynard was found under his car, a black Kia Soul. The investigator asked Maynard to stand up. Maynard then "mumbled something about being a professor" and told the investigators he didn't know anything about the fires, court documents say. According to the plea deal, the investigator noted that Maynard "was agitated during his encounter." Another witness reported seeing the former professor walk away from his car for about 10 minutes, then observing smoke rising from a new fire nearby. The following day, firefighters spotted a 50-foot-wide fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. An investigator determined the cause of that blaze, dubbed the Everitt fire, was arson. Tire marks spotted at the scene seemed to match the tire impressions made by Maynard's car near the Cascade fire, court documents said, and cell site data indicated that he had camped overnight in the area at the time. Investigators began to follow Maynard's movements, using a tracker installed on his car through a federal search warrant. On Aug. 7, 2021, investigators tracked his car to an isolated part of Lassen National Forest that had been closed off from the public due to the Dixie fire. Read more: The Dixie fire threatened to pass 1 million acres, then was stopped in its tracks. Here's how Maynard reportedly stayed in the area for about 28 hours, and after he left a Forest Service special agent spotted a large column of smoke coming from the forest. The blaze was later named the Ranch fire. In court records, Maynard also admitted to setting the Conard fire, a second Aug. 7 blaze in the Lassen National Forest. He was taken into custody the same day after he tried to drive back to the area of the fires. According to court records, Maynard lied about his location the previous night, contradicting data from the tracker on his car that investigators had already collected. Maynard is also believed to have been in the area of the Moon fire when it started, according to court records. Inside his car, officials found lighters and electronic devices that, according to court records, had audio and video recordings of Maynard talking about committing arson, and the sound of matches being struck. Maynard had also searched online to track the progress of the Dixie fire, including area closures where firefighters were focusing their efforts, court records say. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 9. 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. Former employees of news startup The Messenger, which closed its doors suddenly Wednesday, filed a class-action lawsuit against the company Thursday. The Messenger, a digital media company that launched in May 2023, told employees Wednesday afternoon the company would be shutting down. As of Wednesday night, readers who attempt to visit the site are only shown an email address, info@themessenger.com. The New York Times first reported the closing. According to the lawsuit, former employees said the report was how they found out they were no longer employed. Within minutes after the story broke, The Messenger confirmed to the approximately 300 employees that they were terminated effective immediately, the suit said. Pilar Belendez-Desha, a former senior producer for the outlet, filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. Employees were terminated without cause and without a considerable warning or written notice, which violates the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, the lawsuit said. The labor law requires most employers to provide a 60-day notification in advance of planned closings and mass layoffs. The former employees also brought forth a second claim, that the company violated the New York WARN Act. In New York state, employers are required to provide a 90-day notification ahead of closings and mass layoffs. The former employees hope to recover up to 60 days wages and benefits. The Messengers founder, Jimmy Finkelstein, who previously owned The Hill, said his vision for The Messenger was a Washington Post, Daily Mail hybrid. Finkelstein and the outlets president, Richard Beckman, promised to hire hundreds of reporters and generate $100 million in revenue through advertising and events. By the end of 2023, the organization had generated only $3 million and had $1.8 million in cash on hand, the Times reported. The company laid off about 20 employees in early January and said it planned another round of fundraising. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Former President Donald Trump is expected to make many court appearances in the coming months, most in connection with the 91 criminal charges against him in four cases in both federal and state courts. The judges in these cases are under intense public and legal scrutiny, and several have been subjected to violent threats even before the trials begin. To learn about what judges think and experience in these situations, The Conversation U.S. spoke with John E. Jones III, the president of Dickinson College, who is a retired federal judge appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in 2002. During his time on the bench, Jones issued landmark decisions in high-profile cases, including a 2005 ruling that teaching intelligent design in science classes is unconstitutional and a 2014 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, which anticipated by a year the U.S. Supreme Court decision reaching the same conclusion for the nation as a whole. What are judges thinking about while theyre listening to the testimony and the lawyers arguments in court? Judges are human. Judges read the news, watch the news. Theyre aware of whats happening around them. Theyre engaged citizens. But when you pass from being an advocate, a trial lawyer, to being a judge, you have this transformation. Youre in charge of keeping order in a courtroom. You have to be on your game all the time, vigilant for anything that would make the proceedings less than fair for any of the litigants. Thats an intensive assignment. When you have a jury in the box, you have to be super careful. For example, if you see an attorney running afoul of procedural rules or admonitions that youve given them, you need to resist calling out that attorney in front of the client or the jury. You want to make sure that you check the attorney either quietly at a sidebar conversation where the jury cant hear, or in chambers. But there comes a point where, if thats not efficacious, youre going to have to do something more publicly in the courtroom. What are the rules that constrain judges, both on the bench and away from the courtroom? There are rules of court and evidentiary rules, and all judges underneath the Supreme Court have the code of conduct for federal judges. For example, if a member of the media contacts a judges chambers and wants to talk to him about the merits of a case, thats absolutely forbidden. Thats something no judge would do under any circumstances. Outside the courtroom, you must be very careful in what you do and what you say and thats even about matters that may not be pending in front of you but could show a bias with respect to a future case. You stay out of politics, despite whatever your past may have been. Many federal judges have political paths to their position I did. You have to be completely clear of all political activity when youre on the bench. That also includes potentially recusing yourself from cases in certain circumstances. There are rules of court that govern the proceedings, and some judges have their own unwritten rules about courtroom decorum. I didnt have those, but it depends on the judge. For example, some judges have a protocol that you must stand when you address the court. Other judges are not so clinical or doctrinaire about it. How do you handle lawyers or defendants who dont know or dont follow the rules? Generally, the most difficult defendants that I had over my 20 or so years on the bench were criminal defendants. A lot of times they had public defenders, and they would clash with their attorneys. Generally in a civil case, the client adheres to the instructions that the court gives and that the attorney gives. One of the worst things that any litigant can do when theres a jury in the box is speaking out loudly not just even a stage whisper but actually speaking out and talking directly to the judge. Most judges find that pretty intolerable. When somebodys represented by counsel, theyre not supposed to be addressing the judge directly and certainly not making statements that are not under oath that the jury can hear. I had been a defense attorney. Id been a trial lawyer. So I could see when there was what we used to call a client management problem. What you do in that situation as a judge is you give them a timeout and say something like, Im going to take a recess and, Ms. Smith, it might be a good idea for you to talk to your client. The other problem is the lawyer who just isnt listening and is not responding to the signals that the judge is sending. Generally in federal court, but not always, the lawyers are practitioners whove been around. Its a tougher place to practice than in state court. Its a special kind of litigator and theyre very professional and they understand the rules of court. Federal courtrooms are places of formal process and architectural dignity. Carol M. Highsmith via Library of Congress But if youre on the bench long enough, you get cases where you either have lawyers who are intentionally not listening or they just are not experienced enough, or a combination of both. Then you try to inform the lawyer, give them some rules of the road, explain to them why what theyre doing is not productive or may violate the rules, and hope that the lawyer picks up on those cues in court. I also used to leaven the proceedings with humor. I think humor can break a lot of stress in a courtroom. These are very serious proceedings, but when a case was really dragging, Id bring lawyers to sidebar and say something to the effect of, Counsel, there are glaciers moving more quickly than this case. How do you decide a case? You follow the law. Typically at the trial judge level, theres precedent. There are very few cases you get as a trial judge that are without precedent. The same-sex marriage case was one where I didnt have precedent, and I had to make a judgment call out of whole cloth. The logic and legal reasoning I used was really a precursor to what was in the Supreme Courts decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide in Obergefell the following year: due process and equal protection. When theres no jury, youre finding the facts. You listen to testimony, you judge the credibility of the witnesses. There are some people both judges and nonjudges who are fond of saying about the judicial system, We do justice. This is really a misnomer, its sad to say. Many times I had cases that had extremely sympathetic plaintiffs, like with disastrous injuries, terrible things happened to them. But the law didnt favor them. It may be that there was just simply no cause of action, or they were outside the statute of limitations. There was just no relief that could be afforded. Is that justice? Probably not. But did I follow the law? Yes. There are times that your heart breaks as a judge, and you think, I would really like to help this person. But Im guided by the law and the facts in this case, and I cant afford relief. So its a little bit of a misnomer to say that youre there to do justice. Justice is indeed blind. And youre not always pleased with where you end up in cases, but you do what you have to do. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: John E. Jones III, Dickinson College Read more: John E. Jones III 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. PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) A former music teacher at St. Petersburgs Lakewood High School was arrested on Jan. 31 for attempted murder, according to an affidavit. St. Petersburg police said Jacob Merrett, 35, was in his home when he shot another man several times with a semi-automatic handgun. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries. University of Tampa professor charged with recording sex acts while watching child porn: affidavit According to the affidavit, on Tuesday, Merrett and his wife got into an argument about her relationship with the victim. She told police she and her husband have an open relationship, but he didnt want her to be involved with the victim. That night, Merrett saw a text from the victim on his wifes phone. He demanded to see the messages, but she refused to show him her phone. Then he left the home. When he returned, his wife wouldnt let him back inside the home because she feared for her safety. The two mutually decided it would be best for him to leave for the remainder of the night. Hillsborough County Sheriffs worker arrested for stealing from employer When he returned home, he found the victim at his residence with his wife. He reportedly called 911 and said someone was at his home, sexually assaulting his wife. Then he shot the victim several times, and claimed not to know him, the affidavit said. Pinellas County Schools confirmed Merrett was a music teacher at the school for 11 years, but has not worked for the district since October 2022. His last job was as an assistant principal at Disston Academy. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. You are here: China Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council, unveiling a new regulation on coal mine production safety. The new regulation, which takes effect on May 1, 2024, aims to improve production safety at the nation's coal mines, prevent and reduce safety-related accidents, and enhance protection of people's lives and property. By placing production safety as a top priority, the regulation stresses sound management and strict overhaul of various risks and hidden dangers. It orders coal mine operators to conduct self-checks on various risks and make rectifications accordingly. The regulation specifies that coal mine businesses must strengthen their main responsibilities, and that local Party and government officials are obligated to carry out strict supervision of production safety. The regulation also stipulates various penalties for violations, spanning fines, business access restrictions, suspension of production, and business closures. PARIS Frances Defence Procurement Agency ordered more than 1.1 billion (U.S. $1.2 billion) of self-propelled howitzers, armored vehicles and helicopters as part of the countrys plan to modernize its armed forces through to 2030. The agency is buying 109 new-generation Caesar truck-mounted howitzers from Nexter Systems, a unit of KNDS, for about 350 million, the agency, known as DGA, said in a statement late Thursday. The orders placed in December also include Serval armored troop carriers from KNDS and Texelis and eight additional NH90 helicopters for the French special forces. France has budgeted 413 billion euros for the armed forces in its 2024-2030 military programming law, a 40% increase over the previous period. The government has said it seeks for France to remain a major world power, while transforming the armed forces in the context of a return to high-intensity conflicts. The procurement agency said total military equipment orders in 2023 amounted to 20.3 billion, of which nearly 9 billion came in December alone, including the purchase of 42 Rafale aircraft for more than 5 billion announced last month. These orders are intended to renew and modernize the capacities of the armed forces in all domains: air, land, naval and space, DGA said. The Caesar MkII ordered for the French Army will have an armored cabin to protect against mines and small-caliber arms, a need that became apparent from French deployments in Afghanistan and Africas Sahel region, KNDS said in a Feb. 2 statement. The truck-mounted cannon will have a new 460 HP engine more than double as powerful as the previous one, a new six-wheel chassis provided by Arquus and updated fire control software. The howitzer will keep the existing 155mm cannon, with a range of more than 40 kilometers, and remain air-transportable, DGA said. Frances military planning law foresees having 109 new-generation Caesars in use by the end of 2030. First deliveries of the new-generation howitzer are expected in 2026, according to DGA. The order was signed Dec. 30 and will generate nearly 300 jobs across France at KNDS, Arquus, Safran Electronics & Defense and Aubert et Duval, the procurement agency said. DGA also ordered 420 Serval light armored-personnel carriers for close to 500 million, following a first order in 2020 for 364 of the vehicles. The four-wheeled Serval can carry 10 fully equipped soldiers, and partially replaces the VAB manufactured by Arquus, which entered service more than 40 years ago. The army will receive a total of 978 Serval vehicles by 2030, with 60 already delivered in 2022 and 129 in 2023, the procurement office said. The Serval is part of the French Armys Scorpion program to upgrade its armored vehicles, which also includes the heavy APC Griffon and the wheeled infantry-fighting vehicle Jaguar, both developed by Arquus. The military planning law calls for 1,405 Servals by the end of 2030, as well as 1,437 Griffons and 238 Jaguars. France ordered an additional eight NH90 Caiman Standard 2 helicopters for 305 million in December, adding to a previous order for 10 of the aircraft, DGA said. The 11-ton helicopters will be built by Airbus Helicopters at its site in Marignane in southern France, for delivery in the 2026-2029 period, replacing Caracal and Cougar helicopters in use by the special forces. The procurement agency also contracted with Naval Group for the modernization of the Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in 2027, when the French Navys largest vessel undergoes its third major technical overhaul. Delivery of the work is expected in 2028, with upgraded radar by Thales, a new Setis 3.0 surface-ship combat system by Naval Group and a new anti-missile system by MBDA equipping the Aster interceptor. The upgrade will maintain the carriers excellent defense capabilities in the face of future anti-ship missiles and drones, DGA said. DGA said it expects a first delivery of 200 Akeron medium-range anti-tank missiles from the end of 2025, out of an order for 1,300 placed in November. The agency also purchased 329 Mistral 3 short-range air defense missiles in December to replenish army and navy stocks. The combined value of the two orders for MBDA is more than 300 million, DGA said. A federal judge has junked disinformation superspreader Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s lawsuit against a blogger who highlighted the millionaire political scions cavorting with far-right German activists in 2020. Last September, Kennedywho has lambasted social media platforms attempts to contain his fact-free rants about vaccines as unforgivable infringements on free expressionbrought suit in New Hampshire to squelch a blogger who posted anonymously on the Daily Kos website about a speech that the late Sen. Robert Kennedys son delivered in Berlin to a group called Querdenken. Posting as DowneastDem, writer David Vickrey correctly noted that Querdenken has been linked with numerous unsavory outfits, including neo-Nazis and violent neo-monarchists, some of whom participated in the mass protest where Kennedy appeared. Kennedys attorneys, one of whom formerly worked for Kyle Rittenhouse, maintained this somehow represented libel. In my opinion the guy is a complete fraud. He wants total freedom to spread his lies online, but write something about him he doesnt like, and he says Ill sue you, Vickrey told The Daily Beast at the time. Unlike Maine, where Vickrey resides, or New York and California, where Kennedy has homes, the Granite State does not have a statute to deter spurious suits that aim only to harass and penalize public statements the plaintiff dislikes. But Vickrey successfully got the suit transferred from Rockingham County court to the federal district covering New Hampshire, then sought to get it thrown out entirely on jurisdictional grounds, since neither he nor Kennedy resides in the state. How Free Speech Warrior RFK Tried to Bully a DailyKos Blogger The jurist overseeing the case sided with the blogger, noting that Kennedy failed to show Vickrey had availed himself of New Hampshires particular charms when composing his piece. Kennedy has not met his burden to show that Vickrey purposefully availed himself of the privileges and protections of New Hampshire law, Judge Steven McAuliffe wrote in his decision in late January. Vickrey does not live or work in New Hampshire, he has no meaningful contacts with this state, he did not consult any New Hampshire sources when writing the article, he did not mention New Hampshire in the article or otherwise direct the article to this state, and he had no reason to anticipate that the brunt of the (alleged) injury to Kennedys reputation would be felt in New Hampshireparticularly since Kennedy is not a resident of New Hampshire and his connections to New Hampshire are, at best, attenuated. McAuliffe further dismissed as plainly false Kennedys claim that Vickrey had published his piece with the intention of damaging the wannabe White House occupants campaign, since the post predated Kennedys announcement of his candidacy by two years. The judge also pointed out that several claims the anti-vaccine activist made in the suit were entirely unsupported by the citations he provides. Neither Kennedys lawyers nor his campaign responded to a request for comment from The Daily Beast. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. As you begin to enter a California highway, you might encounter a ramp meter telling you when you can or cannot merge without stopping. What are the rules when those lights are active at on-ramps? Sacramento Bee reader Lynn Hanna asked: When the metering light turns green do I have to yield to all traffic in the HOV lane? To increase road safety and reduce traffic congestion, ramp metering is used in areas of the highway that experience a high number of collisions and recurring congestion, according to the California Department of Transportation. Additional benefits include postponing the on-set of traffic congestion and helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions by reducing congestion on the freeway, Caltrans District 3 spokesperson Jeremy Linder said. When you encounter a ramp meter, heres when youre required to stop and how you can be cited by law enforcement: Where are ramp meter lights located? When are they active? Many factors are taken into consideration to determine the location of ramp meters, including highway capacity and morning and afternoon peak traffic periods, Linder said. Though ramp meters are not constantly powered on, Linder said the meters actively monitor traffic volume and congestion 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once the thresholds are met, the ramp meter will activate, Linder said. Ramp meters in District 3 can be activated for recurrent and non-recurrent congestion at any time of the day. Do drivers have to yield to vehicles in the HOV lane at a ramp meter? In order for a vehicle to be in the high-occupancy vehicle lane during enforced hours, there must be two or more people in the vehicle. While HOV lanes are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Southern California, HOV lanes are enforced 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, in Northern California. According to Caltrans, the HOV lane is typically on the left side of the entrance ramp. When the meter lights are activated, California Highway Patrol spokesman Mark Leavitt said you have to yield to those in the HOV lane, even if you have a green light. For vehicles that are not in HOV on-ramps, once the solid green light activates, that driver must yield to those vehicles entering onto the freeway in the HOV on-ramp lane, Leavitt wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee. Can I be penalized for not stopping at a ramp meter? If the ramp meter is powered off and there is no red light signaling a necessary stop, California law states you do not have to stop and cannot be penalized by law enforcement. You can be cited if you do not stop at a ramp meter signaling a red light. A driver can be cited for failing to come to a complete stop at a solid red light monitoring the HOV and on-ramps lanes to a freeway, Leavitt said. If you run a red light at a ramp meter, Leavitt said you could be cited for violating California Vehicle Code 21453, which states a driver must stop when faced with a steady red signal even if it is located at an on-ramp. Running a red light in California can result in a base fine of $100, Sgt. Amar Gandhi, with the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office, previously told The Bee. Additional fees can lead to a total cost of around $500. Running a red light can also result in one point to your drivers record, according to the Shouse California Law Group website. Once a driver over 18 years old has accumulated a series of points on their record, the California Department of Motor Vehicles can restrict their driving privilege through suspension or revoking their license. Police found the body of a 41-year-old man in a burned-out garage shed in downtown Belleville last month, 10 days after firefighters extinguished a fire and cleared the scene. The family of the victim, Trent Tuttle, who had been living on the streets for years, is wondering how that could happen. Im not trying to blame anyone, but I am looking for answers, said his mother, Judi Yates, who last saw her son on Jan. 8, when the two went scrapping (looking for metal to sell). Yates son Marcus Tuttle waited a few days, hoping his brother would reappear, then filed a missing-person report with Belleville police on Jan. 13. The fire occurred early Tuesday morning, Jan. 9, in a garage shed behind a condemned two-story brick building at 520 N. Illinois St. Its widely known as a place where homeless people stay. Fire Chief Stephanie Mills said Thursday that firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire with heavy smoke and followed standard protocol by conducting a quick initial search for occupants and later a more in-depth search once the situation was under control. They did not find anything, Mills said. The conditions of the structure were unstable. There were holes in the floor of the attic area, and they did the best that they could on scene at that time. Mills confirmed that a body was found on Jan. 19 between two walls on the upper level of the garage shed. The fires cause is still under investigation, she said. Family and friends spent days looking for Trent Tuttle and passing out missing-person flyers before people on the street told them his body was in a wall of the garage shed, according to his mother, who said she called authorities and begged them to take another look. If I hadnt led them here, my son would still be here, said Yates, 61, fighting back tears while standing outside the garage shed Wednesday. Trent Tuttle used methamphetamine and preferred homelessness to staying with family or friends because it required him to answer fewer questions, his mother said. She believes he became addicted after taking painkillers for back surgery more than 10 years ago. The garage shed behind a condemned two-story building at 520 N. Illinois St. in Belleville burned on Jan. 9. Ten days later, authorities found the body of a homeless man in a cubby hole on the upper level. Bitterly cold weather On Jan. 19, police initially searched the garage shed with a cadaver-sniffing dog that detected no body, according to Yates and Marcus Tuttle. They said it was because Trent Tuttles body was frozen. Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits that week and twice dropped below zero. Yates said authorities told the family that Trent Tuttle died of smoke inhalation, that his body wasnt burned and that he was wearing no coat or shoes, which she found odd given the bitter cold. Marcus Tuttle, 37, an auto-body technician, said he suspected foul play when he heard that his 6-foot-5-inch, 185-pound brother was found in a wall, but after a police detective referred to it as a cubby hole, it made more sense to him. Maybe he was just trying to keep warm, Marcus Tuttle said. You can heat up a small area easier than trying to heat up a big area. Marcus Tuttle said he sees why firefighters were being cautious on Jan. 9 while searching the garage shed since its upper level was unstable, but he doesnt understand how they could deem a burned building clear without inspecting every inch. Family friend Jenn Carlson, 34, hopes that Trent Tuttles death was an accident, but she has an uneasy feeling. What if it was made to look like an accident? she asked. Assistant Chief Mark Heffernan, spokesman for Belleville Police Department, declined to be interviewed Thursday about the missing-person case due to the open death investigation and the fact that homeless and transient witnesses havent yet been located. Heffernan emailed the following statement: During the time Tuttle was missing, detectives interviewed numerous subjects known to be acquaintances with Tuttle, conducted checks at several hospitals and rehab facilities, conducted canvasses for digital evidence, applied for a search warrant for Tuttles social media and cell phone data, checked several local law enforcement detention facilities, checked local homeless shelters, checked several vacant structures in the City, all with no success in locating Tuttle. Yates questioned why police hadnt distributed information about her sons disappearance or death publicly as of this week. We asked for a press release, and the detective said no because it was an open investigation, she said. He said once you put a press release out there, (people are) not going to talk to you, especially the homeless. Judi Yates, left, and Jenn Carlson comfort each other outside a burned garage shed in Belleville where Yates son, Trent Tuttle, was found dead on Jan. 19. Carlson is a longtime family friend. Infectious sense of humor Friends and family describe Trent Tuttle as an artistic, kind and energetic man and a sharp dresser with an infectious sense of humor and a knack for bringing people together, despite his drug habit. Trent Tuttle graduated from Belleville East High School, worked in roofing and rehabbing as a younger man and recently earned money by doing odd jobs and selling scrap metal. He was divorced with two children. Trent Tuttle regularly saw Judi Yates and her husband, Doug Yates, some of his six siblings, other family members and friends, including Carlson and her boyfriend, Dylan Rea, who live a block away from the condemned building on North Illinois. He got around on a bicycle. He was caring, Carlson said. He had a big heart. He was polite. He was mannerly. He went out of his way to help people. Trent Tuttle had a long police record, with most charges related to drugs (meth and cannabis possession and delivery) or homelessness (camping in a public place, open burning and dumping garbage). Judi Yates said she knew that Trent Tuttle slept in the condemned building sometimes, so she got a bad feeling when she and Marcus Tuttle drove past it on the morning of Jan. 9 and saw fire trucks. Yates wonders why none of Trent Tuttles buddies told firefighters he was in the garage shed when the fire broke out. They were probably afraid of getting into trouble, she said. The city of Belleville has posted signs calling the condemned building unfit for human occupancy or use and telling people to keep out. Several windows are broken out, and rooms are filled with trash and debris. When asked if anyone had warned firefighters that a person might be in the burning garage shed, Fire Chief Mills said, There were two passersby toward the end of operations, as I understand it, that asked if we had found anyone. They did not say there was someone. At one point, Yates said, an acquaintance of Trent Tuttle told her that his frozen body had been seen in a different abandoned building near the old Maxwells restaurant, leading police to search that area. Today, the gray-sided garage shed off North Illinois is still standing but gutted, full of charred items and surrounded by orange plastic fencing. The yard is strewn with trash and debris, including propane tanks, a metal shopping cart, cooler, backpack, furniture and clothes. Graffiti messages such as WATCH YOUR BACK and WE SEE YOU are scrawled on walls. A memorial service for Trent Tuttle will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Caseyville Moose Lodge 4. You always think somebodys going to be there, Marcus Tuttle said. You never think, One day Im not going to have them. I thought we would be older before something like this happened. An X marks the location of a condemned two-story building at 520 N. Illinois St., near Belleville Farmers Market. A homeless man was found dead in a garage shed behind the building on Jan. 19. Family and friends of the late Trent Tuttle distributed missing-person flyers for about a week before his body was found Jan. 19 in a burned-out garage shed off North Illinois Street in Belleville. Just like being trapped within a spider's web drastically changes a fly's life, galaxies ensnared in the vast cosmic web are dramatically and irreversibly altered. Now, scientists from the University of Kansas are aiming to better understand the mechanisms at play in shaping clusters of galaxies as they travel through a cosmic web of different environments. KU professor of physics and astronomy Gregory Rudnick is leading the effort, which involves recreating the cosmic web in a computer simulation, then studying gas content and star-formation properties of galaxies as they move through that web. The effort will use images of around 14,000 galaxies from the DESI Legacy Survey, the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX); The team will collect additional observations with Siena's 0.7-m Planewave telescope. "The primary objective of this project is to comprehend the impact of environmental factors on the transformation of galaxies," Rudnick said in a statement. "In the universe, galaxies are spread in a non-uniform distribution characterized by varying densities. These galaxies aggregate into large clusters, comprising hundreds to thousands of galaxies, as well as smaller groups, consisting of tens to hundreds of galaxies." Related: The mystery of vast 'cosmic ORCs' odd radio circles that encompass entire galaxies may be solved Galaxies can sit in clusters or groups, or they may dwell in more isolated, lower-density regions of the universe called "the field," Rudnick pointed out. Whereas previous studies that simulated the cosmic web and galaxies within have compared galaxies in clusters and groups to those alone in the field, they have neglected to factor in elongated filamentary structures of gas, dust and stars that connect the clustered kind. Rudnick and colleagues factored in this cosmic highway, focusing on the filamentary environments galaxies encounter, how the galaxies are channeled into groupings and clusters in the first place, and how the filaments affect their evolution. "Galaxies follow a path into these filaments, experiencing a dense environment for the first time before progressing into groups and clusters," Rudnick said. "Studying galaxies in filaments allows us to examine the initial encounters of galaxies with dense environments." a computer simulation of galaxies embedded with filaments of gas and dust. Most galaxies that enter the "urban centers" of clusters, Rudnick added, do so along cosmic web "superhighways," with a small number taking "rural routes" that bring them into the clusters and groups without interacting much with their surroundings. "Whereas filaments are akin to interstate highways, these less-traveled routes into dense regions are akin to the analogy of driving on rural roads in Kansas to access city limits," Rudnick said. "Galaxies can exist in filaments or be in groups that reside in filaments like beads on a string. Indeed, most galaxies in the universe exist within groups." The team hopes that, with this simulation, it'll be possible to glean insight into the onset of environmental effects on galaxies and to decode how galaxies behave in the filaments and groups where they are most commonly found. Trapped galaxies birthing stars One key aspects of the work undertaken by the KU team will be to assess how conditions of the cosmic web filaments affect the processing of gas in pockets of overdensity, which scientists call the "baryon cycle." Because stars are born when overly dense clumps of gas and dust collapse, disruptions of the baryon cycle can either boost or hinder star formation, thus increasing or slowing the growth of galaxies. "The space between galaxies contains gas. Indeed, most of the atoms in the universe are in this gas, and that gas can accrete onto the galaxies," Rudnick said. "This intergalactic gas undergoes a transformation into stars, although the efficiency of this process is relatively low, with only a small percentage contributing to star formation. The majority is expelled in the form of large winds." Some of these winds become outflows that blow from galaxies back into space, while other wind-blown matter falls back to its galaxy of origin, is accreted and finally recycled as part of the baryon cycle. "Galaxies can be conceptualized as baryon processing engines, drawing gas from the intergalactic medium and converting some of it into stars," Rudnick explained. "Stars, in turn, go supernova, producing heavier elements. Part of the gas is blown out into space, forming a galactic fountain that eventually falls back to the galaxy. Pleiades star cluster When galaxies encounter a dense environment on the cosmic web, they can change their internal pressure and disrupt the baryon cycle by actively stripping gas from the galaxy or depriving it of its future gas supply. This results in galactic star factories, that sit at the hearts of clusters, slowing to a halt as their raw, star-birthing material is quenched. "The disruption affects the intake and expulsion of gas by galaxies, leading to alterations in their star formation processes," Rudnick said. "While there may be a temporary increase in star formation, in nearly all cases, it eventually results in a decline in star formation." Related Stories What are radio galaxies? Record-breaking radio burst could help us find the universe's missing matter Light from the cosmic web connecting galaxies has been seen for the 1st time (video) The team's simulations will hopefully help scientists better understand the baryon cycle, something which was highlighted as a key science topic for the coming decade by the Astro2020 Decadal survey. The research will also include science outreach to Kansas and New Jersey high school students through 2026. This will include equipping schools with 11 MacBook Pros to allow students to engage with the research project. Three people were arrested Thursday evening after allegedly leading police on a pursuit that passed through several Gaston County cities and ended when officers foiled a carjacking at a Dallas apartment complex, according to the Gaston County Police Department. Jaquis Rahmad Smith, 23; Bryan Quiterio, 19; and Madison Deon Jones, 20, were arrested following the chase that began in Lowell and ended in Dallas. According to the news release, the pursuit down Interstate 85 and onto U.S. 321 began when police officers in Lowell spotted a car that had been reported stolen from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car dealership in Charlotte last month. Gaston County police, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments helicopter and officers with the Dallas Police Department joined the pursuit, the release said. After the occupants jumped out of the vehicle following a crash near the intersection of U.S. 321 and N.C. 275., Quiterio was arrested in a nearby Ingles parking lot. Police alleged Smith and Jones ran across U.S. 321 to the Captain's Quarters apartments and reportedly forced an elderly woman to drive them away from the scene, the release said. Officers were able to stop the car and arrest the pair minutes later. The driver was unharmed, the release said. Smith was wanted on six warrants from both Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, and now faces multiple felony charges, including kidnapping, the release said. Quiterio and Jones are being charged with misdemeanor resisting a public officer. Gastonia, Dallas, Lowell and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police departments are all pursuing charges on the case, the release said. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston County police pursuit, carjacking, ends in three arrests The Biden administration is reviving talks to broker ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, part of efforts to lay the groundwork for stability and security in the Gaza Strip if Hamas can be defeated. Its a complicated game of geopolitical chess, but one that has taken on new urgency amid mounting international pressure to end the war in Gaza, and to forge a path to relative peace in the Middle East. If executed, a Saudi-Israel pact could give President Biden a signature foreign policy win before the November election. Such a deal could also help push back on critics who blame Biden for the world spiraling into chaos. The president could also see Republicans rally around securing Israeli-Saudi normalization who view it as a major counter to threats from Iran as a counterweight to Riyadhs skeptics in the Democratic party. I will do all I can as a Republican to help President Biden to bring about normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on the Senate floor in mid-January, following a trip to both Jerusalem and Riyadh. While Hamass Oct. 7 terrorist attacks against Israel upended years of work paving the way to a breakthrough in ties between Jerusalem and Riyadh, Biden officials last month laid out their view that normalization efforts could pave the way to a Palestinian State. The basic recipe, which is peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, a two-state solution with Israels security guaranteed, these pieces are not operating in completely separate spheres; they are linked and connected, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. They were before October 7. They remain linked today. And they are something that were going to have to continue to work on. Saudi Arabia had stepped back from the talks immediately following Hamass attack and Israels retaliatory war in Gaza. But Secretary of State Antony Blinken, following a trip to Saudi Arabia in early January, said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told him that normalization is not dead. He and virtually every other leader I talked to supports moving forward with integration, normalization, whatever you want to call it, Blinken said in an interview with NBC. But of course, the conflict in Gaza needs to end, and there has to be a pathway for Palestinian rights. Because Democrats are the biggest hurdle on the U.S. side of the talks, due to Saudi Arabias steep demands, experts say Biden is best positioned to push through a deal. The basic point is, if any of this needs Senate approval, its much less likely even a substantial number of Senate Democrats would support this in a Republican administration, but many would support it even if they have to hold their nose in a Democratic administration, said Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Thats the basic logic that underpins the idea that this works in a Democratic White House. Senators reportedly engaged with Saudi officials in Alula, Saudi Arabia, in January, about achieving a mutual defense pact, although there are still Democratic skeptics in Congress. While Senate Democrats support Israel and Saudi peace, Riyadhs demands on Washington give them pause. These demands include a mutual defense treaty similar in strength to NATOs Article 5, protection for weapons sales to Riyadh from being held up by Congress or other oversight measures and U.S. help in developing a civil-nuclear program. I think we want a situation where we have more flexibility in the region than more commitments, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told The Hill when asked about a security treaty with Saudi Arabia. He added he would have to look at any proposal very carefully. Before Oct. 7, supporters of a Palestinian state feared being left behind in a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Salman held back from saying a Palestinian state was necessary to break through ties with Israel, during an interview with Fox News in September. But amid the devastation in Gaza wrought by Israels war against Hamas, the Biden administration, Democrats and Saudi Arabia say a pathway to a Palestinian state must be included in any deal. What the Saudis will require on the Palestinian issue is clearly much more today than on Oct. 6, said Satloff, who has engaged with the Saudis over efforts to broker ties with Israel. And its not clear the Israelis are prepared to do whatever the Saudis are asking them directly, or through the Americans. Supporters of a deal say that fitting together all these different puzzle pieces is an enormous challenge, but possible. Were going to try, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said when asked about breaking through ties by November. Everything has to be lined up, and it starts with security in the Middle East, so theres no further risk factor from Hamas and a clear pathway toward two states. Theyre the two building blocks to normalization in the region. Saudi Arabia says its most immediate priorities are implementing a cease-fire in Gaza, scaling up humanitarian aid for Palestinians there and having Hamas release more than 100 hostages it kidnapped on Oct. 7. That should be followed by a return to a peace process that provides a clear and irreversible pathway to Palestinian statehood, said Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Saudi Embassy in Washington D.C. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a Palestinian state or ending Israels military operation without total victory over Hamas. But Democratic senators think the longtime Israeli leader understands the enormous value of normalized relations with Saudi Arabia: unlocking greater integration with Gulf and Arab nations and countering threats from Iran and its proxy groups across the region. I think that if there is a possibility of normalization and theres real security for Israel, attitudes change in Israel, Cardin said. Still, Netanyahu faces significant challenges among the Israeli public, who are in a state of trauma over Hamass Oct. 7 attack, living under rocket fire, mourning the 1,200 people massacred that day, and in anguish for the more than 100 men, women, children and elderly still held by Hamas in Gaza. Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, said that Israeli-Saudi normalization is likely the one issue on which Israeli voters would allow any concessions related to the Palestinians. But he noted there can be a wide gap between efforts to move toward a Palestinian state and its actual establishment. Saudi Arabia could play an important, constructive role toward trying to steer things toward a less awful trajectory, Sachs said. Part of that includes Saudi Arabia exercising influence over the Palestinian Authority, the beleaguered government body in the West Bank that the U.S. has suggested could be reformed and tasked with governing postwar Gaza. Theres a variety of different things the Saudis can do, to participate in trying to stabilize the Palestinian political arena, help reconstitute the Gaza strip, rebuild the Gaza Strip in the context toward Palestinian independence down the road. I think that would be a tangible step, Sachs said. Still, he said the chances are low of achieving normalization before November. The proposition of normalization is very hard. If the U.S. would really undertake a defense pact and support a civilian nuclear program these are very controversial things in the United States, and a nuclear program in Saudi Arabia is also controversial in Israel, he said. Nevertheless, theres a great deal of upside, certainly around the current mess in the Middle East and great power competitions, he said, referring to threats posed by Russia and China. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he sees a narrow window of opportunity but believes normalization would take extraordinary U.S. effort. The challenge here is that there is no prospect for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict and normalization with the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza at the tempo and scale it is, and it would require a significant engagement from the United States to deliver on some substantial security guarantees, he said. Asked whether Netanyahu presented an obstacle to a deal given the Israeli leaders rhetoric rejecting a Palestinian state, a ceasefire with Hamas, or Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza Coons dismissed this with a wave of his hand. As I said directly to the prime minister, Youve been telling us for years that the principal threat to Israel and the region is Iran. You have an opportunity here to produce a regional security and economic and political alliance against Iran and in favor of peace and stability. Sir, you should take it. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Conservative attorney George Conway highlighted the significance of a new development in the legal maelstrom surrounding former President Donald Trump. The New York Times reported Thursday that the Manhattan district attorneys office is negotiating a deal with Allen Weisselberg, the former finance chief of the Trump Organization, requiring him to plead guilty to perjury. Under the potential agreement, Weisselberg would reportedly have to admit that he lied on the witness stand at Trumps civil fraud trial and lied under oath during an interview with the New York attorney generals office, which brought the civil fraud lawsuit. Weisselberg served just over three months in New Yorks Rikers Island Jail last year for his role in a tax fraud scheme at the Trump family business. Conway told CNNs Kaitlan Collins Thursday that a potential Weisselberg deal would not directly impact the case Manhattan prosecutors have against Trump, but it should serve as a warning to those called to testify. That case, the Stormy Daniels hush money investigation in which Trump was charged with falsifying business records, is scheduled to go to trial on March 25. So this doesnt directly relate to that, Conway said. But I think its a very, very important warning to any witness whos called to testify in that case, on either side, that they better not lie because if they lie, then they could end up like Weisselberg, at Rikers or someplace unpleasant like that. CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig agreed, adding that he believes the development will tie Trumps hands a bit in the hush money trial by damaging Weisselbergs credibility as a potential defense witness. Watch their analysis below on CNN. Related... GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WBTW) A 26-year-old Georgetown man has been accused of breaking into a womans hotel room through the bathroom window and sexually assaulting her, police said. Demar Rashard Walker was charged with first degree burglary and first degree criminal sexual conduct. Walker is currently at the Georgetown County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing, police said. Authorities were dispatched to Budget Inn Thursday at about 6:33 a.m. in reference to the reported burglary and sexual assault. Upon police arrival, the 20-year-old victim told police she was sexually assaulted. A K-9 was able to track Walkers movement to a spot and additional evidence of the crime was found. This allowed police to quickly identify and arrest Walker. Count on News13 for updates. * * * Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylors work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Following a cyberattack on the Fulton County Government Sunday night, which led to the shutdown of multiple systems over the weekend, the Georgia Secretary of States Office is restricting Fulton officials access to the states voter registration system. The move to restrict its access could cause difficulties with the Fulton County Board of Registrations and Elections heading into the March 12 presidential primary. The cybersecurity incident on Sunday has already led to changes in some county services. The Fulton County Tax Commissioners Office, county library systems, Fulton County Sheriffs Office, the county court systems, and multiple other government online and phone services were impacted. The District Attorneys Office also switched its operation procedures on Wednesday. The Fulton County Department of Information Technology is still working to restore full operations to county systems. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Out of an abundance of caution, the Secretary of States Office was restricting voter registration system access to maintain the integrity of state and county information systems, according to information provided by county officials. Jessica Corbitt, a spokeswoman for Fulton County, provided the following statement, in part, to Channel 2s Richard Elliot. As soon as Fulton County became aware of unauthorized activity that has temporarily affected certain systems, it immediately took steps to protect its network and reported the matter to law enforcement. Fulton County is working closely with a leading cybersecurity firm to investigate the nature and the scope of the event and to bring impacted systems securely back online. There is no indication that this event is related to the election process. In an abundance of caution, Fulton County and the Secretary of States respective technology systems were isolated from one another as part of the response efforts. We are working with our team to securely re-connect these systems as preparations for upcoming elections continue. TRENDING STORIES: On Tuesday, Fulton County Chairman Rob Pitts told Channel 2s Tyisha Fernandes that the incident was caused by a cybersecurity breach. The countys most recent update on impacted services, published Wednesday, showed the following service summaries and updates: Phone lines are down at most Fulton County offices. For alternate phone numbers and emails, please visit www.fultoncountyga.gov or contact customerservice@fultoncountyga.gov The Fulton County justice system has been affected by the widespread outage. Justice agencies are collaborating to use backup processes to continue first appearance hearings and all other scheduled court hearings. Some other court transactions are unavailable at this time, including e-filing and access to online records. The Fulton County Sheriffs Office is currently relying on backup (paper) processes for detainee processing. The Fulton County Tax Commissioner Office in downtown Atlanta will reopen on Wednesday, January 31. All offices will now be able to process all motor vehicle-related transactions. Property tax transactions are still unavailable. The Georgia Department of Revenue has approved a holiday for Fulton County customers who were not able to process their motor vehicle permits during this outage. Offices of the Superior and Magistrate Clerk at the North Fulton and South Fulton Service Centers have reopened to customers for notary commission and passport application services. It is recommended that customers visit the Clerks website to make an appointment. Fulton County Probate Court offices are now able to issue marriage licenses and firearms permit renewals. New firearms permits and marriage certificates are unavailable at this time. Hearings of the Boards of Equalization scheduled through Monday, February 5 have been postponed and will be rescheduled for a future time. Online property records of the Fulton County Board of Assessors are unavailable due to this outage, and no property related transactions may be processed at this time. The Fulton County Library Systems online catalog and platforms are available. Public computers at Fulton County libraries are unavailable at this time. Fulton County water service is unaffected by the outage, but billing and payment services are offline at this time. Fulton Countys 911 system is operational for all members of the public served by the center. Fulton County Police Department is unable to issue Police Reports at this time. Fulton County Elections offices are temporarily closed. Logic and Accuracy testing is continuing at the Fulton County Elections Hub. Fulton County Senior Centers are all operational. Services of the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities are operational. At this time, county officials say theres nothing that indicates personal information was exposed, but they are still checking to make sure that it is, in fact, the case. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Georgias Republican-controlled Senate passed a bill Thursday that would sharply restrict the granting of no-cash bail to criminal suspects, and would severely limit charitable organizations that pay bail for protesters. Senate Bill 63, which passed 30-17 along party lines, adds 30 additional felony and misdemeanor crimes to the list of bail-restricted offenses, including unlawful assembly and possession of marijuana. These additions would dramatically reduce the number of people able to post no-cash bail. The new bill would also severely limit charitable bail funds, including those used for protesters who have been arrested, by allowing such organizations to bail out just three people per year. No more than three cash bonds may be posted per year by any individual, 193 corporation, organization, charity, nonprofit corporation, or group in any jurisdiction, the bill says. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 4: Environmental activists hold a rally and a march through the Atlanta Forest, a preserved forest Atlanta that is scheduled to be developed as a police training center, March 4, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Intent upon stopping the building of what they have called cop city, the environmentalists were evicted from the forest in January, resulting in the killing by police of Manuel Teran, a young activist and medic. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images) ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 4: Environmental activists hold a rally and a march through the Atlanta Forest, a preserved forest Atlanta that is scheduled to be developed as a police training center, March 4, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Intent upon stopping the building of what they have called cop city, the environmentalists were evicted from the forest in January, resulting in the killing by police of Manuel Teran, a young activist and medic. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images) The bills state Senate passage comes as activists in the state continue to protest against the building of a police-training facility in the Atlanta woods, dubbed by critics as Cop City. In January of last year, 26-year-old activist Manuel Teran was shot 57 times by police while protesting the training center. There were no charges against the troopers who killed Teran. In September, 61 protesters were arrested and charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for demonstrating in the woods where the training center is being built. And in November, police used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to stop a crowd of approximately 400 people marching to the training center site. Following the bills Senate passage on Thursday, the Southern Center For Human Rights sent a letter to the Atlanta City Council and Fulton County Board of Commissioners condemning the curtailing of no-cash bail. The language of SB 63 unnecessarily limits the ability of charities, direct aid agencies, and other groups to provide crucial fee-free financial support to incarcerated individuals and their families, the group said in a statement. This bill would hinder any opportunity to advance critical, progressive reforms, the statement added. The bill will now be transferred to the Republican-controlled state House for a vote. NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights Feb. 2, 2024 NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is submitted by Bill Donohue, President, Catholic League: President Biden's pick of John Podesta to replace John Kerry as his top climate envoy is revealing on several fronts. All three Catholics worship at the altar of climate control more than they do the altar of the Magisterium, or the teaching body of the Catholic Church. In the case of Podesta, not only is his fidelity misplaced, he has actively sought to subvert the Catholic Church. To be specific, we learned in 2016 that Wikileaks documents from 2012 showed how Podesta created Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, a bogus lay Catholic entity. He did so with the express purpose of mobilizing Catholics to challenge the Catholic hierarchy, forcing changes that advance the left-wing agenda. Catholics in Alliance was funded by George Soros. We fought this shell group from the get-go, exposing them as a fraud. When Wikileaks documents confirmed our allegations, Podesta claimed he could not be anti-Catholic because he is a Catholic. Here is what I said on October 17, 2016, in reply. "Bigotry is determined by what is said and done and does not turn on biographical data. For example, putting a swastika on a synagogue is no less anti-Semitic if done by a Jew. Similarly, making anti-Catholic statements, or engaging in anti-Catholic conduct, is no less anti-Catholic if done by a Catholic." If a non-Catholic president chose Podesta for a senior post in his administration, we would brand it as anti-Catholic. When a president who identifies as a Catholic does it, it is aiding and abetting sabotage within the Catholic Church. Podesta is not only duplicitous about his Catholic status, he is just as duplicitous about his commitment to the environment. Last November, Podesta went with John Kerry, the climate chief at the time, to the U.N.'s COP28 summit. They had a good time hammering fossil fuels. More important, they got there by taking a private jet. Sen. Joni Ernst took note. "Once again, the Biden administration exposes the hypocrisy of their own radical green fantasy." Podesta loves jetting around in private planes. In fact, he averages 11,000 miles per year in private jet travel. He also owns nine luxury cars. In other words, his lifestyle is responsible for emitting so many pollutants into the air that he has to be in the top 1 percent of the nation's polluters. And when he gets to his destination, he bashes polluters. John Podesta is a quintessential phony. That is why he was chosen to be the Climate Czar by our "devout Catholic" president. The Czar of Duplicity is a perfect fit. Contact White House Secretary: Karine.Jean-Pierre@who.eop.gov FILE PHOTO: Icon depicting Joseph Stalin is displayed in Tbilisi amid controversy over its apparent honouring of Soviet leader (Reuters) -A court in Georgia has ordered five days' detention for a woman who defaced a religious icon depicting Soviet leader Josef Stalin, an act which ignited large protests last month in the capital Tbilisi, her lawyers said. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association confirmed in an email to Reuters that Natalia Peradze, also known as Nata, was convicted on Friday of petty hooliganism. A thousands-strong protest erupted in mid-January to demand harsh punishment for Peradze, who was accused of splashing blue paint onto an icon on display in Tbilisi's Holy Trinity Cathedral in an act of protest. A side panel of the icon includes a depiction of the Georgian-born Stalin - an avowed atheist who violently repressed religion across the Soviet Union - being blessed by St Matrona of Moscow, a Russian Orthodox saint, during World War Two. The icon was subsequently removed from the church following the controversy, Georgian media reported. Peradze's lawyers added that they had requested a temporary measure of protection last week due to numerous death threats against her. "After pouring paint on an icon depicting Stalin, Natalia Peradze's life and health were threatened, as she received numerous threatening messages on social networks and violent groups were mobilized near her residence," Veriko Jgerenaia of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association said. Orthodox Church activists and believers as well as far-right groups have agitated for Peradze to be subject to further criminal investigation for what they say was an act that insulted the icon and their beliefs. (Reporting by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) Two more Georgian fighters were killed in Ukraine on Feb. 1, according to the Georgian Legion, one of the more well-known units of foreign fighters operating in Ukraine. Estimates vary, but Georgian media approximates that between 50-60 Georgian soldiers have been killed fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, making it likely the highest death toll of any foreign nationality fighting on the Ukrainian side. In comments to The Kyiv Independent, the Georgian Legion said that at least 59 Georgian fighters had been killed since the beginning of the full-scale war, but the figure was possibly higher. The estimates of foreign fighters from other countries are also inconsistent but are lower, even when accounting for the highest figures provided. RFE/RL's Belarusian service said in January 2024 that at least 38 Belarusian soldiers had been killed fighting on Ukraine's side, making it the closest to the likely number of Georgians killed. The Georgian Legion has been operating in Ukraine since 2014 under the command of outspoken leader Mamuka Mamulashvili, who has an active social media presence. Mamulashvili said he first fought against Russians as a teenager alongside his father in the 1990s in the war in Abkhazia, where Russian-backed proxies and Russian soldiers battled the Georgian government. After the outbreak of war in Ukraine's Donbas region in 2014, Mamulashvili decided to go to Ukraine and form the legion to fight Russian proxies. The unit was originally small, consisting primarily of ethnic Georgians, but has since expanded into a multi-ethnic force that Mamulashvili claimed in 2023 was the "largest foreign military formation" fighting alongside the regular Ukrainian army. According to Mamulashvili, many of the fellow Georgians in the unit were motivated by revenge, having previously lost family members in Russian-backed wars in Georgia. "So, for many guys, it's personal...Ukraine has given them the opportunity to avenge their fathers," he said in a 2023 interview with RBC Ukraine. A mural in Tbilisi, Georgia, on July 31, 2023, depicting Oleksandr Matsiyevskyi, a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW) executed by Russian soldiers on video in March 2023. (Nate Ostiller/The Kyiv Independent) RFE/RL's Georgian service has collected the names of all Georgians confirmed to have been killed in Ukraine since 2022, along with their background and what inspired them to pick up arms and fight Russia on foreign territory. As of September 2023, 51 names are on the list, including ethnic Azeris and Armenians from Georgia, as well as Ukrainian citizens of Georgian origin. The ages of those killed range from as young as 21 to several fighters who died in their 50s. The Georgian population has been strongly supportive of Ukraine's fight against Russia, with many saying that they share a common enemy with Ukrainians. There was concern after the beginning of the full-scale invasion that a Russian victory in Ukraine could spell danger for Georgia. Former Georgian Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli wrote in March 2022 that "the expected danger of a new wave of direct Russian aggression is not particularly high at present." At the same time, he said, "There is definitely a connection between the outcome of the war in Ukraine and the future of the Georgian state." Pro-Ukraine graffiti and murals on a Tbilisi street on Jan. 12, 2024. (Nate Ostiller/The Kyiv Independent) The sentiment about the historical continuity of Russian aggression against its neighbors and those struggling to break free from Russian rule was repeated by many Georgians who fought and died in Ukraine. Davit Ratiani, who was killed battling Russian troops in March 2022 in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv, had previously fought in Abkhazia and the 2008 Russian war on Georgia. He reportedly told his family shortly before his death that "the history of Georgia is repeating itself in Ukraine." When the remains of Ratiani and Gia Beriashvili, another Georgian fighter killed in Irpin, were brought back to Georgia, hundreds gathered at the Tbilisi airport to pay their respects. Public memorials to Georgian fighters killed in Ukraine sprung up around the city, including in front of the Georgian parliament building on central Rustaveli Avenue. A makeshift memorial for Georgian fighters killed in Ukraine in front of the Georgian parliament building on March 25, 2022. (Nate Ostiller/The Kyiv Independent) The Georgian government, under the leadership of now-former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the ruling Georgian Dream party, took a different approach to the flow of Georgian fighters to Ukraine. Georgian Dream party chair Irakli Kobakhidze, recently reported to be the incoming prime minister, warned in December 2022 that Georgian citizens who fought in Ukraine would lose their citizenship. Following a public backlash, Georgian Dream politicians said that the statement simply referred to the laws of Georgia, which prohibit Georgian citizens from serving in foreign militaries' without the permission of the government. The consequence of violating the law is the loss of citizenship. Many other countries, including the U.S., have similar laws in place. Read also: Media: Ruling Georgian Dream party chair Kobakhidze to take over as Georgian PM Garibashvili later publicly offered his condolences to the families of Georgian fighters killed in Ukraine but criticized the Georgian Legion and Mamulashvili for allegedly "recruiting" Georgians. Garibashvili insinuated that Mamulashvili was affiliated with the United National Movement (UNM), the Georgian opposition party founded by former President Mikhail Saakashvili, implying that it was UNM allegedly recruiting Georgians. Georgia's Defense Ministry later made a similar statement criticizing UNM's supposed recruitment tactics after another Georgian was killed in Ukraine. Georgian Dream has remained at odds with the Georgian Legion. In one notable incident in September 2023, the Georgian State Security Service (SSG) accused the Georgian Legion, a former bodyguard of Saakashvili, and Giorgi Lortkipanidze, allegedly a deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence, of plotting a coup against Georgian Dream. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko denied the allegations, and Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence, said Lortkipanidze never worked as deputy head of the country's intelligence. Georgian Dream has taken inconsistent positions on Russia and its full-scale war on Ukraine. Garibashvili drew widespread criticism in May 2023 after he said that Ukraine was partially to blame for Russia's full-scale war. Representatives from Georgian Dream did not vote for the Oct. 13, 2023, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution that declared Russia a dictatorship. Georgia has also refrained from joining sanctions against Russia, often citing that doing so would harm its own economic interests. Georgian Dream tried to enact a foreign agents law in 2023, characterized by some as a "kind of a copy-paste from Russia," but withdrew it from consideration after massive street protests broke out in response. Even as the vast majority of the Georgian population supports Ukraine and is in favor of joining the EU, the government appears to be uncomfortable with the number of Georgians fighting and dying for Ukraine. The makeshift monument previously in front of the Georgian parliament building in the city center is no longer there, having been moved to the site of a memorial for Georgians killed in the war in Abkhazia. While the Abkhaz war memorial is manned by an honor guard and is well-maintained, it is on a street primarily used by cars and sees few pedestrian passersby. A memorial for Georgian and Belarusian fighters killed in Ukraine off of Heroes Square, Tbilisi, Georgia, on Feb. 2, 2024. (Nate Ostiller/The Kyiv Independent) "I would say that 100% of Georgian society is anti-Russian and anti-government. Unfortunately, we received a pro-Russian government," said Mamulashvili in July 2023. Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova all applied for EU membership after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The European Commission offered Georgia candidate status in November 2023, while Moldova and Ukraine were granted official recommendations to begin accession talks. A recent report by the EU's Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) released on Jan. 24 found that Georgia has made only limited progress in its EU-mandated reforms. Basically, in every area, there was a decrease (since 2022) in spite of the fact that the EU rewarded it with the candidate status, said EaP CSF head Alexandra Sabou. Georgia is "trending downward," according to the report's summary. "The contradiction between Georgias aspirations for EU membership and its reluctance to adhere to the EUs foreign policy consensus is glaring," the report's conclusion reads. At the same time, the number of Georgians killed fighting in Ukraine tells a different story. Estimates of the total number of foreigners who volunteered to fight against Russia vary widely. Despite Georgia's 3.7 million population, the number of Georgians killed fighting against Ukraine likely outstrips many other countries allied with Ukraine that have significantly higher populations. "To be honest, I don't see much difference between Georgia and Ukraine. The difference is that we have big mountains, a warmer climate, it's cold here (in Ukraine)," said Zakro Shubitidze, a 30-year-old Georgian fighter killed in Donetsk Oblast in September 2023. "(Our) relatives, of course, are nervous....a little boy and a girl are waiting for me at home. But we believe that we should stop our common enemy here because if we don't do it now, our children will have to do it in the future," Shubitidze said. Read also: Kutelia, Sikharulidze: Ending Putins wars dont forget Georgia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Members of parliament take part in a plenary session to discuss the second Budget Financing Act 2024 at the German Bundestag. Britta Pedersen/dpa The German parliament agreed on Friday to gradually eliminate tax relief on diesel fuel for farmers despite massive protests in recent weeks. Before it can come into force, the law still has to pass the upper house or Bundesrat. The next regular session of the Bundesrat is scheduled for March 22. The planned cuts have caused a wave of demonstrations by farmers, some of whom drove their tractors from all over Germany to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to partly protest against the planned move. The president of the German Farmers' Association, Joachim Rukwied, said on Thursday that there were indications the federal states, which make up the Bundesrat, could put the brakes on the law. "The tax increase on agricultural diesel must be taken off the table," he said. Until now, farms have been able to receive a partial refund of the tax on diesel - with a rebate of 21.48 cents per litre. Germany's governing coalition had at first wanted to scrap the tax relief immediately as it scrambled to fill a hole in the 2024 budget caused by a court order saying funds allocated for coronavirus spending could not be used elsewhere. The government then agreed to a phased end to the tax relief after an initial backlash to the plans, which included Economy Minister Robert Habeck being prevented from leaving a ferry by protesting farmers. The phasing out of the subsidy would be completed by 2026. The government also decided to scrap a planned abolition of the motor vehicle tax exemption for agriculture, but even that has not placated farmers, who are protesting generally about working conditions and falling living standards. The protests have even spread to other EU countries such as France. The German coalition government now wants to discuss possible other ways of offering relief to the agriculture sector and farmers' views must be taken into account, a letter from the parliamentary leaders of the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats said. Dpa saw a copy of the letter on Friday which invites various stakeholders to a "dialogue on sustainable agriculture" on February 21 as part of an existing agriculutre commission. Topics listed for discussion include reducing bureaucracy and strengthening competitiveness. The government has promised concrete measures for the middle of the year to counteract the hit farmers will feel by losing the diesel fuel subsidy, but any financial aid is unlikely given the budget constraints. German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius (R) arrives with his partner Julia Schwanholz at the summer party of the Lower Saxony state government at the Representation of Lower Saxony to the Federal Government. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his partner Julia Schwanholz have married. Annette Riedl/dpa German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his partner Julia Schwanholz have married. The wedding took place a few weeks ago, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said on Friday. Pistorius, 63, and the political scientist - both members of the ruling Social Democrats - have repeatedly made public appearances together. Since Pistorius took over as head of the Defence Ministry more than a year ago, he has quickly become the most popular politician in Germany according to opinion polls. His steadfast support for Ukraine and avuncular manner have won him many fans despite the popularity of his party being on the slide. Flash Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2020 shows the Pentagon seen from an airplane over Washington D.C., the United States. [PhotoXinhua] A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry on Thursday said that China urges the United States to stop its worldwide cyber espionage and cyberattacks, and stop smearing other countries under the excuse of cybersecurity. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a regular news briefing in response to a related query. Wang noted that China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattacks and cracks down on such practices in accordance with the law. He said that the United States jumped to an unwarranted conclusion in the absence of valid evidence, and it has slandered and made groundless accusations against China. "It is extremely irresponsible and is a complete distortion of facts." "China firmly opposes this," Wang said. The United States itself is the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks, Wang said, noting that the U.S. Cyber Force Command openly declared that the critical infrastructure of other countries is a legitimate target for U.S. cyberattacks. Wang said that since last year, China's cybersecurity agencies have released reports revealing the U.S. government's long-running cyberattacks against China's critical infrastructure. Such irresponsible policies and practices have exposed global critical infrastructure to huge risks, said the spokesperson. "We urge the United States to stop its worldwide cyber espionage and cyberattacks, and stop smearing other countries under the excuse of cybersecurity," Wang said. MSNBC A House Republican spoke out Thursday against his partys efforts to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, calling the move a stunt and a political gimmick. Retiring Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) told MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing that whats alleged in the articles of impeachment doesnt rise to the level. The draft legislation claimed Mayorkas willfully and systemically refused to comply with the law by instituting a catch and release scheme that frees migrants while they await immigration court proceedings. Republicans also allege that he knowingly made false statements, and knowingly obstructed lawful oversight of the Department of Homeland Security about border security. This is not a high crime or misdemeanor. Its not an impeachable offense. This is a policy difference, said Buck, who has also bashed his GOP colleagues impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Let me say there is a crisis on the border. The law needs to be enforced, Buck continued. But if we start going down this path of impeachment with a Cabinet official, we are opening a door as Republicans that we dont want to open. The next president who is a Republican will face the same scrutiny from Democrats. Its wrong, and we should not set this precedent. Buck explained that he believes he has done his due diligence by meeting with constitutional experts, former members of Congress, and the staff of the House Homeland Security Committee, among others. If theres some new evidence, Im happy to look at it. But I dont believe there will be, he said. Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas Failures Are Not Impeachable House Republicans can only afford two defections should Mayorkas impeachment be voted on in the full House, with Buck already being one. Jansing noted that three congressmen have thus far not indicated where they stand on the matter, and asked Buck if hes spoken with any of them. I have had some private conversations with one or more of them, he acknowledged, referring to Reps. Tom McClintock (R-CA), Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA). While he declined to get specific, Buck said it wouldnt surprise him if there are two or three Republicans who will vote nomyself and one or two others. An impeachment vote could absolutely backfire, Buck added. I think that it will be looked at as a political gimmick, a stunt. I dont believe it will be taken seriously by the American public, he said. Say we were successful in impeaching Mayorkas, and the Senate convicted him, which is very unlikely. What would happen at that point? President Biden would appoint someone else who agreed with his policies, and I dont believe there would be any remediation on the border. Impeaching Mayorkas has proven to be a tough sell among other conservative voices. The Wall Street Journal editorial board said bluntly that it achieves nothing. Michael Chertoff, the former DHS head in the George W. Bush administration, wrote in The Hill that Republicans have failed to put forth evidence that meets the bar. Former Trump impeachment lawyer Alan Dershowitz has also opposed it, as has conservative lawyer Jonathan Turley, who in 2019 testified against the impeachment of then-President Donald Trump. Biden has been dead wrong on immigration, but voters will soon have an opportunity to render a judgment on those policies in the election, Turley wrote in an opinion piece for The Daily Beast. Mayorkas has carried out those policies. What has not been shown is conduct by the secretary that could be viewed as criminal or impeachable. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Gov. Greg Abbott stopped in Amarillo on Friday to support Texas House candidate Caroline Fairly at Tylers Barbeque. This stop was part of a multi-city visit to throw his support behind candidates in the state, with stops in Frisco and North Richland Hills also scheduled for the same day. With State Rep. Four Price not seeking reelection, Fairly has gotten a slew of endorsements from major politicians across the state, including Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, State Sen. Kevin Sparks, and U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, whom she worked on staff with. Price was one of a group of rural Republicans who joined Democrats in opposing Abbotts school choice plan. Carolines father, Alex Fairly, has donated extensively to push the governors school choice plan. Gov. Greg Abbott sings the praises of Caroline Fairly Friday morning at a fundraiser at Tyler's Barbeque in Amarillo. At the event, Abbott announced that Caroline Fairly would be an ally in getting school choice passed for the state, which means that he likely will gain one more vote of support in the Texas Panhandle, where he did not before if she wins the election. Abbott spoke about his push to reduce illegal immigration and pledged to continue to defy the current administration's efforts to derail what the state has put in effect. In speaking about passing school choice, Abbott says that he seeks to continue his battle against indoctrination in the state schools and feels that the voucher system is a vital tool. He also spoke about his push to keep Texas business growing, praising the efforts in the state for the last decade. He says getting people in the Texas legislature, such as Fairly, is important. You can be the biggest help to me by sending reinforcement in the form of Caroline Fairly, Abbott said. "She and I are going to work together to protect Texas and ensure that we keep Texas the land of opportunity and freedom. Texas house representative candidate Caroline Fairly thanks Gov. Greg Abbott for his support Friday morning at a fundraiser at Tyler's Barbeque in Amarillo. Caroline Fairly spoke to the crowd and emphasized that when she saw the seat was opening, it was important for her to make a difference in this role. These conservative values that you and I believe, we have to defend them, Fairly said. "We do not want to defend these values; we want to promote them all over Texas. When you look around our country, there are a lot of woke ideologies being inundated upon our children. My faith and biblical values are the framework for what I believe. I believe that our faith is the only hope we have as a faith or a nation. A packed house turns out to see Gov. Greg Abbott at a Caroline Fairly fundraiser Friday morning at Tyler's Barbeque in Amarillo. She said that while many see her as too young for the role, she says she believes she is uniquely qualified for the job of representing the district. She cited her work with Jackson and her work in medical care in preparing her for this position. At the end of the day, if you cannot communicate well, build relationships, and essentially convince people why your bill should not be voted on, you will not be effective, Fairly said. I believe it's time for my generation to stand up. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Gov. Greg Abbott throws support behind Caroline Fairly in Amarillo At the end of 2023, Indonesia announced that it would fine palm oil companies operating in its rainforests a total of over $310 million, according to a report from Reuters. The Dec. 22 announcement came from Firman Hidayat, an official from the ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment. Hidayat did not identify the specific companies being fined. However, other recent actions by Indonesias government give context to this decision. In 2020, it created a new set of rules regarding oil palm plantations operating in areas designated as forests. Out of 17 million acres of total oil palm plantations, 3.3 million hectares are located in what should be forests. The owners of about half of that land (1.67 million hectares) have been identified. Whats most important to you when you buy cooking oil? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind Palm oil is found in roughly half of the packaged products in supermarkets. Despite or maybe because of how common it is, its a controversial ingredient because its linked to so much deforestation. The EU recently passed a law to ensure imported products, including palm oil, arent sourced from these deforested areas in the hope of slowing down the destruction. However, rainforests worldwide are still under threat a major problem, given how much of the rain that falls on America may come from clouds generated in African forests. Also, many of the worlds species can only live in these rainforests, and it takes many centuries to restore these complex and ancient habitats once they are cleared away. Last year, Indonesia announced that under its new rules, an initial 200,000 hectares of plantation will be returned to their original state as forest land, with the potential for more to follow. That leaves most of the deforested land still in limbo. According to Reuters, companies that submitted paperwork and paid fines by November 2023 still had a chance to continue cultivating the land they claimed. Individuals around the globe can help fight deforestation by choosing products free from palm oil. Companies like Palmless have bio-designed alternatives that are essentially the same product without the deforestation required to produce it. Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. Flash This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2024 shows the rubble in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. [Photo/Xinhua] The Israeli army has withdrawn from wide areas in the northern Gaza Strip for the first time since the start of the ground operation, eyewitnesses said on Thursday. It is not clear whether the withdrawal is permanent or just a repositioning of Israeli forces, as there has been no comment from the Israeli army about the move. After the Israeli withdrawal, dozens of citizens headed to those areas to inspect their homes, while others retrieved the bodies of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army, according to witnesses. The withdrawal came following reports indicating progress in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which may lead to a ceasefire and the release of Israeli prisoners. On Tuesday, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, announced that his movement had received a proposal for a ceasefire and the release of prisoners that was discussed in a meeting in Paris. He said the movement is open to discussing any serious and practical initiatives or ideas, provided that they lead to a comprehensive cessation of aggression and secure housing for Palestinians who were forced to flee due to occupation and destruction of their homes. On Sunday, senior intelligence and government officials from the U.S., Israel, Qatar and Egypt held a meeting in Paris, discussing a deal to end the Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza. As local ethics investigators dig into government scandals in Miami, state lawmakers in Tallahassee are proposing changes that could reign them in by removing their ability to launch their own investigations into alleged public corruption and ethical violations. The Florida Senate on Thursday passed a broad ethics package that would bar local ethics panels across the state from investigating misconduct by public officials unless someone with personal knowledge of wrongdoing is willing to identify themselves by name and file a complaint under oath. The change would block local government watchdogs from filing their own complaints. The sponsor of the bill says the intent is to create uniform procedures for government watchdog agencies around Florida and prevent politically motivated or frivolous complaints. But in Miami-Dade County, where a self-initiated ethics investigation recently led to the indictment of ex-Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, officials say the proposal would undermine their ability to investigate some of the most egregious instances of ethical and sometimes criminal violations. No more anonymous whistleblowers. No more employees referring information to us. We would be sitting on our hands unless someone comes forward and files a complaint under oath, said Jose Arrojo, the executive director of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. Florida law currently allows locals to adopt their own ethics enforcement procedures, which in some cases include anonymous hotlines. Miami-Dade ethics investigators can launch their own investigations, without needing to rely on a complaint a dynamic that allowed the agency to find ethical violations by ex-North Bay Village Commissioner Andreana Jackson, who later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, among other cases. That means ethics investigators can start cases based off of news reports and anonymous tips, and issue subpoenas as they review whether an allegation warrants a formal investigation. If it does, they have the power to pursue a case. Attorney David Winker, who has submitted complaints in the past and defended clients who have been the subject of ethics complaints, said the proposed changes just doesnt seem good for any of us, and he cant imagine anyone is clamoring for less government oversight of elected officials. Its not like theyre going to fund local political corruption units in every county, right? he said. Youre just eliminating a tool that allows residents to hold their elected officials accountable. Targeting local control of ethics rules It is not entirely clear why the push to strip those investigative powers from local entities is happening now, but it comes at a time when investigations and lawsuits have rocked Miami government and city officials are under scrutiny over gifts and business dealings. Sen. Danny Burgess, the sponsor of Senate Bill 7014, said on Thursday that the purpose of the local preemption is to add more protections from more malicious or meritless attempts that are politically motivated. He said he is trying to bring uniformity to the ethics complaint process in Florida. At the end of the day we want to balance the ability of fairness for both the victim of a circumstance alleging something has happened but also the one who is an alleged violator, Burgess, a Republican, said when debating the proposal on the Senate floor on Thursday. To ensure ethics complaints are based on merit, he said it was important to make sure that complaints across the state bear the name of the accuser and that the allegations are written, signed under oath and based upon personal knowledge or information other than hearsay. If a complaint does not meet that criteria, the complaint would be dismissed even if the allegations were true. Local ethics commissions would also be barred from investigating those allegations on their own, without the backing of a legally sufficient complaint. The push to change local ethics rules is part of a growing trend by Republican leaders in the Florida Legislature to shift control of local issues to the state. Burgess, for example, said Thursday that the goal was to target local ethics boards that have more stringent standards than the Florida Commission on Ethics in order to avoid forum shopping. The language targeting local ethics rules was crafted after Burgess said he talked to several elected officials, the commission on Ethics, and others. He did not reveal names. After speaking with many stakeholders, I felt comfortable moving in this direction, he said in a text message to the Herald/Times on Friday. Arrojo, the executive director of the Miami-Dade ethics commission, says he has not had the opportunity to talk to Burgess about the bill. But, he said, It would be a bad thing for us. A similar bill moving in the Florida House does not include the language Burgess has proposed that would strip local ethics panels ability to file complaints and investigations. Gov. Jeff Landry said Louisiana owes it to victims and their families to resume executions of prisoners sentenced to the death penalty and he will ask legislators to expand methods to carry out the ultimate punishment. "There are a lot of families that live a nightmare each and every day over the tragic and senseless violence that has occurred to their loved ones," Landry said this week during a press conference. "Families deserve their day of justice." Louisiana is one of 27 states where the death penalty still exists, though it's been 13 years since a prisoner was executed. The state last carried out an execution on January 7, 2010, putting Gerald Bordelon to death by lethal injection after he waved his appeals. His execution was the 28th in Louisiana in the modern era of the death penalty. Since then corrections officials have said they've been unable to secure the drugs necessary to carry them out. Landry, a Republican who took office last month, has long blamed his predecessor former Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards for keeping the pause in executions in place. Landry, who while he was attorney general called for executions by hangings, firing squads and electrocution if lethal injection isn't available, said during a 2019 hearing justice is being denied as long as death row inmates continue "to live and breathe" in Louisiana. He noted this week that "states around us are finding ways and methods to execute those who have been convicted and sentenced." That was likely a reference to Alabama, where last week the state executed Kenneth Smith by requiring him to breathe pure nitrogen gas to cause oxygen deprivation. It was the first time the method was used in the U.S. Alabama officials called the execution humane, but opponents related it to torture. Louisiana's death row. Louisiana has about 60 prisoners on death row. Landry called the death sentences a "contractual obligation to victims." "I and the Legislature are going to fulfill our commitments," he said. Annual efforts by some state lawmakers to abolish the death penalty have failed to gain any traction. Only once, in 2019, has a bill to abolish the death penalty even made it out of a House or Senate committee for full debate in either chamber. Even then, former Democratic state Rep. Terry Landry shelved the bill when it became clear he didn't have the votes in the House. Sister Helen Prejean of Louisiana, whose decades-long crusade to abolish the death penalty was most famously illustrated in her best-selling book "Dead Man Walking," has been among those crusading against the death penalty in her home state. "In our Catholic faith we are pro-life not just for innocents but for the guilty," she said at the Louisiana Capitol in 2022. "We need to be a real pro-life state. No matter how grave the crime we can't entrust the government with the ability to take lives." Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge Bishop Michael Duca has called the death penalty "an assault against the dignity of life" that denies those convicted of the most heinous crimes the opportunity to repent. "All it does is demean us," he said. In 2019, Landry, who is Catholic, said "some bishops chastise us" for supporting the death penalty, but said the Catholic church had supported the death penalty "for 2,000 years." And there are others of the Christian faith who argue scripture supports the death penalty. That was also the case in 2019 when the Rev. Will Hall, a Baptist minister, said: "There are times when this punishment is appropriate." More: Governor Jeff Landry names team to restore and protect Louisiana's disappearing coastline Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Jeff Landry says Louisiana has obligation to resume death penalty executions Semafor Signals Insights from Gizmodo, Georgetown University, and Science|Business The News In an attempt to determine how useful its tools would be to malicious actors, OpenAI had good news, sort of: GPT-4 its most powerful AI software poses at most a slight risk in helping someone create a biological threat. The artificial intelligence research company said Wednesday that it created a tripwire to indicate whether having access to its large language model (LLM) would make it easier for someone to access information that would help them commit an act of bioterrorism such as engineering and spreading a deadly virus. This research is part of OpenAIs broader Preparedness Framework that the company hopes will safeguard against AI-fueled threats. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. OpenAI could be downplaying concerns in response to US lawmakers Sources: Gizmodo, Roll Call, Reuters Facing pressure from policymakers, OpenAI would like to ease our concerns that its large language models barely help at all in creating bioweapons, Gizmodo wrote of the companys study. But hey, whats a few percentage points when the outcome is, oh I dont know, the end of humanity? the outlet joked. Last year, a group of scientists at Harvard and MIT conducted a study suggesting that capable future LLM-powered chatbots could help malicious actors cause pandemics unless properly safeguarded. As AI has grown in popularity, U.S. lawmakers have called for urgent protections against such AI-fueled threats that have been the subject of much debate in the last year. Some leading industry executives, including OpenAIs CEO Sam Altman, have appeared to agree with Congress over the need to regulate AI. In testimony at a senate committee last year, Altman, said, I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong, adding, We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening. Biorisk is already out there Sources: OpenAI, Georgetown University One of the OpenAI projects main takeaways was that biorisk information is relatively easy to find, even without help from AI. Online resources and databases have more dangerous content than we realized, the report found, though bioterrorism is still rare. A December study from Georgetown Universitys Center for Security and Emerging Technology drew the same conclusion: Biorisk is already possible without AI, even for non-experts. However, AI executives have warned that some AI tools can fill the gap left by non-AI sources in developing bioweapons. Certain steps in bioweapons production involve knowledge that cant be found on Google or in textbooks and requires a high level of expertise, AI company Anthropics chief executive Dario Amodei said. We found that todays AI tools can fill in some of these steps. AI tools could amplify bioterrorism threats, but also counter them Sources: Science|Business, Axios If you look at individual AI tools in isolation, its possible that you could underestimate the risk that they pose, said a microbiology researcher at Birmingham University. But if a chatbot is integrated with a biological design tool and a robotics platform, she warned, the threat could increase greatly. On the other hand, researchers say AI could also help develop antibodies for viruses, blunting the risk of a successful bioterrorism operation. A group of Celery Fields Explorers learn bird identification. The Sarasota Audubon Society program for children in grades K-8 includes a variety of outdoor learning activities at the Celery Fields and at the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. Celery Fields Explorers, a Sarasota Audubon Society education program for children in grades K-8, recently received a $10,000 grant from the Olga Lee Fund for Global Conservation and Women Entrepreneurship at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation Led by Around the Bend Nature Tours, Celery Fields Explorers involves a variety of outdoor learning activities at the Celery Fields and at the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. The grant will help to cover the cost of transportation as well as the education classes for more than 900 area students. For some children, it will be their first time at the Celery Fields, learning about our native birds and wildlife, said Jeanne Dubi, president of Sarasota Audubon. We are immensely grateful to the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for their support of this important program. Around the Bend Nature Tours is a Southwest Florida-based environmental education and eco-tour provider. Professional guides provide nature experiences, including private excursions, for schools and families at parks and preserves in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Exploring birds, wildlife, and plants Celery Fields Explorers learn about the diversity of birds, wildlife, and plant species in a wetland habitat while learning about the importance of the Celery Fields as a stormwater filtering facility and birding hotspot. Founded in 2013, more than 5,000 students have participated in the program. Celery Fields Explorers learn about the diversity of birds, wildlife, and plant species. Founded in 2013, more than 5,000 students have participated in the program. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation is proud to support the Celery Fields Explorers program that enriches students from all backgrounds with important outdoor, educational experiences," Gulf Coast president Phillip Lanham said. "We support investing in our environment to offer a brighter future for all, including our students, and we applaud Sarasota Audubon and Around the Bend Nature Tours for facilitating this program. To find out more about the Celery Fields program and see student work from previous years, including poems, drawings and letters, visit sarasotaaudubon.org/explorer-program.Sarasota Audubon is dedicated to the protection, conservation, and enjoyment of birds, wildlife, and the environment in Sarasota. Using a combination of science and education, Sarasota Audubon conserves and restores natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earths biological diversity. For more information, visit sarasotaaudubon.org. Around the Bend Nature Tours also provides weekly nature walks at The Bay Park in Sarasota on Wednesdays at 9 and 10 a.m. For more information, visit aroundbend.com. Submitted by Suzanne Dameron This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Audubons eco program for children gets funding boost ATHENS (Reuters) -The Greek government promised help with energy costs for farmers on Friday, including a one-year extension of a tax rebate for agricultural diesel, hoping to calm protests by farmers who are also seeking fast compensation for losses in flooding. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament the diesel measure would cost the state 82 million euros ($89.31 million) in 2024 and announced additional steps to help farmers. "Things will improve for our farmers... and solving their problems is in the heart of our government's priorities," he said. Farmers have been setting up blockades in central and northern Greece, echoing protests by farmers in other parts of Europe, and have threatened to step up their action unless the government helps them cope with higher energy prices and the growing impact of climate change. Mitsotakis, who met protesting farmers in central Greece this week, said PPC, Greece's biggest power utility, would offer an extra 10% rebate on electricity for farmers from May to September. The government also promised that farmers' overdue power and water bills will be settled. Farmers said the actions announced were not enough and unions will convene after a planned rally on Saturday to decide their next moves. "The measures ... are not adequate. We want a permanent tax exemption on diesel," said Rizos Maroudas, president of the farmers federation in Larissa in central Greece. Thousands of farmers in Thessaly, one of Greece's breadbasket regions, saw swathes of crops and thousands of animals submerged in flood water when two rainstorms hit the area in September. Sixteen people died in the floods. Mitsotakis said the state will spend in total 3.3 billion euros over the coming years to repair damage in Thessaly. (Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou and Renee MaltezouEditing by William Maclean and Frances Kerry) Uni the groundhog took his yearly trip down the Tulpehocken Creek in Myerstown on Friday before giving his call on whether there would be an additional six weeks of winter this year. About 150 people attended the Groundhog Day event, held early in the morning at the Myerstown Community Park. Before Uni's trip down the river, adults and children alike stopped to take pics with Uni, some sporting Groundhog Day memorabilia. At around 8 a.m., Uni was floated down the creek, and had a quick conversation in Dutch with forecaster Donald Hickernell of the Union Canal Groundhog Lodge No. 17 (in Dutch, Grundsau Lodsch Nummer Siwwezeh am Union Kanaal) after he was pulled out. Uni the Groundhog took his 43rd trip down the Tulpehocken on Friday and gave his prediction on whether there would be six more weeks of winter, or an early spring. Hickernell said that Uni did not see his shadow, predicting that there would be early spring. He also said that Uni told him there would be some rain and some snow. Prior to the forecast, the lodge held a brief moment of silence for Earl Hehnly, a member of the lodge who passed away in late January. Lodge member Donald Hickernell had a brief conversation with Uni before announcing first in Dutch, and then in English, that Uni did not see his shadow, meaning an early spring this year. Punxsutawney Phil made a similar prediction on Friday, not seeing his shadow and predicting and early spring. This is Uni's 43rd boat trip down Tulpehocken Creek and forecast. Edwin Engle, president of the lodge, said that holding the Groundhog Day event is a fun way to keep the legacy of the Pennsylvania Dutch alive, which he described as quickly fading. He was pleased with the large turnout for this event and attributed most of it on the good weather and little rain. Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Uni the Groundhog: Will there be six more weeks of winter? A number of Palestinian-Americans refused to attend a roundtable meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday to discuss the situation in Gaza in protest against the Biden administrations ongoing support for Israels offensive in the war-torn strip a military campaign that has exacted a massive humanitarian toll. We do not know what more Secretary Blinken or President (Joe) Biden need to hear or see to compel them to end their complicity in this genocide, several of those who rejected the invitation said in a press statement distributed by the non-profit Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU). They show us every day whose lives they value and whose lives they consider disposable. We will not be attending this discussion which can only amount to a box-ticking exercise. Our families, our community and all Palestinians deserve better, the signatories wrote. There is one thing that we, our community and countless others around the US and the world, including American unions representing nearly 8 million workers and at least 47 US cities, have been asking of this administration: to demand a permanent ceasefire to save Palestinians lives and stop the destruction of Gaza, they wrote. A meeting of this nature at this moment in time is insulting and performative. Blinken and other members of the Biden administration have called on Israel to do more to protect civilians and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. The officials, however, have continually rejected the idea of a ceasefire, instead advocating for humanitarian pauses. Thursdays meeting with Blinken comes amid continued outrage from many progressive Democrats, Muslim and younger voters about the administrations handling of Gaza opposition that poses a growing political problem for Biden. The refusal of several invitees to attend underscores the immense anger felt by many in the United States including some within the federal government over the toll from the conflict, which was launched following Hamas brutal attack on Israel on October 7. More than 26,000 have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and Gaza is on the brink of famine. More than 200 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the offensive. Six people did attend the meeting, a source familiar told CNN, and those who attended felt conflicted about doing so, but felt they should take advantage of the opportunity to speak to the need for urgent change in US policy toward Gaza. Soul-searching One of the invitees to the roundtable, Dr. Tariq Haddad, said in an intensely personal, 12-page letter to Blinken that he initially intended to go to the meeting. However, after a lot of soul-searching I have decided that I cannot in good conscience meet with you today knowing this administrations policies have been responsible for the death of over 80 of my family members including dozens of children, the suffering of hundreds of my remaining family, the famine my family is currently subjected to and the destruction of all my familys homes, Haddad wrote in the letter. The more I thought about this meeting, the more I could not emotionally bring myself to look you in the eyes, Secretary Blinken, knowing you and President Biden have knowingly contributed to the suffering and murder of so many of my family, the homelessness and dispossession of 2 million Gazans, and the famine that has befallen my remaining family members, Haddad said. How does one meet for what I was told would be 3 minutes, with a person you hold responsible for not just the killing of your child, but rather the murder of over 80 of your family members? he asked in his letter. How do I look you in the eyes knowing you couldnt even do the basic minimum like calling for a ceasefire to end the suffering and carnage, and even worse, are cutting off humanitarian assistance to 2 million people going through a famine of historic proportions, he wrote, appearing to reference the suspension of US aid to the UNs main relief agency in Gaza, UNRWA. My family are subsisting on animal feed, Secretary Blinken, because of your policies, he said. You could have called for a cease-fire at any point in the past four months and ended all this suffering and death, and you have not. You could have used your diplomatic pressure to end the suffering, and you chose not to. You could have recognized that shutting off aid to an area that is experiencing the worst famine and human rights disaster in modern history is unethical, yet you chose not to. This is why it is very difficult emotionally for me to meet you today, to somehow normalize a meeting with an administration that continues day after day to cause so much suffering and death with their policies, he wrote. Haddad urged Blinken to call for an immediate ceasefire, end the continued transfer of US military reserve equipment to the Israeli military to stop further murder, call for an immediate withdrawal out of Gaza and equality for the Palestinian people, and a call for an end to the Israeli occupation, for equal rights, freedoms, and laws in this land regardless of ones religion, ethnicity, or background. Haddad told CNN that the letter in which he also included photos of some of his relatives who have been killed was going to be handed directly to Blinken at Thursdays meeting. The source familiar with the meeting said some parts of it were read out loud to the top US diplomat during the hour-and-a-half long session at the State Department. That source said Blinken seemed engaged, but largely stuck to talking points in his remarks. At a briefing Thursday, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller confirmed that Blinken met with a number of leaders in the Palestinian-American community. It was the latest in a series of meetings that the Secretary has had with individuals and organizations both within the department and from outside the department that hold a wide range of views across the ideological and political spectrum, Miller said. He has held these meetings because he thinks its important to hear directly from individuals as I said, both inside the State Department and outside the State Department. He finds that process to be constructive. It informs his thinking. It helps him, he believes, shape policy in the best way possible, he said. Public opposition And while Blinken was quietly confronted behind closed doors about the administrations policy toward Gaza on Thursday, members of the administration, including Blinken, have also faced public displays of opposition. A number of protesters have camped in front of Blinkens house since last Friday to try to pressure a change in policy. At a public speech on Tuesday, Samantha Power, head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was twice confronted about the administrations position toward Gaza. One questioner, who identified herself as a USAID contractor, asked Power about the loss of the US ability to be moral leaders due to the US funded genocide in Gaza. Another person interrupted her speech to raise the massive humanitarian toll. It is a devastating situation where not enough resources are getting in, via the Rafah crossing or the Kerem Shalom crossing, Power said. And we are working 24/7 to try to dramatically expand the flow of food, medicine, shelter I mean, so much is needed. But, you know, you have families right now that are living in unimaginable conditions. In addition, of course, the greatest loss of life has come from the war itself and from the bombing, and more than 25,000 civilians have been killed. There is not a single call that President Biden makes, or engagement that anybody in the Biden administration does, that doesnt put the importance of civilian protection and international humanitarian law, at the top of the conversation, she said. A USAID spokesperson said that since the start of this conflict, Administrator Power and other Agency leadership have held numerous engagements with staff in the US and at USAID Missions around the world to discuss the US and USAID response to the conflict, offer appreciation for their work, and hear a range of perspectives and concerns. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A group of people chilling on a sauna boat sailed to a Tesla's rescue after the vehicle plunged into an icy fjord An unlikely saviour came to a sinking Tesla's rescue in Oslo. Guests on a floating sauna boat noticed the electric vehicle had plunged into an icy fjord. The boat's skipper said the Tesla's two occupants were able to warm themselves with the sauna. A Tesla vehicle and its occupants were headed straight for the icy depths of an Oslo fjord on Thursday when they were rescued by people on a floating sauna boat that happened to be nearby. "One of the guests came running and alerted me that a car had fallen into the water. Then I went full throttle toward the people who came climbing out of the car," the boat's skipper, Nicholay Nordahl, told the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang. Oslo police confirmed the incident in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on the same day. Rescue personnel were later able to retrieve the Tesla with a crane. The driver of the Tesla told Verdens Gang that he thought the car was in park when he stepped on its accelerator. The mistake sent the car diving straight into the icy fjord. Verdens Gang did not provide the names of the driver and his passenger. The Tesla's driver and passenger could be seen climbing onto the vehicle's roof as it began to sink, per a video obtained by Verdens Gang. The vehicle was barely visible in the video when Nordahl's boat approached the Tesla's occupants. Nordahl told Verdens Gang that the driver and the passenger later warmed themselves up with the sauna on board. Read the original article on Business Insider Flash Fragments of the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the U.S. Patriot air defense system were detected at the crash site of the Il-76 transport aircraft, Russian investigators said in a statement Thursday. "According to the conclusions made during the investigation, fragments seized from the crash site... are design elements of the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the U.S. Patriot complex," the investigative committee said in a Telegram post. A total of 116 fragments of two anti-aircraft missiles with inscriptions in English were found near the crash site of the plane, it said. The probe also discovered at the crash site body fragments and some partially preserved personal documents. Genetic tests have confirmed that the body fragments belonged to the 65 Ukrainian military personnel, six crew members, and three military police officers who died as a result of the crash. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Moscow has openly called for an international investigation into the incident. However, the West seems to be disinterested. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed on Jan. 24 that Ukraine had launched two missiles at a Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft, killing all 74 people on board. Semafor Signals Insights from Haaretz, Foreign Affairs, and The New York Times The News A growing number of Western countries are reconsidering their policy on recognizing Palestinian statehood, as the war in Gaza creates a renewed push for a two-state solution to bring about lasting peace with Israel. The U.S. State Department is reviewing options for a possible recognition of a Palestinian state, Axios reported, potentially in exchange for normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. EU officials have emphasized that a two-state solution is the only credible solution to the conflict. And British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said last month that there should be irreversible progress towards the creation of a Palestinian state although a government spokesperson said his comments did not represent a change in policy. Even so, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has doubled down on his opposition to a fully independent Palestinian state, saying he will not compromise on full Israeli security control over Gaza and the West Bank. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. A nascent Biden Middle East strategy may include Palestinian statehood Sources: Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, Vox In an article for Foreign Affairs written shortly before Hamas Oct. 7 attacks, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan wrote that the Middle East was quieter today than it has been in two decades. (The words have since been removed from the online version of the article.) For critics, the words were an indictment of the Biden administrations lack of focus on the Middle East. But there are growing signs that a new Biden doctrine is emerging to tackle the growing crisis, with a demilitarized Palestinian state a central strand, The New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman wrote. Biden administration officials have been talking to experts inside and outside the U.S. government to establish how such a state might look, he wrote. Opinions are split on impact of potential US recognition Sources: Los Angeles Times, Gregg Carlstrom on X Josh Paul, a former State Department official who resigned in protest over U.S. arms transfers to Israel following the Hamas attack, wrote in an opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times that U.S. recognition of Palestinian statehood would create a more even playing field for negotiations, moving the focus from the occupier and the occupied to two entities that are equal in the eyes of international law. But recognition alone will have little impact unless Israel agrees to work towards a two-state solution, Gregg Carlstrom, The Economists Middle East correspondent, wrote on X. The only way U.S. recognition of an independent Palestine would make a real difference is if its accompanied by serious pressure/punitive measures on Israel, Carlstrom wrote on X. Israeli opposition to an independent Palestine goes deeper than Netanyahu Sources: Foreign Affairs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Gallup, Haaretz Netanyahu and his rightwing administration are to blame for the lack of progress towards a two-state solution, two former Israeli officials and an entrepreneur-activist argue in Foreign Affairs, stating that partition, despite the security risks it might pose, is essential to preserve Israels identity as a democratic state for the Jewish people. But even a moderate Israeli government that supported a two-state solution would find their ability to act in the short term limited by the Israeli publics utter lack of faith that they can live safely alongside a Palestinian state, according to Israeli political scientist Jonathan Rynhold. One Gallup poll conducted in the weeks after Hamas attack on Israel showed that only 25% of Israelis supported a two-state solution, while 65% were against it. Given the widespread fear and trauma in Israel, talk of a two-state solution is nothing more than grand posturing, a former Israeli official wrote in Haaretz. Three Democrats and two Republicans will face off to replace state Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Saugus), who is vacating his seat in 2024 because of term limits. The candidates are running for office in Senate District 23, which includes the Antelope, Santa Clarita, and Victor valleys. The region is a swing district and both parties are fighting to win the seat. As of October, about 40% of the 575,318 registered voters in Senate District 23 were registered Democratic and about 30% were Republican. About 21% of voters had no party preference and the remaining identified themselves as part of other parties, according to data from the California Secretary of State's office. The competitive race includes familiar political faces such as Democratic challenger Kipp Mueller, who narrowly lost to incumbent Wilk in 2020, and former Republican Assemblymember Suzette Valladares. Mueller has raised at least $465,775 in contributions, data from the California Secretary of State's Office shows. Valladares has raised at least $407,854. The Los Angeles Times asked the candidates to respond to written questions about why they're running and how they would address major issues as a state lawmaker. One of the candidates, Victorville City Council member Blanca Gomez, didn't respond to the questions despite multiple attempts to contact the candidate. Who are the candidates? Kipp Mueller, Democrat, civil rights attorney. Mueller works for the law firm Brent & Fiol and his areas of practice include employment and labor. Mueller previously worked at the U.S. Department of Justice Consumer Protection Branch and the Santa Clara District Attorneys Office. Mueller grew up in California and lives in Santa Clarita. The California Democratic Party, major labor unions and politicians including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta have endorsed his candidacy. "Our district has always been last in line. Im running to finally secure the resources our community deserves," Mueller said in a statement. Suzette Valladares, Republican, nonprofit executive director. Valladares is the executive director of the LAPD Devonshire Police Activity League Supporters, a nonprofit that teams up with law enforcement to offer activities for young people such as mentoring and tutoring. The Republican candidate previously served as an Assembly member from 2020 to 2022. Valladares has also worked for the Republican National Committee and former Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon. She lives in Acton, a small community in Los Angeles County. The San Bernardino County Republican Party, law-enforcement groups and politicians including Wilk and Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) have endorsed Valladares. "In the State Assembly, I was a problem solver and delivered on new protections for victims of crime, led the charge on lower costs on energy, and helping homeless families get needed shelter," she said in a statement. "We can lower taxes & protect our communities." James DJ Hamburger, Republican, battalion staff officer in the Army National Guard. Hamburger is also a high school French teacher, firefighter and a board member of the iLEAD Charter Schools District. A resident of Santa Clarita, Hamburger says he's lived in the region his whole life. "Now I teach in our district and have witnessed our schools decline," he said in a statement, adding that he's concerned about crime and homelessness. "I am passionate about finding solutions to these problems." Ollie McCaulley, Democrat, business executive. McCaulley is the chief executive and president of Gonzales-McCaulley Investment Group, which provides online training on contracting, risk management, appropriations law and other topics. He's served as a police officer and in the United States Marine Corps. He has also worked as a minister. His campaign touted him as "a compassionate leader committed to fostering unity, trust, and equity within his community." Blanca Gomez, Democrat, Victorville City Council member. Gomez also works as an American Sign Language interpreter for the deaf. During her time as a City Council member, Gomez faced allegations of unemployment fraud and was arrested in February on suspicion of disturbing a council meeting, according to reports from the Victorville Daily Press. She lives in the High Desert region in California and has three children. Where is the district? This district encompasses parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, and includes the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Victorville and Hesperia. Homelessness Addressing homelessness is a top priority for the candidates. In California, 181,399 people were experiencing homelessness in January 2023, more than other states, according to a report released in December from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mueller pointed to funding for affordable housing, expanding mental health services and assistance for those on the brink of homelessness as part of the solution. Valladares said the state should "replace open drug markets with mandated treatment." Her campaign's website says that homeless people who are on "unhealthy and dangerous public sidewalks" should be moved into care facilities and housing that can treat mental health issues and addiction even if they refuse to leave the streets. Read more: What's on the 2024 California primary election ballot? Hamburger said lawmakers should support charities that help the homeless but also be wary about how they go about trying to solve the problem. "Our cost of living, mental illness/substance abuse, crime rates, and homelessness are all inextricably intertwined. These factors should be assessed on an individual basis because we know that blanket solutions do not work," he said in a statement. McCaulley said he would seek to "find the root cause of homelessness and tackle it from that point." Californians will also vote on a $6.8-billion bond measure this year known as Proposition 1 that aims to address homelessness by funding more than 11,000 new treatment beds and supportive housing units along with mental-health and drug-addiction treatment. Mueller said he supports Proposition 1 while Hamburger opposes the measure. Valladares and McCaulley said they were undecided. Schools and education Mueller, who's endorsed by labor unions that represent teachers and school employees, says on his campaign website that he'll push to provide more resources for students, teachers and other school staffers. His mom was a longtime community college counselor for students with disabilities. One of his priorities also includes "ensuring our children are safe from gun violence." Valladares's campaign's website says she would support public charter schools and empowering parents with more choices. She served as the executive director of the Southern California chapter of Autism Speaks and ran Little Steps of Faith, a nonprofit that provides childcare to underserved families in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. While she was in the Assembly, she authored a bill that became law that made low-income dual-language learners eligible for priority enrollment in state subsidized child-development services programs. She also authored legislation aimed at school safety, but it didn't reach the Senate floor for a vote. Hamburger, a teacher, is advocating for smaller class sizes, a reform of public education funding, along with more teacher, parent and community involvement in education. To address school safety, he's pushing for more funding for school resource officers, closed school perimeters, single points of entry and helping students with resiliency and mental health. Hamburger was a teacher at Saugus High School during a 2019 shooting that left two students dead. School safety isn't the only issue on the mind of parents and teachers. McCaulley said he thinks trade schools need more support. "Trade schools have but disappeared and traditional college is not for everyone," he said in a statement. The candidates were asked their position on policies that would require that teachers notify parents if their child asks to use a different pronouns in class or otherwise makes gender identity decisions. Mueller didn't provide an answer to that question. McCaulley and Valladares said they were undecided. Hamburger said that parents should be involved but not by the teacher. "Gender identity issues should be handled through the Health Office as teachers nor the school board are mental health experts," he said in a statement. Affordability Valladares, Hamburger and McCaulley said they would support limiting regulatory red tape to decrease costs to consumers, and support proposals to pause or repeal the gas tax. Valladares says on her campaign website that she would work to keep property taxes low and combat fees that would increase energy prices. She also supported expanding the eligibility of the state's safety net. Mueller's campaign website said he would work to "build a robust middle class so that jobs are available, businesses are thriving, and all of us feel secure that our bills will be paid, food will be on the table, and we'll be able to save money for our families futures." He supports rebuilding infrastructure and a "green energy economy." Related coverage Read more: Why does Los Angeles have so much homelessness? Read more: How conservatives are waging a coordinated, anti-LGBTQ+ culture war in California schools How and where to vote Read more California election guides More election news 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. February 1 was the first day of Wayne LaPierre's retirement after 30 years at the helm of the NRA. Gun control and gun safety advocates said they were not sorry to see him go. "Disastrous and extreme," one advocate said of LaPierre's long tenure. Thursday was longtime NRA leader Wayne LaPierre's first day of retirement after 30 years leading the gun-rights group. He spent the day in the front row of his ongoing civil corruption trial in New York, where officials allege he violated not-for-profit laws by spending millions of donor dollars on personal expenses and lucrative contracts for cronies. LaPierre has denied the allegations. Gun control and gun safety advocates say they're not sorry to see LaPierre go. A few took the opportunity to unload, so to speak, to Business Insider on what they described as LaPierre's bullet-riddled legacy. "His legacy will ultimately be one of corruption, mismanagement, and the untold destruction gun violence has brought to every American community," said Nick Suplina, a senior vice president at Everytown for Gun Safety. "Years from now, people won't remember the private jets, expensive suits, and yachts," Suplina added. "They'll remember the lives lost and the irreparable damage the NRA, under LaPierre, has done to our country." Gun safety groups are growing in strength as the NRA's "doom spiral" quickens, Suplina said. "Wayne LaPierre's legacy is one of lies, deceit, and manipulation leading to a uniquely American epidemic of gun violence," said Kris Brown, who heads the gun group Brady. "By selling the big lie that more guns make us safer, he has shattered our sense of safety and created a public health crisis that is now the number one killer of our kids," she said. "Just because Wayne is gone does not mean our fight for a country free from gun violence is over." An NRA spokesperson and a rep for LaPierre did not immediately respond to requests for comment. LaPierre announced last month that he would retire on January 31 due to the side effects of chronic Lyme disease. Low points in LaPierre's career include his response to the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, gun-safety advocates said. "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," LaPierre had said in a statement responding to the shooting, which he issued amid his retreat to a friend's yacht. It called for armed police officers in every school. "LaPierre has been the face of the gun lobby's disastrous and extreme agenda for three decades, including its opposition to background checks on all gun sales, advocacy for special protection for bad actors in the gun industry, and a push to create 'a guns everywhere for anyone' society," according to a joint statement from Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action, and Students Demand Action. On Thursday, LaPierre listened to testimony against him in the AG case from NRA board member and former vice president Lt. Col. Willes Lee. Lawyers for Attorney General Letitia James are expected to rest their case Monday against the NRA, LaPierre, and two other longtime executives at the gun lobby. The defense teams are expected to wrap their cases by mid-February. Read the original article on Business Insider ALLENDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Grand Valley State University has added safety barriers to a bridge following a student-led effort to prevent deaths by suicide. In December 2021, a freshman died by suicide at the Little Mac Bridge. It was reportedly the fourth death by suicide on the bridge since 1977. That stirred a GVSU senior at the time, Logan Congdon, into action. It felt like something had to be done, Congdon told News 8 in March 2022. Because you cant save the people weve already lost, but we can save people that might have these thoughts in the future. Little Mac Bridge on Grand Valley State Universitys Allendale campus. (Feb. 1, 2024) The bridge hangs over a 70-foot-deep ravine and previously had side railings only about 5 feet high. Students walk across the bridge all the time. It basically connects all of our student housing from south campus into our north campus, said Magdalyn Hallead, a GVSU sophomore and the Student Senates executive vice president, told News 8 Thursday. A lot of our classes are right next to the Little Mac Bridge and also freshman housing is all right there. After the students death, Congdon and another senior, Reagan McLaughlin, petitioned on Change.org to add a safety barrier on the bridge. My very first day on campus, my welcome tour guide told me that somebody had jumped off the bridge previously, McLaughlin told News 8 in March 2022. I kind of thought to myself, This is ridiculous this is still being allowed to happen,' McLaughlin later said. As it turns out, the student body overwhelmingly agreed with Congdon and McLaughlin. Nearly 35,000 people signed the petition. Reflecting nearly two years after his graduation, Congdon told News 8 Thursday that despite all the signatures, he wasnt fully convinced things would change. I think even when we were gathering those signatures, there was a feeling between the both of us that we might not be taken seriously, action might not be taken, Congdon said. But it did, and I think thats wonderful. New Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital blended unit aims to serve whole child In March 2022, GVSUs Student Senate passed legislation urging administration to take action. The Student Senate body believes that the possible aesthetic drawbacks and monetary costs should not be a deterrent to establishing further safety measures on Little Mac for the purpose of saving lives, the resolution read. The university eventually listened to the student body. In May 2023, construction began on a $1.3 million project to add an open-air cover to the bridge, acting as a much higher barrier. Chris Knape, a GVSU spokesperson, told News 8 Thursday that the money covered maintenance, inspections and other work. Little Mac Bridge on Grand Valley State Universitys Allendale campus. (Feb. 1, 2024) Little Mac Bridge on Grand Valley State Universitys Allendale campus. (Feb. 1, 2024) Knape explained that guard rails on the Little Mac Bridge were already scheduled to be replaced, creating an opportunity to improve safety. It was agreed that replacing the guardrails with a fully enclosed bridge deck would offer an improved sense of security, including continuous LED lighting, while preserving the aesthetics of the bridge and the beautiful views as you walk across, he said. The inspiration for the open air cover came from the Transformational Link sculpture which is located in the Great Lakes Plaza to the south. Construction on the modified bridge was finished by August 2023. Congdon visited campus last summer to find out his vision had become reality. Ill be able to somebody take my kids out there and be able to show them that bridge, and say, Hey, this is what your dad was able to do. I think thats something Ill look forward to, Congdon said. Congdon admitted that he and McLaughlin were really quite shocked that it came to fruition. He said its beautiful all these students came together to make that impact. I think its just beautiful to see, Congdon said. I just want to encourage students out there, if theres something you see that needs changing, speak up and you might be able to make a difference just like I did. Hallead, from the Student Senate, said many GVSU students now werent at the university when the petition was made, and it serves as an example that they, too, can create positive change. You always have a voice when youre a student here, and I think thats really important to know, Hallead said. I think it just shows that students are more powerful than we think. Administration doesnt do everything, they take advice from us and we can make a lot of change through that. Crisis center looks to speed up mental health response Students still say the safety barrier is just one piece of the larger issue of student mental health. Hallead said there are many university resources students can take advantage of, pointing to the universitys counseling center offering short-term individual and long-term group therapy for free. I just think we need to promote our resources more, Hallead said. Theyre not being utilized as much as they need to. Now a few years removed from the university, Congdon encouraged current students to put their mental health first. I think if I couldve gone back, I wouldve prioritized my mental health more, he said. I think its really good to see the university is prioritizing mental health. GVSU students can call 616.331.3266 or stop by the UCC offices in the Student Services Building on the Allendale Campus or Room 101B in DeVos Center on the Grand Rapids campus. If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline anytime by dialing or texting 988. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Palestinians line up for free food distribution during the ongoing Israeli air and ground offensive in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali) BEIRUT (AP) Hamas officials said Friday that the group is studying a proposed cease-fire deal that would include prolonged pauses in fighting in Gaza and swaps of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, but the militants appeared to rule out some key components. Hamas remains committed to its initial demands for a permanent cease-fire, the group's top political leader Ismail Haniyeh and a senior Beirut-based official, Osama Hamdan, said. Hamdan also said the group seeks the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners being held for acts related to the conflict with Israel, including those serving life sentences. He mentioned two by name, including Marwan Barghouti, a popular Palestinian uprising leader seen as a unifying figure. Hamdan's comments on the prisoners were the most detailed demands yet raised by the group in public. The insistence on large-scale prisoner releases and an end to the fighting in Gaza put the group at odds with the multi-stage proposal that officials from Egypt, Israel, Qatar and the United States put forth this week. That proposal does not include a permanent cease-fire. After days of expressing optimism over progress toward a deal, mediators were still working to close wide gaps between Israel and Hamas. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to fly to the region Sunday to help push the efforts, making stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank, the State Department said. Haniyeh said in a statement Friday that negotiations must completely end the Israeli offensive in Gaza and bring the withdrawal of Israeli forces demands that Israel has rejected. Referring to the proposal for successive pauses in fighting, Hamdan told Lebanon's LBC television: There is no way that this will be acceptable by the resistance. Israeli leaders have said they will keep fighting until Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is crushed, even while agreeing to long pauses that are accompanied by the release of hostages. Hamas and other militants captured about 250 hostages during their deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the war. They continue to hold dozens of captives, after more than 100 were released during a one-week truce in November. Those releases were in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Since Israel's offensive began, more than 27,000 Palestinians have been killed and 66,000 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The conflict has also leveled vast swaths of the tiny coastal enclave, displaced 85% of its population and pushed a quarter of residents to starvation. Hamdan also said Hamas wants to free Palestinian prisoners of all factions not just those affiliated with the militant group. In addition to Barghouti, he named Ahmed Saadat, the head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a small PLO faction. The prisoner release is a national cause, not only for Hamas, he said. Both Barghouti and Saadat were convicted of involvement in fatal attacks during the second Palestinian uprising against Israel's occupation a generation ago. Alluding to additional points of dispute, Hamdan also said that Israel is carving out a buffer zone on the Gaza side of the border. Israel has not acknowledged such plans officially, but satellite photos show new demolition in a 1-kilometer-wide (0.6-mile-wide) swath within Gaza along the border with Israel. As the war nears the four-month mark, fighting continued in the southern city of Khan Younis. The Israeli military said Friday that its efforts focused on fighters, weapons and infrastructure in the city, a key target of Israel's ground offensive in recent weeks. Israeli fire hit the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent at Khan Younis Amal Hospital on Friday, killing four people, including a Red Crescent staffer, the organization said. It was the third staff member killed this week. Israeli troops have surrounded the hospital for 12 days amid heavy bombardment and gunfire, and supplies are running out, the Red Crescent said. It called for a safe corridor to evacuate patients. Tens of thousands of residents of Khan Younis and surrounding areas have fled south to the town of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, where already more than a million people from across Gaza have taken refuge. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday that after Israeli troops seize Khan Younis, they will move on Rafah, though he did not give a time frame. That prospect has raised fears about where the population would go to find safety. The United Nations said Rafah is becoming a pressure cooker of despair." "We fear for what comes next," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It's like every week we think, you know, it cant get any worse. Well, go figure. It gets worse. Another Hamas official said Friday that the group would give its reply on the cease-fire proposal very soon and ask for several unspecified changes. He refused to give any details on what they're seeking or how many hostages would be released in return for how many prisoners. Qatar and Egypt have been serving as mediators between Israel and Hamas. A senior Egyptian official familiar with the discussions described the multi-stage proposal, which he said Hamas had sent positive signals about. The Egyptian official and the Hamas official spoke on condition of anonymity because the indirect talks are still ongoing. The proposal, according to the Egyptian official, includes an initial cease-fire of six to eight weeks during which Hamas would release elderly hostages, women and children in return for hundreds of Palestinians jailed by Israel. Throughout that phase, negotiations would continue on prolonging the cease-fire and releasing more prisoners and hostages. Israel would allow the number of aid trucks entering Gaza to increase up to 300 daily from a few dozen currently and let displaced Gaza residents gradually return to their homes in the north, according to the proposal. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Jack Jeffery in Cairo and Jamey Keaton in Geneva contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Israel-Hamas war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war New Hampshire State Police are investigating a fatal multi-vehicle crash on I-93 Thursday evening. The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. Troopers remain on the scene for processing and cleanup. The highway continues to be closed and traffic is being diverted off Exit 1 near Salem. Update: As a result of this crash, a single fatality has been reported. Troopers remain on scene for processing & the road continues to be closed with traffic being diverted off exit 1. The roadway is estimated to be reopened within the next hour. No further details at this time. New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) February 2, 2024 Police said just after 7:30 p.m. the roadway is expected to be reopened within the hour. No further details at this time. 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 AUSTIN (KXAN) Nonprofits dedicated to finding homes for animals say there is a big need for those services when a pet owner is facing their final moments in hospice care. Gracie the cat pictured with KPAs rescue coordinator. (Image/Kerrville Pets Alive) Kerrvile Pets Alive recently rescued Gracie, a 9-year-old tabby cat, whose owner would soon pass while in hospice care. Karen Guerriero, president of the nonprofits board, said the agency works directly with Peterson Health Hospice in Kerrville to rehome pets whenever asked, like in Gracies case. Our cat rescue coordinator was able to go over and take Gracie to a safe place. Shes doing just great. Well adopt her out when when we feel like shes ready. Shell be with a foster until then, Guerriero said. Miles away in Austin, efforts are also underway to pair deserving pets with new, loving homes. Luis Sanchez with Austin Pets Alive! (APA!), unaffiliated with Kerrville Pets Alive, said the nonprofit runs its PASS program, an acronym that means positive alternatives for shelter surrender. He said the PASS Program operates as a Facebook page where locals can post pets in need of rehoming. Through the page or the Austin Pets Alive website, people can also reach out for assistance with things like food and pet supplies. Sanchez said last year, the program helped 7,000 animals 4,000 of those in Travis County alone. While it does not exclusively serve pets of hospice patients, Sanchez said that rehoming scenario occasionally pops up as well. This is a really a way to make sure that the pet continues to live with the family that cares and loves them like the person that did before them, Sanchez said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Joggers run through the campus of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill on June 20, 2003. A college known as the "Harvard of Christian schools" is clapping back at a Fox News opinion piece that claims the school has gone woke just like Harvard University. Wheaton College, a private Christian liberal arts school just outside Chicago, issued a statement Wednesday addressing the Fox News article, saying that they "remain committed to Christian service" and that the claims made about the college are false or misleading. Freelance writer Tim Scheiderer, who penned the Fox News op/ed, says that the school has begun to mimic Harvards wokeness by banning biblical words, teaching critical race theory, and psychologizing gender identity issues. In the 19th century, Harvard was slowly, and permanently, transformed from a Christian university into a secular one, Scheiderer writes. At Wheaton, the biblical belief in only two sexes is being tainted. With this and the other shifts mentioned, it may seem like a slow drift. But a gentle tide can carry a boat far from its dock. Wheaton College President Philip Ryken slammed the incendiary" opinion piece, saying in a statement that it failed to meet minimal standards for journalistic accuracy. Heres what we know. Who is Tim Scheiderer? Scheiderer, the author of the article, has no apparent affiliation with Wheaton College. He graduated from Bob Jones University, a private evangelical university in Greenville, South Carolina, with a B.A. in mass communications and media studies in 1999. He also has a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, according to his LinkedIn page. Scheiderers resume also lists him as a founding board member of The Augustine Fellowship, a Christian Study Center at Georgetown University. He says on his website that he earned his writing chops working for ABC, Fox News and CNN. What else does the Fox News article say? Scheiderer writes that Wheaton College has slowly drifted away from traditional Christian values since the 2000s when the education department commended the teachings of Marxists." The college's most "blatant offense against Christianity is the ban of certain biblical words that are key to the faiths foundation," stating that students have been discouraged from using words like "service" and "mankind." He also calls out an endowed chair in Wheatons psychology program for expressing views on gender identity that Scheiderer says are "rooted in an anti-God philosophy." Scheiderer concludes the article by asking: "Would Billy Graham, the most influential 20th-century evangelical, endorse his alma mater? How has Wheaton College responded? Wheaton College in suburban Chicago is pictured on Oct. 11, 2017. In his statement, Wheaton College's president discouraged community members from engaging further" with Scheiderer. The article, which Ryken says appeared to have been cobbled from out-of-context items found on the Internet is mischaracterizing since the author does not name any sources or give any citations for his many contentions. Ryken said that Scheiderer had reached out to the colleges marketing department a month ago, claiming that he was writing an article for the Wall Street Journal on a tight deadline. When the spokesperson questioned Scheiderers credentials, he told them that he was actually a freelance writer attempting to pitch an idea to the Journal's opinion section." A representative from the WSJ confirmed that Scheiderer was not an employee. Although the WSJ did not run his piece, evidently he was able to have it appear on a FOX News page, Ryker noted. "Wheaton College remains fully committed to Christian service which we embrace as 'service' in our very mission statement to biblical orthodoxy and Christ-centered education, including in matters of human sexuality, gender identity, and race relations," Ryken said. Ryker concludes the statement by pointing to the colleges institutional commitments website for accurate information about our convictions. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wheaton College slams Fox News op/ed questioning its Christian values Ken Griffin, Founder and CEO, Citadel, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on May 2, 2022. Griffin announced that he will pause donations to Harvard University over its handling of what he sees as antisemitic speech Hedge fund manager Ken Griffin has paused donations to Harvard University over how it handled antisemitism on campus since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, saying that his alma mater is now educating a bunch of "whiny snowflakes." The CEO and founder of the Citadel investing firm made the comments during a keynote discussion Tuesday at a conference hosted by the Managed Funds Association Network in Miami. "Are we going to educate the future members of the House and Senate and the leaders of IBM? Or are we going to educate a group of young men and women who are caught up in a rhetoric of oppressor and oppressee and, 'This is not fair,' and just frankly whiny snowflakes?" Griffin said at the conference. He continued to say that he's "not interested in supporting the institution ... until Harvard makes it very clear that theyre going to resume their role as educating young American men and women to be leaders, to be problem-solvers, to take on difficult issues." USA TODAY reached out to Harvard on Thursday for the Ivy League school's response. Griffin, who graduated from Harvard in 1989, made a $300 million donation to the university's Faculty of Arts and Sciences in April last year, reported the Harvard Crimson. Griffin has made over $500 million in donations to the school, according to The Crimson. Griffin is worth $36.8 billion and is the 35th richest man in the world, according to Bloomberg. Griffin calls students 'snowflakes' won't hire letter signatories People enter and exit Harvard Yard at a gate at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on December 12, 2023. In the keynote, Griffin called Harvard students "whiny snowflakes" and criticized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. "Will Americas elite university get back to their roots of educating American children young adults to be the future leaders of our country or are they going to maintain being lost in the wilderness of microaggressions, a DEI agenda that seems to have no real endgame, and just being lost in the wilderness?" Griffin said. In the talk, Griffin announced that neither Citadel Securities nor Citadel LLC will hire applicants who signed a letter holding "the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas against Israel. Billionaires pull donations Griffin isn't the only major donor to pause donations to the school over how Harvard has handled speech around the Israel-Hamas war. Leonard V. Blavatnik, a billionaire businessman and philanthropist, paused his donations to the University in December, according to Bloomberg. Blavatnik made a $200 million donation to the Harvard Medical School in 2018, the school's largest donation according to The Crimson. The decisions come in the wake of a plagiarism scandal, spearheaded in part by Harvard Alumnus and Pershing Square Holdings CEO Bill Ackman, that forced the resignation of former Harvard President Claudine Gay. The campaign began after Congressional testimony from Gay and other university presidents about antisemitic speech on campus was widely criticized. Gay, Harvards first Black president, had only stepped into the role over the summer. But she resigned just six months into her tenure, the shortest of any president in Harvard history. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Billionaire Harvard donor Ken Griffin pulls support The new coastal protection chairman is a familiar face in Terrebonne, and he plans to use breakwater rocks to defend Louisiana's coast. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry appointed former Terrebonne Parish President Gordy Dove chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Former Terrebonne Levee Conservation District Board President Tony Alford was appointed chairman of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection on Jan. 31. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, also known as CPRA, creates an annual master plan for Louisiana's coast, as well as a five-year plan, which is then submitted to the Louisiana Legislature. Dove recently termed out as Parish President. For more than a year he would say he was intending to retire and spend time with his grandchildren. He said the political animal in him won out, and he couldn't turn down an opportunity to defend the coast. "You know, my children and their grandchildren are going to live in Louisiana," he said. "I'm going to make sure they don't walk under water." Former Parish President Gordon "Gordy" Dove shows a Google Maps image of Raccoon Island and coastal protection efforts visible from satellite being done there, Jan. 10. Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District Director Reggie Dupree, who also served with Dove as a state Representative, said it's good for Lafourche and Terrebonne that the two Houma natives are in positions to directly protect the coast. "I think it's a very very good move for the people of the bayou region," Dupree said. "If you look at the big scale, what we've done in Terrebonne and Lafourche is multiple lines of defense strategy... Now, I think you are going to see it practiced more on the statewide basis." Dove said one of his major goals for the coast involved putting segmented breakwater rocks throughout the entire Louisiana coast. According to Dove, these rocks have proven effective on Raccoon Island and Grand Isle. The project would cost about $1 billion, he said, and likely take a year-and-a-half before the first rock is put down. Wine Island is shown after Hurricane Isaac. The storm pushed the shoal out of the breakwater rocks that were meant to protect it. Scientists say breakwater rocks come with both pros and cons. In the short term, they say, the rocks are proven to rebuild landmass by breaking the waves and currents and depositing the sands carried by the water flow nearby. Areas like Racoon Island have proven this aspect out. The cons are that they can generate undertows dangerous to swimmers, and that they are not natural to the coast. The coast is made up of sand, deposited by the Mississippi River, and the islands tend to naturally move - a phenomena known as "littoral drift." Islands, such as Racoon Island, are supposed to migrate as tidal waters move the sands from one side to the other, biologist Gary LaFleur said. "An island like Racoon Island, it's supposed to migrate in a certain direction," he said. "If you had a hotel or parking lot on there, that's a big inconvenience, but it's kind of like the way Mother Nature made barrier islands - that's what they are supposed to do." More: Governor Jeff Landry names team to restore and protect Louisiana's disappearing coastline More: Lawsuit seeks to overturn Louisiana's new majority Black congressional district Senior Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program Scientist Andrew Barron said breakwater rocks as a solution are a bit of a "mixed bag." He said it definitely can rebuild terrain in the short term, but instances like Wine Island are a cautionary tale. The island was encircled with rocks to protect it, but battered by Hurricane Issac, the shoal moved from within the rocks, to outside of it. The island ceased to be, but the rocks remained, posing a hazard for boat captains. Both scientists said the coast needs aid, and couldn't say whether it would be the right or wrong solution. LaFleur compared using the breakwater rocks to medicine, it could be used the way a cast is used for a broken arm, something unnatural used for a short time to repair something natural. With the coastline rapidly diminishing, he said action is needed to protect the people that live there sooner rather than later. "In a place like Grand Isle, you can't do something academic like I'm talking about, " he said. "Grand Isle has to be saved right now for the people that live there." This article originally appeared on The Courier: Coastal Protection and Restoration director to use rocks on Louisiana coast OLATHE, Kan. Honeywell plans to invest $84 million to expand its aerospace manufacturing facility in Olathe, which will bring over 150 new jobs to the area. The Olathe facility currently manufactures Honeywells avionics, safety and flight control systems, complex radio frequency systems for traffic collision avoidance, radar altimeters and weather radar. Evergy workers picket in downtown Kansas City after recent layoffs The expansion will make it one of Honeywells most technologically advanced aerospace manufacturing facilities. Expanding this facility will enable the development of a strong and resilient domestic supply chain for next-generation avionics and printed circuit board assemblies that our commercial and military customers can rely on, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies President and CEO Jim Currier said in a statement. The governors office said Honeywells expansion will also support over 200 jobs in other sectors, and the construction will create more than 260 temporary jobs in the state. Honeywells expanded presence in Kansas underscores what weve known all along our states workforce is prepared to meet any challenge, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday. The high-tech jobs and opportunities being created will allow even more of our young workers to find their dream careers right here in Kansas. View Kansas City area job postings on FOX4 Kelly said the project is expected to generate $47 million in total gross domestic product and contribute over $18 million in taxes in its first six years. The hard-working men and women of Kansas have earned a reputation within the aviation manufacturing community for quality work, and todays announcement is further evidence of that, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran said in a release. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. UNION Property owners living in Mason County have been fined more than $280,000 for illegally replacing the bulkhead at the shore of Hood Canal near Union without a required permit in 2017 and 2020, which violated the Clean Water Act, and led to the change of tide flow and the death of fish, according to EPA and court documents from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma. Joan Bayley, Philip Bayley, and Big Ds Beach Cabin LLC of Union, Washington have been ordered by the court to pay a $250,000 penalty for illegal bulkhead replacement work that caused the death of Chinook salmon. They also have to pay $33,492 to the Hood Canal Coordinating Council as mitigation, according to EPA. "In August 2017, Mr. Bayley, Ms. Bayley, and Big Ds Beach Cabin LLC removed an old, sloped concrete bulkhead along the shoreline of the Hood Canal and replaced it with a new, vertical one. The project, which was performed without the required Clean Water Act permit, discharged dredged and fill material, such as dirt, spoil, rock, sand and concrete into the Hood Canal," EPA summarized in a statement provided in January. In August 2020, Philip Bayley directed contractors to build a stairway next to the new bulkhead and fill the shoreline behind it, which again discharged concrete and other fill material in Hood Canal, EPA said. "The construction projects permanently and negatively changed the patterns of tidal water flow and circulation along the shoreline," the agency said. "These changes advance beach erosion and decrease the overall ecosystem functions of Hood Canal, particularly as a spawning habitat for several species of fish." Construction without permit violated Clean Water Act According to a court document filed in April last year, on Aug. 27, 2020, the federal government sued the two Bayleys and the LLC they had set up for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act by unlawfully discharging dredge or fill material into U.S. waters on the property then owned by the LLC. They were also accused of fraudulently transferring title and wrongfully distributing the company's assets to avoid CWA penalties. In May 2017, Philip contracted with an engineering firm to design a bulkhead to be located at their site on Highway 106, along the south shore of Hood Canal, with an intent to build a house ten feet landward of the bulkhead, according to the court documents. About a week later, Philip Bayley and his mother, Joan, formed the Big Ds Beach Cabin LLC. In June 2017, the LLC bought the site for $90,000. Philip Bayley signed a contract in July that year with a construction company to build a replacement bulkhead there, which was paid for by the LLC and both Bayleys from their personal accounts, according to the court order. The construction began on Aug. 1, 2017. An unknown photographer provided photos of the excavation of the former revetment to EPA by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service office, according to court documents. A photo that shows the excavation of former revetment at Bayley's site on Aug. 1, 2017 is cited in a court document related to the case. A photo that shows the excavation of former revetment at Bayley's site, looking west, on Aug. 1, 2017, is cited in a court document related to the case. Ten days later, beginning Aug. 11, 2017, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers notified them that construction of the bulkhead violated the CWA if continued without first getting a Section 404 permit, the court order said. Anyone who plans to work in the U.S. waters needs to obtain a permit. A Section 404 permit is required before discharging dredged or fill material into the waters. Activities requiring such permits include depositing fill, dredged, or excavated material in waters of the U.S. and/or adjacent wetlands, fill for residential, commercial, or recreational developments, construction of revetments, breakwaters, beach enhancement, and more, according to the website of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Seattle District. The construction at the site involved an excavator and trucks that discharged dredged or fill material along the shoreline and below the high tide line of Hood Canal, the court document said. About a year later, in July 2018, EPA sent a notice of violation informing the property owners that construction of the bulkhead violated the act. At some point, the agency directed them to remedy their violations or faceenforcement action, the court document said. Aerial view of the Bayley Site on July 21, 2018. In December 2019, Joan Bayley and Philip Bayley signed a quitclaim deed, conveying the LLC's interest in the site to Joan. However, the company didn't receive cash nor property in exchange although the transferred real property was worth at least $105,205 at the time. "As a result, the LLC has become insolvent," according to the plaintiff's allegation in the court document. In the same month, Joan Bayley signed a quitclaim deed conveying her interest in the site to the trustee of Frihet Trust. The trust company didn't pay Bayley cash or property in exchange for the transfer, the court document said. "Mr. and Ms. Bayley allegedly knew the United States had claims for violations of the CWA when they distributed Big Ds assets," the plaintiff alleged in the court document. On Aug. 11 and Aug. 17, 2020, Philip Bayley, as trustee of Frihet Trust (or individuals acting on his behalf) used equipment to discharge concrete and other fill material in Hood Canal below the high tide line without a Section 404 permit to construct a stairway next to the bulkhead and to fill the shoreline behind the bulkhead, the court document said. Vertical bulkhead changes tide water flow The vertical bulkhead "permanently adversely changed the patterns of tidal water flow, circulation, and wave reflection along the shoreline", according to an ecosystems ecologist and regulatory expert, who visited the location in March 2021 to do measurements and document shoreline conditions, the court document cited. The expert also found "an increased pH in water that encountered the vertical bulkhead, which can kill or injure fish, including the endangered Chinook salmon," according to the court document. A court document filed in July 2021 also mentioned that Philip observed one instance of dead fish on the private property tidelands between 2017 and July 2021. The final judgment by the court "sends a strong and clear message that federal, state, and local permits and approvals are required prior to constructing along the shoreline of Hood Canal and Puget Sound, Ed Kowalski, Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division in EPAs Region 10 office in Seattle said in the press release. Compliance with the Clean Water Act also ensures no one gains an unfair financial advantage by violating the law, Kowalski said. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Union residents fined after bulkhead project caused death of salmon HOPKINTON The town has decided to conduct both internal and external searches to find its next deputy police chief. During Tuesday's Select Board meeting, the five-member board voted unanimously to conduct its search for a new deputy police chief with use of an assessment center. The position has been open since former Deputy Police Chief John "Jay" Porter retired last April 28, just before he was indicted on three counts of rape of a child. He had been on leave for unexplained reasons since August 2022. During Tuesday's Select Board meeting, Police Chief Joseph Bennett did not say whether he favored just an internal search or one that also included external candidates. He did say he believed there were strong internal candidates. Hopkinton Police Chief Joseph Bennett at a Loudermill Hearing for Sgt. Timothy Brennan at the Hopkinton Senior Center, Jan. 19, 2024. Pleads not guilty: Former Hopkinton deputy police chief arraigned on three counts of child rape "We have gaps in the command staff, and I want to recognize the work of the sergeants," Bennett said. "They've had the pedal to the metal, particularly in the past six months." Porter was promoted to deputy chief after only an internal search Town Human Resources generalist Kristin Merrill said Porter was promoted to deputy chief in 2021 after only an internal search. However, since then the town has typically conducted internal and external searches for job candidates. Town Manager Norman Khumalo said it cost between $13,000 and $15,000 when Hopkinton used an assessment center for its recent fire chief search. 'Did and said nothing': Hopkinton holds Loudermill hearing for police Sgt. Timothy Brennan Board Chair Muriel Kramer said she liked that process, noting that even though the search was open to external candidates, the town ultimately chose its interim chief, Gary Daugherty Jr. "I would advocate for a competitive process that is open to candidates both internally and externally," Kramer said. The rest of the board agreed and voted unanimously in favor of the search. Porter is awaiting trial. He is accused of several sexual assaults against a former Hopkinton High School student in 2004 and 2005, when Porter was a school resource officer and the girl was 15. Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime. This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Hopkinton deputy police chief search: Town outlines hiring strategy A sinkhole opened up inside a horse pasture in Montana and swallowed one of the horses, photos show. It took a team of firefighters, veterinarians, tow truck drivers and even excavators to dig the horse out, Central Valley Fire District said on Facebook. Dispatchers received the call for help in an area outside Bozeman just before 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, the district said in the post. Initial information from Gallatin County 911 provided that a 1,200 pound horse had fallen into a hole that (had) opened up in their pasture, the district said. The horse was reported to be in good condition, but trapped in a hole that was reported to be 10 to 12 feet deep. Nine rescuers, including a battalion chief, two fire engines and an ambulance, joined forces with a tow truck driver and excavation contractor to dig the horse out, the district said. The homeowner called a large animal veterinarian and they got to work. Dramatic photos show how excavators dug a new hole nearby and opened a trench between the holes so the horse could climb out on its own. No one was injured during the rescue, and the horse appeared to be mostly unscathed, according to reports. Photos show the horse standing outside the hole with its owners, completely caked in dirt and mud but otherwise unharmed. Its pretty really unbelievable that the horse came out of this without any major injuries, owner Randy McDowell told KRTV. Hes at the vet right now, but doing OK, I think. He told the station how he made the shocking discovery that the horse named Ziggy was literally inside a hole in the horse pasture. He noticed the horse was missing when he was feeding the rest of the herd. I stumbled across a hole in the ground that had some steam coming out of it, and by that time it was getting pretty dark. So I went and got a flashlight and I could see the horse in the hole, he told the station. It was a complete shock. Disturbing photos show stuck horse up to neck in mud. Fortunately rescuers had a plan ATV rider killed in sinkhole crash on crazy unstable terrain, Arizona rescuers say Hidden sinkhole opens as car passes, trapping 2 in rising water, Florida cops say One of Norwichs goals for downtown is to have businesses at all its gateways. On Thursday, it got one step closer to that goal. Hotel Callista, located in the former Elks Lodge on Main Street, had a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Norwich Community Development Corporation and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce. It was expecting its first guests Friday. The 24-room boutique hotel, with rooms costing $150 to $500 a night, also has a common area and a ballroom. Hotel Callistas opening is the first step of developing all the way down Main Street, Kevin Brown, NCDC president, said. Not only is it a crossroads to the downtown, but its also a crossroads because theres a high volume of traffic to and from work, and to and from the two casinos just down the road, he said. Amit Patel cuts the ribbon for his new Norwich hotel, Hotel Callista, joined by his family and local business and community leaders. 'Nothings going to bring me down' Getting the Hotel Callista open was a four-year journey for owner Amit Patel. When the property came to Patels attention, he wasnt intending to open a hotel in the area. He was drawn to the city because its a tight community with good support for businesses, especially with NCDC and the city government, Patel said. Ive been to Scranton PA and New Jersey; this is really different and thats what makes it work, Patel said. The COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on all businesses, but Hotel Callista faced stricter building code requirements because its a place where people will be sleeping. The project had stalled a couple times, including times when building codes changed, and need fixes to the elevator, Norwich Building Official Dan Coley said. (Patel) had huge hurdles to overcome to get to the point where he could open up today, and he did it fairly smoothly, he said. It was not what we expected. Patel kept going because he had to, he said. I can do it, Patel said. Thats how I look at everything. Nothings going to bring me down. Hotel Callista serves a customer that doesnt want typical hotel rooms. The room layouts are different, and the historic quality of the building adds to the experience, Patel said. Hotel Callista still retains some outdoor features from when it was an Elks Lodge. Elks and more: Hotel Callistas storied past The property was constructed in 1843 as a private home belonging to John Fox Slater, owner of a cotton mill in Jewett City and a noted philanthropist. In addition, Slater Memorial Museum at the Norwich Free Academy is named after him. In the early 1900s the building was used for the Norwich Elks Lodge. The club sold its headquarters in 2003 for $505,000. Developer Janny Lam acquired the property in 2006 for $695,000. She opened the Majestic Rose Cafe and Karaoke. A Japanese restaurant followed it, but both businesses closed shortly afterward. The city foreclosed on the property and sold it at auction in 2011 to Sunford Properties and Development LLC. In 2016, the city foreclosed again. It was bought by Patels fathers company, Ganesha Hospitality, LLC, in May 2019. The front of Hotel Callista. Whats next? Patel is looking forward to when the YMCA building across the street is remodeled, as not much is going on at night in that part of downtown. He hopes the Hotel Callista can encourage more business in the area. You need one little hotel, and then you need bars and restaurants surrounding it, he said. Brown is glad to see Patels courage in putting a boutique hotel with its price point in Norwich, saying somebody has to take the first step. While some might suspect Norwich isnt ready for that, if we keep telling ourselves were not ready, well never do anything, he said. Patel wants to keep moving forward, saying the hotels bar, which might only be open for events, and kitchen should open this year. Its also important to have something stable for his family in the future. Maybe I could pass it (on), well see, he said. This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Former Norwich mansion and Elks Lodge now Hotel Callista U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told theGrio that the GOP is looking for a campaign issue. Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives are facing criticism for their attempt to impeach the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of U.S. immigration policies at the southern border. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas told theGrio that the GOPs effort is really sad because its a losing game for the American people overall, she said. Republicans are just looking for an issue to run on for the 2024 elections. Haitian migrants use a dam to cross to and from the United States from Mexico, Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. (Photo by Eric Gay, AP) Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross told theGrio, Republicans are trying to shift the news narrative, and they are out for blood against the Biden administration. She added, Mayorkas is a policy guy. He has followed that framework since he took the role, and he is someone who has not committed crimes, she added. In November 2023, House Republicans introduced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, alleging he willfully and systematically refused to comply with Federal immigration laws and that he breached the public trust by stating that the U.S.-Mexico border is secure. Crockett told theGrio that House GOP members lack justification to impeach Mayorkas and just dont like how he oversees the border. Nothing that has been alleged rises to the level of impeachment, which includes high crimes and misdemeanors, she said. Rep.-elect Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks during a news conference with newly elected incoming members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus at the AFL-CIO building on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Its a game because we know that they dont want to solve the border. If they wanted to solve the border then they would want to talk about policy because its up to Congress to create policy, she added. Cross told theGrio that the GOP is trying to find someone to blame for our migrant crisis. There is currently an immigration reform package on the table, but theyre listening to Donald Trump and dont want to accept it, even though it is arguably the most exhaustive migrant plan that this nation has ever seen, she added. Vicki Gaubeca, associate director of U.S. Immigration and Border Policy with Human Rights Watch, told theGrio, that despite whether a Republican or Democrat is in office, the immigration system in the U.S. is broken and Black and brown migrants are disproportionately impacted. The majority of the people who are detained at the border are Black and brown, and we know that Black and brown migrants get deported at a higher rate than any other race, she said. The U.S. Capitol building is shown in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Guabeca stated that a lack of transparency from the Department of Homeland Security has exacerbated the issues on the border for more than a decade, which is prior to Mayorkas taking on his leadership role. Therefore he should not take the fall, she said. Crockett told theGrio that by trying to impeach Mayorkas, the GOP is setting a terrible precedent to water down what it means to be impeached. They want to act as if its an everyday thing so that its not a big deal that the twice-impeached former president who has 91 counts of indictments pending against him can be excused, she said. Earlier this week, the House Homeland Security Committee advanced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas. The House GOP is slated to bring the articles of impeachment to the House floor for a vote sometime next week. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post House Republicans blasted for efforts to impeach Dept. of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas appeared first on TheGrio. Republicans on the House Education Committee voted unanimously to approve removing all income limits from New Hampshires voucher-style education freedom accounts program Tuesday, signaling growing party support for its universal expansion. In a 10-10 vote, the committee, which is currently evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, passed forward House Bill 1634 with no formal recommendation. But the lockstep Republican votes indicated that the measure could have political momentum when it reaches the House floor. Created in 2021, education freedom accounts allow families to take the state dollars that would follow their child to their local public school and instead put them toward private school and home schooling expenses. New Hampshire must spend much more on funding education, a judge has ruled. That money can range between $4,100 and around $8,000 per year depending on a students income level and other characteristics. Students who leave public schools and enroll in EFAs receive an average of $5,235 per student, according to the state Department of Education. The program originally was limited to families who make up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $93,600 for a family of four; in 2023, the Legislature increased that to 350 percent of the federal poverty level, or $109,200 for the same family. HB 1634 would remove income limits completely, allowing any New Hampshire family with kids outside of the school district to receive at least $4,100 per student per year including those whose children are already home-schooled or enrolled in private school. Supporters of the proposal argue removing the limit is necessary to alleviate the cliff effect created when some families who are just outside the income limits cant participate. And they said that expanding access to all students would help all families choose the school that best suits their child. Opponents say the move would be too expensive for the state and that the new participation would eat into the states Education Trust Fund, the $1 billion per year fund that pays adequacy grants to public schools. It is unclear how many additional students might sign up for the program if the income limits are removed; the department wrote in a fiscal note attached to the bill that the number is indeterminable. Currently, more than 4,500 students participate at a cost of $23.8 million per year. An analysis by Reaching Higher New Hampshire, a pro-public education think tank, estimated that removing income limits could result in the program costing $104 million per year, using existing home school and private school enrollment figures. That price tag could decrease if not all eligible families participate. The House Education Committee took votes on a number of other bills Wednesday and Thursday, deadlocking 10-10 each time, with all Republicans supporting them and all Democrats opposing them. Each of them will be voted on by the Republican-led House, which is nearly evenly divided. They include: House Bill 1665, which would raise the education freedom account income cap from 350 percent to 500 percent; House Bill 1561, which would keep the income caps the same but allow students of higher income families to participate if they meet a number of categories, including identifying as LGBTQ+, being concerned about COVID-19, attending a poor-performing school district, and being diagnosed with a mental illness, among others; House Bill 1677, which would extend EFAs to students whose enrollment transfer requests were denied by their superintendent, attend a district that performs below the statewide average on assessments, and other categories; House Bill 1652, which would enable residents in individual school districts to vote to create a local education freedom account program that would allow parents to access local education funds to use toward nonpublic school expenses. This story was originally published by the New Hampshire Bulletin. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH Republicans recommend extending education freedom accounts to all House Republicans have reportedly subpoenaed the Georgia prosecutor leading Fulton Countys sprawling election interference case against Donald Trump as part of a broader GOP effort to investigate whether Fani Willis misused federal funds in the criminal probe. A subpoena from House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan obtained by NBC News alleges that Ms Willis failed to comply with earlier requests for documents and demands that she provide communications referring or relating to the Fulton County District Attorneys Offices receipt and use of federal funds and referring or relating to any allegations of the misuse of federal funds. The latest efforts from House Republicans join a wider campaign to undermine criminal prosecutions against the former president, amplifying right-wing media allegations that Ms Willis retaliated against a whistleblower employee who allegedly warned against the misuse of federal grant money. Mr Jordans letter quotes from a report from right-wing media outlet The Washington Free Beacon that the employee was abruptly terminated and escorted out of her office by seven armed investigators, according to NBC News. The Independent has requested comment from Mr Jordans office. Fani Willis, Fulton County district attorney, appears in court on 21 November 2023 (AP) In a statement following news of the subpoena, Ms Willis said that these false allegations are included in baseless litigation filed by a holdover employee from the previous administration who was terminated for cause. The courts that have ruled found no merit in these claims, she added. We expect the same result in any pending litigation. She said execution of federal grant programs focused on helping at-risk youth and seeking justice for sexual assault victims who were too long ignored was performed in compliance with the US Department of Justice. We are proud of our grant programs and our partnership with the Department of Justice that makes Fulton County a safer, more just place, she added. Democratic US Rep Dan Goldman blasted the subpoena as a blatant attempt to save Donald Trump from legal peril and an example of actual weaponization of federal government authority that Mr Jordan and other Republican lawmakers have labelled prosecutions of the former president. Mr Trump and more than a dozen co-defendants are criminally charged under Georgias anti-racketeering statute as part of a criminal enterprise to overturn the states election results in 2020 by pushing state officials and lawmakers to unlawfully reverse his loss while directing attacks on election equipment and pressuring election workers. Ms Willis, who is routinely berated by the former president and whose office has faced an avalanche of racist abuse and threats, has come under heightened scrutiny in recent weeks after one of Mr Trumps co-defendants a GOP operative who worked on the Trump campaign alleged Ms Willis had an improper relationship with a special prosecutor hired to lead the case. aaShe has been subpoenaed to testify at a hearing regarding those allegations on 15 February. This month, Mr Trumps attorneys joined a legal effort from co-defendant Mike Roman to disqualify Ms Willis from prosecuting them. A complaint filed by Mr Trumps defence attorneys accuses Ms Willis of injecting racial animus into the case and violating her prosecutorial responsibilities, pointing to allegations that she hired an outside prosecutor with whom she was romantically involved. Four of their original co-defendants including Trump-allied attorneys Kenneth Chesebro, Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell reached plea deals with prosecutors last year. Mr Roman is accused of coordinating a fake elector scheme to fraudulently certify Mr Trumps victory in the state after the 2020 presidential election. He and Mr Trump have pleaded not guilty. For months, Houston police have been citing and arresting local volunteers for the radical act of feeding the needy. Now the city is facing a lawsuit alleging that its crackdown on charitable giving violates the First Amendment. The Texas Civil Rights Project filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the Houston chapter of Food Not Bombs (FNBH), a volunteer group that distributes free food in cities worldwide. Since last March, Houston has been trying to force FNBH activists and other volunteers to move their charitable food services to a city-approved parking lot rather than near the downtown library where they had been operating with the city's consent for more than a decade. According to the suit, FNBH members have received over 89 citations from police so far, amounting to $178,000 in fines. The suit argues that Houston's antifood sharing ordinance is unconstitutional both on its face and as applied to FNBH by imposing an invalid prior restraint on the activists' protected First Amendment rights. The city is also violating FNBH's right to expressive association, the group argues, by attempting to force them to move to the parking lot, which happens to be next to a Houston Police Department building and is patrolled by several officers during events. Randy Hiroshige, a Texas Civil Rights Project attorney, says the issue isn't just about handing out sandwiches; it's about the government trying to suppress political speech. "They're a protest group," Hiroshige says of Food Not Bombs. "They want to be visible, and the reason they conduct their food sharing is to show the public what it looks like when a community looks out for each other's needs and really provides mutual aid to one another." FNBH and other groups had been operating outside the library with the city's consent since the 2012 ordinance was passed, but city officials now say the situation is a health and safety issue. Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner suggested that the charity operations were driving families away from the library. The city is not opposed to groups feeding those who are homeless. But doing it in front of the central library is discouraging families, children and others from using it. After people provide the food, they leave but those who are homeless camp around the library and stay. st Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 4, 2023 FNBH's lawsuit notes that they serve food at 7:30 at night, well after the library has closed. The city's attempts to enforce the ordinance, which outlaws providing free food to more than five people "in need" at outdoor locations without permission, have not gone well. One activist was acquitted, while other cases have been dismissed and delayed because prosecutors can't find jurors who are willing to fine people $500 for the crime of feeding the needy. The city of Houston may not fare much better in civil court either. In 2014, the city of Dallas was forced to rewrite its food safety regulations and pay two ministries $250,000 after the ministries won a lawsuit challenging restrictions on charitable giving. Similar cases have popped up elsewhere. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled in 2018 that distributing food was "expressive conduct" protected under the First Amendment. That decision was a response to a lawsuit by the Food Not Bombs chapter in Fort Lauderdale. As Reason has previously reported, crackdowns on good Samaritans began spreading across the country during the first decade of the century, and that trend has accelerated in recent years as the number of homeless people in the U.S. has surged to record highs. Anti-camping and anti-panhandling laws are also proliferating. "The city is also sending a message that they don't want unhoused people to be visible to the public," Hiroshige says. "And so in addition to this crackdown on the protected activity of food sharing, there's also just this deeper trend of cities trying to remove unhoused people from the public sphere." The Houston mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The post Houston Faces First Amendment Lawsuit for Cracking Down on Feeding the Homeless appeared first on Reason.com. Motorists could get relief from traffic congestion on Hines Hill Road if federal funds come through for reconfiguring a railroad crossing there. Last month, the Ohio Rail Development Commission approved funding from the Ohio Grade Crossing Elimination Program for the city's plan to build an overpass at the tracks. With money provided in the most recent state budget for grade crossing eliminations, the Rail Commission will contribute 20% funding, or nearly $2.9 million, to match the citys additional 20% funding commitment. The next step is to submit the project's application to the Federal Railroad Administrations Railroad Crossing Elimination Program. The grant program is competitive, with applications due in March. Norfolk Southern, which owns the tracks, has agreed to commit funding toward the project. If the federal application is successful, the $14 million project will construct a grade separation in the form of a bridge for traffic Hines Hill Road traffic. This grade separation will not only resolve frequent interruption for residents and school buses, but more importantly a many decades long emergency services burden, requiring multiple dispatches for any calls in the northwest of Hudson," said Council President Chris Foster "The added bonus will be our ability to connect the northwest corner of the community to downtown via multipurpose paths, which has been out of the question for the past 35 years. Mayor Jeffrey Anzevino said the project, if it goes forward, will not only benefit Hudson but neighboring communities. "Uninterrupted vehicle access in this corridor for residents, schoolbuses and especially emergency services is paramount for the safety and well-being of all, Anzevino said. Thom Sheridan, Hudson's city manager, agreed that the project will help with safety. "I've rarely encountered a proposal with such clear and multifaceted benefits as the Hines Hill Road Bridge, and I fully support this project for Hudson," Sheridan said. "This isn't just about a railroad crossing; it's about safeguarding lives, reducing burden on adjacent communities, boosting our economy, and ensuring our emergency responders and school children get safely to where they are going." Late last year, Hudson started creating quiet zones at the Stow Road and Hines Hill railroad crossings, in coorperation with Norfolk Southern. This includes installment of low profile, concrete medians with reflective delineators posted on top of the medians on Stow Road and Hines Hill Road. A quiet zone is a section of a rail line at least one-half mile in length that contains one or more consecutive public highway-rail grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossing. Trains are set to cease sounding their horns in advance of these crossings, but may still sound them in emergency situations. According to the Ohio Rail Development Commission, the state's road and rail networks intersect at nearly 5,700 at-grade railroad crossings. Since the Federal Railroad Administration began collecting blocked crossing data in late 2019, more than 10,500 reports for Ohio locations have been filed. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson seek federal grant to overhaul Hines Hill Road rail crossing Next Friday, Hungarian farmers are preparing to protest on the border with Ukraine near the town of Zahony against the EU's extension of the preferential trade regime with Ukraine, in particular for grain. Source: Telex, reported by European Pravda Details: Istvan Jakab, the head of the Association of Farming Cooperatives in Hungary (Magosz), said that they were dissatisfied with the European Commission's plans to extend the suspension of import quotas and duties for Ukrainian exports to the EU, as they would have to compete with products whose production "does not have to take into account any EU requirements". The Association said that farmers "support the Hungarian government, which protects their interests from Brussels". Background: Earlier, Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy said that the European Commission's proposal to extend the preferential trade regime with Ukraine "does not offer any solutions" to the issue of Ukrainian grain, so Hungary plans to maintain its national ban on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine. On Wednesday, the European Commission officially proposed to extend the suspension of import quotas and duties for Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, while also including safety measures for agricultural products. The EU's preferential trade regime with Ukraine has been in place since 4 June 2022 and was extended in 2023. At the same time, due to farmers' dissatisfaction, the EU imposed temporary restrictions on certain types of agricultural products for several months in 2023, and some countries, including Hungary, extended them unilaterally after the EU's cancellation. The current extension of the duty-free trade regime for Ukraine expires on 5 June 2024 and for Moldova on 24 July 2024. Support UP or become our patron! Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban revealed that he lifted his veto on an aid package for Ukraine because he felt cornered, he claimed in an interview on Hungarian public-broadcasting Kossuth radio on Feb. 2. I was at a dead end, said Orban. "If this agreement had not been reached and Hungary continued to use its veto power, then the 26 member states would have decided to send money to Ukraine. They would also take the funds intended for Hungary and send them to Ukraine as well why would that be good?" Peace talks should begin between Ukraine and Russia, Orban said. "Time is on the side of the Russians, and the longer the war goes on, the more people die," he said. Read also: Scholz expresses confidence in agreement ahead of EU summit, potential approval for 50 billion to Ukraine. At a summit on Dec. 14, during which 26 EU member states approved starting Ukraines EU accession negotiations, Orban vetoed the proposed EUR 50 billion aid package for Ukraine. Politico reported on Jan. 26 that Hungary might lift its veto if the funding program is reviewed annually. All 27 European Union member states agreed to a four-year EUR 50 billion ($54 billion) aid package for Ukraine, previously stalled by Hungary, European Council President Charles Michel announced on Feb. 1. Read also: EU to impose sanctions on Hungary if it fails to support aid 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 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said he "went to the wall" for his country before agreeing to approve a 50 billion macro-financial assistance package for Ukraine at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, 1 February. Source: Reuters, citing a statement from Orban, as reported by European Pravda Details: The Hungarian prime minister claimed that he had managed to avert the risk of Budapest-bound funds from the blocs joint budget being diverted. "If this deal had not been reached and Hungary had continued to use its right of veto, 26 member states would have agreed to send the money to Ukraine... and would have taken away the funds earmarked for Hungary and sent them to Ukraine as well what good is that?," Orban noted. "We are not sending weapons (to Ukraine); we get our money from Brussels, and we will contribute to civilian financing of Ukraine," the Hungarian prime minister added. Background: On Thursday, EU leaders overcame Hungary's long-standing resistance and reached an agreement on a 50 billion macro-financial assistance programme for Ukraine. The programme will last for four years. The summit's conclusions state that Ukraine will be able to receive funds if it meets a number of preconditions. It also mentions that EU leaders will hold annual debates on the programme, and in two years, they may propose to the European Commission a review of the entire multi-year financial framework. Support UP or become our patron! The term The term "hurkle-durkle" is not new, but it's reaching new audiences in 2024. Were just one month into 2024, yet the social media sphere has already enriched our lexicon with phrases like loud budgeting and Pookie is looking absolutely fire tonight. But perhaps the quirkiest term on the rise is hurkle-durkle. Hurkle-durkling is by no means a new concept. Its actually from an old Scottish term meaning to lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about. The phrases emergence from relative obscurity seems to stem from a TikTok posted on Jan. 9 from actor Kira Kosarin thats since been viewed nearly 4 million times. In the video, Kosarin defines the term and expresses her affinity for this morning ritual. Hurkle-durkle, of course, evokes another viral TikTok trend bed rotting but with more whimsical branding. Still, however you label it, the question remains: Is this an advisable practice? We asked mental health experts to weigh in. The benefits of hurkle-durkling While I hadnt heard of hurkle-durkle before the trend went viral, I love the concept and think more of us should embrace it, said Marisha Mathis, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its antithetical to the hustle culture were often inundated with that focuses on maximizing every moment of the day, Mathis said. However, sometimes prioritizing rest and having a slower start to the day is the best way to optimize your time and mental health. She believes the hurkle-durkle lifestyle can be a healthy form of self-care, as it offers the space to think and simply exist without interruption or pressure. It presents us with the opportunity to get much-needed rest, move at gentler pace and reset to properly approach the morning, Mathis said. The drawbacks of the trend While embracing a hurkle-durkle ethos can be beneficial, there are also potential downsides. It might be a red flag when the hurkle-durkle extends beyond a slice of the morning and drags throughout the day, or becomes a regular occurrence that takes us away from our responsibilities or creates isolation from friends and family, Mathis said. This can contribute to or be a symptom of something more serious, such as depression. She added that hurkle-durkling might also negatively contribute to overwhelming thoughts for those who struggle with sitting or being with their own thoughts. I think theres probably a limit or a time when it becomes an avoidance mechanism or sign that something else is going on, said Dr. Jessica Gold, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Burnout comes to mind if the thing you dont want to get up and do is go to work. Using a goofy-sounding phrase like hurkle-durkle might make it easier to avoid reflecting on just why you dont want to get out of bed especially if this is a frequent occurrence. Sleep is super important to mental health, and our bodies are usually telling us something when we dont want to get out of bed or want to keep sleeping, Gold said. Even though these things are fun and funny and create community, its important to also realize something could be going on, and your body is trying to tell you something. Although social media encourages mindless scrolling through videos and posts that you can quickly like and share, Gold emphasized the importance of not mindlessly scrolling through your mental health or the signals your body might be trying to send you. Balance and mindfulness are the key to making hurkle-durkling part of your self-care regimen. Balance and mindfulness are the key to making hurkle-durkling part of your self-care regimen. Whats the right way to embrace the hurkle-durkle? As with most things in life, hurkle-durkling should be done with a sense of balance. I think doing it occasionally or doing it with intention is not a bad thing, Gold said. I dont subscribe to the mentality that you should punish yourself for needing an extra 5-10 minutes in the morning, because thats going to add more stress to the day. Self-compassion and having more awareness of what youre doing, or the purpose of what youre doing, is more important. Take a mindful approach to your hurkle-durkle moments, acknowledging that this is your time. Set some boundaries such as time limits and no interruptions, and enjoy yourself, Mathis advised. Take the time to grab a journal, listen to music or white noise, light a candle and truly relax. She also recommended keeping balance in mind. Make sure that you are not using hurkle-durkle to avoid tasks, conversations, or processes that need your attention, Mathis said. Also, be mindful of any negative impacts you may see as a result. Related... Gray wolves in Idaho will not be relisted under the Endangered Species Act despite conservationist concerns, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in a ruling Friday. The agencys decision concluded more than two years of analysis in response to multiple petitions regarding the animals status in the Western U.S. and the Northern Rocky Mountains area, which includes Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and parts of Oregon, Washington and Utah. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said the Northern Rocky Mountains population doesnt constitute a valid listable entity for Endangered Species protections. It said the Western U.S. population qualifies for protections but determined the animals dont meet the threshold to be listed under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation groups brought relisting petitions to the federal government in 2021 and 2022 following an expansion of wolf hunting and trapping opportunities in Idaho and Montana. Several of them expressed disappointment at the Fish and Wildlife Service decision. Nicholas Arrivo, managing attorney for wildlife at the Humane Society of the United States, in a statement called the ruling reprehensible and said the agency is standing by as wolves in Idaho and neighboring states are pushed to the brink of extinction once again. The agency is essentially turning their backs on wolves, Arrivo said. Suzanne Asha Stone, director of the Idaho-based International Wildlife Coexistence Network, told the Idaho Statesman in a text message that the decision clears the way for states like Idaho to brutally kill as many wolves as they want. We have to ask the Biden administration: Why did the American people bring healthy wolf populations back only to see them eradicated from the landscape just a few decades later? she said. Fridays ruling adds layers to an already-complex landscape of wolf protections. With the exception of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains area, wolves in the Lower 48 states are protected by the Endangered Species Act. The species is considered threatened in Minnesota and endangered in all other states. Idaho has managed its wolf population since 2011, when they were removed from the Endangered Species list. The Statesman has reached out to Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials for comment on the ruling. The Fish and Wildlife Service decision coincides with the agencys announcement of plans to start a national conversation about gray wolves. The agency said it will develop a national recovery plan for the species by December 2025. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb plans to join Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at a joint press conference at a southern border city on Sunday, along with 13 other governors who've backed Abbott in his fight with the feds over securing the border with Mexico. The battle is over Texas' $11 billion initiative called "Operation Lone Star," in which state officials have been installing razor wire and other physical barriers along the Rio Grande to deter illegal immigration over the Biden Administration's objections. Abbott in October sued the federal government for cutting down the razor wire; in late January, in response to an emergency petition from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the federal government, without explaining why. Shortly after the ruling, 25 Republican governors, including Holcomb, issued a joint statement supporting Texas' "right to self-defense." Signatories of Republican Governors' statement backing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott and the Biden administration have been going head to head over border control jurisdiction in Texas. "We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border," they wrote. "We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally." A Border Patrol vehicle exits Shelby Park on Jan. 26, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to defy a Supreme Court ruling allowing federal Border Patrol agents complete access into the area. The 14 governors will join Abbott at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, a city of about 30,000 that borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and where Abbott has blocked off access to federal border patrol agents, despite the Supreme Court decision. At stake is the constitutional question of who has ultimate authority over securing borders, states or the federal government. A spokesperson for Holcomb said he will not be using state funds to travel to Texas. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter@kayla_dwyer17. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Gov. Holcomb to join Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at southern border The Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday released documents showing Attorney General Todd Rokita agreed he violated certain attorney misconduct rules when he appeared on a Fox News program in 2022 and called an Indianapolis OBGYN an abortion activist acting as a doctor with a history of failing to report. The document, which the Supreme Court said Rokita agreed should be released, already reflects what was stated in the Indiana Supreme Courts November ruling that said Rokita admitted to misconduct. In that ruling, the court publicly reprimanded Rokita for the Fox News comment. Following the Supreme Court's ruling on his 2022 comments on Fox News, Rokita said in a statement from his office in November, that he shared a truthful 16-word answer and that he was required to sign an affidavit without any modifications. "As I said at the time, my words are factual," Rokita said in November. "The IU Health physician who caused the international media spectacle at the expense of her patient's privacy is by her own actions an outspoken abortion activist."Rokita shared similar sentiments in the 2022 Fox News interview after Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indiana physician, told the IndyStar about a 10-year-old patient who had traveled from Ohio for abortion care. Rokita wound up bringing charges against Bernard and last May the Indiana Medical Licensing Board reprimanded the doctor for violating patient privacy. The board also unanimously ruled that she had reported the child's rape appropriately. The signed affidavit the court released Thursday is now a public record that can be used in other court proceedings. In November, two Indianapolis-area attorneys filed complaints with the Supreme Courts disciplinary commission, alleging that Rokita committed misconduct for his statement following the courts reprimand. From November: Indiana AG Todd Rokita faces new investigation after Supreme Court discipline In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Rokita emphasized Thursday that the case was closed. Nothing I said since the Final Order was entered contradicts those documents, Rokita said about the release of the documents. The Supreme Court Order closed the case. The Conditional Agreement and the Affidavit are part of the record, and the Final Order has been entered. Nothing I said since the Final Order was entered contradicts those documents. Our office looks forward to continuing our work for AG Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) February 1, 2024 Complaints from November comments Two Indianapolis-area attorneys filed misconduct complaints with the Supreme Courts disciplinary commission last year, following Rokitas statement about the courts reprimand in November. Disciplinary commission executive director Adrienne Meiring wrote to Rokita on Nov. 17, seeking a written response to allegations that he violated Indiana Court professional conduct rules, specifically that lawyers cannot knowingly make false statements to a tribunal and cannot conduct themselves dishonestly. Briggs: Todd Rokita is over being attorney general One of the complaints filed by attorney Paula Cardoza-Jones pointed to the courts opinion that Rokita admitted in an affidavit to two charges and wrote that the attorney general directly contradicted his statement to the court in his public response to the discipline ruling. The discipline commission in December filed a request with the Supreme Court asking for release of the conditional agreement and affidavit Rokita signed, according to court records. Rokita responded to that request in a court document in January, stating he did not object to the release of the documents. In that response, Rokita said his admissions in the agreement with the court does not mean that what he said was false the exact point he made in his release after this Courts Order. Contact IndyStar's state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Supreme Court releases agreement from AG Rokita discipline By Ananda Teresia and Stanley Widianto JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo insisted on Friday that his cabinet was working normally, amid reports of discontent among his top officials and long-running speculation of a planned resignation by his widely respected finance minister. Reports of unease in the cabinet have been swirling as public criticism mounts against Jokowi, as the popular president is known, over his perceived political interference and bias ahead of a Feb. 14 election. "The cabinet has no problem," Jokowi told reporters when asked about discontent among ministers, adding it was normal and democratic to have differences of opinion. Jokowi is nearing the end of his second term, which is the maximum allowed for an Indonesian president. He has not explicitly endorsed any of the three presidential candidates but has made highly publicised appearances with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, his rival in the past two elections. But his tacit backing of Prabowo, particularly at government functions, has led to criticism he has flouted election rules, which he rejects. In Indonesia, sitting presidents can campaign for candidates providing they do not use state resources and must take official leave to do so. Incumbents have typically been neutral. Another bone of contention is that the president's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is Prabowo's running mate for vice president, and was only allowed to join the race due to a late change of eligibility rules by a court that was headed by Jokowi's brother-in-law. On Thursday, another vice presidential candidate Mahfud MD resigned as chief security minister citing an "ethical preference". His aide earlier said it was due to Jokowi taking sides. Portfolio investors have been most concerned about media reports that Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati might also resign. She has yet to confirm or deny the reports. On Friday when asked about Sri Mulyani's quitting, presidential palace official Ari Dwipayana said she was working as usual. Ari said during a cabinet meeting held on Friday afternoon, which was led by Jokowi and which Sri Mulyani attended, there was no discussion of resignation. He also added the president has no plan to join any candidate's campaign events ahead of the voting day. Criticism of Jokowi has been widespread among intellectuals, with some from his alma mater this week issuing a petition over his "disregard for political principles". On Friday, professors at the University of Indonesia called for state officials to not bend to pressure to support any one candidate. Flanked by dozens of academics while reading a statement streamed live, law professor Harkristuti Harkrisnowo said democracy had been "clobbered". She did not mention the president explicitly. "Our country seems to have lost its bearing due to foul play in a pursuit for power," she said. (Reporting by Stanley Widianto, Ananda Teresia and Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by Martin Petty and Raju Gopalakrishnan) JAKARTA (Reuters) - The three main candidates contesting Indonesia's presidential elections this month are proposing to bolster government coffers by creating a new tax collection agency, despite scepticism from the tax and business community. Policymakers in Southeast Asia's largest economy have long considered the creation of a more powerful tax institution to tackle the problem of chronically weak revenue collection, even as they have failed to address simpler solutions such as widening the tax base. Indonesia has managed its finances relatively well during President Joko Widodo's 10-year tenure, but its spending capacity is limited by a deficit ceiling, large outlays on energy subsidies and growing interest payments on debt. Indonesia votes for a new president on Feb. 14 and all three candidates have pledged to shift responsibility for the tax department from the finance ministry to the president. The latest opinion surveys have Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto leading the race for president with a substantial margin, ahead of former provincial governors Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan. Prabowo has set the highest tax-to-GDP target of 18%, or about $100 billion in additional tax revenue, if he wins the presidency, while also promising personal income tax cuts. "A new agency will make tax authorities stronger, more integrated," said Drajad Wibowo, an economist with Prabowo's team, adding that this could improve officers' capacity to investigate evasion cases. Former Jakarta Governor Anies has pledged to cut taxes for the middle class and raise them for the rich, putting a target of tax ratio at 13%-16% of GDP. He also wants this done under the supervision of a new agency, modelled after the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, said his economist Wijayanto Samirin. Ex-Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has promised to double the size of Indonesia's budget, currently at $216 billion, by cracking down on tax evasion with tougher law enforcement and the creation of a digital tax collection system under a new agency. NEW AGENCY NOT ENOUGH However, some economists and the business community say a new tax agency might not lead to higher revenue if other issues like the low tax base are not addressed. Jahen Rezki, a researcher with University of Indonesia, said the next government should consider levying new taxes, such as on carbon emissions or inheritance. The World Bank said the independence of a tax authority did not guarantee better performance, though it had not assessed the merits of such an institution in Indonesia. "There may be more binding constraints to revenue collection than administrative independence of the tax authority," the multinational lender told Reuters. It has suggested the government could toughen rules on taxes for small businesses and strengthen its database for compliance. Fajry Akbar, a researcher with think tank Center for Indonesia Taxation Analysis (CITA), said the creation of a new institution was unnecessary when easier solutions were already implemented, such as digitisation and having a bigger workforce of tax collectors. "That is why creating institution will be a waste of time and it will be costly," he said. Tutum Rahanta, an official with Indonesia's retailers association, said the proposed new agency would achieve nothing without change in the way tax officers interact with taxpayers to encourage people to declare their incomes. "Tax officers should be fair ... Sometimes between us and them, we can have different perception (about tax cases). Instead of straightening them out, they make this into some sort of extortion case," he said. ($1 = 15,670.0000 rupiah) (Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by Stephen Coates) Union County is working to speed up justice with its crime lab and newly accredited FIELDS of evidence, which means faster results while putting criminals behind bars and getting innocent people out. PAST COVERAGE: Union County crime lab to help speed up criminal cases Channel 9s Hannah Goetz spoke with forensic chemists, crime scene investigators, and law enforcement officers on Thursday about the work they are doing, which is helping to cut back on the state labs backlog. The digital forensic lab has equipment used to analyze things, such as text messages, which could lead to an arrest. Its key for us to create a timeline of that victims last hours and this room does a great job of providing us that, said Lt. James Maye. The work in the digital forensic lab can help in cases of fentanyl poisoning to identify drug dealers. This evidence is used to determine which source provided the narcotics that ended the life of a victim, Maye said. The crime labs most recent accreditation was in the fall of 2023, which allowed officials to process fingerprints and blood alcohol testing on-site. The blood alcohol analysis, which could be crucial in a DWI arrest, starts there where vials are filled and prepped for testing. The alcohol thats in the blood will slowly go into the air above the sample, said forensic chemist, Dayla Rich. So, you test not the blood, but the air that is coming out of it? Goetz asked. Correct, said Rich. Running those tests in-house can provide results weeks or even months faster. Other local law enforcement agencies can use the lab too. Sheriff (Eddie) Cathey is encouraging everyone to bring us your phones, your blood, anything we can do to get criminals off the street bring it to us well take care of it, said Lt. Maye. In the coming months, theyre hoping to be accredited in other fields of evidence analysis, including DNA, blood drug toxicology, and seized drugs. The lab will not conduct autopsies on-site. That will be the responsibility of the regional medical examiners office. The Union County Sheriffs Office hopes to eventually do postmortem-blood-drug testing for death by distribution cases. VIDEO: Union County crime lab to help speed up criminal cases Iowa lawmakers declined to advance a bill Thursday that would remove gender identity from the states civil rights law. All three members of a subcommittee voted to not advance the bill Wednesday. The bill was referred to the Iowa House Judiciary Committee last week. The bill would have removed gender identity as a protected class under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. However, it would have also added a diagnosis for gender dysphoria or any condition related to a gender identity disorder to the definition of disability' to the law. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a pro-LGBTQ advocacy group, celebrated the bills failure to advance in a Thursday post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. WIN: An Iowa House subcommittee announced they will NOT advance a bill that would have removed gender identity from Iowas Civil Rights Act! the HRC said in its post. This ensures that LGBTQ+ Iowans will remain protected citizens! The pro-equality movement is strong. The failure of the advancement also comes at a time of intense political debate and legal scrutiny focused on LGBTQ rights. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reported last month that state legislatures have introduced more than 275 bills aimed at LGBTQ rights for consideration during 2024 sessions. The legislation centers on issues including gender-affirming care and restrictions on LGBTQ speech. Transgender people across the country are enduring a historic and dangerous effort to control our bodies and our lives, fueled by extremist politics with the goal of erasing us from public life, ACLU attorney Harper Seldin said. Taken together, these proposals are a blatant effort to deny transgender people the freedom to be ourselves at school, at work, and the support of the medical care many of us need to live, he said. We at the ACLU and our nationwide affiliate network stand ready to defend our freedoms and our families from this baseless assault. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Scoop In the spring of 2014, Irans then-foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, was drafting a new proposal to convince the international community to accept Tehrans advancing nuclear program. The diplomat a witty, goateed, 54-year-old at the time with a Ph.D. from the University of Denver faced an uphill struggle. The Islamic Republic had few friends in the U.S. and Europe following its decades of hostage-taking, Holocaust denial and support for international terrorism. And American diplomats, through whom Zarif was negotiating along with the other members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany, could veto his overtures out of hand. But Zarif had a plan, according to his memoir. He turned to the International Crisis Group, the Brussels-headquartered conflict-resolution organization with deep ties to Washington and other Western capitals. Over two decades, the advocacy group had developed a star-studded roster of former U.S. lawmakers, retired European diplomats, and business executives on its staff and advisory boards. Crisis Group drew millions of dollars in funding from Wall Street financiers, New York-based foundations and foreign governments to advance its mission of anticipating and preventing war and ethnic cleansing. This step was taken to ensure that the International Crisis Group could lay the foundation for publicizing and lobbying the drafts content, Zarif wrote in his 2021 Persian-language account of the nuclear talks, . [This] from the viewpoint of the nuclear negotiators, could serve as a stepping stone into the drafting phase. Zarif saw his outreach as a success; he wrote that Crisis Group incorporated Irans positions into its own reporting: Utilizing the draft devised by the Iranian delegation, the International Crisis Group unveiled a document on May 9, 2014, titled Iran and the P5+1: Solving the Nuclear Rubiks Cube. Crisis Group disputes Zarifs account, telling Semafor that the organization first shared its draft of the Rubiks Cube report with Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, or P5+1, not the other way around, according to spokesperson Elissa Jobson. She called into question Zarifs credibility, noting that he lied in a number instances in his memoir, such as claiming that the Islamic Republic never had a nuclear weapons program. The Iranian government consistently criticized and attacked our work and serves to benefit from Zarifs account of the situation, she said. Semafor revealed in late September an Iranian influence operation, called the Iran Experts Initiative (IEI), which was run by Zarifs Foreign Ministry starting in the spring of 2014. The program developed ties with Western academics and think tankers to advance Tehrans positions on the nuclear issue, leading up to the landmark agreement forged between Iran, the U.S. and other global powers in July 2015. Two of the people named as IEI participants, Ali Vaez and Dina Esfandiary, are currently senior members of Crisis Group. Both Vaez and Esfandiary and Crisis Group have disputed Semafors description of the IEI, saying it was an informal grouping partially funded by a European government (which they declined to name) and that they werent tools of Iranian influence. But the Zarif memoir, and a cache of leaked Iranian Foreign Ministry documents obtained by Iran International, a Persian-language news channel banned inside Iran, and shared with Semafor, document how useful Zarif and his Foreign Ministry saw Crisis Group as being as a partner for its nuclear diplomacy well beyond the IEI. The ties between Irans Foreign Ministry and Crisis Group helped advance Tehrans strategic aims in numerous other ways over a decade. And in a strange coda, Irans current government of President Ebrahim Raisi, which demonizes Zarif, has turned on Crisis Group, too, for its work on the nuclear issue. Know More Tehran, in 2014 through 2015, was managing a range of complex details in the nuclear negotiations with the global powers through the P5+1. Just one dispute could kill an overall agreement. And in a number of cases, Zarif and his team turned towards Crisis Group, and Ali Vaez, in particular, to help navigate the landmines. Vaez was and remains Crisis Groups Iran Project Director. He did not respond to requests for comment. Only in his early 30s at the time, Vaez was seemingly an unlikely partner for the Islamic Republic. Born in Iran, he was a student activist during his college years and took part in mass protests against the regime in 1999. He eventually left for Europe, and then the U.S., to advance his studies and professional life. He hasnt been able to return to Iran since 2014 due to security concerns, according to Crisis Group. Among the goals hes committed to advance, according to his writings: Preventing a conflict between his native and adopted homes. A U.S. or Israeli military intervention to stop Irans dash toward nuclear weapons could also make the regime more determined to acquire them, further securitize and militarize Irans domestic space, and destabilize the region as a wounded government strikes back, Vaez wrote last year in a long first-person account in about his experiences with Iran. And hed developed a close relationship with Robert Malley, Crisis Groups former Middle East point man and future president, whod taken a senior position in the Obama administrations National Security Council in 2014. Vaez could serve as a backchannel to Malley and the White House. One issue that troubled Zarif and his Foreign Ministry in 2014, in particular, was the issue of breakout, or the time Iran needed to amass enough nuclear material to produce one atomic bomb. American negotiators, and many outside nuclear experts, argued there had to be a clear metric through which to gauge the value of a final nuclear deal. And they ultimately settled on a one-year breakout time, which included significant limitations on the amount of nuclear material Tehran could stockpile and the numbers of centrifuges Iran could deploy. Zarif and his negotiating team were initially dead set against it. Breakout is a hysteria, is a hype, the foreign minister told Charlie Rose in an interview taped during the negotiations. I dont think anyone should accept breakout. Vaez wrote to Zarif and two other top Iranian Foreign Ministry officials in October 2014 that hed work with the diplomats to counter the inclusion of the breakout concept in any final nuclear deal. In a long email viewed by Semafor, Vaez stressed that it was Crisis Groups mission to find a middle ground and that its credibility stemmed from all sides seeing it as a neutral party. But he added: As an Iranian, I considered it my national and patriotic duty to offer His Excellency help to publicly oppose the breakout time concept, and to help your team prepare a report on the practical needs of Iran. Vaez challenged the breakout idea in a string of opinion pieces and public presentations throughout that year and into 2015, including debating a top American nuclear expert on its merits. In a March 2015 post on Crisis Groups website, he wrote: five common misperceptions make breakout time a misleading gauge of the potential threat. Crisis Groups May 2014 Rubiks Cube report, which Zarif cited, argued that the resulting imprecision pushes all parties to adopt worst-case scenarios, rendering breakout estimates unrealistic as a basis for a durable agreement and policy. Crisis Group says all its reports reflect the view of the organization and not of any single staffer. David Albright, a nuclear scientist and former United Nations weapons inspector, said he was often surprised by the positions Vaez and Crisis Group took during discussions the Obama administration had with outside experts, which he said tracked closely with Tehrans. The issue of breakout was perhaps the most important as it was fundamental to the overall deal. I just knew that people like Vaez were, in a sense, just causing trouble for things that had been settled in the U.S.s mind, Albright said. What the Iranians were looking for was quite clear: They wanted to have no criteria. Jobson, the Crisis Groups spokesperson, said the organization never worked to advance Irans position but sought to serve as a middle ground to bring together the differing positions of the P5+1 countries. Though we take the views of all parties to conflict seriously, we do not simply adopt them as our own, she said. In the end, the breakout concept was included in the final nuclear deal, with Iran agreeing to limitations that kept it a year away from having enough fissile material for one bomb. Crisis Group acknowledged that it initially opposed the metric as an artificial concept and believed Tehran covertly building a bomb was a far greater threat. But Jobson said that once it was clear the concept would be adopted, we offered parameters to extend it beyond a year. Zarif and his diplomats saw Crisis Group as useful in another way. The Tehran-based Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), the Iranian Foreign Ministrys in-house think tank, was a world-wide pariah after it staged the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust in December 2006. More than 50 European and American research institutions, including Crisis Group, ended their affiliations or engagements with IPIS, saying in a statement in early 2007: Through its complicity with the deniers of the absolute evil that was the Holocaust, IPIS has now forfeited its status as an acceptable partner. But after Zarif became foreign minister in 2013, he sought to rebuild IPISs international position and brand, reappointing Mostafa Zahrani as the think tanks director general, and promoting nuclear diplomacy. Zahrani was educated in Texas and close to Irans top diplomat, serving alongside him in New York when Zarif served as Tehrans ambassador to the UN in the early 2000s. More than a dozen European, Asian and Mideast institutions including Crisis Group, the Polish Institute of International Affairs, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and the now-defunct EastWest Institute formally reengaged with IPIS soon after. The Munich Security Conference staged a Core Group meeting with IPIS in October 2015 in Tehran; among those on the guest list, according to an invitation list seen by Semafor, were a number of top European business executives, as well as Major General Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian paramilitary leader designated by the U.S. as an international terrorist. The Trump administration assassinated the general in January 2020. As part of this remake, Zahrani and IPIS sponsored an international conference, called the World Against Violence and Extremism, or WAVE, in which they invited foreign academics and diplomats to ostensibly discuss conflict resolution. Crisis Groups then-President Jean-Marie Guehenno, a former UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, was among a group of think tanks heads and former European diplomats who attended the inaugural and only two-day WAVE conference in December 2014 in Tehran. The foreign ministers of Syria, Nicaragua and Iraq also attended, according to Iranian state media, as well as the U.K.s former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and one-time French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin. As the head of IPIS, removing sanctions was very important to me, Zahrani wrote in one text reviewed by Semafor. I insisted on [the WAVE] conference, so the sanctions are removed from IPIS. Its unclear which sanctions Zahrani is referencing, as the U.S. never formally blacklisted IPIS. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned a separate Iranian think tank, New Horizon Organization, in 2019 for allegedly helping Irans elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stage conferences to recruit and collect intelligence from attendees. In April 2016, Guehenno signed a formal research-cooperation agreement with IPIS through a memorandum of understanding. Swedish, Polish, Jordanian, Chinese and Pakistani institutions forged similar agreements with IPIS. But a half-dozen U.S. think tank leaders in Washington told Semafor that their institutions were wary of any partnerships with foreign governments, given that they might limit their ability to write freely about those countries. And they said IPIS, with its history of promoting Holocaust denialism for Tehrans authoritarian regime, was particularly troublesome. If Iran were a Western democracy, this MOU would be understandable, although likely not necessary, said David Albright, the former UN weapons inspector, who now serves as president of the Institute for Science and International Security. This MOU leaves Crisis Group vulnerable to exploitation and creates a pathway of disinformation into U.S. and European decision making and advisory channels. Crisis Group says its mission often requires it to deal with regimes that others may consider odious. We endeavor to talk to all sides and in doing so to build on our role as a trusted source of field-centered information, fresh perspectives and advice for conflict parties and external actors, it notes on its website. Jobson declined to say whether Crisis Groups MOU with IPIS remains in place but stressed that no funding from Tehran has been involved. The original agreement states that it can be automatically renewed for four years at a time. Generally, our MOUs are intended to protect the security of our staff in conflict zones or in countries that engage in arbitrary arrests and detentions, she said. Jobson added: Potentially sensitive MOUs and other agreements involving funding from governments are reviewed by in-house and outside counsel to ensure that they are compliant with U.S. law. The View From Tehran Irans Foreign Ministry and IPIS were fixated in 2014 and 2015 on securing the nuclear deal with the P5+1 and lifting crushing international sanctions. But they were also intent, at a broader level, on attempting to end the pariah status placed on Tehran by many Western countries during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads eight-year tenure, which ended in 2013. Not only did IPIS promote Holocaust denialism under Ahmadinejads leadership, but the president himself aggressively questioned Nazi war crimes during his foreign travels, including to the United Nations. IPISs director general, Zahrani, sought to essentially rebrand the think tank once he was reappointed to his position by Foreign Minister Zarif in 2014, according to the correspondence reviewed by Semafor. IPIS also sought to forge formal partnerships with foreign think tanks, such as the one signed with Crisis Group in 2006, to better integrate Tehran internationally. The MOU calls for regular exchanges of IPIS and Crisis Group academics and quarterly visits to Tehran by Crisis Groups top Iran analyst, according to the agreement seen by Semafor. Crisis Group also committed to staging an annual conference for IPIS in either Brussels or Istanbul, though Jobson said these never took place. Crisis Groups leadership shall give presentations on their fields of expertise at Iranian think tanks and universities upon request by IPIS, the MOU states. One thing hasnt changed at IPIS after it reconnected with Crisis Group and others: Its maintained its deep hostility towards Israel. The think tanks current head, Mohammad Hasan Sheikholeslami, congratulated the Palestinian militant group Hamas for its October 7 terrorist attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 Israelis, referencing it as a glorious victory. The operation disintegrated the fake concept of Israel and showed normalization of ties with Israel was stillborn and was a failed project from the start, according to an October 19 interview with Sheikholeslami posted on IPISs website. Iranian state media has also turned on Crisis Group and Vaez since Zarifs departure and the election of Irans hardline President Ebrahim Raisi in August 2021. In a string of recent articles and documentaries, English-language publications including the and have accused Crisis Group of stealthily promoting the Wests positions on the nuclear issue and attempting to stoke political instability inside Iran. In an August cover story, wrote: By identifying contentious issues, it [Crisis Group] provides fodder for Western Intelligence services and the Zionist regime to exploit in their efforts to foment violent crises in target countries. The View From Crisis Group Crisis Group remains proud of its efforts to promote the international nuclear deal with Iran as among the nearly 30-year-old organizations most important work. Its highlighted in public postings the efforts by Robert Malley, Crisis Groups Middle East director from 2002 to 2014, to initiate studies to find a settlement and avoid conflict between Washington and Tehran. In those early papers, at a time when nuclear negotiations between Tehran and the international community were at a standoff, Crisis Group was a lonely voice that laid the analytical base for the eventual core compromise, Crisis Group wrote in a September 2015 posting. Crisis Group has also praised Ali Vaez for the critical role he played in bridging the differences between Tehran and the rest of the P5+1. Crisis Group noted that both Tehran and the Obama administration thanked the organization in 2015 for its work after the nuclear deal was completed. Irans foreign minister sent a private message to Crisis Group acknowledging our significant contribution, and a senior U.S. official wrote: I am sure you recognize your language in the final text, Crisis Group wrote. Crisis Group hasnt made its MOU with IPIS public after it was signed in 2016. Speaking generally, these types of MOUs are common and common knowledge, Crisis Group said in a written statement. We are also transparent about our interactions with governments in our discussions with interlocutors in the U.S. and elsewhere, in citations in our reports, and in other publications and communications. Vaez, in his piece, described the difficulty in negotiating with Irans revolutionary government. He said diplomacy remained critical to trying to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But he acknowledged hardliners were now fully in power in Iran and likely less willing to make compromises. Recent attacks by hardline Iranian media on Crisis Group could be evidence of this. The Iranian people have changed over the past 44 years. But the Islamic Republic has not kept up, Vaez wrote. It is incapable of admitting its mistakes and rectifying itself because it fears that conceding under pressure will only invite more pressureboth from the bottom up and from the outside. Crisis Group has characterized Semafors and Iran Internationals recent articles on the Iran Experts Initiative as a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining its ability to engage with countries like Iran and prevent conflict. We have only one constituency: local communities at risk of or affected by deadly conflict, which we aim to prevent, mitigate and resolve, Jobson said. Jays view Crisis Group has developed a vast network of analysts and researchers around the world over the past three decades to advance its efforts to prevent conflicts. During my years as a foreign correspondent, I often sought out their views and reports on issues ranging from international terrorism to nuclear proliferation. In Indonesia, Crisis Groups then-Southeast Asia analyst, Sidney Jones, literally mapped out Al-Qaidas entire regional network after September 11, 2001 ahead, I suspected, of Western intelligence agencies. Crisis Groups Pakistan analyst, Samina Ahmed, bravely confronted the countrys generals about the threats they posed to democracy and the fight against extremism in South Asia. In Washington, too, Ive looked over the years to Crisis Groups staff, including Rob Malley and Ali Vaez, for their views on global conflicts. Malleys contacts in Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian authorities, and his insights into militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, were at times invaluable in trying to understand the Arab-Israeli conflict in a city consumed by it, but generally not informed by all sides. Vaez, too, with his contacts in Tehran, offered analysis on the U.S.-Iran conflict that many Western analysts couldnt. As a journalist, I completely understood the Crisis Groups mission of seeking to speak to all sides, regardless of what you personally thought of a particular government or leader. Al Lucca/Semafor But in reviewing the large cache of leaked Iranian Foreign Ministry correspondence, and Tehrans interactions with Western organizations, I was startled, not only by its depth, but the lack of transparency involved. In our reporting on the Iran Experts Initiative, we tracked how Tehran built ties with at least 10 Western analysts and academics to promote its positions on the nuclear issue; these ties werent ever disclosed in their numerous writings and media appearances. Members of the IEI, such as Vaez and Esfandiary, have disputed that they were taking their lead from Tehran. But they never publicly mentioned their involvement in the initiative until after the publication of our initial story. The Iranian Foreign Ministrys correspondence and the IEI reminded me of the final round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 that I covered in Austria during the summer of 2015. At the time, I wrote a piece for The Wall Street Journal documenting the curious mix of American analysts and former U.S. officials whod descended on Vienna to essentially back Tehrans position in the talks. This episode now looks entirely different to me in light of what we learned about the IEI. Crisis Group explains on its own website how it became a major player in the Iran nuclear negotiations and worked to lobby Washington, Tehran, and Europe behind the original deal. Well before these final agreements, International Crisis Group had already turned its focus to the next stage: convincing Irans Majles and the U.S. Congress that the deal was a good one, it wrote in 2015. Its not clear and Ive seen no evidence that Crisis Group ever disclosed to Congress or the media its MOU with IPIS during the course of its campaign in Washington. Crisis Group stressed to me that everyone knew its analysts were talking to Iran, and Jobson said that the organization didnt receive funding from Tehran, which it would have made public. We disclose all of our government funding on our website and through our publicly available financial statements, she said. But these arrangements are even more notable given that Crisis Groups former president, Robert Malley, joined the White House in January 2021 to become its chief negotiator with Tehran on the nuclear issue. The diplomat went from leading an organization that Tehran saw as a critical interlocutor with the world to representing Americas interests against it, in just a matter of months. In April, the State Departments Diplomatic Security Service revoked Malleys security clearance, and the Biden administration then formally suspended him from his job in June. Semafor has since reported that the FBI is investigating Malley for his alleged mishandling of classified information. Its unclear if his ties to Tehran, developed over decades through Crisis Group and his government posts, are part of the FBIs probe. In the course of our correspondence, Crisis Group pointed out Semafors own potential partnerships with two Chinese government entities for a prospective business conference in China. It should be noted that Semafor proactively disclosed the arrangements even before they were finalized. These included postings by Semafor CEO Justin Smith and Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith, which resulted in a fair amount of public debate. Notable A number of former U.S. diplomats and military leaders have praised Crisis Group for its work to defuse international conflicts, including over Irans nuclear program. The late general and secretary of state, Colin Powell, called the organization a mirror for the conscience of the world. In 2013, Crisis Group presented an annual peace award to Myanmars then-President Thein Sein , even though Human Rights Watch accused him of being complicit in the ethnic cleansing of his countrys Rohingya Muslim minority. The ICGs granting this award for Thein Sein is thus unconscionable, wrote Guy Horton of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London that year. It has endorsed a military controlled government which now, and in its former guises, was, and is, allegedly responsible for crimes against humanity and genocide. Ali Vaez and three co-authors recently published a book, How Sanctions Work, which questions the utility of successive U.S. administrations using financial warfare against Iran. He also appeared in a January episode of Pod Save the World (hosted by former Obama administration national security staffers) and argued Iran couldnt be deterred militarily and that the U.S. needed to return to diplomacy with Tehran. Funeral ceremony of the casualties of the Islamic State attack in Kerman (Reuters) -Iran will not start a war but would "respond strongly" to anyone who tried to bully it, President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday, a day after the U.S. said it was planning attacks on Iranian sites in Iraq and Syria. There has been mounting speculation this week about how Washington might retaliate after three U.S. soldiers were killed last Saturday in a strike on their base in Jordan by an Iranian-backed group. CBS News, citing U.S. officials, reported on Thursday that the United States had approved plans for multi-day strikes in Iraq and Syria against multiple targets, including Iranian personnel and facilities in those countries. "We will not start any war, but if anyone wants to bully us they will receive a strong response," Raisi said in a televised speech. "Before, when they (the Americans) wanted to talk to us, they said the military option is on the table. Now they say they have no intention of a conflict with Iran," Raisi said. "The Islamic Republic's military power in the region is not and never has been a threat to any country. Rather, it ensures security that the countries of the region can rely on and trust," Raisi added. The United States has assessed that the drone that killed three of its soldiers and also wounded more than 40 other people, was made by Iran, four U.S. officials have told Reuters. Sources said Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards were pulling senior officers out of Syria. Iranian advisers assist armed groups in both Iraq, where the U.S. has around 2,500 troops, and Syria, where it has 900. (Editing by Gareth Jones) FRC Releases Updated Report Detailing the Intensifying Intolerance Toward Christians in the West NEWS PROVIDED BY Family Research Council Feb. 2, 2024 WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- Family Research Council's Center for Religious Liberty has published an updated edition of its report "Free to Believe? The Intensifying Intolerance Toward Christians in the West," which seeks to provide a better understanding of religious freedom violations perpetrated by Western governments against Christian individuals, organizations, and churches. Between January 2020 and December 2023, FRC identified 168 such incidents across 16 countries. These results were obtained by analyzing open-source documents, reports, and media outlets from 34 countries. Examples of government-sanctioned acts of hostility Western Christians faced within the past four years include being arrested or fined for preaching or praying in public spaces, being punished for voicing biblically informed beliefs in the public square, and pastors facing fines or imprisonment for failing to abide by COVID-19 restrictions--which were sometimes more stringent on houses of worship than on secular institutions and businesses. Although this report is not an exhaustive account of all the instances of government-sanctioned hostility toward Christians in the Western world, it still paints a troubling picture of a rapidly secularizing Western world unable to tolerate both public and private expressions of the Christian faith. Tony Perkins, Family Research Council president and former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), commented on the updated report: "During my time as chair and commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, I saw a marked rise in violations of religious freedom against Christians. This occurred not only in longstanding persecution hotspots such as China, Pakistan, and India but also across the West. It is shocking to see Western countries--the same ones we think of as free and open societies--take authoritarian measures against Christians simply trying to live out their faith. Hostility toward Bible-believing Christians is clearly and steadily rising in the West. The report details numerous infringements, including those related to restrictions on speech and public prayer. These abuses are alarming for anyone who understands that the historic understanding of religious freedom is the ability to live your life according to your faith in every aspect of your life." Arielle Del Turco, author of the report and Director of FRC's Center for Religious Liberty, added: "These stories are alarming and show the diverse ways Western governments--which ought to be the standard bearers for upholding freedom of religion and expression--are undermining the fundamental human right to religious freedom. This report serves as a warning about how basic freedoms can erode even in Western democracies. Religious freedom must be protected at home so that we may also defend religious freedom across the globe and stand up for the persecuted." To read the report, please visit: frc.org/westernintolerance SOURCE Family Research Council CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, 866-FRC-NEWS or 866-372-6397 What will it take to convince our political leaders that Islamism represents the greatest direct threat facing our democracy? And lest anxious readers misread that first sentence and perceive, wrongly, that I refer to the whole of Islam, let me offer a clarification: Islamism is not Islam but a vile iteration of it, a malignant mutation that aims, by political and often violent means, to create a worldwide caliphate whose citizens, whether Muslim or not, would be subject to the strictest interpretation of Sharia law. And with such tiresome, though unavoidable, housekeeping out of the way, lets return to my original question: why havent our MPs recognised the rise of Islamism in this country as the threat it so clearly poses? Mike Freers decision to stand down at the next general election out of fear for his and his familys personal safety is merely the latest example of the ugly consequences of not dealing with this appalling philosophy. The constituency office of the Finchley and Golders Green MP was recently the target of a suspected arsonist attack and Freer has been threatened by Islamists. Who can blame him for walking away when parliament has shown time and time again that it will not take Islamism seriously? If the murder of more than 50 people in the terrorist attacks on the London transport network in July 2005 were not enough, if the near fatal knife attack by an Islamist on Labour MP Stephen Timms in 2010 left his parliamentary colleagues unconcerned, if even the appalling murder of Conservative MP David Amess in his constituency surgery in 2021 by an Islamist could not motivate MPs to take the threat seriously, must we conclude that idle and dangerous complacency is the settled will of parliament? In May 2017 a bomber targeted teenage girls leaving an Ariana Grande concert. Two months earlier an Islamist murdered a police officer and three civilians outside the Commons. Two years later an Islamist carried out a frenzied knife attack on citizens at London Bridge, killing two and injuring three others. And yet the chances are that if you asked most MPs what the greatest existential threat to the country is today, they would answer, The climate emergency. Things seem to have have gotten worse on our streets in recent months as Islamist protesters, supported by a range of useful idiots from the broad Left, have loudly proclaimed their support for Hamas, which is itself an Islamist terrorist outfit in the mould of Isis and Al-Qaeda. When an MP chooses to take advantage of one such event to publicly quote an apologist for terrorist atrocities and can do so without fear of admonition from her party, its clear which side of this particular conflict is gaining the upper hand. It is not enough to condemn such complacency towards Islamism. We need to understand why MPs have proved so reluctant to challenge it and call it out for what it is. Concern about community relations is, of course, right up there, especially among Labour representatives. But I fear that too often, concern is as much about electoral prospects as about multiculturalism. Two things have to be made clear at this point: it is insulting to the vast majority of Muslims to imagine that robust arguments in favour of combatting Islamism would be anathema to them; rather, the more distinctly mainstream Muslims are separated from their militant, anti-democratic co-religionists, the better it would be for that community and for its relations with its non-Muslim fellow citizens. But the other, more important, point is that even if this were not the case, the aim of removing the stain of Islamist terror from our country, and indeed, the world, is too important for any adverse electoral consequences to be considered. If there are any Muslims who might take offence at a recognition by our political establishment of the threat Islamism poses, they are entirely free to switch their votes accordingly. And the first, most important step along that path must begin with political support for institutions besieged by Islamist orthodoxy. The issue of the Batley Grammar School teacher forced to go into hiding because of the threat of violence from those who objected to his decision to show cartoons of Mohammed to his pupils remains unresolved because there is no political pressure for such a resolution. MPs of all parties are happy for the topic to disappear from view, for it not to be mentioned in polite company. Yet it represents a fundamental challenge to our culture as well as to our politicians. Do they believe in that teachers right to safety or not? How disgraceful it is for any civilised nation to tolerate this kind of bullying, for anyone to suffer such an upheaval because of the religious and bigoted intolerance of a minority. If even these low-level examples of British authorities surrender to religious intolerance cannot provoke an appropriate response from our politicians, perhaps we should not be surprised by the deafening silence that has accompanied Freers decision to stand down. And unless something changes, unless MPs wake up and recognise this clear and present danger to us all, things can only get much, much worse. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The 19-year-old son of an Israeli consulate official was denied diplomatic immunity following his arrest over the weekend for allegedly running over a police officer with his motorcycle, the U.S. State Department told HuffPost. Avraham Gil was arrested Saturday and charged with aggravated battery against a police officer and resisting arrest after police in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, attempted to pull him over, according to a complaint obtained by HuffPost. Gils attorney, David Seltzer, told HuffPost in a statement that the teen is innocent and that video evidence supports that he was simply driving and had no intention to hit the police officer. Seltzer previously argued in a county court that Gil cannot face criminal charges at all because he is entitled to consular immunity, the Miami New Times reported. The judge released Gil from jail, though questions remained in legal circles about whether he is entitled to immunity, according to reports by ABC affiliate WPLG-TV in South Florida. In a statement to HuffPost on Thursday, the State Department confirmed that Gil is a dependent of a consular officer but is not entitled to civil or criminal immunity. The Sunny Isles Police Department posted a photo of Avraham Gil's motorcycle in the roadway. The Sunny Isles Police Department posted a photo of Avraham Gil's motorcycle in the roadway. According to the complaint against Gil, an officer who had pulled over another vehicle during a traffic stop said he saw the motorcycle coming toward him, passing between cars, and yelled for the rider to stop. The officer said Gil disregarded his commands, continued riding his motorcycle toward him and then intentionally ran him over, according to the complaint. The officer reported that he then grabbed Gil with both his hands and redirected him towards the ground to stop him, the complaint stated. According to the document, the officer suffered incapacitating injuries to his left leg and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The Sunny Isles Beach Police Department included a photo of the officer's leg in its report on the incident with Avraham Gil. The Sunny Isles Beach Police Department included a photo of the officer's leg in its report on the incident with Avraham Gil. Seltzer also said that police failed to follow the approved and accepted procedures to clarify whether Gil had diplomatic immunity. Seltzer confirmed to HuffPost that Gils father is Eli Gil, who is consul for administration at Israels consulate in Miami. According to the State Department, unless a bilateral agreement is in effect, family members of consular officers enjoy no personal inviolability and no jurisdictional immunity of any kind. Gil is scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment on Feb. 28. Related... An Israeli minister has compared Lord Cameron to Neville Chamberlain after the foreign secretary suggested the UK may formally recognise Palestinian statehood. Amichai Chikli, the diaspora minister, accused the foreign secretary of handing Hamas Nazis a prize as he likened him to the former prime minister known for appeasing Hitler in the run-up to the Second World War. Hello to David Cameron, who wants to bring Peace in Our Time and grant the Nazis who committed the atrocities of Oct 7 a prize in the form of a Palestinian state as a token of recognition for murdering babies in their cribs, mass rape and abducting mothers with their children, he said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Mr Chikli is a controversial figure in Israel and has faced recent scrutiny from the countrys finance ministry after it suggested his department was superfluous and should be shut down. His remarks came after Lord Cameron doubled down on earlier suggestions that the UK could formally recognise a Palestinian state, despite Israeli opposition to the idea as it continues its war against Hamas in Gaza. Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister, makes his 'peace in our time' address after meeting Hitler in Munich - Central Press/Getty Images/Hulton Archive Speaking during a visit to Lebanon on Thursday, he said recognition could come after a ceasefire in Gaza but before any potential peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians reach a conclusion on a two-state solution. The UKs recognition of an independent state of Palestine cant come at the start of the process, but it doesnt have to be the very end of the process, Mr Cameron said. It could be something that we consider as this process, as this advance to a solution, becomes more real, he added, calling the prospect absolutely vital for the long-term peace and security of the region. What we need to do is give the Palestinian people a horizon towards a better future, the future of having a state of their own. Lord David Cameron, Britain's foreign secretary, has angered Israel by calling for Palestinian statehood to be recognised in the wake of Hamas's Oct 7 attacks - JOSEPH EID/AFP The US and other Western countries have also supported the idea of an independent Palestine existing alongside Israel, saying that a two-state solution is vital for long-term stability. However, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, has publicly rejected the creation of an independent Palestinian state after the war. In any future arrangement Israel needs security control of all territory west of the Jordan [River], Mr Netanyahu said last month. For 30 years, I have been consistent, saying one simple thing: this conflict is not about a lack of a state, but about the existence of a state. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The White House has set its sights on Israels settlers, a controversial movement that has grown in power over the years and is seen by the outside world as a major impediment to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. On Thursday, the State Department announced the first round of sanctions targeting Israeli settlers accused of perpetrating violence in the West Bank. The sanctions block their financial assets and bar them from entering the US. The sanctions mark one of the more significant moves Biden has taken to critique Israel since the Israel-Hamas war started on October 7, when the Palestinian militant group launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israels subsequent assault on Gaza has so far led to the death of more than 27,000 Palestinians in the territory. Much less in the public eye, during that period, at least 370 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank, including 94 children. Almost all of them were killed by Israeli troops, but settler violence in the West Bank has also jumped sharply since the war began, with settlers burning cars, destroying infrastructure and assaulting and killing Palestinians. Since the war, the White House has doubled down on a longstanding US position supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects. Only four settlers were targeted in the US move. But there are 700,000 of them living in the West Bank and, according to the international community, the presence of every one of them there is illegal. The Palestinians want the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza for a future state, a position that is supported by much of the rest of the world. Heres all you need to know about Jewish settlers and why theyre so controversial. An aerial view of a scrapyard where cars were torched overnight, in the Palestinian town of Huwara near Nablus in the occupied West Bank on February 27. - Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images What are West Bank settlements? During the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Soon after, it began establishing Israeli communities in those territories. Today, it retains control of East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the West Bank, and imposes a land and maritime siege on Gaza. Those territories are considered by the international community as occupied by Israel. The West Bank is home to 3.3 million Palestinians and it is where the bulk of Jewish settlements are. Israel has continued to expand settlements over decades despite signing a series of peace agreements with the Palestinians in 1990s called the Oslo Accords that envisaged the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza as part of a negotiated resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There are 146 settlements dotted throughout the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), many of which encroach on Palestinian villages and, in some cases, privately owned Palestinian land. Some are built in close proximity to Palestinian population centers and one, in Hebron, sits in the heart of a Palestinian town. In East Jerusalem, there are 14 Israeli neighborhoods, which the international community considers illegal. The prevalent view among the Palestinians and Israels allies in the West is that the settlements are a major obstacle to peace, making a contiguous, whole Palestinian state in the West Bank impossible. Who are the settlers? Settlers are Jewish Israelis who live in the Israeli-occupied territories, mostly in communities built by the Israeli government. Many of them are ideologically driven and believe they have a divine right to live on the land as stipulated by the bible, though other settlers opt to live in the West Bank because it offers a lower cost of living and the Israeli government subsidizes housing costs. There are more than 450,000 Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank. Settlers in the West Bank fall under Israeli civilian rule and have their own road and transportation networks, while Palestinian residents fall under Israeli military rule, are forced to go through Israeli military checkpoints, and are largely barred from entering Jewish settlements. The dual system one for Jews and one for Palestinians has been criticized by Israeli and international humanitarian groups as being a system of apartheid, a charge Israel strongly denies. Many of the settlers are armed and some have engaged in deadly attacks against Palestinian civilians. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, at least eight Palestinians have been killed in settler attacks. The influence of settlers in Israeli politics has grown tremendously over the years. The current Israeli coalition government includes two settler-backed parties, both of whose leaders live in the West Bank and have pushed for the expansion of Jewish communities in occupied territory. Calls for Jews to resettle Gaza have also picked up steam since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, supported by some Israeli ministers, but Israel has said its official position remains that it does not plan to re-occupy or settle the territory. How much of the West Bank does Israel control? After Israel signed the Oslo Accords with the Palestinians, an interim Palestinian government was established in the West Bank and Gaza, known as the Palestinian Authority (PA), based in the city of Ramallah. That treaty split the West Bank into three areas: A, B and C. The PA formally retains full administrative and security control of Area A, which accounts for 18% of the territory. In Area B, which makes up 22%, the PA has administrative control while Israel has security control. And in Area C, which is 60% of the West Bank, Israel retains full security and administrative control. What are settlement outposts? While all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law and by much of the international community, Israel distinguishes settlements it has authorized from those it hasnt. The vast majority of settlements are built by government order, but some unauthorized settlements, known as settlement outposts, have been established by ideologically- driven Israeli civilians with the hope that they will one day be authorized by the government. Israel occasionally cracks down on them, but it often retroactively legalizes them once they grow into communities. There are 144 outposts in the West Bank, according to Israeli rights group Peace Now. More than 20,000 Israelis live in them, according to the Israel Policy Forum. What is the legal status of settlements? The settlements are illegal under international law. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which concerns civilian populations during a time of war, states in Article 49 that, The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies. United Nations Security Council resolution 2334, which the United States did not veto, and was passed in December 2016, reaffirms this position. It states that settlements have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law. The resolution references previous Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 446, 452, 465, 476, 478, 1397, 1515, and 1850. Of these, 465, 476, and 478 established that settlements have no legal validity in 1980. Israel, along with a few legal analysts, disputes that settlements are illegal. In 2012, the Israeli government, under the direction of Prime Minister Netanyahu, published the Levy Commission Report, which summarized this legal position. The report rejected the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the West Bank, arguing that the West Bank was never a legitimate part of any Arab state. Consequently, those conventions dealing with the administration of occupied territory and an occupied populations [sic] are not applicable to Israels presence in Judea and Samaria (West Bank), the report read. This is not a position that any country or international forum has accepted. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Issa Rae is calling out Hollywood for what she describes as backtracking on commitments made to improving diversity and representation on screen. In an interview with TIME, the award-winning creative said that the cancellation of her Max show, Rap Sh!t, after two seasons appears to be a regression from the diversity, equity and inclusion promises made by industry leaders in 2020, following the death of George Floyd and the subsequent racial reckoning it sparked. Ive never seen Hollywood this scared and clueless, and at the mercy of Wall Street, the "Insecure" star and creator said, referencing the recent cuts to Black programming. Hollywood companies pledged millions toward supporting diverse projects in 2020, including commitments from director J.J. Abrams and his wife Katie McGarths production company Bad Robot and Netflix. Abrams and McGarth promised $10 million over five years to organizations and efforts committed to anti-racist agendas and Netflix pledged $5 million to support Black creators, Black youth and Black-owned business, the Los Angeles Times reported. But, it appears that within the last few years, there's been a shift. "Rap Sh!t" was one of several Black-led shows canceled in 2023. Other shows included "The Wonder Years," "A Black Lady Sketch Show," "Grand Crew," "South Side" and "All Rise." The previous year, in 2022, Raising Dion, Queens and Rae's reality show "Sweet Life: Los Angeles" were canceled. The recent cancellations of Black-led series hasn't gone unnoticed among fans, either. "That lil DEI wave in media post 2020 was so short lived," one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, listing several of the canceled shows. "The canceling of #RapShit is yet another slap in the face to us and our stories. Its especially hurtful for those of us that came up during an era where there were countless black shows on TV. Now we have to search far and wide and even then the quality may be questionable. SMDH," another person added. Rae, founder of Hoorae Media, an independent production company, said it's frustrating that diverse programming is often in the front line when it comes to programming cuts. There is a bitterness of just like, who suffers from you guys pulling back? People of color always do, she said. In an email to TIME, HBO's executive vice president for programming, Amy Gravitt, and its chairman and CEO, Casey Bloys, said they are supportive of Rae and "look forward to what genres Issa and Hoorae will take on next." Weve established a creative shorthand over the years and with every new project, we pick up right where we left off. Theres a flow to it that inspires me, Gravitt said. Rae signed a five-year deal with the WarnerMedia in 2021, which is set to expire in 2026. Rap Sh!t (MAX) Prior to the recent slew of cancellations, the film and TV industry seemed to be making some progress. According to UCLAs 2021 and 2023 Hollywood Diversity Report, there's been an uptick in the casting of racial minorities in lead roles and the hiring of diverse show creators. Even with these gains, Rae said there remains antiquated views when it comes to programming and gatekeeping in Hollywood. Im sorry, but there arent a lot of smart executives anymore, she said. And a lot of them have aged out and are holding on to their positions and refusing to let young blood get in. Rae noted that those who help to finance projects are also part of the problem. Now, these conglomerate leaders are also making the decisions about Hollywood. Yall arent creative people. Stick to the money, she said. So what does the future hold for Black creatives? Rae, who famously got her start with YouTube web series Dorm Diaries and later The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, said most are turning to social media platforms to share their content, which, as she adds, will eventually lead to the end of Hollywood. The people that are taking chances are on platforms like TikTok. Thats whats getting the eyeballs of the youth. So youre killing your own industry, she said. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Some Turkish banks are reportedly closing accounts associated with Russian businesses for fear of triggering secondary sanctions from the U.S., the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported Feb. 1, citing the Russian state-controlled newspaper Vedomosti. Secondary sanctions target entities that indirectly support a sanctioned country. U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Dec. 22, 2023 sanctioning foreign financial institutions that contribute to Russia's war effort. Unnamed Russian business and financial representatives told Vedomosti that banks in Turkey were closing a number of Russian corporate accounts and ending relationships with clients who switched to Turkish banks after the full-scale invasion of February 2022. The sources said that Turkish financial institutions took these measures in response to the threat of U.S. sanctions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 1 that Turkish banks were closing Russian accounts due to "unconcealed and aggressive U.S. pressure on Turkey." The ISW reported on Jan. 17 that Turkish banks were reportedly taking measures to protect themselves from secondary sanctions by severing ties with Russian clients. Banks in other countries are also reviewing their links to Russian accounts following the December sanctions. Bloomberg reported on Jan. 16 that two state-owned financial institutions in China were planning to cut ties with clients tied to Russia's defense industry. China's economic support has been crucial to Russia's war effort for the past two years, as widespread international sanctions have left Moscow increasingly reliant on Beijing. The Bank of Cyprus also closed its offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Jan. 22. The head of Russia's Central Bank, Elvira Nabiullina, said on Dec. 25, 2023 that Russia had to prepare for "increased pressure from sanctions," including limited access to foreign resources. Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU leaders agree to $54 billion funding for Kyiv; Russian ship sunk near occupied Crimea Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Jacob Tremblay just graduated high school, and the TODAY team helped the actor celebrate with plenty of pomp and circumstance. The 17-year-old stopped by Studio 1A on Feb 1 to chat about his new animated film with his co-star Paul Walter Hauser. During the interview, TODAY's Dylan Dreyer congratulated Tremblay for wrapping up his high school career a week ago and asked if he had attended a graduation ceremony yet. "No, not yet. There's one kind of toward the end of the year cuz I graduated a semester early. So I'll try to cut out the time to make it to it," he explained. TODAY's Al Roker then asked the crew to cue up some music and Tremblay seemed slightly confused as the graduation song "Pomp & Circumstance" began to play. "You know, because Jacob you didnt get your diploma, your ceremony, we have a little something here for you," he said. "We've got your cap and gown." Tremblay stood up with the 3rd Hour of TODAY co-hosts at this point and a member of the crew approached the actor with a blue graduation gown and a cap with the TODAY logo on it. Jacob Tremblay was surprised when the TODAY family gave him an impromptu high school graduation ceremony on live TV. (Nathan Congleton / TODAY) "Oh my goodness," he exclaimed as he put the outfit on. "See, you don't even have to wait cuz this is official," Dylan said. Better than a diploma, we have a certificate signed by all of us and Paul," Al said. Tremblay seemed amused and touched by the gesture and said, "Oh thank you so much. Oh this is wonderful." Dylan looked over at Hauser at this point and asked if he was doing the pledge of allegiance since he had his hand on his heart. "I just heard the music and felt like I should put my hand on my heart," he mused. There's traditionally a speaker at most graduations, and Al explained that the TODAY team got "the next best thing" for Tremblay. A video of "Star Wars" actor Mark Hamill then appeared on the screen. "Hey Jacob, it's your old pal Mark Hamill here and I wanted to congratulate you on your graduation. I can't believe it. Where does the time go? I've known you since you were much, much shorter than me and now, not so much," the actor said. Hamill continued his message and said, "Anyway, congratulations on this milestone in your life and I wish you all the best and continued success." Jacob Tremblay and the TODAY crew (Nathan Congleton / TODAY) Tremblay was visibly shocked by the moment and said, "What just happened? That was amazing." Al noted that the TODAY team knew Tremblay is a huge "Star Wars" fan and Dylan recalled how Tremblay once met Hamill when he was a child. "(He's) one of the nicest people you'll ever meet," Tremblay said of Hamill. Hauser couldn't help but infuse some humor into the touching moment. "That's a big deal. You know, Al, I believe, only got a message when you graduated (from the 'Star Wars' character) Jar Jar Binks," he said. Al played along and said, "Yes, that was it." "Not the same," Hauser said. "No, not exactly. No, not even close," Al joked. This article was originally published on TODAY.com In commemoration of Black History Month and James Baldwins centennial birthday, Google unveiled a Doodle in his honor. As Black History Month made its 2024 debut on Feb. 1, so did a Google Doodle of civil rights activist and author James Baldwin. Created by artist Jon Key in a palette of black and violet, the Doodle imagines Baldwin in the role he is best known for, writing in his home office. However, as a statement by his niece, Darlene Burnett, reminds us, James Baldwins career began well before he was known as one of historys most evocative wordsmiths. He was initially a Pentecostal preacher, an influence that would remain in his passionate speeches and conversations as he spoke truth to power. An active voice in the civil rights movement, Jimmy vehemently spoke out against the racial ills of his country. A country that he loved, and openly criticized, but felt forced to leave for the more embracing arms of Europe, read Burnetts statement, in part. Jimmy showed up in the world as himself. He was unapologetic and bold in his speech, his writings, and his sexuality. A new Google Doodle (pictured) features James Baldwin. (Image: Courtesy of Google) Similarly, Keys work centers several themes parallel to those that were central to Baldwins life and work, specifically Blackness, Queerness, Family and Southerness. Baldwins radical and transformative writings and teachings continue to inspire my work and how I navigate the world as a Black queer person. His unapologetic stance about his identity was undebatable, Key explained to Google, adding, With the work I create, I am trying to manifest environments and community structures imbued with truth, pride, and love tenets that I think are exemplified by Baldwins texts and life. In addition to commemorating the start of Black History Month, Baldwins Doodle also celebrates the centennial year of his birth. Born the eldest of nine children in New York City on Aug. 2, 1924, Baldwins talent would eventually cement him as a literary trailblazer as he boldly explored themes of race, Black masculinity and sexuality. His genius was not only recognized in the United States; as Google notes, Baldwin earned the Commandeur de la Legion dhonneur in 1986, considered the highest French order of merit. But Baldwins influence is much greater than any award, Google continues. [H]is works provided valuable representation to people whose stories often went untold, and inspired many civil rights leaders who, in turn, made progress in society that impacted generations. Key is among those impacted by the work of Baldwin and other creative predecessors. Without the ancestors who came before us, we would not be here today. I am celebrating by feeling grateful, grateful for the opportunities paved for me to walk down by the Black and Black queer trailblazers. I hope that people recognize that their own talents and strengths can also inspire a new generation, he added. Each of us [has] within [us] the power to create change. To that end, Google is now inviting the public to create their own Google Doodles. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post James Baldwins Google Doodle reminds us that art is activism appeared first on TheGrio. WASHINGTON Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to deny a Jan. 6 rioter's request to delay his sentencing, arguing that the defendant may be seeking to remain incarcerated. Brandon Fellows was convicted last year after representing himself at trial, where he told jurors that Jan. 6 was a "beautiful day" and that he liked "the fact that those senators and congressman were in fear for their lives." We had to take the election back. It was stolen, Fellows testified, adding outside the presence of the jury that he was in a "kangaroo court" and referring to the judge as a Nazi. Before that, Fellows was among a small percentage of Capitol attack defendants who were held in jail before their trials. He has been incarcerated since July 2021, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for Feb. 29. Prosecutors are seeking 37 months in prison, with sentencing guidelines ranging from 30 to 37 months of incarceration. If his sentencing were to be delayed for several more months, as Fellows has requested, he could end up serving more time behind bars than he would ultimately be sentenced to, and potentially even more than the three years sought by prosecutors. Delaying sentencing further, prosecutors wrote in a filing Thursday, is not in the interests of justice, but, given his statement during a hearing on December 13, 2023, that he was in no rush to proceed to sentencing, remaining incarcerated may be the defendants goal. Brandon Fellows sits in Sen. Jeff Merkley's office. (USDCDC) In self-authored memo in which he wrote that rioters had and have a right to overthrow the government once Pence certified the stolen election and called Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden corrupt and a modern day Nazi judge Fellows sought to delay his sentencing until the Supreme Court rules in another Jan. 6 case that may affect one of the charges against him. Fellows, who has indicated he's in no rush to be sentenced, has praised the federal Bureau of Prisons facilities where he's previously been incarcerated, saying in his memo that they were awesome and very fun! He said he preferred prison over jail because prison had weight rooms, classes and more nutritional food. During his trial, Fellows told jurors that he was on the autism spectrum and was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome in addition to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Brandon Fellows sits on a motorcycle at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (USDCDC) Federal prosecutors say that Fellows "is in the unique position that proceeding with sentencing as planned on February 29 may result in his release on that date," and said it was clear Fellows was seeking to postpone that hearing any way he could. "The Government has no doubt that he would like to delay his sentencing by any means necessary," they wrote in a court filing. "The defendant has demonstrated that he is in no particular hurry for his case to conclude, even though he is in custody." Fellows, a tree cutter and chimney repairman who lived in upstate New York before the attack on the Capitol, cheered on the mob on Jan. 6, smoked marijuana in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and heckled police officers who were protecting the building, according to evidence presented at trial. Prosecutors said 37 months of incarceration would be warranted given "the gravity of Fellows conduct, his persistent lack of remorse, and the utter lack of respect he has demonstrated towards this Court and the rule of law." Brought my heart joy to see these members terrified for their lives, Fellows wrote on social media hours after the attack. For what they have done and are doing to this country I hope they live in constant fear. After his arrest on Jan. 16, 2021, according to evidence presented in his case, Fellows chuckled and "asked the FBI agent for a Sharpie, so that he could write 'liberty' on his forehead for his mugshot." When the jury foreperson announced the verdict at his trial, Fellows interrupted her, yelling, "This is how you radicalize people!" according to a court transcript. Prosecutors said Fellows "has used every chance he has gotten in media interviews, his social media, and through his trial testimony to insist that his actions were perfectly lawful and justified, despite knowing it was not." More than 1,250 defendants have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and federal prosecutors have secured about 900 convictions. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A Jan. 6 rioter who prosecutors argued was a key instigator of the violence that led to the takeover of the U.S. Capitol was convicted of multiple felonies on Friday, alongside four co-defendants. Authorities long pointed to Ryan Samsel as the man whose actions were a tipping point that turned a rowdy pro-Donald Trump protest into a downright violent riot, with him being one of the firstand possibly the firstperson to push through barricades and throw them at officers at what is known as the Peace Circle. Samsel, a 39-year-old barber from Pennsylvania, was convicted Friday on federal assault charges and for obstructing the confirmation of the 2020 presidential election. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June, and Samsel could spend multiple years in prison. Investigators said there were photos and videos that showed Samsel was the rioter responsible for knocking a U.S. Capitol officer unconscious after hurling a barricade at her and knocking her to the ground, where she hit her head. Rioter Who Gave Capitol Cop a Concussion Has Horrific History of Beating Women: Feds That action is believed to have cleared the way for a wave of rioters to flood into the U.S. Capitol. While other rioters swarmed the group attacking the officers, prosecutors said Samsel and four other menwho didnt know each other prior to Jan. 6continued their violence, fighting with officers as they encouraged others to push ahead. These are the defendants who started it, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra F. Foster said in her closing arguments. There is little doubt that this moment ignited a fire that lasted around the Capitol for hours They started the Capitol breach. Now they must take responsibility. Even prior to his arrest, Samsel quickly gained notoriety in viral videos from the riot, where he was seen assaulting officers and speaking with Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys, moments before charging the barricades. He was also captured on camera speaking briefly with Ray Epps, which led to a slew of baseless pro-Trump conspiracies theories that Epps was a federal agent seeking to purposefully cause chaos at the Capitol to entrap Trump supporters. Samsels encounter with Biggs played a prominent role in a seditious conspiracy trial for the Proud Boy leader, which ended with him being sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. Samsel never took the stand in his defense, and neither did his co-defendants. They were James T. Grant, 31, of North Carolina; Paul R. Johnson, 38, of Virginia; Stephen C. Randolph, 34, of Kentucky; and Jason B. Blythe, 28, of Texas. Officer Caroline Edwards did take the stand, however, testifying about how she was attacked and knocked unconscious by Samselawaking to terror all around her as she and her colleagues were overrun. Edwards said she was first hit in the jaw, then knocked into a stairway railing, and then to the ground, where she hit her head. I landed with my head on the stairs, Edwards testified, according to NBC News. The lights were on, but no one was home. Samsel was arrested in Jan. 2021 and has remained in custody ever since, largely because of recent assault convictions. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Jan Graham, the only woman to hold the office of Utah attorney general, has died, according to a statement Thursday from the current attorney generals office. Graham was the 18th attorney general in state history, serving from 1993 to 2001. She was also the most recent Democrat to serve in a statewide office. Jodi Hildebrandt allowed to sell house, but judge says money must be held for restitution Jan Graham shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations of women in public office, said the Utah Senate Democrats, in a statement. State Sen. Luz Escamilla (D-Salt Lake City) said that Grahams legacy inspires her work, which is focused on the well-being of women and children. Jan Grahams impact on our state and her commitment to advocating for our children will never be forgotten, she said. Our thoughts are with her loved ones during this difficult time. Graham was born in Salt Lake City and attended both Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. She initially studied psychology before pursuing law. Sean Reyes, the current attorney general and a Republican, described Graham as a historic legal and political figure in Utah, adding that her passing is a titanic loss for the local legal community. Among her accomplishments, she guided Utahs role as part of groundbreaking national litigation and settlement with large tobacco companies to protect the health and safety of all Utahns, he said. She also laid the foundation for much of the success Utah has achieved with programs like the Childrens Justice Centers. Gov. Spencer Cox called Graham a trailblazer in a statement on Twitter/X, adding that he is grateful for her public service. Graham was a founding member of the Women Lawyers of Utah. In a presentation marking the groups 20th anniversary in 2001, she remarked that the most recurring and fundamental issue the group addressed was the balancing act of being a professional lawyer and a parent in the 1980s. As we all evolved, women felt empowered to honestly disclose their own priorities without fear of being labeled second class lawyers, she said. Being married to the practice of law used to be an honor; now its a sign of ones need to visit a therapist. Utah House Democratic Leader Angela Romero (D-Salt Lake City) said that Graham was a steadfast advocate for Utahns, prioritizing their voices over political interests. As we mourn her passing, we honor Jan Grahams enduring legacy of advocacy and service, which continues to inspire us all, Romero said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. JOPLIN, Mo. Joplins new police chief is just past his first month in his new role, the citys first ever African American police chief. We sat down to talk to Richard Pearson about what that means to him as part of our Black History Month series. Being the first Black police chief is important because there are people of color in the community that see me in this role. But while Chief Richard Pearson is a first for Joplins top law enforcement job thats not his focus. First Black police oh wow, I am Thats something I typically dont like going into. Because when you talk about, when you make race the deciding factor negates all my other accomplishments, all my other efforts, everything else Ive done to bring me to this point. Something Joplin Mayor pro tem Keenan Cortez agrees with. What a deal, what a deal. And I tell you, I wouldnt care if he was purple. That man is qualified. He is extremely qualified and I think he brings a lot of, of experience to our community that we need, said Cortez. That experience includes 22 years on the Louisville police force, earning a doctorate in criminal justice, and passing on his knowledge to the next generation of officers. Taught a variety of different criminal justice classes, forensics, courts, law enforcement, constitutional law, that type of thing, said Chief Pearson. Inspiring a new generation is something Pearson wants to do, to pay it forward. Because thats what someone else did for him at a 5th grade career fair. For the last 40 years that one police officer talking to me for just a few minutes, changed the remainder of my life and I would like to think that I could do that for somebody for some young person in the community. Pearson said he has inherited a great group of officers and he hopes combining his experience with theirs will lead to a safer Joplin. My command staff here on the police department has been very helpful. Im leaning on them like a cane every day. And they really support me and holding my hand through the process because this is a deep learning curve. And while city leaders agree its his credentials that matter the most, breaking new ground is something Pearson will also be remembered for. It does make me quite proud that Joplin, regardless of everything that has happened in its history, that we felt bold enough, safe enough and proud enough to hire the right man for the job and he just happened to be an African American man, said Cortez. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Warning: This post contains spoilers for Griselda. Griselda Blancos story could have ended differently if it wasnt for Jorge Rivi Ayala, one of her former hitmen. The new Netflix series Griselda is a fictionalized dramatization of the Colombian drug queenpins life, especially how she built an empire dealing cocaine in the late 70s and 80s in Miami. Sofia Vergara stars as Blanco. The real Blanco was arrested in 1985 and sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking. Meanwhile, the state of Florida attempted to build a first-degree murder case against her. Griselda shows how moment the prosecutions case fell apart, and what her former hitman, Jorge Rivi Ayala, had to do with it. How did Jorge 'Rivi' Ayala's phone sex scandal play into Griselda Blanco's murder case? Blanco was indicted by the United States district court for the southern district of New York for conspiring to manufacture, import into the United States, and distribute cocaine, andfinally was arrested in 1985. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 1993, Ayala pleaded guilty to three killings, including the murder of 2-year-old Johnny Castro, which is depicted in Griselda, and was sentenced to life in prison. Nelson Andreu, a former West Miami police chief who spent ten years of his life building a case against Blanco, told TODAY.com Ayala cooperated with prosecutors in sharing details about Blancos killings. Jorge Rivi Ayala In 1994, Blanco was charged with first-degree murder in Castros 1982 death and the deaths of drug dealers and married couple Alfredo and Grizel Lorenzo, per the Tampa Bay Times reporting. Ayala, set to be the prosecutions star witness, was alleged to be having phone sex with secretaries from the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office. One of the three secretaries fired was cleared of wrongdoing, per the Orlando Sentinel. Andreu told TODAY.com how Ayalas scandal impacted the case. The State Attorneys Office lost all credibility. Even though it was due to the secretary and not the prosecutor, he says. While speaking with TODAY.com, actor Martin Rodriguez explained how he got into the mindset of his character, Rivi, and how he had to build the trust. At first I had to trust in the character and defend him, the actor said, adding that he had to find the humanity within the person. He had a complex personality and was ambiguous in the way he acted. Sofia Vergara as Griselda and Martin Rodriguez as Rivi What happened to Jorge 'Rivi' Ayala after the scandal? Ayala was already serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to three murders. He was denied parole in 2012, per the Miami Herald. Then, in 2013, the Miami Herald reported that a judge denied his bid to explore claims that Miami-Dade prosecutors, back in 1993, agreed in a handshake deal to help him seek parole after 25 years in prison. Ayalas lawyer Jim Lewis said, He doesnt deserve to die in prison. Hes atoned for what hes had done. Blanco cut a plea deal after the phone sex scandal, pleading guilty to three counts of second-degree murder. She was sentenced to serve three concurrent 20-year sentences. In 2004, she was deported to Colombia and was assassinated in 2012. She was 69 years old. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg was cleared of a public order offense Friday after the judge declared the condition police placed on her was "so unclear that it is unlawful." The campaigner was arrested in October 2023 while protesting outside the Energy Intelligence Forum. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE Feb. 2 (UPI) -- A British judge on Friday threw out a public order charge against environmental activist Greta Thunberg citing "no evidence" she engaged in an unlawful protest in October. District Judge John Law dismissed the case Friday, saying the condition police imposed on protesters was "so unclear that it is unlawful," and "anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offense." Thunberg, 21, and fellow activists Christofer Kebbon, Joshua James Unwin, Jeff Rice and Peter Barker were arrested in October for allegedly violating section 14 of Britain's Public Order Act for refusing to leave the area when they were told to. The protest took place outside of the InterContinental hotel in London, the venue for the Energy Intelligence Forum attended by fossil fuel executives and government officials. Arresting officers argued the protesters engaged in "a deliberate attempt to stop people coming into and coming out of the hotel." Superintendent Matt Cox, who was in charge of policing that day, told the court that delegates could not get into the hotel because of the demonstration. But Law said he found "the main entrance was accessible (meaning) that the condition ... was unnecessary when the defendants were arrested." The judge also said the protest was "throughout peaceful, civilized and nonviolent," and he found "no evidence of any vehicles being impeded, no evidence of any interference with emergency services, or any risk to life." "It is quite striking to me that there were no witness statements taken from anyone in the hotel, approximately 1,000 people, or from anyone trying to get in," he said. Thunberg's lawyer, Raj Chada, said the charges were "rightly dismissed" and the conditions imposed on the protesters were unlawful "because they disproportionately interfered with our client's right to free speech." Constable David Lawrence said he had been called to the protest to enforce the section 14 order made by the senior officer on the scene. He said he approached Thunberg and told her to relocate or else be arrested, but he admitted under cross-examination that he did not know the precise location of where protesters were told to relocate. Chada argued each arresting officer failed to properly communicate the condition placed on the protest. "We say for good measure that the condition that was in the charge is not the condition that was communicated to the officers' supervisors," he told the judge. Another 21 people who participated in the demonstration, including supporters of Extinction Rebellion, are due to appear at later court dates. FILE - Burleigh County Auditor Mark Splonskowski poses July 7, 2023, in front of the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D. Republicans are challenging extended mail ballot deadlines in at least two states in a move that could have severe implications for mail voting nationwide ahead of this year's presidential election. A lawsuit filed last week in Mississippi follows a similar one last year in North Dakota, both brought in heavily Republican states before conservative federal courts. (AP Photo/Jack Dura, File) BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A federal judge in North Dakota has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the acceptance of mail-in ballots after Election Day brought by a county election official and backed by a legal group aligned with former President Donald Trump. In his Friday ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor said Burleigh County Auditor Mark Splonskowski lacks standing to bring the case, and failed to show he was harmed by the law or that his constitutional rights will be violated. The auditor alleged state and federal law conflict as to the counting of mail ballots received after Election Day. According to Splonskowski, following his understanding of federal law will inevitably result in criminal prosecution under North Dakota law because he will have to forego his duty to follow North Dakota election law, Traynor wrote, adding later, This is deeply concerning to the Court that an elected official openly advocates for violating the law he was elected to enforce because he has independently concluded it contradicts federal law. The judge also said the reasoning in Splonskowski's lawsuit, if successful, "could be utilized against overseas and military voters' rights to vote. This, indeed, is a concerning position for an elected official to take, wrote Traynor, who also said Splonskowski should have asked the local state's attorney for an opinion about the legal conflict he alleged. He may wish to do so before the next election as it may avoid his potential prosecution ... or removal from office," the judge said in a footnote citing state laws for those avenues. North Dakota Republican Secretary of State Michael Howe welcomed the ruling as a win for the rule of law in North Dakota and a win for our military and overseas voters. About 29% of North Dakota voters cast their ballots by mail in the November 2022 general election. In September, the judge had asked the parties whether he should dismiss the case because Splonskowski had no approval from the county commission to sue in his official capacity as auditor. He said he brought the lawsuit against the states election director as an individual and not in an official capacity. The judge found otherwise. Splonskowski, backed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation, filed the lawsuit against the state election director in July. He argued he faces an impossibility in enforcing the law" around whether to accept mail-in ballots received after election day, alleging federal and state law conflict as to when those ballots must be turned in. He claimed he risks criminal penalties. Foundation spokesperson Lauren Bowman Bis said, We are disappointed in the Courts ruling. We believe unresolved elections undermine confidence and that federal law should be followed. North Dakota law allows mailed ballots received after election day to be counted by county canvassing boards, which meet 13 days after the election, but those ballots must be postmarked before the date of the election. In September, attorneys for the Voting Section of the U.S. Justice Departments Civil Rights Division filed a statement of interest in the case, saying North Dakota's law is consistent with federal law, and ensures military and overseas voters have enough time for their ballots to be counted. The foundation brought voting-related lawsuits in Pennsylvania and Arizona amid Trumps claims of 2020 election fraud. Splonskowski was elected in 2022 as the top election official in the county that is home to Bismarck, North Dakotas capital city. A similar lawsuit filed last week in Mississippi by Republican entities, including the Republican National Committee, also targets mail ballots received after election day. Political observers say the efforts would disenfranchise or penalize voters, if successful. A Trotwood man was convicted this week of raping a woman at gunpoint in 2022. A jury found Ronald Spells, 56, guilty of rape, attempted rape, and aggravated burglary this week, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records. >> 2 Ohio officers arrested, federally charged for allegedly stealing, selling cocaine Spells was arrested in January 2023 for the attack, which took place in September 2022 on Towson Blvd in Miami Twp. The female victim told police that she and her friend were asleep when she was awoken to a man pulling down her pants, according to an affidavit and statement of facts originally filed in Miamisburg Municipal Court. The man had a gun and threatened to kill her before sexually assaulting her, according to court documents. >> Police: Suspects distracted shopper, stole their items at Kettering TJ Maxx; Can you help ID them? After the assault, the man left the residence through the read sliding glass door. The victim was taken to the hospital to have a sexual assault examination done. DNA found in that examination matched a Trotwood burglary case where Spells was the suspect. Spells is booked in the Montgomery County Jail and will be sentenced later this month. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A jury convicted a San Francisco man this week of murdering his wife inside a church in 2018 after she attended a Palm Sunday service. Wyn Leung, 47, was found guilty of first-degree murder, felony domestic violence, and violating his estranged wifes restraining order. Jieyun Zhou was slain by her abusive husband on March 25, 2018. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said, My office is committed to standing by victims for as long as it takes to see justice done and ensuring there is accountability and abusers face consequences. Zhou, 37, had recently filed for divorce and sought full physical and legal custody of their two children. The DAs Office wrote, Three days before the scheduled Family Court date, Mr. Leung found the victim at church services, and waited until other parishioners left before entering the church in violation of a domestic violence restraining order. Mr. Leung asked the pastor of the church to find the victim and tell her that he would like to speak with her about child custody. Los Gatos homicide victims escape attempt caught on surveillance camera Zhou refused to talk to Leung about their children, but he still found her in the church, prosecutors said. He stabbed the victim 20 times, according to the DAs Office. Leung then stabbed himself and was still holding the knife when police officers arrived. Zhou was rushed to a hospital where she died from stab wounds. Leung will be sentenced to prison on March 4. The District Attorneys Office wrote, If you or a loved one is in need of support, please seek help. In an emergency call 911. Below are additional resources for support: National Domestic Violence Hotline, text START to 88788 or call 800-799-7233 WOMAN, Inc 24/7 Support Line, 877-384-3578 Asian Womens Shelter 24/7 crisis line, 877-751-0880 La Casa De Las Madres Crisis, text 415-200-3575 For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) In an interview conducted in the immediate aftermath of the shooting that left a Mobile Police officer dead, accused cop killer Marco Perez, says he traumatized himself. Caravan Convoy rolls through Baldwin County to Texas-Mexico border Perez, who was 19 at the time, is accused of shooting and killing undercover police officer Sean Tuder with a stolen gun in January 2019 at the Peach Place Inn. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The defense argued Tuder was not acting in an official capacity at the time of the shooting. Due to working undercover, Tuder was wearing civilian clothes, no bulletproof vest or body-worn camera. In the video, Perez said Tuder pulled up in an unmarked car, got out with his gun drawn, didnt say anything to identify himself as a police officer and didnt present a badge. Perez admitted that the two got into a fight, and after noticing that Tuder had holstered his gun, Perez managed to stand up before firing multiple rounds. I didnt know who [he was,] Perez said. He didnt identify himself as nobody. Loxley shooting victim saves lives in death, search continues for shooter Video surveillance showed Perez walking toward the vehicle Tuder was in as he believed a relative was coming to get him. The video shows Tuder getting out of the vehicle and pointing his weapon at Perez. Tuder then attempted to arrest Perez. The two went out of range of the camera and scuffled. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO: You know what happened after that, Perez said during the interview. While Rogers said Perez fired three rounds, Perez denied that, saying he only remembers firing one round. I dont even know what happened, Perez said multiple times in the video. I dont even know if the man is alive or if hes dead. Kooiman Road to close for improvements Officer Tuder was called into work on his day off when MPD got a tip that Perez was spotted at the Peach Place Inn. His sole mission, according to former Police Chief Lawrence Battiste, was to lay eyes on Perez. I knew I had a warrant out for my arrest, Perez said in the video on why he decided to run to a nearby wooded area. I didnt want to go to jail. Rogers said the police department interviewed close to 30 people, none of whom were compliant. Its hard to sit here in this spot, in this stand, Rogers said. Data privacy company shares how common belief about spam calls is wrong Tuder had no pulse and was unresponsive when he arrived at the emergency room in a Mobile Police cruiser at 3:15 p.m. According to an emergency room doctor who took the stand, Tuder had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, chest and right hand. Tuder was pronounced dead at 3:32 p.m. nearly 20 minutes after he had arrived at the emergency room. The trial is expected to continue into next week. In the meantime, prosecutors are hoping to prove that Tuder was acting in an official capacity at the time of the shooting. EDITORS NOTE: This story has been corrected from its original version, which had a handful of typos. Perez denied he fired three shots. It was initially reported that Perez denied that Tuder fired three shots. Tuder did not fire any shots. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. MEMPHIS, Tenn. One of the accused gunmen in the shooting death of rapper Young Dolph is asking the court for a potential jury pool that extends outside Shelby County. Justin Johnson, whos facing a slew of charges including first-degree murder, was back in court Friday morning, alongside his defense attorney. Defense attorney Luke Evans is asking for an outside pool of jurors, for several reasons, he told the court. One is the extensive media coverage, including social media, where he says threats have been made. There are reactions in the media to this case that say things such as get a rope, and a call for his lynching,' Evans said. Evans has filed a motion for a change of venue in the case. Two suspects in Young Dolph case back in court Judge Jennifer Mitchell asked the defense what would keep jurors in other jurisdictions from having access to the same media and social media outlets. I think the further away we go, the less likely those social media outlets, these stories, are going to be coming up, Evans replied. Theres another reason the defense is asking for outside jurors, Evans said, and it centers around just how revered Young Dolph was and still is. Someone that is so beloved in this community, it really puts potential jurors in an unfair position, Evans said. Young Dolphs fiancee fights for justice 2 years after his death Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman fired back, saying the killing happened in Shelby County, so those right here, should be part of that jury. Hagerman says the defense is trying to dismiss those right here at home. Shelby County is the most diverse county in all of Tennessee, Hagerman said. We have tried other high-profile cases here. The motion is now under consideration, with the judge expected to make a decision in a week. The decision for the motion to potentially bring in outside jurors is expected to be reached Feb. 9. Meanwhile the trial for Justin Johnson is scheduled for June 3. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. A Levittown man who allegedly decapitated his father and then displayed the man's severed head in an online video while calling for a deadly political uprising planned the crime and was looking to mobilize his "revolution" after fleeing the grisly murder scene. Justin Mohn, 32, of Middletown, purchased the gun police say he used to shoot his father in the head the day before in Croydon and was found with the loaded 9 mm when apprehended hours later on Fort Indiantown Gap military base, authorities said during a news conference Friday. Mohn captured international headlines when he posted the aftermath of the murder to YouTube. He displayed his father's severed head wrapped in plastic in his recorded video. There he also issued a "call to arms" to militia, law enforcement and the National Guard to join him and overtake the government, including killing all federal employees and seizing government buildings. Mohn went to the military installation to "mobilize" the Pennsylvania National Guard, Schorn said, adding the man was looking for Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to help him in his planned anti-government takeover. In the video, Justin Mohn appeared to read from a political manifesto reflective of his views expressed in self-published online books and music, which he has posted on various social media outlets for years before the murder. "... I ask America's police, state, National Guard, and military veterans to join your countrymen against the traders and the federal government, Mohn said in the video, which offered bounties on the heads of prominent federal figures and judges by name. Middletown Township Police Chief Joe Bartorilla, left, speaks to the media alongside Bucks County District Attorney Jen Schorn, center, and Chief Deputy District Attorney - Chief of Child Abuse Prosecution, Matthew S. Lannetti, right, at the press conference about the Mohn murder case at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown on Friday, Feb.2, 2024. Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times Mohn is charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and possession of an instrument of crime in the beheading death of his father, Michael Mohn, 68, on Jan. 30 in their Upper Orchard Drive home. He may face additional charges later; Friday was the first time authorities released more detailed information on the crime on Tuesday. Michael Mohn, a married father of three adult children, was a retired civil engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers in Philadelphia. His son called him a "traitor" in his violent, anti-government video, which was viewed over 6,000 times before it was removed from YouTube. On Friday, Schorn said that Justin Mohn gave up his medical marijuana card several days before he bought the gun police believe he used to kill his father. She described the purchase as legal, noting that Mohn has no history of diagnosed mental health issues or voluntary or involuntary mental health commitments. Schorn declined to provide details about what allegedly made Justin Mohn kill his father, or if he was speaking with investigators. A woman left flowers at the door of the Mohn house on Upper Orchard Drive on Tuesday, leaving her condolences for the family "This is very much an ongoing investigation," she said. "This investigation will take months, not days." But the district attorney indicated that the gun purchase and surrendering of his medical marijuana card showed Mohn had planned the crime. It was evident to us that he was of clear mind in his purpose and what he was doing, aside from what his beliefs are, he was of clear mind doing this, Schorn said. Acting with a clear mind, aware of his actions and proud of his consequences." Authorities believe that Mohn intended to continue his plan after the murder when he traveled two hours to Fort Indiantown Gap, home to Pennsylvania's National Guard training center. He allegedly was looking for the governor, who he said in his video should not be harmed, as part of his "second American Revolution. Mohn managed to pass the barricade, climb a barbed wire fence and made it onto the installation grounds where he was arrested without incident after police tracked him there by pinging his cellphone, officials said Friday. A photo of the victim, Michael Mohn, displayed during the press conference about the Mohn murder case at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown on Friday, Feb.2, 2024. Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times Justin Mohn's father, Michael, found dead Michael Mohn's bloody, headless body was found in a downstairs bathroom by his wife, Denice, when she returned home around 7 p.m. on Jan. 30. Her screams prompted a neighbor to call police; she would later call 911 as well. An autopsy found Michael Mohn was shot once in the head, killing him and then a large knife and machete were used to remove his head, Schorn said. When Justin Mohn was apprehended one round was missing in the 9 mm handgun, Schorn said. Authorities would later find Michael Mohn's head in a silver cooking pot in a bedroom of the home that appeared to be the setting for the video. Schorn said her office has not spoken with the Mohn family about whether there were concerns about Justin Mohns mental health. This is just truly unimaginable for them, she said. Police had prior contact with Justin Mohn On Friday, Middletown Police Department Chief Joseph Bartorilla said that his department had three contacts with Justin Mohn, none involved any charges. The first contact was in 2011 when he was involved in an argument in the driveway of his home. The next wasnt until 2019 when he reported a threat allegedly made by someone from his former employer, Progressive Insurance, and he wanted a record of it. Mohn filed a lawsuit against the insurance company. Most recently his former employer last year contacted Middletown police about Mohns behavior at work, specifically concerns about some of the content of his self-published online books, Bartorilla said. The employer was looking for legal advice from police about how to terminate Mohn, he said. More on the arrest of Justin Mohn Machete found in bathtub of Levittown home where Justin Mohn beheaded father: Police What Justin Mohn's neighbors saw Beheading of Levittown dad leaves community shaken. Neighbor says son was 'a time bomb' Caught 100 miles from Levittown: What police found when they arrested Levittown beheading suspect at Fort Indiantown Gap Who is Justin Mohn? Justin Mohn of Levittown is captured in this screenshot of the gruesome YouTube video he allegedly made after beheading his father in Levittown on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Justin Mohn lived with his parents and was currently unemployed, Schorn said. He graduated from Neshaminy High School in 2010 and Penn State University in 2014 with a bachelors degree in agribusiness. After college, he held a series of jobs including at a credit union call center, a sandwich shop, as a client service representative and he worked for a Microsoft contractor, a job he referenced in his YouTube video. He also worked briefly for Progressive Insurance in Colorado before suing the company alleging he was not promoted because he was perceived as an overeducated white male. In 2022, he twice sued the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education Secretary for $10 million in U.S. Eastern District Court. His lawsuit alleged he was not advised that he could not find a job after graduation that would let him repay his college loans. Last year, he unsuccessfully sued the U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney General, citing similar complaints. On his various social media accounts he promoted himself as a musician whose recordings centered on stream of consciousness rants and author of several books with anti-government and dystopian themes. Neighbors described Mohn as someone they constantly saw walking around his Upper Orchard neighborhood at all hours. He had an odd demeanor and didnt interact with other people, they said. Conspiracy theorists weigh in on murder Fed or patsy: Conspiracy theorists converge on beheading murder. Why that's not uncommon. Was Justin Mohn part of an anti-government militia? In his YouTube video, which was titled Mohns Militia - Call to Arms for American Patriots he proclaimed himself to be the commander of America's national network of militias, which you may know of as Mohn's militia. On Friday, Schorn did not directly answer if the investigation, so far, has turned up information that Mohn was involved in anti-government activities or groups. His online manifesto speaks for itself at this juncture, Schorn said. But his videos direct call for violence was incredibly concerning for authorities in the early hours of the murder investigation, she said. She also spoke about the fear among law enforcement of what could have happened given the videos message. She added that investigators found some comments about it on the social platform Discord which are being looked into. Its quite horrifying how many views we understand that video had before it was taken down, Schorn said. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Levittown beheading victim shot by Justin Mohn before militia video BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. A juvenile has been charged after a shooting in Blytheville, Arkansas, left one man dead and another man injured. The Blytheville Police Department said officers responded to the shooting on Tuesday in the 2400 block of Carolyn Street and started rendering aide to the victim, identified as Devontae Johnson, at the scene. Another man was found shot less than a mile away in the 2300 block of Marguerite Street. Man charged with murder after gas station fight Both victims were taken to Great River Medical Center. Johnson did not survive his injuries. Police say a juvenile was arrested and charged as an adult with the shooting. The age and identity of the juvenile has not been released. The juvenile is being held on a $200,000 bond and set to appear in court on March 26. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Its understandable that Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, and the leaders of the Kansas House and Senate, both Republicans, would disagree on tax policy. The priorities of Overland Park are very different from those of Colby, and debates about public policies such as this are important and welcome. But in the recent fight over a statewide flat tax, Sunflower State voters are being poorly served. In announcing her veto, the governor came out swinging: I support responsible tax cuts, but I refuse to sign into law a reckless flat tax that would take us back to Brownback while doing next to nothing for the middle class. This flat tax experiment would overwhelmingly benefit the super wealthy and Im not going to put our public schools, roads, and stable economy at risk just to give a break to those at the very top. Its a political trope word salad with a side order of class division and some fearmongering by name-checking a former governor whos been out of office for six years. As a scare tactic and purely political statement, it may work. But its not a counterproposal or a real look at the issue. More to the point, its not grounded in reality. Progressives like to argue that such a tax reform benefit the rich, and said to to a Star news reporter in a story on the governors veto. But the rich always pay the most in taxes, and would continue to do so under this proposal. Michael Austin of the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity (a right-leaning public policy organization) generated household tax liabilities under Kellys bill and the one she opposes. Under the bill Kelly vetoed, a family of four with a household income of $30,000 would have a tax liability (after standard deduction and exemptions) of less than $4. Under the plan Kelly prefers, that same family would have a tax liability of $341. What about the wealthiest 1% of earners? If that same Kansas family earned $700,000, Kelly vetoed a bill that would tax them $35,178.53. She prefers to tax them $37,902. Were that same family earning $70,000 (the median household income in Kansas), their tax liability would be $2,103.53. Under the plan Kelly prefers, that family would have a tax liability of $2.032.50. Theres not much daylight between what the governor thinks is reckless and what she says is reasonable. And when the numbers dont support the rhetoric? The arguments are usually about politics, not policy. The governors claim that the bill she vetoed would result in a budget shortfall is also political theater. Dave Trabert of the Kansas Policy Institute (also a right-leaning organization) writes that, according to the Kansas Legislative Research Department, what Kelly claims put the state economy at risk is not the revenue generated by the tax she vetoed, but $1.6 billion of additional spending she is inserting into her forecasts. That spending has not yet been approved by the Legislature, and it is unlikely that it will. The question is not whether to cut taxes both the governor and the Legislature are advancing tax cuts but how. Republicans argue their reform brings Kansas in line with other states and makes Kansas a more attractive place to live and work. Residents of neighboring Missouri are certainly paying attention. Readers are welcome, even encouraged, to be skeptical of the arguments made here and by other proponents of reform. These issues are difficult and important and literally affect everyones pocketbook. As a result, political leaders need to act accordingly and, as we were all told to do by our teachers, show their work. Proponents of a flat tax have shown their work. Gov. Kelly has failed to do so, choosing instead to mislead, employ scare tactics and divide voters. Kansans deserve better. Patrick Tuohey is co-founder of Better Cities Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on municipal policy solutions, and a senior fellow at the Show-Me Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to Missouri state policy work. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The old terminals at Kansas City International Airport are one step closer to finally coming down. The Kansas City Council on Thursday approved an approximately $17.5 million contract with St. Louis-based Spirtas Wrecking Company to demolish the old terminals. KCI Airports most-visited destinations without a nonstop flight While the contract is $17.5 million, the council has approved a maximum of $19.2 million from the Kansas City Airports Fund. Spirtas will tear down the former Terminals B and C and also make improvements to the remaining area so the existing terminal garages can remain. Kansas City airport officials initially planned to tear down the old terminals last summer. Edgemoor Infrastructure, the developer behind KCIs new terminal, issued a request for proposals for the demolition last year. But in the spring, the city changed course. The Kansas City Aviation Department issued its own request for proposals last fall. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android With the contract approval Thursday, demolition is expected to start as soon as possible, a spokesperson for the KC Aviation Department said. Spirtas bid indicates they will work with several local women- and minority-owned businesses, exceeding the citys requirement for the new terminal project. The old terminal space will eventually be converted to apron space and deicing pads. The two former parking garages arent going anywhere though. Garage B will eventually be available for airport employees and Garage C will be public parking. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. The Kansas City Streetcar Authority on Friday afternoon received the first of eight new streetcars for its 3.5-mile southern extension. The additional vehicles will be needed for the stretch of track from Union Station to the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, scheduled to open in early 2025. Workers had installed two-thirds of the new track as of November. Kansas City Streetcar extension to riverfront sees 75% price increase CAF USA Inc. plans to deliver the rest of Kansas Citys new streetcars at a rate of once every approximately four weeks, according to a release from the Streetcar Authority. The streetcar arriving Friday will be numbered as #807, following the previous 801-806. Another streetcar extension running 0.7 of a mile from the River Market to Berkley Riverfront has targeted a groundbreaking this year and an opening in late 2025 or early 2026. Keep reading in the Kansas City Business Journal. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. As The University of Kansas Health System and Liberty Hospital plug away at steps to finalize their merger, lawmakers have questioned whether the deal is legal. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey questioned the legality of the deal in a Jan. 25 letter, saying it requires legislative approval. His sentiments echoed complaints from Kansas and Missouri lawmakers; bills to halt the merger are underway in both states legislatures. Family settles with Liberty nursing home after man found dead outside But the deal probably will be legal if it takes the shape of a lease and management agreement, said Blane Markley, health care practice group leader at Kansas City-based Spencer Fane LLP. KU Health and Liberty Hospital have not specified how their deal would be structured, though elected officials appear to assume it is a lease-management deal. Although the Liberty Hospital board probably cant sell the hospital outright, Markley said, it can approve leasing the hospital system and entering a management agreement with KU Health under current law. Keep reading in the Kansas City Business Journal. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. TOPEKA (KSNT) Kansas hunters will be able to start hunting for turkey in just a couple months as the spring season kicks off. Turkey hunting is the favorite pastime of many in-state and out-of-state hunters in the Sunflower State. Some major changes were made to the sport last year impacting the upcoming spring season that hunters will need to check out before heading to the outdoors. Whats New This Year The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) made some changes ahead of the 2024 spring turkey season. Most recently, KDWP commissioners approved of a new turkey draw process for non-resident permits which closes on Feb. 9. This was approved at a vote of 7-0 on July 10, 2023 among other changes. Last year, the KDWP also cut off the fall turkey season and listed new restrictions for some units in the spring season. These efforts come amid attempts to help the native turkey population bounce back from recent declines. Top big game records in Kansas for deer, elk and antelope 2024 Spring Turkey Dates/Bag Limits Due to the decline in the resident turkey population, the current statewide permit/bag limit for turkey in Kansas is one bird, according to the 2023-2024 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting guide. No game tags are available for another bird for the spring 2024 season. Current season dates are below: Youth/Disabled: April 1-16 Archery: April 8-16 Regular: April 17 May 30 Legal equipment you can use includes shotguns and handguns using shot sizes 2-9; long, recurve or compound bows and crossbows, according to the 2023-2024 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting guide. You cannot use dogs when hunting for turkey. It is illegal to shoot turkey while they are roosting in trees. What Youll Need Everyone looking to hunt turkey this year needs to have a valid Spring Turkey Permit. Hunters between 16 and 74, along with all nonresidents, must also have a valid Kansas hunting license unless hunting on their own land. A spring turkey permit is good for one bearded turkey. No game tags are available for the 2024 spring season. Kansas man breaks nearly 30-year-old state fishing record with trophy catch Kansas hunters who are 15 or younger can buy a youth permit at a reduced fee. More information on requirements and eligibility can be found by clicking here. You can find more resources on turkey permits and tags by going to the KDWPs website. You can find a copy of the 2023-2024 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting guide and 2023-2024 Kansas Fall & Spring Hunting Atlas by clicking here. For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. To download our Storm Track Weather App, click here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, with daughter Betsy last year, strives to attend her three kids' activities despite her demanding congressional and campaign schedules. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) One busy morning last summer, Rep. Katie Porter timed her flight back to Washington with one to Oregon so her three kids could visit their father, whom they had not seen in months. As she shepherded her children through the metal detector at Santa Anas John Wayne Airport peeling off jackets and separating iPads a woman in line at the checkpoint asked to take a photo together. Porter politely declined. After surviving the airport gauntlet, Porter was buying her kids snacks for the flight when the same woman found her and asked again. Im sick of people trying to take their photo with me, an exhausted Porter recounted later while speed-walking through the halls of the U.S. Capitols Cannon Building late for a committee hearing. The fan had caught Porter at the confluence of her dueling lives as a single mother to three and a social media superstar Senate candidate. Porter, who is running for the U.S. Senate, hosts a consumer protection roundtable session via videoconference from her district office in Irvine. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Porters three terms as an outspoken Democratic member of Congress holding down a competitive Orange County district have been defined by her blunt demeanor, professorial intellect and sometimes polarizing behavior. Those traits tend to stir things up inside both the U.S. Capitol and her four-bedroom home in Irvine, which she shares with a college student who helps take care of the children while Porter is away. Her decision to run for the U.S. Senate has put all of it on full display. Porters three kids sit in the foreground of her campaign against fellow Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee of Oakland and Adam B. Schiff of Burbank, as well as Republican and former Dodger Steve Garvey, in Californias 2024 Senate race. Her fundraising appeals and stump speeches are peppered with recipes for the frozen dinners she makes them and mentions of her 2010 Toyota Sienna minivan and their family vacations to national parks. What Ive never been able to pull apart is how much of whats hard about my life is because Im in Congress, and in competitive races, and how much of my life is hard because Im a single parent, Porter, 50, told The Times. Those things are absolutely wedded together in a way that I cant always tell which it is. Porter's children, from left, Betsy, Luke and Paul, at their Irvine home in July. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Before each of her congressional campaigns, Porters family sat down and talked through the merits of running. This Senate race was no different. She appreciates their ambivalence a mix of pride for their mom but also a teenage desire to avoid the spotlight. Her son Paul, 15, preferred a Senate run because those happen once every six years, while House members run for reelection every two years. The actual campaign is the worst part of the job, he said before offering his thoughts on the film Barbie. Betsy, 12, had a slightly different view and it was unclear whether she was joking. "I really hope she loses so we can get a cat." Luke, 18, had zero interest in sharing his thoughts with a reporter. :: The Senate candidate likes to say that she does Congress differently, which tends to elicit eye rolls from colleagues who see that as bluster. Since taking office, Porter has helped pass legislation aimed at lowering drug prices and has used her committee assignments to loudly skewer Trump administration appointees and corporate executives. The three leading Democratic candidates to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein Reps. Katie Porter, Adam B. Schiff and Barbara Lee, from left debate in L.A. in October. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) When Democrats retained control of Congress in the 2020 election, that combativeness didnt stop. Shes blasted members of Congress, Democrats included, for funding pet projects in their districts through earmarks. Shes accused those with lucrative stock portfolios of being in the pocket of Wall Street. She lambasted her partys leaders for how they made high-profile committee appointments, and in doing so crossed powerful members like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco who has endorsed Schiff in the Senate race. Pelosi said that she respects all Democrats serving in Congress, that all of their votes are pivotal, and that members who feel theyve clashed with her flatter themselves to think I was butting heads with them. Read more: Schiff's latest ad boosts Republican Senate rival Steve Garvey. Rep. Katie Porter hates it I didnt agree with the characterization that congresswoman Porter presented about Congress not doing this and that and the other thing, Pelosi said in a recent interview on L.A.s Fox11 News. I was disappointed in how shes diminished what Congress has done rather than taking pride for any role that she may have had in it. Porter has alienated many members of Californias 52-person congressional delegation. Just one has endorsed her. What can I say on the record that does not insult my colleague Katie Porter? I think what I can do is talk about Adam Schiffs strengths, which includes his collaborative approach to the work he does, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) told The Times last year. The license plate of Porter's Toyota Sienna minivan references her position on the House Oversight Committee. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In her book, I Swear: Politics Is Messier Than My Minivan, Porter lashed out at former Orange County Rep. Harley Rouda, calling him Representative Rich Guy while recounting an instance when he asked her to get his car from the valet after a local fundraiser. In a recent Orange County Register opinion piece, Rouda fired back, saying that he never asked Porter to get his car and that she was no better than a bully. A bully with a white board who is in this for power and her ego. Rouda, a fellow Democrat who hasnt endorsed anyone in the Senate race, also criticized Porter for living in a home that she purchased at below market value with help from UC Irvine as an example of how she has had more choices and more privilege than virtually everyone else. She lives in a development for university faculty and staff. The homes are sold at below-market prices determined by the Irvine Campus Housing Authority, a nonprofit that was set up in the 1980s by the regents of the University of California. And since she went on leave as a law professor at the school to enter Congress, shes been able to stay in the home. Porter has said she followed all of the universitys procedures. A UC Irvine spokesman told The Times in 2022 that Porters case was unique because the school had never had a faculty member elected to Congress. Porters demeanor may be grating to some colleagues, but it resonates with a wide swath of Californians many of whom feel disillusioned by government and politics. During her 2022 reelection campaign, Porter raised more than $25.6 million in contributions the second-most in the House, behind only Bakersfields Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who was then the House Republican leader. Pelosi and Schiff followed closely behind her. She said her lack of chumminess with colleagues is the price of doing business her way, and stems in part from how little time she has after toggling between her kids and her job. Im more willing to call out the nonsense and the bull, she told The Times in one of several interviews in recent months. Porter still shops for groceries for her Irvine household. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) The Irvine moms 2018 election represented a seismic shift in how female candidates presented their kids on the campaign trail, said Fresno State University political science department Chair Lisa Bryant, who has researched how being a mother influences congressional members votes. For female politicians of earlier generations, she said, motherhood was often a liability. Women more typically ran for office after their kids were out of the house, and only in the last decade has being a mother of school-age children been seen as a political asset. Bryant cited the late Democratic Rep. Pat Schroeder of Colorado, who was first elected in 1972, and during her campaigns had an infant and a toddler, which was really weaponized against her. People who ran against her criticized her ability to govern. Porter is trying to show her voters and constituents: Im like you and I understand what youre going through, Bryant told The Times. The late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whom Porter wants to succeed, appeared keenly aware in a 2014 interview of the cost her job did have when it came to raising her daughter, Katherine. Porter, attending her daughter's water polo event with campaign manager Lacey Morrison, left, pauses to talk with Heather Murphy of Placentia. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) I think the key is: Can your spouse take it? Can your children handle it? Do you feel that you are giving enough with what you can give? Because you cannot, I think, give everything and work 12-14 hours a day, virtually every day. You just cant do it, the senator told NBC. Its even tougher for Porter, who is divorced and lacks the wealth Feinstein and many other members of Congress have had. :: Porters story begins in small-town Iowa, where she was raised by a father who was a farmer turned loan officer and a homemaker mother who later found fame in the world of quilting. Porter came of age during the farming crisis of the 1980s; neighbors and friends lost their homes and livelihoods as the price of farmland plummeted. The experience shaped her skepticism of the banking industry, which she says often cares too little about customers and the health of the American economy. While growing up, Porter watched her mom transform a hobby into a massively successful business. What started as teaching quilting in the late 1970s led to books, mail-order classes and a nationally syndicated television show, all based out of a storefront in Winterset, Iowa. By 2004, the business she ran with a partner had annual sales of more than$1 million, according to an article in the Des Moines Register. I remember as a kid people stopping us and saying: Is that you, Liz Porter?! And I remember as a kid being like, Oh, my God lets just go. And that same thing happens now to my kids when people are like, Is it you, Congresswoman Porter? she said. A bright student, Porter attended the Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., then Yale University and Harvard Law School, where she met a bankruptcy professor who would become her mentor: Elizabeth Warren, the now-senior senator from Massachusetts a fellow Democrat who has endorsed Porters Senate campaign. She spends her minutes in D.C., fighting for the people who get no voice here. Thats what she sees as her job, and if shes here, thats the work shes doing not schmoozing with a bunch of people, Warren told The Times. Porter meets with members of the Youth Advisory Board for her district, made up of high school and college students. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Porter with district director Cody Mendoza, left, and senior field representative Tony Capitelli during the consumer protection videoconference roundtable conducted from her district office in Irvine last year. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) When shes not spending time in California meeting with workers trying to unionize or teachers struggling in the classroom, shes trying to keep her family together, the senator added. Katie uses every minute shes got towards being effective. In 2012, Warren recommended Porter to then-California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris to be the independent monitor over a $25-billion settlement of mortgage lenders. By then, Porter had become a tenured law professor at UC Irvine. When she exited the role of independent monitor, Porter continued to teach, and parlayed the experience into serving as an expert witness in class-action cases and doing consulting work sometimes for organizations that the state attorney general had investigated. Read more: Your guide to the California U.S. Senate election: The race to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein One example was her work for Ocwen Financial Corp. and Ocwen Loan Services, which in 2013 agreed to pay a $2.1-billion settlement to multiple states and the federal government. Porter served as an advisor to the companies in 2015 regarding regulatory policy and consumer communications, according to a 2016 version of her resume filed in court. This work a rare foray into corporate America for a politician whos fostered a populist image was scrubbed from her resume when she first ran for Congress, a story first reported by Politico. At a recent debate, Porter said her role with the Ocwen companies was a short-term engagement to address and improve how they contacted and communicated with Californians. :: It was in Irvine during this period that her marriage began to fall apart. Porter and her husband, Matthew Hoffman, became entangled in regular screaming matches, according to court records. In early 2013, she sought a divorce, court records from which contain vivid descriptions of the couples fights. Graphic details of the breakup have been splashed across news pages and websites, including an incident when Porter threw hot mashed potatoes at Hoffman. According to court records, both Porter and Hoffman sought help for anger management. Hoffman did not respond to calls, text messages or emails from The Times seeking comment for this report. Porter often talks about the pain of seeing these legal filings resurface during political campaigns, and worries about the impact they may have on her children. Porter keeps track of time for her three kids as she prepares to leave for one of their events. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Who wants to have to go into their closet and find that box with all the divorce documents, and revisit all of that. Its painful, and its hard, she said. Every time this comes up in the press, its a problem for them with their relationship with their dad, and I feel for them. With her ex-husband living out of the state, Porter is the main caregiver for the kids, which creates a balancing act of fitting middle school plays and water polo matches in with her congressional and campaign schedules. Most weeks she leaves Monday at 5:45 a.m. for the airport and races back to California after the House votes on Thursdays. Before I ran for Congress when I was a single parent, and I would miss stuff, I felt like people were: Well, you should have thought about that before you got a divorce, Porter said. Now, when I miss stuff, people are like, Well, shes serving our country, Id be happy to pick Betsy up. Still, her dual responsibilities have led to some oddball moments, she said. Betsy once used a stamp of her moms signature from her congressional office to sign school permission slips. Luke told Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome H. Powell that he didnt understand the powerful regulators job. Once, while standing on the House floor during a heated debate over federal spending, Porter received a text from Paul, telling her they had no milk. Masu Haque, a college friend and lawyer who doesnt actively practice so she can spend more time with her kids, said Porter wishes she had more support: I dont think she wants to be me. I think she wishes she had a me. University of Michigan water polo coach Cassie Churnside and Porter talk at last year's USA Water Polo Junior Olympics in Huntington Beach, where the congresswoman's daughter was competing. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Porters dual roles may be unusual for a member of Congress. But she knows that many of her constituents are also juggling parenthood and work. One day over the summer, she laid out a blue-checkered blanket and situated herself on the edge of a pool in Irvine. Nearby, Betsys water polo team prepared for its second match in as many days. While other parents chatted in the bleachers, Porter sat with her campaign manager. They were preparing for an upcoming interview with a major labor union in hopes of winning its endorsement. 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. 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 The French SUV plan will be subject to a referendum on Monday - Benoit Tessier/Reuters Sadiq Khan has hailed an innovative French plan for a higher parking charge for SUV owners as he suggested that London could copy other countries net zero taxes in future. The capitals Mayor appeared to praise the plan by Anne Hidalgo, the socialist mayor of Paris, for higher fees for SUV drivers, which will be subject to a referendum on Monday. Mr Khan said heavier vehicles take up more space and present issues around carbon emissions and so forth as he spoke at an event to promote action on pollution. Asked about Ms Hidalgos policy by The Guardian, he said: We always examine policies around the globe. Im a firm believer in stealing good policies. Rather than inventing [new policies] badly, if other cities are doing stuff that works, we will copy them. Innovative ways of tackling air pollution A spokesman for Mr Khan said he had no plans to introduce an SUV parking charge in London, adding: The Mayor was making the point that leaders across the world are exploring innovative ways of tackling air pollution and improving road safety, and the Mayor continues to monitor these. Susan Hall, the Tory candidate for London mayor, accused Mr Khan of a war on motorists that shows no sign of slowing. For him, its all about the money. This highway robbery can only be stopped by showing this highway robber the door and voting him out of office on May 2, she said. Greg Smith, the Conservative MP for Buckingham, added: As ever, this is a Labour Mayor dictating to citizens what they should and shouldnt do. Back off and leave people be. Mr Khan also praised councils in London for offering bold policies in relation to parking fees. Islington council, in north London, charges parked cars in line with the weight of a motor, while Lambeth is also considering similar measures. His remarks came as he apologised on behalf of the Greater London Authority to the mother of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who died in 2013 following a fatal asthma attack that a coroner ruled was partly down to air pollution. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. On the first day of her trial, Scarlett Jenkinson was seen shaking in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. She seemed terrified of what the jurors were about to hear. Even Brianna Gheys mother, Esther, later admitted she had moments where she felt sorry for the 16-year-old who murdered her daughter. As the days and weeks went by, however, it became clear that Jenkinson was anything but a scared, troubled girl who had been persuaded into carrying out the killing by her co-accused, Eddie Ratcliffe, also 16. She was, in fact, in the words of the judge who sentenced her to life in prison on Friday, the driving force behind the sadistic and transphobic killing of Brianna, 16. Unbeknownst to her family and friends, Jenkinson had long harboured a deep desire to kill and spent hours watching graphic torture videos in her bedroom and making notes on famous serial killers, scrawled in a notebook in pink gel pens. Other notes in spidery blue Biro included a flow chart on good and evil, surrounded by doodled hearts. Jenkinson had a relatively normal childhood. She lived with her mother in a 250,000 semi-detached house in Culcheth, Cheshire, on a quiet estate. Her mother was a secondary school home economics tutor, and her father was a construction company manager. She was the youngest of four siblings, and her brothers attended court throughout the trial, sitting with their heads bowed as jurors were given an insight into the mind of a teenager with no empathy and a desire to see the terror in her victims eyes. Before she met Brianna, Jenkinson had been expelled from Culcheth High School in October 2022 for poisoning a fellow pupil with cannabis edibles. Cheshire Constabulary investigated the incident, which involved the drugging of a 13-year-old female. A spokesman for the force said: The matter was reviewed and the victims family spoken to... They did not support further police action, so the matter was passed to the school to provide ongoing support. When she arrived at Birchwood Community High School, she struck up a friendship with Brianna, and later told Ratcliffe that she found the transgender teenager fascinating and different. Brianna was described by her family and friends as being extremely anxious, shy and suffering with depression. She rarely left the house. Her mother told the court she had initially been delighted when she discovered her daughter had made a friend. On Friday, at the sentencing of her daughters killers, she said this had been the hardest thing for me and the rest of the family to come to terms with. Finding out that one of the people who had been charged for her murder was someone we believed to be her friend. Someone that we trusted. Someone that I was so happy that she had, fearing that my child had been lonely, not knowing that this person had been planning to not only cause harm, but to take the life of my precious child, she said. Jenkinson, who has never shown any remorse for her crime, was secretly drawing up plans to lure the teenager to Linear Park, in Culcheth, so she could finally experience what it was like to kill. Brianna was not the only person Jenkinson and Ratcliffe contemplated murdering. They also drew up a list of four other victims, and discussed in detail a number of murder plans. Jenkinson had also downloaded a dark web internet browser app to watch videos of the torture and murder of real people in red rooms. She discussed with Ratcliffe methods of murder, while he sent transphobic messages about Brianna, and she asked him whether potassium cyanide, sarin or ricin was a better way to kill someone. Throughout the trial, it became increasingly clear that Jenkinson realised she could use Ratcliffe as a tool to help sate her desire to kill. She had his number saved under her phone as Tesco John Wick referencing the hitman character played by Keanu Reeves. Ratcliffe was diagnosed with autism and selective mutism at the start of the trial. Hours after his name was revealed, pictures emerged online showing that he was a kickboxer. Throughout the sentencing, the court heard that Ratcliffe repeatedly referred to Brianna as it, and that he was motivated in part by his hostility towards her because she was transgender. On Dec 18 2022, two months before the murder, Jenkinson sent him a message in which she said she had hallucinated that she was covered in the blood of a murder victim and could hear him screaming while she stood by smiling and holding the knife. Two weeks later, on Jan 1 2023, Ratcliffe sent her a picture of a knife. The purchase of the blade was significant. The pair had just taken the first step in turning their fantasies into reality. By Jan 23, Jenkinson had moved on from watching videos of torture and murder. She had to try it for herself. Jenkinson sent Ratcliffe a picture of some red ibuprofen gel tablets and claimed she had tried to poison Brianna. Around the same time, Briannas mother said that she remembered her being violently sick and screaming: I feel like Im dying. She said that there were lots of what appeared to be grape skins in the vomit, which she now believes were the gel tablets. Weeks later, Jenkinson and Ratcliffe lured Brianna to the park, in the middle of the day. They stabbed her 28 times with a hunting knife. Jenkinson, who denied stabbing Brianna herself throughout the trial, admitted after being found guilty to stabbing the teenager after her hitman panicked and handed her the blade. She also confessed to wanting to take a part of Briannas body as a token and later told psychiatrists she enjoyed the feeling of power to see her victim treated in such a brutal manner. She claimed to feel satisfied and excited by the murder, and enjoyed the feeling of killing. The court heard she had a severe form of conduct dissocial disorder, lacked empathy as a result, and that killing, to her, would not have felt wrong. It may not have felt wrong but there is no doubt you knew it was wrong to act as you did, and you chose to do so anyway, said Ms Justice Yip. The judge said despite Jenkinsons obsession with killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy, her murder plan had been in some ways quite childish. She left notebooks detailing the plot in her bedroom, where they could easily be found, and the story she concocted for detectives was dismantled in minutes. In court, as Jenkinson was sentenced, the teenagers mother dabbed tears from her eyes. Just minutes before, the court heard that Jenkinson had expressed to psychiatrists that she wanted to kill again. Ratcliffe sat silently in the dock as Ms Justice Yip told him he knew of his friends sadistic desires, and that as an intelligent young man, he should not have been drawn into her plot. You actively participated in this brutal murder, knowing the sadistic motives behind it, and you cannot avoid the same consequences just by saying you did not have the same desires, she added. Briannas mother felt unable to deliver her victim impact statement to the court in person, but her words resonated nonetheless. I have moments where I feel sorry for them, because they have also ruined their own lives, but I have to remember that they felt no empathy for Brianna when they left her bleeding to death after their premeditated and vicious attack, which was carried out not because Brianna had done anything wrong, but just because one hated trans people and the other thought it would be fun, she said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Many media observers have compared the meltdown of the Messengerwhich blew through $50 million in under a year and pursued a growth plan better suited to 2014to the disaster that was Quibi, the short-form video startup that collapsed basically as soon as it launched in 2020. But the real comparison that should be made here is to Fusion, where I worked for a little over a year, from 201416. Yes, Fusion lasted longer, and even merged and mutated a few times before finally taking its last breath (as Splinter News) in 2019. (Well, it could always be reanimated, hopefully not like the Hairpin.) But it comes to mind because it was a similar roller coaster. I would be lying if I said that when I took the job, I was fully confident in Fusions future. And once I arrived, I never had any idea how in the world we were going to last. So why did I take a job at a place I wasnt positive would survive, let alone thrive? In 2014 it was different than it is today. Facebook was still a fire hose of clicks, and a bunch of places were dedicated to riding the wave, from Fusion to Mashable to Vocativ. Even more legacy media brands were benefiting from the platforms. This prosperity meant there were a lot of jobs. The media business expanded, audience development became a thing, and there was a lot of hopping around, at least for some of us. That was fun! It took me from Adweek to Yahoo News to NBC News to Fusion, and I learned new things at each place, not just about how to distribute on the platforms, but about how to use them for newsgathering, for contacting sources, for spotting trends. As much as I think that what Facebook wreaked on media overall is terribleand good riddance!there were some upsides. More jobs and diversity in our business were two. I was working at NBC News when the opportunity at Fusion materialized. I was looking to leave my role running the digital newsroom at the networkthere was a leadership change at the top, and I didnt agree with the strategy being imposed on me and my teamand I called my friend Anna Holmes to tell her what was going on. She was at Fusion. You should come here, she said. We could use someone with your skills. So what happened was I had a few meetings, and they offered me a big job with a hugely inflated titleglobal news directorand a ton of money. (Not Messenger EIC money, but still.) I didnt really understand what Fusion was, but there were some cool people there and Id figure out my job when I got there, right? Well, sort of. There was a lot of confusion and shuffling and changing of roleseventually, my job narrowed to oversee 2016 election stuffbut none of that is all that important. What is important is that once I got there, I understood that in a years time we needed to double our trafficI cannot remember if the metric was unique visitors or page viewsin order to meet the overall revenue goals agreed to by our executives. It was daunting. Fortunately, we had an audience development team that would help distribute our work in a way that would drive this growth. Unfortunately, our editorial missionto cover underserved communities, to focus on social justice, to focus on millennial readers and generally push for progressive social changewas fairly misaligned with our packaging strategy, which was ripped from Upworthy. So, all along this brief and stressful ride, I wondered: How long will we/Fusion last? Men at the top had shelled out exorbitant salaries to big names, execs, and newsroom leaders. (I would bundle myself in that last category, based on the amount of experience I had at the time.) We even had a future conspiracy theorist being paid handsomely for documentary work that largely never materialized. People attended Davos. Increasingly, the brass asked for viral hits while our newsroom had been assembled to do the meaningful, impactful journalism we were told would define Fusion. At one point in late 2015, I got a call from an executive asking me if I wanted to do a Fusion bus tour across America; hed met a guy who specialized in this and we could bankroll it as long as I could get the payment completed before the end of the year. (Budgets are always use-it-or-lose-it.) There were hundreds of thousands of dollars there for me to just . do a bus tour. I did plan a bus tour, although I left Fusion before the project came to fruition. (When I got to HuffPost in 2017, though, we executed my original vision for this project as Listen to America, a career highlight for myself and lots of other folks who were part of it.) My point is: It felt as if there was money everywhere at Fusion. There even WAS money at Fusion, for a while. But I knew even early on that the money continuing to flow was contingent on a kind of growth that we were never going to find. And that meant that the revenue to sustain us was never going to be there. I suspect that a number of folks at the Messenger had these same fears, feelings, suspicions. How could they not have, given the bombast of the owners from the outset, claiming they could do somethingbasically, rejack social media in order to bring in millions of dollars in revenuethat experts at that very thing had failed to achieve after years of trying? I left Fusion in 2016 to embark on a different, fatally flawed project that I wont catalog here. It was bittersweet. I did have a sense of relief because sometimes things are so broken and tangled that even people like myself, who relish taking on the myriad problems of newsrooms and the news business, cannot see a path forward. But I also felt extremely guilty. I had hired some great people into Fusionthe tiny, optimistic side of myself hoped that if we did get the right team, we would crack a codeand I was abandoning them, not to a sinking ship, but to a slowly leaking one. A lot of very, very excellent journalists worked at Fusion and Splinter. I hope they can at least still access their clips. I can only imagine the thought processes of people who left good jobs to go to the Messenger. Perhaps they were just offered a ton of money (seems conceivable, based on what we know about the EICs salary and the flagrant spending on office space) and couldnt turn it down. (Who can blame them, in this industry?) Perhaps, like me at NBC News, they were unhappy where they were and figured: Why not take a risk? Perhaps, like the writer of this good piece about the Messengers last day, they were freelancing and figured that trying a full-time gig could bring some upside. (And it may have, except that the Messenger seems to have erased all of its writers work.) Or perhaps they actually believed they could pull it off, or that the executives above them could. I do not blame anyone for believing. I suppose there are still folks out there who havent had their hearts ripped out by this business and who can still be receptive to bombastic pronouncements of the likes we heard from the Messengers CEO. Although I havent met anyone like that in a very, very long time. Ousted University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow, right, and his wife, Carmen Wilson walk across campus Friday, December 29, 2023 at UW-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents unanimously fired Gow on Wednesday after discovering videos posted on porn websites featuring him and his wife. Joe Gow is out as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The UW Board of Regents fired him in a closed-door December meeting after revelations about his involvement in the adult film industry. But Gow, 63, still retains his faculty appointment. Gow is on paid leave amid an investigation to determine whether he should also be stripped of his tenured position as a communications professor. He had previously announced plans in August to step down as chancellor at the end of the 2023-24 school year and move into a faculty role. Here's what to know about Gow, the investigation and where UW-La Crosse goes from here: Why was Joe Gow fired? Gow and his wife, Carmen Wilson, created sex tapes and posted them on porn websites, such as OnlyFans, PornHub and XHamster. Many of the videos feature adult film stars and include segments on vegan cooking. The couple also self-published two books about their experiences in the adult film industry using pseudonyms: Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship" in 2015 and "Married with Benefits: Our Real-life Adult Industry Adventures" in 2018. Who is Joe Gow's wife, Carmen Wilson? Wilson met Gow while chairing the search committee that selected Gow as chancellor in 2006. She initially taught at UW-La Crosse but later moved into more administrative roles, including serving as his chief of staff from 2008 to 2011. The two married in 2014. Wilson went on to hold high-level administrative positions at various schools. She no longer works in academia. By virtue of her position as Gow's wife, Wilson served as "associate to the chancellor," an unpaid formal appointment. She was stripped of the title when Gow was fired as chancellor. How did Joe Gow respond to his firing? After years of hearing UW leaders profess the importance of free speech, Gow decided to test that commitment. Gow said creating books and videos exploring consensual adult sexuality is within his First Amendment rights. Two of the First Amendment and employment experts who spoke to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said Gow doesn't have much of a case to contest the chancellor termination but said his position as a tenured professor is more protected. Did Joe Gow make money from the porn videos? Not enough to cover their costs, Gow said, estimating they have paid at least $80,000 on production and travel over the years. Book sales netted $1.80 each, Gow said. It's not enough to even break even on their costs to advertise on Amazon. The couple said in late December they had few subscribers on the porn websites requiring a subscription, and the money made from advertising revenue on the free porn websites was "miniscule." Was Joe Gow previously punished? Yes. In 2018, Gow invited adult film actress Nina Hartley to give a lecture on campus titled "Fantasy versus reality: Viewing adult media with a critical eye" as part of a free-speech event. The invite stirred controversy, with UW leaders questioning his judgment. Gow was reprimanded and denied a pay raise, and he personally paid the $5,000 speaker fee. Gow continues to stand by his decision to invite Hartley. She created a sex video with Gow and Wilson before she spoke on campus. How well did UW-La Crosse operate under Gow's leadership? Gow had been in charge of UW-La Crosse for nearly 17 years. The university is among the best financially positioned across the UW System, with a balanced budget and enrollment holding steady at about 10,000 students. When Gow was fired as chancellor Dec. 27, his annual salary was a little over $260,000. How did the UW System learn about Gow's videos? Someone who requested their identity be kept confidential approached Jess Lathrop, chief of staff to UW System President Jay Rothman, on Dec. 19. The person said they saw Gow in porn videos, according to UW records. UW System staff met with Gow the next day. He confirmed he and his wife had made porn videos for about a decade. A week later, Gow was fired. Who is leading the investigation into Gow? The UW System hired outside law firm Husch Blackwell to investigate, according to UW records. The attorneys leading the investigation are Ann Maher, who is based in Milwaukee, and Hayley Hanson, who specializes in education law. What is the investigation's focus? It's hard to say. UW System and UW-La Crosse won't talk about it because the investigation is active. The complaint Rothman filed with UW-La Crosse over Gow's faculty positions sheds some light on potential areas of focus. Investigators may look into whether Gow violated state laws or policies on using public positions for private gain and on disclosure of financial activities. Book sales never exceeded $1,000 annually, according to a report Gow downloaded from his Amazon account and provided to the Journal Sentinel. Neither did revenue from advertising on the videos. A thousand dollars is the reporting threshold requiring disclosure on statement of economic interest forms. Is firing a tenured professor difficult? Tenured faculty "may be dismissed only by the board and only for just cause and only after due notice and hearing," according to state rules. Just cause isn't spelled out beyond saying faculty members are "entitled to enjoy and exercise all the rights and privileges of a United States citizen, and the rights and privileges of academic freedom as they are generally understood in the academic community. This policy shall be observed in determining whether or not just cause for dismissal exists. The burden of proof of the existence of just cause for a dismissal is on the administration." When will the Gow investigation conclude? It's unclear, but Rothman laid out the directive he gave Husch Blackwell. "The charge that they have been given is to go through the process as quickly and as expeditiously as they can, with the understanding that we don't know where the facts will take them," he said in late January. "Do I hope that that gets done sometime this spring in terms of the investigation being done? Yes. But we'll see where it takes us." What happens after that? The investigation may then head to UW-La Crosse. A faculty committee may review the evidence and make a recommendation. If both the committee and chancellor agree on termination, the complaint moves to the UW Board of Regents for approval. "My goal is to come to a resolution one way or the other as quickly as we can, but respecting the process because the process is absolutely critical as so then we can do this in the right way," Rothman said. Who's in charge of UW-La Crosse now? Rothman appointed UW-La Crosse Provost Betsy Morgan to serve as interim chancellor. A provost is the No. 2 position at the university, second only to the chancellor. When will new UW-La Crosse chancellor be named? A search committee is expected to interview semifinalists in mid-February. Finalists will visit the campus in early March. A candidate will be appointed in late March, according to the search timeline. Do UW-La Crosse students want to have Gow as their professor? Depends on who you ask. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talked to students the week the spring semester started and received a range of responses. Some said it would be "kind of weird," while others shrugged their shoulders and wondered what was the big deal. Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about investigation into ex-UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow Wang Yimeng (Rear), a Chinese doctor from the Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine at the University of Malta, gives a lecture about moxa and moxibustion in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) VALLETTA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. Moxibustion is a form of therapy that entails the burning of mugwort leaves. Wang Yimeng, a Chinese doctor from the Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine at the university, curated the workshop, preparing several boxes of moxa and providing auxiliary tools such as plastic film, paper, round and slim sticks, scissors, and glue sticks. The center, collaboratively established by the University of Malta and the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2015, plays a pivotal role in promoting TCM education in Malta. Before engaging in the hands-on creation of moxa sticks, Wang elucidated the medical functions of moxibustion and the step-by-step procedures of crafting moxa sticks through an instructional video. Under Wang's guidance, the students carefully placed moxa on the film, rolled it with round sticks, and added a paper halfway through to encapsulate the moxa within. Despite their prior studies in TCM and some exposure to moxibustion, it was the first time for all of them to craft moxa sticks. Immersed in the fragrance and light aroma of the moxa, each student dedicated almost half an hour to craft a moxa stick approximately 25 centimeters in length, personalized with their names upon completion. "It is not easy but very interesting," said Elizabeth Muscat, a midwife at Malta's state Mater Dei Hospital. Muscat, who began her master's program in TCM and culture in October 2022, said she is curious about TCM and its applications, particularly acknowledging acupuncture's effectiveness in treating various conditions. TCM's positive medical effects are gaining recognition in Malta, with its popularity steadily rising, Muscat noted. She emphasized that TCM has been present in Malta for a long time. The Mediterranean Regional Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM), jointly established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994 in the city of Paola, opened in 2008 a TCM department at Mater Dei Hospital. It was the first time TCM was practiced at an independent department in a state hospital in the European Union (EU) countries. Since 1994, around 250,000 Maltese patients have received TCM treatment. Stephanie Zahra, a nurse at Mater Dei Hospital who used to have lower back pains, became interested in TCM after she tried acupuncture on herself. "It is very therapeutic and good for healing," she said, "It doesn't have as many contraindications as medicine." Through the hands-on experience of crafting moxa sticks, students gained a deeper understanding of moxibustion, a crucial TCM treatment method, said Wang. She emphasized that this activity enhances their perception and experience of TCM and Chinese culture. Looking ahead, Wang told Xinhua that a summer camp will be organized by the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine for students of the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture, scheduled for June 10 to July 5 this year. Zahra said she was looking forward to attending the upcoming summer camp. She added that it was at a similar summer camp during her first visit to China about 9 years ago that her interest in TCM was ignited and she decided to pursue a master's program. Students learn to make moxa sticks at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) Students learn to make moxa sticks at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) A student learns to make a moxa stick at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) Wang Yimeng (R), a Chinese doctor from the Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine at the university of Malta, guides a student to make a moxa stick in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) Students show moxa sticks they made at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) Wang Yimeng (L), a Chinese doctor from the Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine at the university of Malta, guides a student to make a moxa stick in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) A student learns to make a moxa stick at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on Feb. 1, 2024. Six students from the master's program in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture at the University of Malta on Thursday participated in a special class to learn the art of crafting moxa sticks used in moxibustion. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian) Voters who would like to cast a ballot in the Democratic presidential primary head to the polls on Saturday. Here are some frequently asked questions with answers from Beaufort County and South Carolina elections boards. When can I vote? Polling places in Beaufort County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone in line before 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Where can I vote? If you are unsure where to cast your ballot, go online to scVOTES.gov and enter your personal information to find the location of your precinct and a sample ballot. A list of precincts and their addresses is available on the Beaufort County elections boards website at beaufortcountysc.gov. Voters in the Bluffton 1D, Bluffton 2A, Bluffton 2E and Bluffton 5E precincts, which usually vote at the Rotary Community Center at Oscar Frazer Park, will instead vote at First Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 10 Robertson St. in Bluffton. The precincts will move back to the original locations after this primary. Who is on the ballot? The following candidates are on the Democratic presidential primary: Joseph R. Biden Dean Phillips Marianne Williamson Do I have to be a Democrat to vote in the primary? No. In South Carolinas open primaries, you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary, but you cant vote in both. When is the Republican primary? Saturday, Feb. 24. Why arent the primaries on the same day? State law allows political parties to set the dates for their own political primaries. What do I need to bring with me? Voters must have a current and valid Photo ID. Any one of the following are accepted: S.C. drivers license S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID card S.C. Voter registration card with a photo Federal Military ID U.S. passport Are ballot selfies legal? State law prohibits anyone from showing their ballot to another person. The use of cameras is not allowed inside the polling place. What if I notice a problem or have a concern at my precinct? Any issues or complaints at a voting location should be addressed to the poll manager. If the issue is still not resolved, voters should contact the Beaufort County elections office as soon as possible. The phone number is 843-255-6900 and the address is 15 John Galt Road in Beaufort. Allegations of election fraud may be reported to the State Law Enforcement Divisions hotline at 833-4SC-VOTE or by emailing documentation to 4SCVote@sled.sc.gov. Whether the white powder found on South Florida rapper Kodak Black in December came from the same prescription pill bottle he got at a pharmacy in 2022 became the focus of a heated argument between attorneys in Broward court on Friday. Assistant State Attorney Jonathan Goodman pointed to the picture of the oxycodone pill bottle as insufficient evidence for the judge to dismiss the most recent drug case against the rapper, saying it should proceed to a jury. But defense attorney Bradford Cohen argued that the burden of proving the prescription isnt valid is on the state if they want Black to face felony charges. There is nothing they have shown, nothing they have given, nothing they have traversed to say its not valid, Cohen said Friday. He wants me to prove Santa Claus doesnt exist. Related Articles Judge Barbara Duffy ultimately decided not to rule on dismissing the new drug case against Black or reinstating his bond, though she says she plans to within the week. Black, whose legal name is Bill Kapri, was arrested in Plantation in December after police said they saw his Bentley SUV stopped in the road. When an officer approached, he saw Black asleep at the wheel, according to the probable cause affidavit. When he walked up to the car again, he said he saw the rapper with white powder stuffed in his mouth. The powder field-tested positive for cocaine at the time, according to the affidavit, but a lab test later came back positive for oxycodone. Black is now charged with one count of possession of oxycodone and one count of tampering with evidence. He is also facing charges of trafficking in oxycodone in a separate case from July 2022. The rapper could not appear in court himself because he remained in a Miami federal detention center on Friday. A federal judge had revoked Blacks bond in another case after his arrest in Plantation, and Cohen was unable to get him transported in time as he had hoped. At the heart of Fridays argument was a picture of a pill bottle that Cohen had provided to the judge. The pills, prescribed to Black in January 2022 for pain from a gunshot wound, are to be taken every six hours as needed, according to the instructions on the bottle. Goodman accused the defense of using the exact picture of a prescription pill bottle as evidence that he had presented in Blacks drug trafficking case from July 2022. He questioned the likelihood that Black was still using the bottle of 40 pills a year and a half later. Mr. Cohen is trying to get a double bite at the apple, he said. hes trying to use the same evidence indicating he has that prescription, that was, if you look at the printout provided in the defense motion to dismiss, provided in July 2022. Cohen fired back that he had simply sent Goodman the photo as evidence that Black has an ongoing prescription for the drug, which he says is sufficient to dismiss the felony charges. If the state attorneys office really wants to charge Black, it should charge him with storing his medication outside of his pill bottle, not possession of oxycodone, he said. Their only hope and prayer is that these pills dont match the prescription, Cohen said. The problem is, they do. The problem is not only that they do, they cant prove they dont. Its not up to me to prove that. But Goodman said that it is routine for prosecutors to try to match the pills to the prescription. If theres no way of knowing that the crushed pills were prescribed to Black, he said, then its a question of credibility that the jury should decide. Related Articles You cant have a bottle of oxycodone that I got prescribed five years ago, and if I got caught with them that prescription would still be valid, he said. Duffy also appeared skeptical. She asked Cohen to come back to her with existing case law on how long a prescription is valid. If I got a script 10 years ago for something, and I have that narcotic with me now, for rest of my life, I can just have whatever that narcotic is? Duffy asked. She plans to rule by next Friday, after which she will consider two other motions: to reinstate Blacks bond, under the stipulation offered by Cohen that he revokes his license, and to suppress the evidence due to the nature of the traffic stop. A Namibian official has lauded China's support in the advancement of educational infrastructure within the country, expressing a strong desire to further deepen bilateral ties in the educational sector. In an interview with Xinhua, Sanet Steenkamp, executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture, highlighted the significant impact of the Chinese government's assistance in the construction of four rural schools in the northern region. She said this support is expected to positively affect local communities by reducing school dropouts and improving the quality of education in remote rural areas. Namibia and China have fostered a longstanding collaboration in the field of education. Since 1994, a total of 389 Namibian students and scholars have been recipients of Chinese government scholarships. The Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia has trained over 7,000 Chinese language learners since it was established in 2013. Produced by Xinhua Global Service (WHTM) A Columbia man was convicted of third-degree murder and related charges Thursday after killing a man in Manheim Township in March 2022. Tyler Wilson, 29, of Columbia was found guilty of third-degree murder, persons not to possess a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, and eight counts of recklessly endangering another person after killing 25-year-old Jatavis Scott on March 29. The Lancaster County DAs Office states that evidence showed that an argument began between parties inside the former Club Twenty3 before becoming physical, thats when security moved them outside the building. Once outside the groups separated but Wilson and Scott began to fight each other but were separated for a moment. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter The two began to move towards each other when a flash was seen coming from Wilsons arm, stated the Lancaster County DAs Office. It was revealed that two shots were fired. Defense counsel said the video evidence of the shots fired and flash of light was insufficient, but those two shots and a flash of light were enough to end a human beings life. At the end of that gun was this mans hand, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo said while pointing at the defendant. That flick of light was a muzzle flash from Tyler Wilsons hand that sent grown men running, terrified, and ended a mans life. He was the only one not shocked by a resounding pop from a firearm because hes the one that pulled the trigger. Wilsons defense counsel argued that he wasnt the shooter. Wilson was remanded to Lancaster County Prison without bail and is awaiting his sentencing date. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Police say they have six people in custody for a series of smash-and-grab jewelry robberies, including an incident at the Lansing Mall. On Jan. 22, Eaton County Sheriffs Department officials identified a rental car as the likely getaway vehicle. Additional investigation led law enforcement from Michigan and Ohio to determine the group responsible for the robbery at Kay Jewelers in the Lansing Mall, was responsible for a total of 6 similar robberies in the two states. Two days later, police located the vehicle and began surveillance on the rental car, following it into Sterling Heights. While officers from Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, and Troy Police Departments were moving in to assist surveillance officers, the car went to the Lakeside Mall. Courtesy photos It began to circle the mall, and police identified a second vehicle also circling the shopping center. The second car was reported stolen in Harper Woods on Jan. 16. Officers watching the two vehicles saw four Black males exit the vehicle and enter the mall wearing hoods and surgical masks. Two individuals were left outside. The four men are accused of entering Sparkles Jewelry Store and smashing display cases. They allegedly grabbed jewelry and fled. But officers caught all of them and recovered jewelry worth roughly $170,000. Jewelry_Store_Smash_and_Grab_Arrest_FEB_1_2024Download Police have charged Courtez Eugene Lawrence, 27, Deshawn Hammonds, 20, Jasmine Latricia Oneal, 29, Eric Lamar Lambert Bennett, 27, Desean Shakari Hall, 31, and Andre Demond Jackson, 21, with armed robbery. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. Peer Pressure Cue the music from you-know-what, because comedian Larry Brown of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fame has spoken up about the infamous Super Bowl ad he made for FTX, the now bankrupt and utterly disgraced cryptocurrency exchange. In his own words, he was "an idiot" for endorsing the company. "You know, I asked people, friends of mine who were well versed in this stuff, 'Should I do this ad? Is there anything wrong with this, me doing this? Is this okay?" David, whose lawyer claimed on his behalf that he didn't know anything about crypto, told the Associated Press at the premiere of "Curb's" final season. "And they said, 'Yeah, this is totally on the up and up. Yeah. It's fine. Do it,'" he continued. "So, like an idiot, I did it." https://twitter.com/APEntertainment/status/1752724671169012160 Bad Bet At least he's owning up to it. The ad features the "Seinfeld" cocreator playing various iterations of a loudmouthed goofball who's skeptical about historic inventions before they take off, like the wheel, the toilet, and the light bulb. When by the end he's pitched with FTX, David smirks and says, "I don't think so. And I'm never wrong about this stuff." It's a tongue-in-cheek endorsement made all the more ironic by the exchange's eventual fate and crypto's downturn writ large. In November 2023, a year after FTX collapsed in spectacular fashion, CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud and money laundering, facing up to 110 years in prison. David himself may also be facing legal action for his involvement with FTX. Soon after the firm's collapse in November 2022, a lawsuit was filed accusing him of defrauding the crypto hub's investors. The suit, which is still ongoing, also named other high profile celebs who were paid millions of dollars to do commercials for the company like Tom Brady, in addition to Bankman-Fried. It's a "class action lawsuit which I would love to be part of," David quipped to the AP, "because part of my salary was in crypto! So I lost a lot of money." So you can cue the Curb music again. If it's any consolation, David, at least you probably didn't lose as much dough as Brady did but maybe think twice about what you lend your name to in the future. More on crypto: Pastor Accused of Crypto Scam Says God Told Him to Do It The Salt Lake Bees play a game with the Tacoma Rainiers at Smiths Ballpark in Salt Lake City on Sept. 7, 2023. The Miller Foundation has made a $22-million donation to the Ballpark neighborhood redevelopment project once the Bees begin playing in a new stadium. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation donated $22 million toward redevelopment of Salt Lake Citys Ballpark neighborhood, specifically Smiths Ballpark, which will be vacant after the 2024 season. The Miller family is leading a $100 million fundraising initiative to provide an investment into the citys Ballpark NEXT project, and its contribution launched the fundraising effort. The Miller family and the Larry H. Miller Company have a deep history with and confidence in Salt Lake City and are committed to Ballpark NEXT and the bright future of our capital city, Don Stirling, executive director of the foundation, said in a press release. In January 2023, the Miller Company announced a new, privately funded stadium for the Salt Lake Bees at Downtown Daybreak located in South Jordan. It broke ground on the new ballpark last fall. It is scheduled to open for the 2025 season. The company also pitched the Oakland As on using the field as a temporary home until the teams anticipated move to Las Vegas in 2028. Related The city launched Ballpark NEX to reimagine and revitalize the neighborhood around Smiths Ballpark after its vacated. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a press release that shes grateful for the Millers contribution. Positive momentum and generational opportunities are arising from our intentional action and strength in partnership. We gathered hundreds of comments from neighbors and stakeholders that informed strong guiding principles, which will serve as the backbone of our land-use strategies. This collaborative public-private partnership will truly lift the entire community, she said. Related Corinne Piazza, a senior project manager at Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, told KSL.com last week that the RDA has been working diligently to reimagine the space over the past year. In an update to the Ballpark Community Council in January, she said the city will ask contractors and developers for timelines regarding when they can get to work as the city crafts a final vision for the ballpark. The city has informed them that they will have some space to make sure the job is done well, but theres a huge sense of urgency to make sure the land isnt vacant for any significant amount of time. The goal is to begin work on a project as soon as possible after the Bees final home game in September, though an exact timeline is not yet determined. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man previously accused of asking random children to open their mouths was arrested Tuesday on similar allegations outside of an elementary school, documents said. The incidents happened Tuesday morning around 8:15 a.m. at Bonner Elementary School, which is located near the intersection of Hualapai Way and Town Center Drive, documents said. Las Vegas Metro police then arrested Nicholas Donovan, 27, on charges including lewdness with a child under 14 and kidnapping of a minor. Las Vegas man accused of luring children has history of sex crimes against children Several students reported the incident to employees. Staff at the school also told police they saw a man, later identified as Donovan, on video near the school property and talking to students, documents said. Staff stated they were notified by multiple students regarding [Donovan] following them to school and attempting to talk to them as well as telling them to open their mouths, documents said. The students stated Donovan was a stranger and was not a family member or friend. Las Vegas Metro police then arrested Nicholas Donovan, 27, on charges including lewdness with a child under 14 and kidnapping of a minor. (LVMPD/KLAS) Officers responded to the school, finding Donovan nearby, they said. The officers noted Donovan had prior arrests where he also had asked children to open their mouth while he acted out in a sexual manner, documents said. Several students told police Donovan told them he needed help and asked them to come over to him, documents said. Another student told police Donovan grabbed him by the face and tried to forcefully open his mouth. [The student] stated that Donovan told him, I want to check your mouth, documents said. [The student] stated that Donovan attempted to shove his right index and right middle finger[s] into his mouth. Another student said Donovan also asked to see inside her mouth and shoved two fingers inside, but she bit him, documents said. The 8 News Now Investigators have learned that Donovan was arrested for lewdness with a child under 14 in 2017 and later agreed to a plea deal which resulted in probation and a child abuse charge. Donovan was accused in several incidents in 2017. Report: Man arrested for lewdness with child is former Metro Explorer A child had reported that he approached her at Summerlin Library and told her to open her mouth while he unzipped his pants. A librarian intervened and called the police. It was later learned that Donovan was accused of approaching several underage girls at the library that day. Metro police did not respond that day due to a plane crash, according to court records. Donovan was also accused of grabbing an underage girl outside of church. Later that month, police said that Donovan approached a boy in the bathroom of a Target store in the Summerlin area, grabbed him, and told him to open his mouth. The report said when the child asked if he could leave, Donovan said, Open your mouth wider. Metro police said the child told them he kept repeating that phrase over and over again before eventually touching himself in front of the child. A family member noticed the child had been in the restroom a while, went to check on him and the child revealed what happened. By the time the family tried to locate Donovan, he was gone. Police obtained surveillance video from the store and released Donovans images to the public. A store manager reported that a couple of months before the incident, a father said that Donovan touched his 5-year-old daughters face as he talked to her. In 2020, Donovan agreed to a plea deal where he completed a mental health program and received probation. He was later honorably discharged from probation, according to court records. Donovan was not on the sex offender registry. Before his 2017 arrest, Donovan had been an explorer at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Through the Explorer program, teenagers volunteer and learn more about police work. Donovan remained in custody Thursday on $20,000 bail, records said. Detectives believe there may be additional victims from Tuesday. Anyone who may have been a victim or has information about these crimes is urged to contact the Summerlin Area Command, Patrol Investigation Section at 702-828-9457. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or online. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Jack Jennings signed up as a private in the 1st Battalion of the Cambridgeshire Regiment to fight in the Second World War A veteran believed to be the last surviving Allied prisoner forced to work on the infamous Burma Death Railway has died aged 104. Jack Jennings survived the brutal forced labour on the railway line, immortalised in the 1957 film The Bridge on the River Kwai, which cost the lives of more than 100,000 prisoners. Jennings died peacefully in Torquay, Devon, 80 years after his liberation from a Japanese camp. His family believe he was likely the last remaining survivor of the Fall of Singapore in 1942, during which 85,000 British and Commonwealth troops were killed or captured. Carol Barrett, his daughter, told the BBC her father played a harmonica to keep his comrades spirits up in the camp, and he was still playing it a week before he died. Before his death, Jennings had reflected that when he celebrated his 22nd birthday in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, he thought he had little chance of seeing another year. Schoolchildren sang Happy Birthday to Jack Jennings when he turned 103 Born in the West Midlands in 1919 in the wake of the First World War, he was a young man when a global conflict again broke out, and he signed up as a private in the 1st Battalion of the Cambridgeshire Regiment. It was with this unit that he was captured when Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942 following hard fighting, marking the biggest capitulation of British forces in history, and the entry of tens of thousands of servicemen into cruel captivity. Jennings had a narrow escape during the battle when a bomb that landed next to him failed to explode. Japanese martial philosophy held that surrender was contemptible, and prisoners were subjected to forced labour, malnutrition, torture and execution. He once recalled seeing coconuts for the first time, knowing that they were restricted for the Japanese, as British soldiers subsisted on meagre portions of rice, which led to a a great struggle for survival. He was put to work with thousands of others on the Burma-Thailand railway, a line which was central to the plot of The Bridge on the River Kwai, in which Allied operatives seek to blow up a portion of the track. Disease and starvation claimed 16,000 prisoners of war and around 90,000 civilians to forced labour by the Japanese. Jennings recalled in 2015 the suffering of soldiers forced to work on the line, saying: They were brutal in the camp, but not as bad as when you were working on the railway. They beat you up for the slightest thing. If you werent working like they thought you should, youd get a stick or the butt of a rifle. But I had to keep going. I had a friend who slept next to me. I woke one morning and he was dead. He just gave up. A scene from The Bridge on the River Kwai - Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Alamy A carpenter by trade, Jennings tried to maintain morale not only by playing his harmonica but by crafting chess pieces which he would hand out to other prisoners. Jennings worked on the railway until 1943 and managed to survive long enough to be liberated in 1945. During his time as a slave labourer, he suffered from renal colic. He said afterwards that this probably saved his life as he missed the worst period on the railway, when the Japanese introduced the Speedo phase to complete the work by October 1943. When he returned home to England, he weighed only six stone following near-fatal bouts of dysentery during his captivity and was nursed back to health by his mother, Ethel. The great-grandfather of three was a member of the Far East Prisoners of War association, and he took four trips back to Singapore and Thailand in later life, welcoming the cathartic and healing process. In 2012, his story became familiar to millions because of an advertisement for the National Lottery, showing how the Big Lottery Fund had helped to take him back to the Far East to visit the graves of dead comrades under its Heroes Return scheme. He said the countries were completely different from the ones he remembered: The old dreams just faded. I was quite surprised and relieved. The place is really a nice tourist area now. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed investigating the relationships of employees in the governing structures of Latvia's largest companies with Russia, Belarus, and other countries that support aggression against Ukraine. Source: European Pravda with reference to the Latvian Foreign Ministry Details: The Ministry proposes to investigate whether there are citizens of Russia, Belarus, or other third countries in the governing structures of key Latvian companies and organisations who "directly or indirectly support the Russian aggression against Ukraine or may be associated with Russia's state institutions are present in the management structures of significant Latvian companies and organisations." Quote: "If such persons and their links to the aggression by the Putin regime are identified, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will propose that they be subject to the European Unions restrictive measures," the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added. "This is an ongoing effort and in order to accomplish that, we have approached the line ministries with a request to assess whether third-country citizens who support the Putin regime and its aggression against Ukraine are holding high-ranking positions in important Latvian companies," Krisjanis Karins, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said. The appeal of the Latvian foreign Ministry appeared shortly after it became known that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) had recruited Tatjana Zdanoka, a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Latvia who represents the Latvian Russian Union party. The European Parliament's President Roberta Metsola has launched an investigation into the allegations against Zdanoka. Support UP or become our patron! Dusty Deevers is a fundamentalist preacher. Hes also a state senator. And he insists he doesnt see any firewalls between his two roles as he crusades to outlaw porn, end what he decries as the abortion holocaust, and abolish no-fault divorce in Oklahoma. He argues that the sole purpose of government is to promote what is good in accordance with the will of God. Elected in a special election in December, Deevers represents the town of Elgin, in Oklahomas rural southwest, where he grew up and serves as the pastor of a Baptist church. The 47-year-old politicians views are extreme even for a Christian nationalist. Surveying American society, Deevers does not see a religious sphere and a secular sphere. He sees only Christian and Satanic. Either youre coming under the rule of God your creator or youre going to come under the rule of The Serpent, he said during a January podcast. In Deevers view, civil society, apart from the influence of overt Christian doctrine, is not a neutral middle ground, but rather the realm of the devil, or what he calls a serpentine theocracy. Unlike many Christian nationalists who seek to ghostwrite legislation, or covertly sway candidates, Deevers is operating in the open. He holds a position of direct political power, and he is able to shape the GOP agenda in Oklahoma and craft legislation in the Sooner State. He represents the bleeding edge of a far-right Christian movement that seeks to put the force of law behind its fundamentalist theology and woe be to any nonbelievers. With close-cropped hair, a salt-and-pepper beard, and tailored jackets, Deevers doesnt look the part of a fire-breather. Often donning clear, acetate glasses, he gives elder millennial vibes. But when Deevers opens his mouth, he invariably presents a jarring, black-and-white view of the role of government which he believes exists to protect innocent people and to punish and terrorize evildoers. This vengeful, Manichean worldview is already evident in the legislation Deevers has introduced. The first bill on his docket classifies any abortion as homicide and allows for the prosecution of the mother of the unborn child. Deevers has also filed a bill providing eye-for-an-eye punishment for anyone bearing false witness. It would subject an accuser, found to have willfully made a false report, to the criminal punishment that would have accompanied a guilty conviction for the alleged offense. Another Deevers bill would eliminate no-fault divorce, meaning marriages could only be dissolved for causes like abuse. While campaigning, Deevers told a religious podcast he also favors public shaming for those who are at fault in divorce. (In a related essay, he calls this an important act of justice for both the transgressor and the transgressed.) The state senator has only been on the job for a few weeks, but hes already grabbed national notice for another effort to legislate his morals: by criminalizing porn. Deevers anti-smut bill would subject porn creators and even viewers to felony prison sentences of up to 20 years. The bill would create a bounty system, similar to what Texas instituted in its infamous abortion bill, that would allow those who rat out their horny neighbors to collect civil penalties of up to $10,000. Deevers bill defines pornograpy, with uncanny attention to detail, as falling in one of 10 categories, including sexual intercourse which is normal or perverted; anal sodomy; excretion in the context of sexual conduct; as well as lewd exhibition of the uncovered genitals, buttocks, or, if such person is female, the breast. The bill would also criminalize sexting, except between spouses. Deevers did not respond to an interview request from Rolling Stone, but he has detailed his political and theological views extensively in podcasts with like-minded interviewers, including calling porn fundamentally an evil. He augments his views with moralist policy thought poems like this one on X: Pornography is the opium of the masses. The powerful keep it to suppress the virulent. The immature assume its a harmless supplement. The greedy promote it to enslave the voracious consumer appetite. The Devil employs it as bait for a banquet in the grave. Ban porn. In the far-right context, Christian nationalism is an ideology that holds, falsely, that America was founded as a Christian nation, that Christians are entitled to a place of privilege in society, and that fundamentalist believers are called to impose their morality on others through legislation. Deevers embodies a threat that experts believe Christian nationalism poses to democracy by literally demonizing his opponents, and casting compromise as moral corruption. His intent, hes said, is to steer society away from the judgment that we deserve, warning that otherwise the country will suffer not just from the effects of bad policy and wicked rulers but under the Judgment of God. As Brad Onishi, author of an Extremist History of Christian Nationalism, recently described in an interview with Rolling Stone: If youre a person who is convinced that the United States is under threat by a Luciferian regime, comprised of Marxist globalist secularists, feminists, the LGBTQ community, and so on, democracy is not your sacred value. Sounding every bit like a Margaret Atwood villain, Deevers speaks of government as a system of force to bring right judgment and right practice under law. He speaks of government as wielding the sword of violence or justice as though the two concepts were synonymous. He insists that Gods word tells us especially how the Civil sphere is to operate, and he inveighs against the acidic effects of the doctrine of men. A married father of six, Deevers is the pastor at Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Elgin. The vision statement for the church reads, in part: God is transforming us from being idolatrous and self-obsessed individuals to being a worshiping family of servant missionaries. On the campaign trail, Deevers described how he moved back to Elgin in 2013 and led an effort to prevent his childhood church from being closed, adding: Now Im preaching in the same church I grew up in, and was saved. Deevers was awakened to politics during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he was alarmed by what hes described as government overreach to healthy peoples bodies, insisting he objected to the state trying to tell us what we should do. (The irony of this position appears totally lost on Deevers as he now seeks to use government power to override others rights to be free of state intrusion.) When a local state senate seat opened up last year, Deevers says he engaged in a prayerful conversation with his flock that resulted in a decision: Deevers had been called by God to stand as a candidate. As hes described it, his church commissioned me to take up the duty. Pitching himself to voters, Deevers filmed a campaign ad wielding a rifle while wearing a black T-shirt that read: Obey God: Defy Tyrants. He railed against the Godless leftist agenda that he warned threatens thriving families and their moral development. He additionally decried drag queen story hour and the chemical and surgical mutilation of our kids. A longtime opponent of abortion, Deevers positioned this stance in biblical terms as loving my pre-born neighbor as myself. Deevers was elected last fall and took office shortly before the end of the year. In a recent interview, Deevers was asked if he sees any separation between his role as pastor and state legislator. He responded: I dont see any firewalls that are provided to me by the scriptures. In the insular world of rural Oklahoma, Deevers does not see himself as an outlier. He says his anti-porn bill is consistent with the state GOPs far-right platform; Deevers insists hes operating with the will of the people of Oklahoma, at least the Republicans. From his Christian nationalist perspective, Deevers has even found ways to turn traditional hard-right GOP stances into biblical fights. He has introduced a bill to abolish the state income tax, which he claimed in a post on X is an unjust tax upon [a] mans first fruits and livelihood, suggesting it violates at least three of the Ten Commandments. Deevers extremist stances have caught the attention of groups like Right Wing Watch, which has been tracking Deevers since he launched his campaign last year. For his part, Deevers seems to revel in the attention, responding to the group this week with another thought poem on X: Christ is King. Jesus is Lord. Thank you for sharing the truth, @RightWingWatch! Right Wing Boost More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone A pair of congressional Democrats want the Government Accountability Office to determine how much damage was done by the 10-month blockade of military promotions stemming from Republican Sen. Tommy Tubervilles protest over the Defense Departments abortion access policy. In a letter to the office sent Friday, Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said the investigation is needed so lawmakers can prepare for the damaging ripple effect on the careers of service members at all levels that resulted from the holds. While Senator Tubervilles holds directly affected hundreds of senior military officials, junior officers indirectly lost the opportunity to rise in rank and gain experience, the pair wrote. Such career stagnation radiates massive effects on factors such as service member retention, pay, pension, and future opportunities. Tuberville drops holds on more than 430 military promotions The promotion and confirmations of more than 430 senior military officers were held up for months last year by Tuberville, an Alabama Republican who took issue with the Defense Departments decision to award leave time and travel stipends to troops forced to cross state lines to access abortion services. His protest, which ran from March to December, caused delays in filling dozens of Defense Department leadership posts, including at one point creating confirmation vacancies in the top uniformed posts for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Tuberville dropped his holds in December amid pressure from Senate Republicans who lamented the move was hurting military operations and readiness. In their letter, Raskin and Garcia noted the holds meant delaying in military staffing for the Ukraine Security Assistance Group, U.S. Marine forces in Japan, and a host of critical components of our national security policy. The pair said they expect a series of short- and long-term detrimental effects for the military, to include family hardships, reduced pay and secondary effects related to future military promotions. GAO officials have not yet said whether they will take up the request. Tuberville has maintained that his protest highlighted problems with the abortion access policy and produced positive results, even if he could not force the rules to be rescinded. An Islamist cleric presided over the forced conversion of two Christians in Sialkot District, Pakistan after they were tortured into reciting the Islamic conversion creed, sources said. Azam Masih, 28, and his brother, Nadeem Masih, were abducted, beaten with iron rods and pressured to convert to Islam on Jan. 22 in the Kotli Loharan area, said Adil Ghauri, chairman of the Masihi Baidari Tehreek or Movement for Christian Awakening. Azam Masih was working at his tailoring shop in the Kharota Syedan market when Naseem Shah and accomplices held him at gunpoint and forcibly took him to the house of another suspect, Sunny Shah, Ghauri said. The assailants accused Azam of patronizing wrongdoings in the area and started beating him with iron rods, Ghauri told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, adding that the suspects later abducted his younger brother, brought him to the house and subjected him to the same torture. The accused then forced the two Christians to recite the Kalima [proclamation of Islamic conversion] if they wanted to save their lives, threatening to kill them if they refused. The tortured brothers had no choice but to surrender to this demand. The suspects also recorded a video statement of the two brothers in which they were forced to say that they were converting to Islam of their own free will, Ghauri said. He added that the assailants also snatched mobile phones and other belongings from the two brothers before releasing them. The rights activist said the brothers and their impoverished Christian family chose to keep silent about the ordeal, as the suspects had warned them against contacting police. We came to know about this incident on Jan. 24 and immediately contacted the family, Ghauri said. After much persuasion, we were able to convince the family to file a First Information Report [FIR] with the police, as keeping silent would have only encouraged the perpetrators to target more Christians living in the village. More than 300 Christian families are settled there, he added. Kotli Loharan police arrested a Muslim cleric alleged to have conducted the conversion and registered charges against the suspects of kidnapping, punishable by death or life imprisonment; theft with intention to cause injury or death, punishable by up to 10 years in prison; threatening death or grievous injury, punishable by up to seven years in prison; causing injury to extort a confession, punishable by up to 10 years in prison; and acts committed by several persons in furtherance of common intention. The suspects, Naseem Shah and Sunny Shah, have criminal backgrounds and have been involved in inciting hatred against Christians, Ghauri said. This is not the first time Christians have been targeted in that area, Ghauri said. In fact, after the Aug. 16, 2023 attacks in Jaranwala, at least two-three attempts were made to stir religious tension by throwing torn pages of the Quran near Christian homes. Had the police and district administration taken timely action against the perpetrators of those incidents, this incident could have been prevented. Local Christian leaders were engaged with Muslim scholars and government officials to maintain peace in the village, he said, but the two brothers and their family have gone into hiding and cut off contact with those who are trying to provide them legal help, he said. The family has cut off all contact due to fear of reprisal by the accused Muslims, Ghauri said. We are trying to find them, because their statements are crucial to ensure prosecution of the accused. The attack was evidence that forced conversions were taking place in Pakistan under various pretexts, he said. Not only our minor girls, but even our young men are being targeted by Islamist elements, Ghauri said. These incidents vindicate our genuine demand for criminalizing forced faith conversions in Pakistan. In October 2021, a federal parliamentary committee scrapped a proposed bill that would have criminalized forced conversions with up to 10 years of prison. In 2016, Sindh Province passed a law declaring forced conversion a punishable offense carrying a life sentence. The provinces governor, however, refused to ratify the legislation due to pressure from Islamist parties. As Pakistan gears up for general elections on Feb. 8, Christian rights advocates and church leaders are pressing mainline political parties to ensure legislation against forced conversions after a new government takes charge. Though some parties have pledged to take action against forced conversions in their election manifestos, previous promises to address the issue remain unfulfilled. Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year. ST. LOUIS For frequent concertgoers, the Lawnie Pass at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre has returned, which could allow attendees to be paying around $10 per show this summer. Live Nation announced Thursday the return of the Lawnie Pass, which guarantees general admission for fans and Fast Lane access to shows all season long, for $239. The lineup at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre ranges from all different genres, including Hootie & the Blowfish, Janet Jackson, Niall Horan, Hozier, Green Day and over 15 other artists. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News According to Live Nation, lawnies are citizens of the lawn. The heart and soul of outdoor concert season. Mosh-pit starters, grass grinders and roof raisers. The first in and last to leave. Lawnie Passes will go on sale Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. EST at https://lawnpass.livenation.com/ while supplies last. Previous pass holders can purchase their pass in an exclusive pre-sale now through Feb. 6. Citi card members will have access to a pre-sale Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. Full details can be found here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. (Reuters) -Russia's interior ministry has put two lawyers for jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny on its wanted list, state media reported on Friday. One of the lawyers, Olga Mikhailova, was previously charged in absentia with extremism after fleeing Russia. The other, Alexander Fedulov, also said last year that he had left the country. Three more Navalny lawyers were arrested in October on suspicion of belonging to an "extremist group". Navalny's supporters say the authorities are going after his lawyers in order to deepen his isolation in jail, where he is serving sentences totalling more than 30 years. Navalny himself was moved to a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle in December. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) VAN BUREN, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The lawyer of the Van Buren man sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife requests a new trial claiming juror misconduct and a hearing on the matter. Eathan Cypert was convicted of first-degree murder for the July 3, 2022, death of his wife, Kristina Cypert, and was sentenced to life in prison on January 25. According to a motion for a new trial filed by Cyperts attorney Adam Rose, on January 30, Cyperts counsel spoke to a member of the jury in the case who said that other members of the jury had stated that they knew the victim and the family during jury deliberations. Rose claims the jury members said that they had also been to the Cyperts home. Rose says the jury members provided details of the layout of the home and drew a diagram of the home in question for the other jury members in the deliberations which was a central point of contention in Cyperts theory of the case presented to the jury. According to Rose, a diagram of the home was never presented by the state or the defense as evidence in the case. Van Buren man gets life in prison for wifes murder The motion claims a member of the jury also told other jury members during deliberations about potential plea negotiations and offers made by the state to Cypert. Rose says he will attempt to prove the misconduct and a reasonable possibility of prejudice resulted. Rose claims he could not have been aware of jury misconduct during the trial since he could not speak with the jury until after the verdict was reached. The motion states whether unfair prejudice occurred is up to the discretion of the court. The motion claims that jury misconduct involves the consideration of prejudicial information and improper outside influence that affected the jury deliberations. Rose believes these are all grounds for a new trial. Rose believes to receive a new trial, Cypert is not required to show exactly how he was prejudiced, but that he has a reasonable possibility of prejudice. Rose says since the issue arose after the trial, a new trial should be granted. Rose asks in the motion that all 12 jurors testify under oath as to what extraneous information was brought in and what information was discussed in deliberations. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Lawyer Jason Murray, taking the lead next week in the Supreme Court battle to keep Donald Trump off presidential ballots, has never argued before the justices. Jonathan Mitchell, representing Trump, is a well-known conservative advocate with some experience at the court yet none in a case close to this magnitude. As of Friday, both men will move their operations to Washington and tap into a sophisticated network of lawyers whove stood many times in the well of the courtroom and are positioned to channel the justices. Murray and Mitchell will engage in multiple moot courts, separately honing their cases before attorneys who fire questions designed to simulate the justices and their intensity. Such sessions are designed to expose the weaknesses in a case, devise solutions and refine its strong points. The tougher the moot the adage goes the smoother the actual argument. During any given session at the real venue, a lawyer will be pummeled with questions from the nine justices on everything from tiny details in the trial record to broad scenarios regarding the consequences of a potential ruling. Some of these scenarios can be wildly outlandish, and the strongest advocates field the myriad while continually turning the court back to core legal points that reinforce their case. Its an extraordinary lift for an advocate to master the historical and constitutional materials raised in this case, said David Frederick, who has argued 59 times at the court and written a book on advocacy. But the hardest part, Frederick said of the Trump case, is anticipating the many hypotheticals the justices will raise to determine where to draw the proper line. The justices will be mindful that wherever they draw the line, partisans on both sides may seek to use it for future political gain. Some questioning from the bench can have little to do with the lawyer at the lectern. Justices might use queries to signal their own stands and engage in subtle advocacy ahead of the vote in their private session. For his part, Chief Justice John Roberts may pose a question that reframes the issue and suddenly extinguishes any assumptions of his thinking. Advocates are advised to especially heed Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh who are at the ideological center of the bench and can steer the outcome of close cases. Liberal Justice Elena Kagan and conservative Justice Samuel Alito, meanwhile, can trip up the most experienced advocates with their hypothetical questions. They have a way of targeting the weakest spot. Despite the solemn grandeur of the Supreme Court setting, arguments are often free-for-alls. There can be interruptions and crosstalk among justices. Lawyers can never be sure what element of a case someone might latch onto, perhaps consequential, perhaps in the end irrelevant. This case of Trump v. Anderson is particularly difficult because of the multitude concerns arising from the open-ended 14th Amendment section barring certain officials who engaged in an insurrection from holding future office. Jason Murray during a hearing on November 3, in Denver. - Jack Dempsey/Pool/AP Jonathan Mitchell during a panel in April 2016. - From C-SPAN Murray, representing the Colorado voters trying to exclude Trump from the state ballot, has four moots planned. Mitchell, on behalf of Trump, has two arranged. Sources familiar with their schedules say both men will appear at the Georgetown Law Schools Supreme Court Institute, with its courtroom that replicates the crimson drapes and other trappings of the real setting. They will have separate, closed-door sessions at the place that has become a national leader in moots for attorneys preparing for a Supreme court appearance. Preparing for Thursdays arguments, Murray and Mitchell face a herculean challenge with this dispute that involves multiple constitutional issues and strikes at the core of electoral politics and democracy. It also brings the court back to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, across from its own columned structure. All deadlines for the lawyers filings and oral arguments were dramatically compressed, as the justices positioned themselves to try to decide the case before most of the state presidential primaries. Lawyers typically have several months to prepare. Other cases that were granted hearings in early January, as Trump v. Anderson was, will not be heard until late April or even next fall. And, adding to the pressure, every word the men speak will be parsed in real time. Many media outlets, including CNN, will be carrying the session live. Preparing with moot courts Although lacking experience before these nine justices, Murray and Mitchell have their respective fortes. Murray is a veteran of appellate courts and argued the challenge to Trump in Colorado that ended with a state supreme court decision disqualifying him from the state ballot. Mitchell joined the case on behalf of Trump around the time arguments were underway at the Colorado Supreme Court. Mitchell, however, is a strategic conservative thinker in sync with the right-wing of this bench. They each have thrived in different professional realms. Murray was a trial lawyer for 11 years with the national corporate law firm Bartlit Beck, handling big-dollar commercial disputes. Last year, Murray left the firm to join former colleagues in a new Colorado-based boutique firm of Olson Grimsley. The six-lawyer firm said its aim was groundbreaking public interest litigation. Mitchell, meanwhile, has been attracted to ideologically and politically charged cases, serving as solicitor general of Texas for five years and teaching at various law schools before establishing his own one-person firm in 2018. Mitchell previously argued five cases at the high court, including in 2021 to support a Texas abortion ban. Three weeks after the Trump case, Mitchell will be back before the justices, representing a gun owner challenging a federal ban on bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire more rapidly, potentially hundreds of bullets a minute. The Supreme Court typically allots one hour for each case, 30 minutes per side. But because of the justices protracted questioning, the sessions regularly go about twice as long. Moot courts ferociously testing a lawyer tend to go even longer. At the same time, there are limits to replicating the real thing. Rather than nine moot justices, many advocates say the ideal for a moot is four or five on the panel. Any more along a makeshift bench, and the practice session grows too chaotic. Organizers of a moot, whether a law school, public-interest entity, or simply a small group of legal partners, naturally try to enlist lawyers who have argued many times before the justices and understand their points of persuasion. Georgetowns Supreme Court Institute, for instance, relies heavily on attorneys who have served in the US solicitor generals office, the governments top lawyers before the Supreme Court. The Institute usually conducts a confidential moot for just one side, on a first-come, first-served basis. (If both sides come in within 48 hours, theres a coin toss.) In a handful of cases of major significance, the Institute will hold moot courts for both sides, but only if both sets of parties agree to the arrangement. (The Institute, which operates on a non-partisan basis and offers its sessions for free, declined to comment on the Trump case arrangement.) Particularly valuable for any moot court, along with former members of the solicitor generals office, are former Supreme Court law clerks. They were once in a position to help prepare justices for arguments and then assist in the writing of decisions. Both Murray and Mitchell have such experience. A Harvard law graduate, Murray served as a law clerk to two of the justices: Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, when he was on the Denver-based 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Joining Murray at the counsel table on Thursday will be Eric Olson and Sean Grimsely, also former Supreme Court law clerks who have been involved in the Colorado case from the start. Mitchell, a graduate of the University of Chicago, was a law clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Mitchell is well-known to all the current bench for devising the Texas abortion ban that led to the Supreme Courts eventual 5-4 vote reversing Roe v. Wade. Kagan, a dissenter in that 2022 case, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, also dissented in the 2021 Texas case but not before referring disparagingly during oral arguments to the Texas ban masterminds as some geniuses who figured out a way to evade the Constitution. In that November 2021 controversy, the Supreme Court allowed Mitchell 10 minutes as an an intervenor on the Texas side. His time at the lectern came after four other sets of arguments more central to the dispute were heard. Next week, Mitchell and Murray will hold the leading roles. They may be allotted only the usual 30 minutes per side, or the justices may expand the number of minutes scheduled for each. No matter the allotment, if past oral arguments are any guide, Murray and Mitchell will be in the courtroom for hours and longer than imagined. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com This screengrab from a New York Police Department video shows a group of alleged migrants assaulting two New York Police Department officers near Times Square in late January. - New York Police Department Four migrant men charged with felonies in an attack on two New York City Police Department officers Saturday outside a migrant shelter are en route to a California town near Mexico after they were released from custody and given bus tickets by a faith-based charity, a senior law enforcement official said. The four men were among at least seven people arrested in the incident. They were staying in a New York City shelter, used false names with the charity, the source told CNN. It was not immediately clear who the four are among the group arrested this week in connection with the weekend incident. Investigators say even though the defendants allegedly used false names with the charity and could be going to Mexico by way of Calexico, California, we have no legal authority to chase them or attempt to stop them because the Manhattan district attorney did not request bail and the defendants were released on their own recognizance, the law enforcement source said. We have to assume they intend to return to court, which, given the circumstances around their departure, seems unlikely, the source added. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement declined to comment. The case follows a surge in migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border and, as a knock-on effect, in far-off major US cities where many have gone on their own or on buses hired by Texas. Some 67,000 migrants are under New York Citys care, among more than 173,900 whove arrived in the city since spring 2022, a City Hall spokesperson told CNN on Thursday. The overwhelming number of immigrants, migrants, asylum-seekers, they want to be here and do whats right. Those violent ones, we need to immediately have them removed from our city, New York City Mayor Eric Adams told La Mega 97.9 FM on Thursday. The attack outside the shelter was disgusting, and they should be held accountable, the Democrat added, saying he thinks they should not have been released from custody while noting the city does not have the authority to deport people. Authorities Saturday arrested Yorman Reveron, 24, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19, and Wilson Juarez, 21, each charged with second-degree assault and second-degree obstructing governmental administration, according to a criminal complaint. Jhoan Boada, 22, was arrested Monday and charged with the same two counts, a complaint states. Yohenry Brito, 24, was arrested Wednesday and arraigned Thursday on two counts of second-degree assault and one count of second-degree obstructing governmental administration, the Manhattan district attorneys office told CNN. He also faces robbery and felony assault charges, the district attorney said. A 21-year-old arrested Wednesday on suspicion of robbery and felony assault was released and not charged, it said. CNN has reached out to attorneys for all those named. Brito is being held on bail, while the five others were released without bail, according to the district attorney, as police continue to investigate the attack. An assistant district attorney requested $15,000 bail or $50,000 bond for Brito, citing his alleged past interactions with law enforcement. For those released without bail, the district attorney consented to defendant release to allow us time to conduct a thorough analysis of the incident and defendants role in it, according to a bail application for Boada that states the others were released without bail under similar requests. A Manhattan Criminal Court judge ordered them to be released on their own recognizance, meaning they were released from custody without paying bail and told to return to court while the case is pending. Violence against police officers is never acceptable, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told CNN. Every defendant charged so far is facing felony charges that carry a penalty of up to seven years. Police, meanwhile, are trying to identify four more men who allegedly participated in the assault outside the migrant shelter, the law enforcement source said. Get them all and send them back, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said of that effort. You dont touch our police officers. You dont touch anyone. Arrested, charged and released without bail The case calls to mind the controversial 2020 state bail reform act that essentially barred judges from setting bail in a sweeping number of crimes a change critics say puts communities in danger. Bragg in 2022 went further, issuing guidance to his assistants to refrain from asking for bail even in some cases that were still bail eligible. There is a presumption of pre-trial non-incarceration for every case except those with charges of homicide or the death of a victim or charges involving weapons and serious physical injury, Bragg wrote in a January 2022 memo. The defendants in the weekend assault outside the migrant shelter were charged with felonies for which prosecutors could have asked for bail, in particular because they were living in temporary shelters for migrants and had no ties to the community to ensure their return to court. Prosecutors, however, did not ask for bail. On Friday, Bragg defended his offices decision to release five suspects. While the video is shocking and disturbing, in order to secure convictions in a court of law it is essential that we conclusively identify each defendant and specify each persons participance in the incident, Bragg said. The five men who were released without bail are expected back in court in February and March. If they miss those court dates, arrest warrants likely would be issued for them. Under New Yorks 2014 sanctuary bill, a move to deport someone could follow their conviction on a felony charge. How police say the incident unfolded The incident unfolded as officers tried to break up a disorderly group outside the shelter near Times Square and a physical altercation ensued, police said. When the officers tried to take a person into custody, multiple unidentified individuals repeatedly kicked and punched the officers in the head and body and later fled on foot, police said. The officers had minor injuries and were treated on the scene, police said. While Brito was being apprehended, a struggle ensued with the officers, leading them to fall to the ground, according to a criminal complaint. Others then are accused of striking and kicking the officers, while Brito is accused of fleeing. Its the polices job to arrest them, the other criminal justice aspect makes the determination if they are going to be kept inside, Adams told La Mega. We did our job; we need to make sure that judges look over the seriousness of the case. I dont believe they should have been released. We cannot allow people to abuse our symbol of authority, he said. The police uniform is not only the individual, it is the symbol of authority and law and order and this is not a city of disorder. Were going to be a city of order. The investigation continues and anyone with information is urged to come forward, a spokesperson for Bragg told CNN. It is paramount that we conclusively identify each defendant and specify each participants role in the incident, the spokesperson said. CNNs Nic F. Anderson and Samantha Beech contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Free public education for Black children began in 1876, five years after Knoxville's citizens voted in 1871 for free public schools. Austin East, the successor of the Colored School and the once all-white East High school, has stood the test of time. Before schools were built for Black children, some passionate students learned by spying on schools, according to records at the Knox County Museum of Education. The Rev. Thomas Hures, St. John's Episcopal Church's rector, taught Black kids before the Civil War. One of his students, Laura Cansler, went on to start Knoxville's first school for Black children, called Burnside School, in 1864 at 1503 Detroit Ave. It closed in the early 1900s. Then came the the Colored School and Austin School. In January 1876, the Knoxville Board of Education authorized funding to create a Black school. A June 1876 article in the Knoxville Chronicle referenced the Colored School, which was reportedly "recently purchased or leased" by city officials. Vivian Lee Ann Shepard checks the program during Austin-East's graduation ceremony on May 26, 1985. Separately, Austin School was established by Emily Austin, a white woman from Philadelphia who came to Knoxville in 1870 to teach Black children. The city assumed responsibility for the school in 1879. Austin approached the Board of Aldermen and Board of Education members in May 1879 to say she had raised $6,500 in the North to expand her school for Black children to the high school level. Officials voted unanimously to proceed with the project and merged the two schools. The expanded school graduated its first 10th-grade class in 1888. It added 11th grade in 1920, and 12th grade in the mid-1930s. By 1916, the student population had outgrown the facility on Central Street. The city approved a $40,000 wing to the 1909-established Green Elementary School on Payne Avenue, and moved the school there. In 1928, a new Austin High School was built at Vine Avenue and Preston Street. The school continued to grow over the years. Undated photograph of Emily Austin. Segregation in schools was struck down by the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, but even years later, schools around the country continued to be segregated. In 1968, in a bid to fully integrate high schools in the city, Knoxville's Board of Education combined Austin High and the then-all-white East High, and thus Austin-East High School was formed. The school remains a majority Black school with an 84% Black enrollment, according to the latest available data from the Tennessee Department of Education. Austin-East High School in 1952. Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @AreenaArora. Support our newsroom's exclusive, in-depth local coverage by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: A look at the legacy of Austin-East Magnet High School FORT PIERCE Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink, 26, died early Friday while pursuing a felon in a white Kia on the northbound lanes of I-95, when the driver entered the southbound lanes and began traveling the wrong way on the highway. Fink turned with the vehicle, into the immediate path of a semi tractor trailer, which struck his patrol car. The crash, that also killed the truck driver, was at mile marker 120 at approximately 2:57 a.m. Fink was rushed to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, where he later died. Shortly afterward, the call went out to law enforcement across the region that one of their own had fallen. Around 7:30 a.m. Friday, law enforcement officers from around the Treasure Coast and beyond began to arrive at the hospital in response to the reported death in the line of duty. Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink. Dozens of state and local officers, troopers and other officials congregated near the hospitals ambulance entrance until 10:05 a.m. when an FHP honor guard escorted Finks body into a St. Lucie County Fire District ambulance. Led by five motorcycle officers and flanked by four, the ambulance then pulled away from the hospital and turned left onto Nebraska Avenue. A procession of more than 40 vehicles with flashing lights followed the ambulance as it left the hospital campus towards South 25th Street. Law enforcement escorts an ambulance carrying Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink's body from Lawnwood Hospital on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Fink died in crash on I-95 in Port St. Lucie Friday morning. News quickly spread across the state as well. Before the procession had even began, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a statement on X. Our hearts go out to the family of FHP Trooper Zachary Fink, who was killed in the line of duty while attempting to detain a fleeing felon in St. Lucie County, DeSantis said. (First Lady Casey DeSantis) and I are praying for the Fink family and the entire FHP community. Lt. Indiana Miranda, Public Affairs Officer for FHP Troop L headquarters, wears the black band across her badge for FHP Trooper Zachary Fink, who died in a crash on Interstate 95 near mile marker 120 on Friday Feb. 2, 2024, in in Port St. Lucie. Fink was in pursuit of a fleeing felon, when the felon made a U-turn and crashed. A semi-truck also was involved in the crash, FHP officials said. The truck driver died at the crash scene. End of Watch: Who was Trooper Zachary Fink? Plane Crash: 3 dead after small plane that left Vero Beach airport crashes in Clearwater Fellsmere crash: 2-county law enforcement pursuit of stolen U-Haul ends in Fellsmere crash; 1 arrest Going to Arizona: Martin County sheriff, 2 others to visit Arizona to learn 'what's going on at the border' Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com and 504-331-0516. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Law enforcement community honors Trooper Zachary Fink with procession Unchecked massacres and kidnappings in Nigeria, many of them targeting Christians, require more than the U.S. State Department designating it as a Country of Particular Concern, key leaders said at the International Religious Freedom Summit. Rights advocates and others have criticized the State Department for failing to include Nigeria on the latest CPC list of countries engaged in or tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. At the Jan. 30-31 summit in Washington, D.C., however, Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom from 2018 to 2021, told Christian Daily International that his office helped get Nigeria on the CPC list in 2020, but that wasnt really enough. What needed to take place was a series of economic sanctions associated with that CPC designation not with other issues, but just with that one, said Brownback, co-chair of the summit. For a number of places, they get a designation, and theyll say, Well, I dont like it, but so what? But if you start economically, then they say, How do we get this thing off of us? And thats what I thought we really needed to do put tariffs on a particular set of sensitive exports from Nigeria to the U.S. Nigerian exports of crude oil to the United States amounted to nearly $3.5 billion in 2022, according to the U.N. COMTRADE database on international trade. Designation as a CPC can lead to consultations and negotiations resulting in a range of actions and sanctions if the religious freedom offenses are not addressed, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 that Brownback, then a senator from Kansas, helped sponsor. Such sanctions could be difficult to obtain as State Department officials refuse to acknowledge the religious motives of bloodshed by Fulani herdsmen and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Brownback said. The experts in the bureaucracy dont want to look at it at all as any religious division period, he said. They dont even want to have that word on the same page because theyre deathly afraid of a religious conflict in Nigeria, saying, We just dont want to talk about that, lets never be the one to associate with it in any way. Which is to ignore reality. At the same time, both Nigerian officials and Christian leaders in the country also downplay the religious component of the violence, as they fear fanning the flames of religious conflict by mentioning it publicly. With such reluctance to talk about the religious motives of attacks in the effort to tamp it down, Nigerian and international media have long portrayed the violence as rooted in herder/farmer land conflicts. Drought and dwindling resources as a result of climate change are increasingly cited as a contributing factor in the herder/farmer land conflicts, which Nigerian priest Ambrose Uchenna Ekeroku roundly rejected at the summit. Theyre saying that climate change is what is causing the conflict it is not, Ekeroku told participants. It is jihad that is going on. It is not herder/farmer clashes as they have been saying in the media. And only the international community can stop it. Ekeroku acknowledged that there are ethnic and economic dimensions to the violence, and that the predominantly Muslim, ethnic Fulanis behind much of it make an historical argument for laying claim to the entire country. That claim also has Islamist roots, as they carry out the killings and land grabs with shouts of the jihadist slogan, Allahu Akbar [God is greater], he said. What is happening in Nigeria is a systemic jihad, genocide and ethnic cleansing that is done by Fulanis, Ekeroku said. The ideology theyre working with is that Nigeria belongs to them. Now they have continued that jihad. Ekeroku, now pursuing graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., asserted that Nigerian government corruption and collusion with Muslim extremist perpetrators of violence necessitates international intervention. It is not about putting us a on a list of Countries of Particular Concern Nigeria should be designated as a terrorist government, he said. That is what will jolt them to begin to take action and stop these killings. With more than 52,000 Nigerians slaughtered since 2009, including 30,000 during the eight-year presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, the countrys leaders need to be held accountable, he said. These leaders should be brought to the international Court of Justice to be called to account for all the atrocities that have been committed under their watch, Ekeroku said. With 4,118 Christians killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, Nigeria accounted for 90 percent of all the Christian martyrs in the world, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300. 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. Fred Davie, a commissioner with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, told summit participants that violence and blasphemy laws were violations of religious freedom that clearly met the legal status for designating Nigeria a CPC, but he too called for more action. We have urged the U.S. Congress to hold a hearing to better ascertain the basis on which the State Department came to this contrary conclusion [not designating Nigeria a CPC], he said, but the USCIRF also made other recommendations: Appointment of a special envoy to Nigeria; Support for Nigerian civil society organizations to promote national dialogue; Revitalize the bipartisan Nigerian caucus to place due focus on security; The Government Accountability Office should investigate the effectiveness of U.S. assistance to Nigeria in obtaining religious freedom objectives. Ekeroku, who said he would be killed if he said in his pulpit in Nigeria what he said at the summit, urged summit participants to continue to raise global awareness. The massacres in Nigeria, he said, are not going to stop unless the international community comes to our aid. A US fighter jet takes off during Friday's operation in the Middle East - GETTY IMAGES The US hit more than 85 targets as it launched air strikes against Iran-backed militias in the Middle East on Friday night. American forces struck command and control centres, missiles and drone storage facilities in Iraq and Syria in an attack on Irans Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) But the White House insisted it had no intention of hitting targets within Iran or sparking a wider conflict with the hostile state. US Lt Gen Douglas Sims, the director of the Joint Staff, said the attacks appeared to be successful. Nineteen militants are reported to have been killed, and Lt Gen Sims added that the strikes were taken knowing that there would likely be casualties. The Iraqi military said the strikes were in the Iraqi border area and warned they could ignite instability in the region. These airstrikes constitute a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, and pose a threat that could lead Iraq and the region into dire consequences, Iraqi military spokesman Yahya Rasool said. 02:30 AM GMT What happened today The United States dropped more than 125 bombs on Irans military and its allies in Iraq and Syria on Friday night as it began retaliation for attacks on American troops US bombers hit more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, including sites held by the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Joe Biden, the US president, vowed to retaliate for the attacks against its soldiers, saying: If you harm an American, we will respond An Israeli minister has compared Lord Cameron to Neville Chamberlain after the foreign secretary suggested the UK may formally recognise Palestinian statehood Follow the latest updates in Saturdays live blog 12:52 AM GMT Strikes hit Al-Qaim, Iraqis claim US air strikes have hit facilities used by al Hashed al Shabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), in the Al-Qaim, Iraqi officials have said. A spokesperson for Iraqs armed forces said the US strikes were a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. Yahya Rasool said: The city of Al-Qaim and the Iraqi border areas are being subjected to airstrikes by US aircraft, at a time when Iraq is striving hard to ensure the stability of the region. These strikes are considered a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, posing a threat that could drag Iraq and the region into undesirable consequences, the outcomes will be dire for the security and stability in Iraq and the region. Al-Qaim is in the western part of Anbar province, along the Iraq-Syria border. The PMU who conduct operations in Al-Qaim - GETTY IMAGES 12:36 AM GMT Baghdad was warned, Kirby confirms White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration had not communicated with Iran since the Jordan attack. However, Mr Kirby said the Iraqi government was notified about Fridays strikes ahead of time. Iraqs shadowy Kataib Hezbollah, which is blamed by the US for the Jordan attack, said on Tuesday it would pause attacks on American forces. But another Iran-backed Iraqi group, Nujaba, said it would continue launching attacks on US forces in the region until the Gaza war ends and American troops exit Iraq. 12:07 AM GMT Iraq condemns attacks Iraq, whose prime minister called for the departure of international troops after a previous US strike in Baghdad, condemned the latest military action. Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the US strikes were a violation of Irans sovereignty. 11:35 PM GMT Locations targeted were pretty significant The strikes hit three sites in Iraq and four in Syria, said Lt Gen Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Staff. Lt Gen Sims added that officials were confident that the locations struck were pretty significant in degrading the military capability if Iran-backed militia groups. 11:11 PM GMT Attacks took just 30 minutes The US strikes in Iraq and Syria took just half an hour, the White House said. There was clear, irrefutable evidence that the targets hit were connected to the attacks on US soldiers in Jordan on Sunday. All US aircraft are now out of harms way, the White House said, terming the operation a success. 10:51 PM GMT Senior IRGC figures would have been pulled out before attacks Senior Irans Revolutionary Guards figures would have been pulled out of Syria and Iraq in anticipation of the strikes, Beth Saner, a former senior national security official has told CNN. Washington forewarned the Iraqi government before carrying out the strikes, John Kirby, a White House national security spokesman said. 10:34 PM GMT US strikes killed 18 US strikes have killed at least 18 pro-Iran fighters in eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said At least 18 pro-Iran fighters have been killed in air strikes on Syrias east, five of them in Deir Ezzor, the monitor said, after the US military said it had carried out strikes on Irans Revolutionary Guards and Tehran-affiliated groups in Iraq and Syria. 10:31 PM GMT B-1 bombers carried out strikes The strikes were carried out by manned and unmanned aircraft, including long-range bombers flown from the United States. B-1 bombers, which are long-range heavy bombers that can deploy precision and non-precision weapons, were used in the operations, according to one US defence official. US Central Command said the strikes used more than 125 precision munitions. 10:26 PM GMT Further strikes to come More strikes are expected in the coming days, expanding the range of targets, US military officials said on Friday night. 10:11 PM GMT Biden: Retaliatory strikes will continue at times and place of our choosing President Joe Biden has just issued a statement confirming the strikes and reiterating the US will carry out further strikes if necessary. The president said: This past Sunday, three American soldiers were killed in Jordan by a drone launched by militant groups backed by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Earlier today, I attended the dignified return of these brave Americans at Dover Airforce Base, and I spoke with each of their families. This afternoon, at my direction, US military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack US forces. Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing. The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond. Joe Biden attended a repatriation ceremony on Friday for US soldiers killed in the Middle East - GETTY IMAGES 10:06 PM GMT 'No strikes on Iran itself' Senior White House sources stressed on Friday night they would not strike any sites within Iran itself. 09:57 PM GMT 'More than 125 precision munitions launched against 85 targets' American forces carried out airstrikes on Irans Revolutionary Guards and Tehran-affiliated militia groups on Friday, hitting more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, the US military said. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions, US Central Command said on social media, adding that the targets included command and control and intelligence centers as well as rocket, missile and drone storage facilities belonging to militia groups and Iranian forces who facilitated attacks against US and coalition forces. 09:52 PM GMT 'At least 13 pro-Iran fighters killed' At least 13 pro-Iran fighters have been killed in the strikes in eastern Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 09:46 PM GMT US confirms strikes The United States carried out retaliatory strikes on Friday in Iraq and Syria against facilities linked to Irans Revolutionary Guards and the militias they back, four US officials confirmed. 09:31 PM GMT Ceremony held for three US soldiers killed in Jordan News of the strikes broke shortly after the conclusion of a solemn military ritual at a Delaware air base marking the return of the three US fatalities at the remote US base in Jordan. They were the first American military personnel to be killed in an attack in the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October, and the US had vowed to deliver a decisive response. Joe Biden stands with his hand over his heart as a US Army carry team moves a flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of US Army Sergeant Breonna Moffett 09:30 PM GMT Pentagon yet to confirm US involvement The Pentagon has not yet confirmed it is behind the strikes. However, one US defence official confirmed the strikes to Fox News, and said they were being launched from multiple platforms. Six Iranian-aligned fighters have been killed in strikes in eastern Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Right. Warplanes carried out four rounds of raids on sites housing Iran-backed groups in the countrys Deir Ezzor province, the war monitor said. 09:28 PM GMT US strikes multiple sites The US has begun conducting strikes on targets in Iraq and Syria, US media reported, in retaliation for a drone strike that killed three American soldiers in the region. It marks the start of what is likely to be a series of larger-scale US strikes on Iranian-backed militias which Washington has identified as the culprits behind attacks on US troops in the Middle East, two US officials told CNN. Numerous sites in Syria were hit, as well as the Syria-Iraq border, resulting in a number of casualties and injuries, Syrian state media reported late Friday night. It comes after three US service members were killed and more than 40 others wounded in a drone strike by Iran-backed militants on a US military outpost in Jordan on Sunday. 09:27 PM GMT American aggression causes 'a number of casualties' Syrian state media said on Friday that an American aggression on a number of sites in Syrias desert areas and the Syrian and Iraqi border resulted in several casualties and injuries. 04:10 PM GMT That's all for today Thank you for following our coverage. The key developments from the day were: David Cameron doubled down on suggestions that the UK could recognise a Palestinian state, saying the move could come before the end of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. An Israeli minister then hit out at Lord Cameron, accusing him of handing Hamas Nazis a prize by suggesting the UK could formally recognise a Palestinian state. Satellite imagery analysed by the United Nations Satellite Centre shows that 30 per cent of Gaza Strips buildings have been destroyed or damaged during the Israel offensive. Belgium summoned the Israeli ambassador on Friday to condemn the bombing of the countrys development agency in Gaza, the Belgian foreign ministry said. Ebrahim Raisi, Irans president, said that his country would not start a war but that it would respond strongly to anyone who tried to bully it. Qatar said Hamas had given its initial approval to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal that would pause its war with Israel. 03:54 PM GMT In pictures: Children wait for food aid in Gaza Children wait for food aid - Omar Ashtawy\\ apaimages 03:50 PM GMT Satellite images show 30 per cent of Gaza destroyed, UN centre says Satellite imagery analysed by the United Nations Satellite Centre shows that 30 per cent of Gaza Strips buildings have been destroyed or damaged during the Israel offensive. Air strikes, shelling and demolitions have razed entire city districts, including much civilian infrastructure. In total, a staggering 69,147 structures, equivalent to approximately 30 per cent of the Gaza Strips total structures, are affected, the United Nations Satellite Centre, UNOSAT, said. It said 22,131 structures in the enclave have been identified as destroyed, with an additional 14,066 deemed severely damaged and 32,950 having sustained moderate damage. UNOSAT used satellite imagery from Jan 6-7, which it compared with six other sets of images, including some dating from before the Israeli offensive. UNOSAT said that the regions of Gaza City and Khan Younis had experienced the most significant increase in damage since the previous analysis. 03:27 PM GMT Rafah a 'pressure cooker of despair', says UN The UN voiced fears Friday about worsening conditions in southern Gaza, saying a surge in people seeking safety in Rafah had made the town a pressure cooker of despair. The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said it was deeply concerned about the escalation of hostilities in Khan Yunis, which had resulted in increased numbers heading further south to Rafah in recent days. Most are living in makeshift structures, tents or out in the open, Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesman, told a briefing in Geneva. Rafah is a pressure cooker of despair, and we fear for what comes next. Khan Yunis has also come increasingly under attack, and its been shocking to hear about the heavy fighting in the vicinity of the hospitals, jeopardising the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick, as well as thousands of internally displaced people seeking refuge there. Of the people rushing southwards, he said: Are they truly safe? No. Theres no safe place in Gaza; also not in Rafah. 02:25 PM GMT Pictured: People attend a rally to show support to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip People attend a rally to show support to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip - KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS 01:11 PM GMT Palestine Red Crescent employee 'killed' A PRCS female employee was killed due to the occupation's gunfire towards the PRCS building in #KhanYunis. #NotATarget PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 2, 2024 12:50 PM GMT Australian livestock stuck in limbo on ship as second vessel heads to Red Sea A ship carrying 16,000 sheep and cows that turned back from the Red Sea due to the risk of attack off Yemen was stranded at an Australian port in a heatwave on Friday as the exporter sought to offload at least some of the animals into quarantine. Meanwhile, another vessel carrying an even larger cargo tens of thousands of animals from Australia sailed for a Red Sea port in Jordan, with a contingency plan to unload them in the Gulf if it fails to obtain permission to enter the waterway. Passage through the Red Sea has become perilous due to attacks on shipping by Yemens Houthi militia that have disrupted global trade. The MV Bahijah set out for Israel on Jan 5 carrying around 14,000 sheep and two thousand cattle but diverted due to the threat of attack and was ordered home by the Australian government. It arrived in Perth in Western Australia on Monday during a summer heatwave. 12:20 PM GMT Ceasefire rally in pictures: Protestors rally for a ceasefire in Gaza - REBECCA COOK/REUTERS People gather in support of Palestinians outside of the venue where US President Joe Biden is speaking to members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) at the UAW National Training Center, in Warren, Michigan - JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP 12:03 PM GMT Belgium summons Israeli ambassador after agency hit in Gaza Belgium summoned the Israeli ambassador on Friday to condemn the bombing of the countrys development agency in Gaza, the Belgian foreign ministry said. Brussels said the offices of Enabel, the Belgian development agency, had been destroyed in northern Gaza. An official told AFP it took place on Wednesday. I have just summoned the Israeli ambassador to express our strong condemnation of the destruction of #Enabel offices in #Gaza. Attacks on civilian infrastructure breach the principles of international humanitarian law. All parties must adhere to it. Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) February 2, 2024 It added that there were no employees in the building at the time of the bombing. Hadja Lahbib, the Belgian foreign minister, and Caroline Gennez, the development cooperation minister, spoke to Idit Rosenzweig-Abu, the Israeli ambassador, in Brussels. The ministers strongly condemned the bombing and destruction of the offices, the ministry said. The destruction of civilian infrastructure is absolutely unacceptable and does not comply with international law, it added. 11:30 AM GMT Oct 7 victims sue Binance for aiding and abetting Hamas Victims of Hamass attack on Israel on Oct 7 are suing Binance over allegations that the crypto exchange enabled the terror groups access to funding. Natalie Raanan, 18, and her mother, Judith, who were both taken hostage by Hamas, were named as claimants on a lawsuit from three families. The legal claim, filed in New York, accused Binance, which counts the former UK digital minister Ed Vaizey as a member of its global advisory board, of aiding and abetting Hamas by allowing the group to send cryptocurrency transactions and evade sanctions for years. Read more from Matthew Field here 11:00 AM GMT Britain 'could recognise Palestinian state before peace with Israel' David Cameron has doubled down on suggestions that the UK could recognise a Palestinian state, saying the move could come before the end of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The UKs recognition of an independent state of Palestine cant come at the start of the process, but it doesnt have to be the very end of the process, Lord Cameron said on Thursday. It could be something that we consider as this process, as this advance to a solution, becomes more real. What we need to do is give the Palestinian people a horizon towards a better future, the future of having a state of their own, he added. The US has also supported plans for an independent Palestine, saying that a two-state solution is vital for long-term stability. However, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has publicly rejected the creation of an independent Palestinian state after the war, saying that Israel must retain security control of the region. 10:52 AM GMT Sweden investigates incident at Israeli embassy as terrorist crime Swedens security police said on Friday that an explosive device found outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm on Tuesday is now being investigated as a suspected terrorist crime. Stockholms bomb squad eventually detonated the object and there were no injuries or damage to the building. The Swedish prime minister later called the incident an attempted attack. The criminal classification for the suspected crime is changed to terrorist crime due to grossly illegal threats and attempts to cause public destruction, said the security police, which has now assumed responsibility for the investigation. 10:22 AM GMT Rafah is 'pressure cooker,' says UN aid agency The United Nations humanitarian office voiced concern about the hostilities in Khan Younis that have forced more people to flee to Rafah in the south of Gaza, describing the border town as a pressure cooker of despair. I want to emphasise our deep concern about the escalation of hostilities in Khan Yunis, which has resulted in an increase in the number of internally displaced people seeking refuge in Rafah in recent days, said Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Thousands of Palestinians have continued to flee to the south, which is already hosting over half the population of some 2.3 million people ... Rafah is a pressure cooker of despair, and we fear for what comes next. 10:02 AM GMT UNICEF says nearly all Gaza's children require mental health support UNICEF said it estimated that 17,000 children in Gaza were unaccompanied or have been separated from their families during the conflict, and that nearly all children in the enclave were thought to require mental health support. They present symptoms like extremely high levels of persistent anxiety, loss of appetite. They cant sleep, they have emotional outbursts or they panic every time they hear a bombing, said Jonathan Crickx, UNICEFS chief of communication for the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Before this war, UNICEF was considering already that 500,000 children were already in need of mental health and psychosocial support in Gaza. Today, we estimate that almost all children are in need of that support, and thats more than 1 million children. 09:19 AM GMT Iran will' not start war' but will 'respond strongly to bullies' Ebrahim Raisi, Irans president, said that his country would not start a war but that it would respond strongly to anyone who tried to bully it. Mr Raisis comments came after days of speculation about how Washington might retaliate after three US soldiers were killed last Saturday in a strike on their base in Jordan by an Iranian-backed group. CBS News, citing US officials, reported on Thursday that the United States had approved plans for multi-day strikes in Iraq and Syria against multiple targets, including Iranian personnel and facilities in those countries. We will not start any war, but if anyone wants to bully us they will receive a strong response, Mr Raisi said in a televised speech. Before, when they (the Americans) wanted to talk to us, they said the military option is on the table. Now they say they have no intention of a conflict with Iran, he said. 09:01 AM GMT Half of US adults say Israel has gone too far in war in Gaza, poll shows Half of US adults say Israels 15-week-old military campaign in Gaza has gone too far, a finding driven mainly by growing disapproval among Republicans and political independents, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Broadly, the poll shows support for Israel and the Biden administrations handling of the situation ebbing slightly further across the board. The poll shows 31 per cent of US adults approve of Bidens handling of the conflict, including just 46 per cent of Democrats. According to the findings, 33 per cent of Republicans now say Israels military response has gone too far, up from 18 per cent in November. Fifty-two percent of independents say that, up from 39 per cent. Sixty-two percent of Democrats say they feel that way, roughly the same majority as in November. In all, 50 per cent of US adults now believe Israels military offensive has gone beyond what it should have, the poll found. Thats up from 40 per cent in an AP-NORC poll conducted in November. 08:48 AM GMT Revealed: Israels new Gaza border Israel is accused of clearing a 1km buffer zone inside the Gaza Strip as part of a new security border that could shrink the overall size of the Palestinian territory. Satellite images analysed by The Telegraph show more than 1,000 buildings destroyed around the land perimeter of Gaza since the Oct 7 Hamas terror attacks. Western allies have warned Israel against a buffer zone. The Israeli government has denied carrying out the operation, although it admits clearing sections near the border for security. Read more from Nataliya Vasilyeva and Robert Mendick here 08:30 AM GMT Remains of US soldiers killed in Jordan to arrive in US The remains of three American soldiers killed in an attack by an Iranian-made drone in Jordan will arrive back in the United States on Friday. The three Army Reserve soldiers killed last Sunday were Sgt William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia, and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia. U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett and Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders - US ARMY via Reuters Joe Biden, the US president, will join the families of those killed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, for what the US Air Force calls a dignified transfer of remains. First lady Jill Biden will join the president along with defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Air Force Gen Charles Q Brown, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. The drone attack by Iran-backed militants against the American outpost in Jordan, known as Tower 22, also injured more than 40. 08:23 AM GMT Hamas gives 'initial' approval to Gaza truce plan Qatar said Hamas had given its initial approval to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal that would pause its war with Israel. Qatars foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, said that recent talks in Paris between Qatari, US, Israeli and Egyptian officials had yielded a consolidated truce proposal. That proposal has been approved by the Israeli side and now we have an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas side. Ansari said there were hopes of good news about a new pause in the fighting in the next couple of weeks. But a source close to Hamas told AFP on Thursday: There is no agreement on the framework of the agreement yet the factions have important observations and the Qatari statement is rushed and not true. 08:16 AM GMT Syrian military says Israel targeted south Damascus The Syrian military says it downed a number of Israeli missiles launched from the Golan Heights that were targeting south Damascus on Friday, state news agency SANA reported citing a military source. Reports of an explosion in the vicinity of Damascus circulated earlier overnight. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel has for years carried out attacks on what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, and has escalated its strikes since Oct 7. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Get the latest insider news, analysis, entries and results on your phone or sent to your email! Leaders By Earnings Horses Jockeys Trainers Owners Breeders On November 3, 2023, more than ten thousand people gathered for the event and heard Dr. Michael Youssef of Leading the Way ministries openly share the gospel. The meeting also included a simultaneous gathering of thousands of children. Yousefs ministry reported that more than five thousand people indicated a decision to follow Christ. Youssef said that twelve months of prayer prepared the way for event. He called it a foretaste of heaven. The evangelical outreach organized by pastors and leaders from 27 denominations demonstrated the unity of purpose that has seen the Church in Egypt gain significant ground in expanding freedom of Christian worship under President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who is the first Egyptian President to attend Christmas liturgies. Several laws have been passed or are under review since 2014 including personal legal status of Christians and easing of regulations that govern building of churches. Interdenominational cooperation and a more liberal government has allowed the Church in Egypt to steadily grow and find a voice in a predominantly Muslim country that is seen as a leader in the Arab world. Nevertheless, approximately ten percent of Egypts 109 million population are Christians with nine out of ten Christians identifying as Coptic Orthodox Church members. Protestants, Catholics and Anglicans are the minority Christians in Egypt. The recent developments come against a background of years of persecution of Coptic Christians by radical Islamists. A 2023 report by the International Christian Concern (ICC) suggests that Christians in Egypt have been caught in a political crossfire between the extremists the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS on one side and Sisis government on the other. Churches have been attacked included the 2017 Palm Sunday suicide bombings in the cities of Alexandria and Tanta that killed over 360 Christians. The report notes that, The Islamist groups accordingly use the bombing of churches, and the subsequent displays of Christian persecution in the media as a way of showing Sisis powerlessness. While systematic, widespread attacks have decreased, limited and isolated religious persecution still exists in Egypt. Student and activist Patrick Zaki, for instance, was in 2023 arrested, tortured and sentenced to three years in prison for publishing an opinion piece about living in Egypt as a persecuted Christian. The case attracted international attention, including the US State Department. President Sisi, however, pardoned Zaki before he started the prison sentence. The growth of the Church in Egypt is also evidenced by surging numbers of students graduating from theological schools in Egypt. The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo (ETSC) is the oldest and biggest Bible college in Egypt. The Presbyterian-founded institution has seen a steady increase of students over the past decades. In 2019, 300 students were enrolled in the school, growing to over 500 in 2022. Beyond the student numbers that speak to a growing ministry in Egypt, the requirement by the seminary for Masters of Divinity students to take church planting and evangelism as a mandatory course in the early 2000s started to bear fruit a decade later. During the Arab Spring, when Egypts government was overthrown through mass protests in 2011, Christians and Muslims united to demonstrate against former President Mubaraks regime. The voice and the presence of the Church in Egypt expanded during the uprising through peaceful and meaningful contribution to the mass protests. Churches and church organizations provided medical and psychosocial support to the protestors at Tahirir Square, the epicenter of the protests. The Kasr El Dobara Church mobilized prayers for the nation near the square attended by over 50,000 Christians and a sizable number of Muslims. However, the peoples revolution soon turned to disillusionment when the Muslim Brotherhood won a majority of the seats in the parliamentary election and captured the presidency in the 2011 elections, electing Mohammed Morsi as the first Islamist president. Persecution of Christians increased significantly during the short lived period of the Brotherhoods government. At least 20 churches were burned, hundreds of Christians were targeted and killed by either ISIS or supporters of Muslim Brotherhood, and many more were injured and displaced from their homes. A group of Louisiana voters has filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging its new majority-Black congressional district is unconstitutional. The group of 12 non-Black voters argue the map, which Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law after a special legislative session, violates the 14th and 15th amendments. The State has engaged in explicit, racial segregation of voters and intentional discrimination against voters based on race, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit adds that the map has divided communities and separated African American and non-African American voters from their communities. The battle over the congressional maps began nearly two years ago, when then-Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) vetoed a set of maps passed by the state Legislature in 2022. At the time, Edwards said having a single majority-Black district when Black voters make up a third of the state violated the Voting Rights Act. A federal judge ruled that the state Legislature had to create a second majority-Black district, though the decision was put on hold by the Supreme Court until last year. In November, an appeals court ordered the state to proceed with a second majority-Black district. The Congressional Black Caucus celebrated the new map as a win for Black voters, but plaintiffs in the new lawsuit argue the map hurts Black and white voters because they can no longer influence their communities. Instead, both sets of voters are separated from their communities and thrust into districts with other voters hundreds of miles away, with whom they have little in common apart from race, the plaintiffs state. The result is they do not have the same power to appeal to their congressional representatives some of whom may have no knowledge of their region or culture. The lawsuit will be heard by a three-judge panel. One judge will come from the 5th Circuit and the other two from the Western District of Louisiana, where the new case was filed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Valentine's Day is coming on Wednesday Feb. 14. It's the day when love is celebrated amongst couples and friends by gifting each other with delightful treats like a box of assorted chocolates, sentimental "I love you" cards, and beautiful flowers. But sadly, this is also a day in which criminals are seeking out singles looking for love to pull a romance scam. According to Social Catfish, a company that verifies online identities using reverse search technology, says in 2022 nearly 70,000 Americans lost a record $1.3 billion to romance scams, an increase from $547 million in 2021. And in 2022 a SocialCatfish list had New Jersey ranked No, 15 in the nation with 361 victims losing $14.2 million to romance scams. This year, the company released the 100 most common photos romance scammers use after analyzing 10 million reverse image searches performed on its site in 2023. Scammers will flood dating apps and social media with fake photos to trick you into falling in love so they can steal your money, according to socialcatfish.com. Singles using online dating sites need to be on alert for a potential romance scam. What is a romance scam? A romance scam is when single people are targeted through catfishing in which criminals steal photos of attractive people and create fake profiles on dating apps or social media platforms. They develop relationships with the single person and construct a plan to rip them off. What are signs of a romance scam? Here are five tips to do to avoid getting scammed: Perform a reverse image search of their profile photo to confirm if they are real. Never send money or give personal information to anyone online. Avoid anyone who says they can't meet because they are in the military or live overseas. If they confess love too quickly and demand the same in return, it is a scam. If they use poor grammar but claim to be rich and successful, it is a red flag. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Valentine's Day 2024: Romance scams The High Desert community is rallying around longtime Hesperia teacher Charles Roedell, who was recently diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Topaz Preparatory Academy Principal Karen Prestwood has led the charge with other teachers to honor Roedell by hosting fundraising events for ALS research. The ChArLeS Challenge One event is the ChArLeS Challenge, which includes a QR code for donations to ALS in Roedells name, and a Run, Walk & Strength-A-Thon from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3 at Sultana High School at 17311 Sultana St. in Hesperia. The event at Sultana High is free, however, there will be a $25 donation participation fee. There will be prizes awarded for each event. Food trucks will also be on-site, with 20% of proceeds going to ALS research. More information can be found visiting topazprepacademy.org. Loved ones are rallying around longtime Hesperia teacher Charles Roedell, who was recently diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. People who dont want to participate can just show up and hang out with us, said Charles wife, Marcia Roedell, who is also a retired teacher. Family and friends are coming in from all over the country so it will be a good time to connect. Marcia added that her family, and visitors from California and across the nation, are planning to attend the event at Sultana High. The Roedells children include daughter, Alicia Roedell, and son, Ben Roedell. Also, daughter, Karen Halks, and her husband, Forrest. The two have a young son. Retired Hesperia Unified School District teachers Charles and Marcia Roedell. Finding joy in life Alicia Roedell, who lives in Colorado, said her father is progressing strongly through the disease. His spirits are strong and he is finding joy in the life he is now leading, Alicia, 33, said. He sometimes uses a walking cane and takes frequent naps, but overall hes doing good. Marcia said shes helping Charles to write a book, which includes nearly 25 short stories, mainly about his interaction with students and adults that he met over the decades. He dictates the stories to me and I type them out, Marcia said. Its been a way for him to share his talents while learning to accept the situation and not let ALS be so debilitating. Its a lifeline for him. Loved ones are rallying around longtime Hesperia teacher Charles Roedell, who was recently diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Feeling old, honored and grateful Charles, 70, began working in the Hesperia Unified School District in 1981. His first assignment was teaching at Kingston Elementary School, where he met his wife, whom he would marry in 1989. My dad has taught multi-generations of students teaching kids then going on to teach their kids. I was even a student in his class, said Alicia, who graduated from Sultana High in 2008. Marcia said her husband is known for his sense of over-the-top humor, his encouraging attitude and his relatable teaching style, which earned him the admiration of countless students, parents and staff. Retired Hesperia teacher Charles Roedell's over-the-top sense of humor, his encouraging attitude and his relatable teaching style earned him the admiration of countless students, parents and staff. Roedell was recently diagnosed with ALS, his family said. Despite retiring in 2019, the couple continues to substitute teach Marcia at Topaz and Charles at Topaz and Lime Street schools. I taught at Kingston for five years and Lime Street for 33 years, Charles said. I feel old when former students of mine introduce their children to me. Charles also shared that he feels grateful and honored when former students ask school administrators if their children can be placed in his classroom. Our family is appreciative of all the support from family, friends, former students and the community, Marica said. As for Karen Prestwood, if I could vote for the most important person in the world, I would vote for her. 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: Loved ones rally around Hesperia teacher, who was diagnosed with ALS A Suffolk County jury found a Lynn man guilty on all charges Friday afternoon related to a horrific home invasion and rape in Bostons Jamaica Plain neighborhood two years ago. 56-year-old Washington Pearson, who represented himself in court, was found guilty of armed assault in a dwelling, armed robbery, assault with intent to rape, indecent assault & battery, 2 counts of strangulation, larceny from a building, and armed breaking & entering during the daytime putting a person in fear. According to the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office, Pearson used a screwdriver to break into a Jamaica Plain apartment on October 24, 2022. Once inside, he strangled a woman in her living room until she was unconscious, raped her, then strangled her again before stealing her phone and jewelry. After fleeing the apartment, an arrest warrant was issued for Pearson. He was eventually captured by the U.S. Marshalls in Virginia in November 2022. This was an extraordinarily frightening experience for the victim, and she showed great courage to come forward and tell jurors what happened in her apartment that day, Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden said. Her words, along with the testimony of other witnesses and the diligent work of investigators, helped lead the jury to their verdict. Pearson had 197 prior entries on his criminal record dating back to 1987 at the time of the attack. Authorities say he was living in a residential reentry program in the Fenway area and had just been released from prison in July on habitual offender convictions in both Middlesex and Norfolk Counties. Pearson will be sentenced on February 6. The Suffolk DAs Office would like to thank Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy, Boston Police detectives who worked the case, and the victims and witnesses who testified at the trial for their work. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW NOTE: If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In life-threatening situations, call 911. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) When Patrick Joyce was a young child, his mother Maureen Joyce used to find Ginko leaves in his pockets while she did the laundry. We used to take hikes often, our family, and Pat was always tucking things in his pocket, she said. After Patrick died in 2019 following a struggle with mental health, Maureen learned that Ginko leaves are a symbol of hope and vitality in cultures across the globe. Now the leaf is also the symbol of Im Fine, a statewide, community art project dedicated to Patrick. We thought, This is what we want to bring out in people. We want to help people feel resilient,' Joyce said. Joyce is a co-curator of the Carlisle-based project along with Carrie Breschi. Together, the two have hosted dozens of workshops across Pennsylvania raising awareness about mental health. Members of the Im Fine Project team wore their project t-shirts while setting up the Im Fine exhibit at the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg on Friday, February 2, 2024. Shown left to right: Maureen Joyce, Tom Oakes, Deb Allen, Carrie Breschi In the workshops, participants are meant to have a positive, healing experience as they work with clay to express themselves. It was hard for me to do my jobs, as a mom and teacher until I finally went out and started working with clay and I realized how healthy that was for me in my grieving, Joyce said. Over the past five years, Joyce and Breschi have worked to bring the project to diverse communities and various demographics, not focusing on any specific group. There is no barrier to who is affected by this struggle, Joyce said. A key component to the Im Fine Exhibit is accessibility. Interactive portions of the exhibit are set up at wheelchair heights, videos include closed captioning, and the exhibit includes a touch wall intended for people who are visually impaired to feel masks made by others who are visually impaired. Youve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania: Call this number for a pep talk from a Pennsylvania student Each mask is a visual response to the prompt: What mask do you wear to hide, minimize, or portray your mental health struggles? Breschi explained that one of the projects goals is to get people engaged in art while building awareness and encouraging education about mental health. We just found that people needed a community and they needed an outlet and we believed wholeheartedly in igniting positive change through the arts, she said. Across the state, Joyce and Breschi have presented the masks in several art exhibits. Now, they are about to host their biggest exhibit yet in the state capital. What we do with every community we work in, we take their masks and their words and we make an exhibit in that community, Joyce said. So they get to see their work, which is very empowering out in the publicthey can think that possibly their words or their ideas are reaching someone else and helping someone else. Bills would create mental health days, expand access to guidance councilors for Pa. students The exhibit, located at Harrisburgs Susquehanna Art Museum, will be an accumulation of the years of workshops. Organized into three stages initiate the conversation, applaud the conversation, and continue the conversation, the exhibit will feature more than 1,000 masks, stories, a video montage, and QR codes linking to mental health resources. The masks featured in the Im Fine exhibit are made by Pennsylvanians ages 13 and up from all different backgrounds. Though most mask makers remain anonymous, each piece represents a persons story and co-curators Maureen Joyce and Carrie Breschi still remember many of them today. I think its really empowering to have it in the Capital and to make that statement here. What we find is people, they want a community, they feel less isolated when they see all of these masks together, Breschi said. Maureen Joyces western raku fired sculpture, titled, Lets Talk, sits in the Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery in Harrisburg on February 2, 2024. Maureen Joyces western raku fired sculpture, titled, Lets Talk, sits in front of hundreds of masks in the Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery in Harrisburg on February 2, 2024. The Im Fine exhibit will be open for visitors in the Susquehanna Art Museums Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery from February 10 to May 19, 2024. It is one of several community-engaged art exhibitions that will be featured at the museum in 2024. This will be a big year for community at Susquehanna Art Museum, Bonnie Mae Carrow, Director of Exhibitions at the museum said. Another community-focused exhibit, Cocoon Steelton: The Migrations of Many by Kate Browne will also open at the museum the same day as Im Fine. More information about the museums exhibits, hours, and admission is available at susquehannaartmuseum.org Im Fine will also be featured as part of several other Harrisburg-area events. From April 6 to May 12 there will be an exhibit at The Penny Gallery in Carlisle and from April 12 to May 11, visitors will also be able to view masks at BrainVessel in Mechanicsburg. In May, Joyce and Breschi plan to bring an exhibit of Im Fine to the State Capitol Building. A list of mental health local and national mental health resources is available on the Im Fine Projects website. To keep up with upcoming events or to schedule a workshop, details can be also found at imfineproject.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. SAO PAULO A leading Brazilian bank will no longer use its own resources to finance defense companies, it announced this week. Banco do Brasil is a key player for the countrys federal government, which owns half of the business. With assets exceeding $1.4 trillion reals (U.S. $283 billion), the bank plays a significant role in the domestic industry by guaranteeing exports for companies. It is also the second-largest bank in Latin America, according to S&P Global. Credit grant decisions are always guided by credit policies and social responsibility, the bank told Defense News. In compliance with its internal governance and sustainability instruments, which are recognized as a market benchmark, BB has decided not to contract, with its own resources, new operations for this sector. This move affects part of the funds from Proex a federal government mechanism that provides resources for Brazilian companies exporting goods and services which is managed by the bank. Part of the money is supplied by Brazils National Treasury, and the rest by Banco do Brasil. The measure is quite serious, a chief executive of a defense company told Defense News on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic. This decision decrees that defense companies on national territory will no longer have the capacity to export. Financial tools are necessary for exports, the source added, including during post-shipment operations, where clients demand guarantees. Here, Proex does not act; this guarantee only occurs with Banco do Brasils resources, the executive said. And often clients demand these guarantees in the initial purchase and sale contracts. Without this, its impossible to close contracts. The effect of this measure can be catastrophic. The CEO was unable to identify alternative credit options or guarantees for local defense companies. Defense News contacted three Brazilian defense companies Mac Jee, Avibras and Mectron but they declined to comment. In a statement to Defense News, the Defense Ministry said Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro met with Banco do Brasils president, Tarciana Medeiros, to discuss the issue. According to the ministry, the banks president promised to study a possible expansion of the scope of Proex to meet the credit needs of the defense sector. The ministry also reported it has worked with BNDES, a Brazilian state development bank, as well as the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services. Quentin Tarantino will reportedly reunite with Brad Pitt for his final film, The Movie Critic. The director has cast the 60-year-old star twice before, in 2009s Nazi-hunting war film Inglourious Basterds and as a storied stuntman in 2019s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Pitt won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Cliff Booth in the latter film. According to reports in Deadline, the new film could be set for release in 2025. While details about the new project remain scant, Tarantino said last year at the Cannes Film Festival that it would be set in 1977, and would be based on a guy who really lived but was never really famous, and he used to write movie reviews for a porno rag. It had previously been rumoured that the subject of the film could be Pauline Kael, the late New Yorker film critic who wrote for the magazine from 1968 to 1991. Tarantino has praised Kael in the past and published a Kael-inspired book of essays titled Cinema Speculation. Quentin Tarantino in Rome in 2021 (Getty Images for RFF) Tarantino has long said that he would retire after his 10th movie. In 2021, the Pulp Fiction director reiterated that planned to call it a day after his next film. I know film history and from here on in, filmmakers do not get better, he told Bill Maher. I dont have a reason that I would want to say out loud, thats going to win any argument in a court of public opinion or supreme court or anything like that. At the same time, working for 30 years doing as many movies as Ive done, its not as many as other people, but thats a long career. Thats a really long career. Tarantino, who lives in Israel with his wife Daniella Pick and their three-year-old son, Leo, said hed given it everything I have, every single solitary thing I have. In a three-star review of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Independents Clarisse Loughrey wrote: What is there left for Quentin Tarantino to say in 2019? His work in the 1990s, from Pulp Fiction to Jackie Brown, sparked a minor revolution in the way we employ cinematic language. Nowadays, we see his influence everywhere even his biggest critics wont deny that. But how do you stay fresh in an industry when youve already become enshrined in its history? And what happens when cinema moves on without you? When 2015s The Hateful Eight was met with mixed reactions from both critics and audiences, those seemed like fair questions to ask. Now, in his ninth (and supposedly penultimate) film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino tackles those ideas of creative insecurity head-on. Saady Lozon used to employ hundreds of Gazans, provide IT services to customers around the world including in Israel and travel internationally to promote Palestinians tech skills. After Israel began a U.S.-backed offensive in Gaza on Oct. 7, Lozon, his wife and their 4-year-old son moved from shelter to shelter seeking safety from bombardment and reliable access to food and water. Lozons offices were destroyed, he lost contact with most of his employees and his clients went incommunicado, leaving him with $789,000 worth of unpaid invoices, he recently told HuffPost. This is not a fair life the real victims are the civilians in the Gaza Strip, said Lozon, who this week ran out of medication he needs as a kidney transplant patient. On Thursday, he and his family joined the small number of civilians who have been able to flee the region for safety in Egypt after he paid tens of thousands of dollars for each of them for coordination to exit through the Rafah Crossing, currently the only exit point from Gaza. More than 80% of Gazas population has fled their homes since Israel launched its campaign following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and other Gaza-based militants. Theres growing urgency among people in the region to escape into Egypt because of the Israeli offensive now advancing toward the south, where most displaced people first moved on Israels orders. Its a chilling prospect for Palestinians who bitterly recall their families forced exodus from the areas that became Israel in 1948, yet it seems like one of the few realistic alternatives to dying during the siege on Gaza. But the process of getting through the Rafah Crossing is confusing, dehumanizing and often dangerous, observers tell HuffPost. The Biden administration, which treated the opening of Rafah as a major victory and describes its work on the crossing as a top focus, has yet to demonstrate its trying to improve the procedure. If people want it to be easy, its very easy, said Sammy Nabulsi, a Boston-based attorney who is working with Americans stuck in Gaza or who have family members there, referencing the ongoing flow of aid workers and other personnel through Rafah. Yet civilians desperate to leave the region have to jump through many hoops, Nabulsi said, and still may end up having to spend huge amounts amid the devastation of their local economy. Its crazy for people who are in these dire circumstances, who just want to be reunited with family the lengths they have to go to working with lawyers abroad, getting connected to members of Congress to make personal appeals, then somehow coming up with $7,000 to $9,000 a pop. The State Department declined to provide details on the U.S. view of Gazans being asked for bribes to use the crossing and, in some cases, allegedly being scammed. One spokesperson told HuffPost the department does not have an updated estimate of how many American citizens and others eligible for U.S. evacuation assistance green card holders and close relatives of U.S. citizens are stuck in Gaza; they pointed to Jan. 4 remarks from State Department spokesperson Matt Miller, who referenced several hundred. Sameer Lozon at the American International School in Gaza before the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. The 4-year-old and his parents left Gaza for Egypt on Thursday after his father paid tens of thousands of dollars to secure their exit. Sameer Lozon at the American International School in Gaza before the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. The 4-year-old and his parents left Gaza for Egypt on Thursday after his father paid tens of thousands of dollars to secure their exit. And meanwhile, the largest aid organization that supports Gaza and Palestinians has lost funding from several of its top donor countries. On Friday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said that it had fired nine employees and that the U.N.s chief watchdog had launched an investigation after Israel accused 12 UNRWA staff members of being involved in the Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis. (One of the 12 is dead, and the identities of two are being confirmed, according to the U.N.) The Biden administration suspended U.S. support for UNRWA that day, prompting other major donor states, like Germany, Canada, Britain, Japan, Australia and France, to do so as well. It is the most irresponsible, most dangerous decision I can even imagine in this context, said Heather McPherson, a Canadian parliamentarian. She said Ottawa is completely following the U.S. administration with no critical analysis, no interest in adhering to international law, no interest in holding the [Israeli] government to any sort of accountability. Humanitarian experts say the spiraling international debate over UNRWA ignores its irreplaceable ability to help Gaza survive and move forward, and to support Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Even governments that have halted funding say the allegations should not hurt UNRWA for good. White House spokesperson John Kirby said the claims shouldnt impugn the entire agency Theyve helped save literally thousands of lives in Gaza and do important work. Some big-donor governments, notably Norway, have firmly declined to join the trend of halting payments to the agency. For now, though, the agency has warned that it will cease operations this month unless funding resumes. The contrast between the deepening misery on the ground and the decisions by some of the worlds richest countries underscores a harsh reality: One week after the so-called World Court, the U.N.s International Court of Justice, ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza and ordered an immediate increase in humanitarian support, Palestinian survival remains far from the worlds priority. Magical Thinking A broad range of aid experts say its crucial to investigate the allegations against UNRWA but its unacceptable to hurt the agency while some of its primary beneficiaries are experiencing their worst suffering in decades. Were getting questions from donors saying, Can other international NGOs backfill? Weve been saying that is really another level of magical thinking, said Janti Soeripto, the president and CEO of Save the Children U.S. Youre asking the humanitarian system to replace an agency that has been there for many decades, that has 13,000 staff, Soeripto added. To replace that overnight is ludicrous, and its a really dangerous assumption that can just happen, because UNRWA is not just any other agency. The U.S., Israel and other governments see a need for an off-ramp that involves accountability but doesnt hurt UNRWA in the long run, said Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International and a former senior U.S. aid official. A German official told HuffPost they expect the [U.N.] to quickly present the results of its investigation and draw the necessary conclusions. UNRWA must make it clear that extremism, hatred and violence will not be tolerated under any circumstances. It is good that [UNRWA] Secretary General [Philippe] Lazzarini has announced an additional independent review, the official said. The [European Union] Commission is also planning an additional review by independent experts. In light of the results of these investigations and the consequences drawn from them by the U.N., we will coordinate with the other donor countries. Yet the agency has long had critics who argue it needs wholesale reform or even to be eliminated, and the allegations from Israel have given these skeptics an opening. This week, Republican lawmakers held a Capitol Hill hearing where they aired a host of outlandish claims about UNRWA being a terrorist front. And some more hawkish supporters of Israel have for years argued the agencys work should be performed by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, an argument widely seen as trying to de-emphasize Palestinian rights and claims to Gaza and the West Bank. Demonstrators stage a protest during a hearing Tuesday before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on oversight and accountability on the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Demonstrators stage a protest during a hearing Tuesday before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on oversight and accountability on the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). People argue for this because they think that UNHCR does not recognize refugee descendants and thus the Palestine refugee issue would become extinct. This is not true, Elizabeth Campbell, a former UNRWA official, told reporter Samer Badawi in 2018. The second reason that people argue for this solution is that they believe that UNHCR can resettle Palestine refugees into third countries. Campbell now works in the Biden administration. She did not respond to a request for comment. Humanitarian officials now caught up in UNRWA-related arguments are simultaneously trying to oversee shipments of supplies to Gazas most desperate people. A top concern is funneling medical materials, food and other necessities to northern Gaza, where up to 300,000 people remain and which is extremely challenging to access. Aid must first enter through Rafah or another access point for goods in the south, the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, which Soeripto said is not yet functioning at full capacity. Soeripto said her group has tried to send trucks full of already-cleared aid from southern Gaza to the north but has on multiple occasions had them sent back by Israeli officials who control the area. Pressure Cooker For desperate, besieged Gazans, any chance of safety seems worth trying. Talk of purchasing a corrupt exit, including by getting on the daily list of people approved by Israel, Egypt and other governments to travel to Egypt via the Rafah Crossing, is now commonplace and in some instances seems justified. A person involved in helping Americans evacuate told HuffPost they were aware of a case in which a family who paid a bribe appeared on the exit list a day or two later. The State Department declined to comment on that example. The person also mentioned a family who paid $600 to a broker claiming to help people leave and has seen no results one month later the kind of story that has contributed to the widespread belief among people in Gaza that some of the purported options for leaving arent real. A U.S.-based Palestinian recently told The Guardian he paid $9,000 to get his wife and children on the Rafah list only to be told the day they were supposed to leave Gaza that he owed $3,000 more for his kids. We are aware of these reports [of bribery] and working to gather more information, a State Department spokesperson told HuffPost, without providing information on U.S. efforts to stop the corruption. Families attempting to use the officially mandated channels for securing an exit on the basis of their foreign nationalities or ties to foreign countries describe that process as opaque. And figures involved in those efforts told HuffPost they see a worrying trend: men being excluded from the exit lists. Young men are disproportionately not being allowed to exit, said McPherson, who is working on cases of Canadians stuck in Gaza. Nabulsi, the U.S. attorney, said he is helping two families who have submitted the names of both a mother and a father who need help leaving Gaza; in both cases, only the mother has appeared on the exit list so far. No men appeared on the U.S. governments exit lists for Wednesday and Thursday, Nabulsi told HuffPost. Men may be excluded because Israel, which plays a role in approving the lists, is treating them as security risks, the person involved in evacuations said. State Department spokespeople did not answer HuffPosts question about the alleged pattern of excluding men from exit lists. We believe that the vast majority of U.S. citizens who are seeking our assistance have reached out to us. So far, we have assisted over 1,600 U.S. citizens, [green card holders] and family members to depart Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, a spokesperson said. We expect these numbers will continue to grow as long as the crossing remains open, they continued a tacit admission of the Biden administrations reluctance to pressure Israel and Egypt, both American allies, to ensure that is the case. The longer people stay in Gaza, the more risk they face. A friend described to me a WhatsApp group for Palestinian American citizens and nationals trapped in Gaza, and their families here in the U.S., Qutaiba Idlbi, an analyst at the Atlantic Council think tank, wrote Thursday on X (formerly Twitter). A couple permits are issued periodically, but very often when its too late. Many have already been killed with their whole family. Gazans who are stuck in makeshift accommodations in Rafah, close to the crossing, describe a suffocating experience as theyre crammed into a town now hosting hundreds of thousands of displaced people. If you walk in Rafahs streets, you feel like its a pressure cooker: Everything is overcrowded, the city capacities do not meet the needs of the people, Ghada Alhaddad of the charity Oxfam reported earlier this month. Still, the community has yet to succumb to chaos, aid experts note. Soeripto recalled speaking to a colleague who recently spent a day in Rafah and described orderly food distribution and displaced people helping each other. Some Gazans who left for Egypt with their children for safety and have skills they can deploy to serve others, like doctors and teachers, are trying to go back into the region as soon as they can, she said. There is such an unbelievable humanity you see, Soeripto said. We need to make sure theres enough political will to support that humanity. Related... London's British Museum has recently announced in a public release that it will be putting previously stolen items on show in its upcoming February exhibition, "Rediscovering Gems," which will feature seals and jewelry from the ancient Mediterranean world. The British Museum's Exhibition of Stolen and Recovered Items The items are part of some 2,000 objects the museum had announced to have gone missing, stolen, or damaged last August. After launching a recovery program shortly after, hundreds of the stolen objects have been safely returned. According to the release, the institution said that it will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and an international group of experts to find and retrieve the remaining artifacts eventually. The majority of the previously missing items were classified as classical gems and gold jewelry, and a selection from these recovered artifacts is what the museum will showcase for the first time in the upcoming exhibition. As per the museum, among the items included are "two Roman glass gems from the late 1st century BC to early 1st century AD, an intaglio which features a profile bust of Minerva, and a cameo with a bust of Cupid." Of the ensuing "Rediscovering Gems" show, the British Museum's Chairman of the Board of Trustees George Osborne said that it was part of their promise to share with the world the missing gems, instead of "hiding them away." "It's another example of culture change underway at the British Museum, as we open up and take ownership of our own story," he continued. Similarly quoted in the release, Keeper of the Department of Greece and Rome Tom Harrison, said: "We are delighted to be able to put on this exhibition and showcase some of the stunning recovered gems which are now safely back in the Museum's collection" For Harrison, this also serves as an "interesting opportunity" to cast a "spotlight" on an underrated but very captivating artform in which the gems were crafted through. Admission for the "Rediscovering Gems" exhibition will be free and will be held at the British Museum's Room 3 from Feb. 15 through June 2. The show will be open daily, starting at 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM local time. Read Also: Archaeologists Discover One of Sweden's Oldest Stone Tombs But Many of Its Skulls are Mysteriously Missing 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Texas man who said police werent doing enough to protect kids from sex offenders is now facing a murder charge, officials said. James Lewis Spencer III, a 24-year-old from Alvin, was arrested Jan. 31 and is accused of posing as a minor to lure and kill sex offender, according to court records. Contact information for Spencers public defender wasnt immediately available. On May 29 around 3:50 a.m., Houston police responded to reports of an unresponsive man lying in a ditch with multiple gunshot wounds, officers said. The victim, later identified as a 37-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. An investigation into the incident found that the victim believed he was meeting up with a minor for sex acts, court records show. Cellphone records show Spencer posed as a minor to make the meeting arrangements and placed him at the crime scene, police said. Spencer admitted to owning the phone number used to communicate with the victim, according to police. Video shows a vehicle pulling up and someone firing a string of rapid gunshots at the victim, police said. Spencer wanted to rob and harm those types of men because they would do bad things to little children, a third party told police. Spencer said he knew how to track people using a phone app, and if the cop were not going to do anything maybe he should kill them himself, records show. This was diabolically cunning, Victim Services Director of Houston Crime Stoppers Andy Kahan told Houstons KPRC. When I look at this, Im going this is the stuff you see in movies. The victim, who served time in federal prison on charges of possession of child pornography, failed to register as a sex offender, the station reported, citing documents. Court records show Spencer was out on bail on a possession of a controlled substance charge at the time of the May 2023 incident. Spencers bond is set at $250,000, according to KHOU, and he is due back in court Feb. 5, records show. Firefighters jump from balcony when man in distress pulls gun on them, TX officials say Mall worker told rowdy kids to leave and was beaten unconscious by parent, TX cops say Odd sounds at Texas dock lead to dog trapped a week in shipping container, USCG says A 24-year-old Texas man was arrested on Wednesday after police said he posed as a minor online, in order to lure in a convicted sex offender and murder him. James Lewis Spencer III is charged with the murder of Sean Connery Showers, a convicted sex offender who was found dead in the early morning of May 29, 2023, in a ditch in Houston, according to a press release from Houston police. According to a bail order obtained by HuffPost, surveillance video showed Spencer driving up to Showers and firing multiple shots into his body before speeding off. Investigators found a phone underneath the victims body which revealed he had planned to meet up with someone nearby, ABC affiliate KTRK reports. Per the bail order, investigators were able to trace cellphone records back to Spencer, who they said pretended to be a minor and had conversations with Showers about his prior sexual history with minors. Rehaman Merchant, the chief prosecutor for the 179th District Court in Houston, told KTRK that conversations between Spencer and Showers on Kik, an instant messaging app, were sexual in nature, adding that police believed they were meeting to engage in sexual activity. According to a judgement reviewed by HuffPost, Showers pleaded guilty to federal charges of possession of child pornography in 2009 and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Showers was ordered to attend sex offender treatment and register himself as a sex offender following his supervised release. However, a search of the national sex offender registrys web portal returns no results for his name. According to a request to modify his conditions, Showers was arrested again in 2018 and charged with soliciting a minor. He was sentenced to 9 months in prison with a lifetime of supervision upon release. A third-party witness told investigators that Spencer had made comments about his belief that police were not doing enough to keep pedophiles incarcerated, according to Spencers bail order. The witness stated that Spencer wanted to rob and harm those type of men [because] they would do bad things to little children and other people and he knew how to track them by an app on the phone, according to the document. The witness then told police that a month later, Spencer mused that if the cops were not going to do anything, maybe he should kill them himself. Merchant described the alleged crime to KTRK as a planned execution and that detectives are investigating Spencers case to determine if he targeted other sex offenders. I think he targeted an individual, he set up a meet, knew where he was going to be, and then discharged a weapon multiple times and then just went back home like nothing happened, Merchant told the outlet. According to court records, Spencer is represented by a public defender. The Harris County Public Defenders Office did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for a comment. Related... POCONO TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Police say a 21-year-old man from Delaware was caught shooting fireworks at a Monroe County house Saturday night. On January 27, just before 10:00 p.m., the Pocono Township Police Department says they were called to the area of Crescent Lake Road for the report of someone setting off fireworks from a moving pickup truck. PA Treasury announces National Unclaimed Property Day By the time police made it to Crescent Lake Road, the truck had already left the scene. Investigators said nearby surveillance video showed the fireworks being launched from the moving truck. Further into the video, the driver was seen shooting fireworks at a nearby residence, one of which was seen hitting the side of the home. Authorities say they located the driver and identified him as 21-year-old Jonathan Rineer, from Wilmington, Delaware. Rineer admitted to setting off fireworks but denied firing them from a moving vehicle or towards a residence, according to the Pocono Township Police Department. Rineer has been charged with two misdemeanors as a result of this incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. WRENS, Ga. (WJBF) The FBI and GBI along with the Wrens Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriffs Office are searching for an alleged bank robber. On February 1st at 1:45pm, the man pictured below, allegedly walked into Regions Bank on Broad Street and requested all of the 100s, 50s, 20s from a teller. Courtesy of Wrens P.D. Courtesy of Wrens P.D. Authorities say the suspect then jumped the counter, sifted through the cash drawers and stole cash and left. It is unknown the amount of money taken at this time. Police say he then walked toward Wrens Chevrolet and was picked up by a small white SUV, possibly a 2010 or 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe (pictured below) and traveled east on Hwy. 88. Courtesy of Wrens P.D. Courtesy of Wrens P.D. Courtesy of Wrens P.D. The subject did not appear to be armed and no injuries were reported. If you have any information, please contact Wrens PD, the FBI, the GBI, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office. Wrens Police Department: (706) 547-3232 FBI: (706) 722-3702 GBI: (404) 270-8527 Jefferson County Sheriffs Office: (478) 625-7538 For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of the column gave incorrect information about the position of attorney for the Office of Accountability and Transparency. That position remains open. The resignation of Phoenixs police oversight director this week is, on some level, a clash over communication and control disagreements. But it sure isnt playing out that way. Phoenix officials realize as much. Within 72 hours of Roger Smiths announcement, the city obliged a public records request and released parts of his personnel file how often does that happen while the person is still on the job? to blunt Smiths contention that city leadership interfered with his offices independence. Thats because the contention is one big cudgel. Does Phoenix really want police oversight? Smiths resignation comes as Phoenix awaits the findings of the Department of Justices investigation of Phoenix Police over possible civil rights violations, including discriminatory practices against minorities and people who are homeless or have mental health conditions. The Office of Accountability and Transparency that Smith oversees, even if its powers are limited, could help establish a level of credibility and trust for Phoenix Police critics. Smith was hired in 2021 to lead the newly established office, charged with providing civilian oversight of the police department. It had just been created in response to longstanding criticism by advocacy groups about Phoenix Polices use of force and problematic interaction with communities in minority-dominated neighborhoods. The same criticism that months later led the Justice Department to launch its investigation. Smiths accusation that city leadership sabotaged the hiring of OATs legal counsel in his words, the No. 2 position in that office plays into the narrative that Phoenix does not genuinely want independent police oversight. No more, the implication goes, than it wants it from DOJ. Smith's resignation raises suspicion Smiths personnel record, notably a performance improvement plan from early January, portrayed him as tactless and lacking in establishing plans and organizational savvy. To improve, Smith must aspire to know what battles are worth fighting. He countered to me that some of those confrontational disagreements revolved around the offices autonomy at producing its reviews of police incidents. Smith equated the citys wanting to review those reports first with asserting an editorial role of the content. He said it undermines the idea of independence. Smith compared the protocol with his experience in Cleveland, where he held a similar role. In Cleveland, they didnt see the report before it went out. 3 questions to decide: If feds take control of Phoenix PD Adding to the drama is Phoenixs rescission of a job offer to Catherine Bowman as the Office of Accountability and Transparencys attorney. Smith called into question the citys disqualification of Bowman for the role on the basis that city code bans the police oversight office from hiring a person who was formerly employed by law enforcement. Bowman told Arizona Republic reporters that the reasoning is untenable given that she worked with Tucson Police as a volunteer, not as a paid employee, and signaled that she intends to file a notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit. How does Phoenix overcome this skepticism? The Office of Accountability and Transparency has been rocky from the get-go. The Phoenix City Council narrowly approved its creation and only because community-activist-turned-Councilman Carlos Garcia played a smart hand, forcing Mayor Kate Gallego to go along to establish a more robust version of the office with investigative and subpoena powers. Gallego orchestrated Garcias ouster last year with support from police supporters. Before work on the office could even began, the state Legislature defanged it. Lawmakers passed legislation requiring civilian review boards to be made up predominately of folks in law enforcement or who have extensive training. Two years in, a staff of 11 has been hired at OAT, but members of its civilian review board have yet to be named. Its first report is just on the verge of being finalized and released. Smiths last day is Feb. 9. His departure will only raise the skepticism of critics and of Phoenixs capacity to welcome police oversight. Reach Abe Kwok at akwok@azcentral.com. On X, formerly Twitter: @abekwok. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police oversight director's resignation is a lose-lose Justin Johnson, the man accused of shooting Young Dolph, stands for an appearance in the Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, July 14, 2023. Justin Johnson, one of the men accused of carrying out the killing of Young Dolph in November 2021, has filed a motion to have the case heard in a different jurisdiction or to have jurors brought from a different county. Luke Evans, the attorney representing Johnson, wrote in the motion that the nature of the allegations against Johnson, pretrial publicity and the specific and inflammatory nature of that publicity would prevent Johnson from having a fair trial by a Shelby County jury. As to the prejudicial nature of the publicity, the articles attached hereto speak for themselves, Evans wrote in the motion. However, one point to highlight is the comment sections related to the online publicity, which display comments that are readily available to anyone who visits any of the websites displaying one of these articles. Furthermore, not only are these comments viewable by the general public, they were arguably created by persons who would make up the venire (jury pool) in this cause. Evans cites comments from a story published by FOX13 on Johnsons arrest, pointing to comments that called for the death penalty, called Johnson guilty and talked about his arrest taking place in Indiana. In addition to the comments, Evans called stories detailing Johnsons history with the criminal justice system as indicative of the tone and temper of most of the local media coverage related to the matter. Since the time of the victims death in this matter, the victim has been portrayed in the media as a philanthropist, a hero, and the king of Memphis, a trailblazing creative whose life was dedicated to giving back to the community, he wrote. In contrast, the media focused on the accuseds history of violent crime. Evans also pointed to Instagram creating a photograph frame based on Young Dolphs album King of Memphis that allowed users to add to profile pictures as another exposure that would prejudice Johnson. Memorial services, including one that was hosted at the FedExForum and streamed online, were also mentioned as prejudicial. Press conferences hosted by the police and prosecutors in the case were also targeted as reasons for changing the venue of the trial. Shelby County judges have been reluctant to grant venue changes in recent months, citing the vast size of Shelby County, the decline in local news consumption and the ability of jurors to make an unbiased judgment even with some knowledge of the criminal case. Background on the murder trial Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot and killed Nov. 17, 2021, inside Makedas Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways Boulevard. In the wake of the shooting, the Memphis Police Department released photos of two people holding firearms at the scene. An autopsy report found that Young Dolph, 36, had about 22 gunshot wounds on his body. Four people have been charged in connection to his killing. Johnson and Cornelius Smith were the first two charged with his death, and are alleged to have been the ones who carried out the shooting. Attorney Luke Evans and Justin Johnson, the man accused of shooting Young Dolph, listen as Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman (right) speaks to Judge Lee V. Coffee during an appearance for Johnson in the Shelby County Criminal Court in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, July 14, 2023. A third person, Hernandez Govan, was later added to the indictment and arrested. Prosecutors have said he was the person who planned the murder. With Govans arrest, the charge of conspiracy was added to the indictment for all three men. Jermarcus Johnson, Justin Johnsons brother, was the final person to be arrested. He is accused of delivering money and assisting his brother and Smith in having phone conversations after the killing. On June 9, 2023, Jermarcus Johnson entered a guilty plea to three counts of accessory after the fact. In October, Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee V. Coffee, who originally presided over the case, was ordered by the Tennessee Criminal Court of Appeals to recuse himself from the case. More: New judge assigned to Young Dolph murder case following court-ordered recusal Evans had filed a motion to have Coffee removed because the judge had signed an order preventing Justin Johnson from having contact with anyone except his lawyer after Johnson was accused of recording a rap song from a jail phone. Evans argued that Coffee did this without hearing evidence, and hence showed bias in the case. Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Mitchell was assigned to the case after Coffee recused himself. Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, or (901)208-3922, and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter, @LucasFinton. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Young Dolph killing: suspect files for change of venue for trial A Cook County jury on Thursday convicted a man of murdering a longtime civilian employee of the Chicago Police Department in 2015. William Cochran, 26, was convicted of 10 counts of murder and attempted murder after a week-long trial in the killing of John Buckner, 59, known as Buck. Another man was injured in the shooting. Buckner was the uncle of Kam Buckner, a state representative who ran for mayor in 2023. The jury deliberated for several hours Thursday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building before arriving at a verdict in the nearly decade-old killing. Cochran was 18 when he was accused of shooting Buckner in his Morgan Park neighborhood on Sept. 16, 2015. Three people on bicycles pulled out handguns and opened fire on five others sitting on a porch across the street, then turned and fatally shot Buckner as his wife and grandson watched the scene unfold, Cook County prosecutors said at a bond hearing shortly after Cochrans arrest. Buckner and his wife threw themselves to the ground to try to avoid the gunfire, but Buckner was hit in his side and later died at a hospital, prosecutors said. Buckners wife suffered a chipped tooth, cuts to her chin and face, and a busted lip in her bid to escape the gunfire, according to prosecutors. Police at the time said the shooting appeared to have stemmed from a gang fight in a neighborhood park, and they did not believe Buckner was the intended target. Buckner had proudly bought a new Dodge Charger just before the shooting, according to Tribune stories, and was unloading groceries from it shortly before the attack. He worked for the Chicago Police Department for 25 years, and had handled equipment and supplies for the department when he was killed, police said. Hes part of the family, a deputy chief said after the slaying. The Chicago Police Department is a family, whether youre sworn or civilian. ____ The Rubin Museum has announced last Wednesday, Jan. 31, in a letter addressed to its staff, that it will shutter its Manhattan galleries in New York come Oct. 6, following a pivot to a "global model" of a "museum without walls." Through this new approach, the institution will continue promoting Himalayan art through traveling shows. It will offer a new grant-making program while continuing its still-active loan initiative. However, this move also comes after mounting financial issues over the years. The Rubin Museum's 'New Incarnation' The transitionary decision will come with a restructuring that will reduce its total staff by nearly 40 percent. According to the New York Times, a similar move transpired in 2019, when Rubin's Executive Director Jorrit Britschgi laid off just about two dozen employees to cut costs. Of the upcoming "global" pivot, the museum's Board President Noah Dorsky said, as quoted in the museum's public release about the matter: "The definition of what a museum is has evolved dramatically in recent years." "Historically, the Rubin's culture embraces continual change and evolution, and in our new incarnation, we are redefining what a museum can be," he said. In the letter, Britschgi said that the museum has been "piloting new ways of reaching people" through initiatives launched all over the world, "from Bilbao to Boston, from Kathmandu to London, from New York to Venice." One such instance involves "Project Himalayan Art," The Rubin Museum's online resource platform, which has evolved into a reliable source of multimedia materials that are of use for students, teachers, and plain art enthusiasts alike. Another initiative of this nature that it has "tested" is its "Mindfulness Meditation" podcast, which started back in 2015. To date, the downloads for the podcasts reached a total of 189 countries. The Rubin's other podcast, "Awaken," on the other hand, has won an honorary Webby Award. A report by The Art Newspaper quoted Britschgi saying: "We want to be responsive," when it comes to Rubin's new grant program, which will open this coming March with added details to be posted online at a later date. "There are two angles; how do we enable scholarship and new research, and how can we support creative exploration and dialogue," he explained, and adding that the decision to sell the New York space will allow the Rubin to explore options for strengthening its global presence. Read Also: 'Rediscovering Gems': British Museum to Put Previously Stolen Items on Show in New Exhibition 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A jury convicted a man accused of fatally stabbing his wife in a California church on Palm Sunday, prosecutors say. Wyn Leung, 47, was convicted of first-degree murder and felony domestic violence, the San Francisco District Attorneys Office said in a Feb. 1 news release. The jury was in deliberations for four and a half days, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. In an email to McClatchy News, Deputy Public Defender Eric Quandt, who represented Leung, said that while the office does not agree with the jurys decision, they appreciated their attention and consideration of the facts we were able to present. Mr. Leung is beloved by his family, friends, and most of all, his children, who will continue to suffer by his incarceration, Quandt said. Testimony and evidence during trial showed Leungs wife had filed for divorce, and a family court counselor recommended that his wife get full custody of their children, prosecutors said. Days before a scheduled court date in March 2018, prosecutors said Leung searched for his wife at a church where she had attended Palm Sunday services. He waited for all attendees to leave before entering the church, violating the restraining order his wife had against him, prosecutors said. Leung asked the pastor to find his wife, saying he wanted to speak with her about child custody, according to prosecutors. But, his wife refused to talk with him, prosecutors said. Leung ran down the hall of Chinese Christian Church and stabbed his wife in the kitchen, the San Francisco Examiner reported in 2018. The 75-year-old pastor told police she found Leung sitting next to his critically injured wife. If Im going to jail, I might as well die, Leung said, according to the pastor, the newspaper reported. Leung then turned the knife on himself, according to prosecutors. Responding officers took Leung into custody after he refused to drop the knife, prosecutors said. Leungs wife was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, prosecutors said. Leung is expected to appear in court again on March 4 for sentencing, according to prosecutors. 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. Kids tell police their dad shot their mom before officers discover body, Texas cops say Bloody husband shows up at neighbors home after asking wife for divorce, Florida cops say Worried relative finds couple, 18-year-old daughter dead in home, Massachusetts cops say Justin Mohn, the Pennsylvania man who is accused of beheading his father and posting a video of the severed head online, later fled to a military training facility in Fort Indiantown Gap in an effort to mobilize the National Guard, authorities said. Mohn was arrested Wednesday at the training center. He was arraigned at 4 a.m. on charges of murder in the first degree, abuse of a corpse and possession of an instrument of a crime. He has been accused of first shooting his father, Michael, in the head and then decapitating him with a knife and machete. The defendant stated he went to Fort Indiantown Gap in an effort to mobilize the PA National Guard to raise arms against the federal government, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said in a press conference Friday. He also indicated that he wanted to speak to Governor [Josh] Shapiro to join forces. Mohn allegedly posted a 14-minute YouTube video, which has since been taken down, titled Mohns Militia Call to Arms for American Patriots, that shows him wearing gloves and holding his fathers head in a plastic bag. The head is later seen in a cooking pot, where authorities found it inside the home. Schorn said Michael Mohn was a federal employee with the Army Corps of Engineers. In the video, the younger Mohn called for patriots across the country to kill federal employees. He called his father a traitor and attacked President Bidens administration, the Black Lives Matter movement, the LGBTQ community and antifa activists. Authorities said Mohn was living in the Middletown Township house with his parents and was unemployed. He had no diagnosed history of mental illness. He legally purchased the gun used to the day before killing his father and had it loaded and with him when he was arrested, officials said. He then allegedly used his fathers car to drive to the National Guard training center Tuesday evening. Michaels wife, Denice Mohn, arrived home around 7 p.m. Tuesday to find her husbands body on the bathroom floor. Schorn and local police said Mohn was apprehended at the training facility and taken into custody without incident. He is being held without bail and has a hearing scheduled for Thursday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Two people are in custody and two people have sustained life-threatening stab wounds after a confrontation unfolded in a McDonalds parking lot in Kelso, Washington late last month, law enforcement officials said. It all began on Jan. 27 around 10:30 p.m. when two Longview residents, a 43-year-old man and his 15-year-old son, observed what seemed to be a domestic violence event outside the fast food restaurant, the Kelso Police Department said in a release. The man attempted to de-escalate a 19-year-olds alleged aggression toward a female. Behind the Sirens: A first-hand look a the stress Multnomah County paramedics face The 19-year-old, identified as Longview resident Kamrin Kerr, had a 16-year-old accomplice armed with a knife, with the two of them surrounding the man and his son who were trying to stop the alleged domestic violence incident. A physical altercation ensued in which both the 43-year-old man and his 15-year-old son were stabbed with life-threatening injuries. Police did not release the current medical status of the man and his son. Kerr was taken into custody by Kelso police on Jan. 31, while the 16-year-old who had the knife was taken into custody Thursday at 12:30 p.m., officials said. Both of the suspects are being held on first-degree assault charges. Kelos police said the incident is an active investigation and further information about it is currently limited. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. More than two years after a man was killed in the parking lot outside of a Kroger in Sandy Springs, the man police say is responsible has been arrested. Davonte Lavonne Childs, 27, was found hiding in Euclid, Ohio and arrested on Thursday, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Euclid is located about 10 miles outside of Cleveland. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In August 2021, police say Childs, 35-year-old Cortney Demar White and 22-year-old Yemi Ezekiel Mabiaku met in the parking lot for a drug deal involving a large amount of marijuana. The U.S. Marshals office confirmed that Childs shot Mabiaku five times in the back, leading to his death. Another man was shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. RELATED STORIES: Officers with the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force found Childs at a home in Euclid and when they approached, he pointed a gun at them. Eventually, he surrendered to officers. Two guns were found inside the home. He is currently being held in Cleveland until he is extradited to Fulton County. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Carl Godfrey, 23, talks with his attorneys, Brian Goldberg, left, and James Bogen, during closing arguments in his murder-for-hire trial, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. The trial is before Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Jody Luebbers. Godfrey is charged with multiple counts in the deaths of two people on two different days in February 2021. While in the courtroom, Godfrey wore a mask with "Not Guilty" printed in large letters across the front. CORRECTION: One of Carl Godfrey's attorneys is Brian Goldberg. A previous version of this story had the incorrect last name. A 23-year-old man prosecutors called a hired assassin was found guilty Thursday of 16 counts, including aggravated murder and felonious assault in connection with two fatal shootings that happened in 2021. Carl Godfrey, again wearing a face mask that had NOT GUILTY printed in large letters across the front, stared straight ahead, blinking, as the verdicts were read in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. He wore the same mask during part of the two-week trial. Godfrey faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Judge Jody Luebbers will sentence him on Feb. 12. The jury began deliberations Thursday morning. His attorneys, James Bogen and Brian Goldberg, said they were disappointed in the verdicts and that Godfrey intends to appeal. Related: In murder-for-hire trial, woman described surviving barrage of gunfire into her SUV The killings happened two days apart, in February 2021. Prosecutors said Godfrey orchestrated the first one, hiring three people, including a 14-year-old boy, to carry out the killing of a man to whom Godfrey owed money. The three shooters fired 21 shots into an SUV, wounding the intended target and killing 27-year-old Deontray Otis. Prosecutors said Otis was "in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people." In murder-for-hire trial, woman described surviving barrage of gunfire into her SUV Otis's girlfriend also was injured by a bullet that went through her right side. Prosecutors said Godfrey directed both the shooters and the intended target to the location, outside an apartment complex on Westwood Northern Boulevard. Godfrey had been hired to kill the man, according to prosecutors. Two days later, on Feb. 18, 2021, Godfrey walked into the Millvale neighborhood, and according to prosecutors indiscriminately opened fire using an assault-style rifle. Donnell Steele, 30, was walking to his car in the street, prosecutors said, when he was shot in the head. Carl Godfrey, 23, looks on during opening statements in his murder trial at the Hamilton County Justice Center in Cincinnati on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. Prosecutors said Godfrey was seeking revenge after being shot at the previous day. "I don't have a soul," Godfrey said at one point, according to prosecutors. "I'm ready to stain it some more." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Carl Godfrey found guilty in Hamilton County murder-for-hire trial A brown wooden gavel is struck against a hardwood sound block atop a table by a hand jutting out of a black robe. An Ada man whose murder conviction was vacated after the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma decision has been sentenced again to prison. This week in Muskogee federal court, Tyler Jay Mullins, 45, was sentenced to concurrent life sentences in prison for one count of first-degree murder in Indian Country and one count of using a firearm to commit the murder. In April 2002, prosecutors charged Mullins in connection with the death of his former girlfriend, Rachel Woodall, 21, after he led police to a body buried in rural Seminole County. News of the killing and subsequent arrest shocked students and staff at East Central University, where both were sophomores. Woodall, a Stratford native, studied nursing. Mullins was a business administration major. Woodall's roommates reported her missing about April 20, 2002. A neighbor reported seeing Mullins at Woodall's home, according to an affidavit filed in Pontotoc County District Court. The neighbor also reported hearing a woman scream. Police examined Mullins' car and said they found traces of blood on its exterior and inside the trunk. Later Mullins led police to a secluded area outside of Sasakwa in southern Seminole County. The body was buried in a shallow grave, and police found evidence of a fatal head wound. Prosecutors said Mullins attacked and beat Woodall, took her to another location, then shot her three times and buried the body. In December 2002, Mullins entered a guilty plea to a charge of first-degree murder in Pontotoc County District Court. How the McGirt decision impacted Tyler Jay Mullins' conviction In March 2021, his conviction was vacated based on the U.S. Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which concluded the Muscogee Nations reservation was still intact. The decision has since been applied to seven more tribal reservations, and those lands collectively cover much of eastern Oklahoma. States have limited powers over tribal citizens on tribal lands. Mullins committed his crimes in Pontotoc and Seminole counties, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Seminole Nation Reservation. On June 30, 2022, a federal jury found Mullins guilty. Authorities said the U.S. Marshals Service had detained Mullins until his federal conviction. Although the pursuit of justice for the victims family was interrupted by a change in jurisdiction, the cooperative work of state and federal law enforcement allowed the United States Attorneys Office to successfully prosecute the case after more than twenty years, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson said in a statement. The sentences imposed in federal prison now ensure the defendant will spend the rest of his life answering for his heinous crimes. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma man sentenced for murder again after McGirt ruling FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) After an unexpected arrival from the southern border, the Fresno Mission says they extended a helping hand to a group of Venezuelans dropped in Fresno. Fresno Mission officials say on Thursday evening, a bus arriving from the southern border dropped off 19 Venezuelan immigrants at the doorstep of the Fresno Missions headquarters on G Street. Fresno Mission CEO sitting on a bench for 24 hours to bring awareness to homelessness In the face of this unfolding humanitarian crisis, the Fresno Mission officials say they took action, opening their doors to ensure that these individuals do not find themselves without shelter or support on the streets. This isnt a political issue; its a matter of compassion and basic human dignity, said Matt Dildine, CEO of the Fresno Mission. As an organization deeply rooted in Christian values, its our duty to respond to the needs of those who find themselves in desperate situations. We are committed to providing refuge and assistance to these individuals, just as Jesus would have done. Officials say the influx of Venezuelan immigrants seeking refuge in Fresno underscores the urgent need for humanitarian aid and underscores the importance of organizations that support the community. Fresno Mission asks the community members to support by donating items such as socks, blankets, sheets, pillows, and jackets or financially at their location at 263 G Street. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, has launched its first active duty flight training unit since the end of World War II as it prepares for the arrival of the new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter later this year. The unit, Detachment 3 of the New Mexico-based 58th Operations Group, activated Wednesday to help Maxwells 908th Airlift Wing train the Grey Wolf pilots who will eventually staff operational helicopter units. The detachment will also manage educational materials for the helicopter on behalf of Air Education and Training Command, the Air Force said. A longtime C-130 unit is trying something new: helicopters Maxwell and the 908th Airlift Wing, a reserve unit, are slated to become the Air Forces main training location for the Grey Wolf as it replaces the Vietnam War-era fleet of UH-1N Huey helicopters. The Grey Wolf will be used to patrol the nations intercontinental ballistic missile fields as well as for evacuating government officials during emergencies. The Air Forces newest helicopter is also replacing the wings eight C-130 Hercules cargo planes, which it flew for 40 years. The wing divested its last Hercules nearly two years ago, 908th AW spokesman Brad Clark told Air Force Times. It expects to receive between six and 12 Grey Wolf helicopters. Today, after 60 years of remarkable service, we are taking a significant stride towards the eventual retirement of the Huey fleet, and welcoming its replacement, Col. Derek Price, commander of the 58th Operations Group at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, said during Wednesdays activation ceremony at Maxwell. Since the inception of the MH-139A Grey Wolf in 2018, it has been a long road of research, development, testing, coordinating with international agencies, battling delays, overcoming logistical challenges and finding a new home for the [formal training unit] that will shape professional rotary-wing aviators for many decades to come, Price said. Paperless enlisted promotion tests to roll out in February Boeing has said it expects to begin delivering the Grey Wolf to the Air Force this year. The service could buy up to 80 of the aircraft. Clark said he expects the training unit to become fully operational by fiscal year 2025. The Maxwell wing will be redubbed the 908th Flying Training Wing, though its unclear when the change will take place. Price acknowledged Maxwells long history in training aviators. Wilbur and Orville Wright had their first civilian flight school at the site, and in the 1930s, the base hosted the Army Air Corps Tactical School. Maxwell is also home to Air University, which offers a range of educational programs from pre-commissioning classes for incoming officers to collegiate-level courses for enlisted airmen and officers. Detachment 3 will be led by Lt. Col. Derek Cumbie, a senior pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours and 17 years of service. Before taking command, Cumbie served as an operations director in the effort to bring Grey Wolf training to the 908th Airlift Wing, as well as a liaison to AETC. Active duty members [and] Air Force Reserve members will work, train and fly side-by-side, Cumbie said. We hope to make our total-force integration an example of success for others to follow. The MH-139 FTU is in good hands here. A fight at Maynard Jackson High School sent a a student to the hospital and caused the school to go on lockdown, Atlanta Public Schools told Channel 2 Action News. The fight began around 8:45 a.m. and was part of an ongoing dispute in the community, according to the district. During the altercation, one of the students involved made a gesture attempting to pull something out of their jacket. This portion of the altercation was captured on video that is circulating on social media. The student was searched and while no firearm was found, two knives were discovered in the students possession, APS wrote in a statement. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The district added that the knives were not used in the fight and denied the rumors that there was a shooter in the building. No guns have been found at the school. Classes are going on as usual and the school will remain on an interior lockdown, according to the district. That means the students will not transition between classes. The district is also canceling afterschool activities Friday afternoon, but no games will be impacted. TRENDING STORIES: The students involved in the fight will be disciplined under APS student code of conduct and APS says it is investigating if any criminal charges will be filed. The district is asking parents to talk to their children this weekend about other ways to resolve conflicts. If they need assistance with these conversations, we have resources and personnel available to help. The safety and well-being of all of our students and employees will always be a top priority here at Maynard Jackson and in all Atlanta Public Schools, the district wrote. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WDHN) On Thursday, Enterprise Mayor William E. Cooper and officers from Enterprise City Schools Career Tech student organizations proclaimed the month of February as Career and Technical Education Month in the City of Enterprise. Enterprise City Schools Career & Technology Center (ECTC) Principal and Director Cami McClenny, said she is proud of the students and teachers. Career and technical education seek to not only teach content, but also to provide students with the soft skills they need to be successful in todays workplace, McClenny said. We teach skills like showing up, being on time, getting along with others, staying off cell phones during work hours, customer service, interview skills, how to shake hands, and the list goes on and on. Mayor Cooper emphasized the importance of the program by saying Career and technical education programs in the Enterprise City Schools System have become a rigorous, progressive, and vital part of the total educational system. McClenny says that her love for career tech goes back to her high school days. My experience in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) paved the way for my career as an educator, McClenny said. I will forever be grateful to the teachers who saw potential in me and encouraged me to be involved and compete in FBLA. Last year, almost 2,000 Enterprise High School students took a least one career and technical education class McClenny said. Among those, nearly 1,000 took two or more. A total of 14 career and technical education programs are offered at Enterprise High School. Enterprise City Schools Superintendent Zel Thomas, Assistant Superintendent Patrick Cain and Secondary Supervisor Jason Stump attended the proclamation signing. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is arguing that Republican politicians claims that the southern border is open are inaccurate and harmful and may be encouraging more migrants to attempt to reach the United States. If one wants to speak of rhetoric and the message it sends, what do you think the message is when a politician stands up and says the border is open, which it isnt? Mayorkas said in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times Magazine that was published Friday. Those words are then taken by the smugglers that exploit the vulnerable, he continued. They know how to reach desperate people, and they use those words as truth to drive human behavior. They communicate via TikTok and other channels: Representatives of the American people are declaring that the border is open. House Republicans recently advanced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, citing record border crossings, the continued migrant surge and the fentanyl crisis. He shrugged off the discussion when the Times asked about a potential impeachment. I am not engaged in politics, he said. Im engaged in the work of the Department of Homeland Security. Mayorkas has previously pushed back on GOP-led impeachment arguments. In a detailed letter to the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, he outlined his record in various roles at the agency. You claim that we have failed to enforce our immigration laws. That is false, he wrote. We have provided Congress and your committee hours of testimony, thousands of documents, hundreds of briefings, and much more information that demonstrates quite clearly how we are enforcing the law. The secretary has also been at odds with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) about the handling of the southern border. At Abbotts direction, the states National Guard troops have taken over a park along the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, that has been a frequent site of illegal border crossings. The governor has refused to let federal authorities to reclaim control of the area, despite a Supreme Court ruling against the states actions. I call on Gov. Abbott to follow the law as the courts direct, Mayorkas said in the Times interview. I call upon Gov. Abbott to communicate and coordinate with his fellow governors in other states. I call upon Gov. Abbott to not use human beings as political pawns. He also repeated a prior complaint, alleging Abbott isnt working with federal officials. It is the responsibility of government officials to govern, and it is unconscionable for a public official to deliberately refuse to communicate, collaborate and coordinate with other public officials with the intent to purely create disorder, he said. Abbotts office didnt immediately respond to The Hills request for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Two fan-favorite McDonalds desserts are returning, but not for long. The Shamrock Shake and Oreo Shamrock McFlurry will be back for a limited time beginning Monday, Feb. 5, at participating McDonalds restaurants nationwide, the fast-food chain said. Known for their green hue, both treats are made with vanilla soft serve and blended with mint syrup, according to a product description. The Oreo Shamrock McFlurry features crushed Oreo cookie pieces. McDonalds popular Shamrock Shake and Oreo Shamrock McFlurry are back for a limited time at U.S. restaurants, the fast-food chain said. Pricing information wasnt immediately available as of Friday, Feb. 2. The sweet treats are the latest offerings to rejoin the McDonalds menu. In January, the chain brought back the Double Big Mac years after the colossal burger made its debut in 2020. The burger has also made appearances in Canada and Great Britain. Find your nearest McDonalds here. Some Chick-fil-A customers are owed part of $4.4M settlement, but time is running out Wendys new breakfast item combines fan favorites. Heres what to know Dunkin brings back fan-favorite coffee not seen in 3 years and adds new doughnut A case of measles has been detected in Los Angeles County, and the Department of Public Health is warning of potential exposure to the public. The unnamed person came through the Tom Bradley International Airport Terminal at LAX at about 5 p.m. on Jan. 25, officials said in a news release. The person arrived aboard a Turkish Airlines flight, and those fellow passengers who may have been exposed will be contacted by local health departments, DPH said. Also potentially exposed were individuals who were at Terminal B from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., officials said, and they may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this traveler. This person also visited Chick-Fil-A at 18521 Devinshire St. in Northridge on Jan. 25, officials said. Individuals who were at this restaurant between 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this person, the release said. Public Health wants the public to confirm their vaccine status. If they have not had measles in the past and have not yet obtained the vaccine, they are at risk of contracting measles if they have been exposed, the release explained. Unimmunized persons or those with unknown immunization status who were at these sites during the date and times listed above are at risk of developing measles from seven to 21 days after being exposed. Individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days are no longer at risk. For those who are unimmunized, have a weakened immune system, are pregnant or a child, reach out to your doctor as soon as possible to discuss potential treatment for the exposure. Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know you have it and can lead to severe disease, said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer. Measles is highly contagious for those who are not immune to it. Initially causing fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and followed by a rash, it can result in serious complications for young children and vulnerable adults. If you develop symptoms, which include rash, runny nose, fever, red and watery eyes, cough and white spots inside the mouth, stay at home and avoid public places. Do not enter a health care facility before calling them and making them aware of your measles exposure and symptoms, the release said. Public Health can assist health care providers in appropriately diagnosing and managing your care. For more information on measles, visit ph.lacounty.gov/ip/diseases/measles/index.htm For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Miroslavs Mitrofanovs, a political ally of Tatjana Zdanoka, a Latvian member of the European Parliament accused of spying for Russia, defended Zdanoka and characterized the allegations against her as a "witch hunt," the independent Russian media outlet The Insider reported on Feb. 2, citing comments Mitrofanovs made in an interview the previous day. The Insider reported earlier in the week that Zdanoka, who represented Latvia in the European Parliament from 2004-2018 and again from 2019 until the present, is alleged to have been a Russian asset since at least 2015. Mitrofanovs is the co-chair along with Zdanoka of the Latvian Russian Union political party. The collaborative investigation cited leaked emails and other communication between Zdanoka and her supposed handlers in Russian intelligence to support its allegations. Both Zdanoka and Mitrofanovs did not deny that most of the leaked documents were real, but instead insisted that they were either "innocuous" or that Zdanoka was unaware that the individuals she communicated with were Russian intelligence operatives. Mitrofanovs said that the emails were intentionally leaked to "intimidate" representatives of the European Parliament opposed to the bloc's aid for Ukraine. He added that it was part of a larger "witch hunt" to uncover anyone with opposing views within the European Parliament. The phrase "witch hunt" was later echoed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in comments about the allegations against Zdanoka. Read also: Estonia arrests professor on suspicion of spying for Russia The day after The Insider published its investigation into Zdanoka, the European Parliament announced it was looking into the matter. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola "takes these allegations very seriously and is referring the case to the Advisory Committee on the Code of Conduct," a parliamentary spokesperson said. In response to the investigation, Zdanoka said, "I have never been associated with the KGB, unlike many well-known Latvian figures, and I have not cooperated with any other intelligence agencies." Read also: Media: Ukrainian-born advisor to far-right German AfD lawmaker allegedly FSB agent Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia's foreign ministry condemned the decision of Ecuador to hand over old Russian-made military hardware from its stocks to the U.S. for use in Ukraine, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on Feb. 2. Russia has long enjoyed strong influence in Latin America and has launched extensive disinformation campaigns about its war against Ukraine. Ukraine has recently intensified its diplomatic efforts to increase support for Kyiv in the region. The Ecuadorian government announced last month that it would send what it called "Ukrainian and Russian scrap metal" to the U.S. in exchange for modern equipment worth $200 million, according to Reuters. Washington reportedly plans to transfer the arms received from Ecuador to Ukraine to help the country in its fight against Russian invading forces. Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman, claimed in a comment for RIA Novosti that Ecuador's decision was a breach of contract between the two countries, adding it was made "under serious pressure from outside stakeholders." Read also: US: Moscow funds disinformation campaigns across Latin America "Our partners are well aware of the provisions of the contracts, which include an obligation to use the supplied equipment for the stated purposes and not to transfer it to a third party without obtaining the relevant agreement of the Russian side," said Zakharova. Ecuadorian authorities said, as cited by Reuters, that Moscow had previously warned them against handing over the equipment, but they had the right to do it anyway. President Volodymyr Zelensky met with his Ecuadorian counterpart Daniel Noboa on Dec. 10, 2023, as part of his first official visit to Latin America. They reportedly discussed the possibilities of developing bilateral cooperation in the security sphere, digitization, and trade of agricultural products. Zelensky offered Noboa to take part in implementing the Ukrainian peace formula, which calls for a complete withdrawal of Russian troops, among other proposals. Read also: Venezuelan opposition leader: Ukraine will never convince Latin, African autocrats Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Vladimir Sergienko, a Ukrainian-born advisor to a German lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, is allegedly working with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), according to an investigation released on Feb. 1 by the independent Russian media outlet The Insider. Founded in 2013, AfD is increasingly gaining ground in Germany, becoming one of the largest far-right parties in Europe. AfD is perhaps best known in the West for its hardline anti-immigration stance, but it also has sought rapprochement with Russia even before the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and some AfD figures have since continued to visit Russia. In collaboration with the German newspaper Der Spiegel, The Insider alleged that Sergienko has been in direct communication with an FSB officer named Ilya Vechtomov, citing leaked emails and other documents. Sergienko works as an aide to Bundestag AfD member Eugen Schmidt, where he helps write speeches for Schmidt and other AfD lawmakers. In his public capacity, Sergienko reportedly "took direct actions aimed at hampering Ukraines defensive efforts, and he took them at his FSB handlers request." Such actions allegedly include the filing of a lawsuit against the German government to delay security assistance to Ukraine and writing a letter to Pope Francis about the supposed "persecution of Christians in Ukraine." There is no evidence to support the claim of Christians being persecuted by the Ukrainian government, but faith leaders have accused Russian forces and their proxies of discriminating and otherwise persecuting religious groups in occupied regions of Ukraine. The Insider wrote that Sergienko personally confirmed he was at risk of losing his German citizenship after it was reportedly revealed he lied about renouncing his Russian passport, saying instead he only held Ukrainian citizenship. Read also: Rise of Germanys AfD signals growing support for pro-Russian policies The disclosure is The Insider's second such potentially damning finding of lawmakers in Europe being allegedly affiliated with Russian intelligence services within the last week. The Insider wrote on Jan. 29 that Tatjana Zdanoka, a long-serving member of the European Parliament from Latvia, is allegedly an FSB agent. A spokesperson for the parliament announced an official investigation into Zdanoka's activities the following day. As with Zdanoka, Sergienko's pro-Russian sentiments were no secret. The Insider wrote that Sergienko appeared on Russian television to advocate for Ukraine's surrender and also spread a variety of unfounded conspiracy theories, including that Germany was plotting to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky. He also allegedly visited Russia 18 times since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Schmidt responded to Der Spiegel's request for comment, writing that he could not address the allegations about Sergienko because they were "without substance." Sergienko also refuted the investigation's results, telling The Insider, "The accusations, according to which I am an agent of influence for Moscow, are unfounded and do not reflect reality." Read also: Investigation: Latvian member of European Parliament allegedly Russian agent Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A 12-week-old critically endangered Malayan tiger cub who broke her leg at 4 weeks old, underwent surgery and is now active and playing with her siblings at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has received a name that matches her stamina. The cub's name is Mina, which means "one who is unrelenting and determined," according to the zoo. In the zoo's Name That Tiger contest, the cub's care specialists picked five names of South Asian origin as a homage to the critically endangered species. About 300 people voted online and donated $6,000 along the way. "Twelve-week-old Malayan tiger cub Mina and her brother and sister, Machli and Beppy, cuddle at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. "This marks a moment of connection and celebration between Mina and the city of Jacksonville," said Nikki Jackson Smith, the zoo's chief philanthropy and community engagement officer. "Mina and her siblings Machli and Beppy are a testament to the shared commitment of our community toward wildlife conservation. The naming contest reaffirms our dedication to safeguarding the wonders of the animal kingdom for generations to come." The triplets were born Nov. 5 to mother Cinta and father Bashir. The cubs have since been bonding behind the scenes with Cinta. They are not yet on exhibit, but the public can watch the family on the zoos live stream at jacksonvillezoo.org/live-animal-cams. On Dec. 5 animal care staff noticed that one of the cubs had a leg injury, now named Mina. Radiographs confirmed her leg was broken. Mina, a Malayan tiger cub at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, shows off the splint on her broken leg. She later underwent surgery to repair the injury. "Just like with humans, this can be a delicate situation between mom and cub," according to the zoo. "In consultation with a veterinary surgeon, the leg was initially splinted for support based on good bone alignment and the rapid healing ability of young animals. The cub quickly adapted Mom and siblings did an amazing job of accepting the cub with a splinted leg." On Dec. 13, after X-rays showed the leg "was not healing as well as desired," the cub was placed under anesthesia and underwent surgery, according to the zoo. The veterinary surgeon placed two plates in the leg and, the cub recovered enough to be reunited with the family. At the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Malayan tiger cub Mina is prepared for surgery to repair her broken leg. The injury occurred when she was four weeks old. The estimated cost for the surgery was about $10,000, including X-rays and medications, according to the zoo, which sought public donations to defray costs. The zoo also noted care and food for tiger parents Cinta and Bashir costs about $20,000 a year. As of Jan. 23, the cub was "very active, playful and eating well," the zoo said. "She continues to be a rambunctious cub right alongside her siblings." In December 2023 at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Malayan tiger mom Cinta cares for her cub after the youngster sustained a broken leg, which was initially splinted. The cub, recently named Mina. later underwent surgery to repair the injury. Young tigers rely on their mother until they master hunting at about 2 years old and leave her care, officials said. The cubs are Cinta's second litter but her first in Jacksonville, where she arrived in 2017 from the Cincinnati Zoo. Malayan tigers are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List and are "a national symbol and a priority conservation target," according to World Wildlife Fund-Malaysia. Malaysia had an estimated 3,000 tigers in the 1950s, but the population dropped to less than 150 in 2022 because of rapid development, agriculture expansion, widespread hunting and the resulting loss of habitat. bcravey@jacksonville.com This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mina means unrelenting: Jacksonville Zoo's spunky tiger cub gets name Over the past several weeks, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron have been doing the groundwork to persuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to not block 50 billion of aid to Ukraine. Source: Politico, citing sources familiar with the talks; European Pravda Details: Sources in Melonis circle told Politico that she started to establish contact with Orbans close circle several months ago, during the EU summit in December. Ahead of the European Council summit on 1 February, Italian and Hungarian delegations stayed up late in search of a compromise. This week Meloni also held a telephone conversation with Orban, met with him for an hour ahead of the European Council summit in Brussels, and then again on the morning of 1 February just before the European Council summit began. "She tried several times to be a bridge and the impression is that this time it worked," said an EU diplomat. Macron also played a role in persuading Orban. Macron maintained close contact with Orban over the course of the past several weeks. During a meeting in January Macron also asked the Hungarian prime minister for his opinion on how best to integrate the countries in the EUs eastern block. "He never wanted to antagonize Orban, but rather to get him on board. It is the approach that is paying off today," said someone close to the French president. "These charm offensives allowed European Council President Charles Michel to immediately start the summit by announcing the long-awaited deal, one official briefed on the discussion in the room said," Politico wrote. Background: EU leaders agreed on 1 February to give Ukraine 50 billion over the course of the next four years. Ukraine will be able to receive funds if it meets a number of conditions. EU leaders will review the programme annually, and may propose to the European Commission a review of the entire aid framework after the first two years. Support UP or become our patron! VIRGINIA (DC News Now) Three people who were arrested and charged in November for operating high-end brothels around Boston and in Virginia were indicted Friday. The office of Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy sent a news release saying that Han Lee (Hana), 41; James Lee, 68 and Junmyung Lee, 30 were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Officer opens fire, kills man at break-in call, Prince Georges County police say Charging documents said that the three had operated a prostitution network with brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Mass. and Fairfax and Tysons, Va. The release said that the brothels used rented high-end apartments as their operating locations. Prosecutors accused the three of establishing the infrastructure which they used to persuade, induce and entice women to travel to these states to engage in prostitution. The news release said that these three primarily targeted Asian women. Prosecutors said that the three would arrange for transportation for these women and let them stay at the brothel locations. Court documents said that while the women were staying there, the three would establish house rules for them to protect and maintain the secrecy of the business and ensure that the women did not draw attention to the prostitution work inside apartment buildings. Woman found shot to death in car in Woodbridge; dog found with her The statement said that the three persuaded the women to work for this prostitution network because the business maintained a regular customer base of men that were adequately screened, ensuring that the customers were not members of law enforcement or men who posed a risk to the safety and security of the commercial sex workers. Potential clients were asked to provide their full names, email addresses, phone numbers, employers and references if they had one. Prosecutors accused the three of texting clients menus of available options at the brothel, where they would list the women, available sexual services and hourly rate. According to charging documents, the three charged clients a premium price in cash that ranged from $350 to upwards of $600 per hour. Firefighter evaluated after fighting house fire in Fairfax County The three were also accused of hiding the prostitution networks income by depositing cash into their personal accounts and using peer-to-peer transfers. Prosecutors also accused them of using the cash proceeds to purchase money orders to hide the source. They used these money orders to pay for rent and utilities at their brothel locations. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. A metro Atlanta school resource deputy has been hospitalized after officials say he was involved in a car crash. Georgia State Patrol officials told Channel 2 Action News on Thursday morning troopers received reports of two crashes along Park Street and Guthrie Cemetery Road near Walnut Grove High School. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to the investigation, a vehicle hit a Walton County Sheriffs school resource deputy while they were directing traffic at the high school. The deputy was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officials have not released the victims identity. No further information regarding the crash has been released. TRENDING STORIES: The crash remains under investigation. The Walton County School District and Walton County Sheriffs Office told Channel 2 Action News that they are complying with GSP amid the investigation. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: FILE -New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez discusses the nexus of public safety, mental health and adverse child experiences during a news conference following a summit in Albuquerque, N.M., Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. Torrez, New Mexicos top prosecutor said Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 that the states five Republican electors cannot be prosecuted under the current law for filing election certificates that falsely declared Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential race. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico Democrats who control the Legislature want to make it a crime to pose as a fake presidential elector in one of the few states where Republicans signed certificates in 2020 falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner. Legislators advanced a bill Friday on a party-line committee vote that would make it a felony starting in the 2024 presidential election to submit a fake elector certificate knowingly or recklessly." The Legislature's Republican minority would need Democratic support to vote down the legislation, which carries criminal penalties like those being considered in a handful of other states. Republican electors signed certificates in seven states mostly with battleground contests indicating falsely that Trump had won the 2020 election, a strategy at the center of criminal charges against Trump and his associates. In New Mexico, President Joe Biden won by 11 percentage points, or about 100,000 votes the largest margin among the states where so-called fake electors have been implicated. Last year, Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a bill that would have made it a crime to sign certificates falsely stating that a losing political candidate has won, with penalties of between four and 10 years in prison. In Colorado, where there were no false elector certificates in 2020, the Democratic-led Legislature is considering a bill that would make participating in a fake elector scheme a crime and ban people who do from office. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, a Democrat, in January announced his decision not to prosecute local Republicans who signed the elector certificates while urging lawmakers to provide legal authority for prosecuting similar conduct in the future and enhance the security of the states electoral process. We should recognize the seriousness of this conduct, he told a state Senate panel in January. On Friday in Santa Fe, Republican state Rep. Bill Rehm of Albuquerque said the legislation is politically motivated against a different party." He voted against it, noting that felony provisions are especially stiff. Violations would be punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Fake electors didn't change Biden's win in 2020, he said. I do not think there was any intent in New Mexico to change the outcome, he said. I think that if we could remove the politics that is the undertone of this, it would be a different situation. In New Mexico and Pennsylvania, fake electors added a caveat saying the certificate was submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors. That would only have been possible if Trump had won any of several dozen legal battles he waged against states in the weeks after the election. Democratic officials have launched separate investigations in some states, resulting in indictments against GOP electors. In December, a Nevada grand jury indicted six Republicans with felony charges in connection with false election certificates. They have pleaded not guilty. Michigans Attorney General filed felony charges in July 2023 against 16 Republican fake electors, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery. For one of them, charges were dropped after reaching a cooperation deal. The top charge carried a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Three fake electors also have been charged in Georgia alongside Trump and others in a sweeping indictment accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally overturn the results of the presidential election. They have pleaded not guilty. The New Mexico bill, from Democrats including Majority House Floor Leader Gail Chasey of Albuquerque, also would establish felony penalties for disrupting election results defined as knowingly or recklessly suppressing, defacing, altering, forging or otherwise falsifying election documents, or preparing or submitting false election documents. Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce has accused the state attorney general of trying to criminalize a process used by both Democrats and Republicans, referring to the 1960 presidential election. Democratic electors in Hawaii cast votes for John F. Kennedy despite that state initially being called for Republican Richard Nixon. But the outcome of the Hawaii election was unclear, requiring a recount, and Nixon would end up losing the state. After the 2020 election, every court challenge the Trump campaign and its allies filed to contest his loss has failed. Miami-Dades biggest and most vulnerable sewage treatment plant is getting a big upgrade, which could help the county stop piping tens of millions of gallons of wastewater into the ocean in the next few years. On Thursday, county leaders praised the project as a step toward a future-proofed county. We are making bold achievements to ensure we have a resilient future we will and we must, said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. The wastewater treatment plant on Virginia Key has long been a poster child for the havoc sea level rise could wreak on Miami-Dade Countys basic functions. Its low-lying and at risk from even a few feet of storm surge. The $216 million upgrade includes building new components of the plant stronger and higher to better protect them from sea rise. It also features top-of-the-line diesel generators to keep the plant running after a storm and extra capacity to better handle the extra wastewater flowing its way as the county works to switch residents from polluting septic tanks to county sewer. And perhaps most importantly, the upgrades could also help Miami-Dade get closer to meeting a state requirement by 2025 to stop dumping most of its wastewater into the Atlantic Ocean. Elected officials, consultants and county staff pose at the groundbreaking for an industrial reuse project at the Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant at Virginia Key on Thursday, February 2, 2024. Ocean outfall In 2008, Florida passed a law requiring all counties to almost completely stop piping partially treated sewage water into the ocean by 2025, as well as reduce nutrient-dense discharges that pollute the water and reuse at least 60 percent of its wastewater by 2025. Roy Coley, director of the countys water and sewer department, said Miami-Dade still gets rid of about half of its treated wastewater into the ocean about 150 million gallons every day via a pipe that stretches several miles offshore. Of course, he said, thats not the same as directly flushing your toilet into Biscayne Bay. The water is treated to remove solids and bacteria, and its as clear as the water from your tap. But it still has more nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus than scientists say is good for the ecosystem around it. Right now, the other half of the countys wastewater is shot deep underground via injection wells. The new project includes additional injection wells at the Virginia Key plant, but the countys main plan to stop spewing sewage into the ocean also helps it meet another state goal water reuse. These two pump station buildings at the Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant at Virginia Key show the height difference between older buildings and new ones built to withstand rising seas and storm surge. Miami-Dade produces about 300 million gallons of sewage water a day. About 15 million gallons a day get re-used for things like cooling off the heated equipment used at wastewater plants like this one to purify and treat the sewage. The county plans to expand that figure dramatically, to about 100 million gallons a day, by using treated wastewater to cool machinery at three of its wastewater plants. After the water cools off the equipment, it gets pushed deep down below the ground via injection wells. Using treated wastewater for these projects is a replacement for what they currently use clean drinking water from the aquifer. We should not be doing that. We should be conserving our tap water, said Raquel Regalado, commissioner for District 7. READ MORE: What does sewage plant expansion mean for South Miami-Dade? A lot more homes, people The south district plants reuse project broke ground a year ago, and after Thursdays groundbreaking, that only leaves the countys north district plant to go. This, combined with an under-construction project at Florida Power and Lights Turkey Point nuclear plant, would push the county past the minimum re-use standards set by the state. In Miami-Dade, purple pipes signify re-used wastewater, a new product used to cool down heated machinery in lieu of fresh tap water. Its cost-effective, its sustainable and it complies with the states ocean outfall legislation, said Levine Cava. The Virginia Key re-use project is slated to be completed by 2028, and the third one at the north district plan hasnt even started. Overall, Coley said, the county is about 30% of the way to meeting all of the goals the state requires by next year. We have to accelerate nonstop to make this goal of 2025, Coley said. We have to do more work in two years than weve done in a decade. The good news, he said, is that the county has already met the state requirements for at least one of its goals, nutrient reduction. We are 100% in compliance for removing phosphorus from the water, which is the most detrimental to the bay, he said. Over 70,000 Russian personnel are currently stationed on the east bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, Nataliia Humeniuk, a spokesperson of Ukraine's Southern Operational Command, said on national television on Feb. 2. After a series of military operations on Kherson Oblasts east bank, held by Russian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces have established footholds in the area, continuing to repel Russian attacks despite logistical challenges. Not all of the 70,000 Russian soldiers and military equipment are deployed directly on the front line, according to Humeniuk, who said that some personnel are stationed in deeper rear, from where Russia pulls them up as an additional resource. Russias Dnepr Grouping of Forces fighting on the east bank "constantly changes" its number and composition due to high losses, Humeniuk said. In every ground attack on Ukrainian forces, each assault group in the area loses up to 70% of their personnel, she explained. Russia's newly-formed 104th Guards Airborne Division has likely suffered "exceptionally heavy losses" near Krynky, one of the main flashpoints in this sector, the U.K. Defense Ministry said on Dec. 14, 2023. A month later, the ministry cited a Russian military blogger estimating that Russia had lost 90% of its military equipment near Krynky. The situation on the east bank remains difficult for Ukrainian troops as well, in particular, because of the fluctuating dynamics of Russian assaults, which complicates combat planning, according to Humeniuk. Russian forces attempted 13 assaults in the sector over the past day, compared to three attacks on Jan. 31, she said. Ukraine has been conducting cross-river raids into the occupied part of Kherson Oblast east of the Dnipro River since February last year, with more intensified attacks reported in August. Poor training and coordination of Russian troops stationed on the east bank likely prevent them from dislodging Ukrainian forces from the area, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Jan. 20. Read also: Ukrainians step up efforts to cross Dnipro, tie up Russian forces in Kherson Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) Milligan University was awarded a $166,805 grant to enhance existing public safety measures across campus. The university announced on Friday that the funds, awarded from Tennessees Department of Finance & Administration and the state Office of Criminal Justice Programs, will be used to install electronic access control at residence halls across campus. New technology will allow security the ability the lock down buildings on campus from a remote location, Milligan said in a release. Bill would repeal law that led to Ballad Health creation Id like to thank the state of Tennessee for making these funds available to support our efforts in maintaining a secure campus environment for our students, faculty, staff and guests, Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer said. Funds will also go to on-campus residence halls to install magnetic door locks allowing students to enter through smart cards and mobile credentialling for students to access areas securely by using their phones or smartwatches. We are excited to add this technology to our campus because it will increase student safety and enhance the student experience, Amanda Bristol, Milligans Director of Information Technology said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. We're one step closer to a private, for-profit, libertarian utopia on Mars. Well, sort of anyway. This week, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratories asked private space companies to sketch out how they would complete one of four different missions to the Red Planet, Ars Technica reported yesterday. Those missions would include one for delivering a small payload of miniature satellites to Mars, one delivering a larger orbital spacecraft, one delivering an orbital image servicing spacecraft, and one for establishing a years-long communications relay between Mars and Earth. Companies would be paid $200,000 for studying one of these missions or $300,000 for studying two of them. Already NASA is making heavy use of private capital to get to orbit. Beginning in 2020, the agency started sending its astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) via rockets owned and operated by SpaceX. That first Crew Dragon mission was the first time a private spacecraft had carried humans into orbit. Once a headline-grabbing event, private human space flight has almost become routine, judging by the lower profile of each subsequent SpaceX launch. Just last month, SpaceX carried its first all-European, all-commercial crew of four people to the ISS in a mission paid for by a private space company. NASA is also leaning on private space companies to deliver payloads to the Moon and develop spacecraft and other technology for an eventual human return to the lunar surface. This isn't necessarily free market capitalism. It's still the government paying contractors with tax dollars. But the increasing use of private contractors for space missions does open the door for more completely private, for-profit space flight. "In recent years, NASA has been evolving from 'owning' all of the rockets and spacecraft that it uses to explore the Solar System to a more services-based model," writes Ars Technica's Eric Berger. The agency invests some of the money necessary to develop privately owned spacecraft, which can then be hired by the government or private sector. Republicans are trying to save their slim House majority by expanding the dreaded SALT deduction. The State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction does what it sounds like; it lets people deduct their state and local taxes from their federal tax bill. It's almost exclusively used by high-income taxpayers in high-tax Democratic states, effectively subsidizing those state's high tax rates while shifting the federal tax burden onto everyone else. The 2017 GOP tax reform bill imposed a $10,000 cap on the SALT deduction, much to the chagrin of some Democrats who favor the policy. But with the Republican House majority dependent on a handful of vulnerable Republican-held seats in New York, today's GOP is warming to the SALT deduction as well. On Thursday afternoon, Republicans on the House Rules Committee advanced a bill that would raise the SALT deduction cap to $20,000 for joint filers making under $500,000. "This is about fairness with our constituents being double taxed," said Rep. Mike Lawler (RN.Y.), per Politico. "This is pro-family. This is about ensuring married couples are not being penalized in the tax code." Americans are getting back to work. The January jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics this morning says that the U.S. economy added 353,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7 percent. These numbers are beyond the projections of many analysts, who'd predicted the economy would add somewhere from 160,000 jobs to 275,000 jobs. That's enough of an overshot to get reporters to describe the jobs report as "stunning" and "shockingly strong." Scenes from D.C. Pro-Palestinian protestors are winning hearts and minds by blocking off traffic in front of the D.C. Holocaust Museum. Protestors blocking the street in front of the Holocaust museum pic.twitter.com/BxoSYvDwiU Boris Zilberman (@rolltidebmz) February 1, 2024 The nation's capital obviously has a robust protest tradition, from civil rights marches to civil rights for Juggalos marches. The courteous thing to do is restrict your demonstration to the National Mall, which is made for this kind of stuff. The monuments provide great optics for your issue too, regardless of whether you like or hate abortion, want America out of a war, or want it more involved in one. Disruptive street blockers will typically argue their cause is so important that it requires shaking ordinary people out of their apathy by extraordinary means. One could easily argue the opposite too; that a truly urgent moral emergency requires effective activism and message discipline so as not to alienate ordinary people who could just as easily not give a damn. That's something for people trying to free Gaza from the street in front of the Holocaust Museum to consider for the next protest. Quick Links New York, New York, the greatest city in the world and America's largest, is experimenting with a new pilot program where people throw their garbage in a bin instead of dumping it on the street. We'll see if it sticks. Here's a demo of New York City's new automatic side loading garbage truck lifting large on street containers. A pilot program is expanding to all of Community Board District 9 in West Harlem. pic.twitter.com/d9NmXaupOC Emma G. Fitzsimmons (@emmagf) February 1, 2024 President Joe Biden has imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers in the West Bank accused of attacking Palestinians and Israeli peace activists, the Associated Press reports. The federal government is easing some restrictions on opioid treatments. Joe Biden and Donald Trump are taking a relaxed approach to the South Carolina primary, spending little time or money in the state. Punxsutawney Phil predicts we'll get an early Spring. The post Millionaire Mars Missions appeared first on Reason.com. All of the over 100 miners who got stuck underground due to a nighttime Russian drone attack on Kryvyi Rih have been brought to the surface. Source: Oleksandr Vilkul, Head of Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, on Telegram Quote from Vilkul: "All 113 miners have returned to the surface. I am grateful to the mine rescuers, the State Emergency Service, and the management and labour collectives of the Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Plant and Arcelor." Details: Vilkul pointed out that at night, the Russians had attacked critical infrastructure facilities in Kryvyi Rih, leaving about 100,000 households in Saksahanskyi, Dovhyntsivskyi and Pokrovskyi districts of the city without electricity supply, including some hospitals, kindergartens and schools, a high-speed tram line, a city tram and a trolleybus. All city services were promptly engaged to remove the consequences of the attack, and the boiler rooms of Teplomerezha, the city's central heating system and hospitals were switched to generators. Vilkul said that as of 07:00, 60,000 households have had the electricity supply restored, and all hospitals have been reconnected to the power grid, too. The trolleybus and city tram lines have also resumed operation, but the high-speed tram is not yet operational. The boiler rooms of Teplotsentral No. 2 power facility are also without power (the areas of Volodymyr Velykoho Street, Vechirnii Boulevard, Skhidnyi district and Dniprovske Shose Street). Background: Late in the evening on 1 February, Russian troops launched attack drones from the south over Ukraine. Explosions were heard in the cities of Kropyvnytskyi and Kryvyi Rih on the night of 1-2 February. A Ukrenergo substation has suffered damage as a result of a Russian night drone attack, leaving residential and industrial consumers of the city of Kryvyi Rih without electricity and more than 100 workers stranded underground due to a power outage at two mines. Support UP or become our patron! A Texas dad is suing three ministry groups and a fraternity at Texas A&M University, saying they allowed his teenage son to be around a convicted sex offender. The lawsuit says Daniel Savala, a convicted sex offender, and members of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries in College Station sexually abused the then-13-year-old boy multiple times. Instances of sexual abuse toward the teen occurred between October 2021 and November 2022, the lawsuit says. The teen was sexually abused at three Chi Alpha gatherings, one where he traveled to Colorado without his parents knowledge, according to court documents. Another time, he was taken by a Chi Alpha member to Savalas home where he was sexually abused, the lawsuit says. The third time, members inappropriately touched the teen, according to the suit. McClatchy News reached out to Texas A&M on Feb. 2 and did not immediately receive a response. The General Council of the Assemblies of God, North Texas District Council Assemblies of God and Mountain Valley Fellowship were also named in the lawsuit. The lawsuit says the minister at Mountain Valley Fellowship did not supervise the Chi Alpha members accused of sexually abusing the teen. Savala was convicted of sexual abuse in Alaska and served 90 days in prison in 2012, the lawsuit says. When Savala was indicted in 2012 on sexual abuse charges, the lawsuit says the minister encouraged Chi Alpha members to write letters on Savalas behalf. Savala moved to College Station in 2017 where he reestablished the Chi Alpha Chapter at Texas A&M and started Mountain Valley Fellowship church. The church is within the North Texas District of the Assemblies of God and did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment Feb. 2. According to a statement by the General Council of the Assemblies of God, Savala did not hold credentials with the Assemblies of God and was never on staff with any Chi Alpha campus ministry. Savala was indicted in September in another Texas county and charged with trafficking and causing children to engage with prohibited conduct such as indecency with a child by contact and by exposure, according to the lawsuit. He is incarcerated in Waco, according to court documents. The dad is asking for $1 million in damages. College Station is about 100 miles northwest of Houston. Teacher isolates student at school and sexually assaults her, Arkansas cops say Teacher isolates student at school and sexually assaults her, Arkansas cops say 32-year-old accused of raping 13-year-old cousin says he is in love, Oklahoma cops say A Minnesota couple and the state's cabin culture will be featured in an upcoming episode of HGTV's "House Hunters." The show, in which a crew tags along as people tour potential dream homes, will follow Anne and James Dougherty as they search for a family cabin in the Park Rapids area of north central Minnesota. The episode, titled "Counting Cabins in Park Rapids," which premieres Feb. 5 at 9 p.m., will show the family looking for a large cabin that can accommodate the entire family, plus any future grandchildren, according to the episode's description. However, there's sure to be some debate, as James wants a classic log cabin while Anne prefers a modern aesthetic. The couple are not new to a life celebrating the great outdoors. They were featured in the Pioneer Press in June for rehabbing a resort in northern Minnesota. For more information about the episode, go to hgtv.com. Gov. Tate Reeves Medicaid payment changes, pitched during the eleventh-hour of a heated reelection campaign and his only major health plan during his first four years as governor, delivered $658.2 million to hospitals in January. Hospital leaders say the influx of federal money is a lifeline, but its not enough to forgo Medicaid expansion a long-term solution that would insure hundreds of thousands of working poor people in one of the countrys sickest states. Quentin Whitwell owns four hospitals in rural Mississippi. He knows intimately the struggles they face. While the extra federal money Reeves secured is helpful, he said, expansion would go further. There is no reason to leave funding on the table to assist rural hospitals that are the life and breath of communities, he said. As Mississippi hospitals continue to struggle, expanding Medicaid to cover the working poor has been hotly contested over the last decade, most openly during the last two gubernatorial elections. Reeves, as did two of his GOP predecessors, has remained steadfastly opposed, saying it would make Mississippians more reliant on welfare. Medicaid expansion would increase the income threshold needed to qualify for Medicaid to 138% of the federal poverty level, meaning many more Mississippians would qualify for coverage. For a family of four, that would be an annual income of $43,056. As it stands, low-income, working-class Mississippians who make just above the poverty level dont qualify for Medicaid but also cant afford insurance. Nearly one in five Mississippians is uninsured, contributing to the states abysmal public health metrics such as the lowest life expectancy in the country. Extensive research underlines the policys financial and health benefits, and a majority of Mississippians say they want Medicaid eligibility expanded, as it has been in 40 other states. Researchers estimate the policy would insure between 200,000 and 300,000 Mississippians, generate thousands of jobs, help struggling hospitals and bring billions of dollars into the state. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid is located in the Walter Sillers Building in Jackson. The moneys needed one report estimates nearly half of the states rural hospitals are at risk of closure, largely due to losses related to caring for uninsured patients. However, the governor and some other Republican leaders have remained staunchly against the policy. Weeks before the November election, in which Reeves narrowly defeated Democrat Brandon Presley, the governor announced that the state had requested federal approval of changes to its Medicaid payment policies. The changes, Reeves claimed, would bring in nearly $700 million in total to the states hospitals. Reeves plan relies on increased extra payments hospitals get for treating patients on Medicaid. It increases a bed tax on Mississippi hospitals, in exchange for them drawing down more in federal Medicaid payments. Hospitals and GOP leaders in the Legislature had pitched roughly the same plan the year before, but Reeves own Medicaid administration had told them it wouldnt work. At the September press conference announcing his plan, Reeves touted the reforms as an alternative to Medicaid expansion, which he referred to as increasing the states welfare rolls. He was flanked by various hospital leaders from across the state. Most were from hospitals that had recently left the state hospital association under political pressure after the associations political action committee made a largee donation to Reeves pro-expansion opponent Presley. Months after his announcement, half of Reeves plan has been approved and the bulk of the money has gone out. And while hospital executives say the money will allow Mississippi hospitals that have been struggling for years to stay above water, the program does nothing to address the egregiously high number of uninsured, working-class Mississippians. Lee McCall, chief executive officer of Neshoba General Hospital in Philadelphia, said his hospital loses more than $4 million a year on uncompensated care. These proceeds are going to help offset that but it hasnt done anything to expand access to coverage for Mississippians that are uninsured, he said. So yes, were still proponents of expansion, in whatever form it could come in, really to help out Mississippians, so that they can seek the care that they need. McCall said while he was thankful for the extra money, he acknowledged the governors plan gave more money to the states larger hospitals, rather than the ones struggling the most in rural parts of the state. While the reimbursement plan helps hospitals recoup losses they face when caring for uninsured people, Baptist Memorial Health Cares vice president of government affairs Keith Norman said it doesnt replace the need for Medicaid expansion, which would insure more people. We have never seen the (payment increases) and Medicaid expansion as being exclusive of one another, Norman said. Weve always seen the both-and approach, not either-or. Because when we start talking about Medicaid expansion, were talking about covering working Mississippians and were looking to adopt both. From a strictly financial perspective, the reimbursement plan is seen by some hospital executives as comparable to the benefits of expansion. It is injecting close to $40 million in additional funding for Singing River Health System, which we really needed after the lingering effects of COVID, said Singing River chief financial officer Jason McNeil. From our perspective, its really doing about the same as if Medicaid were expanded. But in order for the two programs to have comparable financial benefits, the reimbursement plan would need to recur annually. And while hospital executives are expecting that to be the case the plan doesnt automatically renew. The current payment arrangement applies through June 30, 2024. If we lose access to the program, its going to destabilize our operations, said Greenwood Leflore Hospitals interim chief executive officer Gary Marchand. Greenwood Leflores financial struggles have been well-documented the hospital, once poised to close, has managed to hold on until through the end of its fiscal year. McCall said that while the expectation is that the money from the reforms will continue to arrive annually, we wont know until its submitted. Even assuming it is a permanent change, the plan only benefits hospitals, explained Marchand, and not other forms of care such as outpatient care and preventative care patients receive at clinics. One of the consequences of the current system of coverage is that the indigent population does not have access to preventative care leading to tragedies such as widespread amputations among diabetics whose condition went unchecked and untreated. In addition to the devastating consequences a lack of coverage has for patients, its also not cost effective for hospitals. The population not currently covered by Medicaid tends to only have access to health care in the context of an emergency room, which cant turn anyone away regardless of insurance coverage. But its also the most expensive place to receive health care. The hospital reimbursement plan helps offset some of the money hospitals lose when caring for uninsured patients. But its throwing money at a problem that wouldnt exist under Medicaid expansion. I havent spoken to anyone in health care or hospital administration that says were no longer interested in expansion, McCall said. Hospital leaders from Merit Health System, Delta Health System in Greenville, North Mississippi Health System in Tupelo and Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg declined interviews. Leaders from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Gulfports Memorial Hospital System also refused an interview. South Central Regional Medical Centers chief executive officer Greg Gibbes did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Representatives from all three were part of a cohort of medical leaders that flanked the governor at his September election-time press conference. A second, smaller part of Reeves plan is still pending approval from the federal government. Medicaid expansion will likely be a major policy discussion during the Legislatures 2024 session, and several Republican legislative leaders have said theyll devote attention to the topic. Gov. Tate Reeves renewed his call to eliminate the personal income tax, a major source of state revenue, in the first budget proposal of his second term. The Republican governors proposal would phase out the income tax, which currently accounts for about 30% of the state general fund, by 2029. An earlier $525 million cut in the income tax, passed during Reeves first term, is currently being phased in. My objective this year is to keep our states momentum going for all Mississippi, Reeves said in a statement. Overall, Reeves is proposing a state-support budget of $7.96 billion an increase of $120 million or 1.5% over the budget passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Reeves for the current year. The new budget year begins July 1. Legislators are scheduled to finalize a budget for the upcoming fiscal year in April or May. Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves answers a reporters question on his announcement that a tech company is expected to invest $10 billion to build two data processing centers. Reeves is proposing $100 million for development in every region of our state of potential sites for major economic development projects. In 2023, the Legislature approved $20 million for site development. Project-ready sites are the lifeblood of economic development, and Mississippi will continue winning new business as long as they are available, Reeves said in his budget narrative. Additional funds are being proposed in the governors budget for workforce training and to improve ports and airports. Reeves also is calling for adding capacity to I-55 in DeSoto and state Highway 7 in Lafayette County to entice additional companies to Mississippi. In the budget narrative, Reeves committed to increasing the rate paid to hospitals through Medicaid managed care, resulting, he said, in an additional $70 million for Mississippi hospitals most of which are financially stressed and many of which are in danger of closing or reducing services. Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves delivers his address during his 2024 inauguration. Legislative leaders are considering other options for the states stressed health care system, such as expanding Medicaid to provide coverage for primarily the states working poor and providing an additional stream of revenue for hospitals. Reeves has consistently opposed Medicaid expansion and did not address the issue in his budget narrative. Medicaid expansion would garner more than $1 billion annually in federal funds. Reeves is proposing $10.4 million to increase the state police force patrolling in portions of Jackson to 235 officers. Some have criticized efforts by the state to expand its police presence in Jackson, saying instead the state could provide funds to supplement the Jackson Police Department. In the area of education, Reeves renewed his call for legislators to pass his Patriotic Education Fund. No American child should be taught that the United States is an inherently evil nation that solely acts in its own self-interest, Reeves wrote in the budget proposal. Unfortunately, that worldview is being taught by radical activists in too many schools across the country, and thats why Mississippi must take proactive steps to ensure this warped ideology does not infiltrate our states schools. Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves expresses his support of former President Donald Trump, who will be on the party primary ballot in Mississippi, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, in Jackson, Miss. The qualifying period for candidates seeking one U.S. Senate seat and all four of the states U.S. House seats, began Tuesday. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) The governor is proposing $5 million for grants to schools that choose to teach positive American history. He also is proposing an additional $1.8 million for special needs children to attend private schools. The governor does not provide any additional funds for the chronically underfunded formula that provides the states share of the basics to operate local school districts. The Mississippi Adequate Education Program was underfunded $176 million for the current school year and $3.5 billion since 2008. Reeves budget narrative also calls for legislators to pass a parents bill of rights that would ensure that parents represent the sole decision-making authority for their children. Hes also proposing a womens bill of rights, which would unequivocally recognize the distinct biological differences between men and women and would place this language clearly and concisely into law. This article was originally published in Mississippi Today. Starting next year, the number of high school graduates will begin to fall in Mississippi. Thats the looming reality a joint hearing of the House and Senate Colleges and Universities committees zeroed in on Wednesday. In Mississippi, this trend, called the enrollment cliff, will force the largely tuition-dependent colleges and universities to compete for a shrinking pool of students. Regional institutions like Delta State University, Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi Valley State University, all of which are already struggling with enrollment, will be especially hurt. The state is poised to see the second-worst decline of high school graduation rates in the Southern U.S. by 2027 after Virginia, according to data presented by Noel Wilkin, the University of Mississippis provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The committee wanted to know: What is the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, the governing body for Mississippis eight public universities, doing about this? When can we expect a report to detail those recommendations and strategies for the future, Sen. Scott DeLano, R-Biloxi vice chair of the Senate committee, asked Al Rankins, the IHL commissioner. Whenever youd like to see a report, Rankins responded. IHL has been talking about the enrollment cliff for years, he added, and has a working group focused on the regional colleges unique needs. Kell Smith, the director of the Mississippi Community College Board, which operates differently from IHL, attended the hearing but did not present. He said MCCB doesnt have a strategic plan for the enrollment cliff but some of the individual community colleges might. Very simply how can we fix the problem to prepare for 15 years from now? Rep. Donnie Scoggin, R-Ellisville the House chair, asked Wilkin. There are few simple answers. The enrollment cliff is unavoidable, the product of declining birth rates that will be exacerbated by out-migration from Mississippi and deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic, John Green, a Mississippi State University professor, told the committee. But the changing economics of higher education is largely the result of funding choices by the Legislature years ago. In Mississippi, the four-year public universities are all more dependent on tuition than they are state appropriations. Rankins presented a chart showing that in 2000, state appropriations supported nearly 60% of the universities operating budgets, while tuition was 26%. In fiscal year 2023, that ratio had basically flipped, with tuition supporting 64% of operating budgets. This raises the question: If Mississippis colleges and universities are increasingly reliant on student tuition, not taxpayer dollars, are they still a public service? Its complicated, said Rep. Lance Varner, a member of the House committee, whose 16-year-old daughter has started getting recruitment letters from out-of-state colleges hoping to attract her away from Mississippi. If you own a business, your goal is to try to get people to come to your business, he said. At the same time that he thinks higher education is a public good, Varner, R-Florence, said he bets the universities wish they could be even less dependent on state appropriations. Every one of those colleges is working hard to make sure theyre self-sufficient, he said. They dont want to depend on the Legislature. At the University of Mississippi, tuition and fees now represent 78% of its total operating budget, according to IHLs presentation, the highest of any public university. A huge driver of that is the number of out-of-state students, who pay nearly three times more for tuition than Mississippi residents, now make up half the universitys total population of more than $21,000, Wilkin told the committee. This is one way Ole Miss is responding to the enrollment cliff, which it started preparing for in 2017. We have become a destination state for higher education, Wilkin said. University of Mississippi netted $62 million in tuition from in-state students in fiscal year 2023 but brought in $188 million from non-resident students. Its a crucial revenue source that, Wilkin said, allows Ole Miss to keep its costs down for in-state students. If I were to take all the revenue that comes from in-state students and all the state appropriations we get and compare that to what it costs us to educate those students, were still left with a multimillion-dollar hole, Wilkin said. Wilkin also discussed the intangible aspect of higher education that shapes if, why and where students attend college, especially in light of the fact high school graduates are becoming more diverse. All of us see there have been questions raised about the value of a higher education degree today, he said. By 2036, white students are projected to comprise 43% of high school graduates compared to 51% today. Black students will increase from 25% to 28%. Smith, the MCCB director, said after the meeting that community colleges need to be focusing more on students who dont have a high school diploma. We need to go after those students irregardless of what the enrollment cliff looks like, he said. This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Two bills making rounds in the Missouri Senate call for the state to increase its minimum legal marriage age to 18 years old. Senate Bills 767 and 1342 raise this possibility. Missouri State Sens. Holly Thompson Rehder (R-Scott City) and Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City) introduced the bills. Both are similar in the changes requested to Missouris marriage laws. Right now, Missouri statutes prohibit anyone under 16 years old from getting married and anyone under 18 years old from getting married to another person who is at least 21 years old. Crews battle massive fire at St. Louis warehouse, no injuries reported Both bills want to amend Missouris laws and change the states minimum legal marriage to 18 years old in all cases. This act repeals those provisions and no marriage license shall be issued in Missouri for individuals under 18 years of age, both bills state within their language. Earlier this week, both bills were assigned to be heard by the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. The committee has not yet taken further action on these bills. Missouris marriage laws have been a point of contention among lawmakers for several years, most notably during last years legislative session. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Politics During a Senate floor meeting last April, State Sen. Mike Moon (R-Ash Grove) defended a pre-teens right to get married. Moon said he knew at least one person who got married at 12 years old and followed up with the comment, Guess what, theyre still married. Another lawmaker, Missouri State Rep. Chris Sander (R-Jackson County), pushed for the state to redefine marriage within its constitution. Sander, who is openly gay, wanted the state to recognize marriage as an act between two individuals rather than one exclusively between opposite sexes. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. CRAWFORD COUNTY, Mo. A Missouri fugitive wanted in connection with child sex crimes for more than a decade was captured earlier this week in Illinois. Prosecutors initially charged William Edward Isgriggs, 41, with statutory rape of a child in Crawford County, Missouri, in October 2013. According to the Crawford County Sheriffs Office, a deputy attempted to arrest Isgriggs around that time, but he was able to avoid arrest. U.S. Marshals detained him Tuesday in Benton, Illinois, after more than 10 years on the run. Purina Pet Parade draws large crowd of pets, humans The sheriffs office says several leads have emerged throughout the years to find Isgriggs. Last year, Crawford County detectives worked with the Mid States Organized Crime Information Center to acquire new information and follow up on potential leads over his whereabouts. Authorities transferred Isgriggs to custody in Crawford County. He is being held on a $175,000 cash-only bond with an initial court hearing scheduled for Friday, per Missouri court records. I am thankful to announce the capture of one of Crawford Countys Most Wanted persons, said Crawford County Sheriff Darin Layman. Now that Mr. Isgriggs is in custody, the judicial process can proceed and hopefully, some closure for the persons involved with this crime can begin. I want to thank the hard work of our CID for making this happen, and additionally, I would like to thank the MOCIC and the US Marshals Service for all of their resources, that allowed for a successful and long overdue capture of Mr. Isgriggs. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Kansas City-area resident John George Todd III took the stand in his federal trial on Friday, adamant that he had no idea he was not permitted inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Todd said he didnt know Vice President Mike Pence would be in the Capitol, despite former President Donald Trump mentioning Pence in a speech that Todd wanted to attend so badly that he traveled by car from Missouri to Washington and, once there, climbed a tree to get a better view. He claimed police officers opened an emergency exit to let the crowd into the building and that a police officer told him he could watch the proceeding as long as he was peaceful despite the fact that the Capitol had been closed to the public for months because of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They let us in the building and then at some point we were getting attacked, Todd said. Todd, 34, of Blue Springs, faces six charges in connection with the Capitol breach, including two felonies. If convicted on all counts, he could get more than 40 years in prison. Prosecutors said Todd traveled to Washington to block the certification of the Electoral College votes; that he caused bodily harm to a police officer when a tent pole he was carrying broke during a scuffle with police, slicing the officers hand; and that he entered the restricted Capitol building and was disruptive once inside. The trial, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, began on Monday. The case is expected to go to the jury this coming Monday morning. His comments came during hours of testimony, where Todd said he gets irritated and angry when being touched in large crowds. He said he resisted the officers trying to remove him from the building because he was trying to help people being pushed by those officers particularly older women. After Todd said he absolutely takes responsibility for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutor Barry Disney asked whether he was guilty of being in the Capitol and of parading or demonstrating. Todd said he was, according to the way Disney had phrased it. For each of the six charges the government brought against Todd, Disney tried to get an admission of guilt. He admitted to being in the Capitol after being told to leave. He admitted to knowing that Congress was in session to certify the votes of the Electoral College. When it came to a scuffle over a flagpole Todd had purchased and brought into the Capitol, Todd was adamant he did nothing to break the pole. I was just not letting go, Todd said, who said at one point that he bought a flag and wasnt going to go home without one. He picked up a new flag off the floor after his was broken by the officer. Todds attorneys, led by John Pierce, spent the day trying to prove that Todd had no idea he wasnt supposed to be in the Capitol that day and, because of his lack of intent, is innocent from the charges that he had disrupted the certification of the election and was in a restricted space. After the prosecution rested its case Friday morning after using police officers and experts on Senate procedure to establish the evidence against Todd the defense called on David Sumrall, a citizen journalist who runs Stop Hate, a group that calls the Jan. 6 defendants political hostages. Sumrall said it would have been difficult for the crowd to know the Capitol was closed, because of the large mass of people who had descended on the building under the impression that it was part of a series of rallies Trump supporters were holding in Washington that day. I can say that those people didnt know they were doing anything wrong, he said. They were just festive. Todd then took the stand, testifying that he was a U.S. Marine who received an other-than-honorable discharge over problems stemming from alcohol abuse. He said he has post-traumatic stress disorder, doesnt like being touched because he had been abused by his stepdad as a child and believed his mental health issues affected him on Jan. 6. Todd said he used to listen to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones podcast while working his construction job and had a lot of questions about the 2020 presidential election. But he said he didnt intend to go to the Capitol to disrupt the certification. I just wanted to be able to see him (Trump) for the first time, Todd said. He said he didnt see any signs or fences preventing him from going to the Capitol. He wondered why police were standing away from him at one point if he wasnt supposed to be there. Todd entered the Capitol through an emergency exit. I planned on shutting my mouth and sitting down and watching them, he said. Disney did not challenge Todds account of being let into the building by police. Instead, he focused on what Todd did once inside the building. He asked if Todds interaction with officers in the building, where he yelled, I swear to God, Ill hip toss your ass into the f---in crowd, mother f-----! was peaceful. Todd said he had other peaceful interactions with police officers and that he felt the melee in the Capitol wasnt different from other protests. He said he remained in the Capitol in part because of his military experience. He said he wanted to help people harmed by the police, adding that one thing the Marines taught me is you just dont retreat. He also said his experience in the military led him to say the officer should drop his gear and fight. I just wanted to be not pushed, not pulled and not assaulted, Todd said. Testimony began Tuesday with a witness who said she overheard two men at Big Cs Martini Shack in Blue Springs talking about being at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. She started up a conversation with one of them, she said, hoping to get him to tell her more. He told her his name was John Todd, the witness said, and that he had traveled to Washington because his boss paid for it. He showed her photos and video, proving hed been there that day. And he told her hed wanted to wreak havoc on the Capitol, she said, before his friend signaled to him to stop talking. She went home and reported it to the FBI. Todd was originally charged May 3, 2022, with four misdemeanors: entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The government said he twice declined offers to plead guilty to a single misdemeanor. Instead, he opted to take his case to trial, then requested multiple continuances. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee, had warned Todd that delaying his case would give prosecutors time to keep investigating and possibly come up with more charges against him. And in preparing for the trial, the government said it uncovered additional video that showed Todd assaulting officers. On Dec. 6, a federal grand jury indicted Todd on a felony charge inflicting bodily injury on an officer in addition to the four misdemeanor counts. Todd asked to testify before the grand jury and did so before its deliberations, an unusual move. The grand jury then returned a second indictment on Jan. 17, adding a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding. Todds defense argued that the government filed the felony charges vindictively, to punish and retaliate against Todd and his attorneys for refusing to plead guilty. Todd had been free on a personal recognizance bond after his arrest, but in April 2023 he was caught scaling a building while in possession of knives and razor blades. Prosecutors said he was trying to gain access to a person with whom he was upset. Prosecutors said his bond should be revoked and he should be sent to jail. In a response, defense attorney Pierce said Todd was dealing with combat-related PTSD and his sister wrote that he had developed PTSD as a result of seeing friends blown up in front of him in Afghanistan and witnessing their deaths. Instead of sending Todd to jail, a federal magistrate judge granted his request to move to South Carolina to live with his sister and her husband until his trial. Modesto committed $3 million in November for the purchase of tiny homes to provide temporary shelter for homeless people, but the city needs help to turn its proposal into reality. The city on Nov. 21 issued what is called a request for qualifications, seeking partners to serve as host sites for the tiny homes. The deadline to submit an RFQ was Jan. 26. Modesto received four submissions: a church, two vacant lots and a commercial building, though the person who submitted the RFQ for the building does not own it. The city says it has not talked with the buildings owner and the site does not appear to be feasible. Community and Economic Development Director Jessica Hill said the city has decided to extend the deadline for the host sites indefinitely while it vets the submissions it has received. She said city officials could bring at least one proposal for a tiny home site to the City Council for approval by mid-April. Homes are 60 to 120 square feet Were always hopeful for more, Hill said when asked whether she was disappointed by the city receiving four submissions. She said once a tiny home site is operating, that could spur others to step forward. I do think its proof of concept. Once we get one up and running, we could have more people submitting. The city calls the tiny homes 60 to 120 square feet bridge housing because they provide the first level of shelter for homeless people and serve as a transition to permanent housing. The tiny home sites would have service providers and operators to manage the sites. They are an alternative for people who wont go to shelters. The city also issued RFQs on Nov. 21 for service providers and site operators. Hill said Modesto received RFQs from four service providers and three operators. The deadlines also have been extended for service providers and operators. She declined to provide their names and the names of the church and property owners who submitted RFQs for host sites. But Hill confirmed that the Modesto Gospel Mission is one of the property owners. It submitted an RFQ for 10 tiny homes on a vacant lot at 1530 Owens Drive, which is near the mission. Modesto has estimated the cost of each tiny home at $75,000. That includes purchasing the home from such companies as Pallet Shelter and BOSS Homes, as well as the costs for the infrastructure and site preparation. That can include providing water and electricity, temporary buildings for showers, and offices for case managers. But the actual costs will vary based on each site and how much of the infrastructure already is in place. The $3 million does not cover the cost for the service providers and site managers. The city would work with the site operators in finding that funding. Hill said the city continues to look for funding and other opportunities to provide shelter for homeless people. For instance, Modesto recently applied for a $5.8 million grant from Californias Encampment Resolution Funding Program. The city could know in April whether it will receive funding, Hill said. The citys proposal for the grant includes spending $1 million to expand street outreach through its Community Health & Assistance Team, $1.6 million to add 30 beds to The Salvation Armys Berberian Center for three years and $1.8 million for the 10 homes on the Gospel Missions vacant lot. Hill said the Gospel Mission is an example of how the city is looking at multiple funding sources for its projects. The $1.8 million includes case management and other services for the tiny home residents. State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, a Democrat who represents Stanislaus and 12 other counties, received one of the worst scores on an environmental report card released Thursday. The lawmaker called the asserations against her baseless and a gross misrepresentation of her commitment to environmental issues. California Environmental Voters issues the annual scorecard to rate state lawmakers on their support for environmental legislation and climate change policies. Alvarado-Gil received a 1% score, making her one of the worst-scoring Democrats ever, the environmental group said. It was the second-lowest grade on the 2023 statewide report card. Three Republicans had a zero score, but most GOP members of the Legislature outperformed Alvarado-Gil on environmental protection. The California Environmental Voters scorecard considers lawmaker votes, authorship of legislation and campaign contributions from the oil industry. Alvarado-Gil said Friday that the reports characterization of her environmental record is an oversimplification that doesnt reflect the nuance of the legislative process. The assertions made in this report are not only baseless, they are a gross misrepresentation of my commitment to environmental issues and the well-being of our state, she said in a statement. I have consistently advocated for responsible environmental stewardship, seeking bipartisan solutions to address the urgent challenges posed by climate change, including reducing wildfire risk and protecting the watersheds across my district that feed and sustain California. Some context might help explain the Democratic senators dismal score in the environmental report. She ran for a 4th District senate seat that was considered a certainty for the Republican Party in 2022. That was until a half dozen Republican candidates entered the race and divided the conservative vote in the open primary. Alvarado-Gil finished second in the primary and ran as a moderate to defeat a fellow Democrat in the November 2022 election. She represents a largely conservative area of the Central Valley that has battled state proposals to take river water from farmers for fish in the San Joaquin-Sacramento river delta. But her district also includes environmentally sensitive Sierra counties. In the environmental report, Alvarado-Gil was among five low-scoring Democrats grouped in a 2023 Polluters Caucus. Those Democratic lawmakers refused and even worked against climate policy, the report said. The report criticizes Alvarado-Gil for a voting pattern characterized by abstentions and alignment with Republican positions. The average score for GOP lawmakers was 8%, compared to 84% for Democrats. Assemblyman Juan Alanis, a Republican from Modesto, received a 15% score, slightly higher than Republican Assemblyman Heath Flora of Ripon, with 14%. Democratic Senator Susan Eggman of Stockton had an environmental record of 75%. For decades, at least, the unhoused have sought refuge along the banks of the Tuolumne River. But recently, some have literally carved out places to call home. The work put into creating the caves makeshift tile flooring, recessed shelves and cubbies, a ventilated fireplace indicates intended long-term occupancy. Homeless people have been digging elaborate caves into the bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Some of the caves are large enough for person to stand upright and have painted walls. But last month, the city cleared them out after giving notification for the homeless to leave the area. Now the man-made caves, vacant when The Bee visited them last week, raise questions about the structural integrity of the trail above them and of the safety of those who stay in them. They are carved out of the silt of the steep, nearly vertical embankments of the river near Crater Avenue in southwest Modesto. They are tall enough to stand in, and one cave has separate rooms: a larger area with the floor tiles and cubbies, then another, smaller room with body-size cutouts for sleeping and the fireplace. Some of the walls are painted and decorated with hand-drawn hearts and other art. The Bee has yet to learn the identities of the builders. How Modesto will combat the ecological impact of the caves was not specifically answered by the city. A statement emailed to The Bee says it recognizes the importance of not only addressing the immediate safety risks but also working towards a comprehensive solution to permanently eliminate these caves. City officials recently installed barricades and temporary fencing along the makeshift steps leading down to the caves. But neighbors said they dont believe this will deter anyone from returning at a later time. The city stated it will continue efforts to restrict access to the caves, prioritizing safety. This includes an increase in police, Fire Department and city staff presence in the area. It also encourages residents to call MPD if a situation needs immediate attention. Residents in the area of the caves said city officials told them of plans to install cameras along the path above them. No timeline of when that would happen was provided. Homeless people have been digging elaborate caves into the bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. What do the residents think? Several residents in the area are concerned about public safety, as the trail and the nearby park are used for recreation. The presence of homeless people, purported drug use and other safety concerns are on the minds of those who live in the single-family homes near the river. But some also are concerned for those whove lived in the caves. I just feel like if theyre not living here, where else are they gonna go? said Nicholas McCoy, who lives on Crater Avenue. Its kind of like a bigger problem than just the caves, its lack of resources and all kinds of other crap. McCoy said the people who live by the river dont bother anyone. He said he sees them as neighbors who are going home at the end of the day. Everybody owns a piece of property at the end of the night when you want to relax, when you want to lay down. You can only do that on your property. If you dont have that, you gotta intrude on somebody elses space, said McCoy. If they cant stay here, theyre gonna go to Walmart, [but] they cant go to Walmart, theyre gonna kick them out of there... so its a bigger issue than just these caves. Homeless people have been digging elaborate caves into the bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif. Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. McCoy isnt naive to the dangers their presence poses he recently had to put out a fire started near the river but at the same time said he understands their situation. Because of the 2018 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Martin v. Boise, cities cannot clear an encampment unless adequate shelter is provided. Those who are encamped cannot be cited, either. But in places like San Francisco, this has been challenged and the city recently was granted the authority to clear an encampment and cite those living there if they refuse resources, CalMatters recently reported. The City of Modesto said it will offer information and resources to those who may need shelter and social services, but only upon request. Last weekend, Operation 9-2-99, a local community volunteer group that does regular cleanups of this stretch of the river, returned to the area. The trash cleanup effort was done in coordination with Modesto Police Departments HEART Team, park rangers, CHAT and abatement personnel who notified the caves residents a week prior to the cleanup effort. The operation disposed of 7,600 pounds of trash, according to MPDs press release. There are resources and shelters for the homeless in Modesto, including the Salvation Army Modesto Corps which recently remade its homeless shelter during the pandemic. However, the pandemic funds have gone dry and the shelter is now asking the city to contribute more funds to keep the operation going. Pattersons approach to clearing encampments Patterson Police Services recently stepped up its encampment clear-outs, saying that With the recent homeless encampment clean outs and demolition of abandoned properties off of 9th St. and Las Palmas Ave. We have our homeless folks moving around quite a bit and landing in different areas, in a release. The city stated that it did not make any arrests, issue citation or dispose of personal belongings during its operation. It also stated that it offered resources to those it encountered. The City works closely with partner agencies to address these concerns and conducts regular homeless encampment sweeps to offer services to individuals who accept. In addition, partner agency Stanislaus Countys CARE team has been servicing the Patterson community on a weekly basis for over a year to offer resources to unhoused populations, the city stated in an email. Furthermore, there are local shelters within the City, like Naomis House & H.O.S.T., that offer resources to individuals seeking assistance and housing. The city has put up warnings about the unsafe nature of the river bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Homeless people have been digging elaborate caves into the bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Homeless people have been digging elaborate caves into the bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Homeless people have been digging elaborate caves into the bank of the Tuolumne River along Crater Avenue in Modesto, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. More than 800 officials from the United States and Europe have signed a scathing criticism of Western policy towards Israel and Gaza, accusing their governments of possible complicity in war crimes. In a statement obtained by CNN, the officials say there is a plausible risk that our governments policies are contributing to grave violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes and even ethnic cleansing or genocide. They accuse their governments of failing to hold Israel to the same standards they apply to other countries and weakening their own moral standing in the world. Among them are around 80 United States officials and diplomats, a source told CNN. In an unprecedented display of coordinated dissent since Israels war against Hamas began nearly four months ago, the signatories call on their governments to use all leverage to secure a ceasefire and to stop saying that there is a a strategic and defensible rationale behind the Israeli operation. The public letter, released Friday, comes a week after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found South Africas claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza to be plausible, and ordered Israel to take all measures to limit the death and destruction caused by its military campaign, prevent and punish incitement to genocide, and ensure access to humanitarian aid. The statement shows the depths of concerns and outrage and just horror that all of us are witnessing, a US official with more than 25 years experience, who signed the letter, told CNN on Friday. The talking points that keep being delivered day after day are not cutting it. The US official told CNN that the signatories were motivated by their shared experience of having their concerns be ignored by their governments and by the appropriateness of public dissent by civil servants when ignored internally. The official added that the ICJs decision to hear a genocide case lodged against Israel was validation for the authors concerns. Israel has strenuously denied accusations of genocide in Gaza. What was really important for those of us on the US side was to link arms with the people in Europe who believe their governments are following the US lead, and feel constrained by that, the official said. So we thought it was important that US officials continue to make clear their concerns with government policy on this. People bury Palestinians, including those killed in Israeli strikes and fire, at a mass grave in Rafah, January 30, 2024. - Mohammed Salem/Reuters The statement, which does not list its signatories, says that it was coordinated by civil servants in European Union institutions, The Netherlands, and the United States, and endorsed by civil servants in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Despite the letter not listing its authors, the US official told CNN many colleagues feared losing their jobs, and that the lower number of US signatories reflected stronger protections for official dissents in Europe. CNN has asked the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and the Dutch Foreign Ministry for a response to the statement. CNN has also reached out to the Israeli government for a response. A senior British civil servant told CNN of the letter: We feel that politicians have responded to the evolving situation, evinced by the Foreign Secretarys words this week. The Dutch Foreign Ministry, in a statement to CNN, said that while civil servants are entitled to freedom of expression, they are subject to some limitations under Dutch law. It is only natural that the debate in society about the conflict between Israel and Hamas also exists within our ministry. We feel that there should be scope for this debate and we encourage staff to enter into dialogues internally. And these dialogues are taking place. We are obliged to do everything in our power In the letter, the officials say that they raised concerns internally within their governments and institutions, but their professional concerns have often been overruled by political and ideological considerations. We are obliged to do everything in our power on behalf of our countries and ourselves to not be complicit in one of the worst human catastrophes of this century, they write. Israels policies, they argue, are counterproductive to its own national security goals. Israels military operations have disregarded all important counterterrorism expertise gained since 9/11; and that the operation has not contributed to Israels goal of defeating Hamas and instead has strengthened the appeal of Hamas, Hezbollah and other negative actors. They say that Western support for Israel has come without real conditions or accountability. Our governments current policies weaken their moral standing and undermine their ability to stand up for freedom, justice, and human rights globally and weaken our efforts to rally international support for Ukraine and to counter malign actions by Russia, China and Iran, they say. Finally, they call on their governments to develop a strategy for lasting peace that includes a secure Palestinian state and guarantees for Israels security, so that an attack like 7 October and an offensive on Gaza never happen again. CNNs Luke McGee contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com New Years Day, 1988: bienvenido a Guatemala and welcome to chaos. Start the year with a tropical adventure: always a good plan. In that distant decade of Thatcher, Wham! and lax rules when flying, I smoked my way across from Gatwick to Miami on Virgin Atlantic. There I connected to now-defunct Eastern Airlines for the two-hour hop to a new and bewildering world. First contact: the dysfunctional and labyrinthine La Aurora airport on the outskirts of Guatemala City. Rather than the traveller choosing between red and green channels at customs, arrivals were invited to press a button connected to some traffic lights that randomly chose red or green. Mine glowed red but the officials waved me through anyway and concentrated their firepower on a gentleman whose ambitious collection of baggage made me wonder how the plane had ever got off the ground in Florida. By the time I blearily emerged from the terminal into a melee of meeters, greeters, hustlers and taxi drivers, night had cast a cloak of uncertainty over proceedings. The driver I ended up with weaved around what appeared to be a down-at-heel trading estate rather than the grand highway to the centre of the capital. I imagined I was being abducted. Thirty-six years, one month and one day later I felt the same absence of control and knowing what the heck was happening. This time I was flying out of Guatemala City, but everything was exactly as I remembered it. All that has changed, it seems, is the addition of intermittent wifi. And that was very much the story throughout my stay in the nation that delivers the best of Central America along with generous winter sunshine. Street life: Guatemala City (Simon Calder) While a few aspects of independent travel in Guatemala have been transformed over the decades, mostly it remains an analogue experience. On multiple visits I have not been abducted once, and have encountered almost universally helpful and friendly souls who enable travellers to experience a volcanic landscape rich in indigenous culture and the delicious cuisine of Guatemala. Once you get out of the city squeezed awkwardly into a hollow between peaks. One vast improvement in the capital: better security. In 1988, backpacker lore was to get out of Guatemala City as quickly as possible. The longer you stayed, the greater the certainty that you would fall victim to robbery. I have had enough experience of Central American cities (including an attempted mugging in San Jose) to be circumspect after dark. But by day police are visible everywhere so much so that I wonder why placing guards with semi-automatic weapons outside banks and high-end stores is still entirely necessary. With the sightseers minimum of phone, guidebook, quetzales (the local currency) and a credit card, I comfortably walked much of the length of this long, thin straggle of a metropolis. Guatemala City sprawls as far as the volcanoes will allow. Walking is the way to take in the modest charms of churches, shopping streets and the rather plain Plaza Central (main square), where the chief attraction comprises street vendors offering fresh sliced papaya. Re-energised for 10 quetzales (1), I tackled the brutalist 1970s cultural centre, perched on a hill and softened with curves. Ridiculously, the visitor is allowed to clamber all over the concrete complex using a rather precarious network of staircases. During my series of visits in the 20th century, it would have been off-limits: away from the main drag, with the villains in the many hidden corners awaiting stray backpackers. From the top of the cultural centre, while clinging to a low balcony wall, I surveyed the city in all its scruffiness. And, briefly, felt above the noise and extreme pollution. Traffic was bad in 1988. Today, it is terrible. The one concession to decent public transport is a fleet of green buses marked TransMetro that serve special stops. Rather than a conductor on board, you pay by tapping in with a credit card; I am looking forward to the 1 quetzal (10p) bill popping up on my statement. At rush hour, the crowds on board approach comic proportions, with more than 100 passengers squeezed into a single-decker. Payment might be contactless, but the experience certainly isnt. As the joke goes: how many people can you get on a Guatemalan bus? Answer: two more. Jostling your way off a TransMetro bus at the right stop failed to make it as an Olympic event in 1988 (Seoul) or 2024 (Paris), but I bet it would attract the viewers. Chicken buses are identical to their 1988 forebears. The standard conveyance in Central America is a former American school bus that has passed its best-before date. But what is no longer good enough for US schoolchildren is quite sufficient for Central American travellers plus their extensive luggage, and on market days their livestock. Driving ambition: Simon Calder by the bus from Antigua to Magdalen (Charlotte Hindle) The best buses are exuberantly decorated, and on busy routes such as Guatemala City to the nations spiritual heartland, Antigua, they belch their way up the intestinal highway to the mountain pass every two or three minutes. Passengers whether frail ladies in shawls woven from dazzling primary colours or backpackers are scooped up from the roadside by the conductor. He collects cash from passengers but spends most of the journey hanging out of the door (which has the benefit of increasing the available room inside) yelling the destination of his overcrowded conveyance to anyone who will listen. In my experience, he will also be kind and helpful to confused and overburdened visitors. Never look as though you have just arrived that is a prime rule for backpacking in Latin America. Pale-skinned arrivals from the northern winter are routinely picked off by pickpockets. On my first evening in Antigua, though, I watched a solo female traveller bearing a backpack the size of a small house nonchalantly following directions on her phone, and I have every confidence she reached the hostel or B&B of her choice. Tourism is now recognised as fundamental to the Guatemalan economy and visitors are afforded high-visibility protection even though the nation has, according to the Foreign Office, one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America. Through the years to the very end of the 20th century December 1999 I returned to Guatemala often while researching guidebooks. In those analogue days, many maps were laboriously hand-drawn to show the corner where buses leave Antigua for the capital and the location for the street moneychangers in Guatemala City (Seventh Avenue between 10th and 13th Streets; they still provide financial services there). Life for the guidebook researcher and user has changed. But the basics remain the same. The best source of recommendations is not TripAdvisor but a fellow traveller who has just been where you are heading. Wander off the tourist trail to discover a crumbling chapel on the edge of town where the dedication of masons to their trade and their faith is revealed in exquisitely carved stone. And immerse yourself in daily life by wandering through the municipal market saturated with colour and noise. Your smartphone will enable you to bring your memories home in both sound and vision. But being there, surrounded by joyful chaos, is what counts. Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue and what it means for you. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Kangeroos, zebras, tigers: you name it there is a good chance you will find it at the Nashville Zoo. For more than a century families have been visiting and enjoying the exhibits, but one family has made their mark there long before there was even a zoo. Off the beaten path, there is an exhibit that sits and encourages others to learn more about the land the zoo sits on. Descendants working to keep Dickson Countys Promise Land alive The Morton family was instrumental in the success of this farm, said Tori Mason, the Nashville Zoos Historic Site Manager. Frank Morton and his son Albert, lived on the Grassmere Farmland, dating back to 1919. (Photo: WKRN) Before the property was managed by the Zoo, it was a family home and farm. From an original land grant in 1786 to today, many people have called the site home, including enslaved individuals and tenant farmers. We know that this was part of the original slave cabins, but starting in 1919 it was home to Frank Morton, who was a black tenant farmer, and he was here until he died in 1962, Mason explained, standing outside the very cabin. From 1810 until the time of Emancipation, about 33 slaves lived, worked, and died at Grassmere, but it was in 1919, after the Civil War when Frank Morton and his family called the land their home. The Croft house, built in 1810, was home to the last two family members (of five generations) to live there. Sisters Margaret and Elise Croft hired Morton to manage the property. The Blue Triangle cemented in history as African American women who stood up for racial issues in Nashville Mortons knowledge was crucial to the success of the Grassmere farm. At the time, he and his family were brought on to work as tenant farmers. Frank was hired in 1919 by Margaret and Elises aunt, Morton explained. She hired Frank to be a farmhand here at the farm while her husband was serving in World War I over in France, and, while he was busy doing those duties, she needed some assistance on the farm so she hired Frank. The exhibit features an inside look into how the Morton family lived while staying at Grassmere. (Photo: WKRN) Inside the Morton House exhibit, you can walk in Franks footsteps, and learn what happened to slaves after Emancipation, how the family came here, and why its so important to share the familys story. I think its important. If we lose our history, we lose the essence of who we are, you know. We need to continue to tell those stories so people will understand and people will know where we came from, why were here, why its important, said Mason. The space gives insight into how the family lived and worked. With each corner showing how life was back during that time. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Franks wife, Sadie helped with the household chores, the laundry, and Franks son Albert when he got older, helped his father with the farming, Frank was here until he died in 1962, Albert was here working until he died in 1973, and then Frank also had a daughter, Maude, who was the cook. Visitors can take a self-guided tour through The Morton House exhibit daily. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. What goals China's provincial-level governments set for 2024 Xinhua) 08:08, February 02, 2024 BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's provincial-level governments are eyeing new economic engines ranging from AI to new energy vehicles, with a continuous focus on consumption, as indicated by their development plans for 2024. All provincial-level regions have now unveiled their growth targets for 2024 in government work reports delivered to people's congresses. Their 2024 GDP growth targets vary from 4.5 percent to 8 percent, with the majority expecting to expand their economy by over 5 percent. Closely-watched economic indicators aside, their documents have also revealed several common goals, with frequent mentions of "new productive forces," "boosting consumption" and "improving business environment." They point to an ongoing transition toward high-quality economic growth and a greater reliance on the domestic market as China shifts its focus from post-pandemic recovery to sustained expansion. People visit an automobile exposition at the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) NEW PRODUCTIVE FORCES Most of the government work reports explicitly pledged to foster or expand "new productive forces" in their 2024 road maps. The concept refers to a new form of productive forces derived from continuous sci-tech breakthroughs and innovation that drive strategic emerging industries and future industries in a more intelligent information era. The central economic work conference, held late last year to chart economic development in 2024, said China will "promote industrial innovation through technological innovation ... to foster new industries, new models and growth drivers, and develop new productive forces." The local government work reports have outlined the specific areas where new productive forces are to be anchored. Guangdong Province, an economic powerhouse in south China, aims to boost new productive forces in industries including integrated circuit, new energy storage and commercial spaceflight. It also plans to foster future industries such as 6G technology and humanoid robots. Liaoning Province, an old industrial base in northeast China, said it will promote clustered, integrated development of new materials, bio-medicine and other emerging industries. Hainan, an island province that celebrated robust economic growth last year amid a tourism revival, has rolled out its vision on "new tracks" such as the seed industry and aerospace. Pan Helin, a researcher at Zhejiang University, said new productive forces have become a buzzword on local government agendas as China pivots to a growth model that prizes quality over quantity. "Chinese localities are under pressure in the economic transition. The new productive forces are expected to boost economic growth and help win over regional competition," Pan said. An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2024 shows the large cruise ship Adora Magic City at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) CONSUMPTION AND BEYOND Almost all local government work reports highlighted the task of boosting spending in 2024, as the central economic work conference pledged to focus on "expanding domestic demand" for two consecutive years. Consumption was a significant growth driver in China last year. Final consumption contributed 82.5 percent to the country's GDP growth in 2023, up 43.1 percentage points from 2022. Digital consumption, health-related consumption, nightlife and new energy vehicles are mentioned frequently in local government goals for the year ahead. Municipalities including Beijing and Shanghai said they will push ahead with the construction of international consumption center cities, while provinces like Sichuan and Hunan also proposed turning their respective capital cities into global consumption hubs. In addition, several provinces and autonomous regions with large rural populations have pledged to unleash potentials in rural consumption. Gansu in northwest China proposed to increase the number of charging facilities in rural areas to encourage the use of new energy vehicles. Xizang in southwest China said it will promote sales of automobiles, furniture and home appliances in the countryside and boost rural e-commerce development. Dong Yu, executive vice president of the China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University, said local governments have come to prioritize new consumption markets that can boost industry and investment, rather than shopping coupons and promotions. "They are also working harder to meet the demands of young people, which will in turn promote more new consumption," Dong said. "This rapidly upgrading market now provides an ideal testing ground for multinational companies to improve their global competitiveness." Villagers perform for tourists in Talat Village in Koktokay in Fuyun County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Lei) Other common goals include increased investment in the livelihood and well-being sector, ranging from an employment-first policy to improving childcare services. "This is in line with China's drive to promote common prosperity for all, while better social security will also spur consumption by dispelling worries for consumers," Pan said. (Reporting by Yao Yuan, Jiang Wenxi, Tang Guhan, Zhang Yujie, Zhao Chenjie, Zhang Yuqi, Liu Fangzhou, Intern Pang Yecheng) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Uh-oh, there could be trouble brewing on the set of Greys Anatomy. The 20th season of the medical drama will premier next month, and it turns out most of the cast are Chiefs fans. In fact, you can add actress Ellen Pompeo to that burgeoning list of celebrity Chiefs supporters. But not everyone on Greys Anatomy will be pulling for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. Actor Harry Shum Jr. (who fans may know best from Glee) is a big fan of the San Francisco 49ers. Shum has shared messages of support for the 49ers on his Instagram account, including a video with actor Anthony Hill. Its from the set of Greys Anatomy and shows Hill, who grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, supporting the Chiefs. Shum then shows his 49ers colors. Hill and Shum clearly had fun with this. Heres the most interesting part of that social-media post: Pompeo, who portrays Dr. Meredith Grey and is an executive producer, responded with a message for Shum. Pompeo wrote: you know I LOVE YOU ...BUT listen up fam ....we have a problem....we are Swifties....sorry I meant Chiefs fans over here at @greysabc... we are going to have to talk. Sincerely, your boss. She added a laughing emoji, so it was all in good fun. But it does seem that many members of the Greys Anatomy cast are Taylor Swift fans, which means theyll be cheering for her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in the Super Bowl. | Ellen Pompeo commented on @HarryShumJrs recent post about his support for the @49ers you know I LOVE YOU BUT we are Swifties sorry I meant Chiefs fans over here at @GreysABC pic.twitter.com/JlsKYNAof3 Taylor Swift News (@TSwiftNZ) February 2, 2024 Last year, 10 Republican state senators in Oregon walked out of the Legislature for six weeks to obstruct Democratic bills promoting reproductive rights, transgender equality, and gun safety. The GOP senators boycott paralyzed the chamber, stalling hundreds of bills by preventing lawmakers from conducting any work. Their hardball tactic succeeded in the short term, forcing Democrats to water down their signature measures. On Thursday, however, it backfired badly: The Oregon Supreme Court unanimously prohibited all 10 senators from running for reelection, enforcing a constitutional provision designed to punish this kind of petulant legislative obstruction. Thursdays decision marks a major defeat for the hardball tactics that Oregon Republicans have deployed to prevent Democrats from governing the state. Under the Oregon Constitution, each chamber of the Legislature may only conduct business if two-thirds of its members are present. Republicans, whove long held a minority of seats, have recently exploited this rule to bring the statehouse to a standstill. In 2019, they walked out to block a school funding bill, and used the resulting leverage to kill Democratic bills on gun safety and vaccine exemptions. The next year, they walked out to kill a Democratic climate changerelated bill, forestalling the passage of more than 100 other measures. And in 2021, they walked out to protest COVID-19 restrictions and redistricting plans. Each time, Republicans lacked the votes to defeat progressive proposals outright, so they shut down all legislative business insteadholding the statehouse hostage in retaliation against the Democrats whom voters elected to run the government. To end this chicanery, Oregon voters overwhelmingly supported a constitutional amendment that would penalize any lawmaker who walked out. Under the new measure, a senator or representative who misses more than 10 floor sessions without an excuse may not run for reelection. Or, at least, that is how both sides of the initiative described it, and how it was framed for voters in official ballot materials. But after its enactment, Republican senators contested this (heretofore uncontroversial) reading. The amendment, they noted, bars absentee legislators from running for the term following the election after the members current term is completed. But while elections take place in November, the legislative term does not end until the following January. Republicans thus argued that the election after the current term means the election thats four years after the next election. In Oregon, senators hold four-year terms. So according to the GOPs gloss on the amendment, a senator elected in 2020 who walked out in 2023 is not disqualified from the next election (in 2024) but rather the election after that one (in 2028). In reliance on this reading of the text, Republican senators staged an ambitious walkout last year, fleeing the chamber for six weeks. This tactic ultimately secured concessions from Democrats that limited minors access to abortion, thwarted new protections for transgender health care, and stripped away a ban on the sale of assault weapons to people under 21. Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade announced in August that the 10 participants in this walkout were ineligible for reelection. Five of them sued, insisting that their interpretation of the constitutional amendment protected their right to run in 2024, and did not render them ineligible until 2028. The Oregon Supreme Court acknowledged that the amendments language was poorly drafted, but sided with the secretary of states interpretation. Given this muddled text, the court looked to the history of the ballot measure to determine how voters understood it. And literally all the evidence points in one direction. The caption printed on every ballot said absentee legislators would be disqualified from holding next term of office. A statement on the ballot explaining the result of a yes vote said the disqualification would apply to the term following current term of office. The official voters pamphlet provided by the state said the same thing, and added an explanatory statement stating that the disqualification would bar the legislator from holding office after the legislators current term ends. In light of this evidence, the court sided with the secretary of states interpretation of the amendment. It held that the phrase after the members current term is completed applies to the term, not the election. That means the election mentioned in the text is the next election, not the election after the next one. So all 10 senators who walked out in 2023 are forbidden from running for reelection. Only two of these senators planned to retire. Four were elected in 2020 and will be locked out of reelection this yeara group that includes Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp. The remaining four were elected in 2022 and will be locked out of reelection in 2026. (All may run again after sitting out one cycle.) There is an interesting lesson here with implications for the effort to disqualify Donald Trump from reelection in 2024: The case illustrates why knocking a candidate off the ballot is not inherently undemocratic. Oregon Republicans, of course, did not engage in insurrection, as Trumps opponents claim he did. But these senators did wield their power to prevent the peoples representatives from conducting the basic business of governance. It is perfectly legitimate for the citizenry to determine that an officeholders attempt to obstruct the legislative process disqualifies them from seeking office in the future. Yes, Trump tried to block the counting of electoral votes, a weightier task than passing gun control or a new budget. Nonetheless, his end goal was to shut down the Senate until he got what he wanted (in the form of an unearned second term). Oregon legislators tried to shut down their Senate until Democrats became so desperate to keep the state running that they came to the table with concessions. The situations obviously differ in important respects, but they share a through-line: an interference with the operation of government that transcends checks and balances to subvert constitutional traditions at the core of representative democracy. Trumps opponents argue that, by enacting Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, the American people used the democratic process to safeguard the presidency from those who cannot be trusted to hold it. Oregons voters made a similar (if less fraught and dramatic) decision to safeguard their statehouse from lawmakers who cannot be trusted to exercise legislative duties responsibly. Neither judgment call threatens democracy; to the contrary, they enhance it by declaring that certain conduct is so harmful to self-governance that those who engage in it must be kept out of power as a matter of constitutional decree. Our rights are strengthened, not imperiled, when we enshrine that decision in our laws. The second flight test of a fully integrated Starship lifts off from SpaceX Starbase at Boca Chica on Nov. 18, 2023. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A sign warns people to stay away from bird nesting areas on July 27, 2023, on a sand flat near SpaceXs Boca Chica Starship and Super Heavy launch tower. William Luther/Staff In late July 2023, debris from an April launch was still scattered near SpaceXs Starship launch tower at the companys Starbase at Boca Chica. William Luther/Staff The sun rises over SpaceXs Boca Chica Starship and Super Heavy launch facility in late July 2023. William Luther/Staff SpaceX may not be able to keep having its way with Boca Chica Beach and roads leading to it. Since the commercial space company began building and testing its Starship rocket there in 2019, its ability to shut off public access to the pristine stretch of coastline which is protected by the state constitution has won the support of local and state officials and some courts. But the momentum might be changing after a Texas appeals court this week reversed a Cameron County state district courts 2022 dismissal of a case against Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, the Texas Land Office, Cameron County and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Thursday, the 13th District Court of Appeals in Edinburg ruled in favor of SaveRGV, the Sierra Club and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas in their 2021 lawsuit. The legal victory comes as the space company awaits authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to attempt a third launch of its 400-foot-tall Starship, which SpaceX has said could be as early as mid-February. Mary Angela Branch a board member for SaveRGV, a nonprofit environmental organization called the decision a huge victory. We are now able to try our case again on the unconstitutionality of beach closures, she said in an email. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Court battle For the past five years, South Texas families and others that had enjoyed nearly unlimited beach access have been facing a new reality requiring them to call ahead to see if Texas 4 was open to the beach or face the prospect of finding it closed for SpaceX operations. Theyve watched as the-once desolate area has become an industrial construction site under increasing pressure from a steady stream of space tourists. Theyve also faced setbacks in their court battle arguing SpaceXs recurring closures of Boca Chica Beach for Starship testing violated the Open Beaches Amendment to the Texas Constitution. The coalition is challenging part of the 2013 Texas Natural Resources Code that allows commissioners in a county bordering the Gulf of Mexico or its tidewater to temporarily close a beach in reasonable proximity to a space flight launch site or access points to the beach in the county on launch dates. Debris, including concrete and rebar from SpaceXs first launch of its Starship, is seen in late July 2023. The companys April 2023 launch caused major damage to the Boca Chica launch site and prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to revoke the companys approval to launch. William Luther/Staff After lobbying by SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk, the state Legislature wrote the law with SpaceXs Boca Chica beach operation in mind -- its the only entity in the state with space launch operations on the Gulf of Mexico. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SaveRGV and the others also targeted language in the law allowing the land commissioner to promulgate rules for the closure of beaches for space flight activities. And they argued against the constitutionality of a memorandum of agreement between the Land Office and Cameron County, as well as a Cameron County Commissioners Court order permitting the closure of Boca Chica Beach and State Highway 4 for space flight launches. The lawsuit said county and state officials have allowed SpaceX to close Boca Chica Beach for up to 450 hours per year and cited instances where people have been turned back due to unannounced beach closures. Justice Clarissa Silva of the 13th Court of Appeals rejected the states and countys assertions that the coalition lacked standing to bring the case and dismissed their claims. She sent the case back to the lower court. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Battles ahead Access to Boca Chica Beach is important to the community, especially those who prefer the undeveloped coastline to the hotels and condos on South Padre Island. Its also the closest beach for Brownsville residents. Emma Guevara, a Sierra Club organizer in Brownsville, said she grew up going to Boca Chica Beach just like her parents and grandparents did. It is an important part of our community, and to have our access to it taken away is a direct confrontation of our rights, she said. This decision is good news, and were happy about it. But were well aware of the obstacles we continue to face across the community, including the state trying to give away huge chunks of Boca Chica State Park to SpaceX. She was referring to a state-led land swap plan that was yanked from the agenda of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting last week after facing a barrage of criticism. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The deal, which came to the publics attention just days before it was set to be approved, would give SpaceX dozens of acres of state park land near its Starship facilities in exchange for 477 acres of land apparently owned by SpaceX near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, about 10 miles to the northwest. News of the plan surprised even Cameron County officials and official opposition was filed by County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. and more than 1,000 others. Concerns included a lack of public notice of the proposed action. About 200 comments were filed in support. The item was moved to the agenda for the commissions meeting in March. Cameron County routinely posts SpaceXs planned beach closures, and people can sign up to receive text notifications by texting BEACH to 866-513-3475. However, the closures often fluctuate due to the nature of flight testing. A 61-year-old nurse from North Carolina was arrested Thursday in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol after she dropped a key piece of evidence at the scene, an FBI agent said in a criminal complaint. Authorities linked Sandra Lee Hodges to the insurrection after U.S. Capitol Police found her hotel room key card while cleaning up the Capitol grounds three days after the attack, according to the complaint unsealed Thursday in federal court in Washington, D.C. Hodges was arrested at her home in Hertford, court records show. The town is on the Perquimans River that flows into the Albemarle Sound about 75 minutes from the Outer Banks. Hodges was charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, picketing, and demonstrating in a Capitol building. Court records dont indicate if Hodges was jailed, if she is free pending a court appearance or if she has retained or been appointed a lawyer. She didnt return a phone message from The Charlotte Observer on Thursday. Sucked into the building Hodges drove to the Capitol on Jan. 5 from her home, the unidentified FBI agent says in the complaint. The FBI interviewed Hodges at her home in April 2023. She planned to attend Donald Trumps speech in Washington, D.C., on the morning of Jan. 6 but overslept, the FBI said. She later encountered a crowd heading to the Capitol after Trumps speech, according to the complaint. Hodges said she became swallowed by the crowd and walked with them to the U.S. Capitol building, the FBI agent said. Once there, she claimed to have been sucked into the building, according to the agent. During the FBI interview, Hodges downplayed her role in the violence, saying she briefly walked around before entering two rooms and sitting down in the second one. As the crowd chants, Sandra Lee Hodges bangs her fist on a conference room table in the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. This image is included in an FBI agents criminal complaint against Hodges. There, she said, she saw someone rip something off a wall, realized something was not right and decided to leave, the FBI agent said. She said she left with the help of police officers ushering people from the building. That afternoon, however, Hodges joined the crowd massing in the West Plaza of the Capitol grounds, as shown in a still image from a publicly available video, the agent said in the complaint. She neared barricades defended by Metropolitan Police officers, the agent said. As law enforcement officers deployed chemical irritants into the crowd to try to disperse them, Hodges yelled Freedom! toward the officers, the agent said. Sandra Hodges, a nurse from North Carolina, shouts at officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. From her vantage point, Hodges was in position to see violence between rioters and law enforcement, the agent said. That included rioters wrestling over barricades, and police deploying crowd control methods against aggressive rioters. She stayed in the West Plaza as the police line collapsed, the agent said. A still image from another publicly available video shows Hodges without her glasses and holding her red Trump hat, according to the complaint. At some point that afternoon, Hodges is shown sitting on a landing beside the northwest scaffolding that rioters earlier overran, the agent said. She next went to the Upper West Terrace and stood near a line of police who were attempting to restore order, the agent said. According to the complaint, Hodges then entered the Capitol building through the Senate Wing Door that rioters breached about an hour earlier. As Hodges entered the building, the complaint says, rioters were entering and leaving the building through the broken windows to either side of the Door, and an alarm was ringing near the doorway. Fifteen minutes later, video showed Hodges sitting on a couch and drinking from a can of Coca-Cola in the hideaway office of U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon. Far-right social media personality Anthime Baked Alaska Gionet also was in the office, according to the complaint. Gionet picked up a phone and said, Hello, U.S. Senate, we have a fraudulent election I would like to report. Yeah, we need to get our boy Donald J. Trump in office ... the complaint says. After another rioter said, Get Pence on the phone!, Gionet responded, Yeah, get Mike Pence on the phone, according to the complaint. Hodges later is shown on video banging her fist on a conference room table as a crowd chanted, America First. As Gionet warned others not to break anything, Hodges told him, Im not breaking anything. This is our house. This embedded content is not available in your region. ***Related video above: Learn about how scammers are targeting the elderly*** CLEVELAND (WJW) Two Northeast Ohio brothers face charges after prosecutors say they tricked victims out of millions of dollars through fraud and money laundering schemes for years. On Thursday, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 41-year-old Zubair Al Zubair, of Bratenahl, and his brother, 30-year-old Muzzammil Al Zubair, of Pepper Pike. 2 arrested after massage turns to armed robbery in Medina: deputies According to a release from the Department of Justice, the brothers allegedly took part in multiple schemes, including investment fraud and cryptocurrency mining, to get funds and property from their victims. The brothers are accused of using those funds to pay for cars, travel expenses, guns and jewelry. The brothers are accused of lying about being extremely wealthy and having government connections. In one case, according to the release, Zubair Al Zubair allegedly lied about being married to a princess and being a royal family member in the United Arab Emirates. Darius Rucker arrested on drug charges in Tennessee They are accused of lying to make millions of dollars between June 2020 and August 2023. The brothers are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 14 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, four counts of money laundering and one count of theft of government funds. Zubair Al Zubair is also charged with harboring a fugitive. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Toyota workers use robotic machinery to assemble a Tundra pickup truck at the automakers plant on the South Side. Toyota Texas/Courtesy Toyotas North American sales in January were up nearly 26% from the same month last year, helped in part by San Antonio-built hybrid Tundra pickup trucks, whose sales more than doubled year over year. Toyota Motor Corp. sold 143,241 vehicles during the first month of 2024, with electrified vehicles accounting for 36.5% of total monthly sales volume slightly surpassing the typical one-third mark. The Japanese automakers biggest seller was the RAV4 SUV; the vehicles hybrid version also led electrified sales. While Toyotas sales are growing, its U.S. sales again trailed behind Fords total sales for January, though Fords electrified vehicle sales for the month lagged compared to Toyotas. General Motors, which does not release monthly sales reports, topped total U.S. sales for 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Toyota, however, led in worldwide sales in 2023 for the fourth consecutive year at 11.22 million vehicles up 7%. The achievement comes as Toyotas leaders in Japan deal with its latest scandal over some of its subsidiaries cheating on safety and emission tests. None of the affected vehicles were sold or manufactured in North America. I would like to express my deepest apologies to our customers and stakeholders for the inconvenience and concern caused by the successive irregularities at Hino Motors, Daihatsu and Toyota Industries, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda told reporters this week in Japan. The companys U.S. market has struggled with inventory, stemming largely from chip supply chain shortages that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Toyota sold 3,085 electrified Tundra pickups during January. Sales of the Sequoia SUV, a hybrid also made in the San Antonio plant on the South Side, totaled 1,727 vehicles over the month, up 40.6% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, sales of the traditionally powered Tundra, also built in San Antonio, were up 48.8% compared to last January at 9,631 pickups sold. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said it filed nearly 200 cases related to organized retail theft last year. The charges are part of county and statewide efforts to crack down on the growing number of retail thefts and smash-and-grab burglaries. Regional law enforcement agencies have created specialized task forces to track down and arrest those who take part in the crimes. District Attorney George Gascon held a press conference Thursday to discuss the cases and what was accomplished in 2023. In a news release issued later in the day, Gascon said retail thefts were not victimless crimes, saying that they cause financial losses to retailers and local businesses while damaging the communitys sense of security while shopping. We want businesses to succeed and for Angelenos to feel safe while theyre out in public. Filing these cases is just the beginning of my offices work toward deterring these types of crimes in order to make Los Angeles County a safer place, Gascon said, adding that his office is committed to helping law enforcement track down those responsible and ensure they are held accountable. $300K in stolen retail property recovered by L.A. police The cases were filed between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023 and involved adults and juveniles, the D.A.s Office said. The majority of the cases involve multiple defendants who worked together to steal from stores with the intent to sell what they took. Those circumstances qualify the crimes as felonies, officials said. While some cases are pending, sentences can range from probation to state prison. Stores that have been targeted and were victims in the cases include the 99 Cents Only Store, American Eagle, Kohls, Macys, Nike, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Sephora, Target, Ulta and Victorias Secret. Small businesses are also among those cases. The D.A.s Office said it has worked with law enforcement partners to recover and return millions of dollars worth of stolen goods to retailers. Two of the largest busts involved $188,000 worth of product returned to Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills and $250,000 in merchandise recovered and given back to Kevin Jewelers. Target and CVS also had hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods returned last year. Nearly $200,000 worth of stolen merchandise from Victorias Secret and CVS stores were recovered while suspects tried to sell the items in downtown L.A. (Los Angeles Police Department) Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said the regional task force to curb retail theft has restored much of the feeling of safety and security taken away from L.A. residents and business owners. I am proud of the hard work and dedication to public safety of those not only from the Los Angeles Police Department, but our partnering agencies as well, Moore said. As public servants, we cannot work in silos; we cannot work alone. Public safety belongs to all of us. One of those partner agencies is the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Since it was established, the Sheriffs Organized Retail Crimes Task Force has arrested 438 suspects related to retail theft, with 309 cases successfully filed, according to LASD Major Crimes Bureau Captain Rob Peacock. Peacock says its not just the shoplifters who are being targeted by local law enforcement. We are not only focused on the individuals responsible for the thefts, but those that are in the criminal chainthe getaway drivers, those that harbor them, and those that sell the stolen merchandise, he said. These individuals need to understand that there will be consequenceswe will use all our resources to identify, pursue, and arrest these suspects. As retail crime thefts continue to be a problem across the Los Angeles area, authorities are asking for the publics help to bring a stop to them. Anyone with information about these types of crimes in L.A. County is encouraged to contact the LAPD Organized Retail Theft Task Force by email or by calling at 818-374-9420. The LASD Organized Retail Crime Task Force can be reached by email or at 562-946-7270. Anonymous tips can be made online or by calling 800-222-8477. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. On January 26, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska approved a consent decree that requires the Nebraska county to adopt a new district plan to provide Native Americans a fair opportunity to elect candidates to the Thurston County Board of Supervisors. (Photo/Canva Pro) Two tribes in Nebraska last week successfully negotiated a court approved redistricting plan with Thurston County to settle a lawsuit in which the tribe's alleged the county intentionally diluted the impact of Native voters. On January 26, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska approved a consent decree that requires the Nebraska county to adopt a new district plan to provide Native Americans a fair opportunity to elect candidates to the Thurston County Board of Supervisors. Local elections will use the new map starting in next year's elections and until the next redistricting process begins after 2030. As a result of historical participation in the 2020 Census, the Native population in the United States grew by an astonishing 86.5%. According to Census Data, in 2021, Thurston County had a population of 6,8000, 60% of which is Native American. The majority of those Native residents are of voting age. The new map makes it so four of the seven Board of Supervisors districts will provide Native voters with a fair opportunity to elect their preferred candidates, as required by the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA). This case marks the third time Thurston County has been successfully sued under the VRA for a redistricting plan that violates the rights of Native American voters in the county. "Native people in Thurston County have thrived against all odds in spite of any setback, and this includes defending Native voters' right to participate in legal and fair elections in Nebraska," Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Chairwoman Victoria Kitcheyan said in a statement. "We negotiated the new district map with county officials so Native voters will have a fair chance at electing candidates to the Board of Supervisors in 2024." In 1979, courts subjected Thurston County to a consent decree forbidding the adoption of an at-large voting system as violating Section 2 of the VRA because an at-large system would disenfranchise the estimated 28% population of Native voters in the county at the time. As a result of another lawsuit, the courts in 1996 required Thurston County to create a legal district map that fairly apportioned the then-estimated 36% population of Native voters per the VRA. The 2023 consent decree requires Thurston County to create a legal district map that reflects that Native Americans now comprise almost 60% of the county's population and make up a majority of the voting-age population of Thurston County. During Thurston County's redistricting process after the release of the 2020 Census, the Board of Supervisors refused to implement a VRA-compliant map proposed by both Tribes and instead adopted a map that will now be replaced by a VRA-compliant map as required under the new consent decree. The court asked the parties to submit briefing on what effect a recent Eighth Circuit opinion had on the court's ability to approve the consent decree. That Eighth Circuit case, Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment, made the unprecedented ruling that private citizens do not have a right of action under Section 2 of the VRA. However, the judge ultimately found that authority does exist for the Nebraska court to approve the consent decree. "This case shows that we will keep fighting for our right to vote," said Omaha Tribe Chairman Jason Sheridan. "The new consent decree resolves the third and hopefully last lawsuit against Thurston County to get a legal and equitable redistricting process. The Omaha Tribe is dedicated to fighting any legal battles Thurston County throws at us." Native American voters continue to historical face disenfranchisement in many states and districts. Polling places located far from remote tribal communities and voter ID laws that prevent citizens living on reservations without traditional street addresses from voting have contributed to Native Americans having the lowest voter turnout of all groups. Mobilization efforts by Native-led organizations are changing that, however, and Native American voters increascingly play a major role in local and federal elections, according to a new report by the National Urban Indian Family Coalition. In 2002, South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) was re-elected by 500 votes when the final votes were counted on the Pine Ridge Reservation, according to an investigation by the Native American Rights Fund. Michigan had one of the closest margins in the 2016 Presidential Election, with a margin of 0.3 percent. With more than 100,000 Native people aged 18 and older in Michigan, the number of Native people eligible to vote was four times more than the margin of victory in the state, according to the investigation. About the Author: "Elyse Wild is senior editor for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. " Contact: ewild@indiancountrymedia.com The flag of Netherlands and the flag of Ukraine. Stock photo: Getty Images Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Dutch government has provided the state budget of Ukraine with about 300 million. Source: the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, following the results of an online meeting of Minister Serhii Marchenko with Steven van Weyenberg, the newly appointed Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Quote: "The 300 million of direct budget support attracted was a significant contribution to ensuring macro-financial stability in the face of uncertainty," Marchenko said. During the meeting, the parties emphasised that Russia's seized assets should serve as the foundation for future recovery financing and Ukrainian economic stability. The Dutch Minister of Finance added that the EU countries are currently actively discussing the possibility of directing frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Alls fair in love and war, and if youre feeling especially vengeful this Valentines Day, then the Humane Society for Southwest Washington is battle-ready. The non-profits Neuter Your Ex event gives unresolved feelings a new edge by giving heartbroken lovers a chance to name a cat after their ex and you guessed it neuter them. Man accused of burning down home said voices told him the place contained vampires A flat fee of $50 covers the cost of castration, and you can sign up on the HSSW website. Have a couple of exes? No problem, weve got the cats for it, the shelter said in a post on social media. Want to dedicate a neuter to a friend with an ex? We gotchu. Youll find dedication options, too. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevada will get $4.1 million from a company that developed sales tactics to market OxyContin to doctors based on conversations involving their patients. The settlement, a share of a $350 million from a multinational marketing firm called Publis, is the latest in the states efforts in the battle against the harm done to Nevadans by opioid abuse and addiction. Publis acknowledged the harm it caused and agreed to stop accepting work related to opioid-based drugs, according to a news release from Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford on Friday. Publis did marketing work for companies like Purdue Pharma Big Pharma companies that profited by selling prescription opioids. Those companies are now shelling out millions to states to settle litigation. Publis will also disclose on a public website thousands of internal documents detailing its work for opioid companies. As I have said time and time again, we will never stop holding accountable those who have harmed Nevadans through their casual indifference for the consequences of this opioid epidemic, Ford said. I am proud to see another company held accountable for their wanton disregard for the health of others, and I am pleased the state has further funds to mitigate the harms of this horrible epidemic. Publis developed sales tactics that relied on farming data from recordings of personal health-related in-office conversations between patients and providers. The company was also instrumental in Purdues decision to market OxyContin to providers on patients electronic health records, according to the news release. The Nevada Attorney Generals Office has brought in over $1.1 billion so far through efforts to hold companies responsible for creating and fueling the crisis, Fords office said. The multistate settlement with Publis was led by the attorney general of Colorado, one of 10 states on an executive committee pursuing the settlement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Amid the ongoing teachers strike, the Newton School Committee voted Thursday night to cancel February break to start making up for lost school days, including the following day. Students, parents urge judge to end Newton teachers strike as school committee seeks heftier fines Students would have Monday off for Presidents Day but have to be in school Tuesday through the end of the week, February 23, according to officials. State law requires public school students to attend 180 days of school, and those attendance requirements must be completed by June 30. The school committee also announced that classes would be canceled on Friday, February 2, the 11th day of classes students will have missed. Newton cancels 11th day of school for Friday, Feb 2nd as strike continues. School committee has voted to cancel Feb. vacation (Tues-Fri) & considering other options to offset missed days, including cancelling part of Spring Recess & using rotation of weekend days #Boston25 pic.twitter.com/w677I58t9I Drew Karedes (@DrewKaredes) February 2, 2024 The committee has not yet voted on the last day of school and is considering several additional options to offset the days that have been missed as a result of the strike. We do need to be realistic about how much time has to be made up, said Rajeev Parlikar, a Newton School Committee member. If we dont use February break, we are already looking at potentially Saturdays because there will be no other buffer. Options include utilizing the April 16-19 school break, using a rotation of weekend days and attending school until the end of June. Given every resource: Newton School Committee says it has run out of money for striking teachers When informed by a reporter that the school committee had voted to wipe out the break, Newton Teacher Association Mike Zilles stated he was unaware before expressing incredulity at the school committees decision. That was not what I read on the proposal but from what I read in the documents they put out on the docket, the proposal was to complete the school year through June 30 and then if there was a need for more days to go to April vacation, Zilles said. I think thats pretty early after the strike to then once again disrupt peoples schedules. I think it would be very hard for anyone who has a vacation scheduled in that short of notice to do that and I think its unfair to both the students and the educators coming off this long and difficult strike to then ask them to change their schedules once again. I would ask them to reconsider is what I would say, Zilles added. Attorneys for the Newton School Committee and the Newton Teachers Association are expected to appear in court Friday in response to an emergency motion filed by a Middles Sex Superior Judge Thursday to double fines for each additional day that the strike continues. That motion is asking for a Middlesex Superior judge to double fines for each additional day that the strike continues. The hearing is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. Colleges arent going to wait: Newton seniors fear delayed transcripts may impact applications 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 Save Ukraine, a Ukrainian humanitarian NGO, reported on Feb. 2 that it rescued four more children from Russian-occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Since February 2022, the Ukrainian government has identified over 19,500 children as abducted from Russian-occupied territories and sent to Russia, Belarus, or other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine. Only 388 of them have been able to return home. Children from parts of Ukraine that were occupied by Russia during the full-scale invasion have often been separated from their families as a result of hostilities and the inability to safely cross into the Ukraine-controlled territory. The four children rescued on Feb. 2 are now safe at one of Save Ukraines facilities. The youngest is not even a year old, according to the NGO. Read also: Explainer: What we know about Russias deportation of Ukrainian children A new rescue mission by Save Ukraine is currently underway. The organization said it has already brought back 235 Ukrainian children from Russia and occupied territories. Earlier the same day, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly arrived in Kyiv to launch a joint initiative to return Ukrainian children deported or forcibly transferred by Russia, among other goals of the visit. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on Jan. 25 calling on European leaders to make all efforts to return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia home. In March last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin over their role in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Nigerian royals have claimed Cambridge University bosses were duped into an agreement to repatriate the Benin Bronzes and must now return them to a local king. In 2022, the university pledged to return 116 artefacts to Nigeria, but paused its plan when it emerged that the treasures would become the private property of the king of the Benin people, rather than a Nigerian government body. The Benin royal household has now claimed that Cambridge bosses were duped into making deals with false claimants to the Bronzes amid an internal political wrangle in Nigeria. A senior prince representing the palace has insisted that the university stop stalling and return the artefacts to their legitimate owner, the king or Oba of Benin, reigniting an international row over the metal artworks. Hundreds of artworks were created for the monarchs of the Kingdom of Benin which was absorbed into Nigeria and looted by British troops after they stormed the palace of then-ruler Oba Ovonramwen in an 1897 expedition. His modern-day descendant, Oba Ewuare II, contends that the artefacts rightfully belong to him and should be returned directly. The position has been endorsed by the Nigerian state to the surprise of pro-repatriation European museums. I feel sorry for the Europeans Prince Aghatise Erediauwa of Benin, the younger brother of the Oba, has insisted that Cambridge respect his wishes. He told the Telegraph: I feel sorry for the Europeans who have been duped and received promises about the artefacts from those who should not have been claiming the Bronzes. He added: Cambridge should most definitely return the artefacts. The Oba of Benin is the legitimate owner. The president of Nigeria has recognised this. I understand they are hesitating, but they must return the artefacts. They must now do the right thing, and return the artefacts to the right people. Benin Bronzes were created for the monarchs and looted by British troops - TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS Cambridge holds 116 Bronzes in its Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, which have faced demands for repatriation. Oxfords museum collection and the more than 900 housed in the British museum have also been the subject of debate. The Telegraph has been told that the Benin royal household became concerned when a third party, Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments, began negotiating terms for the repatriation of Bronzes from Western museums. The commission wanted returned artefacts to be housed in the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) that it plans to build in Benin City. It is the capital of the former Kingdom of Benin, once looted by the British in an expedition that eventually led to the Bronzes being dispersed around the world. Cambridge, Oxford and the Horniman Museum in London agreed to repatriate in 2022, taking their lead from institutions in Germany. But the Oba of Benin was concerned about the deals. He had already put forward his own plans for a Royal Museum in which the Bronzes could be housed, and saw the EMOWAA as an interloper. Muhammadu Buhari, the president of Nigeria, subsequently ruled that returned Bronzes would become the property of the Oba. But Cambridge paused its repatriation plans after concerns were raised that publicly displayed objects could disappear into a monarchs private collection. The EMOWAA later withdrew from pursuing any plans to house the Bronzes. The Horniman decided to press ahead despite this, and Oxfords plans were paused by the Charity Commission, which ensures that universities do not undermine their charitable mission by giving away assets. Cambridge was given go-ahead to return Bronzes in January 2023 after the deal was vetted by the Charity Commission, but delayed its plan in May and has not sent back any artefacts. University paused repatriation plan after it The university stated: The University of Cambridge is in talks with all parties in Nigeria over the implementation of the Councils decision to return Benin Bronzes in its collections. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Maj. Gen. Phillip A. Stewart, right, former commander of the 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, is only the second general in Air Force history to face a court-martial. He's accused of sexually assaulting a female subordinate. William Luther/San Antonio Express-News Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart is in select company, and not in a good way: The former combat pilot is only the second general in Air Force history to face a court-martial. Stewart is charged with sexually assaulting a female officer last April at an Air Force base in Oklahoma. A month after the alleged incident, Stewart was sacked as head of the 19th Air Force, the services pilot training arm headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. In December, Stewarts commanding general ordered him to stand trial. Hes accused of sexual assault, conduct unbecoming an officer, dereliction of duty and other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If convicted of all charges, Stewart could be sentenced to up to 63 years in a military penitentiary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its been a steep fall from grace for a man who once flew fighter-bombers and high-altitude spy planes, held command positions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and oversaw 32,000 employees as head of the 19th Air Force. Heres a summary of what we know about the case, drawn from the reporting of Sig Christenson, military affairs reporter for the San Antonio Express-News. What are the circumstances of the alleged sexual assault? Military investigators say it happened at or near Altus AFB in southwestern Oklahoma on April 13, 2023, and again the following day. The alleged victim is a female officer who was under Stewarts command. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its undisputed that the two had sex. At issue is whether the woman did so voluntarily or felt compelled to submit to Stewart because of his rank. Theres no evidence he used physical force against her. RELATED: Air Force general accused of rape says encounter was consensual What is Stewarts defense? He contends the two had a consensual affair, the woman never said no and nothing in her behavior indicated she wasnt a voluntary participant. Air Force prosecutors arent buying that argument. They contend that given the vast power differential between the two, the woman had no choice but to submit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Air Force Maj. Gen. Phillip A. Stewart, shown in an official portrait, flew fighter-bombers and high-altitude spy planes and held command positions in Iraq and Afghanistan. What does the evidence show? Like the evidence in any criminal case, its subject to interpretation. How you view it depends on which side youre on. The evidence was aired at an Article 32 hearing at Randolph in October. Its similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding. The hearing officer makes a recommendation up the chain of command as to whether theres sufficient evidence of a crime to put the defendant on trial. In this case, Air Force Col. Brian Thompson recommended against a court-martial. In so many words, he said the case was so weak prosecutors would never obtain a conviction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At no point did (the alleged victim) express, through words or conduct, that she was not freely agreeing/consenting to engage in the sexual acts with accused, Thompson wrote in his Oct. 29 report. He cited comments she made to Air Force investigators who interviewed her a month after her encounter with Stewart: And Ive never told him no for anything, and Im I dont know why I couldnt. I just let him, and it was like some weird autopilot like, like, it wasnt even me it was just mechanical. The woman engaged in conversation with (the) accused during breaks between the sexual acts, laughing at him, teasing him, and complimenting him, talking about how they would keep the sexual encounter from their spouses, letting him know she had an IUD, Thompson wrote. Thompson said Stewart and the woman lay in bed together for long periods of time when they were not engaged in sexual acts. During this time, they interacted consistent with individuals engaged in a consensual encounter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The hearing officer was unequivocal: I will not hedge; even taking the evidence presented in the light most favorable to the prosecution, no rational trier of fact could find the elements of sexual assault here beyond a reasonable doubt. He urged that all the charges be resolved through administrative disciplinary processes, which could include a reduction in Stewarts rank. Why wasnt that the end of it? The decision whether Stewart should face a court-martial lay with his boss, Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of the Air Education and Training Command, based at Randolph. Robinson was not convinced by Thompsons reasoning. He ordered Stewart to stand trial on all the charges. What did he see that the hearing officer didnt? Robinson has declined to comment, and the Air Force wont say anything beyond confirming that Robinson reviewed all evidence and the Article 32 preliminary hearing officers report in deciding to refer all preferred charges to a court-martial. Still, evidence that emerged during the hearing could be viewed as bolstering the charges against Stewart. For instance, the woman told Air Force investigators that she believed in her mind that the sexual acts were nonconsensual. She said she was just too shocked and scared to say anything, and that Stewart never asked if it were OK. He never asked if I wanted to. During the Article 32 hearing, Lt. Col. Pete Havern, special trial counsel for the Air Force, said that when she spoke with investigators about Stewart, she calls him boss. I lost count in that interview, Havern said. That speaks volumes. Havern also said that although the woman did not overtly resist, she tried to deflect Stewarts advances by saying her husband would be angry if he found out. Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, second from right, is head of the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antionio-Randolph. In December, he set aside a hearing officer's recommendation and ordered Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart to stand trial on charges of sexually assaulting a subordinate. Ronald Cortes / Contributor What other evidence was there? It turns out that a month before their encounter in Oklahoma, Stewart pressed the woman to spend the night with him in a hotel room. It happened on March 7, 2023, in Denver, where they were among military personnel attending a conference. Thompson described the incident in his report on the Article 32 hearing. Stewart texted the woman three times urging her to join him in his room, according to Thompsons report. She declined. She later became upset over the exchange and showed the texts to the 19th Air Force command chief and an aide, who thought accuseds efforts were shady, Thompson wrote. They were shady, he went on. Perhaps accused would assert that he was just looking out for the safety of one of his subordinates who was drinking late into the night. But he did not offer to secure transportation for her or offer to try to get her a room at the conference hotel. Rather he wanted her to come sleep in his room with him, at least at the outset on separate beds, and was disturbingly persistent in making this offer, Thompson wrote. It is not difficult to define accuseds actions as unbecoming an officer. Nonetheless, he recommended that this offense be disposed of other than by court-martial. What are the other charges against Stewart? In addition to sexual assault and conduct unbecoming an officer, hes charged with dereliction of duty and extramarital sexual conduct. Hes also accused of flying an aircraft within 12 hours of consuming alcohol, a throttle-to-bottle violation. It allegedly happened at Altus on April 14, 2023, around the same time as his sexual encounter with the female officer. Where does the case stand now? Stewarts lawyers have petitioned Robinson to allow him to retire rather than face trial. In that event, Stewart would go before a grade determination board to set his final rank. If he was busted down in rank, he could see his military retirement benefits slashed. Robinson will make a recommendation on Stewarts petition to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III, who will have the final say. If Stewarts request to retire is denied, he will go before a court-martial in June. How rare is it for an Air Force general to be court-martialed? Roger Lee-Canada McCracken III, right, embraces his father, Roger Lee-Canada McCracken Jr., after being found not guilty of murder Thursday in the killing of Ronnie Riddle in 2021. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Roger Lee-Canada McCracken bows his head in prayer with friends and family moments before the jury in his murder trial returned with a verdict of not guilty Thursday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Roger Lee-Canada McCracken embraces his wife, Jackie McCracken, after being found not guilty not guilty of murder Thursday in the killing of Ronnie Riddle in 2021. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Melissa Martinez, mother of Roger Lee-Canada McCracken, wipes away tears after her son was found not guilty of murder Thursday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Attorney Joe Hoelscher, left, congratulates his client Roger Lee-Canada McCracken, center, who was found not guilty of murder Thursday in the killing of Ronnie Riddle in 2021. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Roger Lee-Canada McCracken smiles after being found not guilty of murder Thursday in the killing of Ronnie Riddle in 2021. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Roger Lee-Canada McCracken appears in court ahead of closing arguments in his murder trial on Thursday. A jury found him not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Surrounded by his attorneys, Roger Lee-Canada McCracken appears in court ahead of closing arguments in his murder trial Thursday. A jury found him not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Joe Hoelscher confers with prosecutor Neal Cordero ahead of closing arguments in Roger Lee-Canada McCrackens murder trial on Thursday. A jury found McCracken not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News State District Judge Joel Perez addresses attorneys during closing arguments at Roger Lee-Canada McCrackens murder trial on Thursday. A jury found McCracken not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Neal Cordero addresses the jury during closing arguments at Roger Lee-Canada McCrackens murder trial on Thursday. A jury found McCracken not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Attorney Joe Hoelscher gives his closing argument Thursday in the murder trial of his client Roger Lee-Canada McCracken, not pictured. A jury found him not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Bailiffs fill the courtroom for the reading of the verdict in Roger Lee-Canada McCrackens trial on Thursday. He was found not guilty of murder. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Attorney Joe Hoelscher gives his closing argument Thursday in the murder trial of his client Roger Lee-Canada McCracken, not pictured. A jury found him not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Andrea Vizcarra addresses the jury during closing arguments of Roger Lee-Canada McCrackens murder trial on Thursday. A jury found McCracken not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Andrea Vizcarra delivers her closing argument in the murder trial of Roger Lee-Canada McCracken on Thursday. A jury found McCracken not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Giving her closing argument in murder trial of Roger Lee-Canada McCracken on Thursday, prosecutor Andrea Vizcarra pounds her fists along a line of shell casings collected from the parking lot where Ronnie Riddle was killed in 2021.A jury found McCracken not guilty. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News A Bexar County jury reported being deadlocked hours before deciding a San Antonio man acted in self-defense when he shot and killed a neighbor he said had appeared to reach for a gun in front of his wife and daughters. Roger Lee-Canada McCracken was found not guilty of murder Thursday. He had fired multiple shots at Ronnie Riddle, 34, in a confrontation that had been escalating for months, stemming from McCracken and his wife calling the police on Riddle and accusing him of domestic violence. Both testified they could hear him beating his girlfriend in a neighboring apartment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prosecutors Neal Cordero and Andrea Vizcarra argued that McCracken acted with intent in the fatal shooting that occurred Sept. 11, 2021, at the apartment complex in the 3400 block of East Southcross Boulevard. The four-person defense team, led by Joseph Hoelscher, argued that McCracken acted to defend himself, his wife and two daughters, ages 3 and 4 at the time, when Riddle placed himself between the McCrackens and their children, took off his hoodie and reached behind him for a gun. Roger and Jackie McCracken had returned with their daughters from a family trip to a Peter Piper Pizza restaurant, their son in his grandmothers car, when they encountered Riddle, who was aggressive and angry, Roger McCracken testified. He yelled at them, called them (expletive) cop callers, then said, Matter of fact, Ill handle yall bitches myself, and reached behind his back, the defendant told the jury this week. McCracken said Riddle was known to carry a .45-caliber handgun in the back of his waist. McCracken said he fired twice, and continued to fire after Riddle ran behind a truck. Riddle was hit twice in the chest and died at a hospital. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Calling the confrontation just a neighborly dispute, Cordero told the jury in his closing argument that self-defense is for ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, adding, The defendant shot and killed and murdered (Riddle) for no reason. The number of bullets McCracken fired 12 was not a reasonable response, especially when Riddle was fleeing, Vizcarra said, pounding her fist at each of the recovered shell casings. In his closing argument, Hoelscher reminded the jury of the testimony of both McCrackens. They go to play games with their son and two girls, then they come back. Roger puts down (the car window) and the voice of Ronnie Riddle is yelling and cursing, he told the panel. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hoelscher said the McCrackens had a plan to get their daughters from their car to their apartment without incident. He told the panel their 3-year-old didnt know Riddle was no longer a family friend and stood in front of the man as he berated her parents. Bitch, keep my name out of your (expletive) mouth, Hoelscher quoted Riddle, based on Jackie McCrackens testimony and that of an eyewitness. That is not a neighborly dispute. Hoelscher said Roger McCracken acted in defense of himself and his wife and children, reaching for his gun when he saw Riddle reach for his. He said some witnesses who testified had lied, claiming one of them found the .45 caliber gun in Riddles pocket and hid it from police, who found it hours later in the lot, and that bystanders picked up shell casings that could have come from Riddles gun. Roger took responsibility. ... He called the police while people are yelling at him, not about Ronnie Riddle but about their truck, Hoelscher added, referring to one witness who was said to have been angry about her Tahoe being shot at. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When you tell somebody you are going to solve them as a problem and reach for a gun, thats a perceived danger, Hoelscher told the jury. Ronnie Riddle was attempting to commit murder. Jurors began deliberating at 12:05 p.m. and told state District Judge Joel Perez they were deadlocked. He told them to keep at it. As word that the jury was coming back at 6 p.m. reached the courtroom, family and friends of the defendant gathered in a circle and prayed. The room, with a heavy presence of law enforcement officers, was quiet as the jury entered. Supporters of the Riddle family left in anger when the verdict was announced. The McCracken family said they would wait before leaving, to avoid running into them. If he had been convicted of murder, McCracken, 25, could have faced up to life in prison. District 4 City Councilmember Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia listens during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) Kaylee Greenlee Beal Former District 1 City Councilmember Mario Bravo listens after speaking during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL District 10 City Councilmember Marc White listens during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) Kaylee Greenlee Beal Mayor Ron Nirenberg listens to former District 1 City Councilmember Mario Bravo speak during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) Kaylee Greenlee Beal Former District 1 City Councilmember Mario Bravo holds his speech before addressing a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) Kaylee Greenlee Beal District 2 City Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez listens during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) Kaylee Greenlee Beal Former District 1 City Councilmember Mario Bravo speaks during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL Former District 1 City Councilmember Mario Bravo speaks during a council meeting considering a code of conduct to govern appropriate behavior among its members at the Council Chambers on Feb. 01, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL Under a code of conduct adopted by City Council on Thursday, members cant have sex with staffers and they cant call up a lobbyist or anyone else to share information gleaned from closed-door executive sessions. They cant sneakily blind copy outside parties on emails dealing with city business. And they have to treat colleagues, staff and constituents respectfully. After reprimanding three council members in the last 15 months without written guidelines staking out what are punishable offenses council voted 8-2 in favor of the code of conduct, council's first. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In addition to identifying which unsavory acts are beyond the pale, it outlines how council members are to report a colleague's bad behavior. District 4 Council Member Adriana Rocha Garcia, who has wanted a code of conduct since joining council in 2019, said the four-page document "adds a level of clarity to what's expected of us." We should be held, in that professional regard, to higher standards, and we should know what they are and this does exactly that, she said before Thursday's vote. The councils two most liberal members Teri Castillo and Jalen McKee-Rodriguez voted against the code, partly out of concern that it could be used to bludgeon political rivals on the dais. Castillo also said "the process laid out allows City Council to be the judge and jury of each other," but that council representatives are ultimately accountable to voters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad District 10 Council Member Marc Whyte, who was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated Dec. 29 and reprimanded by council 16 days later, voted for the code. But he shared Castillo's concerns. "I feel like the professionalism amongst this council is going to be even more important after we put this into place," he said. "Because we can't have the slightest comment or eye roll or whatever it may be result in wasting city time and resources investigating those kinds of things." Mayor Ron Nirenberg shrugged off suggestions that the code of conduct would usher in an era of touchiness and volatility, saying it only codifies the standards that council already tried to adhere to. "Whether or not we have a written code of conduct doesn't change standards of behavior that we have already agreed to just by taking office," he said. District 8 Council Member Manny Pelaez was absent from Thursday's meeting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Breaking down the code The code outlines eight broad rules for council members, one of which is that they must comply with city workplace rules barring harassment, violence and nepotism. The code also says council members can't: use profane language, launch personal attacks or verbally abuse colleagues, staffers or member of the public including in social media posts be in intimate relationships with staffers unless the relationship predated the member's election or the staffer's hiring retaliate for being reprimanded under the code of conduct A council member can submit a written complaint to the city manager and city attorney, who will open a review within 10 days if they think the complaint might have merit. If they conclude that it does, the city attorney then will launch an investigation and brief the council on the findings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A member who violates the code can face a censure, call for resignation or written reprimand all of which are symbolic and carry no concrete penalties. City Attorney Andy Segovia said council members already contact him or City Manager Erik Walsh if they believe a colleague has acted inappropriately. The code of conduct, however, irons out at least one inconsistency in how the city has handled recent reprimands. When then-Council Member Mario Bravo was censured in November 2022 for verbally attacking Ana Sandoval, a council colleague and former intimate partner, he was barred from presenting his side of the story or talking at all in closed-door council sessions and public meetings. But Council Members Clayton Perry and Marc Whyte were allowed to apologize from the dais when they were reprimanded Perry for drunken driving and fleeing the scene of an accident, and Whyte for his DWI charge. Under the new code, the target of a formal reprimand can't participate in the council's discussion before the vote, but they can make a public statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whyte succeeded Perry in District 10 last year after the latter chose not to run for reelection. While the rules for reprimands are a little clearer under the code of conduct, a lot of ambiguity remains. On Thursday, District 9 Council Member John Courage quizzed Segovia, offering up several scenarios such as a member getting high or driving while intoxicated on their personal time to determine whether the city attorney would consider them violations of the new code. Segovia's answer in each case boiled down to: It depends. "It's up to the council as to whether you apply it or not, because these rules are rules that the council has decided they're going to live up to," Segovia said. "And it will be ultimately up to the council as to what behavior is covered and which behavior is not." The code doesn't say whether council members can reprimand a colleague for questionable, or downright shady, behavior on their time away from city work. But they could it's up to council, Segovia noted. Perry and Whyte were sanctioned for actions on their own time. Bravo, who lost his District 1 reelection bid to Sukh Kaur in June, told council members that he had concerns about the code. He said constituents should be the ones holding a member accountable by voting them out of office if they disapprove of the incumbent's actions. He also said someone accused of a conduct code violation lacked due process rights. In other words, they might have a hard time fighting the allegations or arguing against a formal reprimand. Two Republicans appointed in 2023 to the Oklahoma County Election Board were removed by state authorities Wednesday after it considered complaints they lodged about how the county tabulates election results. The state board also suggested criminal charges should be filed against the pair. Decisions to remove Cheryl Williams, appointed to the board in 2023 as the Republican Party's representative, and Jenni White, appointed as Williams' alternate, were made unanimously by the Oklahoma State Election Board's three members after they met in an executive session that lasted nearly 11 hours. Besides removing Williams and White from the county election board, the state board also recommended both women's actions be reviewed by the Oklahoma County district attorney's office and Oklahoma's attorney general to evaluate if they should be criminally prosecuted. Chair Heather Mahieu Cline reads the rules for moving into an executive session Jan. 31, 2024, during a meeting of the state Election Board at the Oklahoma Capitol. Williams could not be reached Thursday for comment, but White said she was surprised the board took those actions for conduct she believes was part of her responsibilities as an appointed election board official. "I am disappointed, obviously," White said Thursday. "There were many ways to go in this situation that didn't have to result in firing and then subsequently calling for an investigation of someone who is a citizen. To me, that seemed excessive." More: Oklahoma primaries: Everything you need to know for the 2024 presidential election Ken Warner, chairman of Oklahoma County's Republican Party, responded similarly. "If they were going to let Cheryl and Jenni go, they should have just let them go," Warner said. "I don't think they did anything wrong. I think they saw some things they wanted to have discussed. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. They were just dismissed. Hopefully, something good will come out of this before it's all said and done. That's my wish, anyway," Warner said. Oklahoma's Election Board has the authority to appoint and, when necessary, remove members and alternates representing Republicans and Democrats to county election boards across the state. It also selects or can remove election board secretaries for each of Oklahoma's 77 counties. Those primary Republican and Democratic members, along with the secretaries, make up each county's three-person election board. Alternates fill in when designated party representatives can't attend. During that session, board members took testimony from Williams and White, Oklahoma County Election Board Secretary Doug Sanderson and Tuesday Sanders, Sanderson's deputy. David Glover, the Democratic Party's representative on the county election board, also testified. Sanderson, who served as the Logan County Election Board secretary from 1988 until 1995 and the Oklahoma County Election Board secretary ever since, could have been removed from his post by the state Election Board because of the women's complaints. He was not disciplined on Wednesday. Paul Ziriax, secretary of the Oklahoma State Election Board, is pictured Jan. 31, 2024, during a meeting of the state board at the Oklahoma Capitol. Oklahoma County Election Board members claim Oklahoma County tabulates election results conflicts with state law A letter Williams and White sent in late November to Paul Ziriax, secretary of the state Election Board, prompted Wednesday's meeting. Williams and White wrote Ziriax to tell him they believed the process Oklahoma County uses to tabulate both absentee and poll-cast votes violates state law. While Sanderson allowed election board members to verify mailed-in absentee ballots as part of a Nov. 14 bond issue election for Jones were properly sealed and certified, Williams and White complained Sanderson declined to allow Williams to visually inspect the enclosed ballots, or to inspect tapes, scanning machines or thumb drives carrying scanner results from precinct polling places. The only tool at Williams' disposal to monitor the counting process after polls closed, they wrote, was a closed-circuit monitor where precinct officials could be seen delivering scanners and associated materials to the election board's office during the tabulations process. As each precinct's results were tabulated, vote totals were added to the unofficial elections results page on the Oklahoma State Election Board's website, also broadcast into the board's meeting room. Those unofficial results were what the board was asked to certify later the same week, they wrote. Williams and White wrote they believe the process the Oklahoma County Election Board uses to certify election conflicts with administrative rules set by the state agency, which say a county election board shall canvass precinct and absentee results for all elections. Chair Heather Mahieu Cline leads board members of the Oklahoma State Election Board into executive session Jan. 31, 2024, during a meeting at the Oklahoma Capitol. She is followed by Paul Ziriax, secretary of the state Election Board. Checks they made with other counties showed Oklahoma County's board is the only one statewide that prevents board members from directly witnessing tabulation activities, they also wrote. "Since neither David, nor Cheryl could not visually in person review any of the canvassing procedure, their vote to certify the election was fraudulent, as they were voting to certify something they hadnt seen with their own eyes," they wrote. "Clearly, Mr. Sanderson is not following Oklahoma election law," they wrote. Williams and White wrote Ziriax that they brought up their concerns about how Oklahoma County tabulates election votes in September as they went through a training session after their appointments to the board. They unsuccessfully reiterated those concerns the night the results for the Jones bond issue were tabulated and later in the week when the board met to certify the election's results, they wrote. "Doug Sanderson and Tuesday Sanders spoke to both Cheryl Williams and Jenni White in a very disrespectful way," they wrote. "We were threatened with, and ultimately kicked out of a state building. This is not the way for state employees to speak to members of the public who pay their salary and are simply trying to follow the law in the positions to which they were appointed," they wrote. As for Glover, he told The Oklahoman he believed the process the election board uses to tabulate election votes had been in place for years and previously had been reviewed and authorized by Oklahoma County's district attorney's office. A sign on the ground floor during a meeting of the state election board at the Oklahoma Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. Why could Oklahoma County Election Board members face criminal investigations? Actions Williams and White took to question Oklahoma County's election results might be criminally prosecutable, the state Election Board found. An approved motion put forward by Mignon Lambley directed Ziriax to work with Oklahoma's attorney general and Oklahoma County's district attorney to explore the possibility. Before that, the board approved two other motions made by Heather Mahieu Cline, the board's chair, to remove both Williams and White from their roles as Oklahoma County Election Board members. "We have spent the last 10-plus hours thoroughly reviewing and discussing the facts and the laws related to the complaints surrounding the continued service of these individuals and after interviewing all of the individuals who were involved," Cline said, before moving to eject both members. "I want to make clear that any proposed action moving forward is not being taken lightly or without due diligence and proper care these personnel matters require. Further, any action taken by this board is not retaliatory. It is not discriminatory in any way. Chair Heather Mahieu Cline conducts a meeting of the Oklahoma State Election Board on Jan. 31, 2024 at the Oklahoma Capitol. "It is solely based on the facts and circumstances surrounding their actions or non-actions while serving as a board member, their truthfulness and whether they faithfully discharged their assigned duties under the law," Cline said. The state Election Board also voted to give Oklahoma County's Republican Party until Feb. 7 to provide it with proposed nominees to fill the newly vacant county election board positions, something Warner said he hoped to have done by the end of this week. Oklahoma County's next elections are Feb. 13, where some voters will select a new house member to represent parts of Edmond while others consider various proposed city and school election questions. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma election officials removed after challenging vote tabulation An elementary school principal who performs as a drag queen outside of school hours has submitted his resignation from Western Heights Public Schools, the districts superintendent confirmed Thursday. The resignation of Shane Murnan, whos been the principal at John Glenn Elementary School in the southwest Oklahoma City district, wont be official until its voted upon by the school board at its next meeting, set for Feb. 12, Western Heights Superintendent Brayden Savage said. Murnan is still listed as the principal on the schools website, but his district email address no longer works. A message left through one of his Facebook pages wasnt immediately returned. Murnan was hired in June by the district. He came from Oklahoma City Public Schools, where he had worked since 2015. In August, the conservative social media account Libs of TikTok posted an item identifying the principal as a drag queen performing under the name Shantel Mandalay. State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters since has appointed that accounts founder to the Oklahoma State Department of Educations Library Media Advisory Committee. Ryan Walters called for principal's resignation after Libs of TikTok post Soon after the Libs of TikTok post in late August, Walters called for Murnans resignation, but the district supported the principal, saying he had an outstanding reputation. In September, Walters threatened to reopen Western Heights accreditation status and review Murnans teaching certificate. The district responded that Murnan had been hired in accordance with its usual screening practices. "For Dr. Murnan, this included a felony criminal background check and a verification of his teaching certificate, which was renewed in April 2023 and signed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters," the district said at the time.Murnans name has not appeared on an Oklahoma State Board of Education agenda since Walters made his threat. Western Heights Public Schools has incurred extra costs for security, additional help But since the August social media post, Savage said, the district has incurred extra costs for security and for hiring extra administrative help at John Glenn Elementary School. She said Murnan was often forced to work off-site due to threats received by the district. He recently went on paid administrative leave.Savage said the district has spent about $65,000 since August on those unexpected costs.It is very sad, just a terrible, tragic situation, Savage said. When people question if (the situation) affects kids outside of the building, it affects everyone in the district, in that way. Funds being used (for this) could have been used in other ways. Oklahoma state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, during a special meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education to consider revoking the license of a teacher from the Western Heights district. Walters said in December, without providing details, that he plans to propose changes to Education Department rules that would clarify community standards are part of the application for a teaching certificate and that would tie a districts annual accreditation to its hiring practices. Asked Thursday if Walters felt responsible for the principal losing his job, or for the district having to spend extra money on security, Education Department spokesman Dan Isett said, Once again, The Oklahoman has things backward. Superintendent Walters demanded that the school take action and fire a drag queen who used social media to recruit students, Isett said. Western Heights should never have brought a drag queen into a school. This is not a controversy; it is common sense. Walters will not allow Oklahoma schools to become a training ground in drag queen propaganda." He added: Finally, it is absurd to think that Walters supporters are somehow inherently dangerous to the point of requiring extra security and is a slander. Im surprised youre even mentioning. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma drag queen principal resigns quietly after Libs of TikTok post (WHTM) Pennsylvania is home to around 300 colleges, universities, and technical schools, but which one is the oldest in the Keystone State? The oldest college in Pennsylvania dates back to 1740 when an idea was formed to create a Philadelphia charity school but it wouldnt be finished for another decade. This idea and building transformed into another idea made by Benjamin Franklin in 1749, thus creating the University of Pennsylvania. Although the building wouldnt open until 1751. Locust Walk with students in fall, University of Pennsylvania, University City area, Philadelphia, PA, USA Center City skyline & Franklin Field, Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA According to UPenn, Franklin served as the president from opening until 1755, then he served as a trustee until 1790. The difference between the University of Pennsylvania and other colonial colleges is that UPenn was created for students to learn business, government, and public service instead of educating students for the Christian ministry. What is the oldest building in Pennsylvania? This idea was unique to the times as many saw them as radical and even refused to implement the ideas. UPenn states that William Smith, Penns first provost would return the university to traditional educational ways once taking over for Franklin. Franklin was born in 1706 in Boston but made his way to Philadelphia to start a printing business. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Severe Weather Alerts According to History, Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, negotiate the Treaty of Paris, and was a delegate to the convention that created the U.S. Constitution, making him a Founding Father. Benjamin Franklins History states that he was a scientist, inventor, politician, philanthropist, and businessman. UPenn currently has 190 research centers and institutes on campus, 28,201 students, and around 100 majors. The five oldest colleges in Pennsylvania are: University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia (1740) Moravian College Bethlehem (1742) Dickinson College Carlisle (1773) Washington and Jefferson College Washington (1781) Tie Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster and University of Pittsburgh (1787) For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK) The Polk County Sheriffs Office said that they arrested an Onalaska woman in connection to two burglaries recently. DPS offering $5,000 reward for information leading to arrest of Texarkana man added to Texas most wanted According to the sheriffs office, deputies responded to the 8000 block of State Highway 146 South on Jan. 19 in response to two reported burglaries in that area. A person was reportedly seen on a video doorbell camera at one of the burglarized residences and later officials said that Polk County Dispatch got a call about a suspicious person in the same area. Officials said the suspicious person matched the description of the suspect for the earlier burglaries and so the sheriffs office responded to the area again. Kelly Sexton, 31 of Onalaska, was arrested for an active warrant and charged with two counts of burglary of a habitation after the sheriffs office said several items belonging to the burglary victims were found on her person. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Authorities say Elon Musk's life was threatened by a Minnesota Tesla employee. Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP A Minnesota Tesla employee was arrested in Austin a half-hour away from the Tesla Gigafactory following alleged online threats to kill Elon Musk and President Joe Biden, KXAN reported. Justin McCauley, 31, was charged with terroristic threat Sunday in Travis County, according to jail records. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The day before the arrest, authorities responded to the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin for a report of a social media threat, according to KXAN. I will arrive in Texas, where the war has began on many fronts, McCauley posted on X on Jan. 14, according to KXAN, which cited court documents. He tagged the profiles of Elon Musk, Tesla and President Joe Biden, writing, I am planning to Kill all of you. Police arrested McCauley on Sunday on Interstate 35 about 30 minutes away from the Tesla Gigafactory where he had traveled from Minnesota. He told police he planned to access the facility through a secret entrance and tell Elon Musk a secret password, KXAN reported. A diner at a North Carolina restaurant is getting lots of social media love for his kindly gesture to a server he inadvertently jilted out of a tip. It was his mistake, the man wrote in an apology letter shared on Facebook Jan. 26 by Side Street Pour House and Grill in Lenoir. The man included a $20 bill. I can only trust that Hope will forgive my blunder, the man wrote. That was no way for either of us to end 2023. Heres to a fresh start. With humble apologies to you and to Hope, I remain, sincerely yours, the man ended the letter. The restaurant covered the mans last name and his address with blue marker, leaving only his first name, Ted. A wrong credit card receipt Ted accidentally took the wrong copy of his credit card receipt with him when he stopped in for lunch with his wife, restaurant management explained on Facebook. Unfortunately, this meant their server did not receive the tip theyd intended to leave her that afternoon. In his letter, Ted said he spotted the error when he checked his bank statement and noticed the pending withdrawal for his and his wifes lunches appeared to be wrong. Relying on memory (never a good thing), I had in mind that the scheduled withdrawal should have been larger, he wrote. He pulled his receipts and realized hed retained the signed merchants copy of his VISA card payment. As a result, while the food was fully paid, the tip which I had intended to leave for our server, Hope C, was not relayed back to VISA, Ted wrote. A viral Facebook post On Facebook, restaurant management called Teds gesture a beautiful example of how to do the right thing!! Our servers work hard to give our customers excellent dining experiences and earn their tips, but sometimes either accidentally (like this example) or intentionally (which is really not cool) they find themselves left without, according to the Facebook post. Please tip your servers, the post continued. If you realize youve made an error, its never too late to make it right (like this customer, who doesnt even live locally but took the time to write this letter. We thank you and we appreciate you!! The post has drawn 140,000 likes and at least 500 comments from across the country praising Ted the diner. Perfect example of an absolute class act, a woman from Tallahassee, Florida, wrote on Facebook. I wish the world was full of this. Said a woman from Louisville, Kentucky: I hope all of Teds 2024 dreams come true. Twisted girders with a crane in the center, the morning after the collapse. Craig Durrant, one of the founders of Big D Builders, was one of the three men killed in Wednesdays building collapse near the Boise Airport. Big D Builders, which is based out of Meridian, was constructing a new airplane hangar for Jackson Jet Center when the engineered metal building collapsed. Nine others were injured in the collapse, and five of those were in critical condition Wednesday night. Words cannot describe our pain and sorrow since Wednesday evening, read an emailed statement written on behalf of Big D Builders. We have lost family members and valued employees who were close personal friends. We have also had colleagues experience significant injuries. Behind our company name is a small, Idaho-grown, family-owned business, and we are grieving deeply with our community. Big D Builders was incorporated in Idaho in 1996 with four founding board directors: Craig, Russell, Dennis and Kevin Durrant, according to public records from the Idaho Secretary of States office. An additional statement confirmed Craig Durrant, 59, was a co-founder of the company and brother of Dennis Durrant, the owner of Big D Builders. The Durrant family has started multiple businesses in Idaho, including Big D Ranch in Meridian. In 1946 Clarence Henry Durrant moved his family from Provo, Utah, to Meridian, Idaho, bringing with him the Big D brand, according to the Big D Ranch website. In 1953 he built the first chicken coop and by 1954 he had decided to go into the egg producing business on a large scale and purchased 800 chicks. According to the statement, Big D Builders is committed to working with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and others to determine why the structure collapsed. We want to thank our communitys first responders who moved quickly into action to help our team on Wednesday evening, the written statement said. We are grateful to you for your expertise and service to our communities. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) American Medical Response better known as AMR is short nearly 60 paramedics. Theyve been fined by Multnomah County for slow response times. Sometimes they have no ambulances to send to the growing number of emergency calls. The burnout among first responders continues, with no immediate relief in sight. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said her priority is to take the action needed to make sure paramedics get to life-threatening emergencies within 8 minutes 90% of the time. But that hasnt happened for nearly 2 years. Currently, AMR crews are only getting to calls fast enough 60% of the time. Patients in recent months have been taken to hospitals in TriMet buses, fire engines, fire SUVs and police cars because the nearest available ambulance was a dangerous distance away. AMR Operations Manager Rob McDonald said its not realistic to maintain Multnomah Countys dual paramedic requirement right now, during a nationwide paramedic shortage. For decades, Multnomah County has required a 2-paramedic system to boost cardiac arrest survival rates. While in office as chair, Vega Pederson has insisted maintaining the dual paramedic staffing standard for that specific reason. The national and state norm is the 1:1 model that is, one paramedic, one EMT per ambulance. AMR Operations Manager Rob McDonald in his office in Portland, January 2024 (KOIN) Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson at her office, January 2024 (KOIN) We want to turn over every stone. We want to make every effort to try everything we can try. But I think were at the point now and were confident were at the point now where there really is only one pathway forward to sustainability in EMS in Multnomah County, McDonald said. That pathway, he said, is going to half of our total deployment being paramedic and EMT, rather than dual paramedic. If Vega Pederson authorized the switch for half of the ambulances to move to the 1:1 model, AMR said they could immediately have 6 more ambulances out a day and be fully staffed in a few months. Last week, Portland Fires interim chief, Ryan Gillespie, wrote a letter to the countys medical director and health operations manager imploring local officials to address AMRs response times. In the letter, first reported by The Oregonian, Gillespie urges Multnomah County to change its two-paramedic requirement to a one-paramedic-one-EMT requirement, adding that the current status of ambulance service in the City of Portland is unacceptable and is putting lives at risk. Temporary change? McDonald said AMR would embrace this as a temporary change. We want this to be temporary, too. Were not trying to completely redesign the system on a permanent basis, he told KOIN 6 News. What were really trying to do is just survive and without this move, I dont know that the system will survive this year. But Vega Pederson doesnt see it that way. She said she is not interested in temporary changes. It is on AMR to be able to staff up and to provide the services that theyre contracted to do for us to be our EMS provider, the Multnomah County chair told KOIN 6 News. She blames the fire department, the local and national paramedic shortage and the ambulance contractor for falling short. I think that we shouldnt have to be coercing AMR to do anything, she said. They are a business. They are a for-profit business to operate nationwide, who is contractually obligated to provide the services, right? They get paid by the service fees that theyre able to charge to people when they do this. AMR paramedics at an emergency scene in Portland, January 2024 (KOIN) AMR said, historically, theyve been profitable in Multnomah County. Public records show AMRs margins are dropping in the county since the pandemic ended. In 2018, they closed with $2.3 million in profit. But in 2022, their annual statements revealed around $293,000 profit. McDonald said the main reason they ended last year profitable was because they were short-staffed that is, they had fewer people to pay. This system is in critical condition and the inactivity is so disconcerting because this isnt something thats going to get bad in a month or two months, he said. Its bad now and it could get so, so much worse in the coming months. While paramedics, firefighters and dispatchers work desperately to keep the system functioning, Vega Pederson is talking about pilot projects and studies. To change our current contract and to look at the changes to our Ambulance Service Plan, which does require two paramedic model, that is absolutely something that Im open to doing. It is not a short-term solution, she said. We are at the point where we have to take a look at the entire system and really see whats going to be a good long-term solution. There are several possibilities under discussion, including a full Ambulance Service Plan assessment to produce recommendations, including potential revisions to the staffing model. However, she would not go into specifics. The 1:1 model Even the Multnomah County Medical Director recognizes the countys 2-paramedic model is failing. On January 1, he authorized ambulances from neighboring counties staffed with the 1:1 model to transport patients with life-threatening emergencies when a 2-paramedic AMR ambulance in the county is delayed by 5 minutes or more. During the ice storm, those delays were often measured in hours. At the height of the storm there were only 5 ambulances covering the entire county of more than 800,000 people. Fully-staffed, there would have been 16 ambulances. During the day fully staffed, there should have been 25. AMR Operations Manager Rob McDonald in his office in Portland, January 2024 (KOIN) McDonald said that, as an organization, AMR has done everything they possibly can to educate the medical program director, to educate the county chair that the only path forward to sustainability is to convert our deployment to 1:1. Multnomah County leaders have not presented any evidence the 2-paramedic staffing model offers any benefits when response times are delayed. In the on-camera interview, Vega Pederson notably omitted any mention of cardiac arrest or survival rates. This shift in stance follows a recent KOIN 6 investigation revealing that Clackamas County has consistently higher cardiac arrest survival rates over the past five years with their 1:1 model. Additionally, it was found that PF&R responded to 99.9% of cardiac arrests in Multnomah County in 2023, resulting in three paramedics being dispatched to the scene. I think ultimately what we have, though, here in Multnomah County is that we dont have a fire (department) thats responding to all of the ALS calls, the advanced life support calls, Vega Pederson said. So we need to continue to have a 2-paramedic model. The Multnomah County EMS Office does not require fire agencies to respond to every call, only calls where they might be needed. This is also a question for the fire agencies, Vega Pederson said. Currently, they do not go out on all of Multnomah Countys calls, which is the protocol for counties that use a 1:1 staffing model. KOIN 6 checked with Clackamas and Washington Counties that operate with the 1:1 staffing standard. The neighboring EMS officials said they do not require their fire departments to go to every single medical call. Meanwhile, Portland Fire & Rescue confirmed they go to all the high priority calls theyre dispatched to and required to respond to by the Multnomah County EMS (MCEMS). But AMR is required to respond to every single advanced life support call. With increasing frequency, they cant. For her part, Jessica Vega Pederson understands the frustration. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson at her office, January 2024 (KOIN) I understand the concern and the worry that people have when theyre calling 911, if they need help and theyre not able to get an ambulance, theyre not able to get a transport that they need, she told KOIN 6 News. That is really critical. That is a system that is not working. But at this point, collaboration on this issue is not in sight. What paramedics think The county has pushed AMR to use their school to hire more paramedics. AMR has invested around $750,000 in full-ride scholarships to train 35 new paramedics. But graduation is 2 years away. Multnomah County started a pilot program in 2023 to help speed up response times. It staffed a fleet of ambulances with 2 EMTs for less serious calls, but it hasnt worked. Vega Pederson said that was because AMR couldnt hire enough EMTs. EMTs, AMR and the union said its not an attractive job opportunity. Most EMTs want to work on the front lines to gain experience at serious calls. So theyre going to neighboring counties that staff their ambulances with the 1:1 model. Vega Pederson has also urged AMR to assign paramedics to work in Multnomah County. However, the paramedic union contract prevents AMR from doing that. Though, AMR said they have denied more than a dozen requests for paramedics to leave Multnomah County to work in Washington County. That may change should they complete and bargain their union contract, in which case well be obligated to allow those transfers, McDonald said. At this point, I have 14 people on that list that I will not be able to stop from transferring to Washington County should they unionize. An AMR paramedic supervisor about to respond to an emergency, January 2024 (KOIN) Paramedics seem to be split on the issue. Some feel very strongly they want to maintain the dual paramedic system through this shortage. But others are exhausted and are open to the idea of a temporary switch. Publicly, the union has supported the dual paramedic system but has not offered ideas for how to speed up response times. If Multnomah County were to allow AMR to implement the 1:1 model, McDonald said were open to any conversation about renegotiating the billing rates for patients. However, the company wants to reinvest any cost savings into creating a nurse navigation program at the 911 dispatch center, like the one thats seen success in Clark County. It triages minor medical calls that may include transportation to a local clinic, urgent care or ER. The patient and a licensed nurse make that decision together. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Venessa Parker set up her own online shop in 2022, where some of her products are sourced through dropshipping - Daniel Jones Is your favourite jumper starting to bobble? Heres a fabric shaver for 2.98. Bags cluttering in the corner? Try a door hanger for 89p. Or scared of slipping as you get out of the tub? This website can get you a handrail for 1.41. Solving these small everyday bugbears, targeting so-called pain points, are the specialty of the low-cost, highly competitive world of fast online shopping. And this easy route to entrepreneurship is how Generation Z is entering the world of business. These sellers use dropshipping services so that they never own the stock they are sending to their customer, removing the traditional risk that comes with shifting products. Instead, once an order has been placed, an online seller orders directly from a warehouse, usually in China. It is then sent directly to their customer, and they pocket a chunk of the margin. The dropshippers job is to market the item, sending it to the top of searches and pushing it on social media. It can be done in a few hours a week, as a side hustle alongside a day job or else from a beach somewhere anywhere with an internet connection. Now thousands of young entrepreneurs are turning to dropshipping to set up businesses fast. Venessa Parker, a 31-year-old from London, set up her own online shop in 2022, where some of her products are sourced through dropshipping. I had my own business selling products a few years ago, but it was so time consuming and materials were so expensive. But I was always interested in art and studied design at university, so I knew I had the skills. I decided to trust myself so in 2022 I started this business alongside my full-time job. I integrated my website with a couple dropshipping providers for the art prints, gifts and notepads. There is loads of stuff that I can list on there, which makes it a lot easier to focus on marketing and creating new stuff. The hardest part is setting it up, which took a lot of work at the beginning: checking the quality of the product, getting photos, working on getting people interested through social media. Now I just work a couple of hours a week on it. Ms Parker added that over the long term, she hopes that the business will generate enough income that it can pay off her mortgage. But right now I am reinvesting everything back into the business to build it up. It would be nice to not be so reliant on my day job. Alex Hickson-Burr, who works full-time as a PR manager in Leeds, set up a candle company with his husband in 2020. The company made a name for itself during the pandemic with unusual concepts such as The 2020 scent, a candle with four layers replicating the scents of banana bread, followed by hand sanitiser, wood to symbolise the DIY craze and finally the smell of cheap aftershave in honour of Joe Exotic, the star of the pandemic Netflix hit Tiger King. We started to branch into dropshipping for merchandise, he said. The candles that sold really well for us, we started to print onto t-shirts and mugs. What we realised is that candles are our passion, what we are known for and something we craft ourselves, but obviously that requires a lot of time, effort and resources. Whereas the dropshipping is really simple because we could piggy back off the success of some of our candles. Over the past 18 months, the couple have moved away from their core candle business and focused more on dropshipping merchandise, as well as white labelling candles selling their product to another company, which then rebrands it as their own. What we found is that we make a hell of a lot more profit doing that, even though our stuff is a passion project, drop shopping is just time efficient, he said. The biggest thing is being plugged into trends, being aware of catchphrases and silly things on TikTok. You have to be quick to execute a design and get it drop-shipped as they tend to have a short cycle in terms of demand. But the high-speed nature of dropshipping can also open up dangers to online shoppers who are unable to spot red flags. The market is rife with scams, with some orders never arriving, or products that are so poorly made they either bear no resemblance to their advert or simply do not function. Alison Lowe, a fashion business expert at the University of East London, said the industry struggled with tight quality control and transparency issues in manufacturing. The dropshipper often will do very little to determine the environmental and social impact of the goods they are sourcing, she said. Jane Hawkes, a consumer expert, warned against blindly following social media adverts, especially for consumers who did not feel completely confident online. Purchase only from trusted retailers and check reviews before you buy, she said. Watch out for any spelling mistakes or basic grammatical errors in any ads. Avoid any impulse purchases, take time to think and dont fall into any time pressure sale tactics. Ms Hawkes added that paying with a credit card could also provide legal protection under the Consumer Credit Act. Remember your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 that any product should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. Recommended Lay off Generation Z. We work harder than Baby Boomers ever had to Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Im Brian Gordon, reporter for The News & Observer, and this is Open Source, a weekly newsletter focusing on business, labor and technology in North Carolina. When discussing VinFasts goals in North Carolina, its quickest to just give the headline figures. The electric car company from Vietnam pledges to create 7,500 jobs and invest more than $4 billion at an incoming assembly and battery plant in eastern Chatham County. If VinFast reaches these benchmarks, the company is poised to receive more than $1.25 billion in taxpayer-funded incentives and other benefits. It wants to do all this by 2027. But the agreements VinFast signed with North Carolina and Chatham County contain exceptions, extensions and contingencies if VinFast doesnt quite live up to its initial promises. Which, by the way, is what happens with most North Carolina projects backed by taxpayer incentives. Its time to start paying attention. VinFasts hiring clock begins this year, as the company is committed to hiring close to 2,000 workers by the end of 2024. I did my best to break down VinFasts billion-dollar-plus incentive deal plus an extra, unique agreement North Carolina has to purchase the Chatham megasite from the carmaker should VinFast fall behind its hiring and investment schedule. What happens if the factory doesnt open in 2025? What if the company only hires 6,000 workers? Or 3,500? Or fewer? Open Source Perhaps VinFast will create 7,500 jobs and few of these answers will matter. If so, North Carolina will cheer the success of its first major auto assembly plant and communities across Central North Carolina will surely benefit. But if anything short of that happens, it might be worth bookmarking this article for future reference. Onto the rest of this weeks news: Big Blue scaling back its use of H-1Bs The N&O has started a Reality Check series to provide answers to readers questions. Diving into the VinFast incentive deal was one example. Another of my stories this week looked at IBMs use of the high-skilled visa work program called H-1B. IBM is both one of the largest Triangle-area employers and among the top employers of foreign H-1B holders. It received the 15th most visa approvals in 2023, though the company said it has been scaling back its H-1B hiring. Several North Carolina-based businesses Bank of America, Lowes, Truist, First Citizens Bank each received more than 200 H-1B approvals last year. IBM has been a major employer in Research Triangle Park since the 1960s. The H-1B debate boils down to whether companies truly need high-skilled visa workers to fill specialized roles or if, for various reasons, they prefer these foreign workers over their available U.S. counterparts. The companies say the former, but some academic research suggests the latter may be true. With tech layoffs now more widespread, the dialogue around the visa program may intensify. One more thing: In many states, including North Carolina, top beneficiaries of H-1B employees are school districts. Its well documented that labor shortages exist in this sector. The question is just whether major corporations legitimately face a labor crunch. Last year, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple were all in the top 10 for H-1B visa approvals. Many did layoffs. If you have a North Carolina tech/business/labor question for me, please dont hesitate to reach out. Boston is getting scared of us The Boston Globe reports the Research Triangle could dent Massachusetts dominance over the biotech industry. The story opened with a description of the two large life science hubs facing each other in Morrisville, which we wrote about last spring. References to this budding Northeast versus Southeast rivalry arent new. Cambridge and Boston better look out because North Carolina is coming, Gov. Roy Cooper crowed in 2021 when the biopharma company Amgen decided to come to Holly Springs. Today, North Carolina has more than 800 life science companies which combined employ around 75,000 workers. Heres a picture of the biotech hubs N&O photographer Ethan Hyman took out of an airplane window(!): Work continues on Spark LS, a 109-acre biotech campus in Morrisville, N.C., on Monday, April 10, 2023. A lifeline for startups North Carolina startup founders have floundered since a recent change to the federal tax code caused their tax bills to soar. For research-intensive companies with little to no revenue, having grant payments counted as income poises an existential threat. But major tax reform working through Congress would provide a lifeline. And good news for these startups: The legislation easily passed in the U.S. House this week with bipartisan support. Only one of North Carolinas 14 representatives voted against it (Republican state attorney general candidate Dan Bishop). But now the bill moves to the Senate where its passage isnt assured. North Carolinas two senators arent supporting it yet. Not because of the startup tax relief provision, which both Thom Tillis and Ted Budd back, but because the bill includes other sweeping reforms and payment mechanisms that give them pause. Short Stuff: Get back to the office, some say Good union news! Two dozen maintenance workers at Duke Raleigh Hospital will be represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers after an election win last week. Bad union news! North Carolina was again the second-least unionized state in the country in 2023, topping only South Carolina, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wolfspeed says production will begin at its new Siler City factory early next year. And employee training classes could begin as early as next month. But the Durham-based semiconductor chipmaker continues to see its stock drop. Albemarle, the worlds biggest lithium miner, is cutting jobs and delaying projects to save $750 million. Cuts at the Charlotte-based company occur as the price of lithium has fallen. Get back to the office. Bank of America sent letters of education to workers who arent showing up to the office enough. IBM is also mandating managers either more frequently report in person or quit, Bloomberg reports. National Tech Happenings Elon Musk says his startup Neuralink implanted its first device inside a human. The ultimate goal is to enable users to control outside devices (phones, laptops, etc.) with their brains. A tech industry group representing Google, TikTok and Meta is fighting state laws that seek to protect children online. Recent mass layoffs at the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets have reignited discussions about whether the Googles and Metas of the world should compensate news organizations. Thanks for reading! Fabian Andres Aranda Rodriguez becomes emotional as he testifies during his murder trial on Thursday. He was found guilty of murder for stabbing his mother 37 times in the face and neck at an Airbnb in Northeast San Antonio in May 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News With the assistance of a translator, Fabian Andres Aranda Rodriguez testifies during his murder trial on Thursday. He was found guilty of murder for stabbing his mother 37 times in the face and neck at an Airbnb in Northeast San Antonio in May 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Fabian Andres Aranda Rodriguez bows his head as he becomes emotional while testifying during his murder trial on Thursday. He was found guilty Thursday after telling the jury he was hallucinating when he stabbed his mother 37 times in the face and neck at an Airbnb in Northeast San Antonio in May 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Fabian Andres Aranda Rodriguez took the witness stand at his murder trial Thursday and told a jury he swung a knife at a threatening presence in a room he had rented at a San Antonio Airbnb. Prosecutors say Aranda Rodriguez killed his mother, Maritza Rodriguez, in that room. The jury took about two hours to find him guilty. The owner of the five-bedroom house on the Northeast Side, after ordering Aranda Rodriguez to leave because of complaints about noise from other guests, including screaming, discovered Maritza Rodriguez dead in the blood-spattered room on May 30, 2022, police have said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The jury had heard an audio recording of her final moments alive, taken by a monitor in the room, and had seen crime scene video that stunned the courtroom into silence Wednesday. Rodriguez, 68, had been stabbed 37 times in the face and neck, leaving her unrecognizable. Questioned by his attorney, Rafael Leal, the defendant, 33, said through an interpreter that he was in a trance-like state that night and saw many shadows that he felt were attacking him. I didnt know what was happening, Aranda Rodriguez said. I was basically sleeping with my eyes open. During the stabbing, Aranda Rodriguez said, he wasnt sure if he was dreaming and believed he was defending himself against all these people who were attacking him. He burst into tears as he recalled the moment he saw his mother in a pool of blood. I told her to forgive me, that I wasnt aware that it was her, Aranda Rodriguez said. She told me, I forgive you, and that is the last thing that I spoke to her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During cross-examination, he shielded his face when prosecutor Rose Garcia brought photos of Maritza Rodriguezs body to the stand. I dont want to see it. I dont want to see her, he said. The San Antonio man said he chose to stay at the home in the 5800 block of Clipper Port on the Northeast Side because it was near his brother, and was advertised as a place that had video surveillance. He said he knew there would be other people staying there, but ended up asking his mother to stay overnight because he was scared to be alone. Aranda Rodriguez said he panicked when he encountered a man he didnt know in the early hours of the morning and grabbed a knife in the kitchen to protect himself from him or anyone else who would come into the house. Garcia said surveillance video showed Aranda Rodriguez encountering a man at the house twice, the first time greeting him with a fist bump and the second time laughing with him at something on his phone. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She also questioned why Aranda Rodriguez didnt call for help if the stabbing was a mistake. The defendant said he wasnt able to call 911 because his phones werent charged, and explained that he was trying to find a phone charger in the house. A guest at the home that night told the jury Tuesday that she texted the Airbnb owner after waking up to the sound of a woman yelling. A few hours later, she said, Aranda Rodriguez tried to open her door and asked if he could borrow a phone charger. She felt uncomfortable and sent a text asking a friend to call police, she testified. But Garcia said Aranda Rodriguez was able to use his phone after the killing to respond to a message from the Airbnb owner asking if everything was OK and to call an Uber so he could leave. Aranda Rodriguez said didnt remember that. In the months since his mothers death, he has received mental health treatment and been prescribed medication from a psychiatrist that helps him stay calm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Today I feel like Im a reasonable person, I feel a lot better, he said. I think the only one who can judge me is God. Leal said his client had auditory and visual hallucinations and now that he is receiving treatment can provide an explanation for what happened that he could not provide in the aftermath of the killing. It was a response to the prosecutions point that two days after it happened, Aranda Rodriguez told a detective that he had to attack Maritza Rodriguez before she attacked him. He was mistaken as to who was attacking him Leal told the jury in his closing argument, citing the defendants testimony that he saw multiple assailants and didnt realize until later that it was his mother. Prosecutors said a psychological evaluation conducted a year ago found Aranda Rodriguez was sane during the killing and that he was competent to stand trial. This crime is especially heinous for so many reasons, Garcia told the jury. The fact that the victim is the mother of the defendant, the extremely violent attack and you can see it in the photosblood on all four walls, on the ceiling, on the floor, on the bed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The federal government is now the owner of this home on Magnolia Drive near downtown San Antonio. It previously belonged to Lawrence Billimek, who pleaded guilty in a $50-million-plus insider trading case. Google Earth, 2022 The quaint colonial-style home at 147 Magnolia Drive is in a prime location. It's near the Pearl and downtown San Antonio, and it's billed on short-term rental site Vrbo as a hideaway "uniquely designed & furnished to feel like an escape from the ordinary." As of Thursday, the 2,300-square-foot house, valued at $675,000, has a new owner: the U.S. government. SEE THE HOUSE: Magnolia Drive house Advertisement Article continues below this ad The home became caught up in an FBI investigation into a $50 million-plus insider trading case. The FBI arrested the home's owner, Lawrence Billimek, a financial trader from Idaho, in 2022 as part of that investigation. A federal indictment filed in New York said Billimek, 52, who worked for the financial services company TIAA, and a retired equities trader named Alan Williams, 78, "participated in a massive front-running scheme." Front-running, also known as forward-trading or tailgating, occurs when a broker or investor joins a trade because they have advance knowledge of confidential information that will affect the price of the stock or asset being traded. In the latest development in the case, the government disclosed Thursday that a federal judge signed an order in November after both defendants had pleaded guilty "condemning and forfeiting" the San Antonio house and two others owned by Billimek "to the United States of America." The order also turned over to the government $4.2 million the FBI found in an account linked to Billimek. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Retired FBI agent Jeff Jenson, who investigated similar cases in San Antonio, said that by auctioning seized property, the government can generate funds to pay restitution to victims. Jenson is not involved in the Billimek case. One of Billimek's lawyers, Courtney Danielle Morphet, said "I can't help you" and hung up on a reporter. Williams' lawyers could not be reached for comment. SEE THE HOUSE: Austin log cabin The judicial order also forfeits to the federal government a house in Austin and another in Idaho. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Austin home is at 5808 Beacon Drive, near Lake Travis. Its most recent owner was Menehue Madness, Billimek's limited liability company. The timbered, five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom residence resembles a palatial version of a log cabin. It was valued at $1.1 million in 2022, though the value dropped to $990,000 in 2023, according to Travis County appraisal records. Billimek listed the home on the short-term rental site iTrip, records show. The home in Idaho is the most sumptuous of the three forfeited to the government. The newly built, 5,155-square-foot residence sits on 1.5 acres in Hailey, in the Wood River Valley, a mecca for snowboarders, skiers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The home boasts 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, with "impeccable finishes like quartzite, zellige tile (and) waterworks plumbing." It was listed for sale for $7.5 million, records show. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SEE THE HOME: Idaho estate Williams, of West Linn, Ore., pleaded guilty in September to securities, wire and bank fraud charges in federal court in New York. Billimek, of Hailey, Idaho, pleaded guilty to securities fraud based on insider trading in November. Both men could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. TIAA, formerly the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund, manages more than $200 billion in assets as a provider of retirement services for academic, research, medical, cultural and governmental employers. Long known as TIAA-CREF, it was rebranded as TIAA in 2016. According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Billimek, through his work at TIAA, had advance access to some of the company's trades. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some of the orders were so large that they caused market movements in the securities traded. "He knew through his employment at TIAA, which is this huge investment firm, that the trades they made were going to be huge, and that moved the price up," Jenson said. "It's almost like an automatic win because he knew the trade would push the price up." According to federal prosecutors, from 2016 until his arrest in December 2022, Billimek misused his insider access and provided inside information about trades to Williams, who then bought or sold the same securities to take advantage of market movements. Williams gave Billimek a portion of the profits, more than $10 million, according to documents in a related investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The pair engaged in front-running trades more than 1,000 times, according to federal prosecutors in New York. To try to hide the scheme, Billimek used prepaid, unregistered burner phones to communicate with Williams. Billimek and Williams lied to banks about where they obtained the money they reaped from their insider trading, prosecutors said. The Texas Rangers are investigating after a teen died from a 70-foot fall into a quarry while fleeing from San Marcos and New Braunfels police officers. San Marcos Police Department The Texas Rangers are investigating after a teenager fell 70 feet to his death in a quarry this week while fleeing from San Marcos and New Braunfels police officers, according to authorities. The incident began in San Marcos, when officers attempted to pull over the driver of a Hyundai they believed to be stolen, according to a city spokesperson. The driver and passenger in the car were both juveniles from San Antonio, according to the spokesperson. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The driver fled from the traffic stop, driving south on Interstate 35 with San Marcos police officers in pursuit. New Braunfels police officers joined the chase when the vehicle crossed into the city. The driver exited the interstate and drove down a gravel road leading to a quarry in Comal County. The car crashed into a boulder, according to authorities, with both the passenger and driver fleeing from the wreck. New Braunfels officers arrested the driver, but the passenger fled into a quarry and died after falling about 70 feet, officials said. Police have not released the name of either teen involved in the incident Tuesday. The driver is expected to face multiple charges, according to authorities. The Texas Rangers will assist in investigating the incident, officials said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A pigeon accused of spying for China has finally been cleared of suspicion in India. It spent eight months in captivity after being found with markings that resembled Chinese characters. The pigeon was released by Mumbai authorities on Tuesday, local media and PETA reported. A pigeon detained in India for eight months was released on Tuesday after police cleared it of suspicions that it was a spy bird for China, the news agency Press Trust of India reported. The bird was originally caught at a port in Mumbai in May with rings tied to its legs that resembled Chinese characters, the Associated Press reported. It was taken to the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals because police suspected it was used for spying, per the outlet. Animal activist organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said on Thursday that its branch in India helped secure the pigeon's freedom. "The group learned that in May 2023, police had found the pigeon with an illegible message written on her wings," PETA said in a statement. The pigeon was found with characters on its wings, PETA said. Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals PETA contacted police and obtained a certificate for the bird's release, the organization said. The pigeon was later discovered to be a racing bird from Taiwan that escaped and flew to India, according to the AP. The pigeon is released by a staff of the BSPCA. Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals A Taiwan Pigeon Racing Association spokesperson told Taipei-based daily Taiwan News that while the bird may have flown from the island to India, it's unclear whether the pigeon truly was a racing bird since police didn't release its serial number. The pigeon was put in custody of the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which released the bird after it was checked by veterinarians, per the AP. The pigeon, exonerated. Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Indian authorities have detained other pigeons on similar suspicions before. One such bird was taken into custody in 2016 after it was found in Kashmir with a note threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Another was detained and x-rayed in 2015 after being captured along the India-Pakistan border with a note in Urdu stamped on its feathers. Read the original article on Business Insider Feb. 2 (UPI) -- A pigeon was released by police in India after being detained eight months earlier on suspicion of being a Chinese spy. The pigeon was detained by police in Mumbai after it was found in May with two rings on its legs bearing Chinese script, and one of the rings was found to contain a microchip. Detectives had the pigeon held at the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals on suspicion of being involved in espionage on behalf of China. The pigeon was turned over to the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and set free on Tuesday. The police investigation determined the pigeon was not a Chinese spy, but instead had been involved in open-water racing in Taiwan and wandered off course, ending up in India. The pigeon's release was welcomed by animal rights group PETA India, which had campaigned for the bird to be freed. "PETA India handles 1,000 calls a week of animal emergencies, but this was our first case of a suspected spy who needed to be freed," Meet Ashar, head of the group's cruelty response division, said in a statement provided to The New York Times. [Source] After being detained for eight months, a pigeon believed to be a Chinese spy was finally set free following intervention by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. Espionage suspicion: The initial suspicion arose due to illegible letters the officers found on the bird's wings and the two rings of copper and aluminum attached to its legs, reported the New Indian Express. Due to the writings they believed to be in the Chinese language, the officers thought the bird was a Chinese spy. No indications of fowl play: They sent the captured bird to the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals (BSDPHA) in Parel for investigation. The pigeon was inspected at the hospital and placed in a cage labeled as case property. They would later deduce that the bird was likely a racing pigeon from Taiwan that had lost its way and somehow ended up in Mumbai. Trending on NextShark: Nike to release Year of the Dragon Air Force 1 Low in China Wrongful imprisonment: Despite the case being closed, the bird remained confined at the veterinary hospital as the police never came back for it. Upon learning of the situation, PETA's Saloni Sakaria reached out to the police station and urged them to grant permission for the bird's release. The police agreed and provided a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to BSDPHA to release the bird. Flight to freedom: The bird was officially released on Jan. 31 at the hospital premises during a ceremony attended by a group of animal lovers, hospital staff and local officers. Trending on NextShark: Scientists describe new jellyfish species with red 'cross', 240 tentacles Sakaria expressed gratitude to the hospital for taking care of the bird for the duration of its capture. Following the birds ordeal, PETA emphasized the fundamental rights of birds to live freely in the open sky without being confined for business or any other purposes. Trending on NextShark: Video: Woman returns Costco couch after 2.5 years Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! India held the pigeon captive for eight months before concluding it was not a Chinese spy - AP/Anshuman Poyrekar A pigeon accused of being a Chinese spy has been cleared of espionage by Indian police and released back into the wild. The bird was captured in May last year near a port in Mumbai, with two rings tied to its legs that appeared to feature Chinese characters. Suspecting espionage, the police detained the pigeon, later sending it to Mumbais Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals. Pigeons are thought to be used by spies to carry encrypted messages back to handlers. A three-month police investigation found that the pigeon was, in fact, an open-water racing bird from Taiwan that had escaped and flown to India. The bird was released on Tuesday from the hospital premises. Meet Ashar, an official with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India, a non-profit organisation that works to improve the lives of animals, said: Now, the pigeon is finally free to soar the skies as every bird should be allowed to do. Peta India last week lobbied for police to release the bird. PETA India handles 1,000 calls a week of animal emergencies, but this was our first case of a suspected spy who needed to be freed of wrongful imprisonment, Mr Ashar said. Authorities found the innocent bird healthy and occupying a cage unnecessarily he added. Ravindar Patil, the assistant Mumbai police sub-inspector assigned to the case, said he sent one of the rings on the birds legs for testing and found a chip with location information on where it had come from. The writing on the ring was faded and unreadable. Nothing else turned out suspicious, he said, adding: It may have been weak and injured, and boarded the ship and off-boarded here. This is not the first time that birds have been under suspicion in India. A pigeon was detained in 2020, suspected of carrying spy messages for Pakistan. The Indian border security force passed the pigeon on to the police, who launched an investigation and logged the animal as a Pak Suspected Spy. In 2015, the Indian authorities captured a bird that had crossed the border and was found to have a message written on its feathers in Urdu the national language of Pakistan. To the disbelief of the international community, the bird was X-rayed and was also logged as a suspected spy by police. Other countries have also claimed to have held Chinese spy pigeons in the past. In January 2015, a flock of pigeons was caught in central Vietnam after Chinese characters were found stamped on their wings with red ink, along with mysterious rings around their ankles. The pigeons, however, were freed after it turned out that they belonged to racing clubs based in China. Sana Hashmi, a fellow with Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation said: This episode underscores Indias increased efforts to counter Chinese espionage attempts. The suspicion extends to the point where even birds, reminiscent of past experiences with bird spies involving Pakistan, are perceived as potential tools of Chinese espionage. The growing mistrust between the two countries is evident, leading to heightened threat from China and responses from India, she added. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A pigeon suspected of spying for China was released from captivity this week after Indian officials had detained it, according to PETA India. The animal welfare organization intervened after hearing that the pigeon had been held at an animal hospital for eight months. India's RCF Police Station in Mumbai found the pigeon in May 2023, according to PETA. The bird had writing on its wings, but the message was illegible. Authorities suspected it was being used for spying. The pigeon was sent to Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals to be examined medically and investigated. Months later, the animal hospital asked police if they could release the bird, since the bird was healthy and was taking up a cage at the hospital. A pigeon that was captured eight months back near a port after being suspected to be a Chinese spy, is released at a vet hospital in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Jan.30, 2024. / Credit: Anshuman Poyrekar / AP PETA India intervened when officials failed to provide an appropriate response. The police department eventually told the hospital they could release the bird. In 2011, an Indian court ruled birds have a fundamental right to live free in the open sky, according to PETA. Caging birds in the country is not allowed following a 2015 order. A pigeon was detained on suspicion of spying in 2015 when a 14-year-old boy in Manwal, India, near the border with Pakistan, noticed there was a stamped message on its feathers written in Urdu, a language spoken in Pakistan, according to Indian news agency UPI. The bird also had the seal of Pakistani district and police conducted an X-ray on the bird. "Nothing adverse has been found, but we have kept the bird in our custody," Police Superintendent Rakesh Kaushal told The Times of India at the time. "This is a rare instance of a bird from Pakistan being spotted here. We have caught a few spies here." China allegedly runs a pigeon military unit at its Guilin Joint Logistics Support Center in Kunming, Yunnan province, according to reports from Radio Free Asia, a U.S. government-funded radio station. Militaries have previously used pigeons to carry out operations. During World War I, more than 100,000 pigeons flew missions as part of the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France. One famous pigeon, Cher Ami, was used to delivered 12 messages in Verdun, France during the war, but he was shot and killed in 1918, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. His last message delivery helped save 194 troops. The British military deployed about 250,000 pigeons during World War II. Iran responds to U.S. retaliation threats after soldiers killed in Jordan Prosecutors release new video of Jennifer Crumbley's arrest Bear cubs native to Alaska found on Florida road A pilots inadequate planning and distraction led to a plane crash that killed eight people off the coast of North Carolina in 2022, officials said. The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the defining event of the crash to loss of control in flight in a report published Jan. 30. The assessment details how the pilot became confused trying to program the flight management system as the plane stalled, leading the aircraft to plummet more than 4,700 feet into the ocean. Six passengers were preparing to fly from Engelhard on Feb. 13, 2022, when the pilot and a student pilot were trying to figure out how to enter a flight plan into the planes system, officials said. Well get to it later, the 67-year-old pilot told his son, the 28-year-old student pilot seated next to him, McClatchy News reported. The single-engine plane took off, bound for Beaufort, without a flight plan, officials said in the report. As they got into the air, the pilot continued trying to program a flight plan, and generally expressed frustration and confusion as he was trying to get it work, officials said in the report. I dont know what I need to do, he said, according to the voice recorder recovered by officials. During this time, the aircraft entered restricted airspace and the pilot continued to fixate on programming the flight plan. Ive got to get my iPad out ... This is not good this way Im way behind the eight ball, the pilot said, according to the log. I hate it when that happens. He didnt notice the planes nose tilted up by 10 degrees and the airspeed decayed, officials said. This caused autopilot to disengage and the stall warning to sound. The plane continued to climb with the nose at a 31 degree angle, turning left and right, investigators said. Were sideways, the student pilot told his father, as the engine increased to almost full power, officials said. After a rapid climb, the plane rolled to the right and began to dive 50 degrees nose down, according to the report. Warnings sounded from the stall alert, sink rate alert and terrain avoidance system instructing the pilot to pull up over the course of about two minutes. The plane crashed into the ocean three miles off the coast, officials said. The resulting sudden deactivation of the autopilot, combined with his inattention to the airplanes flight attitude and speed, likely surprised the pilot, officials wrote in the report. Ultimately, the pilot failed to regain control of the airplane following the aerodynamic stall, likely due to spatial disorientation. Four high school students returning from a hunting trip in Hyde County were among those killed, McClatchy News reported. The families of those who died in the crash settled a lawsuit for $15 million with the companies that owned the plane and employed the pilot, WNCT reported. Beaufort is in Carteret County in the southern Outer Banks. One body found after plane carrying 8 passengers crashed off Outer Banks in NC Three killed, 3 homes burn when plane slams into neighborhood, Florida cops say Plane hits vehicle in fatal crash into busy California intersection, firefighters say Body found after plane seen flying erratically crashes off CA coast, deputies say A view of the Lufthansa logo is seen on a plane in Frankfurt. Boris Roessler/dpa Passengers of German airline Lufthansa's holiday flight subsidiary Discover Airlines are to face cancellations and delays this Sunday and Monday after the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union called on pilots to strike for two whole days. This is the third strike after a five-hour strike just before Christmas and a regular strike lasting a whole day on Friday last week after the pilots voted in favour of strike action in a ballot. The union is fighting for a first collective labour agreement at the airline, which was founded two and a half years ago and operates in Frankfurt and Munich. It informed its members on Friday that the management had not presented an improved offer in renewed talks. The company is still sticking to the precondition of concluding a so-called social partnership charter prior to a collective labour agreement. In the view of the VC union, this is intended to massively restrict the right to strike. "The negotiations have therefore failed and cannot be continued under the unacceptable conditions demanded by the employer," the VC bargaining committee informed the employees. The management's approach was surprising, as the Swiss holiday airline Edelweiss is covered by a solid collective labour agreement, it said. The renewed strike notice is being used as a last resort in view of the lack of progress in the negotiations. The January strike had led to several flight cancellations at the airline, which operates a total of 24 aircraft and flies short-haul routes on behalf of its parent company Lufthansa in Munich, among others. Lufthansa had taken over these flights itself for the day of the strike. FILE - Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Shintaro Fujinami throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in Baltimore. Pitcher Shintaro Fujinami and the New York Mets agreed Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, to a $3.35 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) NEW YORK (AP) The New York Mets beefed up their bullpen with two moves Friday, agreeing with free agents Shintaro Fujinami and Jake Diekman on one-year contracts. Fujinami's deal is for $3.35 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. The hard-throwing right-hander can earn an additional $850,000 in performance bonuses for games: $100,000 for 35 and $250,000 each for 40, 55 and 60. Diekman's deal is also pending a physical, according to a different person familiar with that agreement. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized. Fujinami and Diekman, a veteran lefty, are significant additions to a Mets bullpen that struggled last year but is suddenly beginning to look much deeper under new president of baseball operations David Stearns. New York re-signed experienced setup man Adam Ottavino to a $4.5 million, one-year contract Tuesday, and star closer Edwin Diaz is expected to be healthy this spring after missing last season following right knee surgery. The relief corps also includes lefty Brooks Raley, right-handers Drew Smith and Phil Bickford, and newcomer Jorge Lopez an All-Star in 2022 with Baltimore. The 29-year-old Fujinami joins fellow Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga on the Mets. Senga went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA last season and finished second to Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Fujinami left the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League to sign a $3.25 million, one-year deal with Oakland under which he also earned a $100,000 performance bonus. He started 0-4 in the rotation last year and was moved to the bullpen, then made three more starts in June. He was traded to Baltimore on July 19 and was much more effective in short stints as a reliever for the AL East champion Orioles, going 2-0 with a 4.85 ERA and two saves in 30 appearances. Fujinami, who features a 98-99 mph fastball, finished 7-8 overall with a 7.18 ERA in seven starts and 57 relief appearances. Control was an issue: He struck out 83 batters but walked 45 in 79 innings. The 37-year-old Diekman went 0-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 63 relief appearances for the White Sox and Rays last season. He got released by Chicago in early May and four days later signed with Tampa Bay, where he was much more successful the rest of the way, compiling a 2.18 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings over 50 outings. Diekman is 25-31 with a 3.82 ERA and 15 saves in 12 major league seasons. He also has pitched for Philadelphia, Texas, Arizona, Kansas City, Oakland and Boston. The Mets also traded catcher Tyler Heineman to Boston for cash on Friday. The Red Sox designated right-hander Max Castillo for assignment. The 32-year-old Heineman hit .237 in 22 games for Pittsburgh and Toronto last season. He was claimed by the Mets off waivers from Toronto on Dec. 1 and designated for assignment on Tuesday to open a roster spot for Ottavino. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com China slams U.S. over slanderous cybersecurity accusations Xinhua) 08:12, February 02, 2024 BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry on Thursday said that China urges the United States to stop its worldwide cyber espionage and cyberattacks, and stop smearing other countries under the excuse of cybersecurity. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a regular news briefing in response to a related query. Wang noted that China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattacks and cracks down on such practices in accordance with the law. He said that the United States jumped to an unwarranted conclusion in the absence of valid evidence, and it has slandered and made groundless accusations against China. "It is extremely irresponsible and is a complete distortion of facts." "China firmly opposes this," Wang said. The United States itself is the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks, Wang said, noting that the U.S. Cyber Force Command openly declared that the critical infrastructure of other countries is a legitimate target for U.S. cyberattacks. Wang said that since last year, China's cybersecurity agencies have released reports revealing the U.S. government's long-running cyberattacks against China's critical infrastructure. Such irresponsible policies and practices have exposed global critical infrastructure to huge risks, said the spokesperson. "We urge the United States to stop its worldwide cyber espionage and cyberattacks, and stop smearing other countries under the excuse of cybersecurity," Wang said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Kim and Deborah Clenney were arrested in Travis County on charges of unauthorized access to a computer. seng kui Lim / 500px/Getty Images/500px The parents of Courtney Clenney, a social media model charged with murder, were arrested Tuesday in Travis County, accused of accessing her slain boyfriend's laptop. Kim and Deborah Clenney were arrested on charges of unauthorized access to a computer Tuesday, according to reporting by NBC. Their daughter, a 27-year-old Instagram model with 2 million followers, was charged with second-degree murder in August 2022 after allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Christian Obumseli, to death earlier that year in their Miami apartment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Clenney's attorneys argue she attacked him in self-defense, NBC reported. A group text conversation between Clenney's parents and her attorneys revealed conversations about logging in to Obumseli's laptop. NBC reported that the messages show Clenney's attorney gave ideas on PINs to access the laptop, and Kim Clenney logged in Sept. 30, 2022. Clenney's attorney warned the couple not to look through the computer, and Kim Clenney said he didn't open any files. Deborah Clenney drove the laptop to Dallas the next month to turn it over to the attorney as evidence, according to NBC, and authorities received access to the text messages through a warrant for the family's iCloud accounts. Courtney Clenney was also charged with unauthorized access to a computer, but the judge in her case said at a Thursday court hearing that there is no evidence this is an evidence tampering case. One of Clenney's attorneys told NBC that the "Clenney family has been targeted with some trumped up charges to discredit them in the press and make their lives miserable. VALLEY, Ala. (WRBL) In East Alabama, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is gearing up for a six-week-long reconstruction project at the I-85 interchange with US-29, with a primary focus on Exit 79 leading into Valley. The projects initial phase, set to commence on Tuesday, Feb. 13, involves the removal of asphalt from the ramps and the replacement of a section of US-29 with concrete pavement. Chief Mike Reynolds of the Valley Police Department warns, Not only is it traffic on Interstate 85, they are also closing two lanes of Highway 29 going across the bridge, so thats gonna go from a four-lane to a two-lane. For local people, if you can try to avoid the area because theres gonna be a lot of folks detoured off the interstate who are going to be using that area, and its just gonna be a mess. The closure encompasses both entrance and exit ramps at Exit 79 in Valley, prompting ALDOT to advise drivers to use alternative routes, adjust travel times, and exercise extreme caution within the construction zones. Lowered speed limits and heightened awareness of construction crews are emphasized to ensure worker safety. Chief Reynolds adds, If you have to go through that area, just be aware because of workers being out there. If you cant do a bypass, allow for plenty of time to get through that area. The future phases of the interchange reconstruction will introduce lane shifts, closures, and additional detours. While the original tentative date was February 6, it has been pushed back to February 13 due to weather considerations. The overall timeline for completion is estimated to be six weeks. Drivers planning to exit at Exit 79 during this period will need to detour through Exit 77, turning around and returning to use the exit. As the project unfolds, ALDOT emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the safety of construction workers. Commuters passing through the construction area are urged to exercise caution, follow designated detours, and remain vigilant, ensuring the well-being of both fellow motorists and the dedicated construction teams working to enhance the transportation infrastructure. The ramp closures mark the beginning of a broader resurfacing project, affecting all four interstate ramps at Exit 79. With an anticipated completion date of May 6 for this phase, commuters are advised to plan alternative routes during this period of construction activity. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) The Longview Police Department is investigating the suspicious death of a 46-year-old man found early Thursday morning with wounds that appeared to be from a dog bite. 4 teens arrested after Brookshire Brothers allegedly burglarized in Crockett According to a release, at around 3 a.m. on Thursday, Longview PD received a call of a bicycle in the roadway in the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Rayburn Drive. When officers arrived, they located the bicycle and reportedly found a 46-year-old deceased man with wounds consistent with that of a dog bite. Animal control officers are working with Longview PD and have reportedly confiscated multiple dogs from a residence in the area. The cause of death remains under investigation pending a final autopsy. Anyone with video or camera footage is asked to contact the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1110 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP or to provide information online at greggcountycrimestoppers.org. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska, talks to people attending the Take Our Border Back rally hosted at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People walk to One Shot Distillery and Brewery to attend the Take Our Border Back convoy rally on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Ryan Zink of Lubbock holds up a bible as he talks to a large crowd of people attending the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Zink was charged with one felony and two misdemeanors due to his involvement in the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Musician Ted Nugent wears a hat that reads I will not comply as he talks to the crowd attending the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A person holds toilet paper with President Joe Bidens face on it while attending the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People wait in line for drinks at One Shot Distillery and Brewery before the start of the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A person puts a Texas flag on top of their recreational vehicle before the start of the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. On Friday morning, some attendees plan to travel to the border town of Quamado, Texas, about 20 miles from Eagle Pass. Members of the convoy say they peaceful protesting to call on the U.S. government to secure the border with Mexico after being fed up with the Biden administration allegedly not enforcing immigration laws. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People listen to speakers during the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. On Friday morning, some attendees plan to travel to the border town of Quamado, Texas, about 20 miles from Eagle Pass. Members of the convoy say they peaceful protesting to call on the U.S. government to secure the border with Mexico after being fed up with the Biden administration allegedly not enforcing immigration laws. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People wait in line for drinks at One Shot Distillery and Brewery before the start of the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People listen to speeches during the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Robert Agee introduces speakers during the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People listen to speakers during the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Sarah Palin, center, former Governor of Alaska, walks to the stage to address a large crowd at the Take Our Border Back rally hosted by One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News After performing music and talking to supporters at The Take Our Border Back Convoy rally, Ted Nugent eats pizza and walks back to a private area of One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Republican congressional candidate Victor Avila addresses the crowd during the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Avila and a few other republicans are looking to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales in Texas's 23rd congressional district. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People listen to speakers during the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News State Rep. Carrie Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, talks to the crowd attending the Take Our Border Back Convoy rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People listen to speakers during the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. On Friday morning, some attendees plan to travel to the border town of Quamado, Texas, about 20 miles from Eagle Pass. Members of the convoy say they peaceful protesting to call on the U.S. government to secure the border with Mexico after being fed up with the Biden administration allegedly not enforcing immigration laws. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People listen to speakers at the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday night, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Speakers included Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin, musician Ted Nugent and several people charged with rioting at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Republican congressional candidate Victor Avila signs an American flag for Robert Loffredo before going on stage to address the crowd during the Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Avila and a few other republicans are looking to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales in Texas's 23rd congressional district. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Treniss Evans talks to a large crowd during a Take Our Border Back rally at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday night, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. In 2022, Evans pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge for his actions at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A man directs traffic outside of One Shot Distillery and Brewery in Dripping Springs, Texas, on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, where a rally was held for the Take Our Border Back convoy. On Friday morning, some of the attendees plan to travel to the border town of Quamado, Texas, about 20 miles from Eagle Pass. Members of the convoy say they peaceful protesting to call on the U.S. government to secure the border with Mexico after being fed up with the Biden administration allegedly not enforcing immigration laws and allowing unauthorized non-citizens to remain in the country. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A little boy, whose parents asked for him not to be identified, plays catch at the start of The Take Our Border Back rally hosted at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News WASHINGTON Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick went on Fox News this week and declared that Texas, in its unprecedented border standoff with the Biden administration, is defending its residents against an invasion from Third World countries. The asylum seekers who have crossed the border in Eagle Pass by the thousands, Patrick said, using xenophobic language, are coming here with health issues, theyre uneducated, unemployed, and all they do is commit crime on the streets. He then backpedaled somewhat, clarifying: Most of them, many of them. It is the sort of antagonistic rhetoric Texas Republicans have ratcheted up as the states ongoing dispute with the federal government over immigration enforcement reaches new levels. Once-fringe warnings of an invasion are now core to the state leaders' arguments that Texas has the right to take over immigration enforcement long left solely to the federal government. Advertisement Article continues below this ad arah Palin, former Governor of Alaska, talks to people attending the Take Our Border Back rally hosted at One Shot Distillery and Brewery on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. Sam Owens State soldiers last month seized a key 2.5-mile stretch along the Rio Grande, where they have blocked Border Patrol from apprehending migrants. Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is holding the line and has accused President Joe Biden of refusing to secure the border, which he argues gives Texas the right to take matters into its own hands. He has drawn the backing of a bevy of high-profile Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the governors of 14 other red states who plan to gather with Abbott in Eagle Pass on Sunday. Texas will not back down, Abbott wrote on social media this week. We will continue to take unprecedented action to secure our border to keep Texans and Americans safe. Groups monitoring extremism say it is a potentially dangerous moment, as some on the far right have latched onto the standoff as a sort of call to arms. This week, a convoy of truckers vowing to take our border back was en route to South Texas with plans to rally over the weekend ahead of Abbotts Eagle Pass visit. We have seen increasingly dehumanizing rhetoric coming from elected officials when they talk about people seeking safety and freedom in the United States, said Lindsay Schubiner, director of programs at Western States Center, which tracks extremist groups. Vigilante groups and right-wing provocateurs are listening closely to these messages and are acting upon them through mobilizations at the border and the targeting of both migrants and those assisting them. Communities and elected officials need to send a different message, and work with law enforcement to ensure that illegal paramilitary activity at the border is stamped out. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Neither Abbotts office nor Patricks responded to requests for comment. The trucker convoys organizers say the group, which appears to be smaller than originally anticipated, is planning for a peaceful assembly and has no intention of stirring up trouble on the border. They have urged members to remain respectful and warned them to ignore bad actors who may try to spark trouble, and said there will be heavy law enforcement presence. But it is the second time in recent weeks that right-wing groups have issued calls to gather along the border in South Texas. Militia groups last month planned for an armed showing in Eagle Pass. A major gathering did not materialize, but the calls on social media nonetheless alarmed some residents in the small town. The talk of invasion, meanwhile, has been espoused by multiple mass shooters, including the gunman who killed 23 people at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 after sharing a hate-filled document decrying a Hispanic invasion of Texas. The man who killed 10 people in a Buffalo, N.Y., grocery store in 2022 had written that the country is experiencing an invasion on a level never seen before in history. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso, condemned Patricks comments, which he had made on Fox, and decried Republicans who continue to use this very same language used by the man who massacred so many in my community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Their words, the dehumanizing, the horrific, racist, xenophobic rhetoric they use has consequences, Escobar said. I have some very significant fears for border communities and what will come as a result of that hate and that language. Texas Republicans have been undeterred. Department of Public Safety troopers stand guard over migrants in a detention area in Eagle Pass in December 2023 as a surge of migrants push across the border. William Luther The Texas Military Department, which has led the takeover, posted pictures on social media this week of a Come and Take It flag a symbol of the Texas revolution flying over its Austin headquarters. U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, a Woodville Republican, compared the standoff in Eagle Pass to the Alamo on his social media page Wednesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Abbott, meanwhile, is campaigning off the standoff, posting a link on social media to a petition supporters could sign to show they stand with Texas. The link went to a campaign site hosted by WinRed, a GOP fundraising platform. Police say a Connally High School student in Pflugerville shot and ran over a former student in the school's parking lot Monday. Dave Thompson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images A Central Texas high school student was arrested after police say he shot and ran over a former student this week in the school's parking lot. Vincent Nguyen, a 17-year-old at Connally High School in Pflugerville, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and theft of a firearm, plus a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to KVUE in Austin. Police say the incident unfolded about 12:30 p.m. Monday after Nguyen called the victim who was there to have lunch with a friend over to his car and told him "you're done for" before shooting him in the shoulder and stepping on the gas, according to KVUE. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pictured is Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day in 2022. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was established in 1887 by members who believe that groundhogs predict the weather. Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images There are 10,500 meteorologists and atmospheric scientists working in the United States, according to a 2022 estimate from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the most famous meteorologist of them all is not even part of that estimate. He only makes one prediction each year; he puts no meaningful effort into his forecast; and oh, hes not even human. Hes a groundhog, which is in the rodent family. Even so, tens of thousands will attend his forecast in person Friday, and millions will watch on TV to see what Punxsutawney Phil has to say. The legend says that if Phil sees his shadow from Gobblers Knob, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If Phil doesnt see his shadow, there will be an early spring. But can you trust Phils predictions, even from as far away as Texas? Lets take a look at how accurate Phil has been in predicting the sometimes unpredictable Texas weather. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How we determined Phils accuracy Phils predictions are simple. He either predicts six more weeks of winter or an early spring. To determine whether he was correct, we have to see if different Texas cities had below-average or above-average temperatures for the six weeks following Groundhog Day, or the period from Feb. 2 to March 16. If his prediction matches up with reality, its a correct forecast for Phil. For example, on Feb. 2, 2000, Phil saw his shadow, which meant six more weeks of winter. In reality, San Antonios average temperatures between Feb. 2 and March 16 were the highest on record, meaning Phil didnt get that one right. But we cant just look at one year. Lets look at Phils past 50 predictions, going back to 1974, to calculate his accuracy percentage for a few different Texas cities. Here are the results San Antonio: In the past 50 years, Phil has gotten the forecast correct 26 times, which is good for a 52% accuracy rating. That means Phils forecasts are barely more reliable than a flip of a coin. So while you may not want to make plans based on Phils forecast, 52% is not too bad for a rodent. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Houston: Phil seems to have more of a knack for forecasting for Southeast Texas. In the past 50 years, Phils forecasts have matched up with Houstons temperatures 29 times, good for a 58% accuracy rating. Dallas-Fort Worth: Moving into North Texas, Phil is still right more than hes wrong for Metroplex weather. Hes been right 27 times in the last 50 years, good for a 54% accuracy rating. West Texas: Phil seems to be better than 50/50 through all reaches of the Lone Star State. In Midland-Odessa, Phils predictions have been correct 28 times in the last 50 years, which is a 56% accuracy rating. What about Bee Cave Bob? Famed armadillo artist Jim Franklin, left, and Texas singer-songwriter Gary P. Nunn get an up-close look at an armadillo named Bee Cave Bob in 2010. Bob serves as Texas answer to Punxsutawney Phil. Jay Janner/AP Texas has its own four-legged small animal predicting the weather, too. Since 2010, an armadillo in Bee Cave, west of Austin, looks for his shadow to predict the weather on whats unofficially called Armadillo Day. Bee Cave Bob, just like Punxsutawney Phil, has had mixed results with his forecasts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ocean exploration company Deep Sea Vision announced over the weekend that they allegedly captured sonar images of what could be claimed as the aircraft of legendary American aviatrix Amelia Earhart at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The discovery was made possible by a high-tech unmanned underwater drone and a 16-member crew, which surveyed over 5,200 square miles (13,467.94 square kilometers) of ocean floor in the final months of 2023, NPR reported. The plane-shaped object was allegedly found about 100 miles (259 kilometers) off of Howland Island between Australia and Hawaii. The island was supposed to be the pitstop and refueling station of Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan, but they never arrived. Read Also: Forensic Dogs To Help Find The Spot Where Amelia Earhart Died In Pacific Island On July 2, 1937, Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan took off from Papua New Guinea, nearing the end of their record-setting journey around the world never to be seen again. Until today. Deep Sea Vision found what appears to be Earharts Lockheed 10-E Electra. pic.twitter.com/CTVDI6Jxpg Deep Sea Vision (@DeepSeaVision) January 27, 2024 Deep Sea Vision Boss Confident They Found Earhart's Plane The shape of the object in the sonar images closely resembled Earhart's aircraft, a Lockheed Electra. Deep Sea Vision founder Tony Romeo said that he was optimistic about what they found during the scan. "All that combined, you'd be hard-pressed to convince me that this is not an airplane and not Amelia's plane," he said. After an extensive deep-water search, a talented group of underwater archaeologists and marine robotics experts have unveiled a sonar image that may answer the greatest modern mystery the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. pic.twitter.com/qxDXg9n05R Deep Sea Vision (@DeepSeaVision) January 30, 2024 Romeo, a pilot and former US Air Force intelligence officer, added that his team planned to investigate the area where the images were taken later this year. He sold his real estate company's assets to establish Deep Sea Vision to become one of many oceanic detectives attempting to locate Earhart's plane. Earhart and Noonan vanished in 1937 while on a quest to circumnavigate the globe. If it went successfully, it would have made Earhart the first female pilot to fly around the world. Their bodies are yet to be found. Related Article: Amelia Earheart's Navigator Lost Letter Sent From Indonesia, Discovered in San Diego After 84 Years of the Disappearance South Africa now wants to defund the Israel Defense Forces, claiming that all countries should suspend their funding and stop facilitating IDF. Before January ends, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel can allow its operations against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. But, ICJ said that the Israel Defense Forces should do all it can to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians, as well as prevent destruction and other acts of genocide. Now, South Africa claims that Israel is already violating the order of ICJ, suggesting that all countries should start defunding IDF. South Africa Wants To Defund IDF South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that the ICJ ruling is a clear sign of the genocide that is happening in the Palestinian city. Because of this, Naledi said that it is necessary to impose an obligation on all states to stop facilitating and funding the military activities of Israel. "I believe the rulings of the court have been ignored," said Pandor. "Hundreds of people have been killed in the last three or four days. And clearly, Israel believes it has a license to do as it wishes," she added. As of writing, ICJ refuses to throw out the charge of genocide against Israel because there was "plausibility" to the claim of South Africa, as reported by The Times of Israel. The International Court of Justice also denied the request of South Africa to issue an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Instead, ICJ officials ordered Israel to "prevent" rather than "desist" from doing any such activity in the Palestinian territory. Read Also: Israel-Hamas War Update: IDF Admits Flooding Gaza Tunnels Despite US Warning South Africa Claims Israel Ignores ICJ's Ruling According to The Associated Press' latest report, South Africa claims that Israel is already ignoring the ruling made by ICJ. Because of this, the South African foreign minister is questioning the International Court of Justice why a warrant of arrest hasn't been issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since ICJ is not really taking any extreme measures against Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip, Naledi Pandor said that they are already looking to propose other measures to the global community. These measures will help stop Israel from killing Palestinian civilians. However, Pandor hasn't provided the exact details regarding their anti-IDF operation measures. Related Article: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Urges UN Agency for Palestinians To Close as IDF Continues Striking Gaza The heartbreaking stories of North Korean defectors are told in the horrifying documentary "Beyond Utopia: Escape from North Korea," which reveals the great lengths people would go to in order to escape Kim Jong-un's dictatorial rule. The film, which was directed by Madeleine Gavin, portrays the terrifying experiences of people trying to escape a nation that experiences harsh international sanctions, financial problems, and famines. Harrowing Journeys of North Korean Defectors The documentary shows the horrific experiences that defectors had to endure; one survivor describes how he was imprisoned during his attempt to escape and suffered to torture and hunger for nine months. After facing physical torture and weighing just 35 kg (77 lbs), he made up a bogus confession to being a foreign spy in the hopes that his torture would stop. But this brought him to a camp where convicts had to march up a hill every day and chop down trees that would often kill or harm other captives. Soyeon Lee, another featured defector, left her family behind, including her 17-year-old son, as she sought better living conditions. The documentary unveils her struggle and the obstacles faced by her family of five as they fled through China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand before finding refuge in South Korea. Their perilous journey is documented through footage captured on their phones. Pastor Kim Seongeun, a key figure in the film, has been aiding defectors for 24 years through his organization, the Caleb Mission Church. Based in Seoul, South Korea, Pastor Kim highlights the challenges defectors face, including avoiding two million landmines along the South Korean border. He details the dangers of crossing the Yalu or Tumen rivers, where North Korean military posts and spies lurk, attempting to lead defectors into traps. The documentary puts heavily on the vital role brokers play in helping defectors find freedom. Pastor Kim issues a warning, saying that some brokers become dishonest after being seduced by additional rewards from the Chinese government, which tells them about North Korean defectors making their escape, as per to Daily Mail. Read Also: Ex-Cartel Member Compares Mexican Gangs to George Soros Defectors' Struggle in 'Beyond Utopia' "Beyond Utopia" captures the stories of defectors just before the pandemic, portraying some of the final documented escapes before North Korea closed off routes out of the country. Soyeon Lee, who defected a decade prior, organized her son's escape with Pastor Kim, only to have the plan thwarted by untrustworthy brokers who handed him over to North Korean authorities. The video exposes the brutal realities of the political prison camps in North Korea, where inmates are subjected to harsh beatings, torture, and interrogation. Han Jeong-Cheong, the son of Soyeon Lee, is still a political prisoner, suffering from malnutrition, forced work, and brutal assaults. Despite the risks, defectors like Soyeon Lee hope that their stories will raise awareness about North Korea's human rights violations. She believes that international attention and criticism can make a significant impact in challenging the regime's oppressive practices. "Beyond Utopia" also follows the Roh family, who, after a perilous journey, find refuge in South Korea. The film highlights the challenges faced by defectors in adapting to a new life, emphasizing the role of Pastor Kim's community center in assisting their integration into South Korean society. The documentary features Hyeonseo Lee, an activist and human rights campaigner who fled North Korea 20 years ago. She exposes the extent of brainwashing within the regime, revealing the illusion of living in a Utopia shattered by the harsh realities of misery, fear, and public execution. The film is a compelling testimony to the resolve of those fighting for freedom from a repressive government as it tells the compelling stories of defectors. In addition to offering compelling escape stories, it addresses the need for worldwide awareness and critique of North Korea's human rights violations, according to The Sun. Related Article: Belgian Farmers Stage Road Blockades at Zeebrugge Port Amid Spillover from French Protests Scotland's former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon spoke to the United Kingdom's COVID Inquiry in Edinburgh and gave evidence while also defending her decisions during the pandemic. Sturgeon said that none of the decisions she made during the health crisis were based on political considerations or attempts to advance the cause of independence. She argued that she was motivated solely by trying to do the best that they could to keep people as safe as possible. UK COVID Inquiry Hears Nicola Sturgeon Speak The former Scotland first minister also denied that the government's strategy was based on her instincts and that decisions were made by her and a small band of trusted advisers. She also fought back tears while saying that part of her wished that she had not been in her position when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Sturgeon noted that she did not use informal communications like WhatsApp to reach decisions or to have substantial discussions with colleagues. She also admitted to deleting her messages but argued that everything of relevance was available on the public record, as per BBC. She also said that she did not "jump the gun" on implementing a ban on public gatherings in March 2020. Sturgeon added that her only regret was not taking the decision earlier on during the health crisis. Read Also: French Police Arrest Dozens of Farmers at Paris Food Market During the morning session, the COVID inquiry focused on the way that Sturgeon and her cabinet used WhatsApp and other messaging platforms to conduct government business. She argued that messaging was never a part of official government decision-making. After Sturgeon stepped down from being Scotland's first minister, she spent a lot of time being questioned by police about the Scottish National Party's (SNP) finances. The lead counsel of the COVID inquiry, Jamie Dawson, questioned Sturgeon why she said in 2021 that she would have overall her messages when she already knew that had deleted them all, according to The Guardian. Controversies Over Decisions During COVID-19 Pandemic Dawson also asked Sturgeon whether the former Scotland first minister could take any decision without seeing it through the "prism of Scottish independence and your burning desire to achieve it." Sturgeon rejected the claim but in the minutes of a Scottish Cabinet meeting that was dated June 30, 2020, SNP ministers were shown to have "agreed that consideration be given to restarting work on independence and a referendum" that used the experience of the coronavirus crisis. However, she said that this did not directly result in any action to restart a separation campaign, arguing that it was merely a comment. However, Lady Hallett, chairing the inquiry, intervened to note that the minutes stated that this had been "agreed." Another email that was shown to the inquiry, which was dated July 2020, advised Sturgeon and her ministers against imposing travel restrictions to Spain. It argued that this was because they would never approve EU membership for an independent Scotland as a result. Sturgeon was also accused of pursuing a doomed "zero COVID" strategy because she wanted to be known as the person who drove out the health crisis in Scotland. She insisted that the relaxation of the lockdown protocols was slower in Scotland compared to the rest of England, said the Telegraph. Related Article: Finland Protesters Join Strike Against Planned Labor Market Changes Satellite photos captured along a one-kilometer-deep pathway along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip reveal fresh devastation, according to an analysis by The Associated Press and expert reports. The devastation occurs at a time when Israel, despite international objections, has declared its intention to establish a buffer zone in the area, further encroaching on territory that the Palestinians desire for a state. Gaza Strip Border With Israel The destruction along the path is just a small glimpse of the extensive devastation caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. According to one assessment, nearly half of all the buildings in the coastal enclave have been damaged or destroyed. Israeli leaders have expressed their desire to create a defensive buffer zone to prevent any future cross-border attacks, citing the recent incident on Oct. 7 by Hamas as a reason for this measure. Despite strong warnings from the United States, Gaza's territory continues to face the threat of shrinking. The Israeli military has chosen not to provide a direct response to inquiries about the establishment of a buffer zone. Instead, they have stated that they are undertaking necessary actions to implement a defense plan aimed at enhancing security in southern Israel. However, it is worth noting that the military has indeed demolished buildings throughout the area. According to an Israeli government official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, there is currently construction underway for a temporary security buffer zone. However, the extent of the demolitions raises doubts about the potential longevity of the proposed buffer zone.Gaza shares a border of approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) with Israel, while being situated along the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The establishment of the buffer zone would require approximately 60 square kilometers (23 square miles) to be removed from the Gaza Strip, which has a total land area of around 360 square kilometers (139 square miles). In the southern region of the Gaza Strip, a significant portion of the area adjacent to the extensive $1 billion border barrier on Israeli land consists of farmland. This land is situated in what is envisioned as a buffer zone, serving as a separation between the enclave and its neighboring country. However, in the vicinity of Khirbet Khuzaa, where the border takes a turn to the northwest, the situation takes a distinct turn. Analysis of satellite images from Planet Labs PBC reveals extensive damage to buildings and land in a 6-square-kilometer area. In an area just over 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to the north, the once fertile farmland has been completely transformed into a barren landscape, where the proposed buffer zone would be located. Located to the north is a region within the heart of Gaza's Maghazi refugee camp. In January, a tragic incident occurred near the Israeli border, resulting in the loss of lives of Israeli reservists who were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings. The incident occurred when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank in the vicinity. A powerful explosion caused the buildings to collapse, tragically resulting in the loss of 21 lives, including soldiers. A massive cluster of warehouses has been completely devastated in the southeastern outskirts of Gaza City, which also falls within the designated buffer zone. Read Also: Escape from North Korea - Unveiling the Horrific Realities of Kim Jong Un's Gulags Israel Urges to Block Aid For Gaza Ministers in Israel's war cabinet are said to be contemplating restrictions on the aid flow to Gaza, while rightwing demonstrators disrupt the delivery of crucial humanitarian supplies to the embattled Palestinian region. According to a report from Israel's Channel 12, Benny Gantz, a retired general who joined the emergency wartime government formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief of staff and war cabinet observer, have proposed a temporary limitation on aid to weaken Hamas. Two politicians from the National Unity party have recently presented a proposal after receiving a report from Israel's internal security service. The report suggests that a significant portion of aid entering Gaza is being diverted by a Palestinian militant group.It is challenging to independently verify that figure, but incidents of individuals in dire need or armed individuals taking control of aid deliveries have become increasingly frequent in the area. A final decision has not yet been reached on the issue. The Guardian's request for comment went unanswered by Netanyahu's office. Officials from Qatar announced on Thursday that Hamas had expressed initial support for a proposed ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. This development came after mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar held talks with Israeli intelligence officials in Paris. However, according to sources within Hamas, there is still no agreement on the deal. Ansari acknowledged that there are significant challenges that lie ahead. Humanitarian groups, including the UN, have estimated that the daily requirement for aid in Gaza is around 500 lorries. However, the number of lorries able to pass through the Egyptian and Israeli checkpoints is often significantly lower, sometimes falling below 100. Last week, the international court of justice issued a ruling stating that Israel is required to do everything possible to prevent a genocide during its conflict with Hamas. Additionally, Israel must promptly facilitate the delivery of essential services and humanitarian aid to address the dire humanitarian situation affecting the 2.3 million people in Gaza. In the ongoing conflict that has lasted for almost four months, a staggering number of lives have been lost and a significant portion of the population in Gaza have been displaced from their homes. The war was ignited by an attack on Israeli communities by Hamas, resulting in a high number of casualties and numerous abductions. Last week, it was revealed that 12 individuals from the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, have been accused of involvement in the 7 October attack. This incident has brought attention to the work of humanitarian organizations operating in the Gaza Strip, where UNRWA employs 13,000 people and provides crucial public services. Per The Guardian, several western countries have halted their financial support in light of the accusations. Palestinians and aid workers have called on donor countries to reassess their decision, arguing that the funding freeze is tantamount to collective punishment and will result in a severe food shortage. Related Article: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Urges UN Agency for Palestinians To Close as IDF Continues Striking Gaza Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday that the US Senate will vote next week on a bipartisan bill that would toughen security at the US-Mexico border and also provide additional aid to Ukraine and Israel. Senate negotiators have been in talks over the deal for months as the legislation faced substantial opposition from Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives, who are aligned with Donald Trump. US Senate to Vote on Border, Ukraine Deal Schumer stated on the Senate floor, "We cannot simply shirk from our responsibilities just because the task is difficult." He also noted that the text of the package will be available by Sunday, with the initial vote taking place no later than Wednesday. Trump, seeking re-election to the White House, has urged Congress to reject the deal. The Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, has also voiced doubts about the talks, claiming that the bipartisan measure would be "dead on arrival" in the GOP-controlled House if it emerged from the Senate. For weeks, a group of senators from both parties have been trying to agree on tighter immigration laws and stop unauthorized immigrants at the southern border with Mexico. Numbers have fluctuated during Biden's presidency but are currently at record levels. Republicans have made passing the legislation the condition for approving aid to Ukraine. As the war continued and as Trump, who has been conflicted about arming Kyiv, drew closer to securing the Republican nomination. Read Also: PayPal to Lay Off 2,500 Workers as Company Battles Rising Competition Trump Outrage Senate Leaders The slim chances of the most recent negotiations working were highlighted last week when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell informed his colleagues that he doubted the party would back any agreement that emerges from the talks since Trump intended to run on immigration reform. Biden is losing ground in the polls due to both economic issues and conservative voters calling for greater security at the border. Senators from both parties expressed outrage about Trump's blatant and sudden influence over nearly daily talks. "I hope we don't live in a world today in which one person inside the Republican party holds so much power that they could stop a bipartisan bill to try to give the president additional power at the border to make more sense of our immigration policy," Chris Murphy, the lead Democratic negotiator in the talks, said. Politico revealed that McConnell had softened his stance the next day and told Republicans in a meeting that he still favored the negotiations. Schumer has now signaled that the bill may be ready in the Senate. However, specific details in the legislation have not been disclosed. Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, is facing a rare cabinet member impeachment by the House due to his management of the southern border. Related Article: Congressional Negotiations on Wartime Aid and Border Security Hit Roadblock as Deadline Nears for Ukraine Support Israel's Netanyahu rejects Biden's sanction against 4 settlers in West Bank Xinhua) 08:14, February 02, 2024 JERUSALEM, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected on Thursday an executive order issued by U.S. President Joe Biden sanctioning Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu said that his country "takes action against any lawbreakers regardless of their location, therefore exceptional measures in this regard are unnecessary." According to Netanyahu, the "absolute majority" of West Bank settlers are "law-abiding citizens." Biden's order imposes financial sanctions and visa bans on four Israeli individuals, according to a statement released by the White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. The move has prompted concerns in the Israeli government that the same mechanism will later be used to sanction far-right settler leaders serving as Cabinet ministers in Netanyahu's ultranationalist coalition government. Palestinians have frequently accused Israeli settlers of perpetrating attacks against them and damaging their property. Israel seized the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Middle East war and has continued to occupy the territory ever since. The international community widely regards the settlements as a hurdle for peace between Israel and the Palestinians because they are built in territories where the Palestinians wish to establish their future state. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) (Photo : Volunteers retrieving Olivet University's belongings returned by the Department of Homeland Security) Newsweek's sensationalistic articles about Olivet University, written by Naveed Jamali, have collapsed as Olivet has received back belongings taken by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during a 2021 raid, putting a cap on suspicions of wrongdoing by the University peddled repeatedly by the magazine. Volunteers were seen unloading the university's belongings from a truck after returning from retrieving the items. Multiple boxes of items, with labels indicating contents, were received at the university's campus to be put into storage. Electronic items, such as computers and servers, were also unloaded from the truck. A university staff member said, "We are overjoyed to receive the university's belongings back. It's a great encouragement as we advance forward in our mission to serve students with the highest levels of Christian education and training." This development happens as Ex-Russian Double Agent Naveed Jamali, a Pakistani-American writer for Newsweek who has defended the Muslim Brotherhood against being labelled a terrorist group, has spent years scheming against Olivet University, a Christian school. He began this campaign to assist his boss, Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad, as part of an ownership dispute within Newsweek. Out of this dispute, a secret team was formed within Newsweek to harm Olivet University as a form of deterrence against any challenge to Pragad's hold on the magazine. Jamali and Newsweek are currently facing a lawsuit from Olivet University in a New York court, for writing and publishing false and defamatory statements about the university. Despite the Jamali-launched campaign against Olivet University, the school continues to help Christian students from many countries to get an education and to start faith-based careers. Jamali's repeated efforts to negatively influence state agencies and regulators against Olivet have not succeeded in cutting off these students' access to Christian education. As the dust now settles, it is clear Naveed Jamali has been a key instigator within a covert inner circle at Newsweek trying to put an end to Olivet's mission of helping young men and women achieve their dreams of becoming pastors and missionaries. Today's development that Olivet University received back its belongings from the DHS, however, puts a nail in the coffin of the controversies stirred up by this covert group within Newsweek. Those were clearly malign exaggerations, and not the public-benefiting journalism one would expect from the legacy magazine. Related Articles: Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer Joshua Adam Schulte has been sentenced to 40 years in prison on charges of espionage and child pornography, following a high-profile trial that spanned years. The sentencing comes after Schulte was convicted of being the largest leaker of CIA material in history, a case that drew significant attention due to its implications for national security. Schulte as Threat to National Security The decision was handed down by the court in the Southern District of New York, marking the culmination of a legal battle that began with Schulte's arrest in 2017. Schulte had been accused of leaking classified documents to the infamous WikiLeaks platform, exposing highly sensitive information related to the agency's operations. Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented a case that painted the former CIA software engineer as a significant threat to national security, emphasizing the damage caused by the disclosure of classified information. "Joshua Schulte betrayed his country by committing some of the most brazen, heinous crimes of espionage in American history," Damian Williams, United States (US) Attorney for the Southern District of New York said. "He caused untold damage to our national security in his quest for revenge against the CIA for its response to Schulte's security breaches while employed there." The prosecution argued that the leaked material had the potential to compromise intelligence sources, endanger operatives, and undermine the country's ability to protect its interests globally. The defense, on the other hand, sought to portray Schulte in a different light, arguing that he was not the source of the leak and pointing to alleged flaws in the investigation. However, the court ultimately sided with the prosecution. Read Also: CIA Director William Burns To Help Secure Release of Israel Hostages via Diplomacy Schulte's Child Pornography Charges The charges against Schulte included not only espionage but also child pornography. "Today, Joshua Schulte was rightly punished not only for his betrayal of our country, but for his substantial possession of horrific child pornographic material," Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said. "The severity of his actions is evident, and the sentence imposed reflects the magnitude of the disturbing and harmful threat posed by his criminal conduct." Between 2012 and 2016, Schulte served as a software developer at the Center for Cyber Intelligence ("CCI"), an entity specializing in offensive cyber operations such as cyber espionage directed towards terrorist organizations and foreign governments. In March 2017, WikiLeaks released classified data known as Vault 7 and Vault 8 from the stolen CIA files, marking one of the largest unauthorized disclosures in US history. Schulte, responsible for the theft, caused severe damage to the CIA's ability to collect foreign intelligence, risking personnel, programs, and incurring substantial financial losses. The former CIA Deputy Director of Digital Innovation likened the impact to a "digital Pearl Harbor," posing grave harm to national security. Following the disclosures, Schulte lied during voluntary FBI interviews, denying involvement and creating false narratives to divert suspicion, according to the Department of Justice. In that same year, the FBI searched Schulte's New York apartment, seizing electronic devices, including a desktop computer he had built in Virginia and later moved to New York. The computer contained layers of encryption hiding disturbing child sexual abuse materials, including about 3,400 images and videos of child pornography and the rape and sexual abuse of children. Schulte had reportedly obtained some during his CIA tenure and continued collecting such content from the dark web and Russian websites after moving to New York. On March 9, 2020, Schulte was convicted of contempt of court and making false statements. On July 13, 2022, he faced eight counts, including illegal gathering and transmission of national defense information related to the Stolen CIA Files. These charges covered unauthorized access to a computer and causing transmission of harmful commands. Last year, Schulte was finally found guilty on charges of receiving, possessing, and transporting child pornography. Related Article: Attempted Firebombing: Ohio Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Trying To Burn Church Over Hosting of Drag Shows During an interview with Europa Libera Romania, a news service connected to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Romania's chief of defense warned of the country's lack of readiness for a possible confrontation with Russia. With this statement, Romania joins the group of NATO members that are becoming more concerned about the possibility of conflict with Russia, as per Newsweek. Romania and NATO Alarmed by Russia War Threat General Vlad emphasized the need for Romania to take the threat seriously, expressing concerns that his country is currently ill-equipped to face the prospect of war with Russia. The admission follows recent remarks by top NATO officials, including Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO's military committee, who warned that an all-out war with Russia could unfold within the next two decades. Speaking in Brussels after a meeting of the alliance's defense chiefs, Adm. Bauer underlined the importance of recognizing that peace is not guaranteed, stressing that NATO forces are actively preparing for a potential conflict with Russia. The warning preceded the commencement of the bloc's largest military exercises in decades, involving approximately 90,000 troops and spanning several months, aimed at demonstrating the alliance's ability to defend its territory up to its border with Russia. Adm. Bauer also highlighted the necessity of mobilizing a significant number of civilians in the event of war, urging governments within the alliance to proactively plan for such a massive mobilization. He cautioned that not everything is predictable in the coming decades, emphasizing the importance of preparing for unforeseen challenges. Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius contributed to the growing concerns, suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin could potentially launch an attack on NATO countries within the next decade. Despite leaked German military documents presenting a scenario of a Spring 2024 Russian attack, German officials deemed the likelihood of such an event "extremely unlikely." Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis echoed the urgency for Europe to accelerate preparations, expressing concern that Russia might not be contained in Ukraine. Landsbergis warned that in the scenario where Ukraine doesn't succeed, the outcome would not bode well for Europe, according to New York Post. Read Also: Jordan Using Israeli Made Spyware to Monitor Lawyers, Journalists NATO Concerns Over Russia's Military Buildup Amidst these concerns, senior NATO officials are worried that their governments and private arms manufacturers are falling behind in preparations for a potential conflict. Russia, on the other hand, has significantly increased its military expenditure, allocating 40% of its national budget to defense and intensifying manufacturing efforts. Despite these ominous signs, Russia has rejected an American proposal to reopen an arms control dialogue, with officials claiming that the US is seeking a strategic defeat of Russia in Ukraine as the New Start treaty is set to expire in February 2026. While Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed claims by President Biden in December that Russia could go to war with NATO as "complete nonsense," NATO is gearing up for its largest military exercise since the Cold War. The operation, named Steadfast Defender, is specifically designed to prepare the alliance for a potential Russian invasion. NATO generals, including as Brigadier General Frank Schmitz, stress the need of resolving issues like the interchangeability of NATO soldiers and equipment in order to assure a strong reaction. They also recognize the necessity of having capabilities in the rear. NATO leaders agree that, despite the difficulties, being prepared on all fronts is essential to handling any crises in the next few years, The Messaggero reported. Related Article: China: Man, Mistress Executed for Killing 2 Children by Throwing Them Off 15th-Floor as Couple Urges To Start New Family The Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) in Albania disclosed on Thursday that it fell victim to a sophisticated cyberattack, affecting some of its crucial systems. The INSTAT, responsible for collecting and analyzing statistical data, issued a statement revealing that its systems were specifically targeted in what is described as a "sophisticated cyberattack" that unfolded on Wednesday, as per Daily Mail. Albania's Rapid Response to Escalating Cyber Threats In order to protect its critical data, INSTAT immediately stopped internet connections and turned on emergency procedures after discovering the incident. The coordinated reaction was designed to reduce any harm and protect important data. Expert examinations indicate that just a small portion of INSTAT's systems were affected, assuring the public that the security and integrity of data pertaining to a recent census have not been compromised. The institute is actively collaborating with authorities to identify the origins and motives behind the cyberattack. In an official statement posted on its Facebook page, INSTAT expressed its commitment to resuming normal operations swiftly and fortifying its cybersecurity measures against future threats. This incident comes in the wake of a cyberattack on Albania's Parliament website in December, further underscoring the increasing frequency of cyber threats targeting the country's institutions. Notably, Albania also experienced a cyberattack in July 2022, with the government and international technology companies attributing the attack to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The incident, believed to be in retaliation for Albania providing shelter to members of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), resulted in the government severing diplomatic relations with Iran. Despite the allegations, the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied involvement in the attack, asserting that Iran itself has been a victim of cyberattacks orchestrated by MEK. In a show of solidarity, the United States, NATO, and the European Union supported Albania in its response to the cyber threat, according to Euronews. Read Also: Congressional Negotiations on Wartime Aid and Border Security Hit Roadblock as Deadline Nears for Ukraine Support INSTAT's Strong Response, Ongoing Cyber Probe In the current scenario, INSTAT's resilience and prompt response to the cyberattack have been commendable. The institute not only disconnected internet connections but also activated emergency protocols to ensure the protection of data and statistical information. Information Technology experts conducted initial examinations, revealing that some of INSTAT's systems bore the brunt of the cyber intrusion. To delve deeper into the incident, national experts in cybersecurity have joined forces to conduct a thorough investigation. The primary objectives include identifying the root causes of the attack, assessing the extent of the damage incurred, and formulating effective solutions to mitigate future risks. INSTAT, while assuring the public that Census data is not the primary target of the attack, emphasized that such critical information is stored in separate specialized systems designed exclusively for this purpose. The director of INSTAT has said in media interviews that the census results should be released in June of this year. The director also indicates the need of protecting the data's security and integrity. In an effort to bring its information systems back up to date and strengthen cybersecurity protections, INSTAT is still working closely with authorities that possess the necessary skills to investigate the origin and intentions of the hack. According to reports, Homeland Justice, an Iranian hacking style, is purportedly behind the assault. A statement that was shared on social media said that the organization had successfully gained access to INSTAT's website. Homeland Justice has a track record of assaulting Albanian institutions; in December, they admitted that they attempted to infiltrate the Parliament's infrastructure in an effort to remove data. The organization also claimed credit for an assault on an Albanian cellular firm that day. The current state of affairs shows how cyber threats are ever-present and always changing, calling for constant attention to detail and strong cybersecurity defenses in order to protect vital national assets, Associated Press reported. Related Article: U.N. Top Court Dismisses Ukraine Case Against Russia President Biden has issued a sweeping executive order imposing financial and travel sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. This move, which goes beyond a previous directive by the State Department, is seen as a strong response to address concerns from Arab American voters who have expressed dissatisfaction with the president's support for Israel during the conflict in Gaza, as per The New York Times. Biden Sanctions Israeli Settlers for West Bank Violence The sanctions, initially targeting four Israelis involved in acts of violence, threats, and attempts to seize Palestinian property, prohibit them from accessing the US financial system, American assets, or property. Additionally, they are barred from traveling to the United States and engaging in any commercial activities with US entities. The individuals facing sanctions are accused of various offenses, including violence, threats, and property seizures against Palestinians. The penalties aim to hinder their use of the US financial system and prevent American citizens from dealing with them. US officials are considering further actions against those involved in attacks that escalated during the Israel-Hamas war. President Biden's order is a rare step against a close ally in the Middle East, underscoring the administration's commitment to holding individuals accountable for violence that undermines peace and stability. While expressing support for Israel's right to defend itself, Biden has urged restraint from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in military operations against Hamas. The sanctioned settlers are accused of participating in riots, assaults on farmers and activists, assaults on Israeli activists, and leading attacks on Palestinian and Bedouin civilians. The executive order aims to address the violence perpetrated by extremists that hinders US foreign policy objectives, including the pursuit of a two-state solution and equal security, prosperity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians. The move comes amid growing criticism of the Biden administration's strong support for Israel during the conflict, raising concerns about casualties and the viability of a two-state solution. President Biden has reiterated his commitment to an independent Palestinian state coexisting with Israel, emphasizing the need for a lasting peace once the Israel-Hamas war concludes, according to Associated Press. Read Also: Biden to Commemorate UAW Endorsement Despite Arab American Outrage in Detroit Over Gaza Netanyahu Criticizes US Sanctions Amid Alert Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu swiftly denounced the US penalties, emphasizing that the majority of settlers are law-abiding citizens. He argued against exceptional measures, highlighting Israel's actions against law-breakers in all locations. The Treasury Department and the State Department have worked together to identify the sanctioned persons and to notify financial institutions to keep an eye on any transactions involving extremist settlers in the West Bank. The notice offers standards for recognizing questionable transactions, such as dealings with charities associated with extremists, memo-line information suggesting endorsement of extremism, and acquisitions of tactical equipment for use by non-governmental organizations in the West Bank. President Biden's order aims to send a strong message against the extreme activities of some settlers in the West Bank, aligning with calls from US lawmakers to address the role of Americans or dual citizens involved in settler violence. While the sanctions have been met with criticism from some quarters, including Netanyahu's government, the Biden administration remains steadfast in its commitment to holding accountable those responsible for violence that jeopardizes peace in the region. The timing of the executive order, ahead of President Biden's visit to Michigan, raises questions about its connection to growing domestic pressure, particularly from Arab and Muslim leaders critical of the administration's handling of the conflict. However, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby asserted that the order's timing was unrelated to domestic considerations and had been in development since November, CBS News reported. Related Article: South Carolina Resort Settles for $26 Million in Horrific Pool Chemical Burns Case Health officials announced that over 130 people on board a Cunard Cruise Line ship that left from Florida have mysteriously developed gastrointestinal illness. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the main symptoms among those on board the vessel included diarrhea and vomiting. Nearly 140 People on Ship Contracted Gastrointestinal Illness The CDC stated in an advisory on Wednesday that at least 120 passengers and 15 crew members have reported falling ill since the departure of Queen Victoria on January 22. According to US Newsper, the cause of the gastrointestinal illness was not immediately known. The cruise line had isolated the ill passengers and crews in response to the mysterious outbreak. According to the ship's outbreak prevention and response plan, they increased cleaning and disinfection procedures. The CDC added that the situation on board is being monitored by the health agency's Vessel Sanitation Program. According to the CruiseMapper tracking website, the Queen Victoria ship, which has space for more than 2,000 people, departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a 16-night journey. The ship will stop in San Francisco on February 7 before docking in Honolulu five days later. The 2007-built cruise ship is currently on a 107-night global voyage that started on January 11 in Southampton, UK. The gastrointestinal crisis struck just a week after an unknown disease struck passengers on a cruise ship docked in Florida. Passengers on the Carnival Cruise Line Elation ship complained of stomach flu-like symptoms after leaving Jacksonville. One passenger, Miranda Hill, told First Coast News that her condition was so bad that she started throwing up blue vomit. "My throw up was bright blue and I have never eaten anything blue and every time I look up blue throw up, it has to deal with a poisoning," she shared. Read Also: 'Moth to a Flame:' New Study Suggests Artificial Light Messes With Insects' Sense of Direction Hundreds Fall Ill on Galveston-based Cruise Ship The CDC reported that hundreds of passengers and crew members fell ill while on board a Princess Cruise ship. According to CDC investigators, 284 of 2,881 passengers on the Ruby Princess reported being sick between February 26 and March 5, and 34 out of 1,159 staff members reported getting sick. The symptoms mentioned were vomiting and diarrhea. The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program epidemiologists and environmental health officers responded to the ship when it stopped in Galveston, Texas, on March 5. The cause of the illnesses has not yet been identified. Furthermore, the CDC said the ship's crew employed disinfection techniques and more frequent cleaning since the outbreak. They also obtained stool samples for CDC examination. A Princess Cruise representative claimed they advised sick passengers to remain in their rooms. They said the illness was probably brought on by the highly contagious norovirus, which causes diarrhea and vomiting. Related Article: CDC Warns US About Measles Outbreak After Detecting 23 Cases-What Should Parents Do? Georgia's new bill is just one House vote away from becoming law. However, this legislation could negatively affect the state as it could worsen the jail overcrowding issue. On Thursday, Feb. 1, the Georgia state Senate passed the new bill called SB63; receiving a 30-17 vote from state senators. The voting comes as three Atlanta Solidarity Fund activists face multiple charges. These include state-level charity fraud and racketeering charges, which are in connection with the prosecution of some protesters against the Atlanta police training facility project, "Cop City." Georgia's New Bill Restricting Protest Group Bail Funds Passes Senate According to The Guardian's latest report, the new Georgian bill aims to restrict bail funds for protest groups. But, to clarify things, bail funds will not be completely banned. Any individual or group can still raise funds as a charitable bail fund-they can also continue soliciting donations-for the release of an accused person. But, they must register and meet the requirements of a bail bond company first before doing so. The new bill also states that a county sheriff will have absolute discretion over who can register as a bondsman. Georgia's Sen. Josh McLaurin said that this will give local law enforcement an effective vote over political protests' bail component. "The program that [US senator Raphael] Warnock's church runs, a Mother's Day bailout they do every year, will now be illegal under this bill because charitable organizations will no longer be allowed to bail out more than three people a year," he stated. Read Also: Mysterious Murder: California Authorities Suspect Desert 'Marijuana Transaction' Led To Killing of 6 Men New Bill Could Worsen Georgia's Jail Overcrowding US News reported that Georgia's new legislation could negatively affect poor defendants in jail when accused of charges for which they are unlikely to go to prison. Experts said that this could worsen overcrowding in county jails. If the new SB63 really becomes law, it would erode the changes that were passed in 2018 under Republican Gov. Nathan Deal. These changes currently allow judges to release individuals accused of misdemeanors without needing bail. Valdosta lawyer Roy Copeland said that the new bill can cause people accused of misdemeanors to lose their homes, jobs, as well as child custodies, if they can't afford bail. If you want to learn more about the controversial bill in Georgia, you can click here. Related Article: [UPDATE] Alabama's First Nitrogen Gas Execution Faces Condemnation; People Who Watched His Death Says It's 'Torture' In an extraordinary display of determination and compassion, Erica Hart, a 44-year-old Yorkshire woman, has become a local hero in Yorkshire, United Kingdom by reuniting 330 lost dogs with their anxious owners. Hart uses thermal imaging drones to locate the missing dogs. Thermal imaging drones, recognized as unmanned aerial vehicles, come equipped with thermal cameras or sensors designed to identify and record the infrared radiation emitted by various objects. Where It All Began Hart's journey into this canine rescue mission began in April 2018 when her father, Eric, gifted her a DJI Phantom drone. Little did she know that this gift would evolve into a life-saving tool for countless pet owners in distress. The turning point came when her father informed her about a missing schnauzer in their local area. Inspired by the potential of her drone, Hart contacted the dog's owner, took to the skies, and successfully located the lost pup beside a tree. This initial success set the stage for what would become a tireless pursuit of reuniting pets with their families. Word of Hart's unique endeavor spread rapidly, and she found herself on an increasing number of dog rescue missions. To date, she has embarked on hundreds of such missions, going beyond just dogs, as she has successfully located cats, emus, cows, and assisted mountain rescue teams in finding missing people. "I get called out every day. Since I started out, I have found 330 dogs - some have made it and some haven't," she shared. "It is in my nature to help out." Her dedication knows no bounds, as she has been on call every day, even venturing out on holidays like Christmas and New Year's Day. Read Also: Guinness World Records Suspends Bobi's Oldest-Dog Title, Conducts Formal Review After Vets Raise Doubts Hart's Love for Animals What makes Hart's efforts even more remarkable is that she refuses any form of payment for her services, driven solely by her love for animals. The joy she witnesses on the faces of pet owners when they are reunited with their beloved animals is her true reward. "I do everything for the love of dogs. Imagine not seeing your mum for 10 years and then seeing her all of a sudden - it is that feeling," she expressed. "It is like winning the lottery when I find a dog. Some people can't have kids, so they will get a dog; they are comfort for some people." Her journey is not without personal sacrifices. Hart, a thermal drone pilot, has gone through 30 drones on her pet search and rescue missions. Currently, she is saving for a new drone, an Autel Evo 4n, equipped with night vision and a thermal camera to enhance her capabilities, especially during nighttime rescues. Hart's rescue missions have varied in duration, with the longest lasting 12 days. Although her commitment to the cause is unwavering, she said she has turned down requests to rescue dogs from locations as far as Scotland to Somerset, not wanting to leave her own dogs for too long. Her own pack includes eight dogs, four of which are rescues, emphasizing her personal connection to the cause. One of her dogs, Brenda, a sausage dog, was found after a Facebook post indicated she was missing, and although located, the owner did not want her back. Two Shih Tzus, Bella and Fudge, were handed over to Hart by owners who intended to abandon them, while Shadow, a cockapoo, was given to her by the police. Related Article: Pet Lover Side Hustle 2024: What To Know About Pet Sitting, Dog Walking-To Dos Before Starting The Indian government has finally decided to tout its naval power in international waters as part of its efforts to challenge China's growing influence. For decades, the South Asian country has focused its defense policy on its land borders with its rivals, China and Pakistan. However, as India's global ambitions continue to expand, it is finally conducting efforts that include anti-piracy patrols and a widely publicized deployment close to the Red Sea. India Touts Naval Power The latter seeks to help in the protection of ships that have been targets of continued Houthi rebel attacks amid Israel's war on Gaza. In November last year, India sent three guided missile destroyers and reconnaissance aircraft after the Yemen-based terrorist group started to target vessels in solidarity with Hamas. That particular disturbance resulted in chaos in the key trading route that is responsible for handling roughly 12% of global trade. The former head of the country's southern naval command, Anil Kumar Chawla, said that India's deployment highlighted the country as a "proactive contributor" to international maritime security, as per the Associated Press. Chawla, who retired from his previous position in 2021, said that the decisions were not made simply out of altruism. He noted that unless you are a maritime power, you can never aspire to become a global power. India, which is already a regional power, is starting to position itself as a "global player today, an upcoming global power." The nation is already publicizing the deployments, which signals its desire to assume a wider responsibility in maritime security to the rest of the world. It also shows its growing maritime ambitions to regional rival China. Chawla said that the deployment is a message to China that India is capable of sending such a large force in the area. He argued that his country is probably the most capable and responsible resident naval power. Read Also: India: PM Modi Opens Controversial Hindu Temple Built on Mosque Ruins Growing Into a Global Power The Indian navy has helped at least four ships, three of which were attacked by Houthi rebels and another that Washington blamed on Iran, which is something that Tehran denied. The Houthi rebels have targeted dozens of ships in the Red Sea as the group is seeking a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to Yahoo News. On the other hand, the United States and its allies have responded with multiple rounds of bombings of rebel positions. So far, India has not joined the American-led force that is batting the Yemen-based rebels. The Indian guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam on Jan. 26 assisted the crew of a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker. This was in order to manage a fire onboard that began after it was struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden. In a statement, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that the country's growing capability, interests, and reputation warranted its assistance in these times of hardships. During a public event on Tuesday, he said that they cannot be considered a responsible country when bad things are happening close by and they say that they have nothing to do with it. There are many other countries that have a naval presence in the region, including the U.S., France, and China, said Reuters. Related Article: Indian Court Rules To Give Hindu Worshippers Approval To Pray at Disputed Mosque A long line of trucks stalled at the Zaragoza International Bridge, one of two ports of entry in Ciudad Juarez going into the U.S.on April 12, 2022. The truckers blocked both north and south bound commercial lanes in protest after prolonged processing times implemented by Gov. Abbott which they say increased from 2 to 3 hours up to 14 hours. Omar Ornelas, MBR / Associated Press Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appeared in 2022 with border sheriffs to announce his many endorsements from law enforcement groups as he ran for re-election. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News A child's shoe hangs caught in razor wire atop the bank of the Rio Grande on Jan. 9 in Eagle Pass. Following a major surge of migrant border crossings late last year, large quantities of refuse left behind by migrants as well as miles of razor wire installed by Texas National Guard troops remain along the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass. John Moore/Getty Images Texas Department of Public Safety Chief Steve McCraw, center, stands with officials as they wait for the arrival of Congressional members on Jan. 3 in Eagle Pass. Eric Gay/Associated Press If President Joe Biden sealed the border with Mexico, as many Republicans are demanding, their Super Bowl parties would be very sad, as a former president might say. No avocados or tomatoes for guacamole. No tequila or limes for margaritas. Americans would lose more than $3.45 billion worth of beer if the president closed the crossing at Eagle Pass alone, trade data shows. Autoworkers couldnt afford a party due to furloughs caused by shortages of Mexican-made parts. The border towns would lose up to 40% of workers who cross daily. Restaurants and hotels would close, and rich folks would have to clean their own toilets. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Yet migrants would continue risking life and limb to save their lives and limbs. History shows where there is a will, there is a way to cross the shallow river and cut through the brush and mountains. Sealing the border is physically impossible, and closing trade would trigger an economic catastrophe. Mexico is the United States largest trading partner, with exports to Mexico totaling $362.7 billion and imports reaching $500.7 billion in 2022, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Mexico is a significant supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables, many of which come across the Texas border. Trade is essential to Eagle Pass, where Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to prevent federal Customs and Border Protection agents from doing their jobs. More than $33 billion in rail traffic passed through Eagle Pass and El Paso in fiscal year 2023, representing more than a third of all cross-border trade, Bureau of Transportation Statistics data showed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At Eagle Pass two international bridges, crossings in December totaled 186,000 private vehicles, 12,115 commercial trucks, 950 buses and 111,235 pedestrians, city data shows. Eagle Pass alone engaged $34.67 billion in international trade in January-November 2023. The city, with 29,000 people, is the 10th busiest border crossing in the country. Texas-Mexico trade totaled $515 billion last year. Too many people imagine border towns as dusty little one-stoplight hamlets where men wearing sombreros wrap themselves in blankets for siesta. Or they believe hatemongers like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who echo 19th century racist tropes about people from south of the border. This is an invasion from Third World countries. Theyre coming here with health issues, theyre uneducated, unemployed and all they do is commit crime on the streets, he told Fox News on Wednesday. What Patrick failed to mention is that 8% of the Texas workforce is undocumented, Pew Research reported in November. The Texas Senate, which he leads, has never passed legislation to punish businesses for hiring them because key industries would collapse without them. The borderlands are among the most economically vibrant areas in Texas. Most of the rhetoric about enforcing immigration law, whether Republican or Democratic, sounds silly once you drive along the banks of the Rio Grande. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is a wall that stretches for miles, but gates are left open to grant Texans access to their U.S. property sandwiched between the wall and the river. Wetlands and mountains make fencing impossible along many stretches of the 1,200-mile Texas-Mexico border. If you want an idea of what it looks like, Getty photographer John Moore, who I embedded with during the 2003 Iraq Invasion, has documented every mile from San Diego to Brownsville. As a former soldier, war correspondent and frequent la linea visitor, I can assure you no government can seal any border longer than a few dozen miles. Abbotts seizure of 2.5 miles of border proves the point. He ordered National Guard troops to take over a city park and place shipping containers and concertina wire along the river. He deployed a 100-yard death trap in the water. Migrants keep wading anyway, trying to find an opening and begging for help. They walk to a break in the barrier, approach a border patrol officer and ask for asylum. Ending the crisis requires far more sophisticated solutions than fencing. Solutions also require congressional action. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Congress must grant Biden legal authority to reject faulty asylum claims. If migrants believe the U.S. will turn away illegitimate claims, they will not come. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas needs more money to hire 1,600 asylum officers, 1,300 border patrol agents and 1,000 homeland security investigators. The administration has asked for $16 billion to improve enforcement. Explainer: Decoding China's success in cloning endangered Xizang cattle Xinhua) 08:24, February 02, 2024 This photo taken on Jan. 29, 2024 shows clones of Apeijiaza cattle in Yunyang County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping) BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists recently confirmed the world's first successful cloning of endangered cattle breeds found in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The Zhangmu and the Apeijiaza, two rare yellow cattle breeds native to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, are strategic resources for China, as these breeds can help researchers breed varieties well adapted to the harsh high-altitude environment. Yunyang County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality saw the birth of four clones of each breed and they are currently in good condition. This photo taken on Jan. 29, 2024 shows clones of Zhangmu cattle in Yunyang County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping) THE METHOD According to the third national survey of livestock and poultry genetic resources conducted in 2021 and 2022, there were just 19 heads of Zhangmu cattle in Xizang's Shigatse City and 39 heads of Apeijiaza cattle in the autonomous region's Nyingchi City. To urgently bring these animals back from the brink of extinction, relevant departments and local authorities in China established a working group to protect the existing cattle, preserve their somatic cells, and make clones to increase their population. Scientists collected ear tissue from the Zhangmu and the Apeijiaza, used somatic cell nuclear transfer technology to create cloned embryos and transplanted them into surrogate cows. After a full-term pregnancy, four male calves of each breed were born. A head of the Zhangmu and three heads of the Apeijiaza were born through cesarean section, with researchers precisely determining the right timing for the operations. WHY YUNYANG COUNTY WAS CHOSEN As there are currently no suitable conditions for cloning in Xizang, researchers chose China's southwestern regions so that it would be convenient to deliver the clones back to Xizang. Yunyang County was finally chosen due to its climate and terrain resembling that of the cattle's native habitat and for its cattle breeding technology. OVERCOMING ALTITUDE CHALLENGE Two calves of each breed will be returned to Xizang this summer, while the remaining four will be raised to adulthood in Yunyang County and their semen will be collected and frozen for preservation. Bringing the cloned cattle back to Xizang may pose challenges related to transportation, abrupt changes in their living environment and potential risks of diseases. These animals born in low-altitude Chongqing will be moved gradually to Xizang to help them adapt to the high altitude there. Upon arrival in Xizang, the cloned cattle will be quarantined, carefully bred and closely monitored to ensure their health. CLONING IN XIZANG Scientists plan to create favorable conditions for cloning Zhangmu and Apeijiaza cows in Xizang to facilitate the rapid growth of the herd. Experts believe that the cloning success has laid a foundation for cloning in Xizang and training specialized personnel, but technological obstacles remain to be cracked, such as obtaining oocytes and ensuring the maturity of extracorporeal embryos, among other factors. STRENGTHENING PROTECTION IN HABITAT In addition to striving for conditions conducive to cloning, local authorities in Xizang have also stepped up efforts for the protection of the naturally existing herd in the habitat, including setting up protection zones, creating protection cooperatives, intensifying disease control and improving animal-raising methods. A new survey showed that nine Apeijiaza and six Zhangmu calves were born in Xizang in 2023. Researchers will work to boost the reproductive capacity of the cattle and the survival rate of the newborns. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Nusaiba Mizan is a business reporter at the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at nusaiba.mizan@houstonchronicle.com Marissa Luck is a senior real estate reporter at Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at marissa.luck@houstonchronicle.com. Previously, Luck covered commercial real estate in Texas for CoStar News; real estate for Austin Business Journal; energy for Houston Chronicle; and business news for The Daily News in Longview, Wash. Shes won awards from Society of Professional Journalists and National Association of Real Estate Editors, and her byline has appeared in numerous publications nationally. Originally from Hawaii, Luck grew up in the Pacific Northwest and studied international political economy at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. She now lives in Midtown Houston. NOLA-style BBQ shrimp from chef Dominick Lee, whom is opening Augustine's in Houston Shawn McCarnney Dominick Lee, a talented chef from New Orleans who made a splash in Houstons dining scene before leaving during the pandemic, is moving back to open his progressive Creole restaurant Augustines. Slated to open this fall, Lees restaurant will be located inside the Hotel King David, 2615 Riverside, in Third Ward. At Augustines, Lee plans to showcase food that builds on his New Orleans-inspired cooking, which was the backbone of the Alligator Pear, the New York City restaurant he helped open as executive chef last summer. In December, he announced he was leaving the well-received Manhattan spot that served dishes such as tempura alligator bites, blue crab beignets and, of course, gumbo. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But Lees return to Houston also gives him a chance to draw upon two years of traveling throughout Europe as he researched the roots of Creole cooking and its many influences. The dishes at Augustines will aim, Lee said, to combine elements of European cooking with cuisines developed by African slaves and Indigenous people. Houstonians may remember Lee from his time cooking at Kirans and as the head chef at Poitin, where he offered an early glimpse of his Creole-inspired cooking. Houston always embraced me as my second home, Lee said. It boosted my career and helped me understand the food I wanted to cook. HOUSTON EATS: The Chronicles top 100 restaurants Chef Dominick Lee at Poitin restaurant at Sawyer Yards Wednesday May 9 ,2018.(Dave Rossman Photo) Dave Rossman/For the Chronicle Lee, 35, started cooking in New Orleans at Johnny Sanchez, but he later came to Houston to attend the now-closed Art Institute. While in culinary school, he landed gigs as sous chef at the Bay Oaks Country Club in Clear Lake and then worked as Kiran Vermas Indian stalwart Kirans as executive sous chef. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2019, Lees cooking at Poitin Bar & Kitchen helped land the restaurant on Texas Monthlys list of top restaurants. The Sawyer Yards establishment closed in May 2020, and the chef went to Europe soon after, where he worked on farms and vineyards in Italy from 2021 to 2023. But Lee attributes his deep dive into Creole cooking to his time in Houston. He said Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cooks review and feedback helped push him to reexamine the globally inspired cooking at Poitin I was making this cuisine that was influenced from around the world, Lee said. Alison Cook asked me, Is this who I was? In Cooks review, where she praised some dishes while noting shortcomings in others, she was clearly impressed: Im left with the feeling that the best is yet to come here, as Lee settles into his first executive-chef role. Hes a unique voice with a relentless curiosity and a talent for gathering people and ideas, and I am eager to see where that leads. Collard greens risotto at Poitin Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Rohan duck at Poitin Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Burrata with salad at Poitin Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Augustines will seat about 40 to 50 customers, Lee said, and the smaller footprint than Alligator Pear will allow him to give people a really high-quality experience. The menu, which is still being developed, will skew on the fine-dining side and will be available a la carte and not fussy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The restaurants name follows a long tradition of New Orleans establishments Arnauds, Brennans, Galatoires, Dooky Chase, Mandinas, Brigstens named after their proprietors. One of the investors behind the restaurant is an Augustine, whose family has roots in Cannes, France, and later lived in Louisiana before migrating to Texas. Lee is a primary partner behind Riverside Hospitality Group, which owns Augustine's. MORE FROM BAO ONG: Brazos Bagel near the Heights is ready to shake up Houstons bagel scene Lee said he plans to move to Houston by summertime. Until then, the chef is giving Houstonians an early look at what to expect at Augustines. On Feb. 10-11, Lee will throw a two-day dinner series at the Hotel King David with a five-course tasting menu ($195 per person) celebrating Mardi Gras. In the same location the following week on Feb. 16-17, he will collaborate with chef Marin Draluck of the Los Angeles-based Black Pot Supper Club for another ticketed dinner event ($225 per person). Houston, for me, is the place where I want to do something like this, Lee said. I have this community of people that understand what I want to establish. It's where I started this idea. The City of Bellaire Staff Photo Whats with cities within the city of Houston? A city within a city isnt unique to Houston. But its how these mini metropolises became a part of Houstons history that makes them distinctive. Bellaire, West University Place and Southside Placea cluster of municipalities surrounded by the city of Houstondeveloped for different reasons, according to historian and author Kate McCormick. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bellaire Bellaire, founded in 1908 and the first of the three bedroom communities, initially went by the name of Westmoreland Farms. Created by a railroad executive, Bellaire appealed to those who desired an agricultural lifestyle, but still wanted to live close to Houston. Ten years later, Bellaire obtained a general-law city charter and in 1949 adopted a home-rule charter with a council-management government. They sort of promoted it as you can be self-sufficient, you can have a little farm and the trolley track that ran down into Bellaire that the developer put in to get people to move out there would provide a way for people to sell whatever they were growing, McCormick said. Coach Oscar Pacheco, with Soccer Shots, left, leads Braxton Sloan, 4, Rosie Yuan, 4, Riley Linn, 3, and Luciano Vallejo, 3, right, during his program for children ages 3 to 5-years-old at Evelyns Park Conservancy, 4400 Bellaire Boulevard, Thursday, April 15, 2021 in Bellaire. Melissa Phillip/Staff photographer Your lingering questions, answered What have you always wondered about Houston? In this Chronicle series, we aim to dig into some of the many weird, wonderful, curious questions our readers have about the greater Houston area: Why do we call them feeder roads? Is Houston really built on a swamp? If you have something youd like us to get to the bottom of, please submit your ideas here. Advertisement Article continues below this ad West University Place The crowd waves during the Bellaire Fourth of July Parade where hundreds of people gathered to celebrate on July 4, 2014, in Houston, Tx. Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle The developers behind West University Place hoped to benefit from Rice Universitys growth over time. According to McCormick, they imagined it would be the neighborhood surrounded by the universitys rise in success. But it came with its own set of issues. They were catering more towards urban people that didnt quite want to live in the city of Houston, but wanted a little bit more space, McCormick said. The challenge that they had is that when the developer went to Houston and said, Hey, I need utilities in order to make this whole development work, Houston did an analysis and said, Houstons not going to grow west, Houston is growing east, so we will not pull utilities out there for you to support this development. A sign in front of the municipal building at the intersection of University Boulevard and Auden Street shows the central area of West University Place, a city within the city of Houston, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle ) Mark Mulligan, Staff / Houston Chronicle In the end, McCormick said the developer constructed a plan to get the community up and going. According to the citys website, residents dissatisfied with muddy streets, poor drainage, and the absence of schools and fire protection joined in a series o Advertisement Article continues below this ad f town meetings which led to the incorporation of the West University Place in 1924. The developer of West U had to pull all of the utilities himself, she said. He had to invest in all of that himself and so they spent a lot of money on infrastructure. Southside Place One hundred years later, some of the kit houses designed to create the neighborhood of Southside Place remain. The man behind the Southside Place, E.L. Crain, previously built homes in the Montrose neighborhood before building his own community from the ground up. Created on Oct. 3, 1924, Southside Place officially became an incorporated city in August of 1934. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Southside Place Ryan Nickerson He bought a prefabricated house company, and he was trying to sell people these little catalog houses, McCormick said. I think he was ahead of his time. He thought, Im going to do this whole thing myself; Im going to invest in the land, Im going to develop the neighborhoods and then Im going to sell you your house. So, that way he could control sort of all aspects of his development. McCormick described Crains vision as a masterplan community before masterplan community. With the purchase of the kit houses, Crain gave residents the power to build the home of their dreams. Youd pick out a design and they would bring to your home pre-cut boards to the exact right size, rolls of wallpaper, cans of paint, x number of nails you would need and instructions on how to put it together, McCormick said. So, you could either put it together yourself or with friends or whatever, or you could hire them to put it together. But it was a very efficient way of building a home because theres no waste and because all of the designs are pre-done, they know exactly how many pieces of wood you need for tresses, how many shingles you need for the roof. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Zarastin Fushkova, 4, pushes her cousin, Sultonbegin Khuganazarova, 8, as they play at Evelyns Park Conservancy, 4400 Bellaire Blvd., Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in Bellaire. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer How Houston grew around the cities Preservation Houston programs director Jim Parsons said back in 1839, Houstons founders set city limits, which formed a square, spanned three miles on each side and centered on the county courthouse. That nine-square-mile box held until 1904 with one brief exception in 1870, the Reconstruction-era city government nearly tripled the city limits, in part so that it could issue public works bonds against the larger urban territory, Parsons said. The city re-established the 1839 limits after four years. But it was left with a lot of debt on land that wasnt even part of the city anymore, so residents were wary of expanding again. Years later in 1904, Houstonians voted to extend the city limits by a half-mile in every direction moving the box from three miles to four miles on each side. A DEFINE Body & Mind bounce class is conducted outdoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, at West University in Houston. The fitness center has three outdoor bounce classes a week. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer This was done to bring people who lived at the edges of the city into the city proper, so Houston could start providing services to them and collecting tax from them, Parsons said. Once it became a home rule city in 1913, Houston could annex nearby territory without the consent of the people who lived there. It allowed the city to conduct various annexations that lasted through the 1930s. The main focus of which was to bring already developed areas into the city these included the Port of Houston and land along the Ship Channel; Memorial Park and the area around it; the Rice University campus; suburban developments like Montrose and River Oaks; and Harrisburg, Magnolia Park and Houston Heights, three formerly independent cities on Houstons perimeter, said Parsons, adding these cities didnt fight the annexation. During the Great Depression and World War II, Houston stopped its plans for annexation. After the war, Parsons said the citys population blossomed from 292,000 residents to more than 384,000 between 1930 and 1940. The population grew to almost 600,000 by 1950 with some projections calling for Houston proper to have 1.5 million people by 1970 and 4.9 by 2000. A group of friends go trick-or-treating together in West University on Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Houston. Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer In 1948, Houston announced plans to annex 115 square miles of land that would completely encircle the incorporated cities on its fringes, keeping them from being able expand any farther, Parsons said. The annexation ended up being whittled down, but by 1949 Houston had engulfed Southside Place, West University Place, Bellaire, Jacinto City and Galena Park, creating those cities in a city. The growth didnt stop there. Houston continued to expand by taking in areas like Kingwood and Clear Lake City in the 1960s and 1970s. Out west, the Memorial Villages Piney Point, Bunker Hill, Spring Valley, Hilshire, Hedwig and Hunters Creek had incorporated in the 1950s after a failed incorporation attempt in Spring Branch, Parsons said. Houston conducted a huge annexation in 1956 that completely encircled the newly formed Villages. Once Houston had hemmed those fringe cities in on all sides, they were no longer a potential impediment to Houstons future growth. Could this happen to more cities? As time went on and the city of Houston grew, certain neighborhoods became annexed into the city. But for Bellaire, West University Place and Southside Place, who became established areas and later cities prior to Houstons growth, annexation no longer looked desirable, said Sheri Smith, Texas Southern University associate professor of urban planning and environmental policy. Dressed in colonial wear, brothers, from left to right, Quintin, Orrin, and Shemar Adams are led down the parade route by parents, Orrin and Marylin Adams, during an Independence Day parade, Thursday, July 4, 2013 in Bellaire, Texas. (PHOTO BY TODD SPOTH) TODD SPOTH PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC Theyve formed a government, they are a city and so another city cant take another city, Smith said. That area would have to dissolve and no longer have a government and then be open within the county and then the city of Houston could take it over. Houstons continued growth over the years ultimately inundated those cities, creating multiple cities inside of a much larger one. According to the United States Census Bureau, as of July 2022, Houstons population surpassed 2.3 million, making it the fourth largest city in the country. As it continues to grow, the potential for more cities inside of Houston remains a possibility. Octavia Johnson is a general assignment reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at octavia.johnson@houstonchronicle.com. Before joining the Chronicle, Octavia worked as a digital content producer at WATE-TV in Knoxville, Tenn., where she became a leader in producing fast paced, audience-focused content. Octavia graduated from UNC Pembroke with a bachelor's degree in journalism before earning her master's degree in media and communications at Norfolk State University. Three people were killed and at least five others were wounded in a shooting at a house party in Katy early Sunday, Jan. 21, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Claire Hao / Contributor The shooting that left three people dead at a birthday party last month started with a man taking a partygoers phone at gunpoint and ended with him shooting wildly down at other people from a balcony as they ran from the home, prosecutors said. Jaylon McIntyre, 24, of Port Arthur made his first court appearance in a Harris County District Court on Friday morning, McIntyre on Thursday was charged with capital murder of multiple people in connection with the Jan. 21 deaths of Nicholas King and Ellesha Rice, both 24, a couple who was shot dead in the kitchen of a short-term rental home in western Harris County. Nicholas King, 24, was shot and killed in west Harris County on Jan. 21, 2024. His death and the death of two others is being investigated by the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Courtesy/Camryn King Another man, Michael Odobo, 24, was also killed. McIntyre hasnt been charged in Odobos death, but officials said Friday he was the only suspect for his killing and more charges could come. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The shooting happened around 1:20 a.m. at a short-term rental home at 4643 Russet Leaf Trace, where people had gathered for Odobos birthday party, according to prosecutors. McIntyre allegedly knew people at the party, but it was unclear if hed been invited, Assistant District Attorney Jaime Burrow said. According to a probable cause statement read in court, McIntyre pulled out a gun at the party and used it to take a womans phone while they were in the upstairs part of the house. The woman ran from McIntyre, leading Odobo to go upstairs to try to talk to him, Burrow said. A short time later, McIntyre shot Odobo, Burrow said. The gunfire caused people to run from the house and during the panic, McIntyre is accused of firing on people from an upstairs balcony, hitting King and Rice, Burrow said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Witnesses told police a green laser could be seen coming from the balcony as shots were fired, Burrow said. The Harris County Sheriffs Office described what happened next as a shootout, as other people took out weapons and began firing back toward the house. McIntyre was shot in the left forearm and was found lying wounded in the house by deputies who responded to the shooting. A Ruger 5.7 handgun was found near him, Burrow said. HOUSTON CRIME: Security guard accused of shooting man who of using counterfeit money to pay restaurant bill Witnesses, some of whom had known McIntyre since elementary school, identified him as the shooter to investigators, Burrow said. During his brief court appearance, his arm was enveloped by a yellow foam cast. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He was taken to the hospital to be treated and was eventually booked into Harris County Jail, first on an aggravated assault charge related to taking the cellphone and then on murder charges, according to court records. Breaking news Houston Chronicle An unlicensed security guard was charged with murder after shooting and killing a man who was fleeing after being accused of trying to pay his restaurant bill with counterfeit money. The guard was seen on surveillance video fist-bumping restaurant employees after shooting the man, Harris County court records show. Hugo Daniel Bahena Dominguez, 25, has been charged with murder in connection with the December death of Eric Colin, 30, according to court records. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Mr. Bahena is presumed innocent unless proven guilty," said Michael Moore, a public defender and his appointed attorney. "I expect that further investigation by our offices staff will reveal more relevant facts that the police failed to uncover or look into." MORE FROM HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Fed up with drivers flying by, Chimney Rock man makes his own speed zone Security video from the night of the shooting showed a waitress talk with a security guard at a Mexican grill in the 3200 block of South Loop who then exited the building quickly following two men, according to filing documents. Outside, the guard pointed his gun at the men, who began to run, and then fired two shots. Colin was hit as he was getting into a car. Detectives interviewed Bahena Dominguez, who told them he was an unlicensed security guard working to get a license, according to court documents. An employee at the restaurant told him the men had paid for their meal with counterfeit money. He said he then followed them out of the business and asked them to stop. He said he fired after they didnt stop and he saw a light coming from the back seat of the vehicle. A relative took Colin to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said. The relative told detectives shed been dining with Colin and another man and had gone outside while they paid the bill, according to court documents. She saw them leave the restaurant, followed by the security guard, who fired two shots while both men jumped into the vehicle and drove off. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Third grade dual language program students are learning in the classroom on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023 at Gregg Elementary School in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer The Houston ISD school board is expected to vote on an academic calendar next week that would start the 2024-25 school year on Aug. 12 and end the year on June 4. The district shared the final version of the proposed academic calendar Wednesday with families, which would extend the school year to 180 days if approved. The proposal comes after the district's Board of Managers voted in December to make HISD a District of Innovation, allowing the district to start the school year earlier than the fourth Monday of August. The final calendar comes after the district sought input earlier this year on two different draft versions of the calendar, which both proposed a start date in mid-August and an end date in early June. The appointed school board is expected to consider and vote on approving the final version of the calendar during their regular meeting on Feb. 8. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The proposed final calendar has few differences from the two draft proposals floated earlier this year, although it would move the fall holiday initially scheduled on Oct. 11 to Oct. 4 and shift the scheduled staff professional development day in October from Oct. 10 to Oct. 3. THE REPORT CARD: Subscribe to the Houston Chronicles weekly newsletter recapping HISD news The change comes after some Jewish Houston residents had urged the district to have a school holiday during one of the two High Holidays, which are the two most significant holidays in the Jewish faith. The district had originally scheduled a fall holiday on Oct. 11, which is when Yom Kippur begins. However, Yom Kippur begins during sundown on Oct. 11, meaning that the religious holiday would have begun after the school day ended. The second High Holiday Rosh Hashanah, which marks the start to the Jewish New Year begins on sundown on Wednesday, Oct. 2 and ends at nightfall on Friday, Oct. 4. Under the new calendar proposal, students will not have to attend class during either holiday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The final version of the calendar still includes a spring holiday on April 18, which is Good Friday, a Christian holiday commemorating Jesus Christs crucifixion. Each option also has a school holiday on March 31 to honor labor leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, which also provides students and employees with a day off for Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday. The proposal would slightly modify the dates scheduled for summer school this year, moving the start date to June 17 and end date to July 19. In 2025, summer school would begin on June 16 and end on July 23. The calendar would also give students and employees a full week off in November from Nov. 25 to Nov. 29, a two week winter break from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3 and a weeklong spring break from March 10 to 14. It would provide students with 11 total holidays and schedule nine staff development days scheduled throughout the year. Under the proposal, induction and preparation for school leaders would begin July 22 and end July 29. New staff would have to attend induction from July 30 to 31, while all staff would attend induction and preparation from Aug. 1 to Aug. 9. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a message to families, HISD said the calendar represents the priorities and values of the broader district community and reflects feedback from more than 4,000 people. The district also received input from the District Advisory Committee, Principal Advisory Committee and Teacher Advisory Committee. A person stands out front of James Madison High School on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Madison High School was placed on lockdown Friday afternoon after an uproar around a strict new cell phone policy that school leaders said was necessary to curb fights at the south Houston school. Principal Edgar Contreras sent a message to Madison parents Friday afternoon advising them that the school is currently on lockdown due to concerns over recent fights that have occurred on campus. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As you know, we communicated yesterday that, beginning on Monday, students will not be allowed to use their cell phones at any time while they are inside the school building. Cell phones have been at the center of fights that have broken out at our school, Contreras said. The principal did not elaborate on how the cell phones were at the center of the fights. Students will now be required to turn their phones in at the front office at the start of the school day, and pick them up at dismissal, Contreras said, in an effort to keep our students and staff safe. The schools policy is specific to Madison and not districtwide, although HISD has tried to reduce cell phone use on campus this year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad HISD, like most districts, had banned phones in classes. Starting this school year, students are supposed to keep their phones in their backpack throughout the entire school day, as opposed to simply having them out of sight during class and in the hallways. How schools enforce the policy varies. Last year, a video went viral of a student at Lamar High School punching a teacher who tried to take his cell phone away. Some students who are angry about this policy have caused disruptions on campus today, prompting the lockdown that is in place, Contreras said. We have additional support from the HISD South Division as well as additional officers from HISD Police at our school as we work to keep everyone safe. Staff and students outside Madison said large groups of students left their classrooms en masse in protest on Friday. The demonstration never grew violent, community members said, and the lockdown appeared to be taken as a precaution after several fights broke out on campus Thursday. Many of the students claimed the new cell phone policy was a violation of their Fourth Amendment rights, according to one staffer, who said students argued that the schools actions amounted to unreasonable search and seizure by collecting phones from all students due to the actions of a few. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A dog was rescued by after being stuck in a container for at least a week at the Port of Houston. Courtesy Lucas Loe Marine inspectors from the Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston made a furry friend Wednesday when they rescued a dog stuck in a shipping container leaving the Port of Houston. The first sign something was wrong came when inspectors heard barking and scratching coming from one shipping container in a stack 25 feet in the air. Once a crane brought down the massive crate and inspectors opened it, they found her: a dirty, thirsty and hungry dog alongside what looked like scrapped cars. She was very friendly, super sweet, said Lucas Loe, who is on the team that rescued the dog. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since then, the dog has been dubbed Connie the Container Dog, said chief spokesperson for the Coast Guard, Petty Officer Corinne Zilnicki. Forever Changed Animal Rescue is now looking after Connie after she was turned into the Pasadena Animal Shelter. The rescue wrote on Facebook that Connie is underweight and heartworm positive. It is unclear if she had an owner before. Anyone interested in adopting the dog should contact Forever Changed Animal Rescue. She is incredibly sweet but very shy and scared of her new surroundings as to be expected, the rescue wrote in the post. We will also be doing a full workup on her to ensure that she receives all the care she needs and deserves. The marine inspectors were able to learn that the container was set to leave the Port of Houston after it had been at the facility for at least a week. Efforts are still underway to find out where the dog and the container came from. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Loe said he thinks the dog may have wandered into the container on accident when it was being packed. Typically, marine inspectors are looking for hazardous materials or other items stored improperly when they check through containers at the port of Houston, but finding a dog came as a surprise. A United States Postal police vehicle is shown at the USPS North Houston Processing and Distribution Center, 4600 Aldine Bender Rd., Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer The United States Postal Inspection Service is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of two people who burglarized the Crosby Main Post Office last month. The burglary occurred around 1 a.m. Jan. 16. The two escaped in a white Chevrolet Silverado, which the Galena Park ISD reported as stolen. The Chevy was later found in a ditch in Baytown. USPIS officials are not sure if anything was stolen, and a spokesperson said anyone who thinks they might have had a package stolen should reach out to the agency. The investigators are working with Harris County Constables and the Baytown Police Department. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The $100,000 reward is the second six-figure reward the inspection service started offering last month for a crime in the area. The organization is also offering $150,000 for information leading to a conviction after a postal worker was shot at in Pasadena on Jan. 11. It has not been an easy last two months for the postal service in Houston as backlog at two main facilities has caused wide-spreading delays. USPS is in the process of implementing its 10-year Delivering for America plan to modernize the postal system. But subpar execution of the installation of a parcel sorter at a North Houston facility as part of the plan sparked the delays. The new parcel sorter was too big for the facility. Combining that with the older parcel sorters getting removed to make room for the new one and some other factors has made for a notable backlog. Advertisement Article continues below this ad WHAT TO KNOW: Everything you need to know about the USPS mail delays in Houston National Association of Postal Supervisors Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore doesn't know when the problems will be fixed. Experts call for appropriate use of AI tools 08:46, February 02, 2024 By Zhao Yimeng ( China Daily Generative artificial intelligence tools shouldn't be banned in schools but should be applied safely and appropriately to empower the innovative development of education, experts and officials said. The swift advancement of ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies has offered more opportunities for teachers as well as students, experts said at the 2024 World Digital Education Conference in Shanghai, which concluded on Wednesday. It also poses new challenges regarding information security and education equality, they said. Zheng Qinghua, president of Tongji University, said China should embrace the opportunities and challenges of AI-empowered education and guide young people to understand knowledge created by technology while stimulating their motivation for learning. "Generative AI technology has become an essential tool for obtaining and spreading knowledge. It has an impact on teaching, learning and even school management," said Zheng, who is also an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He said that various models developed by internet companies and universities have been applied to educational activities, and the majority of college students in China have used the technology, including Ernie Bot, an AI chatbot product developed by Baidu Inc. These kinds of tools, with ChatGPT as a leading global example, are capable of writing essays and solving science problems, helping students with their assignments and tests. A survey by the online learning platform Study.com found that 89 percent of students who responded had used ChatGPT to help with a homework assignment, which has raised questions about academic propriety and the disruptive effect of generative AI in education. "We cannot simply let AI provide answers or do homework and tests for us. Instead, we should, based on the technology, better cultivate students to be more innovative and integrate professional disciplines to solve real problems," Zheng said. "One of the new goals of AI-empowered education is to innovate theories and methods to tackle engineering and technical issues instead of simply answering general questions," he added. Colin Bailey, president of Queen Mary University of London and a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said that with the rapid growth of ChatGPT, the question is not whether to use generative AI in education, but how to use it safely, effectively and appropriately. "The worst thing we can do is to ban generative AI in schools. The major challenge is how to make sure we use these technologies appropriately to enhance the education so that students have the skills they require for the ever-changing job market," he said. Universities and teachers can help prepare students for real-world applications of the technology they will encounter in the modern workplace, as many industries are embracing generative AI as a tool to increase efficiency, he added. For teachers, the technology has been used to improve the marking and evaluation of students through personalized data analysis rather than exam papers. Harm warned However, poor design and misuse of AI systems could cause individual and social harm due to biased data and insufficient privacy, Bailey said. Approaches to regulating AI have been emerging globally to support the ethical and responsible use of generative AI, such as the release by the United States of the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights and a pro-innovation approach to AI regulation in the United Kingdom. In China, the Cyberspace Administration and other departments have jointly issued interim measures, which took effect in August, for managing generative AI services. Chen Jie, vice-minister of education, said at the conference that education and research institutions should cooperate to avoid problems brought by AI, including privacy leaks, bias and algorithm abuse. "We should work together to promote the equal access of technologies and prevent security risks," Chen said. China has established an expert advisory body for education digitalization and an ethics committee for AI, which have formulated a standardized system for the application of digital education, he added. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Magnolia Place Senior Apartments, photographed on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 in Houston. The four-story building had been without elevators for almost a week after being struck by lightening on Jan. 26. One elevator was restored yesterday and the others are in the process of being repaired. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Linda Davis, a resident at Magnolia Place Senior Apartments, takes a smoke break on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 in Houston. Davis lives on the fourth floor of the apartment and had to deal with the lack of elevators for almost a week following a lightening strike. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Linda L. Davis, talks about living on the fourth floor of Magnolia Place Senior Apartments after its elevators were damaged following a January 26 lightening strike on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 in Houston. After six days, the building has one of its three elevators functioning. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer The Magnolia Place Senior Apartment Homes complex in Sunnyside is still without two of its three elevators after a lightning strike hit the four-story building Jan. 26. My floor was shaking. My bed was shaking. It was like an earthquake, everybody started shaking, resident Linda Davis said. The main lobby elevator was fixed Thursday and is back in operation. The other two elevators in the complex had not been fixed as of Friday morning. Apartment representatives directed further questions to officials in the corporate office, who could not be reached for comment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Davis, who has a medical issue with her left leg, said that whenever elevators were broken previously, they were always fixed the same day. She said that this time around, with all three elevators out of use, she stayed on her floor most of the time. CLOSED LANE: Texas Medical Center lane closures will last through April for road repairs It wasnt bad, she said, since she had most of what she needed with her. However, some residents and their families have expressed their displeasure at the situation to Fox 26. Marcus Sayles, the son of a resident at Magnolia Place, was worried about what might happen if theres a fire. I mean she cant get out. If a fire happened right now, how is she going to get out with no elevators? She cant go down the stairs. Shes going to fall, Sayles told Fox 26. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Davis didnt blame the management staff at the complex for what happened. She said there have been three different management staffs running the complex since she arrived in 2015, and this current one was doing a good job. People in the Houston area have reported not receiving their medication due to the USPS mail and package delays. Tetra Images/Getty Images For days, Tiffany Agnew kept checking and checking her U.S. Postal Service tracking number. Her antidepressant medication had been expected to be delivered Jan. 15 and hadnt come in the mail yet. She first attributed the delay to the hard freeze that swept the area. But then she noticed her package still wasnt moving. It was one of numerous packages caught up in the recent USPS mail delays. Agnew had been without her medication once recently after she and her family moved to Conroe from Colorado last August and before she was able to get a new prescription from a Texas doctor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It wasnt good, Agnew said last week when she was down to just one dose left. You have side effects when you dont get your medications. It was really hard for me and my husband for a little while there until I could get it. The impact of not having my medication is severe for me. Agnew ended up getting her medication in the mail a few days later. But she wasnt the only one to watch their medication stuck in transit as USPS delays swept across the region in recent weeks. Many people have watched the tracking progress of their packages, whether it be bills or birthday gifts or online purchases, stall at facilities in Missouri City and North Houston as issues including poor planning caused significant backlog in the area. The tension has been especially palpable for people waiting on important medicine to finally reach their homes. I think that many people dont think about the impact that the Postal Service, the UPS, FedEx, what their shipment performance really means to our health, said Dr. James Langabeer, a professor and quality and outcomes researcher at UTHealth Houston. Advertisement Article continues below this ad WHAT TO KNOW: Everything you need to know about the USPS mail delays in Houston Langabeer said for the most part, delivery delays werent an issue for patients previously as pharmacies dont get their medications through mail carriers. But the convenience of at-home delivery and the potential savings of bulk supply orders which Langabeer added arent as cost-efficient as one might expect led to the rise of mail orders. Langabeer warns that relying on the postal service, and other carriers, for medication is a risk. Whats happening in Houston is an example of the negative side of the risk. For those who discover their medicine has been lost in the mail or is stuck in transit, Langabeer recommends being proactive and contacting the provider that sends the medication. People can also request a second prescription for a smaller quantity of medication to hold them over for a week. But he said that can be dicey due to regulatory pressures on physicians not to write multiple scripts for the same purpose. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You have to plan ahead, Langabeer said. Youve got to try to get the prescription sent off and started with a little bit of lead time and build in a couple of extra days. WHAT WENT WRONG: Problems including ill-conceived planning caused USPS mail delays Langabeer recommends that people buy their medications locally. Then, he said, the customer will be in control of their medication and not the postal service. The Kelsey-Seybold Clinic also recommended patients pick up their medication in person instead of shipping them due to the mail delays. Some others have opted for a different option. Advertisement Article continues below this ad AWARE OF THE SITUATION: USPS oversight agencies address public outcry over Houston mail delays Hempstead resident Stacy Griffith had a bevy of packages delayed when it came time for her to re-order her medicine earlier this month. She elected to have it shipped with a non-USPS carrier. This map of Southeast Texas shows projected rainfall through Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Services Weather Prediction Center. Between Friday night and Saturday, the Houston metro area could get up to 2 inches of rain. Weather Prediction Center / Pivotal Weather Houston and Southeast Texas had a stretch of dry weather that allowed for local waterways to gradually come down a bit after last weeks flooding rains. Unfortunately, the window for dry weather is quickly coming to a close. Heres a breakdown of when storms could pose risks for flooding and severe weather. Friday morning: Most of Southeast Texas will remain rain-free in the daytime Friday. In the morning, we will continue the theme of dry weather as a weak ridge of high atmospheric pressure dominates aloft. High pressure means sinking air, which is quite literally is the opposite of whats needed for rain or storms to develop. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Well start the day with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-50s before they climb into the low to mid-70s. Warm southeasterly winds will be blustery throughout the day, explaining in part why temperatures will be a solid 5 to 10 degrees above normal for early February. Another key factor in Fridays warmth is Southeast Texas' position ahead of an approaching system of low pressure and a cold front. Friday afternoon: If youre in Bryan or College Station, some high-resolution weather models suggest a stray storm may bubble up in the heating of the day as the front inches closer. Any storm that does develop could culminate into a stronger storm or two earlier in the day. Its definitely something to monitor. In this severe storm outlook for Friday from the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, areas in dark green could see an isolated storm or two with damaging winds or large hail. The yellow area could see a few more strong or severe storms. Storm Prediction Center / Pivotal Weather Friday night: For most of Southeast Texas, the risk of showers and storms arrives Friday night, likely after most drivers finish their evening commute. Scattered downpours will be possible through much of Friday night, with a narrow window for a strong storm or two mainly after midnight. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Overnight: The risk of strong or severe storms is fairly low, though its worth highlighting because many will be asleep if they occur. Any storms that tap into the unstable air ahead of the cold front will be capable of producing mainly damaging winds and large hail. Perhaps more concerning is the possibility for heavy rain Friday night into Saturday. A moisture-rich air mass will be parked over Southeast Texas as our next system approaches, and were still recovering from elevated water levels after last weeks widespread rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches. Rain persists Saturday Heavier rainfall rates are expected to occur after midnight and continue through much of Saturday morning. Between the first drop that falls Friday night and the last that falls by Saturday afternoon, widespread rainfall amounts of up to 3 inches of rain are expected in the Houston area. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While this may not seem like much spread out over roughly 12 hours, its more than enough to cause concern. Wintertime soils are often less receptive to absorbing heavier rainfall rates. The silver lining in Saturdays forecast is that the cold front responsible for our rain chances should push east by the afternoon. As drier and slightly cooler air filters in from the northwest, well see rain gradually taper from west to east through the afternoon and evening. Areas along and west of Interstate 45 will be the last ones to dry out. Clearing out, cooling down Sunday If you want to get outside this weekend and youre worried about Saturdays forecast, Sunday looks much better. Well have sunshine back in full force by the afternoon with slightly cooler, but more typical temperatures for early February in the mid-60s. The bulk of cooler air arrives next week, with forecast highs Monday likely in the lower 60s. Overnight to morning lows Monday and Tuesday are even chillier, as temperatures bottom out in the lower to mid-40s. What happens after that? It does look like the glancing blow from the cold front is brief. Temperatures climb back to near average by the middle of next week. Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil during the 138th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., on Friday. Phils handlers said that the groundhog has forecast an early spring. Barry Reeger/Associated Press Whats it like to be in a room full of seasoned scientists and meteorologists whose professional expertise is literally overshadowed by the appearance of a Pennsylvania rodent? On this years Groundhog Day, we asked some of the nations top weather and climate minds attending the annual American Meteorological Conference to give us their take on Punxsutawney Phil and his winter prognostications. Their reactions range from amusement to avoidance. A tradition best enjoyed with family and friends I think its a cool tradition, and I watch the yearly forecast with my kids, said Natasha White, a program manager at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Though not a weather forecaster or meteorologist, she admits to not really keeping up with Phils predictions closely. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I dont know that as a scientist I would trust Phil, but its a nice tradition that my kids learn about in school, she said. GET YOUR FORECAST FROM A NON-RODENT: Sign up for the Houston Chronicles 713 Weather Radar Newsletter So what do White and her family hope this years predictions bring? We dont want him to see his shadow because we like warmer weather, said White, who grew up in Florida but now lives in Maryland. Phil is a friend, not foe Baltimore television meteorologist Ally Blake considers Punxsutawney Phil a friend. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I think hes fun. I know some meteorologists hate the rodent, but I grew up in North Carolina, and we had Sir Walter Wally, Blake said, referring to the mascot named after English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, a prominent figure in her home states history. We can work together. The question of whether Phil (or Wally) is right or wrong is quite subjective, she said, adding, If youre taking advice from a rodent, Im more concerned about that. Phil gets people talking about weather Another Baltimore TV meteorologist, Cesar Cornejo, views Punxsutawney Phil and other furry forecasters in a positive light. Phil gives us a reason to congregate and wonder if were going to see more winter or spring, he said. Phil is able to get people to talk about weather, which is harder than one might think. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If youre not talking about snow or someones house getting blown down by a tornado, people dont talk much about weather, Cornejo said. Maryland has its own marmot forecaster: Queen City Charlie in the western town of Cumberland. Queen City Charlie is a person in a groundhog costume, so its, uh, a little creepy, but kids love the western Maryland marmot mascot nonetheless, Cornejo said. Warming up to Phil David Roth, who works as a lead forecaster with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center based in College Park, Md., says his affinity for Phil hasnt always been so warm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Early in my career, I was really bothered by the people paying all this attention to a rodent for a forecast that had, at best, a 50-50 chance of being right, Roth said. Since then, though, he has warmed up to Punxsutawney Phil and what the furry prognosticator represents. The more you look into the custom, and recognize that its a festival and that hes supposed to be seeing his shadow one minute before the sun rises, the more you realize its all meant to be lighthearted, he said. Not Phils biggest fan Some scientists have not-so-warm regards for Punxsutawney Phil. I dont understand how he can come out and say there wont be six more weeks of winter when there is, in fact, always six more weeks of winter, Nick Lilja, a meteorologist for NickelBlock Forecasting, said with a palpable amount of sarcasm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The group around Lilja immediately burst into laughter because, to be honest, putting a feral rodent on the spot to come up with a seasonal forecast is literally a bit wild. If you think about it over the last 20 years, weve seen like 15 of the warmest winters on record. Were transitioning to spring earlier and earlier every year. So its difficult for me to believe that well really get six more weeks of winter, Lilja said. How good are Phils prognostications? Children enjoy free lunch at Martin Elementary School in Beaumont, June 10, 2019. Texas recently rejected millions in federal aid for summer food assistance for children when 1 in 6 households in the state is food insecure. Kim Brent/The Enterprise Leadership priorities Regarding Sewing: Texas shows its cruel side by spurning $350 million to feed our children, (Jan. 19): Joy Sewing exposes the underbelly of Texas political leaders who didnt do right by our children when she describes how they rejected $350 million in federal aid for summer food assistance, claiming a lack of time and resources to implement the program. Texas, Sewing wrote, is second in leading the nation with food insecurities. She quotes Children at Risk CEO Bob Sanborn, who stated, The state has a history of making it difficult for children in low-income families. Recent Houston Chronicle articles reveal that Texas leadership routinely seeks to reject federal initiatives and funding, and displays a pattern of bias against low-income families. Consider: Attorney General Ken Paxton wants to enshrine Texas as the nations leader against the federal governments unlawful policies (AG ending legal fight against former aides, Jan. 19, A5). Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Sen. Paul Bettencourt wants to deny federal assistance to low-income families (County officials defend guaranteed income aid program, Jan. 19, A3). Gov. Greg Abbott sent education juggernaut Mike Miles to take over Houstons primary educator of low-income children. While Miles spent millions ostensibly to improve learning outcomes (Changes at HISD add up to millions, Jan. 17, A3), school performance decreased (Rankings: School performance drops, Jan. 21, A1). To add insult to injury, Abbott is determined to reduce tax revenue for all Texas public schools and expand school choice via a private/charter school voucher program (Abbotts coffers awaiting primaries, Jan. 21, A21). Looking at this list of facts, it is clear that the only children and families Texas Republican leaders care about are their own. Evelyn F. McClain, La Porte Regarding Texas turns down $350M in summer food assistance for children, citing lack of resources, (Jan. 10): It should come as no surprise that Texas has declined to participate in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program. Our elected officials practically invented the process of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Expand Medicaid? No. Texit rhetoric? Check. But spend millions to build a wall, float buoys and install razor wire at the southern border, as well as bus and fly immigrants to Democratic-led cities? Well then, full speed ahead! Advertisement Article continues below this ad David Kelly, Spring A hand up Regarding Harris Countys basic-income handouts feel like a scam. Are they? (Opinion), (Jan. 25): There have been several locations in America that have already tried a version of a universal basic income (UBI) program, in the format of County Judge Lina Hidalgos, with limited positive results. They all stopped the program since results werent positive enough to justify the excess spending. So, it seems liberals would learn from the failures of the previous tries to stop doing the same failed tactic. If they really wanted to help those targeted people, the money would be used to pay for a training program so people could learn new skills that would allow them to obtain better-paying jobs and thus improve their future prospects. A hand up helps people a lot more than a handout. Robert Flanary, Houston Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is no penalty in life for kindness or generosity. Sadly, some of the folks who took the time to write in opposition to Harris Countys pilot program to assist the poorest among us with a guaranteed basic income seem to believe there is. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 141,000 workers earn the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Another 882,000 workers earn wages below the federal minimum. Federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009. Nearly 40% of Texas workers more than 5.5 million earn less than $15 per hour. Unsurprisingly, nearly 14% of Texans live below the poverty level. Yet, Texas has steadfastly declined federal money to provide economically poor people with health insurance as part of the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion. Texas even declined almost $350 million in federal money to feed millions of low-income children during the summer months because, although we just gave ourselves a massive tax cut, we lack the time and resources to implement the program. Rand Nolen, Houston Consider the Homestead Act. The 1862 law gave up to 160 acres of public land to anyone who paid a small filing fee and lived and worked on it for five years. Yes, there were some requirements, but 160 acres is a real nest egg. It gave nearly 4 million people a future, hope, a job and dignity. No, it did not work for everyone, but it established an economic foundation for our country. It is not universal basic income, but it needs to be remembered when we consider our current problems. Advertisement Article continues below this ad O. Anton, Houston Of course giving money away is going to help people. The poorest the most. Im sure the COVID money, as in the 12-month child tax credit expansion, helped the poorest as well. Does this UBI contribute to our national debt of $34 trillion? Isnt this just another form of socialism? John Treanor, Houston Using Alaskas UBI as an example is purely ridiculous. First of all, it is not taxpayer money. Second, it is paid to everyone, regardless of wealth or income. Michael Anzilotti, Houston Advertisement Article continues below this ad I enjoyed reading this column. Americans are guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and Id like to emphasize pursuit. That means that if you make bad decisions, you should expect bad consequences. I am all for lifting those up who have been dealt a bad hand or have mental health issues or physical disabilities. But handouts to free-loaders and bad characters just enable their self-destructive behaviors. The key is vetting the recipients very carefully. It's estimated that nearly 80% of U.S. rapes aren't reported. Tinnakorn Jorruang/Getty Images/iStockphoto Women arent talking about their sexual assaults. Why arent we talking about that? In the wake of the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, last week the Journal of the American Medical Association published research regarding the number of rape-related pregnancies in the 14 U.S. states with total abortion bans. Regardless of ones views on abortion rights, everyone should be appalled at the total number of rapes that this study inadvertently shined a light on. It was estimated that more than half a million rapes occurred in those 14 states since state abortion bans went into effect, yielding almost 65,000 pregnancies. In Texas alone, the study estimated that in 16 months, roughly 212,000 rapes led to 26,000 pregnancies. As staggering as those numbers are, what troubles me even more is the less-obvious estimate that 79% of those rapes were never reported to police. That means, horrifyingly, that in the U.S. at least 410,785 rapists got away with their crimes and went on with their lives unpunished. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The survivors, Im certain, did not. And I understand why many didnt report their rapes to the authorities. In 1989, when I was 19, a stranger unsuccessfully attempted to rape and murder me. Id left the restaurant where Id been with friends and gone willingly with my assailant so I could use his phone. In his car, he put a knife to my throat. He spat hideous words in my ear. I fought my way out. Afterward, I blamed myself for being so stupid, for ignoring my instincts, for putting myself in such a vulnerable situation. I didnt know his name. I couldnt identify his car. I thought, what good would it do to go to the police? No matter that I would never forget the feeling of that knife at my throat. I told only one person the friend Id been with that night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I escaped with only minor physical injuries, but the psychic wounds have lasted for more than three decades in part because I tried to pretend nothing had happened. According to researcher Sandra Caron, Im not alone. but Caron found that fully one-third of college women who experience sexual assault tell no one, not even one friend. By comparison, a Bureau of Justice Statistics victimization survey estimated that 64% of robberies and 81% of cases of vehicle theft were reported to police in 2022. VICE PRESIDENT RESPONDS: Kamala Harris reacts to Texas rape-related pregnancies report Why do victims of non-sexual violent crimes usually involve authorities while most rape survivors remain silent? Caron says most survivors, as I did, blame themselves. Or they feel society will blame them. Remember then-20-year-old swimmer Brock Allen Turner who was convicted of rape in 2016? His father objected to the six-year sentence requested by the prosecutor, calling it a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fine, I might understand but not excuse a parent saying something so reprehensible in defense of their child. But what about the judge? Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to only six months in prison, saying, a prison sentence would have a severe impact on him. That a judge was more concerned about the perpetrators future than the survivors is not uncommon and reinforces the fear survivors have about how they will be treated if and when they come forward. Fear of being held responsible for their rape. Fear of losing control of the situation. Fear of not being believed. Fear of getting in trouble. Fear of being labeled. Fear of being abused again. Fear of losing someone. (Yet another grim statistic: over 90% of juvenile victims know their perpetrator.) Some survivors describe involving authorities as being assaulted twice. In her testimony, the woman Turner raped described the harrowing effects of not only her attack, but its aftermath. If you think I was spared, came out unscathed, that today I ride off into the sunset while you suffer the greatest blow, you are mistaken, she wrote in a powerful statement. Nobody wins. The #MeToo movement shifted public discourse, at least for a while; through a recall election, Judge Persky was removed from the bench. And organizations such as the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network and the Houston Area Womens Center continue to support survivors. But as the statistics in that recent study show, there is still a long way to go. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For more than a decade, Ive used an abbreviated story of my assault in self-defense classes that I teach to women and girls. For my students, its a useful scaffolding, explaining how violent attacks unfold. For me, its made that awful night easier to talk about. Slowly, Ive let go of the self-blame and shame. I wonder if that healing wouldve started 30 years ago, if Id talked about it then. And I wonder if I mightve prevented my assailant from hurting someone else if Id gone to the police. Ill never know. But I do know now that remaining silent doesnt solve anything. A half million rapes in 14 states is too many. More than 212,000 rapes in Texas is too many. Any is too many. Candidates on the Democratic ballot of U.S. Representatives TX-18 district, incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee, right, and challenger Amanda Edwards discuss their differences in front of the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards closed out 2023 with a sizable financial edge over U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee as she seeks to oust the longtime legislator in the upcoming Democratic primary. Edwards hauled in about $269,000 over the last three months of the year, according to her latest campaign finance report. Jackson Lee raised about $23,000 over the same period, though she spent much of that time running for Houston mayor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Still, after losing the race in mid-December and announcing her intention to stay in Congress, Jackson Lee disclosed just $3,420 in contributions through the end of the year. Nearly her entire haul over that three-week period came from Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a longtime political ally. Edwards ended the year with nearly $856,000 cash on hand, compared with Jackson Lees $223,000. The March 5 primary will offer the biggest test yet of Jackson Lees staying power in the district she has represented since 1995. She has routinely cruised to reelection without ever needing to generate major financial support, going unopposed in the Democratic primary in 10 of her 14 reelection bids. On the four occasions anyone has bothered to challenge her, Jackson Lee won at least two-thirds of the vote each time. Edwards campaign cast the fundraising disparity as a sign of trouble ahead for Jackson Lee, and a campaign spokesperson, Simon Persico, said it shows that people are not willing to invest in the congresswomans campaign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was Edwards sharpest attack yet against Jackson Lee, whom she had largely avoided publicly criticizing through the opening weeks of the campaign. A spokesperson for Jackson Lees campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When announcing her reelection bid in December, Jackson Lee said she felt compelled by the numerous opportunities still ahead to enhance the lives of my constituents. As I embark on this campaign, I am fueled by the belief that experience is essential, yet I also recognize the significance of genuine commitment, steadfast dedication, and a proven ability to deliver results, Jackson Lee, 74, said at the time. The numbers were revealed in the latest round of Federal Election Commission reports, in which candidates for federal office were required to disclose their fundraising and spending activity for the final quarter of 2023. With the latest disclosures, Edwards slightly widened her cash-on-hand advantage over Jackson Lee from the end of September, the period covered by the prior round of campaign finance reports. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Edwards, an attorney who previously worked at the high-powered Houston law firms Bracewell and Vinson & Elkins, received much of her support from the legal community in her latest finance report. Her donors also included Chris Brown, the former Houston city controller; Steve Costello, a former Houston council member and the citys current chief recovery officer; and former Houston Rockets star Clyde Drexler. Edwards, 42, initially planned to run for mayor last year, then dropped out and pivoted to Jackson Lees seat after the congresswoman announced her own mayoral bid. A former intern in Jackson Lees office, Edwards has not pointed to any major policy differences between the two. She has instead framed the primary as a question of picking a fresh face for the district who would take a fresh, innovative approach to solving our lingering challenges and focus more on the concerns of younger voters. Jackson Lee, asked about those comments in December, said, Im a fresh face. Every year that I go back to the United States Congress, Im committed to change, to leading and to solving problems. The district covers downtown Houston, EaDo, Third Ward, Fifth Ward, parts of The Heights and Acres Homes. It also includes George Bush Intercontinental Airport and parts of northeast Houston and unincorporated Harris County. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Former President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd as he makes a campaign stop on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Former President Donald J. Trump takes the stage after receiving Texas Governor Gregg Abbott's endorsement for President during a rally at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg, TX, on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Likely Latino voters in Texas prefer Donald Trump over President Joe Biden in an expected rematch this November as the presidential candidates vie for their support, a University of Houston survey released Tuesday found. Trump, who won Texas in 2020 but garnered only 40% of the states Latino electorate, has support from 47% of the states likely Latino voters compared with Bidens 41%, according to the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs survey. Latinos planning to vote in the March 5 Republican primary in Texas overwhelmingly support Trump (86%) over fellow GOP challenger Nikki Haley (13%). In the Democratic primary, the survey found that 55% of Latinos support Biden, while 45% are undecided or planning to vote for another candidate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trumps growing popularity among Texas Latinos could be a significant factor in this years election because the voting bloc has grown and become more engaged in recent years, said Hobby School senior executive director Renee Cross. Some people say that Latinos dont vote in as large of numbers, she said. Well, that may have been true at one point, but those who were too young to vote are now of age. And the longer any certain ethnic group is in the country, the more likely they are to vote. TEXAS POLITICS: Allred makes push for Hispanic voters in race to take on Ted Cruz The former presidents support among Texas Latinos comes mostly from men, Cross added, while Hispanic women are more likely to vote for Biden. Although Trump is leading Biden with the demographic group, Texas Latinos dislike both candidates at similar rates. Forty-eight percent of Latino likely voters have a very unfavorable opinion of Trump compared with 52% for Biden. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Latinos in Texas have been a closely watched voting bloc in recent elections as Republicans have spent millions to gain ground with Hispanic voters around the state. In 2022, the GOP courtship of Latino voters in South Texas helped the party flip a congressional seat long held by Democrats, though it was just one of three it targeted. The biggest issues pushing Texas Latinos to the right have been the economy, crime and the border, Cross said. The survey findings, she added, should put pressure on the Biden campaign to increase voter outreach and education particularly about the economy. It appears economic numbers are actually pretty good, but the public doesnt seem to notice this, she said. Trumps growing support among Latinos could bode well for Republicans in other key races in November, Cross said, especially Sen. Ted Cruz. Seeking reelection after narrowly retaining his seat in 2018, Cruz leads Democratic challenger Collin Allred with Latinos 41% to 37% in a potential electoral matchup. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He won his last race by just under three points, Cross said. So if Trump comes in and drives turnout, that can certainly help Sen. Cruz. Other findings The UH survey also found that voters were divided on whether Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, are too old to be president. Around 72% said Biden was too old, while only 40% said the same of Trump. More from Jhair Romero: Colony Ridge developers faced lawsuits, complaints from Houston-area residents for over a decade Trump held a 13-percentage-point lead in a hypothetical matchup against Vice President Kamala Harris in Texas; Biden was behind Haley in Texas with 39% to the former South Carolina governors 43%. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Biden, like Trump, is on his way to an overwhelming victory in the Texas primary race. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Rodney Ellis address the media in front of employees of the Harris Center on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Harris County residents are running out of time to apply for Uplift Harris, a program that will provide $500 monthly payments to low-income households for 18 months. The online portal closes today at 11:59 p.m. Around 1,900 households will be randomly selected from the applicant pool to participate in the program. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Over 76,000 applications have been submitted, though not all of those households will be eligible. To qualify for the program, applicants must live in one of Harris County's many neighborhoods experiencing persistent poverty, including Sunnyside, Gulfton and Galena Park. Eligible residents must live in one of the top 10 high-poverty ZIP codes in Harris County: 77050, 77093, 77051, 77060, 77028, 77033, 77026, 77081, 77547, 77091. Applicants must have household income below 200% of the federal poverty line, which comes out to $62,400 for a family of four, or $30,120 for an individual, under 2024 federal guidelines. Residents living anywhere in Harris County also can qualify for the program if they meet the income requirement and are participants in the Harris County Public Health Department's ACCESS Harris program. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The $20.5 million program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The program's launch was briefly delayed over questions of eligibility. County officials determined that undocumented immigrants could not qualify for Uplift Harris due to restrictions on federal funds. County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she is working on a similar program aimed at immigrant residents who are excluded from Uplift Harris. POVERTY IN HARRIS COUNTY: Eight percent of Harris County residents live in areas of persistent poverty, census data shows Uplift Harris is facing scrutiny from Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who has questioned the legality of the program. Bettencourt has requested an opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office about whether counties have the authority to carry out a guaranteed income program and whether such a program would violate a state constitutional clause prohibiting the gift of public funds to any person. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee responded on Tuesday with a brief sent to Paxton's office in which he argued that Harris County's guaranteed income program is on firm legal ground as it is "authorized by at least three statutes" and "permitted by the Texas Constitution." Advertisement Article continues below this ad He also urged Paxton's office not to respond to Bettencourt's request on the grounds that the question is related to pending litigation, citing the ongoing case Borgelt v. Austin Firefighters Association, which is set for oral argument before the Texas Supreme Court on Feb. 21. Bettencourt has defended his decision, arguing that he's empowered to request the opinion because he's the chair of the Texas Senate's Local Government committee and Uplift Harris is the first "universal basic income" program he's aware of that is administered by a county in Texas. While Uplift Harris is a guaranteed income program, it is not a "universal basic income" program because only a certain group of residents will be able to participate. JIM SZCZESNIAK Chief Operating Officer Houston Airports Courtesy of Houston Airport System Juan Chavez handles baggage as is comes off an aircraft upon landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, in Houston. Passengers may see delays or cancellations because of severe winter weather and the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 planes in the second week of January. Brett Coomer Staff photographer People check in at Southwest Airlines in Terminal A at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Crews work Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, to de-ice planes at the San Antonio International Airport as a deep freeze its the city. William Luther/San Antonio Express-News Mayor John Whitmire announced Friday that Houston Airports Chief Operating Officer Jim Szczesniak will replace longtime Director Mario Diaz, marking another step in the mayor's citywide overhaul of top-level officials. Diaz has been head of Houston Airports since 2010 and has overseen the citys three-airport system that covers George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport, a military use airport. Together, they serve tens of millions of passengers per year. LEADERSHIP REVAMP: All the major leadership changes made by Houston Mayor Whitmire as he shakes up City Hall Advertisement Article continues below this ad The systems director, a mayor-appointed position, oversees all aspects of the airports operations. Besides daily management, the director also is responsible for leading massive renovation projects and monitoring lucrative airport concession agreements. The director is also one of the highest-paid city employees in Houston. Diaz received total compensation of $292,447 in 2023, the fifth highest in the city. After over a decade at the helm of Houston Airports, Diaz has submitted his resignation to Whitmire, according to a Friday memo from the mayor to City Council members. Over the past 13 years, Mario has been a visionary and dedicated leader for our city, Whitmire said in the memo. As he embarks on a new chapter, I extend my appreciation for his contributions to the City of Houston and wish him the best in his future endeavors. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Szczesniak has served as Houston Airports chief operating officer for the past two years and led the execution of the systems multibillion-dollar capital improvement program. Before coming to Houston, he worked as the director of Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, a major cargo hub in Alaska. I am confident that Interim Director Szczesniak will continue to bring his track record of excellence to the Houston Airport System, Whitmire said, adding that Szczesniak will act as the interim director until City Council confirms his new position. Like most aviation systems across the globe, Houston Airports was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years. But its officials have since reported a robust recovery. Last year, Bush and Hobby airports collectively served more than 60 million travelers their highest passenger volume ever recorded. Bush and Hobby have four-star and five-star ratings, respectively, from international air transport rating agency Skytrax. Whitmire, however, said during a Thursday Zoom event hosted by the Houston Chronicle that services at the two airports need further improvements. The airport system has to quit acting like they're the only airport in town, (and) we don't have any choice but to go there, Whitmire said before promising an upcoming change in leadership to make the system much more efficient and user friendly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Diaz's replacement by Szczesniak marks the latest in a series of leadership changes that the new mayor has been carrying out across city departments and key operations. He has also appointed new heads for the Finance Department, Department of Planning and Development, Department of Neighborhoods and Houston First Corp. Home Health Company Owner Sentenced for Nearly $2.8 Million Medicare Fraud An Indian national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for orchestrating a nearly $2.8 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy and engaging in money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and witness tampering. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Yogesh K. Pancholi, 43, of Northville, Michigan, owned and operated Shring Home Care Inc. (Shring), a home health company based in Livonia, Michigan. Despite being excluded from billing Medicare, Pancholi purchased Shring using the names, signatures, and personal identifying information of others to conceal his ownership of the company. In a two-month period, Pancholi and his co-conspirators billed and were paid nearly $2.8 million by Medicare for services that were never provided. Pancholi then transferred these funds through bank accounts belonging to shell corporations and eventually into his accounts in India. After being indicted, and on the eve of trial, Pancholi, using a pseudonym, wrote false and malicious emails to various federal government agencies alleging a government witness had committed various crimes and should not be allowed to remain in the United States in an attempt to keep the witness from testifying. In September 2023, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Michigan convicted Pancholi of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, two substantive counts of health care fraud, two counts of money laundering, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of witness tampering. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Shea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI Detroit Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Shankar Ramamurthy and Andres Almendarez of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Divisions efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit. This story has been published on: 2024-02-02. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China adds 382 to list of time-honored brands Xinhua) 08:50, February 02, 2024 BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday added 382 brands to the list of the country's time-honored brands, raising the total number to 1,455, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The ministry will take multiple measures to promote the development of old-name businesses and boost consumption of China-chic products, He Yadong, a spokesperson for the ministry, told a press conference. He said that more online and offline activities will be launched to create more immersive and experiential consumption scenarios, while efforts will be made to dig deep into the cultural heritage of the brands and create more special merchandise that is popular among consumers. The country will closely track and monitor the operation of the brands and continue to strengthen their daily management with the help of big data, as well as creating a one-stop experience space for time-honored brands and traditional Chinese culture. The 382 brands were identified in China's campaign of accrediting time-honored brands, which started in February 2023. The campaign has also reviewed the first two batches of old-name businesses in the country that were identified in 2006 and 2011, respectively. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Zoom Communications announced that it will be cutting off 150 staff members, or 2% of its workforce, in an effort to "ensure alignment with our strategy." According to the company, the layoffs were part of its regular team evaluation in "rescoping roles" to critical areas in the future. The layoff was first reported by Bloomberg. The company laid off 1,300 workers across all divisions last year following CEO Eric Yuan's warning for the firm to brace for the "uncertainty of the global economy." Zoom closed on Thursday with a stock increase of 0.37% at $64.85 per share. Zoom assured that the layoffs would not happen across the company and even promised to continue the hiring process for roles in AI, sales, and product units. The announcement followed soon after Zoom's cloud software vendor Okta cut off 400 employees because the "costs are still too high." Silicon Valley Records 30,000 Layoffs in 2024 Zoom is the latest addition to the growing number of companies that announced layoffs this year. Tech layoff watcher layoffs.fyi has recorded over 100 tech firms cutting off employees in just a month since the start of 2024, affecting more than 300,000 roles in the industry. It is worth noting that companies like Amazon and Google, which announced several rounds of layoffs last month, have not disclosed the complete number of roles eliminated in their companies. Earlier announcements detailed the cut-offs were at hundreds each. Also Read: Silicon Valley Laid Off Nearly 25,000 Workers in January Alone Tech Companies Deny Layoffs Caused by AI Despite the vague reasons for the layoffs, usually due to market changes, many companies have denied that the increase in AI integration has affected their decisions. Last year has recorded one of the slowest job growth in the tech industry following an employment boom since the pandemic as AI technology became more common in corporations. Sales positions are among the most affected by the recent layoffs, one of the positions that have started being relegated to chatbots and AI assistants. Related Article: AI Revolution to Worsen Job Inequality, IMF Says Starting February 1, songs of artists from Universal Music Group (UMG) are officially out of TikTok, following the expiration of the licensing agreement between the two companies. Earlier this week, both companies decided not to renew their previous deal citing problems from both ends. Read Also: YouTube Retains Reign as Dominant Social Media, TikTok Continues Fast Growth UMG Content Removed From TikTok In an open letter, UMG explained the obstacles of partnering with TikTok. The music company claimed to have been "bullied" by TikTok into accepting a deal worth less than the previous one. "TikTok's tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans," the company wrote. Following the January 31 deal expiration, songs from popular artists like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Drake, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and more have been removed from the platform. In 2021, UMG and TikTok signed a deal that came with an agreement to give fair compensation to artists and songwriters in exchange for legally using the songs on the platform. However, UMG argued that TikTok failed to provide the appropriate compensation for artists leading to the fallout. TikTok Continues Deals With Other Labels Meanwhile, TikTok called out UMG for their alleged "false narrative and rhetoric." According to the social media giant, the company was able to reach 'artist-first' agreements with other labels and publishers. "It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters," the company wrote. Starting February 1, all music under the UMG will be removed from TikTok's General Music Library. In addition, all videos containing the licensed music will be muted. Currently, the removal is only effective on recorded music licensed to UMG. If the deal becomes impossible any time soon, TikTok will be forced to pull out all content licensed from the Universal Music Publishing Group catalog as well. Related Article: The Death of TikTok Fan Edits: How the Universal-TikTok Fallout Killed a Whole Online Community George R.R. Martin, the author of the famous "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, now sees social media fandoms "ruled by anti-fans." Speaking on his annual New Year's blog, the American author looked back how films and television discussions on social media have become full of toxicity. 'Game of Thrones' Author Shares Cynicism View of Social Media Martin claimed that social media is currently populated with people talking about "the stuff they hate than the stuff they love" and that "spirited debates with fans" have ceased to exist amid insults. The author's message was directed to all fan communities online rather than just his own, which also became unruly as the release of the sixth book in his iconic series continues to get delayed. So far, many fans agreed with Martin despite the backlash the author has received in his past blogs and updates. He's not wrong. Not at all. February 1, 2024 The author has been a target of many online harassments before with people demanding him to release "The Winds of Winter," the sequel to "A Dance with Dragons" which was first published in 2008. Also Read: George R.R. Martin Confirms 'A Song of Ice and Fire' Animated Series is Developing on HBO Martin: The US Grows More Polarized Today The internet and online fan communities were not the only topics raised by Martin in his recent blog. This year, the author brought his attention to pressing concerns in the US and the conflicts happening around the world. Martin, known for his depiction of political dramas, fronted the question of whether his books and "big platform" have "changed a single mind, a single vote." Citing concerns on current political discourse on the 2024 Elections, the genocide in Gaza, and immigration problems, Martin pointed out how the US "grows more polarized every day." "The era of rational discourse seems to have ended," Martin added. Related Article: Are Online Protests Still Effective Today? A Madison Heights home was heavily damaged from a fire the evening of Jan. 31, according to Amherst County fire officials. Amherst County Public Safety Director Brad Beam said the residence on Oak Ridge Drive was in flames when first responders arrived. Firefighters were on scene for four hours and were able to keep the blaze from spreading to other residences, and the garage was salvaged, he said. The home is pretty much a total loss, Beam said. One resident was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, Beam said. The Monelison Volunteer Fire Department, the Amherst Fire Department, the Pedlar Volunteer Fire Department, Amherst County Public Safety personnel and the Amherst County Sheriffs Office responded, Beam said. The American Red Cross is assisting the family, and the Amherst County Fire Marshals Office is investigating, he said. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., heads into his campaign for re-election with $7.7 million in the bank and a crowded field of Republican candidates trailing in the distance. Kaine raised almost $1.2 million in the final quarter of last year, ending on Dec. 31, as he seeks a third term in the U.S. Senate. That is about the same amount that Republican front runner Hung Cao, who announced in July, has collected in his campaign. Virginians are united with Tim Kaine in his passion to deliver results for everyday folks, said Campaign Manager Keren Charles Dongo, one of six members of the campaign staff that the senator announced on Thursday. The filing of quarterly campaign reports at the Federal Elections Commission marks the final dash for eight Republicans seeking to challenge Kaine, with the deadline to qualify for the primary ballot on April 5. The same is true for competitive congressional nomination contests in at least five of Virginias 11 congressional districts in an election year that will be dominated by likely presidential rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. We are talking about so many imponderables in this election year that money is about the only thing you can go on right now, said Stephen Farnsworth, director at the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. Right now, the money in the Senate race is on Kaine, a former governor with a big campaign war chest, almost unmatched name recognition and a legislative record that he touts, even as Republicans try to use it against him. Kaine has a lot of advantages rolling into this, said Bob Holsworth, a veteran political scientist in Richmond. Cao, a retired U.S. Navy captain, gained political attention in a losing congressional race against Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-10th, two years ago. Cao has a big lead in fundraising over seven other candidates in the Republican field for the Senate nomination, but his lead is narrower when it comes to cash on hand. He ended the year with $528,281 on hand, but he also has $87,567 in unpaid campaign debts, for a net $440,714. Jonathan Emord, a Fairfax County lawyer, has raised $727,298, but much of it comes from loans and contributions that he made to the campaign. Emord had less than $24,000 in the bank and outstanding loans of $302,000. Scott Parkinson, an executive at Club for Growth, thinks hes in good position after raising $661,245 through Dec. 31. He had $430,877 on hand, not counting about $8,000 in unpaid debt, for a net of $422,878. The cash on hand is what actually matters here, Parkinson said in an interview on Thursday. The rest of the field includes: Chuck Smith, a former Virginia Beach GOP party chairman and candidate for attorney general, who had raised $409,514 and had $50,264 on hand at the end of the year; Ron Vitiello, a former chief of border patrol and acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trump, who had raised $406,347 and had $91,742 in cash at the end of the year, with about $13,000 in debt; and Eddie Garcia, a U.S. Army veteran. had raise $202,250. He reported $31,566 in the bank, but has $70,000 in loans he made to his campaign. Two other candidates, Kimberly Lowe of Roanoke and Gwen Hickman of Alexandria, ended the year with relatively little in the bank. In the congressional races, Rep. Bob Good, R-5th, who has endorsed Parkinson in the Senate race, is locked in a nasty public fight with just-elected state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland, for the Republican nomination in a campaign dominated by questions of loyalty to Trump. Good, who is chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, had endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential campaign, but quickly endorsed Trump as the best president of my lifetime after DeSantis dropped out of the race last month. McGuire, who has run for Congress twice before, has accused Good of being a Never-Trumper who was disloyal to the former president who had twice endorsed him. Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita, a veteran of Virginia Republican politics, also has publicly taunted Good. McGuire narrowly outraised Good in the quarter McGuire narrowly outraised Good in the final quarter of the year $212,422 to $204,983 and immediately claimed momentum in the campaign. However, Good has raised a total of $552,065 for his campaign and held almost $270,000 on hand at the end of the year. Holsworth said the Good is probably better known in the district than McGuire, but the outcome could depend on how much of an effort Trump and LaCivita make there to defeat the incumbent. Elsewhere in the Richmond area, Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, does not yet have a Republican opponent, while Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, faces two in a district that leans to the GOP. Wittman had raised about $255,000 during the quarter, more than $1.1 million through the end of the year, and had more than $1.3 million in the bank, counting money from other political committees. Democratic challenger Herb Jones, who lost to Wittman two years ago, had raised $88,435 in this cycle and ended the year with $260,607 in the bank. Newcomer Leslie Metha, who launched her campaign early last month, reported $5,295 in the bank. However, Holsworth said Mehta, who lives in Chesterfield County, could be a viable contender in a district dominated by voters in the Richmond region. They may want to give her a chance, he said. Kiggans has big fundraising lead in 2nd One the potentially most competitive congressional races in Virginia pits first-time Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-2nd, against Democratic challenger Missy Cotter Smasal in a redrawn district that swung from Democratic to Republican control in the midterm elections two years ago. Kiggans has a huge fundraising lead, with almost $2.4 million raised and almost $1.5 million in the bank, after debts, compared with $179,561 raised by Cotter Smasal, who finished the year with about $94,000 in hand. However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commission last week added Cotter Smasal to its Red to Blue program. If polling shows her to be competitive in the swing district, Holsworth said, she will not long for money to finance her campaign. Two other congressional districts in Northern Virginia promise intense primary fights by both parties. The 7th District, anchored in eastern Prince William County and the Fredericksburg area, is up for grabs after Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, decided to run for governor next year instead of seeking reelection this year. Anderson, Vindman lead cash race in 7th Four Democrats and nine Republicans are vying for their parties nominations. Derrick Anderson, who finished second in the Republican primary two years ago, appears to lead the GOP field, with about $435,000 raised and $328,403 in the bank at the end of the year. Bill Moher, chief marketing officer for a technology firm in Arlington County, had raised $356,571, but that includes a $340,000 loan he made to the campaign. Cameron Hamilton, a former U.S. Navy Seal, had raised almost $270,000 and had $95,000 in the bank. On the Democratic side, newcomer Yvgeny Eugene Vindman, whose twin brother, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, testified in Trumps first impeachment trial, had raised $2 million and had $1.1 million in the bank at the end of the year. Vindman has a sizable fund-raising lead over three current or former elected officials who are more widely known in the district Prince William Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin, who had raised almost $123,000; Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, who had raised about $101,000; and former Del. Elizabeth Guzman, D-Prince William, who had raised $43,859. You have a national figure coming in, and there is a lot of resentment against him by Democratic Party activists, Holsworth said. The 10th Congressional District, anchored in Loudoun County, is an even bigger free-for-all with 12 Democrats and five Republicans seeking their parties nominations to succeed Wexton, who is stepping down because of serious health problems. The Democratic field features former House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, as well as five sitting members of the Northern Virginia legislative delegation: Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax; just-elected Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Loudoun; Del. David Reid, D-Loudoun; Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax; and Del. Michelle Maldonado, D-Prince William. The field also features former Secretary of Education Atif Qarni and former House candidate Travis Nembhard. Yet, political newcomer Krystle Kaul leads with $604,044 raised with almost $448,000 coming from loans she made to the campaign. Helmer isnt far behind at $601,060, including $211,000 in loans he made or guaranteed. Filler-Corn has raised $385,605 and has the advantage of not being distracted by legislative duties during the two-month General Assembly session. Subramanyam had raised $271,902. On the Republican side, Mike Clancy had raised $229,702 in his second bid for the Republican nomination for the district. Photos: Election Day 2022 in Central Virginia TOKYO, Feb 02 (News On Japan) - Japanese women have been increasingly denied entry into the United States, with a growing awareness among border control officials of the use of "agents" prearranging jobs in the lucratic escort trade. Tomoyo Sato, an administrative scrivener familiar with U.S. visas, noted, "We've seen a dramatic rise in consultations from individuals denied entry due to suspicions of prostitution." Caught glancing at reporters before lowering her gaze was Haruka Funaki, a 37-year-old date club operator. Funaki and two others were accused in March 2023 of sending messages via LINE to a Japanese woman in her 30s, inviting her to work in prostitution in Las Vegas, Nevada, violating the Employment Security Act. Social media platforms are flooded with posts advertising overseas prostitution work with tags like "Earn in the U.S.," "Over 150,000 yen per day," and "Aim for 300,000 yen daily," using code words like "Ave" (average) to suggest significant earnings. Chiwawa Sasaki, a writer, shed light on this phenomenon, stating, "The reason for going abroad is simple: the potential to earn more. There are 'agents' or 'scouts' who introduce women to these lucrative opportunities overseas. Some women earn over 10 million yen a month." According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Funaki was involved in recruiting a woman in her 30s, with Keiko Tsuzaki acting as the Las Vegas coordinator, organizing job details, and Hiroshi Katagiri providing interpretation services on site. The woman entered the U.S. in May 2023 under the guise of tourism and engaged in prostitution with foreigners. After running into trouble with clients and intermediaries, she sought help from local police, leading to the exposure of the scheme. Troubles are rampant in the realm of overseas prostitution. Sasaki warned, "There's no such thing as an easy deal. I've heard of women detained abroad after entertaining undercover officers." Tsuzaki and Katagiri have admitted to the charges, whereas Funaki denies the allegations, claiming, "While I did recruit, I didn't believe the job involved prostitution." Source: FNN DES MOINES A decades-old set of laws requiring Iowas boards and commissions to have an equal number of men and women would be repealed under a bill Iowa Republican senators advanced on Thursday. Supporters of the bill, Senate File 2096, said on Thursday that the gender discrimination the laws initially were written to address no longer exists and boards should seek the most qualified applicant, regardless of gender. They also questioned whether the existing laws are constitutional after a federal judge struck down gender balance requirements for the State Judicial Nominating Commission last month. State law requires the boards and commissions that govern different segments of the Iowa government, professions and industries to be gender balanced. The law provides that if a qualified candidate has not been found within three months, the commission can waive the requirement. Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, who introduced the new bill and chaired the subcommittee, said the necessity of the bill has passed as women have assumed more positions of power in the state. Its time for Iowa to get beyond this ideological purity test and just get on to merit and putting the best people in the best place, he said. And that is more and more becoming what the people of Iowa have decided. Schultz and Republican Sen. Chris Cournoyer of LeClaire voted to advance the bill out of a subcommittee. Democratic Sen. Claire Celsi voted against the bill. It is now eligible for consideration in the full Senate State Government Committee. Celsi said women have faced barriers to leadership for decades. While progress has been made, she said her past service on boards was essential to preparing her for public office. Serving for 10 years total on two different state boards was an amazing experience, and I got to meet people from all over the state, Celsi said. "And it prepared me for leadership, leading a board, meeting new people from all over. It was just great. And if it hadnt been for the gender balance law, I would have never gotten the chance to do that." The gender balance requirements for Iowas state-level boards and commissions first became law in 1987. The mandate was extended to city and county boards in 2012. Several people from womens rights and civil rights groups spoke against the bill, saying it would set back a landmark achievement in the state and lead to fewer women in Iowas halls of power. Karen Kedrowski, a political science professor and the director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University, said Iowa has the best parity in the nation on its boards and commissions because of the gender balance law. Iowa is the only state to require gender balanced boards at all levels of government, according to research from the center. Diversity is a public good, she said. A government that reflects the demographics of its community increases its legitimacy, especially among members of underrepresented groups. The requirements are facing constitutional questions after a federal judge struck down the requirement for one board the State Judicial Nominating Commission in January. In her ruling, Judge Stephanie Rose said the gender balance requirement violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because it prevents Iowans who want to sit on the board from doing so because of their gender. She said in her ruling that to maintain the law, the state would have to prove that there is discrimination present in that particular commission in the present day, and she said there was no evidence for that. Supporters of the proposed bill also said some boards that oversee women-dominated fields may see an increase in women after the gender balance requirement is removed. Im a little offended as a woman, personally not in my clients opinion that we all assume that if we get rid of this that its going to be men that start dominating the boards. said Sandy Conlin, a lobbyist for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa. I think if you look at our governor, who her staff are, who she appoints to the department directors, that I really dont share that concern at all. I think we might actually see many boards where there are more females than men on the board. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is expected to propose a bill that would also remove the gender balance requirements from law, part of a larger plan to restructure and eliminate many of Iowas boards and commissions. That proposal came after Reynolds signed a law to reorganize state government, which included convening a committee to review the boards. Women's suffrage, but for whom? These 10 Black suffragists fought for the vote beforeand long afterthe 19th Amendment Women's suffrage, but for whom? These 10 Black suffragists fought for the vote beforeand long afterthe 19th Amendment Mary Church Terrell Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fannie Lou Hamer Ida B. Wells Alice Dunbar-Nelson Fannie Barrier Williams Sojourner Truth Lugenia Burns Hope Mary McLeod Bethune Nannie Helen Burroughs We're at an age where generative AI has been very helpful in many cases. It has certainly been both an advantage and a disadvantage in the academic scene. That has been proven in a survey showing that more than half of UK undergraduates have been utilizing AI tools for help. College Students Using AI Chatbots We all need help from time to time, especially if we need sources to support our points and arguments. Thanks to chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Bard, we can ask for information and the sources where they got it instead of manually searching for them ourselves. We can even have the AI tools draft an entire essay for us. All we have to do is provide instructions and a topic. Undergraduates in the UK are well aware of this function, and 53% of them were using it, according to the survey conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute. About 25% are using ChatGPT or Google Bard just for the suggestion of a topic, while about 12.5% use them to make content. A small 5% have admitted that they copied and pasted the entire generated content made by the chatbot, as mentioned in The Guardian. A reader in intellectual property law at the University of Sussex, Dr. Andres Guadamuz said that institutions need to be more explicit in addressing the matter. His students would share how they would use the AI tools as he has mature conversations with them regarding generative AI. The problem is not just with students shirking their academic responsibilities by completely relying on an AI chatbot's output. Some may not be aware that chatbots tend to hallucinate content, providing made-up results and sources. Dr. Guadamuz expressed that his primary concern was this problem specifically, as well as the inaccuracies that can be generated by AI tools like ChatGPT. "I believe it is our responsibility as educators to address this issue directly." While teachers need to create boundaries for how AI can be used, they can also use generative AI to help with the curriculum as well. Educators are already trying to use the technology to streamline their work with the help of the Education Endowment Foundation. Secondary schools are being signed up for a new research project that will work on using AI to generate lesson plans and teaching materials, which would be easy enough if the chatbot is provided with the learning materials it should be based on. Read Also: AI Will Likely Replace Skilled White Collar Jobs More, Says the OECD The Dangers of AI in Academia Hallucinations in AI are only part of the problem, but it is a significant one. One can learn from the lawyer who used ChatGPT to cite cases. As it turns out, the chatbot generated fake citations while using real examples of courts and judges. This led to a $5,000 fine. AI tools are also known to spout copyrighted content without giving credit to the original creator, meaning that a student or teacher could end up using materials without the proper citations of sources, which is often if not always required in such sectors. Related: Lawyers Fined $5,000 After Using ChatGPT to Cite Cases Severe storms with probable tornadoes tore through several central U.S. states, damaging homes and businesses and killing at least three people, with more bodies likely to be discovered, authorities said. As the sun rose Friday, officials scrambled to assess the extent of the destruction wit About 30 people were arrested Tuesday in a mass drug sting, ending a regionwide drug-trafficking investigation. FBI Special Agent Eugene Kowel announced the arrests Tuesday morning at the Nebraska State Patrol Troop D office in North Platte. Arrests were made in Lincoln, Kearney, Ogallala, McCook, Brule, Sutherland and several other communities, according to Kowel. The arrests were part of a coordinated effort between multiple law enforcement agencies including the CODE Task Force, which covers a 22-county area in southwest-central Nebraska. Agencies from the Panhandle and eastern Nebraska were also involved. Its the culmination of a two-year investigation by FBI Omaha, our North Platte resident agency and our CODE Task Force, Kowel said, many of whom are represented here today. Acting U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr announced 19 federal indictments Tuesday in connection with the investigation: Alejandro Ruiz, 41, of California; Guadalupe Ramirez, 38, of North Platte; Roberto Duran, 33, of Brule; Michael Shawn Harrell, 47, of Ogallala; Eduardo Gomez, 33, of North Platte, and Carl McKinney, 37, of Kentucky, were indicted by a grand jury with felony conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine between January 2021 and January 2022. Jamie Hopkins, 37, Michael Stroble, 30, Joey Romero, 36, and Luke Schwartz, 30, all of North Platte, were indicted by a grand jury with felony conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribution of meth between July 2022 and February 2023. Jessica Binegar, 37, of North Platte, John Hernandez, 35, of Lincoln, and Brad Leeper, 46, of North Platte were indicted by a grand jury with distribution of 5 grams or more of meth between March and June 2022. Leeper was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wesley Kraft, 36, of Lincoln, was charged with felony distribution of 5 grams or more of meth during April 2023 and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Timothy Huisman, 39, of North Platte, was charged with distribution of 5 grams or more of meth in February 2023. Shane Ross, 46, of Ogallala, was charged with distribution of 5 grams or more of meth in July 2022. Richard Torres, 44, of Brule, was charged with conspiracy and distribution of more than 5 grams of meth between December 2021 and August of 2022. Timothy Maisner, 62, of North Platte, was charged with possession with intent to distribute of 50 grams of more of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine during January and July of 2023. Eddie Houpt, 59, of North Platte, was charged with distribution of 5 grams or more of meth in June 2022. Kowel said 10 others were arrested, facing state charges. Six in Lincoln County were arrested as part of the CODE Task Force effort. Individuals arrested in Lincoln County Tuesday include: John W. Emery, 60, of North Platte, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of felony distribution of methamphetamine. Miranda E. Griffitt, 35, of Curtis, was arrested on suspicion of felony distribution of methamphetamine. Larry M. Barwick, 43, of North Platte, was arrested on suspicion of felony distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine. Marcus D. Dandridge, 47, of North Platte, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of felony distribution of methamphetamine. They are all currently lodged in the Lincoln County Detention Center. Two defendants in Lincoln County were arrested in a State Patrol sting investigation. They were arraigned in Lincoln County Court Tuesday: Carrie Guerra, 57, of North Platte, was arrested on suspicion of felony distribution of methamphetamine. Leeann Jo Skinner, 57, of North Platte, was arrested on suspicion of felony distribution of methamphetamine. Throughout the course of the two-year investigation, Kowel said, there were 55 arrests and 34 federal indictments, as well as seized illegal narcotics and firearms. What I can emphasize is the vital importance partnerships play in protecting our community from drug trafficking, he said. Were here today because of the work of our state and local partners. More than 150 police officers, sheriffs deputies, state troopers and federal agents participated in the enforcement action today. Kowel said drug trafficking is not a victimless crime, as many of those touched by it know. Too often families and communities in Nebraska are affected by this. Too often children are affected by this, he said. Lehr emphasized the importance of cooperation between local, state and federal agencies in the operation. Not only the investigation, but just the operation that took place over the last 15 hours was incredibly well planned out, she said. This was not something that just occurred overnight. This was in the works, the operation, for weeks. She also pointed out the involvement of the Lincoln and Keith County attorneys offices in assisting with arrests. The investigation and arrests were also assisted by the U.S. Postal Service, Dawson County Sheriffs Office, Ogallala Police Department, La Vista Police Department, the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team Task Force, the Western Intelligence Narcotics Group Task Force, the Capitol Region Safe Streets Task Force, the Lincoln/Lancaster County Metro Fugitive Task Force, the Lincoln and Keith County attorneys offices, and Nebraska District 11 Probation Office. Kowel said the CODE Task Force is effective because it takes a hybrid approach in going after top-level drug dealers in communities. We believe especially on the federal side a major component of reducing crime, reducing drug trafficking, is going after sort of the major, the most prolific dealers, said Kowel. But of course we can only do that working with state and local partners. We cant just start at the top. Kowel said he hopes this roundup will significantly reduce the supply of methamphetamine into west Nebraska. We have seen that success in other kinds of cases we hope that will be replicated here. Kowel said more drug trafficking will present itself, because there is now a void in the supply. We want to be well positioned to, anyone who tries to move in to fill the void, which will be created, with this very successful arrest operation, were ready to target those individuals and keep the supply of these drugs significantly diminished in our state, he said. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag Last Saturday, several men beat two NYPD officers who were trying to break up an altercation outside a migrant shelter in Times Square. Over the next few days, authorities arrested seven people, all of whom are migrants, in connection with the incident, but they were later released without bail after being arraigned, per the Daily News. The attack sparked calls across the state for the men to be deported, with Governor Kathy Hochul joining the chorus. But one Georgia representative went a lot further. On Monday, Representative Anthony DEsposito of New York shared a photo of Jhoan Boada, one of the suspects, who was pictured raising two middle fingers as he left court. We feel the same way about you. Holla at the cartels and have them escort you back, he wrote on X. Representative Mike Collins of Georgia shared DEspositos post, adding his own comment on his congressional account, Or we could buy him a ticket on Pinochet Air for a free helicopter ride back. Collins was not-so-subtly referring to the brutal regime of Chiles Augusto Pinochet, which was known for its death flights, extrajudicial killings in which Chilean dissidents were thrown to their deaths. Christopher Mathias, a HuffPost reporter, said on X that by referencing Pinochet, Collins was parroting a meme thats been popular among white supremacists & neofascists like the Proud Boys for the last 7 or so years. The post drew predictable backlash, which is probably what Collins was looking for. MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes wrote in response, I think sitting members of congress calling for murdering people using the Pinochet regimes preferred method of dropping them out of helicopters is really not great. X itself removed the post for violating the platforms rules on violent speech. The representative also found himself locked out of his account, sharing a screenshot of the message he got from the platform. He took to his personal account, writing What is @elonmusk phone number? Hes apparently got a few more folks to fire! Help me #FreeCollins. Collins did receive support from some of his fellow Republicans. Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio wrote, Call me crazy, but Im more worried a person who shouldnt be in our country assaulted a police officer. Collinss account was eventually restored along with the offending post, though users have to intentionally click through to view it. The post now features a disclaimer that reads, This Post violated the X Rules. However, X has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Post to remain accessible. Despite the criticism, Collins appeared unsurprisingly defiant upon his return to the platform. I'm back Never delete. Never surrender. Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) February 2, 2024 23 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers If the first few weeks of your 2024 have felt a bit lackluster, a second chance at a fresh start is right around the corner. Based on the cycles of the moon rather than the sun, the Lunar New Year, typically celebrated in Asian countries including China, Vietnam, and South Korea, falls on February 10 this year, kicking off several weeks of parades, feasts, fireworks, and festivities. The Chinese zodiac calendar marks this year as the Year of the Dragon. Ive already spotted plenty of dragon-themed product launches designed to celebrate the mythical creature, which symbolizes strength, power, and good fortune. Below, Ive rounded up some of my favorites but definitely dont dillydally, as many of these releases are limited-edition and wont stick around for long. Zenni The Dragon King $46 Photo: Zachary Lyons Zennis Lunar New Year collection includes plenty of statement specs, including these chunky square frames featuring glossy cherry-red acetate and flashy metal dragon embellishments at the temples. It also comes with a limited-edition gift bag that includes a hard case, two microfiber drawstring cases, and two microfiber cleaning cloths printed with a dragon design. $46 at Zenni Buy MiLa Pho Beef Soup Dumplings $45 $45 Just in time for your Lunar New Year feast, modern Chinese food brand MiLa has teamed up with Seattles first-ever pho shop, Pho Bac, to release limited-edition pho-flavored frozen soup dumplings that are infused with a rich, bold beef broth. $45 at MiLa Buy Le Mini Macaron Dragon Queen - Gel Trio & Stickers Bundle $44 Nail-polish brand Le Mini Macarons Dragon Queen bundle will get your nails New Yearready. It includes three eye-catching gel polishes: Pomegranate, a sultry crimson red; Golden Elixir, a sparkling Champagne gold; and Camelia, a sweet blush pink. Theres also a sheet of nail stickers filled with dragons, sparkles, and flowers. $44 at Le Mini Macaron Buy Venus et Fleur Lunar New Year Bundle $179 Venus et Fleurs Lunar New Year bundle includes two mini floral arrangements and a votive candle, all packaged in an illustrated box depicting a dragon swimming through a sea of roses. $179 at Venus Et Fleur Buy Ming Yu Wang Zhu Necklace $388 $388 Drawing on her AAPI heritage and the dragon sculptures she observed growing up in Taipei, jewelry designer Ming Yu Wang created the Zhu necklace with alternating beads of jade and pearl, to bring wisdom, spiritual energy, and power to its wearer. $388 at Ming Yu Wang Buy Hennessy VSOP Year Of Dragon $105 $105 The 2024 limited editions of Hennessys Paradis, X.O, and VSOP were designed by Chinese digital artist and painter Yang Yongliang. The VSOP bottle and packaging are clad in a vibrant red hue to usher in a prosperous New Year. $105 at Total Wine Buy S.T. Dupont Maxijet Burgundy/Golden Year of the Dragon $290 $290 Luxury French accessories brand S.T. Dupont has released a sumptuous Year of the Dragon Collection that includes a capsule of pens, lighters, and a cigar case and ashtray, all adorned with an intricate dragon rising from a shower of confetti. Inspired by Japanese anime and street art, the design is hand-crafted in lacquer and rounded off with gold finishings. $290 at S.T. Dupont Buy get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. 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. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Sail them seas, mateys Reply Thread Link is there anything worth sharing or pirating on D+ lol Reply Thread Link They just added Dont Trust the B in Apartment 23! Reply Parent Thread Link I only use my friends Disney+ so my baby can watch Bluey. I do love how convenient it is to have it in English in my house and in Spanish at my parents. Idek if you can pirate Bluey but I doubt itll be as easy to find in Spanish as well so that sucks. Reply Parent Thread Link I still really like the first two seasons of The Mandalorian. Reply Parent Thread Link Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is fantastic. Reply Parent Thread Link huh I actually got a message on tumblr from a random person begging me to watch it bc Disney (SURPRISE!) treats it badly yesterday. Reply Parent Thread Link The Orville!!! Reply Parent Thread Link Well I just ended my subscription to Disney + so I have no regrets. Edited at 2024-02-02 12:20 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link no one knows how to pirate anymore Reply Thread Link Edited at 2024-02-02 12:31 am (UTC) Some of us never left that ship, matey. Reply Parent Thread Link damn right! Reply Parent Thread Link i had to pirate the last episode of real housewives of salt lake city a few weeks ago and it was so hard to find a link. i remember years ago when i primarily watched real housewives illegally there were so many tv streaming sites that posted links within hours Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm not kidding but boomers and genz z truly don't know how to do shit on computers. You think with gen z growing up with technology they'd be pros at that stuff but just the other day I read that young interns don't even know how to do basic stuff on PCs (close windows, c+p, take screenshots) because they only use smartphones and schools have started to only use ipads in classes. Millenials had to actively install software and games on their computers to use them, hell we even did basic html coding on myspace and tumblr. So long story short it's easy for companies to restrict password sharing because majority of people don't know what a VPN is or how to pirate. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I still mourn megavideo and putlocker Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I've completely forgotten. Reply Parent Thread Link True, but I think with all these corporations raising prices every few months and people not being able to share passwords... piracy is gonna raise again. Reply Parent Thread Link Been on the internet high seas for awhile... Been on the internet high seas for awhile... Reply Parent Thread Link Seriously! Especially when torrents are so easy to access. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I need to watch a tutorial. This is getting ridiculous. Reply Parent Thread Link People don't even know how to not deal with ads and malware from free streaming sites. I don't get it. We have more access to this information now than we ever did before. Reply Parent Thread Link It's me, I never knew. People always say 'it's so easy' then I look it up and feel completely overwhelmed. I'm dumb. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I used to love torrenting but I have no idea which sites are safe anymore. Reply Parent Thread Link LOL I just deleted this email from Hulu. Reply Thread Link None of this affects me because I am always the person that pays for the service, not the person using someone else's, but it's still fucking stupid. And honestly, it has made me very quick about cancelling ones I am not actively watching/not getting a great deal on. Reply Thread Link It does affect you though. They're making it less consumer friendly and you should be outraged about that whether you password share or not. Reply Parent Thread Link I was a beta user of Hulu, and now I'm the person that pays for the hulu/disney/espn bundle, the sharing of which lets me access Max, Peacock, Paramount, AppleTV, Prime, and Criterion. I recognize this setup is part of the reason they're cracking down, but I don't think anyone in my group of friends/family that shares is going to pony up $30 a month to regain access to the bundle, and if they do, they're probably going to remove lesser-used services. Since losing Netflix I'm using Plex again, and I think I'll probably just talk everyone into using my Plex account. It's going to mean some minor technical support on occasion but oh well. There's also something to password sharing keeping old friends connected? Like I live 100s of miles from some of these people but we're chatting at least a couple times a month because we are in this pw sharing network. Reply Parent Thread Link the audacity of doing this after raising the price to $17/month Reply Thread Link Disney can kiss every inch of my ass. They haven't got my money in YEARSSSSSS. Reply Thread Link welp hope my sister's account doesn't get banned Reply Thread Link Disney+ doesnt have a lot to offer. They just took The Spectacular Spiderman off without warning. They also have never had No Way Home or Into the Spiderverse on their platform. Reply Thread Link It is an issue with Sony having ownership of Spiderman, unlike the other MCU stuff. Reply Parent Thread Link That only explains part of the problem. Sony and Disney have a deal to bring all of that content to Disney+ eventually, but its been years and they still havent. No Way Home is currently not available on any streaming service. Reply Parent Thread Link It's really popular with people who have kids, all my parent friends have it. Reply Parent Thread Link I swear spectacular is still the best spiderman media ive consumed lol Reply Parent Thread Link Mm mm mm, young Cary Elwes Reply Thread Link I bet my stepsister who secretly hates me (and my mom) will be thrilled about this, since we all use her account lol. Though Im still able to use my moms Netflix account even though I dont live with her anymore for some reason. Ive never logged out of the account. Thats probably why I can still use it is my guess. Reply Thread Link I share my netflix with my brothers family and recently i had to change my pw. Apparently now they cant access anymore on their tv but it still works on any other pc/phone/tablet. Reply Parent Thread Link Hmm thats interesting. Maybe its only tvs where it doesnt work because I watch Netflix on my laptop and it works (I use my laptop to stream). Reply Parent Thread Expand Link that sucks oh well bye i'm not ~~SAiliNg THe SEAaAas~~ (my god enough, reddit) but i'm getting over watching anything at all ever anymore Reply Thread Link OSHA Cites Plumbing Contractor for Safety Failures After Fatal Employee Accident K&D Plumbing Inc. faces $184,387 in proposed penalties for six serious violations. K&D Plumbing Inc.a plumbing contractor based in Silver Creek, Ga.faces OSHA citations following the death of a 34-year-old employee at a Rome, Ga. work site in June 2023. According to a recent release, the employee was part of a three-person crew working at Armuchee High School when they entered a manhole to clear a sewer line blockage. The result was a 20-foot fall compounded by exposure to a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide gasmeasured at 1,910 parts per million (ppm)far exceeding OSHA's permissible limit of 20 ppm. OSHA's findings indicated that K&D Plumbing willfully neglected to establish a confined space entry program, which should have included air testing and proper ventilation. The company was cited for six serious violations and proposed penalties totaling $184,387. These include inadequate trench egress, improper controls for water accumulation, failure to inspect the trench by a competent person and failure to ensure safe storage of excavated soil and piping. K&D Plumbings failure to adhere to industry guidelines resulted in a preventable loss of life, said OSHA Area Office Director Jeffery Stawowy in Atlanta-West. Implementing safety controls and training employees to recognize and avoid hazards is every employers responsibility. K&D Plumbing Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before an independent commission. Last year, global oil demand grew at a blistering pace with 2023 consumption exceeding the previous years by more than 2 million barrels per day. A number of energy agencies have provided demand growth forecasts for the current year, and the consensus is that global oil demand will see another uptick in 2024. The Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) typically leans to the bearish side when it comes to oil demand and oil price predictions; however, the agency has raised its 2024 oil demand growth estimate from 850 kb/d in May 2023 to 1.2 mb/d currently. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) tends to be more bullish on these matters. The EIA has trimmed its 2024 demand growth forecast from the 1.7 mb/d it had predicted back in January 2023 to 1.35 mb/d currently while Standard Chartereds has remained mostly flat at 1.5 mb/d. And, yet another energy watchdog has weighed in: Energy Intelligence has predicted that global demand in 2024 will clock in at a modest 1.1 mb/d, a growth clip typical of the pre-Covid era. According to Energy Intel, non-Opec-plus supply growth of 1.5 million b/d (crude 1 million b/d) will be enough to offset demand growth even if it surprises to the upside in the 1.5 million-2 million b/d range. This, in effect, means that OPEC will have little room to unwind its production cuts if these numbers turn out to be in the ballpark. Further, Energy Intel says limited pent-up demand, a weaker economy, adequate spare production capacity and large Chinese inventories will all serve to keep a cap on prices. Related: Oil Prices Drop, Recover on Gaza War Ceasefire Proposal Rumors Energy Intels view on OPEC production contradicts StanChart's, which has predicted an average 2024 call on OPEC crude oil of 29.3 mb/d, 1.4 mb/d higher than 2023 output, leaving scope for voluntary cuts to be phased out quickly. Call on OPEC is the difference between global oil demand and oil supply by non-OPEC members. If OPEC is unable to meet this call, a deficit ensues while exceeding it leads to oversupplied markets. OPEC belongs to the bull camp, too. The global oil organization has predicted that global oil demand growth will far outpace non-OPEC supply growth over the next two years. OPEC has predicted that global demand growth will clock in at 2.25 million b/d in 2024 and 1.8 million b/d in 2025 as the Chinese economy grows stronger, well above non-OPEC supply growth at 1.34 million b/d in 2024 and 1.27 million b/d in 2025, on the back of surging production by the U.S., Canada, Brazil and Guyana. Source: Energy Intelligence Geopolitical Risks Energy Intel has, however, acknowledged that any major supply disruption or further elevation of Mideast risk could still present upside potential. Its a view shared by Standard Chartered which has argued that the markets are heavily discounting ongoing geopolitical risks. The commodity analysts have noted that the markets only issued a muted response to the recent drone attack that killed three and wounded more than 40 U.S. servicemen at a military base in Jordan near the Syrian border. According to StanChart, the markets appear to be betting that the U.S. will only issue a light response to the attack that likely will be limited to Iraq and Syria. But StanChart says theres a big probability that we will see a significant change in the policy dynamic between the U.S. and Iran, with Irans surging oil production likely to be in the crosshairs. ADVERTISEMENT Last year, we reported that the Biden administration had been increasingly cozying up to Iran as the U.S. and its allies hoped to strike a new nuclear deal with Tehran following the collapse of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal of 2015 under former President Trump. Iranian oil production crashed from 3.8 million barrels per day in early 2018 to less than 2 mb/d in late 2020 following the imposition of severe sanctions; however, production has once again surged to 3.2 mb/d under Biden. Since the beginning of the Middle East conflict, experts have debated whether the U.S. would let the status quo with Iran remain or whether the West would attempt to roll the clock back to early 2022 or even to late 2020. The latest attacks on U.S. troops has left little doubt as to the direction Washington is likely to take: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the Wests response will bemulti-levelled, come in stages, and be sustained over time. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: - Rystad Energy has identified 36 high-impact wells to be drilled in 2024, the highest total since 2014, and Africa seems to be taking the lead amongst all continents, with 13 likely prospects. - Seeking to bounce back from a disappointing year of 2023 that saw high drilling activity but very few large commercial discoveries, upstream operators are zooming in on Africa and Latin America to discover new crude frontiers. - Shell still needs to fend off pressure from activist investors as a group of 27 shareholders led by Follow This filed a resolution demanding tighter climate targets, after a similar initiative last year that only won the backing of 20% of shareholders. - The UK-based energy major cut spending on its renewables and energy solutions divisions by 23% last year, at $2.7 billion accounting for 11% of the companys total spending, down from 14% in 2022. - Shell posted a net profit of $28 billion for 2023, beating analyst expectations with Q4 readings of $7.3 billion thanks to improved LNG trading as well as higher production after Australias Prelude facility came back online. - The second largest investor-owned oil and gas company in the world, Shell has kicked off this months Q4 earnings calls exceeding expectations and promising to maintain the pace of buybacks despite lower commodity prices. 1. Shell Kicks Off Q4 Results With a Bang - The second largest investor-owned oil and gas company in the world, Shell has kicked off this months Q4 earnings calls exceeding expectations and promising to maintain the pace of buybacks despite lower commodity prices. - Shell posted a net profit of $28 billion for 2023, beating analyst expectations with Q4 readings of $7.3 billion thanks to improved LNG trading as well as higher production after Australias Prelude facility came back online. - The UK-based energy major cut spending on its renewables and energy solutions divisions by 23% last year, at $2.7 billion accounting for 11% of the companys total spending, down from 14% in 2022. - Shell still needs to fend off pressure from activist investors as a group of 27 shareholders led by Follow This filed a resolution demanding tighter climate targets, after a similar initiative last year that only won the backing of 20% of shareholders. 2. Africa Becomes Worlds Hottest Drilling Hotspot - Seeking to bounce back from a disappointing year of 2023 that saw high drilling activity but very few large commercial discoveries, upstream operators are zooming in on Africa and Latin America to discover new crude frontiers. - Rystad Energy has identified 36 high-impact wells to be drilled in 2024, the highest total since 2014, and Africa seems to be taking the lead amongst all continents, with 13 likely prospects. - Less than a third of last years high-impact wells resulted in commercially viable reserves, eight out of 27 wells, unearthing a mere 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent in oil and gas, a 70% drop year-on-year. - ExxonMobil, Shell, Eni, TotalEnergies, Chevron and BP dominate the list of high-impact wells, collectively accounting for some 45% of all key wildcats, with most of African drilling focusing on untapped frontier basins. 3. Guyanas Crude Production Reaches New Heights - Whilst current drilling results disappoint, Guyana remains the most impressive growth story of the 2020s, already producing more than 600,000 b/d despite having started oil production as recently as 2019. - Hess Energy announced that the Payara field has reached peak production capacity of 220,000 b/d in January, merely two months after startup, complementing the Liza field that is being developed with two separate FPSOs. - The operator of the prolific Stabroek block ExxonMobil is now developing the fourth and fifth FPSOs in Guyanas offshore zone, tapping into the Yellowtail and Uaru prospects, both of which are expected to add 250,000 b/d and come online in 2025 and 2026, respectively. - Guyanas production capacity is expected to reach 1.2 million b/d by 2027, hence the South American country is now focused on commercializing gas resources as the Stabroek block alone is supposed to hold 17 TCf in recoverable gas. 4. US Coal Lives Its Swan Song to the Fullest - US coal exporters have shipped abroad the highest volume of thermal coal since 2018, generating a whopping $5 billion as domestic demand for the fuel continues to decline. - According to Kpler data, US coal exports to India, the worlds largest coal consumer after China, more than doubled last year to 11.75 million tonnes, making the South Asian country the largest buyer of American coal. - Simultaneously, coal consumption in the United States has fallen 44% since 2017, from 775 million short tonnes to 436 million tonnes last year, so domestic demand keeps on declining quicker than exports. - The US Energy Information Administration expects that the share of exports in the countrys coal production will rise further to 21% by 2025, currently at 17%, mitigating the losses coming from domestic power generation. 5. Russias China Romance Expands into Aluminium - China doubled its imports of aluminum last year compared to 2022, with most of the incremental volumes coming in from Russia, a country that now accounts for 76% of all Chinese imports. - Before the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia was a relatively modest supplier of aluminum to China, supplying 291,000 metric tonnes in 2021, but since then it leaped to 1.18 million tonnes last year. - China has become a key buyer of Russian aluminum after European buyers self-sanctioned, US exports were restricted with huge import duties and the UK banned its citizens from physically dealing with the metal. - China accounts for almost 60% of global aluminum production, although its heretofore robust pace of growth is slowing down because production capacity is nearing the governments cap of 45 million tonnes. 6. France Recovers from Nuclear Malaise, Boosting Exports - Frances vast nuclear industry, the backbone of Europes electricity grid after Germanys nuclear phaseout, is roaring back to strength, boasting the highest available capacity since 2019 this year. - Stress corrosion and faulty welding led to France halting operations at a dozen nuclear reactors back in 2022, however operational capacity available rebounded to 79% in January as repaired plants came back into operation. - Month-ahead electricity prices plunged to 67 per MWh ($73/MWh), bringing futures contracts in neighboring states lower, too, as more French capacity also means higher exports to continental Europe. - The French government has capped electricity price hikes until early 2025, mitigating the past years volatility, all the while taking full control of the countrys nuclear power plant operator EDF. 7. Australian Miners Test Their Faith in the Energy Transition - As prices for key energy transition metals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt doubled between 2021 and 2022, Australian miners were spending heavily on new production capacity in the country. - However, amidst the price collapse of 2023, Australian mining giants are wary of carrying on with the same ambition, as attested by IGO announcing this week that it would freeze operations at its Cosmos nickel project. - Confronted with a glut of cheap Indonesian supply, the worlds largest miner BHP said it is actively optimizing its nickel operations, warning that it is assessing the carrying value of its nickel assets. - Whilst iron ore-focused miners in Australia have not been under the same pressure, nickel production Down Under is set to decline sizably in 2024 apart from IGO and BHP, Andrew Forrests Wyloo venture will also halt operations from May. Back in January 2021, OPEC was producing 25.5 million bpd, with Saudi Arabia producing 9.1 million bd. And while the United States increased its rate of production by 2 million bpd since that time, OPEC has boosted its production to 26.7 million bpda 1.2 million bpd rise. This suggests that the group has indeed lost market share to the United States. The situation looks even worse for Saudi Arabia, however, which has seen its production Has Saudi Arabiaand OPECbeen suffering from a case of magical thinking over the last couple of years while the United States quietly ramped up crude production from 11 million bpd in January 2021 to the current 13 million bpd? This could be interpreted in any number of ways, whether thats because oil demand isnt what it needs to be to utilize the additional production, or because non-OPEC entities have increased production nearly as quickly as OPEC was cutting it. While the unrest in the Middle East lends an element of risk to the oil markets, helping to put a floor under prices, OPEC is maneuvering to keep the status quo. This week, OPECs JMMC did not recommend any changes to the groups oil output targets during the quarter - as most had predicted. Second, Saudi Arabia announced that it was canceling its plans to boost capacity to 13 million bpd. While the unrest in the Middle East lends an element of risk to the oil markets, helping to put a floor under prices, OPEC is maneuvering to keep the status quo. This week, OPECs JMMC did not recommend any changes to the groups oil output targets during the quarter - as most had predicted. Second, Saudi Arabia announced that it was canceling its plans to boost capacity to 13 million bpd. This could be interpreted in any number of ways, whether thats because oil demand isnt what it needs to be to utilize the additional production, or because non-OPEC entities have increased production nearly as quickly as OPEC was cutting it. Has Saudi Arabiaand OPECbeen suffering from a case of magical thinking over the last couple of years while the United States quietly ramped up crude production from 11 million bpd in January 2021 to the current 13 million bpd? Is OPEC ceding market share to U.S. shale yet again in the groups struggle to maintain a balanced market? Back in January 2021, OPEC was producing 25.5 million bpd, with Saudi Arabia producing 9.1 million bd. And while the United States increased its rate of production by 2 million bpd since that time, OPEC has boosted its production to 26.7 million bpda 1.2 million bpd rise. This suggests that the group has indeed lost market share to the United States. The situation looks even worse for Saudi Arabia, however, which has seen its production drop to 9 million bpd within that time frame. Clearly, Saudi Arabia has no immediate need for additional capacity, and OPECs production plansin an attempt to lift prices, have absolutely given U.S. shale the boost it needed to bring back production in full force. This, of course, despite shale players arguing that it is much more fiscally responsible than in years past when it pumped its way hastily into debtsome to their ruin. The only current play the group has is to fear-monger prices up, although the market seems to be displaying a weaker appetite for such moves. This used to be OPECs go-to play for supporting market prices. U.S. shale perhaps had an unwitting assistant in that the Biden Administration helped to strip OPEC of even more of its market share by draining the SPR by millions of barrels at a time when the group was trying to create a major deficit in the market to speed along the global drawdown so it could come roaring back more quickly. Many forecasters and analysts are saying that oil demand is there, and of course, OPECs forecasts support this notion. But OPEC will likely be unable to reclaim any lost market share by boosting production without sending prices falling. We should see the group managing expectations prior to the next meeting in an attempt to arrest any price drops from planned production increases. In the meantime, U.S. shale is expected to continue to slowly and methodically snag whatever market share OPEC leaves behind, leaving OPEC in a rather difficult position. China is over the halfway mark in completing its strategically vital oil project in the critical Iraqi energy hub of Nasiriyah, at the heart of the some of the countrys biggest oil and gas fields and close to its main export terminal of Al Fao in Basra. According to the Iraq Ministry of Planning, the China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company (CPPEC) is now over 55 percent complete on the construction of the countrys biggest crude oil storage facility, located in Nasiryah city in DhiQar province. This facility will act as a storage hub and supply conduit for 3.0-3.5 million barrels of crude oil that will then either go to export out of Basra Port or will be transported through pipelines to refineries and power plants in central and northern Iraq. It will also act as a logistical command centre for all of Chinas extensive oil and gas projects in Iraq and for the build-out of multiple non-oil projects connected to the all-encompassing Iraq-China Framework Agreement, as analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. Even before the huge strategic importance of the new Nasiriyah facility, China will benefit from its massively enhanced presence there in the matter of increasing its oil supplies from southern Iraq, with the DhiQar Province being home to several huge fields. The Gharraf field is one, holding around 1.3 billion barrels of oil reserves and currently producing around 130,000 barrels per day (bpd), with plans to increase this to 230,000 bpd within the next two years. Lead operator Petronas of Malaysia said last May that it wants to sell its stake in the field. However, China already effectively controls what goes on at the site through major contract-only awards secured by its companies. The winning of multiple contract-only awards by Chinese firms at major oil and gas sites in Iraq was for a long time the preferred way for the country to covertly gain control over a site without provoking the ire of the U.S., while it still retained a strategic interest in Iraq, as also analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. In Gharrafs case, the China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation (CPECC) was awarded a US$308 million engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract a while ago. Additionally, July 13 saw Chinas Zhongman Petroleum and Natural Group sign a separate engineering and construction project for Gharraf. Back in 2015, Zhongman was also awarded a US$526.6 million drilling deal for Iraqs supergiant West Qurna 2 oilfield. Further emboldened by the effective withdrawal of the U.S. from Iraq at the end of its combat mission in December 2021, the beginning of this year saw PetroChina take over the lead developer role at the neighbouring supergiant West Qurna 1 oilfield from the U.S.s ExxonMobil. This was followed just a week later by the awarding of a major build-own-operate-transfer contract to a subsidiary of PetroChina to develop the Nahr bin Umar onshore gas field. Related: U.S. Prepares for Multi-Day Strikes Against 'Iranian Targets' At the other end of the development scale in DhiQar Province is the supergiant Nasiriyah oilfield, discovered by the Iraq National Oil Company in 1975, with an estimated 4.36 billion barrels of reserves in place. Coming on stream in 2009 and listed on Iraqs 2009-2010 fast-track plan, which aimed to raise its output to about 50,000 bpd, the first half of 2009 saw ENI, Nippon Oil, Chevron, and Repsol submitting bids to develop the field on an Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) contract basis, with a consortium comprised of Nippon Oil, Inpex, and JGC Corporation looking set to win the contract before negotiations broke down again. The departure in 2014 of the divisive figure of Shia Islamist Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, and his replacement by the seemingly more inclusive, although also Shia, Haider al-Abadi led to optimism in Iraq that the Nasiriyah project could move ahead again, but these hopes were also dashed. China has long seen Nasiriyah as an important part of its overall plans for Iraq, which are essentially to turn it into a client state, as it has done with Iran, to create one giant oil and gas station for it in the Middle East, which it can also use for geopolitical pressure purposes against the U.S. In Irans case, China has been successful so far into effecting this transformation from it as sovereign state into a Middle Eastern equivalent of Hong Kong (a Special Administrative Region of China) through the all-encompassing Iran-China 25-Year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement , as first revealed anywhere in the world in my 3 September 2019 article on the subject and analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. China is using the same sort of arrangement for Iraq, as evidenced in the equally all-encompassing Iraq-China Framework Agreement of 2021. This in turn, was an extension in scale and scope of the Oil for Reconstruction and Investment agreement signed by Baghdad and Beijing in September 2019, which allowed Chinese firms to invest in infrastructure projects in Iraq in exchange for oil. Following this, Iraq approved nearly IQD1 trillion (US$700 million) for infrastructure projects in the city of Al-Zubair in the southern Iraq oil hub of Basra. The Al-Zubair announcement came around the same time as the awarding by Baghdad of another major contract to another Chinese company to build a civilian airport to replace the military base in Nasiriyah - the capital of DhiQar Province. This airport project, China announced, would include the construction of multiple cargo buildings and roads linking the airport to the citys town centre and separately to other key oil areas in southern Iraq, which it now controls. In the later discussions involved in the 2021 Iraq-China Framework Agreement, it was decided unanimously by both sides that the airport could be expanded later to be a dual-use civilian and military airport. The military component would be usable by China without first having to consult with whatever Iraqi government was in power at the time, a senior source who works closely with Iraqs Oil Ministry exclusively told OilPrice.com at the time. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: (Photo : Unsplash/Lenny Kuhne) According to a Human Rights Watch report released on Thursday, forced labor is not part of the supply chains of automakers Tesla, General Motors, Volkswagen, and Toyota in China. The U.S.-based nonprofit connected aluminum to major car manufacturers, being allegedly produced with forced labor by Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority of around 10 million people in the western region of Xinjiang and other ethnic minorities in other areas of the country. READ ALSO: Fashion Brand Shein Issue: Stories Reveal Child Labor Practices, Bad Working Conditions Accusation on China's Labor Transfer Programs China is being accused of implementing labor transfer programs where Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities are compelled to work in factories as part of a longstanding assimilation and mass detention campaign, where China might have detained over 1 million Uyghurs as part of terrorism and separatism measures, according to a 2022 United Nations report. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond immediately to questions about the report sent by fax from The Associated Press. A Report Connecting Aluminum to the Labor Transfer The Human Rights Watch report connects aluminum, a material used in many car parts, to the labor transfer programs where workers allegedly undergo ideological indoctrination and have restricted freedom of movement, drawn from company statements, Chinese government documents, and previous research by Human Rights Watch and other organizations. Since 2022, the United States has mandated importers of goods from Xinjiang to provide evidence that the products were not manufactured using forced labor to avoid penalties. However, the Human Rights Watch report argues that tracing the origin of aluminum from Xinjiang is challenging, mainly when it is transported to other parts of China and processed into alloys. China Being the Top Car Exporter Globally Over 15% of China's aluminum supply and around 9% of the global supply come from Xinjiang, as per industry reports, which the global automotive industry utilizes for various parts, including vehicle frames, wheels, and battery foils. China, the largest producer of battery-powered electric cars, also became the top car exporter globally last year. The companies mentioned in the new report include Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD. The International Aluminum Institute, a UK-based industry group, forecasts a doubling global demand for aluminum between 2019 and 205 due to the increasing popularity of electric vehicles. Human Rights Calling the Attention of the Government Jim Wormington, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, emphasized that China is a dominant player in the global car industry. Governments need to ensure that companies involved in car manufacturing or sourcing parts in China are not linked to the government's repression in Xinjiang, adding that conducting business in China should not entail using or benefiting from forced labor. The report claims that international car manufacturers, under pressure from the Chinese government, have relaxed control over their operations in China compared to other countries, which increases the risk of forced labor in their supply chains. Many foreign carmakers in China function as joint ventures with Chinese companies, compelled by government restrictions in key sectors. Carmakers' Stance on the Issue Toyota announced in a statement that it will carefully examine the Human Rights Watch report, emphasizing that "respect for human rights" is a fundamental part of its core values. It expects its suppliers to adhere to its commitment to respect and not violate human rights. Volkswagen mentioned having a risk management system for due diligence in raw material procurement, directly commissioning its China suppliers. The company promptly investigates any forced labor allegations and actively seeks new solutions to prevent them in its supply chains. Volkswagen has a joint venture with Chinese state-owned carmaker SAIC Motor, operating a plant in Xinjiang. An audit conducted by the German carmaker last year found no evidence of forced labor at the Xinjiang plant. RELATED ARTICLE: Industrial Companies Take Bold Steps on Labor Issues, Extending Onsite Childcare to Ease "Tough Choices" for Workers 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. For some people though, I am sure that LIN was just too boring to look like a good investment. There is a tendency these days among investors towards unrealistic expectations. Encouraged As you can see, nothing spectacular, but nor has owning LIN added to the stress in my life. It has been a steady grind up with occasional, relatively small pullbacks that all proved to be just opportunities to buy more at a discount. Back in October of 2022, I wrote a piece in these pages saying that if you wanted exposure to fuel cells, but without the kind of wild ride that came with investing in things like FCEL or PLUG, you should consider Linde PLC (LIN), an originally German industrial gas company that is now incorporated in Ireland and headquartered in the UK. The logic was that as they are the worlds largest manufacturer and supplier of the infrastructure and fuel needed by fuel cell operations, they would benefit from growth in that oft-hyped industry no matter which fuel cell company won the latest contract or generated the most buzz. And should fuel cell technology not really take off, LIN still had a solid core business to enable growth. This is what has happened since An old friend is back in the news at the moment, and it has prompted me to look again at a stock that I recommended a while ago. What I found was that, despite it being 35% or so higher than it was then, it still makes sense as a long-term investment, and for the same reasons. An old friend is back in the news at the moment, and it has prompted me to look again at a stock that I recommended a while ago. What I found was that, despite it being 35% or so higher than it was then, it still makes sense as a long-term investment, and for the same reasons. Back in October of 2022, I wrote a piece in these pages saying that if you wanted exposure to fuel cells, but without the kind of wild ride that came with investing in things like FCEL or PLUG, you should consider Linde PLC (LIN), an originally German industrial gas company that is now incorporated in Ireland and headquartered in the UK. The logic was that as they are the worlds largest manufacturer and supplier of the infrastructure and fuel needed by fuel cell operations, they would benefit from growth in that oft-hyped industry no matter which fuel cell company won the latest contract or generated the most buzz. And should fuel cell technology not really take off, LIN still had a solid core business to enable growth. This is what has happened since As you can see, nothing spectacular, but nor has owning LIN added to the stress in my life. It has been a steady grind up with occasional, relatively small pullbacks that all proved to be just opportunities to buy more at a discount. For some people though, I am sure that LIN was just too boring to look like a good investment. There is a tendency these days among investors towards unrealistic expectations. Encouraged by aggressive sales techniques in the financial publishing industry, the hyping of certain outperforming stocks, and a lot of hand waving and gesticulation by some financial news personalities, they believe that in order for an investment to be considered successful it must show gains measured in the thousands of percentage points over a few years. Everyone is looking for the next Tesla (TSLA) or the next meme stock. That is understandable. In fact, I do it myself, albeit only with about five percent of my capital. However, when I look back, with the exception of TSLA which I held long-term until recently, the best investment results I have seen have usually been in far less spectacular, some might even say boring, holdings. Shell Oil (SHEL), for example, that I bought back in 2020 and have just held on to, reinvesting dividends and watching as the value of my holding grew by over a hundred percent, or Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL) that have shown similar returns. The thing is, when it comes to long-term investments, boring is good. And while LIN is boring in some ways, the companys history suggests that they are focused solely on maximizing profits. The interesting corporate nationality that I mentioned above tells you that. They are, or rather were, a German company, but when Ireland offered better tax incentives for companies domiciled there than almost anywhere in the world, they became Irish, while basing operations out of Irelands more traditionally connected and geographically advantaged neighbor, a one-time enemy of both Ireland and Germany. Similarly, when the fuel cell business was all the rage, they got involved, but without over-committing in terms of resources. See, boring The thing that got them in the news recently is also boring in some ways, but it is another example of how Linde strives for boring old stability in an unstable world. They just signed deals with a couple of Chinese renewable energy companies, Guangdong Energy Group (GEG) and China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) for the supply of power over the next 25 years. Given that Linde operates primarily in the EU, where there is an increasing move towards mandating that corporations meet green energy targets, that is a smart move. They have future-proofed themselves against that to some extent, but done so from a relatively cheap supply country, and at predictable costs for a quarter of a century. It could be that a long-term deal with two Chinese companies will become a political liability for Linde at some point over the next 25 years, but that risk is more than offset by the stability and predictability factors, and if such problems do occur, I have faith that Linde will deal with them in a quiet and, quite frankly, boring way. With the stock having pulled back a bit after an uncharacteristic spike up above $430 in December but then having bounced off of the $400 level, now looks like a good time to buy LIN or, if you took my advice in 2022, to add to your holdings. You may not become a millionaire overnight if you do, but you will own a stock that has shown over the years that it can grind upwards in a boring way and, through the miracle of compounded returns, can become a core source of gains in your portfolio through the markets ups and downs. Rumors and speculation appear to be driving oil markets this week, adding to volatility as the world awaits a potential ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Friday, February 2nd, 2024 Speculation has overshadowed market fundamentals this week, with unsubstantiated reports of an impending ceasefire between Israel and Palestine dragging Brent futures below $80 per barrel again. On the fundamental side, with OPEC+ rolling over its policy and refusing to change its pre-set course, unforeseen refinery outages in the United States might have an even more lasting impact on prices by weakening US demand even further. US Senate Seeks to Overturn Bidens LNG Pause. The US House of Representatives will seek to overturn the Biden administrations halt on new LNG project approvals next month, accusing the White House of appeasing radical climate activists, although it is unlikely to get past the Senate. OPEC+ Sticks to Course, Flags March Meeting. This weeks OPEC+ ministerial meeting made no changes to the oil groups production policy, with participating top officials indicating they will meet again in early March to decide on an extension of the 2.2 million b/d cuts into Q2. BPs Whiting Refinery Shutdown Rattles Midwest. A transformer failure caused a plant-wide power outage at BPs (NYSE:BP) Whiting refinery in Indiana, forcing the UK oil major to halt all operations at the Midwests largest downstream asset, boasting a capacity of 435,000 b/d. Westinghouse Excluded from Czech Nuclear Tender. In another blow to US nuclear firm Westinghouse, the Czech government has excluded it from its tender to build a new 1,200 MW reactor saying it failed to fulfil its conditions, leaving only Koreas KHNP and Frances EDF. Saudi Aramco Mulls $10 Billion Share Sale. Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabias national oil firm Saudi Aramco (TADAWUL:2222) is considering a secondary share offering worth up to $10 billion as early as February, capitalizing on its market value of more than $2 trillion. Germany to Sell Nationalized Gas Giant Soon. The German government is considering selling part of its 99% stake in distressed utility firm Uniper which Berlin spent $15 billion on to bring back to life, although market participants believe Germany would need to offer discounts. Diverting Tankers Turn to Fast Steaming. Tankers that are diverting around the Cape of Good Hope have been increasingly fast steaming, sailing above normal speeds, to cut back on delivery delays, with container ships sailing at 22 knots, boosting marine fuel demand in Africa further. Arctic Hurricanes Boost Scandinavias Wind. Norway registered the highest-ever wind speeds this week as hurricane-like wind gusts swept through Scandinavia, with record wind generation in the Nordics exceeding 29 GW and even turning power prices negative for a few hours. ADVERTISEMENT Shell Plays Down M&A Pressures. The CEO of Shell (LON:SHEL) Wael Sawan indicated the UK-based oil major is not tempted to join the US shale patchs acquisition frenzy, whilst its Q4 results surpassed analysts expectations at $7.3 billion despite multi-billion impairments. Qatar Seeks to Expand Oil Output. QatarEnergy awarded service contracts worth $6.2 billion to develop the third phase of its key oil-producing asset, the offshore Al Shaheen field overlying its vast gas reserves in the sea, eyeing a production hike of about 100,000 b/d by 2027-2028. India to See Coal Power Bonanza in 2024. India will commission an additional 13.9 GW of coal-powered generation capacity this year, marking the highest annual increase since 2019 and more than triple 2023 additions, as last years electricity demand surged 11% year-on-year. Glencore Inks China Term Deal for Colombia Coal. More Atlantic Basin coal will be sent to China after Glencore (LON:GLEN) agreed to sell most of the production from its giant Cerrejon mine in Colombia to Chinese utility buyers and traders, up to 10-15 million tonnes across 2024. Mining Giant Lobby for Silver to Become Critical. Top executives of 19 mining companies in Canada have addressed a letter to the countrys Energy Ministry saying that silver should be requalified as a critical mineral, prompting similar calls in the United States, too. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States fell this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday. The total rig count fell by 2 to 619 this week, compared to 759 rigs this same time last year. The number of oil rigs stayed the same this week after rising by 2 last week, staying at 499--down by 100 compared to this time last year. The number of gas rigs fell by 2 this week to 117, a loss of 41 active gas rigs from this time last year. Miscellaneous rigs stayed at 3. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil production rose by 700,000 bpd to average 13.0 million bpd in the week ending January 26. The large production increase, however, only came after a 1 million bpd fall in the week prior as a cold snap took production offline. Production rates in the U.S. are still down by 200,000 bpd since the start of the year. Primary Visions Frac Spread Count, an estimate of the number of crews completing wells that are unfinished, rose in the week ending January 26. Completions rose by 7 to 242 for the week. The Permian saw 1 rig added after rising by 3 the week before. The count in the Eagle Ford slid by 2 rigs after falling by 1 rig in the week prior. Oil prices were trading down on Friday morning. At 12:49 p.m. ET, the WTI benchmark was trading down $1.49 (-2.02%) on the day at $72.33, despite depressed production in the United Statesa more than $4 decline week over week as rumors spread that Hamas and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire proposal. The Brent benchmark was trading down $1.39 (-1.77%) at $77.31, a decrease of well over $4 per barrel from a week ago. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The pause in new LNG export project approvals announced by the Biden Administration last week is a mistake as it would actually hold back global efforts to reduce emissions, ExxonMobils CFO Kathy Mikells told Bloomberg in an interview published on Friday. Reducing production of LNG actually harms the world achieving net zero sooner rather than later, Mikells said told Bloomberg. Its a mistake, the senior Exxon executive added. Last week, the Biden Administration said it was pausing all pending decisions on U.S. LNG export projects until the Department of Energy can update the underlying analyses for authorizations. During the temporary pause which is expected to affect four planned LNG export projects DOE will carry out a new updated review on the impact of such projects on health and communities. Natural gas production and LNG liquefaction for exports generate emissions, but these emissions are still 50% lower than compared to burning coal. ExxonMobil, together with QatarEnergy, the state giant of Qatar, are currently developing the Golden Pass LNG export project on the U.S. Gulf Coast near Sabine Pass, Texas. The project has all necessary approvals and is expected to start up in 2025, Exxons Mikells told Bloomberg. The American Petroleum Institute (API) and other major industry groups, including American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC), Center for LNG (CLNG), Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), LNG Allies, among others, slammed the Biden Administrations decision to halt export project approvals. Our nations abundant supply of natural gas is an impactful geopolitical tool, helping insulate American consumers from increasing global instability while advancing American national interests and ensuring the energy security of key U.S. allies, the groups wrote in a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. ADVERTISEMENT Moving forward with a pause on new U.S. LNG export approvals would only bolster Russian influence and undercut President Bidens own commitment to supply our allies with reliable energy, undermining American credibility and threatening American jobs, they said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Restarts of nuclear reactors, high gas inventories, and increased renewables power generation dragged Japans LNG imports in January to the lowest level for the month since 2009, vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed on Friday. Last month, Japan imported just 6 million tons of LNG, the lowest level for the month of January in 15 years, as demand for the super-chilled fuel has declined in recent years. Japans surge in LNG imports after the Fukushima disaster in 2011 and the shutdown of the countrys nuclear power fleet has made the resource-poor major Asian economy the worlds top importer of gas cargoes. Last year, Japan ceded the top spot to China, as nuclear reactors in Japan are gradually returning to service after thorough inspections. Moreover, Japan and all other major developed economies have stepped up energy and gas conservation efforts since the energy crisis that began in late 2021 and was further worsened in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The relatively high inventories at the end of last year also contributed to slow LNG imports as some importers even resold cargoes to other destinations, per Bloombergs data. Last year, Japans LNG imports slumped to the lowest level in 14 years, after falling by 8% compared to 2022, official Japanese data showed at the end of January. In 2023, Japan imported 66.15 million metric tons of LNG, down by 8.1% year-on-year and the lowest import volumes since 2009, according to provisional data from the Japanese Ministry of Finance. The value of the imports in Japanese yen slumped by 22.6% last year, amid lower imports and a decline in spot LNG prices, especially at the end of 2023, compared to the records seen in 2022 and early 2023. In recent years, Japan has restarted several nuclear power plants and has boosted renewable electricity generation, which allowed it to import lower volumes of LNG than a decade ago. According to Reuters estimates, Japans annual LNG imports hit a record high of 88.5 million tons in 2014. ADVERTISEMENT By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Crude oil prices were set for a weekly decline despite gains made during the course of the week largely because of reports that Israel and Hamas were negotiating a ceasefire. Bloomberg cited unnamed sources as saying negotiations were ongoing and Israels Jerusalem Post quoted the Qatari foreign ministry as saying that Hamas had given its initial approval to a ceasefire deal and a hostage deal late on Thursday. The report quoted an unnamed Palestinian official as saying a final approval might not be forthcoming, however "Instead, I expect them to send a positive response and reaffirm their demands: for the agreement to be signed, it must ensure Israel will commit to ending the war in Gaza and pull out from the enclave completely," the official said. Meanwhile, France24 reported the Israeli army was advancing on Rafah, in the south, also suggesting an actual ceasefire would still be a while. Following the news about the deal, however, oil prices softened, after the Red Sea crisis prompted some solid gains earlier in the week. Additional support for the benchmarks came from OPEC+, which decided on Thursday to leave its production policy unchanged, curbing combined output by 2.2 million bpd. Even so, "The recent reports on the progress toward an extended Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which could fizzle current geopolitical stress (are) keeping oil investors on the sidelines," Priyanka Sachdeva from Philip Nova told Reuters. Its no surprise that geopolitical risk premium placed on crude is fading as hopes of progress on Gaza ceasefire talks grow, Vishnu Varathan from Mizuho Bank told Bloomberg. But a conflict this entrenched and polarized is unlikely to have a linear, unfettered and short path to resolution. Meanwhile, the Yemeni Houthis continued targeting ships in the Red Sea, with the latest attack announced by the group itself on Thursday, on an unidentified British merchant ship. ADVERTISEMENT By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Some wind farm operators in the UK have been overestimating forecasts of the power they would generate, leading to millions of British pounds added to consumer energy bills each yeara behavior slammed by a senior UK energy department official. Reporters Todd Gillespie and Gavin Finch led a Bloomberg investigation which found earlier this week that some wind farm operators have been overstating how much electricity they would produce. This has been raising the payments they receive to turn off power output if too much wind generation on very windy days risks overloading the grid. On such occasions, the grid operator typically pays some wind power operators to generate less electricitypayments that add to energy bills. With some overstated forecasts of how much wind some farms would generate, the operators are paid more to curtail more output. But, due to the overstated forecasts, they would have not produced that much electricity anyway, according to the Bloomberg investigation and interviews with anonymous power traders, market experts, and academics. In effect, they said, the grid has paid some wind farms not to generate power that they wouldnt have produced anyway, Bloombergs investigative reporters wrote. Asked to comment on the alleged controversial overstatement of forecasts of wind power generation, Andrew Bowie, the UKs Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, told Bloomberg, It is completely unacceptable to overcharge for peoples bills. British energy generators must operate at the highest standards, Bowie said. On Thursday, the UKs energy regulator, Ofgem said it was opening a probe into the claims that wind power operators are overestimating their power output. Ofgems wholesale markets oversight team are investigating the alleged behavior, a spokesman told Bloomberg in an email. ADVERTISEMENT The regulator will continue to work to protect market integrity and consumers, the spokesman added, noting that Ofgem had also asked National Grid to investigate the issue, too. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A power outage has prompted the shutdown of the Whiting refinery in Indiana. The facility is operated by BP, which evacuated the facility on Thursday and started flaring gas to avoid more serious problems. Volatile gases are flared during a refinery shutdown because they cannot be processed the usual way and present a hazard. "This flaring is a safety release to burn off the extra product and is a normal process during an event, the Whiting City authorities said in a statement quoted by NBC Chicago. BP is working to resolve the power outage as quickly as possible." The company itself said "We are in the process of safely shutting down the refinery after a suspected power outage." "We have activated our emergency response team and evacuated refinery office buildings out of an abundance of caution, Christina Audisho, a spokesperson for BP, told the news outlet. "Local fire departments are assisting with the evacuation by closing nearby roads. The safety of refinery staff and the community are our highest priority." BP has not given any indication as to how long the shutdown will continue. The Whiting refinery has the capacity to process 435,000 barrels of crude daily. The facility is the largest refinery in the Midwest and BPs largest in North America, per Reuters. According to energy consultancy Refined Fuel Analytics managing director, the shutdown could last as little as a week but there is no certainty. "Restarting depends on how quickly you can restore power and if you have any damage," John Auers told Reuters, adding that "You can manage power outages but its very complex. You don't have instrumentation when you lose power, so you don't know what's going on in the units." ADVERTISEMENT The last time the Whiting refinery was shut down by an incident was back in 2022, when a fire broke out on the territory of the facility, prompting the temporary suspension of operations. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: TotalEnergies Texas refinery in Port Arthur restarted on Friday, people familiar with the operations told Reuters. The 238,000-barrel-per-day refinery has been shuttered since mid-January due to a power outage that triggered a malfunction at its gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracker. Two crude distillation units and two vacuum distillation units were shutteredthose units convert crude oil into feedstock for the other units at the refinery. The refinery also had units that failed to start up on time when 3-month maintenance was completed in November. Also on Friday, BPs Whiting refinery said that power had been restored to its 440,000 bpd refinery in Indiana, with operations in the process of resuming. That refinery had been shut down on Thursday, prompting flaring and an evacuation. As of Thursday, BP had given no indication of how long it would be before operations resumed, with uncertainties surrounding how long the power would be out. By Friday morning, however, BP indicated that operations would resume later in the day after it learned that power had been restored. The Whiting refinery produces 238,000 bpd of gasoline and 95,000 bpd of diesel fuel, along with 48,000 bpd of jet fuel. It is also responsible for the production of 7% of all the asphalt consumed in the United States, BP said. The Whiting refinery is the sixth-largest refinery in the United States and the largest refinery in the Midwest. GasBuddys Patrick De Haan said earlier that gasoline prices could spike due to the Whiting outage, to as much as 15 to 30 cents per gallon. AAA reported that gasoline prices rose to $3.154 per gallon from $3.150 per gallon on Thursday. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The price of a ton of CO2 in the UK this week fell to a record low, giving rise to concerns about the immediate prospects of investments in alternative energy sources. Per the Financial Times, the price for a so-called carbon permit, equal to one ton of CO2, fell to some $40 (31.48 pounds) this week due to lower industrial energy consumption and lower demand for heating due to the mild winter. Analysts also attributed the decline to an abundance of available permits. Yet the UKs net-zero transition plans require high carbon permit prices to motivate investment in decarbonization efforts, the report noted. Indeed, high carbon permit prices discourage businesses from emitting and compromise their competitiveness, motivating such investments. With low carbon permit prices, however, that discouragement is not there, even though some might argue that the price dropand permit availabilityactually suggests industrial consumers are emitting less carbon dioxide, which should be good news for the net-zero planners in London. We need a strong, stable and predictable carbon price signal to ensure that investment heads in the right direction, Adam Berman, deputy policy director at trade body Energy UK, told the FT. A low carbon price sends absolutely the wrong signal about the UKs commitment to net zero. If we want to electrify transport and heat, and power them with renewables, then its going to be very difficult to do that without the higher carbon price to fund and incentivise it, BNP Paribas analyst James Huckstepp told the FT. Indeed, carbon pricing has emerged as an important tool in enforcing the transition by simultaneously discouraging businesses from generating CO2 emissions and providing funds that could be invested in alternative energy sources and net-zero technology. Yet while the governments using carbon pricing to fund the transition have signaled they see this as a free market, they do need the price to keep going one way onlyup. A free market precludes such a consistent price trend, giving cause for worry to transition advocates. ADVERTISEMENT By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: New Netflix series stars Choi Woo-sik, Son Suk-ku By Lee Gyu-lee Choi Woo-sik, Son Suk-ku and Lee Hee-joon, the lead actors of Netflixs new Korean original series, A Killer Paradox, expressed confidence in the series, sharing that it will offer a thriller genre story with a stylish twist. Based on the hit webtoon of the same name by Kkomabi, the thriller crime series revolves around an average college student Lee Tang (Choi), who accidentally kills a man. When the victim turns out to be a serial killer, he realizes he has the ability to detect criminals and finds himself caught in an endless cat-and-mouse chase with a shrewd detective (Son) who is determined to catch him. Their paths cross with Song-chon, a former detective with twisted beliefs, adding complexity to their chase. The eight-part series, set to hit the streaming site on Feb. 9, is led by director Lee Chang-hee, whose previous work includes the 2018 thriller film The Vanished and the 2019 thriller series Watch Strangers from Hell. Its trendy. If it (the series) were clothing, it would be high fashion. The director has an extremely unique taste that cannot be defined in a single genre and, of course, so too, the webtoon, Son said during the press conference for the series, held at Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Personally, I'm quite confident that since such a distinctive creator made it, the original webtoons fans will be very satisfied (with the adaptation). The director shared how difficult it was to translate the webtoon's distinct blend of dark storytelling and cute, miniature-style cartoon characters into a live-action series. After reading the original work, I thought it wouldn't be easy to dramatize; it was really perplexing. Despite the dilemma, it was a project I wanted to challenge myself with as a director. While contemplating how I could translate these excellent cartoon expressions into visuals, I got ambitious and ideas started flowing, the director said. I tried to keep the essence of the original work. The original webtoon has a lot of cartoon elements and there were some that wouldnt make sense if I portrayed them as is. So I paid a lot of attention to adding a sense of realism to make it more realistic without losing the theme and ironic tone and manner of the original." Actor Choi said that he felt confident he could portray his character Lee Tang well. I really enjoyed the webtoon and felt a desire to do this, to work this character out as an actor. I also had the confidence that I could do it well, so I threw myself in (to the project), he said, giving a glimpse of his character's growth. The character didn't commit murder willingly at first. But as the character grows, he eventually starts to intentionally find villains on his own. He goes through an emotional and psychological transformation. So I focused my acting on those aspects, and I hope viewers can also grasp those changes. The director noted the unpredictable development of its story will draw viewers to enjoy the series, blurring the lines between heroes and villains. Lee Tang is a very passive person and the situations he finds himself in happen by chance. So, it is difficult to predict or imagine what choices he will make and what will happen next, which I think is part of the charm of the series, he said. (Its not clear) whether he is a murderer or a vigilante. The situations are perplexing for Lee Tang, but for the audience, it will give a sense of cathartic irony." A play inspired by the true story of a man who was raised as a girl after a devastating accident as a newborn opens Friday at SNAP! Productions. Boy by Anna Ziegler runs Friday through Feb. 18. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at the new SNAP location, 2221 Thurston Circle. Tickets, $30 for adults and $20 for students, are available at snapproductions.com Director Moira Mangiameli said she thinks the play, written in 2016, remains relevant as society struggles to understand and deal with gender identity. When I first read it, I kept thinking about people who are dealing with (transgender) issues in a world that is so polarized, (where people debate) whether its real or not, she said. Zieglers inspiration for the script was the life of David Reimer, who was born as a twin in Canada in 1965. When he was still an infant, a circumcision went wrong. His parents were unsure what to do, but consulted with a gender identity researcher, Dr. John Money at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, who advised them to raise him as a girl. In the play, the character is named Adam (also Samantha) and he finds out the truth from his dad at age 15. He had always felt more like a boy. Mangiameli said she was struck with the loneliness he must have felt at a time when someone like Adam had few resources and no one to talk to, and knew she wanted to direct the play. Five people were cast, including Jey Nelson, who is nonbinary, as the lead character. Mangiameli said Nelson has been a valuable resource because they have been through something similar and are still going through it. All of the actors are so committed and really gifted, she said. Everybody just thought this was a really important story to tell, and we were lucky to be a part of telling it. As a longtime Omaha actor and director, Mangiameli said that it feels good to be back at SNAP, which recently returned to the local theater scene at a new home after several dormant years. The theaters mission is that everyone deserves to have their stories told onstage, regardless of gender identity, race, nationality, religion, sexuality, ability or socioeconomic status. Mangiameli hopes Boy will provoke meaningful conversations and foster understanding and tolerance. Toward that end, the theater plans to have post-show talkbacks on Friday and Feb. 9 with panels that are yet to be announced. As theater artists, when you get a chance to make people look at something differently and think about it, thats good, she said. We always want to entertain, but when you can make people think about how to make changes in their lives that will benefit the world, thats a bonus. We dont get to do that all the time. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 Since the Hollywood strikes slowed production, much of what normally would've made up the fall television season has slowly been debuting since the start of the near year. The list of returning shows includes favorites like "Grey's Anatomy," "The Good Doctor," "Young Sheldon" and "Blue Bloods." "Masters of the Air," which recently debuted on AppleTV+, is from Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, who were the producers of "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific." And the latest season of "True Detective" is about halfway through its run on HBO. "True Detective: Night Country" stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. Co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz discuss those programs and more, including the Candian comedy "Son of a Critch" that has made its way to American audiences via The CW. Miller has an interview with star and creator Mark Critch. Contact us! We want to hear from you! Email questions to podcasts@lee.net and we'll answer your question on a future episode! About the show Streamed & Screened is a podcast about movies and TV hosted by Bruce Miller, a longtime entertainment reporter who is now the editor of the Sioux City Journal in Iowa and Terry Lipshetz, a senior producer for Lee Enterprises based in Madison, Wisconsin. LINCOLN Nebraska is failing to reach its economic potential due to an extremely tight labor market, insufficient population growth and a shortage of skilled workers, says an economic competitiveness study commissioned by the states chamber of commerce. Among recommendations for addressing the shortcomings include boosting college scholarships to grow university enrollment, welcoming new immigrants, more state funding for housing, and promoting the states available career opportunities within schools. Youre not getting enough people for the jobs you have, said Ted Abernathy, an economic development consultant who authored the study for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Its a throttle to your growth. Over time, that really hurts you. In many ways, the challenges in Nebraska are not unique, as every state in the nation right now is fighting worker shortages, a lack of affordable housing and insufficient childcare availability, Abernathy said. But Nebraskas labor market is also among the nations tightest. Nebraska has one of the lowest unemployment rates at about 2%, and the nations third-highest rate of adults who are working. That leaves a small pool of potential workers to fill the thousands of unfilled jobs in the state. For example, he noted that manufacturing jobs have recently been growing in Nebraska at a 5% annual rate. But he said such jobs could be growing at an 8% clip going forward if the state could get the workers. To assess the barriers to growth in Nebraska, the chambers foundation commissioned a series of studies by Abernathy, an economic developer who formerly worked in North Carolinas research triangle. One report focused on the states overall competitiveness, one on the states manufacturing sector, and another on the importance of immigration. Nebraska is doing well on some fronts The competitiveness report found Nebraska does have some good things going for it. For a state of just under 2 million people, Nebraska has a robust and resilient economy. Nebraska has one of the nations largest agriculture and food processing sectors, boasts a strong manufacturing industry, and is growing its technology and business services sectors. Other positives for the state economy include relative affordability in cost of living and cost of doing business, a strong education system, a relatively young population relative to the nation, and reasonably good roads and broadband infrastructure. Thanks to its younger population base, Nebraskas projected population of working-age people is expected to grow about 6% over the next decade almost double the national rate and the second-highest among its neighbors. Growth in gross domestic product, a measure of total economic output, has been strong, with the Omaha metro posting the second-highest GDP growth in the nation in 2022, behind only Austin, Texas. But given the tight labor market, Nebraska has no choice but to grow its population more like some of the nations fastest growing, more competitive states, among them Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Texas, Abernathy said. While Nebraska housing prices are rising, it is still among the more affordable states to own a home. But home building continues to lag that of many other states, making it hard to attract young workers and families. Its getting elusive, he said of affordable housing. Rankings of the states business climate generally put Nebraska in the middle of the pack. The state tends to rate high for business friendliness and cost of doing business, but also ranks lower in business innovation and access to capital. Business leaders who spoke to Abernathy were still wary of the states overall tax burden, though they were optimistic about recent tax changes enacted by the Legislature, which included reductions in the top income tax rate and the corporate income tax rate. Study: Heres how Nebraska could do better Abernathy, who has worked in numerous states, said he tries to make recommendations for change that are proven in other places, affordable and achievable over time. Among the recommendations he made for boosting Nebraskas growth: Encouraging Nebraskas congressional delegation to work with like-minded states to pass legislation encouraging legal immigration into the United States. Related to that, the study proposes regional planning between businesses and nonprofits that support new immigrants with a goal of making Nebraska the most welcoming and ready state for immigrants. Creating a work experience coordinator position at the state level and in each region of the state to forge school connections and increase awareness of internship and career opportunities in the state. Activities promoted would include business speakers in schools, worksite visits, job shadowing and expansion of available internships and apprenticeships. If you want young people to stay, you have to root them in the state, Abernathy said. Pursuing a 10% increase in Nebraska college enrollment over the next five years through new scholarships and recruitment of international students. Related to that, Gov. Jim Pillen and University of Nebraska officials are set Monday to announce a new scholarship program aimed at the states best students. Boosting funding for The Good Life is Calling, a state program that markets available opportunities to young people living in nearby cities. The report suggests a focus on former Nebraskans and graduates of Nebraska colleges. It also suggests a home-purchasing incentive program for recent college graduates. Increasing state funding to a state program that supports the construction of more workforce housing, housing thats affordable for the working population. It also suggests new state incentives to promote private sector development of homes something recently enacted in South Dakota and statewide zoning changes to promote alternative forms of housing like townhomes and duplexes. Offering additional incentives for increasing childcare access across the state, including incentives for employees that provide on-site childcare or subsidize care for employees. Streamlining existing business incentive programs to increase the focus on business capital investment, growing GDP and increased innovation and automation. Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska chamber, said none of the recommendations are easy. But he said the organization is committed to working with state leaders and local chambers on a regional basis in the coming months to implement them. Pillen has also indicated support for helping local communities solve their workforce problems, backing a proposal for a state-private initiative that would create regional teams to tackle the issues. These are generational decisions we are going to make over the next several years, Slone said. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 A 23-year-old Bennington woman has been charged with motor vehicle homicide and manslaughter in connection with a fatal Saunders County crash. Madisyn Haack turned herself in to authorities Monday on charges related to the November crash south of Mead that killed 23-year-old Bryce Budz of Ashland, according to a press release from Saunders County Sheriff Chris Lichtenburg. The Saunders County 911 dispatch center received a call reporting the crash along County Road 10 between County Road L and Eighth Street at 6:06 a.m. on Nov. 22, The World-Herald previously reported. A preliminary investigation indicated that a 2010 Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by Haack was traveling north when the vehicle started to go off the road. The investigation found that Haack overcorrected, and then the pickup went off the road in the opposite direction. The pickup ended up rolling over and landed on its top in the west ditch. An Iowa woman accused of killing a 74-year-old pedestrian with her vehicle on Christmas Eve in Council Bluffs is also accused by police of having been under the influence of multiple controlled substances when the crash occurred. Angela Thurman, 47, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of Juan Avalos, according to a press release from the Council Bluffs Police Department. Charges against her include homicide by vehicle, operating while under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. A Pottawattamie County judge set Thurman's bail at $150,000. As of Friday morning, Thurman was listed as an inmate at the Pottawattamie County Jail. The charges against Thurman stem from a crash that killed Council Bluffs resident Juan Avalos shortly after 3:20 a.m. on Christmas Eve. Avalos was walking near another vehicle parked on the street close to the Poplar Drive and Birch Street intersection. As Avalos was walking, he was struck by a passing vehicle allegedly driven by Thurman. A proposal to prohibit sexually explicit materials in school libraries produced a tense discussion about due process and local control during a Nebraska State Board of Education meeting on Friday. Board member Kirk Penner proposed a revision to Rule 10, which includes state regulations around school libraries. The proposal would prohibit pornographic materials or sexually explicit content in all Nebraska public school libraries. Penners proposal follows months of book challenges for schools across Nebraska and the nation. Districts in the Omaha metro area have been receiving a record number of requests from community members to remove books they find inappropriate for students. Just last month, a school board member with the Plattsmouth Community Schools was recalled after leading an effort to remove dozens of books from the high school library. Im trying to get sexually explicit content out of our libraries. Dont tell me its not there, Penner said. Schools are always looking to the Nebraska Department of Education for guidance and my point in this is to give these schools guidance. Pornographic material is defined as a depiction of sexual content where a reasonable person would find the material or performance taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, educational, political or scientific purposes or value, considering the youngest age of students with access to the material. Content for sex education classes would be exempt. School districts would also have to create a public catalog of all library books. Dana Fontaine, a librarian with the Fremont Public Schools, said Penners proposal raises too many questions. Not only are the proposed changes vague, but they are very harmful and detrimental to Nebraska schools, Fontaine said. It will be dangerous if we start censoring books based on sexuality or any information that makes us uncomfortable. The proposal says while sexually explicit content would be banned, emphasis will still be placed on fostering independent thinking for students. Libraries would be required to have a balanced collection of materials and resources adequate in quality and quantity to meet the needs of students and staff, according to board documents. If passed, school districts would be at risk of losing accreditation if they are found not in compliance with the rule. Teachers would also be at risk of having their educator certification suspended or revoked. When was the last time you were in a library? Fontaine asked the board. Do you want to fire all free-thinking librarians? We as librarians have the objectivity needed to determine what is appropriate. I can ensure you that librarians have the best interest of children in mind. Chris Haeffner, president of Nebraska School Library Association, said she was also concerned about Penners proposal to remove the requirement for school libraries to purchase 150 new books each year. The changes that Mr. Penner is proposing to Rule 10 diminishes Nebraska investments in school libraries and in Nebraska kids, Haeffner said. Without this infusion of new books, a library collection will quickly become worn out and outdated. Some of his fellow state board members also had objections to Penners proposal, saying he didnt go through the correct channels to introduce it. They also said the wording is too subjective. Board member Jacquelyn Morrison expressed concern about a lack of due process in his proposal and said it could be used to remove material that is essential to a childs education. I will not agree with this. I took many sociology classes, read lots of books when I was in high school, lots of conversations happen about rape, how women have been used and controlled and all those types of things, Morrison said. It was important for me to read about that as a teenager. The state board just finished a months-long effort to revise Rule 10 and Penner approved it. Morrison said the board usually goes through a different process for revising rules, including more discussion and allowing the public to give input. I thought I followed the process through the (rules) committee, Penner said. I thought I was making an extra step to do it properly. I was trying to do it the right way. Morrison and fellow board members Deborah Neary, Patti Gubbels, Lisa Fricke and Patsy Koch Johns all expressed their view that library book selection should be up to local districts and school boards. A number of schools already have a policy related to libraries. Thats why we have local school boards, Gubbels said. There are some small schools where the school library is the community library. Neary said shes heard from teachers and school leaders in her district who are trying to keep books challenged by the public in school libraries. I strongly believe that this is a local control issue, Neary said. At some point, we have to leave it to the local school districts to determine what is best for their libraries. Gubbels said she also doesnt agree with the proposals application to classroom book collections. While teachers would not have to publicly catalog what books they have available in their classrooms, they would have to ensure that none of them contained sexually explicit content or pornographic material as defined in the proposal. Sherry Jones was the only state board member who supported Penner. Elizabeth Tegtmeier, the board president, was absent. Jones said while Penners proposal might need some work, its something that the state board should have the authority and an obligation to do. My priority is the well-being of our children and there is much evidence of sexually explicit books in our schools, she said. I appreciate the work of media specialists and their knowledge, but I dont think they can be the only safeguard to ensure sexually explicit materials are not accessible to our students. I dont want just one person to be the safeguard. Thats why I appreciate the policy change. Penner said his proposal will be up for a vote at the next board meeting in March. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 MANCHESTER, N.H. Before launching his ill-fated campaign for the White House, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was a star. Again and again, Republican voters said they saw him as the future of the party a potential vice president who, after serving four years alongside Donald Trump, could become the partys standard-bearer and run for two terms. But after a scorched-earth primary in which Trump pounded DeSantis viciously for the better part of a year, interviews with voters across early-voting states suggest the Florida governor may have an uphill battle if he chooses to run for president again in 2028. Many Trump supporters not only dislike DeSantis, but echo Trump's assertions that DeSantis betrayed him and say they would never consider him again. I think he stabbed Trump in the back, said Pamela Shinkwin, 73, who lives in Massachusetts and traveled to New Hampshire for one of the former presidents final rallies before his double-digit victory in the primary. DeSantis' campaign against Trump had soured her on the governor, she said. Mary Sullivan, 76, a retired registered nurse from Manchester, slammed both DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for daring to run in the first place. They should never have ever tried to go against Donald Trump for what hes done for this country. I just cant even imagine, she said after stopping by Trumps campaign headquarters. Asked if she would ever vote for the Florida governor in the future, Sullivan offered an emphatic and repeated No. The hostility reflects the deep connection many of Trumps supporters have with the former president, a bond that Trump has harnessed to tear down rivals in the primary and influence Republicans in Congress. Whether or not Trump is elected again, he will likely wield enormous influence in future Republican contests, complicating the calculus of anyone seeking the party's nomination in 2028 or beyond. DeSantis' allies believe the Florida governor has a clear path to another presidential bid should he want one. His current term ends in January 2027, when hell be just 49 years old. Pointing to national polls, they say he lost the primary not because he was unpopular with primary voters, but because those same voters liked Trump more. The failed campaign and expansive political operation aiming to make DeSantis the Republican nominee for the White House cost $168 million, according to filings reported to the Federal Election Commission late Wednesday. The pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down reported payments of more than $130.6 million in 2023, while a newer super PAC Fight Right reported $9.6 million between mid-November and December. His own campaign spent $28.3 million from May to December. DeSantis relied on support from outside groups more than any other major candidate since a U.S. Supreme Court 2010 ruling paved the way for super PACs. DeSantis endorsed Trump when he dropped out, calling him a better option than President Joe Biden. But he hasnt yet offered an olive branch to angry Trump supporters. The former president has always fought viciously. During his 2016 campaign, he belittled Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as Little Marco, insulted Carly Fiorinas face and suggested Ted Cruzs father had somehow been involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, while also criticizing the Texas senators wife. But his attack lines against DeSantis cut especially deep as he cast the governors decision to run as a betrayal. At nearly every one of his rallies, Trump dramatically recounted how DeSantis had begged for his endorsement while first running for governor. Trumps campaign, his allied super PAC and allies also ridiculed the governor. Trumps attacks seemed to work in the states where they were targeted. A CNN/University of New Hampshire poll conducted earlier this month found that only about 3 in 10 GOP primary voters in New Hampshire had favorable opinions of DeSantis, down from 44% in a September poll. But national polls are far more favorable. An ABC News/Ipsos Poll conducted after the Iowa caucuses found 64% of Republicans have a favorable view of him, as did a majority of Republicans in an AP-NORC poll conducted in December. Still, the charges of disloyalty, in particular, seem to resonate. For some, DeSantis decision to endorse Trump as he exited the race also wasnt enough to redeem him. Edward X. Young, who traveled from New Jersey and was attending his 69th Trump rally in Rochester, New Hampshire, said the effort was too little, too late. For diehard Trump supporters like himself, he said, DeSantis permanently tainted his image in our eyes. Me personally and my friends used to like and admire DeSantis a lot. And I bought one of those flags, Trump-DeSantis. Ill never fly it again, Young said. Still, others were more open to the prospect. Jacob Morgan, 34, who traveled with friends from upstate New York to volunteer for Trump in New Hampshire, said he sees DeSantis as a more polished Trump" with a bright future ahead. I think hes done a great job in Florida, said Morgan. If, for instance, lets say, for whatever reason, Trump was taken out of the picture, then yeah, he would be the guy. Elegance vs. extravagance: What do Biden and Trump's car collections say about these very different leaders? Elegance vs. extravagance: What do Biden and Trump's car collections say about these very different leaders? A trip through Joe Biden's world of cars 1952 Plymouth Cranbrook Convertible Mercedes-Benz 190SL 1967 Chevrolet Corvette The Beast Trump's tricked-out wheels 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud 2015 Rolls Royce Phantom 2007 Ferrari F430 Coupe The "Trump" Limo Today is Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Let's get caught up. Keep scrolling for celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history. Plus, check out our daily news podcast: *** Half of US adults say Israel has gone too far in war in Gaza, AP-NORC poll shows Half of U.S. adults say Israel's 15-week-old military campaign in Gaza has gone too far, a finding driven mainly by growing disapproval among Republicans and political independents, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Broadly, the poll shows support for Israel and the Biden administration's handling of the situation ebbing slightly further across the board. The poll shows 31% of U.S. adults approve of Biden's handling of the conflict, including just 46% of Democrats. That's as an earlier spike in support for Israel following the Hamas attacks Oct. 7 sags. Read more: *** President Joe Biden to attend dignified transfer for US troops killed in Jordan, who 'risked it all' President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will join grieving families at Dover Air Force Base on Friday to honor three American servicemembers killed in a drone attack in Jordan, a solemn ritual that has become relatively uncommon in recent years as the U.S. withdrew from conflicts abroad. The Bidens will attend a dignified transfer as the remains of the troops killed in the overnight assault Sunday return to U.S. soil. *** A year on, a small Ohio town is recovering from a fiery train derailment but health fears persist Daily life largely returned to normal for most of the nearly 5,000 residents of East Palestine, Ohio, months after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled a cocktail of hazardous chemicals that caught fire a year ago, but the worries and fears are always there. Some people still report respiratory problems, rashes or headaches, or say they feel ill whenever they return to the village not far from the Pennsylvania border. At least several dozen havent returned to their homes, concerned about chemicals like the vinyl chloride that was released and burned when officials blew open five derailed tank cars because they worried the cars might explode. But others believe the EPAs findings that their air and water are safe. They say theyre ready to move on and take advantage of all the money the railroad and governments are investing in the area. They don't want the derailment to define their town. *** MORE TOP STORIES *** MORNING LISTEN Co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz discuss new programs, including the Candian comedy "Son of a Critch" that has made its way to American audiences via The CW. Miller has an interview with star and creator Mark Critch. *** TODAY IN HISTORY Today in sports history: Feb. 2 Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner were among the first Baseball Hall of Fame class elected in 1936. Here are some more sports moments on this date: *** TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS GREENSBORO, N.C. His friend Martin, the man that he knew and mentored, was on the other end of the line. There was mumbling among a group of activists about Martins way of dealing with a national dairy company. He vented to Robert Bob Brown, a longtime confidante and crisis manager from High Point, North Carolina. It was the 1960s, and the dairy company wouldnt hire Black people as managers or deliverymen both of which were good-paying jobs at the time and gave minorities access to a middle-class lifestyle. Martin the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., actually continued to believe nonviolent protesting would work. But for now, the Sealtest company wouldnt budge. Brown told his frustrated close friend to hold on. He had access to the CEO of the A&P food chain, which at the time was the largest grocery store in the country. Browns public relations firm specialized in crisis management for Fortune 500 companies and even foreign governments. Brown told the CEO: Youve got a problem coming to your stores. So A&Ps CEO reached out to Sealtest and threatened to take the companys products off its shelves. Black people were good customers, the CEO told Sealtest, and Brown knew the company would want those shoppers. They brought in money. Soon, Sealtest executives were calling King. And thats Mr. Brown working behind the scenes, said David Black, the president and CEO of the BridgeBuilders project, which tells the stories of Brown and other civil rights trailblazers. He got no credit. **** Hes one of the most influential Americans you dont know. Or studied. Or read about. Even his name flies under the radar: Bob Brown. But his list of accomplishments spans 60 years and have done much to lift up neighborhoods and a nation all while looking to the future but not forgetting the past. Hes a fixer, bridge builder and mover-and-shaker. Brown was born into poverty and became a world-class power broker. He was raised by his grandmother. She put cardboard in my rundown shoes and compassion in my heart, Brown said. In everything hes done, hes tried to follow his Grandmother Nellies example. She had a third-grade education, and her father had been a slave. She used to tell us, All the good Lord wants to know is how much good you do, Brown recalled. Brown watched her feed the hungry despite not having much herself. He attended the segregated Leonard Street School and William Penn High School. At 21, he was among the first generation of Black High Point police officers. It was the 1950s, and frustrated Black people were testing the confines of Jim Crow laws legalizing segregation. The Constitution was saying everybody should be treated the same, but everybody wasnt treated the same, Brown said. If you drank out of a water fountain that said white and you were Black, you could go to jail for that. And there he was this native son behind a badge. He and other Black officers faced an unwritten rule that they couldnt arrest white people, although it sometimes happened by necessity, Brown recalled. We were a society separated by race where we ate, where we lived. Our schools. Our churches. If Im a policeman, its the same thing. Later, he was hired as a federal agent for the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He had married Sallie Walker, a former classmate who was always next to him as he rose to fame, and they worked to build a business. The couple returned to North Carolina in 1960 and established B&C Associates Inc., a consulting, marketing research and public relations firm in High Point. They started the business in a rented room on the second floor of an abandoned theater with nothing but a desk, borrowed chair, filing cabinet and telephone. She was my secretary, my confidant, my bookkeeper, my everything at that time, Brown once told a reporter about his wife. She served as vice president, secretary, treasurer and member of the firms board of directors. Even as the fight for civil rights was ongoing, Brown was able to attract Fortune 500 firms such as Johnson Wax, Nabisco and Woolworth by advocating for what he called smart business. Just as with A&P, that meant understanding the purchasing power of Black people and how being racially sensitive was not just the right thing to do, but also good for the bottom line especially with integration on the horizon. Brown had also developed a lot of friends among people who ran those companies. When he was sitting in the dining hall at the Woolworth corporate building with its CEO while Black people couldnt sit at the stores counters yet a larger purpose was in mind. His intentions were for the people, Black said. Changing standards and opening doors. **** A facet of those intentions was getting corporations to essentially underwrite the work of organizations looking to dismantle Jim Crow Laws, which essentially made Blacks second-class citizens. Over the years the icons of the Civil Rights Movement, whose legacies are in the history books, have told stories about Brown. Many of them are now gone, like the late Rev. Joseph Lowery, the former leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was a base of the Civil Rights Movement. Hes always supported human and civil rights, Lowery once told The Washington Post. Lowery credited Brown with helping Black colleges with federal funding and pushing the Nixons administration pro-Black business policy. Hes always been effective in getting us what we needed. Andrew Young, another powerful civil rights figure, testified when Brown was being considered as an ambassador to South Africa. Brown later withdrew his name from consideration. Young said that Brown was the only Black Republican I know who had the credentials to get along with and work with Jesse Helms and Jesse Jackson, according to The Washington Post. The companies Brown worked with often provided funds that would become the bail money used by protesters, payrolls for organizations like the NAACP and help for the hungry. Brown had always been effective at getting groups in his sphere of influence what they needed and then some. As an advisor to Woolworth, Brown told company executives that the lunch counters should be open without any arrests. And thats what happened. But he would face a personal setback in April 1968, when King was assassinated on a motel balcony. Brown was to have met him a day later. Brown helped get in touch with one of the members of the Rockefeller family, who loaned his private plane to take Kings body back to Atlanta. Coretta Scott King had requested Brown travel with her to Memphis. That was a horrible time, Brown remembered. The year 1968 also found Brown crisscrossing the country with then-presidential contender Richard Nixon troubleshooting, keeping up with the press and supplying names from local businesses and Black communities to personalize the candidates interactions. Brown also kept notes about the issues and problems that kept those people awake at night, and he pressed them directly into Nixons hands. Not everyone saw Browns work as a good thing. He had previously worked on the political campaigns of both John and Bobby Kennedy. Id run into (Black) people who said, You mess around with that racist Nixon, said Brown, 88. That kind of hurt. But then I had others say to me, Weve got to be on all sides, and whoever gets in, we need to be in with them. We dont need to be on the outside. When the campaign was over and the 37th president prepared to take office, Brown figured he would return to North Carolina and his firm, which also included Fieldcrest Cannon, Sara Lee and others. He told the transition team just as much. You have to talk to the old man, because thats not in his head, political aide Bob Halderman was said to have responded. When Brown entered the room where Nixon was holding court, the president-elect introduced him to everyone as one of my new assistants. When the others left, Nixon got down to business. Brown recalled: He said, I know you werent looking for a job. I need you. There will be no impediments to our relationship you will have access and in Washington everything is built around access. He said that if you want to get anything done, youve got to go to Washington. He said that if you want to get done all those notes you sent me, youve got to come to Washington with me. **** And from his office in the White House complex with four secretaries and three assistants Brown went about fulfilling some of those promises. Nixon would sometimes stop by, but only briefly. He would tell everybody that Bob is running the show, Brown said. Brown once hopped on a Pentagon jet and traveled to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi after complaints that the military was turning a blind eye to the treatment of Black soldiers by local businesses. The (base commander) said, Mr. Brown, we dont have no problems here, Brown recalled. He even arranged a tour of the towns main strip. As soon as we got outside the gates, at the edge of the base ... there were all these restaurants and joints, Brown said. He was suspicious that they were not a part of the tour. I said Stop this car. I walked right in (one of them) with all these people following me, and this lady came right over to me and said, We dont allow (N-word) in here. Brown was furious. I said if these establishments are not off-limits (to all soldiers) by 5 there will be hell to pay, he told the base commander. Days later, businesses got together and became integrated. Nixon, who Brown said got little recognition for efforts to improve race relations, always backed him up. He trusted my judgment, Brown said. Among the many stories in his arsenal, Brown was able to open a tap of federal funding to historically Black colleges. He also helped Black businesses cross some of the barriers that others didnt have in front of them. At his urging, Nixon signed an executive order empowering a minority business and enterprise program. Whatever barriers that were up, we wanted to tear them down, Brown explained. We wanted to open doors for everybody. We didnt want to build a Black America, or a White America, we wanted an America for everyone to pass down to our children and our childrens children. Nixon, who Brown remembers as fair-minded, was not given credit for the work he undertook to integrate schools more than a decade after federal court mandates. Brown helped to spearhead that by going to the most important people in the community those who owned the large companies, politicians and others and told them that the president wanted no violence during the transition. Before Brown left Nixons administration, various organizations he worked with planned a special dinner for him. Several thousand people, including his grandmother, members of the U.S. Supreme Court, Cabinet members and Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Robinson, showed up at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Brown also noticed the Secret Service checking out the stage. Nixon had congratulated Brown on the tribute but never said he would be there. And he walked up, came up to the mic and started speaking, Brown remembered. And he spoke about my grandmother and then my grandmother got up and hugged him. And he spoke about me and what I had done and our relationship and where the country was going and he was so happy to be there and all that. It was an unbelievable night. Brown wouldnt change a thing about his time with Nixon. It was four years and two months of incredible, he said. **** When Brown left Washington, he focused his time on B&C, just as he planned, even as he served as an adviser to presidents over the years. The work back in the private sector would also lead him to meet people like Nelson Mandela. Only the longtime prisoners immediate family could otherwise get access. Brown arranged for Mandelas daughter and grandchildren to live in the United States, where they spent some of their time at N.C. A&Ts summer enrichment camps. With Browns help, Mandelas daughter attended Boston University. Brown knew the university president and arranged for free tuition, but he paid for a home in Boston and for trips back and forth between there and North Carolina. Thousands and thousands of dollars every month, he said. But I had made a commitment (to the Mandelas) and followed through. Brown also has shipped books, shoes and clothes to South Africa and gotten others to do the same. Even before he met Mandela, he had toured Black townships in the segregated country and left appalled at what he saw. He started collecting books, mostly those no longer being used by local schools, and sent them to educators there. Others joined him from nonprofits and school boards across the country. In 2021, High Point University honored Brown, a longtime member of the schools board before retiring as its president in 2022, with an endowed scholarship. President Nido Qubein and Coca-Cola Consolidated Chairman and CEO Frank Harrison, along with business associates and friends of Brown, contributed $3 million to the scholarship to honor his legacy. Annually, the fund will provide between eight and 10 scholarships to minority students who attend High Point University. When God created humanity, he must have written a job description for the kind of person who is built from the inside out, and he must have put Bob Browns name on it, because Bob is a person whose entire focus is on caring for others, helping others and often beyond his immediate capacity to do it, Qubein said. In other words, he moves heaven and earth to make it possible for him to help others. Brown said we need to keep pushing forward. We have to continue to work on our society to be a better society, to treat people better whoever they are. Explore historic sites commemorating Black history in North Carolina Explore historic sites commemorating Black history in North Carolina WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday it's time to further disable Iran-backed militias that struck at U.S. forces and ships in the Middle East and the U.S. is preparing to take significant action in response to the deaths of three U.S. service members in Jordan. For days the U.S. hinted strikes are imminent. While the threat of retaliation for Sunday's deaths has driven some militant groups to say they were stopping hostilities, as late as Thursday Yemen's Houthi rebels were still attacking vessels and fired a ballistic missile at a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea. "At this point, it's time to take away even more capability than we've taken in the past," Austin said Thursday in his first press conference since he was hospitalized on Jan. 1 due to complications from prostate cancer treatment. Previous U.S. strikes have not deterred the attacks. Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, Iranian-backed militant groups struck U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria at least 166 times with rockets, missiles and one-way attack drones, drawing about a half-dozen U.S. counterstrikes on militant facilities in both countries. The U.S. military also carried out airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The U.S. attributed the attack on Tower 22 in Jordan to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the militant group Kataib Hezbollah. While Iran has denied involvement, Austin said Thursday that "how much Iran knew or didn't know, we don't know. But it really doesn't matter because Iran sponsors these groups." Austin said "without that facilitation, these kinds of things don't happen." He said the Pentagon is still looking at the forensics of the drone that struck Tower 22, a secretive base in northeastern Jordan that's been crucial to the American presence in neighboring Syria. "I don't think the adversaries are of a 'one and done' mindset. And so they have a lot of capability. I have a lot more," Austin said. "We're going to do what's necessary to protect our troops." In the Red Sea, the Houthis fired on commercial and military ships almost 40 times since November. In the latest attack, they fired a ballistic missile at the M/V Koi, a Liberian-flagged container ship on Thursday, U.S. Central Command said. The ship's management could not immediately be reached for comment. The Houthis did not claim responsibility for the assault. The attack happened west of Hodeida, a port city in Yemen long held by the rebels, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military group overseeing Mideast waterways. Also on Thursday, Central Command said it destroyed two more Houthi-fired drones. One overhead drone, fired at 5 a.m. in Yemen, was shot down in the Gulf of Aden. A few hours later, an uncrewed surface vehicle, a drone that travels through water, was "determined to be an imminent threat" and was struck in self defense in the Red Sea, Central Command said. The Houthis say they are targeting ships over Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. The Houthis hit a commercial vessel with a missile on Jan. 26, sparking a fire that burned for hours. The Pentagon has the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in the region, along with at least a half dozen other major U.S. warships, U.S. Air Force fighter jets and radar aircraft. Late Wednesday, American F/A-18 fighter jets struck and destroyed 10 Houthi drones that were prepared to launch, as well as a ground control station used by the rebels, the U.S. military said. The U.S. also intercepted a ballistic missile and other drones already in the air during the day. How Houthi attacks crimp global trade Why are Houthis attacking ships? Why is the Red Sea important? How are Houthi attacks affecting trade? What does it mean for oil prices? How is the world responding? By Kwon Mee-yoo "The Great Comet," the immersive musical adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel "War and Peace," makes its return to Seoul, set to captivate audiences with a blend of historical drama and contemporary music. Three years after its Korean premiere, the production will be staged once again at the Universal Arts Center, featuring a star-studded cast and enhanced immersive elements. This year's cast is headlined by Ha Do-kwon, K.Will and Kim Joo-taek, who will bring to life the complex character of Pierre Bezukhov, the disenchanted illegitimate son of a Russian noble family, against the backdrop of Moscow in 1812. Ha of "Hot Stove League" (2019) fame returns to the stage after an eight-year hiatus. Baritone Kim, also known under the stage name Julian Kim, steps into Pierre's shoes following his notable performance in "The Phantom of the Opera." K.Will reprises his role as Pierre from the musical's 2021 Korean premiere. Also leading the cast is Shownu from Monsta X, who ventures into musical theater as the seductive aristocrat Anatole. He is joined by Jung Taek-woon, also known as Leo from VIXX, and musical actor Ko Eun-sung, adding star power to the cast. The role of Natasha, the doe-eyed ingenue engaged to Andrey, who is away battling a French invasion, will be alternated among musical actor Lee Ji-soo and WJSN members Yoo Yeon-jung and Park Soo-bin. Officially known as "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812," the show distinguishes itself with its immersive staging, blurring the traditional barriers between performers and spectators. Audiences are invited onto the stage into Comet Seats, becoming part of the narrative set during the tumultuous period of the Napoleonic Wars, featuring scenes such as parties and a troika ride. Set in the opulent red-and-gold interior reminiscent of opera theaters in Moscow in the early 19th century, the Korean production helmed by Shownote aims to deepen the immersive experience this year, with actors mingling with the audience, thanks to enhancements made possible by the easing of pandemic-related restrictions. The musical's eclectic score, described by creator Dave Malloy as an "electro-pop opera," weaves together genres ranging from pop and electronic to classical and hip-hop, providing an auditory experience that reflects both historical and modern sensibilities. "The Great Comet" will be staged at the Universal Arts Center in eastern Seoul from March 26 through June 16. Building a new state prison without policy changes wont alleviate Nebraskas prison overcrowding problem, according to a report by researchers at the University of Nebraska at Omahas Center for Justice Research. The report, commissioned by the Nebraska legislature in 2021 and released earlier this week, makes several recommendations to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services: Update the tools that NDCS uses to classify inmates by custody levels, consider alternatives to incarceration for short-timers sentenced to spend less than a year in custody, and consider the impacts of sentencing reform and other public safety legislation on the prison population. Zachary Hamilton, the associate director of UNOs Center for Justice Research and one of the report authors, said the study intended to find out what types of beds are most needed in the new facility. But while the need for more minimum and community custody beds was clear by the amount of inmates housed in facilities above their classification level, the study found that considering alternatives to incarceration would be a more strategic solution than building a new prison. I think its pretty clear from our report that you cant build your way out of an overcrowding crisis, Hamilton said. Building a new prison with a few extra beds isnt going to solve the problem. There needs to be some change in not incarcerating people for as long, not incarcerating as many people, or finding a way to release people earlier. The report mirrors conclusions from other legislature-commissioned reports, all of which have called for alternatives to incarceration as a way to ease overcrowding. According to a World-Herald analysis, Nebraskas prison system is both the most overcrowded in the country and the fastest-growing. And, unless significant changes are made in incarceration rates, current projections indicate that another new facility will be needed to accommodate the growing population before the end of the decade. State officials have been eyeing a new facility for years as the Nebraska State Penitentiary, a medium- and maximum-security facility in Lincoln, falls further into disrepair. Though the new 1,500-bed, $370 million prison is meant to be a replacement for the aging penitentiary, lawmakers last year rejected an amendment which would have required that the penitentiary be shut down when the new facility opens. In the report, researchers highlighted the strain that short-timers, inmates sentenced to one year or less of incarceration, put on the system. Because the system is not designed for short-term stays, these inmates are often warehoused and sit idle for their entire sentence instead of receiving rehabilitative programming, Hamilton said. Despite making up only 10% of the entire inmate population, the study found that short-timers make up 31% of inmates at the Reception and Treatment Center (RTC) in Lincoln, an intake facility where all inmates go at the beginning of their sentence to be classified. The RTC is one of the most overcrowded NDCS facilities, Hamilton said and depending on the length of sentence, some inmates spend their entire time in NDCS custody at the RTC. In other cases, short-timers who do transfer out of RTC can end up in highly coveted beds at community custody facilities, potentially taking the place of a longer-term inmate who could benefit from the low-custody environment. According to the study, short-timers make up 20% of the population of Lincolns community corrections facility and 10% of the Omaha facility. Theres a lot of individuals waiting for a community bed slot, but it gets filled by these short-timers who are churning through the system so quickly that its really the only place you can put them, Hamilton said. What they do is bottleneck or block those individuals who do have a longer stay and would really benefit from that programming from actually benefiting. If those short-timers were housed outside the NDCS system, the overcrowding problem would be almost perfectly alleviated, Hamilton said. That could look like alternatives to incarceration, such as home monitoring or halfway houses. Hamilton said another option that has been utilized by other states like Pennsylvania and Texas is housing short-term inmates in county jails. The study did not assess whether county jails have the capacity to house such inmates, and some county jails in Nebraskas metro areas have overcrowding problems of their own. In response to the studys findings, an NDCS spokesperson said the department is exploring options and using data to break down (short-timers) by risk level and appropriateness for alternative placement. In addition to addressing short-term stays, the study recommended that the legislature review statutes created that extend sentence durations and consider the impacts that public safety legislation will have on the prison population. Well-intentioned bills can sometimes have the effect of increasing incarceration, Hamilton said, leading to constant overcrowding crises. If the legislature was more in tune or had more feedback about what happens when they implement a bill that impacts one or several parts of the criminal justice system ... I think if they were more informed, theyd be a little bit less inclined to use incarceration as the only solution, Hamilton said. Theres lots of different options out there that are less costly and still retain public safety. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Maj. Gen. Craig Strong of the Nebraska National Guard are traveling to Texas on Sunday for a security update on the situation at the southern border, according to a press release from the Governors Office. Pillen and Strong will join Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and more than a dozen other governors for a 2:30 p.m. press conference at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, following the security briefing. The mission to secure the border is critical to the security of Nebraskans as well as all Americans, Pillen said in the release. Pillen expressed the need for Nebraskas continued support of Operation Lone Star and said he would assess additional resources that Nebraska could offer to secure the border. Nebraskas previous support for border security involved deploying drone operators from the Nebraska State Patrol to assist in surveillance last year, and sending more than 60 members of the Nebraska National Guard to aid Texas authorities in illegal border crossings last summer. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN Gov. Jim Pillen urged lawmakers on Thursday to ignore the noise and drama from lobbyists and have the courage to support bills that would raise sales taxes as a means to cut property taxes. The governor led off testimony on eight proposals to subject more goods and services to the state sales tax. The measures would increase state tax revenues by an estimated $265 million when fully implemented in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025. Pillen supported all eight bills as part of his effort to cut property taxes by 40% in Nebraska. He has proposed to use state sales tax revenues to replace some property taxes levied by local governments. Although he has said all options are on the table, he has floated plans to hike the state sales tax rate and broaden the tax. The consensus of everybody in Nebraska is fix our property tax problem and fix it now, he told members of the Revenue Committee. Its crystal clear weve just got to have the courage to do whats right. But virtually everyone else who testified came to oppose one or more of the bills. Some said they agreed with the need to address property taxes but argued that goal should be reached some other way. Carter Thiele, representing the Lincoln Independent Business Association, objected to the idea of a tax shift. He said increasing sales taxes would harm businesses and low-income residents, who have to pay a larger portion of their income for sales taxes than people with higher incomes. Shifting the tax burden from property taxes to sales taxes is not sound tax policy, he said. Others objected to specific proposals. New taxes proposed on candy, pet grooming The goods and services that would be newly taxed under the bills include: soft drinks, candy, laundromats, clothing repair, zoo and aquarium admissions, veterinary services, pet grooming done with veterinary treatment, storage facilities, moving services, accounting, business legal services, agricultural machinery repair and replacement parts, and data centers. One measure would apply a new 7.5-cent tax on advertising services offered by companies that bring in more than $1 billion in gross advertising revenue. An amended version of another measure would levy a 20% tax on lottery tickets and skill games. Among the testifiers were business groups, advertisers and broadcasters, who opposed the advertising tax, saying the cost would be passed down to smaller businesses buying advertising from the large companies. Jim Timm, president and executive director of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association, said such a tax would send a message that Nebraska is a high tax state. Small business owners involved with distributing skill games said a 20% tax on the popular video machines, often found in bars, could drive them out of business. Veterinarians and Pam Wiese-Bundy, interim president and CEO of the Nebraska Humane Society, said taxing veterinary services would make it harder for people to care for their pets and could force some to surrender them to overcrowded shelters. Self-storage company owners argued that they are renting space, which is not subject to sales tax, rather than providing a service, which could be. They also said many people rent storage space during major life events, such as military members being deployed or low-income people losing their housing. Luis Padilla, president and CEO of Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, objected to a proposal to charge sales tax on zoo and aquarium admission. He said the tax would make the zoo less accessible to the 60% of visitors who are from Nebraska. Agriculture groups and ag equipment dealers opposed the idea of charging sales tax on repair parts for ag equipment, saying it would lead to border bleed. Owen Palm, president and CEO of 21st Century Equipment, said farmers would go to other states to save 5.5% or more on parts that could cost thousands. Business groups, accountants and attorneys argued against taxing business accounting and business legal services, saying those costs should be considered business inputs and therefore remain exempt from sales taxes. Pillen has said he wants to reduce property taxes to about $3 billion annually, down from the $5.023 billion that Nebraskans paid last year. His plan calls for boosting state sales tax revenues and creating new programs to distribute that money to schools and other local governments. The plan also would impose new and tighter restrictions on local governments, requiring them to roll back property tax levies when valuations increase and when they get more state dollars. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN With a 14-year-old autistic son for whom she is the primary caregiver, Omaha mother Keri Smith said ensuring that the two of them have enough food is a constant challenge. Smith testified Thursday in support of Legislative Bill 952 to require Nebraska to participate in a federal program that provides federal food benefits to children during the summer months. The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program (EBT) would help feed an estimated 150,000 Nebraska children. These kids have weathered COVID, and have been resilient through a global crisis, Smith told the Legislatures Health and Human Services Committee. They are isolated, scared and unable to grow up with normal childhoods like the rest of us. The least we can do is support them now by making sure they have enough to eat. LB 952 drew 17 people Thursday to testify in support of the proposal, with 153 other people submitting written comments in favor of the bill. No one testified against it. The federal program would have provided an estimated $18 million in food aid in Nebraska during school vacation months to low-income families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The program launches nationally this summer, but states had to indicate their interest by Jan. 1. Thirty-five states opted in, but Gov. Jim Pillen announced late last year that Nebraska would not participate. The EBT program follows a similar federal program that took effect in Nebraska in 2021 and continued for the next two years. This summer would be the first since 2021 when Nebraska families would no longer have access to the aid. Pillens announcement sparked an immediate backlash, and Thursdays hearing indicated that opinions have not softened. Testifiers called Pillens decision deplorable and a travesty. Omaha mother Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek said she was so angry her voice was shaking during the hearing. Nebraskans of good conscience cannot understand why Gov. Pillen rejects available federal funds that would help hungry Nebraskans, she said. Eric Savaiano, economic justice program manager for Nebraska Appleseed, said more than 6,100 people signed a petition his organization circulated for nine days at the end of 2023 that called for Nebraska to participate in the EBT program. Pillen has said summertime food aid for schoolchildren was a pandemic-era idea, and said he prefers providing food through the Summer Food Service Program, an older federal program that provides free meals and snacks to children and teens at various sites in low-income communities. State Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, who introduced LB 952, said the older program is great, but it isnt sufficient to meet the needs of Nebraskans. She said many families face challenges accessing the sites to get food a particularly big problem for rural regions. Were not an urban state where this kind of delivery model makes much sense, Day said. Unlike the Summer Food Service Program, the EBT program provides families with a card that gives them $40 per child per month that can be spent on groceries. Day said this would eliminate the access issue, and said the two programs would work well together. So far, LB 952 has attracted some bipartisan support. While Day is a Democrat, Sen. Raymond Aguilar of Grand Island, a Republican, has chosen the bill as his priority for this legislative session. Besides those two lawmakers, three other Republicans and 13 other Democrats have co-sponsored the bill. Day said many families who would participate have limited resources and often have to choose between food and other necessities like health care or rent. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report released in October found that Nebraska has a higher rate of food insecurity than the national average or any neighboring state except Missouri. Lina Bostwick, a registered nurse representing the Nebraska Nurses Association, said the program is an efficient form of economic stimulus, as the funding must be spent at local grocery stores. Several testifiers represented local food banks and said that failure to participate in the EBT program would have a ripple effect on them, increasing the already-high demand they see during the summer. When school is out, we all feel the weight of concern, said Michaella Kumke, CEO of the Food Bank of Lincoln. If LB 952 passes, Savaiano said hes not sure if Nebraska would be allowed to participate in the program this summer, since the state missed the deadline. However, he said the USDA has allowed states to submit waivers for late enrollments in the past, so it remains a possibility. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN In a break with the Nebraska Republican Party, a group of 26 conservative state senators signed a public letter this week endorsing Nebraskas incumbent members of Congress, some of whom are facing hard-right primary challengers. Led by State Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk, the group of lawmakers called for unity in the states fractured GOP as they endorsed U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts and Reps. Mike Flood, Don Bacon and Adrian Smith all of whom are Republicans. I know to win, we must be united as a party, Dover said in the letter, made public Thursday morning. Our federal delegation has done a tremendous job representing us over the years, said Dover, appointed to the Legislature by Ricketts in 2022. I look forward to seeing them continue their work for us all. The letter comes two days after the Nebraska GOP announced its endorsements for Mays primary, signaling support for a host of school board and legislative candidates while withholding endorsements for the congressional delegation. In a news release announcing the endorsements, the party did not signal support for any challengers to the incumbents although the partys State Central Committee voted last week to endorse three of the incumbents primary challengers, the Nebraska Examiner reported. Lt. Col. John Glen Weaver, who is challenging Ricketts for his Senate seat, said in a social media post that he had been endorsed by 71% of the state party. The Examiner had reported that the party also voted to endorse Omaha businessman Dan Frei, running against Don Bacon in the states 2nd Congressional District, and Hastings engineer John MAGA Walz, who is running against Smith in the 3rd District. Neither Flood nor Fischer so far face primary challengers. Nebraska GOP Chairman Eric Underwood did not immediately return an email seeking comment Thursday. A phone call to the state partys office directed callers to an email address. When the endorsements were announced earlier this week, Underwood indicated that none of the five incumbents had sought the partys support, which comes with perks including shout-outs on social media, event promotion and postal mailing for campaign flyers. Still, the endorsement snub marked an escalation of longstanding tensions between the Nebraska GOP and the states establishment Republicans that emerged publicly in the summer of 2022, when conservative activists took over the party. Before then, the state GOP had been run by establishment figures loyal to Ricketts, who was then the governor. The tensions boiled over on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature during debate Thursday, when some of the same senators who signed the letter endorsing the federal officeholders spoke about the matter. Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, whom Ricketts appointed to the Legislature in 2018, called the state party broke. Almost immediately, she faced attacks from nameless far-right accounts on X, the social media website formerly known as Twitter. Moments later, Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams said he cant hardly believe that the state party didnt endorse Nebraskas members of Congress, who he said he is very, very proud of. Why none of them were endorsed is beyond me, said Dorn, who signed Dovers letter. I guess well hear more in the days to come. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN Nebraska's attorney general took his crusade against Delta-8 and other THC products to the Legislature's Judiciary Committee on Thursday, imploring lawmakers to ban the substances that, he maintains, are already illegal under state law. At a hearing on a proposal by Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner to ban the sale and use of nearly all THC products in Nebraska, Attorney Mike Hilgers said such products are "worse than marijuana" and said children in the state have been hospitalized after consuming them. Ibach introduced Legislative Bill 999 last month at Hilgers' request, marking the state's latest attempt to crack down on the hemp-derived cannabinoid, which has been available at various dispensary-type shops in Nebraska for nearly three years. Though marijuana remains illegal in Nebraska even for medical use, a provision in the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized the regulated production of hemp. The law requires that the plant contain no more than 0.3% of Delta-9 THC, but no limits were placed on the hundreds of other cannabinoids present in hemp, including Delta 8, essentially creating a loophole for businesses to sell it. But Hilgers who in October filed a series of consumer protection lawsuits against THC retailers in at least 10 counties across the state has repeatedly said that Delta-8 retailers in Nebraska are operating only in a "perceived loophole" that does not actually exist within state law. Hilgers echoed that claim Thursday as he urged lawmakers to support Ibach's bill, which if passed would tweak state law to consider Delta-8 and similar hemp derivatives as marijuana, which remains criminalized in Nebraska in all quantities. The bill would also transfer regulation of hemp farming in the state back to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which Ibach said is more equipped to regulate hemp farming, and is meant to ensure that CBD products remain legal. "Why do we need a bill to make illegal what's already illegal?" Hilgers asked himself amid his testimony Thursday evening, before answering: "Well, our office started investigating shortly after I took office ... and it's very clear that there are, across the state of Nebraska, a number of stores that are selling products that are clearly illegal," he said. "And they're making, I think, a number of mistaken assumptions about the law and they're making a little bit of a bet that authorities like my office or others won't be able to take the time, the energy or the money to be able to enforce the law." That gamble, though, seems to have paid off for those retailers, since Hilgers' office has not criminally prosecuted THC retailers under current state law an inconsistency lawmakers pressed the attorney general on repeatedly Thursday. "I guess, to me, if it's illegal, it's illegal," Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, the committee's chairman, said, later adding: "If you filed lawsuits already under consumer protection, why didn't you charge the storeowners with (drug) possession or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance?" Hilgers told Wayne that the retailers' alleged consumer protection violations were "blatant" and his office needed to shine a light on what he described as the misleading labeling of Delta-8 products and the potential for harm such labels create for Nebraska's children. And, he said, "we were so close to the legislative session, let's give this an opportunity to see if we can get it resolved." Wayne, in response, mocked Hilgers' rationale before indicating he agreed with the attorney general's assessment. "Not that I have tried (Delta-8 products) personally, there are some things I'm questioning about how it's legal," Wayne said. "I think we should figure that out." Hilgers, though, was one of few Nebraskans who showed up to support Ibach's proposal while numerous speakers lined up to oppose the bill at Thursday's hearing, which lasted more than two hours. Numerous testifiers described chronic illnesses or diseases, including cancer, that bring intolerable aches and pains that THC products help ease. Dr. Andrea Holmes, president of the Nebraska Healthy Alternatives Association, told the committee that despite Hilgers' claim that there is "no evidence" THC products are helpful, they are important to the personal health, wellness and life of thousands of users across the state. Holmes warned that outlawing THC would not prevent its use in the state particularly since THC products are federally legal and can be purchased online but would instead "eliminate, overnight, an entire industry." Her testimony was echoed by Sarah Linden, a native Nebraskan who owns both Generation V and Grateful Green, both of which are THC dispensaries operating a combined 21 locations across the state. Citing a study conducted by a company that analyzes hemp industries, Linden said enacting Ibach's bill would wipe out $139 million from Nebraska's economy, eliminating more than 1,600 jobs and $64.8 million in wages paid to state residents. She said she would immediately have to close at least six stores and reminded lawmakers that the sale of THC products to Nebraskans would not cease it would only be diverted out-of-state. "Can you order some of these Detla-8 products online?" Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington asked. "One hundred percent," Linden said. "Because they are federally legal products. So they can be sold in ecommerce just as easy as someone can buy tide laundry detergent." Linden and other opponents of the bill called for lawmakers to regulate the products rather than ban them outright, a suggestion that Hilgers has repeatedly rejected, citing his belief that the products are already illegal. Nebraska's Liquor Control Commission has already formally asked the Legislature to make that commission the regulatory body for cannabis should its recreational use be legalized in the state. But Hilgers who testified that THC retailers "don't have Nebraskans' best interest in mind" made clear again Thursday that he does not support regulating or allowing nearly any form of THC in Nebraska, even as a growing list of states legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use. "If we are the last state good," he said. "Because I think we'll be an oasis for people who want to get away from some of the negative impacts that that a lot of these states, who have been well-meaning, have actually experienced." Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN Opponents derailed a bill Friday that would have required freight trains crossing Nebraska to have at least two crew members on board. Legislative Bill 31 died after a motion to end the filibuster against it fell short. The motion needed 33 votes to succeed. The vote was 24 in support and 19 against, with six senators absent. State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, who introduced the bill, said opponents resorted to a filibuster to stop the bill because he had enough votes to advance the bill otherwise. It takes 25 of the 49 senators to advance and ultimately pass a bill. Jacobson said he felt good that he got LB 31 farther than any previous train crew bill. Similar measures have been introduced at least six times before, but none of the others even got out of committee. This year, the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee voted 6-1, with one abstention, to send the bill to the full Legislature. The bill was introduced last year, but the committee chairwoman held off on a vote in hopes that the federal government would take action in the meantime. The Federal Railroad Administration proposed a regulation in 2022 that would require at least two crew members on trains. The agency has yet to make a final decision on the regulation. Nor has Congress acted on the proposed Railway Safety Act of 2023. Jacobson, whose legislative district is home to the Union Pacific Railroads Bailey Yard, the largest railroad classification yard in the world, cast the issue as one of safety for the public and for railroad workers. He said 11 states have passed similar laws, including Colorado and Kansas. He cited last years derailment of a Norfolk Southern train near East Palestine, Ohio, as an example of the hazards that train derailments pose for Nebraska communities. That derailment spewed vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals into the air, killing fish in nearby streams and prompting an evacuation. Jacobson contended that having only one employee, an engineer, on a train is inherently dangerous. The conductor, who would be the second crew member, acts as a second set of eyes and ears and can help out if the engineer has an emergency. He pointed to a case a few years ago near Hershey when the conductor saw something on the tracks that turned out to be a 4-year-old girl and was able to get the train stopped in time. He also said that conductors can get off the train to decouple cars, make repairs and help with emergency response in case of a derailment or accident, while federal regulations require engineers to remain in the train cabin. But opponents said the issue should be handled through collective bargaining between railroad companies and employee unions, rather than through a government mandate. The current Union Pacific contract requires two-person crews. They also noted that the federal government preempts state laws when it comes to regulating railroads and that the Federal Railroad Administration has promised to rule on the two-person crew issue in March. Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area cited the long history that Union Pacific has had in Nebraska, noting that it is one of the states most important businesses and one of the states largest taxpayers. The other main railroad in the state, the BNSF Railway Co., is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, the Omaha-based investment firm founded by Warren Buffett. Both companies opposed LB 31 and have lobbied against it. Others questioned the safety claims, saying there have been similar rates of derailments and accidents for trains with two-person crews and those without. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 FELIX NWANERI writes on the eight-year tenure of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, which comes to an end tomorrow, achievements of his administration, which according to him would be leveraged on by his successor to take the state to a higher pedestal As Kogi State governor, Yahaha Bello, hands over to his successor, Usman Ododo, tomorrow, there is no doubt that he has been able to navigate the murky waters of politics and weathered the storm associated with the power game during his eight-year tenure. Bellos journey to the Kogi State government house was by fate. He made history on January 27, 2015 as the first person from a minority ethnic group of the state to occupy the historic Lugard House. He is Ebira of Kogi Central Senatorial District. Before then, the Igala people of Kogi East Senatorial District have had enough of power, having ruled the state since it was created in 1991. Kogi State comprises the people of Kabba province of Okun and Ebira; Igala and Bassa speaking parts of old Benue State. The Igala and Bassa formed the Eastern Senatorial District; Ebira and Ogori-Magongo formed the Central Senatorial District, while the Okuns, Kotos and Hausa-speaking part of Lokoja formed the Western Senatorial District. There is a claim of an agreement reached by elders and political stakeholders of the state in 1991 on a power sharing formula that will see the governorship rotating among the three senatorial zones, but the Igala, who constitute about 45 per cent of the total population of the state held on to power for more than two decades. First term Bellos emergence as governor for the first term would not have been possible if not for the demise of his partys (APC) candidate Abubakar Audu in the November 21, 2015 governorship election in the state. The former two-time governor (1992- 1993 and 1999-2003) was coasting to victory, when he passed on. The unfortunate incident almost triggered a constitutional crisis as the 1999 Constitution (at the time) did not envisage such situation. The impasse over the incident was however resolved, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) directed the APC to nominate another candidate as Audus substitution for the December 5, 2015 supplementary poll in the 91 polling units, where elections were cancelled. The electoral body had declared the election inconclusive midway during collation and announcement of results, following the cancellation of results in the affected polling units due to incidences of violence, ballot boxes snatching, over voting, among others. Late Audu was at the time leading his closest rival and then incumbent governor, Capt. Idris Wada, by 41,000 votes, whereas the total number of registered voters in the 91 polling units was 49,953, a figure, the commission explained, was higher than the margin between the top contenders. The window to substitute Audu, rather than serve as a relief to the APC, sparked off another round of crisis as the then deputy governorship candidate, Hon. James Faleke, wrote to INEC that he should be declared winner on the ground that the supplementary poll was needless as the number of eligible voters in the affected areas stood at 25,000 and so will not make any impact in the overall result. The PDP, on its part, urged the electoral body to declare its candidate Wada, winner of the election as the votes garnered by Audu were not transferable. The party further argued that Audus votes died with him. INEC, however, insisted on going ahead with the supplementary poll and the APC was left with no other option than to nominate the first runner up in its governorship primary election, Bello as Audus substitution. As expected, Bello was declared winner of the governorship election after the supplementary poll. His party (APC) garnered 6,885 votes to bring its total votes to 247,752, having polled 240,857 in the first round of voting. The PDP candidate (Wada) scored 5,363 to take his total votes to 204,877 votes. He had earlier garnered 199, 514 votes. It was message of hope in 2015, when Bello first mounted the saddle as governor of Kogi State. He then promised the people of taking the state to the next level. By the grace of God I would have no reason not to perform excellently. After four years, Kogi State will never be the same again. Expectations are high, and we know there are challenges out there, but we are going to move in aggressively to ensure we do well, he said. Among his strategies was reorganization of the state civil service to make it more efficient and productive, which he did despite resistance from some stakeholders. The exercise revealed thousands of ghost workers on the states payroll. Second term Bello was re-elected during the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state. He defeated the candidate of the PDP, Engr. Musa Wada in the election that served as a test of might for the ruling APC and main opposition PDP after the 2019 general election. Bello polled a total of 406,222 votes against Wadas 189,704 votes. While Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came a distant third with 9,482 votes. However, Bello was yet to mark the first year of his second term, when calls started coming from political circles to join the race for the 2023 presidency. Many had thought that the move to draft the governor into the presidential race was a dummy to test the political waters ahead of the 2023 general election and make him relevant in the scheme of things, but developments later showed that the campaigners meant business. While the 2023 presidential race is now history, there is no doubt that Bello warmed himself into the hearts of many Nigerians, particularly youths, with his governance style that ensured inclusiveness of all sections of kogi State. He once spoke on the issue: Our sitting arrangement in the cabinet is mixed, that is where it starts from. We ensure that whatever touches one, touches all, whether good or otherwise. We solidarize and sympathise with one another, we are the ones citizens of Kogi State are looking up to, how we conduct ourselves from the seat of power matters a lot and that is how it trickles down to the grassroots. We ensure that even those who are said not to be from the state originally are part and parcel of the traditional council process. If you are an Igbo man, Yoruba man, the so-called non-indigenes, or a Fulani man, everybody is represented in my government and in the traditional councils as well as any form of organisation or association in Kogi State. I also ensure there is an equitable distribution and utilization of resources that are available to us in Kogi State. You can never see any senatorial district or local government in Kogi State that has more than the other in terms of infrastructure. We ensure balancing in our decision-making, starting from budgetary provisions to execution. Even in the civil service; we discovered that a particular local government is loaded with permanent secretaries, while some have very little or none. We ensured that we balanced it, and now, it is evenly distributed among the local governments and state constituencies and nobody has an issue with that. We ensure that once you are appointed, you do your job, and if you dont, you have to be replaced. A replacement will come from where the original person was appointed from. That is how we ensure balancing, and of course, that is the culture today in Kogi State. The governor equally spoke on how he ran the economy of Kogi State. He particularly explained how he was able to reduce the debt burden of the state, saying the magic wand was prudent management of resources. According to him, what we did on coming on board was to ensure that we reduced or eliminated wastage as well as ensured that we work with the essentials and ensure that the resources are judiciously utilized. On security, he said that Kogi State used to be the crisis capital of this country before his administration came on board. He, however, noted that today, the reverse is the case. One of the key elements of this widely talked-about achievement was that I refused to politicize the security of the state. Self-assessment Bello believes that he has laid the foundation on which his successor will build to take the state to greater heights. He not only boasts of having employed more workers than the previous administrations put together did, but also reduced poverty more than the previous administrations did. On how he achieved these, he explained: We ensured that all those unintended beneficiaries on our payroll were weeded off. That made more resources available for us. In fact, my administration has made more millionaires in Kogi State than the previous administrations put together did by way of empowering our people, teaching them how to fish and not necessarily giving them fish. He added: When I assumed office, the IGR (Internally generated revenue of the state was within a paltry sum of N250 million and N300 million. The state Internal Revenue Service was operating from a two-bedroom office. Of course, accountability and mobilization were issues then, so we sat down and reviewed the situation we met on ground. We blocked all the loopholes hence one of the reasons for the hues and cries then. Secondly, we ensured that we expanded the tax net and the revenue base of the state. There were so many revenue sources that were not harnessed before then. We also made use of legislations because there were no rules and regulations that governed revenue generation in Kogi State before we came on board. But we came up with several legislations to ensure that people pay their taxes and that tax deductions from civil servants and political office holders were remitted to the coffers of both the state and federal government. These interventions by my administration are the reasons why the states IGR jumped from N300 million to N1.5 billion monthly Since 1992, when the state was created, there have been issues of salary arears, pension arrears, percentage payment of salaries of local government and state workers. It was worst during the time of my immediate predecessor, when sometimes, three months salaries were combined to pay just 10 per cent of salaries of workers. We have the records. When we came, we inherited four months arrears of salaries of state workers and up to 14 months of local government workers. So, we decided to draw the line on the issue of payment of salaries and we started from when I inherited the state January 27, 2016. Go to the various states in the North; you will out that none of them is paying higher than what is obtainable in Kogi. Bello, who spoke late last year on how he wants to be remembered by the time he leaves office, declared: There is nobody who has occupied office that wouldnt want to do one thing or the other but what is important is: Am I satisfied with my achievements and successes? I thank God Almighty for all I have achieved given where I met Kogi State and where I have taken it to. No government can solve all the problems 100 per cent, but I thank God for my successes so far and commitment. My belief is that Usman Ododo will build on the foundation I have laid in Kogi State. Ibrahim Oyewale writes that Governor Yahaya Bello has made much impact in his eight-year tenure in the Confluence state despite the general perception and opinion of his perceived political opponents. On January 27, 2024 to be precise, the administration of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello will come to an end and pave way for that of Ahmed Usman Ododo who had won the November 11, 2023 governorship election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress APC in Kogi State. Bello who ventured into the state political landscape in 2015 contested for governorship primary election on the platform of the APC culminating in his becoming number one citizen of Kogi State on 27th of January 2016. The rest is history. Bello has come, saw and conquered, most importantly, he has etched his name in gold following his spectacular performance in the last eight years. Notwithstanding the critical circumstances that brought him in as the Governor of Kogi State and litany of opposition, Bello however navigated through thick and thin in the past eight years and berthed in style with numerous successes achieved in the State. Shortly after taking oath of office on January 27, 2016, the new administration which was tagged a New Direction Administration led by the young Yahaya Bello highlighted thematics areas for the government such as security of lives and property, health, education, civil service reforms and provision of infrastructures across the length and breadth of Kogi State. Motivated by a desire to address underdevelopment in Kogi state, Bello constituted a screening committee to look at the various crises rocking the engine room of government the Civil Service with the aim of repositioning it. The exercise was greeted with opposition from the labour union and characterised with a lot of noise particularly fron the workers. By and large, Bellos administration succeeded in weeding out the bad elements and was able to raise Kogi Civil Service to a bar comparable with any State in the federation or ever more better. This singular act has not only fetched the state accolades and receipient of international awards as the most transparent state and also for adhering strictly to Budget principles. He was also able to determine the monthly wage bill for the State against hitherto ever increase in payment of huge monthly bill . No doubt about the fact that before the advent of Governor Bellos administration in Kogi State, the State was known as a flash point for all forms of criminal activities such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and killings. But on assumption of office, Bello swung into action by declaring zero tolerance for crimes in the state and asked the criminals to relocate to another place as Kogi would no longer be a safe destination for them. He marched his word with action as he donated over 150 Hilux vans to the forner Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotun, to combact crimes in the state. Not only that, he was determined to ensure the setting up of Joint Security Task Force in the state comprising all the security agencies in Kogi State in collaboration with the State government to reduce the rate of crime. For taking critical steps to stem the high tide of insecurity in Kogi and Nigeria at large, the then Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun recognised Bellos efforts in fighting insecurity and subsequently became the first Governor to be so honoured with Nigerian Police award as best Governor on Security. In the area of Agriculture, it is a known fact that Kogi is an agraian State and in line with the determination to ensure food security in the State, the Bello-led administration established the largest Rice Mill at Ejiba with capacity to employ over 2000 workers as the project also targetted to move unemployed youths out of the street .This is in addition to various agricultural programmes initiated by the new direction administration in the State. The Health sectors services delivery was second to none in Kogi State under the leadership of Bello in the past eight years as it received financial boost. Having realised the importance of wellness of the people of the State and in a bid to discourage medical tourism abroad, Governor Bello established a gigantic Reference Hospital in Okene equipped with modern medical facilities, while he rehabilitated the Prince Abubarkar Audu University Teaching Hospital in Anyingba. Government also upgraded the General Hospitals at Adogo in Ajaokuta Local government and Isanlu in Yagba East Local government area of the State and similarly established new General Hospital at Gegu in Kogi Local government area. Just like the health sector, Governor Bellos administration also made an indelible mark on the sound of time in the education sector of the State Apart from the fact that model primary and secondary schools were established across the state, it is incontrovertible fact that Bello was the first governor to establish two Universities within the four years of his second tenure in office. These are legacy projects which would outlive the administration and many citizens would live to remember. As part of efforts to provide manpower for the growth and ever increase in the technological revolution across the globe, Governor Bello approved the establishment of the Confluence University of Science and Technology at Osara in Adavi local government area of the State during the Covid 19 era in 2020. His Administration also championed a New Direction agenda to promote development in Kogi State. The New Direction Blueprint utilized the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) to address multidimensional poverty and leadership. The State received recognition at the 72nd United Nations Assembly (UNGA) for its successful implementation of the SDGS Although people may have different views about Governor Bello, his transformational leadership showed in his efforts to tackle systemic inequalities in Kogi State, promote tribal unity, religious harmony equity, youth inclusiveness and the inclusion.of persons with disabilities. The beneficiaries refered to him as someone who had made son of nobody to become somebody because they never imagined to be in the position they occupied under the new direction administration. Governor Bellos leadership qualities extended beyond his state. Tasked with several assignments to avert looming crises and make peace, he always successfully executed special duties for the APC and helped to mobilise young people into politics and the APC. In a chat with the State Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Bello prior to November 2023 governorship election, he explained that his party still remains the one to beat in Kogi State, stressing that the party under the present administration of Governor Yahaya Bello has done well in every facet of life in Kogi. He said that notwithstanding the critics opinion about the administration, the APC has a lot of achievements to show to the people of the state. A member of opposition Party who spoke to Thisday on the condition of anonymity, stated that he was not a member of the All Progressive Congress APC nor a fan of the Governor , but that he has come to term with the reality that Yahaya Bello has done extremely well in the area of infrastructural development. He highlighted some of the tangible infrastructures put in place by the Bello-led administration to include Revenue House, Reference Hospital Okene, General Hospital Gegu in Kogi local government area, General Hospital in Isanlu in Yagba East, General Hospital in Adogo in Ajaokuta local government area, Rehabilitation of Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba in Dekina local government Kogi Rice Mills in Yagba West, Establishment of University of Science and Technology, Osara in Kogi Central, establishment of new Kogi State University in Kabba, Kabba/Bunu local government area of the State . Other discerning legacy projects are President Muhammadu Buhari Civil centre, GYB Model Science School in Adankolo, Lokoja, Overhead Bridge at Ganaja junction which has eased the hitherto gridlock and construction of roads across the three senatorial districts. One of the uniqueness of Bellos administration to the discerning public was that as his tenure was drawing to a close, the more the government was constructing and rehabilitating roads within the Lokoja metropolis. Tasks before Ododo By Boluwaji Obahopo As Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State steps down as governor on January 27, Boluwaji Obahopo takes a look at his eight years tenure, his challenges, triumphs and achievements and offers the way forward for the Governor-elect, Alhaji Usman Ododo. EIGHT years ago, precisely on January 27, 2016, Kogi State witnessed a change in its political leadership. A 40 years young man and political greenhorn tiptoed into the leadership space of the state. Alhaji Yahaya Bello was sworn in as the fourth democratically elected governor of Kogi State, marking a complete change from the former dominance of elderly people in the saddle of the states affairs. Not only that, it was the first time in the history of the state that a non- Igala person will govern the state. Bellos emergence as replacement for late Abubakar Audu who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the governorship election came with a bag of mixed feelings. Being a non-Igala and a young man for that matter will he make any difference in political governance of the state? Many also began to allude spirituality to his emergence, saying if not by providence, there was no way he would have become Kogis Number One citizen at that time. The expectation for or against him was enormous especially given the fact that he was from a minority Ebira ethnic group. Apart from the encumbrances and challenges which come naturally with the office of a governor, Bello was, as well, under pressure to prove that a youth could be trusted with enormous powers. Judicial hurdles For some reasons, he was bugged down with litigation from those trying to take the seat from him. He became the most litigated governor three different cases were instituted against his emergence all ending at the Supreme Court. No doubt, the judiciary challenges contributed to his inability to settle down for governance on time, depriving him the presence of clear mind to give his undivided attention to the task at hand. Numerous battles Bello fought many battles on many fronts at once. He started by engaging the House of Assembly members over leadership change. With the then Speaker from the same LGA with him, Bello fought for another zone to produce the speaker in order to ensure balancing of power among the three senatorial zones of the state. Before the dust of Executive Legislative debacle could settle, Bello engaged in staff audit, putting a stop to State and Local Government workers salary until the end of the screening. The screening was to take a dangerous twist that almost rubbished its good intention. The screening initially scheduled to end in just a month lasted more than six months bringing anguish toworkers who lost patience waiting for their salary. Bello extended his battle to the political class, especially those of the APC, who felt he was an usurper. The battle for legitimacy took a long toll on him and could not allow him to focus well on his Blueprint Agenda in his first term. Political analysts got so worried that they renamed his New Direction agenda as No Direction Agenda. By the time the coast would fully clear for him, he was already at the twilight of his first tenure, and the urge to get a second term became ominous. He quickly reached a stage of maturity; gaining strength, confidence, security, respect and social acceptance, by understanding that he was accountable only to the people of Kogi. Instead of trying to please political chieftains, he made the sound judgment of working for the greater good of the majority. Battle against insecurity Bello, headlong, tackled the high reign of insecurity. Kogi before his emergence was a haven for criminals. He immediately engaged in the effort to end the reign of lawbreakers. His success was resounding and widely acknowledged around the country. On insecurity, Bello said: To me, Kogi State is a metaphor for our nation. We are the intersection at the heart of Nigeria where compatriots from different parts of Nigeria meet everyday on their journey of life, share a meal or a short rest and travel together to mutual destinations. Our aspiration is a Nigeria where we can all meet in our rich diversity, unite in our nationhood and travel together towards our shared greatness. Despite bordering nine states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Bello sustained a solid security and safety architecture through effective law enforcement strategies, local intelligence gathering, collaboration among security agencies, and involving traditional institutions. Bello thereafter focused on his New Direction Blueprint that was put together by a team of consultants drawn from every discipline. Legacy projects The outcome of the blueprints is a harvest of legacy projects most of which were completed in his second term, among which is the first over-head bridge in Lokoja, the state capital called the Ganaja Flyover Bridge. Getting second term was like redemption for Bello as he put his efforts into constructing infrastructures across the state that even his political arch enemies could not but appraise him for a job well done and for indelible marks in the development of the state. Bello ensured that one or two roads in all the 21 local government areas of the state were either constructed or rehabilitated. He constructed the ultra modern event centre named after former President Muhammdu Buhari. The construction of the Referral Hospital, Okene which has the capacity to handle multifaceted health challenges has become the talking point of health practitioners across the country. He also built one General Hospital in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. Bellos healthcare reforms contributed to the decline in mortality rate of the state. Strides in other sectors Governor Bello made tremendous strides in other sectors like Education, human capital development, youth and women empowerment. A cursory look at the education sector will show uncommon accomplishments such as improving education through increased funding and infrastructure, establishing two universities and fully funding their take off, concerted efforts leading to 100 percent accreditation of courses in all the tertiary institutions of the state. Even the Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute (NKFI) of Vocational and Advanced Technology also benefited from the release of funds. The best of his ending is the free education policies he introduce in 2023 for Primary and secondary schools, coupled with the free payment of WAEC, NECO, JAMB, Basic Examination and Junior Secondary school examination as well as the construction of Model schools across the three senatorial districts of the state. Women, youth inclusion He also implemented some policies such as women and youth political inclusiveness. He ensured that in the last LGA election, all the vice chairmen were women. He followed it up by ensuring that at least each LGA has three female councilors one of whom were appointed as Council Leader. Most of those appointed into his cabinet are youths. Bello may have found himself as a greenhorn, who faced a lot of stumbling blocks in his first term but he certainly finished well and strong. Political analysts have given him a pass mark on the fact that he will be judged by his cumulative eight years in office and not only by his first term. They said Bello has fulfilled the biblical saying that better is the end of a thing than its beginning thereof. History will be kind to such a man whose ideal, encapsulates that of perseverance, resilience, and dedication and whose journey has led to a more satisfying and fulfilling outcome and rewarding conclusions, Abubakar Jimoh, a resident of the state concluded. Bello is leaving Kogi more prosperous, transformed NIA DG Indeed, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, said that Bellos exceptional achievements had re-jigged Kogis economy. He commended the out-going Governor for his exceptional achievements in the state. Abubakar, in a commendation letter he personally signed and addressed to Governor Bello, congratulated him on his notable strides since he assumed office as Kogi Governor in 2016, saying his various infrastructural projects had opened up the state as one of Nigerias main trade routes. While congratulating the Governor and the Kogi State chapter of the APC for winning the just concluded governorship election in the state, the NIA boss noted that the governor was leaving the North Central state more prosperous, developed and transformed. He listed some infrastructural projects, renovation of the Okene Reference hospital and the establishment of Omi Rice Farm as some of the achievements of the Bello administration. Abubakar, in the letter, titled, Acknowledging Your Remarkable Achievements as Governor, explained how Governor Bellos enhanced public services and facilities added value to agricultural production and rejigged Kogis economy. As your tenure as the Governor of Kogi State draws to a close, I write to congratulate you and acknowledge the notable achievements of your administration during your two tenures as Governor since you assumed office in 2016. I would also like to congratulate you and the Kogi State chapter of the APC for winning the just concluded Gubernatorial elections. During your time as Governor of Kogi State, the various infrastructural projects undertaken by your administration have significantly improved the states connectivity and accessibility as one of Nigerias main trade routes from the West and South to Northern parts of the country. The renovation of the Okene Reference hospital is a testament to your dedication to enhancing public services and facilities. Similarly, the establishment of Omi Rice Farm, one of the largest in Nigeria, is a clear demonstration of your administrations commitment to adding value to agricultural production. As you conclude your tenure and begin another chapter in your political career, I wish you success in your future endeavours. Tasks before Ododo The way forward is for his successor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, is to unite the polarized tribes of the state, consolidate on Bellos achievements especially in Security, education and health among others. The nominee for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command chief expressed deep concerns Thursday over the burgeoning military partnership between North Korea and Russia, portraying it as a "symbiotic" one that goes against the principles of global peace. During a confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Adm. Samuel Paparo, currently U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, also noted that Russia might have given "potentially high-end" technology to the North in return for the North's arms supplies to Russia. His remarks came amid growing concerns that military cooperation between the North and Russia will have profound security implications on the Korean Peninsula and across the world. "It is concerning deeply. It is symbiotic," he said, referring to the bilateral partnership. "It closes gaps each for the other, providing conventional weapons to Russia from North Korea ... providing sanctions evading materials and potentially high-end technology to North Korea," he added. He went on to say, "In all cases, it runs counter to the principles of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally." The White House has revealed that the North supplied Russia with several dozen ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine in addition to its earlier shipments of military equipment and munitions to Russia. In return for the North's armed support, Pyongyang has been seeking military assistance from Russia, "including fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment or materials, and other advanced technologies," according to U.S. officials. Paparo also touched on the "changing dynamic" of the Korean Peninsula where inter-Korean tensions have risen. "The changing dynamic is continued saber-rattling, continued proliferation, a greater volume of testing and weapons demonstrations on the part of the North," he said. "In response, South Korea has increased its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities in the vicinity of the North ... It continues to be tense." Against the backdrop of evolving North Korean threats, the admiral highlighted the importance of extended deterrence, America's commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally. "Whatever the public statements (by North Korea), as a military commander, I must look at the capability development, and to be able to pace that, to deter that, extended deterrence, particularly with U.S. strategic forces, is absolutely essential," he said. He also underscored the role of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. "The Republic of Korea is the linchpin of peace, stability and security in the Pacific," he said. "We seek a denuclearized Korean Peninsula." The hearing also touched on the issue of North Korea's reported cryptocurrency theft that is thought to have helped the reclusive regime evade sanctions and continue to bankroll its weapons programs. Asked if cutting off the North's access to cryptocurrency would strengthen global security, Paparo said, "Yes, directly." "Cryptocurrency inherently with its opaqueness, is a key enabler worldwide for proliferation, for terror, for illicit trafficking, including illicit trafficking in drugs," he said. He added, "People can make money outside the eyes of law, and it provides a moral hazard whereby people can do bad things without fear of punishment because it's opaque." Meanwhile, Senator Dan Sullivan recommended to the admiral that he read "This Kind of War" -- a book about the 1950-53 Korean War, where more than 33,600 American service members died. Paparo said his son gave him the book for Christmas, and that he will reread it. "The lesson is this. In 1945, we had the most fearsome, lethal military probably in the history of the world. Five years later in 1950, our military couldn't stop a third-world peasant army as it invaded South Korea," he said. "Literally, thousands of young Americans died in the summer of 1950 because we had weak civilian and weak uniformed military leaderships." The senator also expressed his worries that the U.S. is "shrinking" its armed forces at "one of the most dangerous periods we have seen since World War II." "We can't repeat history," Sullivan said. (Yonhap) On Saturday, January 27, the eight year tenure of Governor Yahaya Bello will end in Kogi State. For many who have followed events in the state since his assumption of office, the period in the history of the state would not be forgotten in a hurry. But as they say, everything that has a beginning must come to an end and people of the state are already excited that Bello will on Saturday, handover to a brand new successor, Usman Ododo. Despite criticisms against Governor Bello, many observers agree that what has worked for him is the emphasis on the inclusion of youths in his administration. Before his inauguration as the chief executive of the state, Kogi was sharply divided along ethnic lines even as politicians planted division in the minds of the people for their selfish political gains. But from inception, it was clear what vision Bello wanted in his state. For instance, the first three appointments of the governor immediately after his inauguration on January 27, 2016, were spread across the three Senatorial Districts. Hon Edward Onoja from Kogi East became the first CoS to emerge from a zone different from that of the governor. All the governors before GYB had ensured their CoS emerged from their Zone. His SA Media was appointed from Kogi Central and his CPS from Kogi West. For many, it was a fresh breeze that reshaped the mentality of the Kogi People and strengthened by the fact that projects were spread all over the state and the institutions of government were ushered into a new vista of development. Also before the coming of the present administration in the state, insecurity was rife. Robbery and kidnapping were perpetrated with reckless abandon. Governor Yahaya Bello changed the narratives today and has provided over 200 utility vehicles for patrol and procured sophisticated gadgets for the Operation Total Freedom established by the present administration to stamp out criminality in the state. Intelligence gathering became seamless and properties which were proceeds of crime were destroyed to serve as a deterrent to others. The result is that kidnapping and armed robbery in the state dropped by over 92 per cent. There is no doubt that one of the areas the administration of Bello performed is on security. From being one of the most insecure and dreaded states as at the time he took over, the state has risen to become one of the safest states in Nigeria today. The administrations determination and commitment toward securing the state was borne out of the conviction that security is the primary and most important function of government. Apart from providing at least 200 security vehicles for different kinds of operations across the state, the administration has also procured over 500 motorcycles for operations to allow security agents access to the hinterlands where most of the heinous crimes are committed. The Vigilante service men and women use the motorbikes to access difficult terrains where criminals reigned as terror lords since those locations are inaccessible. Records show that on the assumption of office, the governor met daunting statistics of an average of 25 kidnap cases per month but has currently dropped to almost zero. In many months, there were no cases of kidnap at all. The 92 percent crash in cases of kidnap and robbery was achieved through the right policies. The launch of Operation Total Freedom, which drove fear into the criminals, heavy investment in communication gadgets and training of security operatives, the Security Whistle Blower Policy which exposed the criminals, the Vigilante Service Operation and the domestication of the Criminal Justice Code were all instrumental to the excellent security of lives and property in the state. To curb Highway Crimes, the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello ensured the clearance of 40 metres on both sides of highways to ensure criminals have no hiding place. The administration also constructed Army Forward Operation bases at different places across the state to enhance the security of lives and property. In order to avert farmers/herdsmen clashes, the state government created a dialogue and cooperation platform for a free flow of communication between the government and the herdsmen on one hand and the communities and herdsmen on the other hand. This excellent relationship has ensured both farmers and herdsmen are living peacefully together in Kogi State. Also, quality healthcare delivery has been one of the greatest achievements of the present administration in Kogi State. Apart from the ongoing state-of-the-art Medical Diagnostic Centre that is likely to be the best this nation has ever witnessed, a lot of achievements are ongoing: The states Healthcare Plus Programme has been hailed as one of the best healthcare policies in the nation today. It was borne out of the commitment of the governor to ensure women dont die anymore in the process of giving birth to children. Among others, the administration has renovated, remodeled and re-equipped 21 existing Primary Health Care Centres (one per LGA) with solar-powered boreholes and electrification. The state government has frontally combated the menace of quackery in the health profession to protect Kogites and the administration has prioritized the success of the Kogi State Sustainable Drug Supply System. The administration has never failed to key into high impact strategies such as maternal, newborn and child health week. Agriculture has also witnessed an unprecedented revolution under the present administration in the state. The state government keyed into the Agricultural Renaissance Policy of the Federal Government which was aimed at ensuring food security and promoting non-oil sector for economic transformation. Today, Kogi has literally become the Agricultural Capital of Nigeria as the governor has created the right environment and support to make agriculture the driver of the states economy. The outgoing governor has succeeded in encouraging the youth to key into farming through orientation, sensitization, mechanization, inputs subsidy and many other supports. Today, many youths can boast of a career in farming. This has drastically helped in switching the minds of the youth across the 21 Local Government Areas in the state to agriculture. Among others, the state government has succeeded in facilitating loans for farmers to encourage mechanization and improved production of food. Good governance and institutional reforms The Bureau for Public Procurement was rejigged by the present administration. Today, the Bureau has restored sanity in public procurement and has woven a water-tight net that has made corruption almost impossible. The efficiency of the Bureau has been one of the reasons the governor has been able to combat corruption in public procurement. Due process is the order of the day in Kogi State contractual dealings today. The Bureau of Public/Private partnership has been repositioned to engage the private world in businesses that were used as conduit pipes to defraud the state in the past. Governor Yahaya Bello has used the BP3 to improve Kogi States acceptability in the business world and in the international community. Also, the Tax Reforms of the Yahaya Bello Administration has impacted positively on the finances of the state. On the assumption of Office, the governor granted the Board of Internal Revenue autonomy and it became the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service. The government built and delivered a gigantic Revenue House, which has added to the aesthetic beauty of the capital city. Competent hands were employed and revenue administration became digitalized. The Civil Service Reforms was a monster that many administrations before the incumbent avoided as a result of the fear of losing elections. Powerful Kogites who have so enriched themselves at the expense of the people of the state were involved in loading the payrolls of government with thousands of fictitious names to defraud the state but Governor Yahaya Bello refused to be cowed. He dared the cabal and stopped the stealing through a rigorous and thorough verification exercise. Mind-boggling revelations were left at the wake of the exercise and today, the government didnt only succeed in removing ghost names from the service but have also digitalized the operations of the service as well as re-engineered the work psychology of the civil servants. For those who have been following events in the state, Governor Bello has touched the lives of his people in all sectors of the states economy. Today, Kogi State has literally become the Agricultural Capital of Nigeria as the outgoing governor created the right environment and support to make agriculture the driver of the states economy. He succeeded in encouraging the youth to key into farming through orientation, sensitization, mechanization, inputs subsidy and many other supports. Today, many youths can boast of a career in farming. This has drastically helped in switching the minds of the youth across the 21 Local Government Areas in the state to agriculture. Among others, the state government has succeeded in facilitating loans for farmers to encourage mechanization and improved production of food. For many observers especially his teeming supporters, the outgoing governor is leaving Kogi State better than he met it and posterity will judge his eight years in office. As Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello bows out this week after eight years, Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines his achievements and the challenges that will confront his successor, Usman Ododo. Eight years ago, his name did not ring bells. He was largely perceived as a nominal governorship aspirant on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). But, fate catapulted him to the front burner, following the demise of former Governor Abubakar Audu, who was on the eve of victory. Yahaya Adoza Bello took Kogi State by storm from his inauguration day in Lokoja, the state capital. He was underrated as a youth without much political experience and appeal, an upstart, an oportunist who reaped where he did not sow and a curious manifestation of a generational gap; full of youthful exuberance. Eight years after, Bello, fondly called the White Lion, is bowing out in a blaze of glory, with many achievements that surpassed the feats of his predecessor, Captain Idris Wada. Last week, there was a departune from partisan, inter-party acrimony. Wada visited the outgoing governor to congratulate him on his performance in the areas of education healthcare, security and infrastructural development. However, the greatest achievement of Bello is his successful succession plan. Apart from serving two terms, he is handing over to a chieftain of the party, Usman Ododo, former Accountant-General of the state, who had worked closely with him. The significance of succession in Kogi is the obvious dismantling of the vestiges of zoning in the highly heterogeneous state. The successor is from the same ethnic group like him. Justifying the succession plan, the governor said merit and competence should displace ethnic consideration in leadership recruitment. Ododo is expected to build on these legacies as he receives the baton from his leader on Saturday. It is ironic. In the last eight years, Bello has fostered cohesion, integration and inclusion among the various tribes. The state executive council has reflected the shades of opinion and ethic balance. The outgoing governor has also attracted into his team technocrats who are indigenes and non-indigenes. The team was also gender sensitive while youths accounted for sixty percent of the cabinet representation. A lawyer, Moses Okezie, who was director of reseach of the governors campaign organisation, said while the management of diversity in Kogi by Bello has contributed to unity and peaceful coexistence among the ethnic nationalities, the state has also played host to Nigerians from across the federation. He lauded Bello for promoting inclusion, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and brotherhood. Collaborating Okezies view, former Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo said none of the ethnic groups is excluded in critical appointments. This is necessary. It is non-negotiable to ensure unity and peaceful coexistence among our diverse people. But, competence is never compromised, he added. Bello has tried to fight infrastructure battle within the limit of the available resources. His projects are evenly spread across the three senatorial districts. He has also listened to traditional rulers quest for more recognition by upgrading them without unsettling long standing tradition of heirachy in native authorities. Two weeks ago, the governor expressed happiness that the university established by his administration held a matriculation for new students. It was his own way of expanding tertiary educational opportunities for indigenes. The Reference Hospital, Okene, has been commissioned and many experts have hailed the initiative because it will stem medical tourism abroad. Bello has also tackled security challenges, including kidnapoings, banditry, armed robbery, assassinations, herders/farmers clashes, and other forms of violence in the Confluence State. Prior to the inception of his administration, terrorism, kidnapping, bank robbery, high way robbery, pipeline vandalisation, politically motivated killings, settlers/host community clashes, communal clashes and cultism created nightmare for the people of the state. Although the governor inherited a very volatile security situation, observers pointed out that he has restored sanity into a state of pandemonium through his concrete policies and programmes specifically designed to tackle the menace. Giving an insight into the causes of insecurity in Kogi, the former Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (retd), said they revolved around the unique geographical location of the state, which shares boundaries with nine states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He added: This has made the state vulnerable to all sorts of criminal activities. In addition, the use of unemployed youths as tools for political thuggery compounded the situation. This, coupled with the low level of collaboration and synergy among security agencies as well as lack of well-structured intelligence gathering network affected the attainment of unified security architecture. Volunteer organisations like the vigilante service to tackle emerging challenges, especially at the community level, were lacking. Bello, who said vigilance is key, added: I have made all citizens intelligence officers to secure Kogi because security is the business of everyone. In less than 24 hours, we detect crimes and deal with the perpetrators. To ensure efficiency service delivery and good governance, the governor had embarked on civil service reforms. Bello appointed Dr. Folasade Ayoade, a deputy director with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), as Secretaryto Government. Few weeks after her resumption at Lokoja, the state capital, she embarked on a critical evaluation of the civil service. She got to her office one working day around 8. am. The State Secretariat was almost empty. Dr. Ayoade was taken aback at the disposition of the civil servants to work. She instantly commenced an on-the-spot of assessment of the multiple offices; from ministry to ministry, and department to department. Lawyers, human rights activists, politicians, and prominent Nigerians on Monday lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that death awaited ballot box snatchers during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Buhari had stated at APC caucus meeting, I do not expect anybody to cause any disturbance. The security agencies have identified hot spots and flashpoints and should be prepared to move. We have made as much arrangement as possible for them as much as the country can afford. Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or leads thugs to disturb the process, maybe that will be the last unlawful action you will take. We have directed the military and other security agents to be ruthless. We are not going to be blamed that we want to rig elections. The President noted that he did not need anyone to cause violence on his behalf as he was popular enough to win the presidential election without ballot boxes being snatched for him. The President added, I want Nigerians to be respected and let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I am not afraid of that. I went round the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and I think I have enough support across the country to vote for me. So, I want to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life. Buhari inciting military, police against Nigerians PDP National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has said President Buhari in his alleged desperation to cling on to power has given marching orders to the military and the police to help leaders of the APC to oppress voters. He said the Presidents remarks amounted to what he called a declaration of war on the Nigerian voters and a direct incitement against them. Secondus in a statement in Abuja on Monday said , The Presidents confirmation that he has directed the service chiefs to kill Nigerians is nothing but a pre-determined script hatched by the ruling party to create voter apathy and implement their result replacement plans using thugs protected by the military. Its a call for extrajudicial killings Dogara, civil rights groups Also, some civil rights groups and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have described Buharis order as a call for extrajudicial killings. Dogara, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, in his reaction, said, The President said, anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the elections, maybe that would be the last unlawful action you would take. I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless. I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life. Mr Oshiomhole also claims that the PDP was given prior notice of the postponement of the elections. In this context, we categorically deny these false claims and unnecessary blackmail and regard the Presidents statement as a call for extrajudicial killings, considering the fact that there are adequate provisions in our laws to address electoral offences. These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become the victim of a full-blown dictatorship, when one considers that a democratically-elected President would give a directive that is in clear violation of the laws of the land which by his oath of office he is to defend and protect. Dont kill electoral offenders, Falana tells security agents No. My secretary did! There and then, Okonjo-Iweala knew Sanusis letter on the alleged missing $20b was not for any common good. It was part of a grand plan against the then President. And as expected, less than 24 hours after the letter landed in Aso Rock, virtually all media houses were aware of it. How? Sanusi deliberately wanted the letter leaked. And as planned, APC, civil organisations, highly biased local and international media took it up. It was a subject of political discourse till March 28, 2015 Presidential election. Sanusi knew his intentions in 2013/14. He was a strong pro-APC man. Even if money was missing, his aim was not its recovery but the damaging effect the news would have on the Jonathan regime. The culmination was his installation as Emir of Kano; spearheaded by Tinubu and APC and duly delivered by Kwankwaso, then APC beautiful bride. Script followed to the letter. Aim achieved. And now five years on, nemesis is on the prowl. Source: Sir. Samuel O. Ajayi Neymar Real Madrid are keeping abreast of Neymars situation at Paris Saint-Germain and, despite any deal for the Brazilian being difficult, remain keen on the prospect of taking him to the Bernabeu. The 27-year-olds future in Paris is very much up in the air, with Neymar having been tipped to depart in the summer and Barcelona having been heavily linked. Indeed, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had a strong message for the Ligue 1 sides star players, insisting that he will not accept celebrity behaviour and that he only wants players who are willing to give everything. He also insisted that nobody forced the Brazil international, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and has thus missed out on the Copa America, to sign for PSG in the first place. There has also been a shake-up behind the scenes at the club that could affect Neymars future, with sporting director Antero Henrique, who had been a big supporter of the forward, departing and being replaced by Leonardo. According to sources close to the Ligue 1 champions, the Brazilian doesnt hold Neymar in as high regard as Henrique, with Al-Khelaifi insisting Leonardo will have all the sporting powers to make decisions regarding players at the club. And Madrid, for their part, have been alerted to the goings on in Paris and are encouraged by what they see as a potential opportunity to finally get the player to join them. Madrid president Florentino Perez has long been an admirer of the former Barcelona forward having almost signed him as a 14-year-old in 2006, before seeing him join Barca in 2013, and then again missing out on him in 2017 as PSG won the race. The signing of Neymar would be the icing on the cake of what has already been a hugely productive summer for Zinedine Zidanes side. After a disappointing 2018-19 campaign that saw them finish third in the table and suffer humiliation in the Champions League, Los Blancos have reacted by signing five new players including Eder Militao, Luka Jovic, Eden Hazard, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo. And theyre not likely to stop there as Madrid are also keen on Paul Pogba and willing to go head-to-head with Juventus for his signature, with Zidane a huge fan of the Manchester United midfielder. It is unclear whether a move for Pogba would then bring an end to any hopes of signing Neymar, although there are significant hurdles to overcome regardless. The transfer fee for Neymar, who joined PSG for a world-record 222 million (195m/$260m), will undoubtedly be astronomical while his wage demands will also be high. There is also the fact that Madrid possess an already bulging squad that includes a number of star attacking players on big contracts. Signing Neymar would also not only be a case of negotiating directly with the player, with his agents and entourage potentially placing hurdles to overcome in discussions. And there is the subject of rival interest and chiefly Barcelona, who have been wanting to take the player back to Camp Nou and began steps to do just that in November 2018. What does seem clear, though, is that Neymar is destined to leave PSG with it appearing more likely than ever that hell go in the summer and Real Madrid will do what they can do to get him to the Bernabeu, as complex as any move would be. The Police Command in Gombe State has announced the arrest of 12 suspected members of a fake dollar syndicate in the state. Police Public Relations Officer ASP Mahid Abubakar, who disclosed this on Thursday, said that the suspects allegedly specialised in printing and disposing of the currency suspected to be counterfeit. He said operatives of the command acting on credible intelligence arrested the suspects between the Bajoga and Dukku axes. The police spokesman said 563 pieces of counterfeit 100-dollar bills and N265,000 were recovered from the suspects. According to him, the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation. He urged residents of the state to be more vigilant and report suspicious persons and activities to security agencies. A January 31 memo titled, Delay in the payment of January 2024 Salary, from the bursary department of the National Mathematics Centre, Abuja , to all its staff informed them of the development. The Accountant General of the Federation has announced that federal workers will commence receiving their January salaries from Thursday evening (today). The delay is attributed to a glitch in the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) platform. There have been rising concerns over delay in the payment of January salaries of federal workers. The delay was blamed on the non-conclusion of the 2024 appropriation on the GIFMIS platform by the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF). A January 31 memo titled, Delay in the payment of January 2024 Salary, from the bursary department of the National Mathematics Centre, Abuja, to all its staff informed them of the development. The memo referenced NMC/BUR/GC/Vol.1, and was signed by the acting Bursar, Pius Ukwah, who said, We wish to inform you that January 2024 salaries will be delayed beyond normal. As of today, the OAGF is still working on finalising the 2024 appropriation on the GIFMIS platform and as a result, the personnel warrant for January is yet to be released. The memo which copied the Director/CE, the Registrar and pasted on all notice boards stated further, The same situation applies to all MDAs and not just the centre. We regret the inconvenience caused by this delay. Responding to enquiries by Daily Trust on the delay, the Director Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant General, Bawa Mokwa, said the issue had been sorted out and payment would commence today. We have sorted out the issue and workers will start receiving their payment from this Thursday evening, he said. Nollywood actress Eberechukwu Bayray Nwizu has disclosed how Brazilian Butt Lift, BBL, has become one of the requisites for actresses to get movie roles from some producers in the Nigerian movie industry. While speaking on TVCs Wake Up Nigeria programme, the actress encouraged young talents to kick-start their careers using the resources available to them. She acknowledged the advancements in the Nigerian movie industry regarding capital and infrastructure but expressed concern over a decline in the recognition of raw talent. Nwizu noted a shift towards favouring social media influencers by producers for promotional purposes, emphasising the importance of striking a balance between profit-making and talent recognition. Nwizu said: Ten years ago, it was youre not fair enough, youre not tall enough, youre not full enough; now its you dont have BBL. The good news is that now you dont have to conform to them. You can take advantage of any of the streaming platforms, start creating your own content, and grow. We dont have any excuses anymore. There are always going to be those who say, you have to do this to be in my movie. Oba Olatunde Olusola of Imojo-Ekiti, one of the two Ekiti monarchs killed by bandits on Monday, was on course to attain the position of a professor within a year before his tragic demise. The Second-in-Command to the Onimojo, the Elejira of Imojo, Chief Ayodele Dada, disclosed this in a meeting between Ekiti State officials and elders of the community. On Monday, gunmen ambushed and killed the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, along with Oba Olatunde. Meanwhile, the Alara of Ara Ikole-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, managed to escape. We will sorely miss the late Kabiyesi. But in his memory, we appeal to the state government to complete the Imojo Palace project which he began so that we can name it after him to immortalise him. I dont think it would be up to a year for Kabiesi to become a professor, the chief said. Dada regarded the monarchs killing as agonising, stating that the late traditional leader launched several community development initiatives. He urged the government to step up efforts to provide security for the states citizens, expressing regret over the recent spate of kidnapping incidents in the area. Reports of kidnappings are becoming increasingly frequent across various parts of the nation. Also in Ekiti, four staff members and five students from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, were abducted on Monday. A N100m ransom has been requested by their kidnappers to free the nine hostages. At the meeting, the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, expressed his complete trust in the security services to find those responsible for the crime against the traditional institution in Ekiti. He said the government will not stop working to ensure public safety. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Friday that North Korea has focused on staging provocations in an apparent bid to turn the Korean Peninsula into areas similar to the Middle East, with constant risks of military conflicts. North Korea has been ramping up weapons tests in the new year, including the launches of cruise missiles from land and sea and a hypersonic missile. "North Korea appears to intend to make (the Korean Peninsula) a region where constant risks of military conflicts exist, such as the Middle East," Kim said in a radio program. "We should never fall for North Korea's scheme." He said with military provocations, North Korea seems to aim to instigate security jitters and drive a wedge in South Korean society ahead of April's general elections. The North fired several cruise missiles off the west coast Tuesday, the third of such weapons tests in a week. Pyongyang also fired the new Pulhwasal-3-31 submarine-launched cruise missiles Sunday. Seoul's unification ministry said North Korea appears to regularly issue military threats and spark anxiety about security in order to undermine the South Korean people's trust for the government. "The North also intends to draw attention from the international community in a bid to create an atmosphere that North Korea's demand should be accepted for the resolution of a crisis on the Korean Peninsula," Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently defined inter-Korean ties as those between "two states hostile to each other" and ordered the dismantling of agencies in charge of inter-Korean affairs. "There is a view that North Korea's foreign ministry may handle inter-Korean affairs from now on. But the government has a clear stance that the unification ministry should deal with issues related to the ties between the two Koreas," the minister said. Meanwhile, Kim, Seoul's point man on North Korea, said the food rationing system in North Korea has "completely" collapsed amid chronic food shortages, citing a soon-to-be-released report on North Korea's economic and social situations. The ministry plans to make the report public for the first time this month after it compiled information based on interviews with more than 6,300 North Korean defectors. (Yonhap) Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, revealed on Wednesday that he received a near physical altercation from former President Olusegun Obasanjo for suggesting an amendment to the 1999 Constitution during Obasanjos presidency. Olanipekun said while delivering the Convocation Lecture of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. The theme of the lecture was: Mass Exodus Of Human Capital In Nigeria: An Anatomical Analysis of The Causes and Effects. Olanipekun, who described the 1999 Constitution as a fake document, said it was to blame for the myriad challenges bedevilling the country. Every governor goes to Abuja now everyday and who do they go to see, directors, deputy directors. Is this federalism? We need a constitution with a humane face. Im a lawyer but we are deceiving ourselves; our constitution is fake and I have said this over and over, but then as lawyers you will ask us, if we say the constitution is fake, why are we practising it? Lawyers and judges apply the law as it is, not the law as it ought to be; so we apply the law as we have it now and we have been pleading that we should amend the constitution, let us overhaul it. I, as President of the NBA, I led a delegation of the association to President Obasanjo in 2022; he almost boxed me. I am here in Ogun State and Im saying this, he is still alive, he said, No, you cant change it. I said, Mr. President, let us seize this opportunity to do it and we also appeal to the powers that be now, to our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the time for us to restructure this country is now. If we do not do it, these children that we have abroad might not return home, they wont come here. Olanipekun said the current situation of the country was so scary that those living abroad would never come to Nigeria. He said, we are living in dangerous and hard times; our Obas in Yorubaland are being killed, being slaughtered like chickens. The Olufon of Ifon was slaughtered by the roadside about three years ago; two days ago in Ekiti, two Obas were slaughtered, one of them was an Associate Professor at Federal University of Technology, Akure. For those who are there (abroad), when they hear the news, will they want to come home? They ask where do I come to? Nobody wants to come and die, nobody wants to die young, but our Obas are dying even in the gutters. Joblessness, bad economy, frustration, mans inhumanity to man, awkward federation that we described as federalism, we are running a unitary government, Im a product of federalism. I was schooled in the Old Western Region, we were proud of that unlike what we have nowadays. We need a system whereby when these children leave schools, they get employed and if they dont secure one, the state must cater for them. You cant just say let them go and fend for themselves. Yes, they should fend for themselves but provide the enabling environment for that. A fire incident has resulted in the loss of the multi-million naira church auditorium of the Household of David church located on Surulere Street, Adeniyi Jones, in the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State. PUNCH Metro reports that the incident occurred at about 10:00 am on Wednesday. Confirming the incident to The PUNCH correspondent in a phone interview, the Lagos State Fire Service spokesperson, Amodu Shakiri, disclosed that the churchs auditorium ceiling was overheating, which caused it to collapse and ignite a fire. He added that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services Alausa and Ikeja Fire Stations, LASAMBUS, LASEMA, and Red Cross were the relevant agencies present at the scene. Shakiri said the property damaged by the fire included the churchs furnishings and the auditorium. He said, The fire was however made to confine within the churchs auditorium it started from while salvaging adjoining properties. The relevant agencies involved were the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Alausa and Ikeja fire stations, LASAMBUS, LASEMA, and Red Cross. And the property involved in the destruction of the fire included the auditorium and church-hold items. Reacting to the tragedy, the Senior Pastor of Household of David, Olusola Osunmakinde, in a video on Instagram, said, It is a painful experience. According to Osunmakinde, a passerby made fun of him by inquiring, Where was Jesus when this happened? He said the churchs air conditioners, chairs, and other equipment were all burnt. He said, As we know, Mercy Conference starts today, but something happened that I just want to put a message out there to people. I came here this morning, everybody was setting up, everything was going fine. All of a sudden, we started hearing that there was fire and something up there on the roof of the church. I know there will be reactions, and people will say that and that, but that is none of my concern now. The most important thing is this, we thank God no life was lost and we thank God for everything. We are not too discouraged but we believe in God that we will still go on with the conference. It is a painful experience no doubt, even someone walked into the compound mocking, saying, Where is Jesus when this happened? We dont owe people an answer, all we believe is that all things work together. We will not back out because of this but by the grace of God, all things work together for good. Nigerian actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, has been convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment for spraying and stepping on the new Naira notes at a social event in Lagos. This was disclosed in a statement posted on the official X handle of the EFCC on Thursday. According to EFCC, she was sentenced and convicted by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, February 1, 2024. The statement partly read, She was first arraigned on February 13, 2023, by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on two-count charges, to which she pleaded not guilty. She was subsequently granted bail on February 15, 2023. ALSO READ: Naira plunges to record low of N1,515/$1 at parallel market One of the court reads: That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, on the 28th day of January 2023, at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007. The statement however revealed that at the resumed hearing on Thursday, Omoseyin, changed her not guilty plea to guilty, in view of the overwhelming evidence against her. Delivering judgment, Justice Aneke sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment, effective from Thursday, with an option of N300,000 fine to be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the federation. The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has expressed concerns over the poor electricity supply situation in the country caused by a plethora of issues including outstanding subsidy debts, saying Nigeria should migrate to a full cost-reflective tariff regime if the F.G cannot pay for subsidies owed to the market, Arise News is reporting. The Minister also stated that the National Independent Power Plants being operated & managed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Plc were currently suffering under-capacity utilisation of below 25% today due to gas supply constraints. Adelabu made the assertions on Wednesday when he visited the 750 megawatts Olorunsogo Power Generating Plant in Ogun State & the 500mw Omotosho Generating Plant in Ondo State Ekiti State Police Command has apprehended eight suspected kidnappers believed to be involved in the abduction of five pupils and four staff of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure-Ekiti. The gunmen had on Monday ambushed the school bus conveying the pupils and staff to Eporo, a suburb of Emure at a bad spot and whisked them away after the school hour. The kidnappers earlier made N100m ransom but later reduced it to N15m for nine of their victims. The police, in a statement on Thursday, February 1, by the command spokesman, Sunday Abutu, said the suspects were arrested by combined security agencies during a bush combing operation in Ekiti and Ondo forests. According to Abutu, items recovered from the suspects were three cutlasses axe, dagger, a life cow, and food items. Abutu further added that the suspects are currently undergoing investigations while calling on members of the public to support the police with credible and timely information. The statement reads: Following the recent kidnapping of some school children in Emure-Ekiti and the killing of two traditional rulers in Ikole-Ekiti, the Command, to ensure the rescue of the victims and the apprehension of the culprits, deployed the Rapid Response Squad for a bush combing operation in collaboration with the military personnel, Amotekun Corps, Vigilantes, Local Hunters, Members of Agbekoya Group including Policemen and Amotekun Corps from Ondo State. During the operation which was carried out through Emure Forest, Ise/Ogbese Forest to Emure-Ile Forest in Ondo State, the following eight suspects were further arrested in the Forests: YAYA SUMAILA, IDRISU ABUBAKAR, HASSAN ABDULAHI, ABUDULLAHI ABUDULLAHI, HARUNA ABUBAKAR, USMAN ABUDULLAHI, HARUNA SULE including one BABUSA ALHAJI LEDE who was arrested inside Ayedun/ Ayebode Ekiti forest in Ikole Area of the State. Media personality, Daniel Regha has voiced his opposition to the proposed bill by Senator Ned Nwoko, which aims to legalize the possession of firearms by Nigerians for self-defense purposes. Ned Nwoko proposed the firearm bill amidst growing concerns about the safety and security of Nigerian citizens in the face of escalating violence and criminal activities nationwide. Reacting on his Twitter page, Daniel Regha highlighted the potential consequences of endorsing such legislation. The online personality cautioned against the likelihood of exacerbating existing security challenges rather than alleviating them. He said that supporting Nwokos firearms bill would not contribute to resolving Nigerias security predicaments but could, in fact, worsen them. Regha raised questions about the feasibility of ensuring that firearms designated for self-defense would remain in responsible hands and not be misused. The media personality also expressed concerns about the potential for everyday disputes to escalate into violent confrontations. He wrote, Ned Nwokos firearms bill should not be encouraged; This willnt solve the insecurity issue but only worsen it. Lets assume Nigerians are allowed to obtain firearms (legally), whats the guarantee that majority wont missue it, or that these arms wont end up in the hands of criminals? We have seen how many people break bottles over little arguments/misunderstandings, lets not add to our problems. Ned Nwokos firearms bill should not be encouraged; This willnt solve the insecurity issue but only worsen it. Lets assume Nigerians are allowed to obtain firemans (legally), whats the guarantee that majority wont missue it, or that these arms wont end up in the hands of Daniel Regha (@DanielRegha) February 1, 2024 KanyiDaily recalls that Daniel Regha recently highlighted a perceived hypocrisy in how women approach gender equality in different aspects of their lives. Nigerian actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, popularly known as Simi Gold, has been sentenced to six months in prison following her conviction for misconduct during a social event in Lagos. The verdict was delivered by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on February 1, 2024, finding the actress guilty of violating the Central Bank Act. The charges against Simi Gold were filed by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 13, 2023. She faced two counts related to tampering with the sum of N100,000.00 during a social gathering held at the Monarch Event Centre in Lekki, Lagos. The actress initially pleading not guilty to the charges, and was granted bail on February 15, 2023. However, the court ruled that her actions violated Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007, which prohibits the defacement or tampering of Nigerian currency. One of the court charges read: That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, on the 28th day of January 2023, at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007. During the resumed hearing on Thursday, February 1, 2024, Simi Gold changed her plea to guilty in light of the compelling evidence against her. The prosecution counsel, Z.B. Atiku, called Abubakar Mohammed Marafa, an operative of the EFCC, to present the facts of the case. Marafa stated that Omoseyin was arrested by officers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 1, 2023. Omoseyins statement indicated that she attended a friends wedding on January 28, 2023, during which she sprayed N200 and N100 Naira notes. Further investigations included the retrieval of videos on her phone showing the money spray and collaboration with the event center management, who provided video footage of the incident. The prosecution applied to tender evidence from the ICPC, including Omoseyins statement, forensic reports of her phone, video recordings, and statements from the event centers representatives. Justice Aneke admitted these as exhibits and convicted Omoseyin as charged. During the sentencing, Omoseyins defense counsel, Afuye Adegbola, pleaded for leniency, highlighting that she was a first-time offender, a mother, and expressed remorse. Justice Aneke sentenced Simi Gold to six months imprisonment effective immediately, with an alternative option of a N300,000 fine to be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the federation. Simi Gold was arrested by ICPC operatives along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, following the circulation of a video online showing her spraying and stepping on newly redesigned Naira notes at a party. In her statement to the Commission, the actress claimed to have received the new Naira notes from fans at the party and denied knowing the people who gave her the money. At the time of her arrest, a Range Rover was among the items recovered from her possession. KanyiDaily recalls that Simi Gold, whose real name is Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, was handed over to the EFCC following her arrest. Kim and Deborah Clenney have been arrested. The parents of Courtney Clenney, the US-based Instagram model accused of killing Christian Obumseli, her boyfriend were arrested for tampering with evidence. In 2022, Courtney was charged with second-degree murder after a physical altercation resulted in Obumselis death from a fatal stab wound in their Miami apartment. Her lawyers claimed it was an act of self-defense. Cell phone recordings made by Obumseli before his death captured Courtney appearing to be using racial slurs during an argument. Since August 2022, the model has been held in the Miami-Dade corrections and rehabilitation centre. According to a recent report by NBC, Courtneys parents were booked into the Travis county jail in Texas on Tuesday after authorities received warrants to access their iCloud accounts. The authorities said they discovered a group chat among Kim, Deborah, and their daughters attorneys discussing how to access a laptop that belonged to Obumseli. Will be sending the laptop PIN ideas so we can try them before you see her again? authorities claimed Kim wrote on September 26, 2022. They also alleged that Courtneys father asked the group chat again for password suggestions days later, to which Frank Prieto, one of the models lawyers, replied with six options. The authorities further claimed that other messages exchanged included coordination of the laptop transfer between Deborah and Prieto. Kim and Deborah have now been charged with unauthorised access to a computer, a third-degree felony in Florida. The Clenney family attorney, however, condemned the charges as an attempt to manipulate media narratives and discredit them ahead of legal proceedings. It appears excessive in that the family is now confined in jail awaiting an extradition hearing on what may be an attempt to manipulate media headlines and discredit them before Thursdays scheduled hearing on a gag order in the case, the attorney said. Nigerian actor, Chidi Mokeme has revealed that he has nothing else to prove in Nollywood. The actor said this while celebrating 34 years in Nollywood. He spoke via his Instagram page. Sharing a video of himself on a movie set with other household names such as Femi Adebayo, Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye, and Sharon Ooja, Mokeme said he has a good relationship with his colleagues, both young and old. According to him, he loved hearing stories of how his career inspired the younger generation of actors. The 51-year-old said he has nothing more to prove to anyone looking at his years of experience in the film industry. The other day when we gathered to do a thing for @naijaonnetflix we had such a great time bonding and catching up. Yall notice I have a pretty good relationship with all of my colleagues, young and old, he wrote. I love hearing stories of how young they were when they started watching me, and how my craft was instrumental to shaping their aspirations and ambitions. And my goofy side always gets people to brighten up. In my books, a win for one, is a win for all. With almost 34 years of my life invested in this industry, theres nothing to prove to anyone. I choose collaboration over competition. But thats not the story. I love seeing the brightest side of everyone. I loveeet when were all smiling, cos this job can be brutal, I swear. It has been revealed that suspended University of Calabar (UNICAL) professor Cyril Ndifon asked for unclad photos from prospective students as condition for admission into law. This is according to Luci Ogechi, the investigator from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Ogechi testified before the federal high court in Abuja on the sexual harassment allegation against Cyril Ndifon. Ndifon was suspended as dean of the law faculty in August for allegedly sexually harassing some female students. Following protests and a public outcry among the student community at the institution, an investigative panel was set up to probe claims of sexual harassment levelled against him. The panel found the professor, who has since been replaced, guilty of sexual harassment and abuse of office. Last October, the ICPC filed criminal charges against Ndifon. During the trial on Wednesday, Chima, the ICPC investigator who appeared as witness one, told the court that the forensic analysis done on Ndifons phone showed that there were several nude pictures from many contacts. According to NAN, Chima, who was led in evidence by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the commissions prosecuting lawyer, claimed that a diploma student of the university sent pornographic photographs of herself to him through his mobile telephone at different times. James Omotosho, the trial judge, earlier warned journalists against publishing the name or photograph of the star witness the student simply called TKJ who was alleged to have been threatened. Chima, who was speaking on behalf of TKJ, told the court that Ndifon allegedly asked the victim to share her nude photos as a condition for admission to the diploma class, and also for her transition to the LLB Class. She said when Nidfon was approached about the finding, he declined to comment on the allegation. We saw so many nude photos of so many contacts, including the contact of TKJ, the investigator told the judge. TJK was of particular interest to the investigation because TJKs case is a case we observed that nude pictures were requested by the 1st defendant as currency for admission for the diploma class, transiting to the LLB Class. We sought to confront the 1st defendant with our findings and he refused to give his statement. We left him and decided to go on a fact-finding mission to Calabar where we interacted with a student with the aid of a lecturer who identified him for the team. She added that the 2nd defendant, a lawyer, called the victim witness to shun the ICPCs invitation. The victim witness told us that she received a strange call from a lawyer and friend of the 1st defendant who told her not to honour the invitation of the ICPC. We confronted him and he denied it, Chima said. He also made a statement denying he called the victim witness. But a forensic report on the call log and other information from the network provider showed the contrary. He actually called the victim witness. Being a suspect in the matter we retrieve his phone from him. He signed a consent form for the retrieval of his phone. The forensic unit and response from the service provider revealed that the 2nd defendants call to our witness known as TKJ was for 679 seconds. It also revealed that TKJs number was forwarded by the 1st defendant to the 2nd defendant. She told the court that while the phones of the first and second defendants were with the commission, Ndifon approached his service providers for a SIM swap, claiming his phone was missing. She alleged that Mr Ndifon did that to tamper with the commissions investigation. The PW1 also informed the court that while the allegation of sexual harassment had been concluded, that of financial misappropriation was ongoing. My lord, we have an investigation ongoing against him on the financial impropriety allegation while we have concluded that on sexual harassment, she said. Documents used during her investigation were tendered by the prosecution counsel and they were admitted as evidence by the trial judge. Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu, on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to perverse the cause of justice. Omotosho declined to hear the bail applications filed by the pair. The judge subsequently adjourned the matter for the continuation of trial. North Korea on Friday defended its strengthening of nuclear arms as an "indispensable contribution" to maintaining global stability while blaming the United States for pushing the world closer to "nuclear war." The accusation came in response to a report by the British daily Telegraph that the U.S. is planning to place B61-12 nuclear bombs at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in what would mark the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in Britain for the first time in 15 years. "The international community is expressing serious concern that the U.S. moves for bolstering up nuclear force in the European region will further chill the relations between the West and Russia and increase the danger of a nuclear war in the region," Ri Ji-song, a researcher of the North's Society for International Politics Study, said in an article carried by the Korean Central News Agency. Saying the move also threatens global security, the researcher said it goes on to show that Washington is the "chief criminal of nuclear proliferation, mastermind of nuclear arms race and chieftain of nuclear war outbreak." Claiming that such nuclear weapons could be deployed to the Asia-Pacific region for operation on the Korean Peninsula, the North said, "(Its) efforts for bolstering up the nuclear war deterrence are an indispensable contribution to resolutely frustrating the U.S. and its allies' undisguised provocations on a worldwide scale and maintaining the strategic balance and stability of the world." North Korea has been dialing up tensions on the Korean Peninsula in the new year an election year for South Korea and the United States with weapons tests and harshly worded rhetoric. The North recently conducted three cruise missile launches in a week, including a new submarine-launched strategic cruise missile (SLBM), named the "Pulhwasal-3-31." (Yonhap) The Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi has sponsored indigent medical students to study overseas following their evacuation from the war-striken Republic of Sudan. The students, totalling 194 departed Dutse, the state capital on Friday, for Northern Cyprus and India to complete their studies, National Daily Newspaper gathered. The Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Scholarship Board, Saidu Magaji explained that out of the 194 benefitting students, 184 were placed at the Near East University Cyprus, while 10 others were admitted into the Integral University, India. Magaji added that all the students were initially sponsored by the state government to study in Sudan before the civil war broke. He further explained that out of the 110 female, and 74 male beneficiaries, 192 of them were to study medicine while two others will study Artificial Intelligence, and Pharmacy respectively. ALSO READ : West Ham United draw 1-1 with Dominic Solankes AFC Bournemouth Magaji also disclosed that the State Government doled out N2.3 billion for the Cyprus university students tuition fees, accommodation, living allowance, VAT Resident Permit among others. Furthermore, National Daily Newspaper gathered that the Executive Secretary further disclosed that N102.1 million was spent on the students going to India. He added that the benefiting students have signed a mandatory bond to serve the state for two to five years upon completion of their studies. Magaji said: At the end of their studies after the NYSC they will come and serve the state for five years. If it is a two years programme, they will come and serve the state for two years so that the state will benefit from the skills they have acquired, National Daily Newspaper gathered. Activist and social commentator, Comrade Boniface Okonkwo, has expressed confidence in emerging victorious in his ongoing court trial. Okonkwo had been in detention since January 3, 2024 after being arrested following a complaint by businessman, Sir Emeka Offor. The South Africa-based social critic has taken the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, Emeka Offor and five others to court over alleged unlawful arrest and detention. He demanded N50 million fine from the police as compensation for his unlawful detention. He was reportedly arrested in his Oraifite community in Anambra State and clamped into detention by Police for allegedly criticizing on social media, a meter manufacturing company in Oraifite, said to be owned by Offor. But rather than sue for defamation, Offor filed a complaint with the police. He was arraigned at the Nnewi High Court on Wednesday on defamation, but was denied bail by Justice Vincent Agbata who adjourned the matter till Tuesday, February 6 for hearing. Speaking with newsmen shortly after the court sitting, Okonkwo said he was not unruffled by the ruling and number of lawyers standing in for the complainant. I want to tell everyone that all is well. Im strong and on a high spirit. I thank God for his grace and mercy. I want everyone to know that God is the greatest, he said. Counsel to the defendant, Sebastian Okonkwo expressed disappointment at the court ruling, wondering why his bail application for the accused would be turned down. He said, In the first instance, I was unaware of my client being arraigned in court. I was only called few hours to prepare for the court sitting. Secondly, the charge brought against him was no longer on cyber crime as earlier stated, but on defamation under Anambra State Criminal Code. I applied for his bail, but the Counsel for the complainant opposed to the bail application on the grounds that it is a High Court and that application wont be oral. The matter was adjourned to Tuesday next week for us to file motion for bail. But what surprised me was that after the whole arguments, I expected the court to grant him bail because the law is sacrosanct and clear on that. If its a misdemeanour, you grant the accused bail. And this is a pure case of misdemeanour, not a felony or capital offence. Any judge would have granted him bail without delay. But the lawyers for the state came up with the argument that the accused, in his statement to the Police said he lives in South Africa for almost 14 years. According to the lawyers, theyre not sure hell remain in Nigeria and likely to run away if granted bail. Even when we told the court he has a surety which is the essence of bail until the matter is disposed. Again, for the fact that he lives in South Africa or any other part of the world is not a basis for his escape, unless theres any other reason for the court to believe. Remember, the young man was arrested in the village, and there has not been any manifest act to show that hell jump bail if granted. This is very painful. But as a lawyer who believes in the rule of law, well wait for the Judge to deliver his ruling on Tuesday so the young man will not continue being detained. Related Five ministers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) have been abducted on their way to attend the churchs Ministers Conference in Lagos. General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye announced the abduction on Friday at the Redeemed Camp along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Adeboye, while charging the congregation to pray for the release of the abductees, said the abduction took place on Thursday along the Ijebu-Ode axis. Ogun Police Command confirmed the kidnapping of five persons by gunmen at J3/J4 Area, Ogbere, on the Benin-Ijebu-Ode-Sagamu expressway, but could not ascertain whether or not the captives were pastors of RCCG. Speaking with journalists on Friday in Abeokuta, the police spokesman in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the victims were on their way from the eastern part of the country when the commercial bus conveying them was blocked on Thursday night by the gunmen at a location between Ogun and Ondo states boundary. The police spokesman said that the gunmen after forcing the vehicle to a halt, whisked away four men and a woman into the forest, but left behind the driver, a sick passenger and his wife in the vehicle. Oyeyemi said the states Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, had personally led the police rescue team to the location. The International Monetary Fund has said Nigeria needs to reduce fuel subsidy at a time when oil prices are low in order to bring about more productive government spending. The IMF, in its new Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa, said growth in the region was projected to remain at 3.2 per cent in 2019 and rise to 3.6 per cent in 2020. It said subsidies and other transfers from the government averaged more than five per cent of Gross Domestic Product (or 25 per cent of expenses) as of 2017 for sub-Saharan African countries with available data. The Washington-based fund said, Fuel subsidies tend to be poorly targeted, foster over-consumption, curtail investment and maintenance in related sectors, and crowd out more productive government spending. Some countries need to take the opportunity afforded by low oil prices to reduce fuel subsidies to free up additional fiscal space (Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal), as was done in Mozambique and South Sudan and is being pursued by Burkina Faso. The federal government had on May 11, 2016 announced a new petrol price band of N135 to N145 per litre, a move that signalled the end to fuel subsidy payment to private marketers. But the government later resorted to subsidy regime following the increase in the landing cost of petrol on the back of rising crude oil prices, with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the sole importer of the product, bearing the burden of the subsidy. The IMF in its 2019 Article IV Consultation on Nigeria noted that phasing out implicit fuel subsidies while strengthening social safety nets to mitigate the impact on the most vulnerable would help reduce the poverty gap and free up additional fiscal space in the country. The IMF said there was also a scope to re-examine how to improve the effectiveness of other types of subsidies, citing Malawis farm input subsidy programme as an example The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday solicited the support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fight economic crimes in the country. An inter-agency meeting between CBN officials and representatives of the EFCC noted the abuses of the financial system and said culprits may be barred from opening bank accounts in the country. A statement by the CBN spokesperson, Isaac Okorafor, at the end of the meeting at the Head Office of the CBN headquarters in Abuja, said participants shared experiences and identified challenges in the fight against economic and related crimes. The two agencies adopted strategies aimed at curtailing the unwholesome activities of economic saboteurs which include smuggling of commodities like rice, textile materials, fertiliser, wheat and other items on the prohibition list for accessing foreign exchange through the official window, as well as tracking illicit financial flows, Mr Okorafor said. He said other areas the CBN and the EFCC sought collaboration include anti-money laundering activities as well as monitoring of politically exposed persons in the country. The inter-agency meeting, chaired by the Director, Governors Department of the CBN, Jeremiah Abue, also agreed to improve information-sharing and surveillance of the financial sector. The CBN under the auspices of the Bankers Committee had said that individuals or corporate bodies found complicit in economic crimes or attempting to circumvent the countrys economic laws and regulations may be barred from operating a bank account in Nigeria. In June 2015, the CBN announced the classification of 41 items as Not Valid for Foreign Exchange. The classification was part of the banks monetary policy to conserve the supply of foreign exchange to promote the growth of key sectors of the economy with potentials of higher productivity, to create jobs and contribute to the resuscitation of the economy. Most of the items affected by the policy included those that could easily be produced in Nigeria, rather than spend the countrys foreign reserves to import. The affected items include rice, cement, margarine, palm kernel, palm oil products, vegetable oils, meat and processed meat products, vegetables and process vegetable products, poultry, tomatoes/tomato paste, soap and cosmetics and clothes. Other items are private aeroplanes/jets, Indian incense, tinned fish in sauce, cold rolled steel sheets, galvanized steel sheets, roofing sheets, wheelbarrows, head pans, metal boxes/containers, enamelware, steel drums and pipes, wire mesh, steel nails, wood particle boards and panels. Also affected were security and razor wire, wood particle and fibre boards and panels, wooden doors, furniture, toothpicks, glass/glassware, kitchen utensils, tableware, tiles (vitrified, ceramics), textiles, wooden fabrics, plastic/rubber products, polypropylene granules and cellophane wrappers. The list has since been made to include two other items, textiles and fertiliser. Business Before Hours Wednesday, Jan. 31 McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington Guests at this early morning McLean County Chamber of Commerce networking event got to wander the beautiful American Renaissance structure with seven exhibit galleries, more than 18.000 objects, over 15,000 rare and hard-to-find books and 2,000 feet of historical papers and images. This non-profit organization is a nationally accredited museum, which puts it in the three percent of museums across the nation who can make that claim. Museum executive director Julie Emig spoke of the many innovative programs and exhibits including the Merwin Gallery, the Pantagraph Negatives Collection, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk and Senior Reminiscence programs For more information on this jewel of McLean County, go to mchistory.org. How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region. 100 years ago Feb. 2, 1924: With a public dinner and meeting at the Consistory Temple Friday, the movement for a public playground system in Bloomington will be inaugurated. The gathering will comprise members of all the luncheon clubs of the city, many organizations of women, the labor unions and any other interested persons. 75 years ago Feb. 2, 1949: Property owners in the area between Washington and Market streets just west of the GM&O tracks voted Tuesday to go ahead with the construction of a water main which will provide them with city water for home use and fire protection. 50 years ago Feb. 2, 1974: It'll be a case of a familiar face, but a new name on a drug store at 1118 E. Oakland. The Moore's Pharmacy signs came down this week and will be replaced with Harold Ryan Pharmacy signs. Ryan, of 110 Ruth Road, purchased the pharmacy from G.M. Moore 3 1/2 years ago. 25 years ago Feb. 2, 1999: The average Illinois temperature of 55 degrees in 1998 was the third-warmest on record, according to the Urbana-based Illinois Water Survey. Only 1931's average of 55.3 degrees and 1921's 55.6 degrees rank higher. Vintage Pantagraph newspaper ads for medicine, 'magic' remedies Clover Blossom Extract - Nov. 15, 1883 St. Jacobs Oil - July 14, 1887 Castoria - July 26, 1892 Rheumatic Ring - May 29, 1894 Beefmalt - May 29, 1894 Wakefield's Cough Syrup - Feb. 13, 1908 S.S.S. - April 23, 1908 Olive Tablets - Nov. 20, 1911 Cold-go - Dec. 11, 1911 Dr. Danby - Dec. 11, 1911 Allcock Plasters - March 2, 1917 Olive Tablets - Feb. 23, 1918 Laxative Bromo Quinine - Oct. 16, 1918 Bayer Tablets of Aspirin - April 24, 1919 Bayer Tablets of Aspirin - April 29, 1919 Snake Oil - Nov. 22, 1919 Beecham's Pills - Nov. 22, 1919 Snake Oil - Nov. 29, 1919 Doan's Kidney Pills - March 8, 1920 Bayer Tablets of Aspirin - Sept. 21, 1920 J.C. Hutzell's Eczema Treatment - Nov. 11, 1922 Gude's Pepto-Mangan - April 2, 1923 O-Joy Corn Wafers - March 4, 1930 Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription - March 19, 1930 666 Tablets - March 25, 1930 Cuticura - March 25, 1930 Geo-Mineral - Dec. 8, 1948 Anacin - Jan. 16, 1963 Liquiprin - Aug. 27, 1970 Icy Hot - Nov. 20, 1977 CHICAGO A Cook County jury on Thursday convicted a man of murdering a longtime civilian employee of the Chicago Police Department in 2015. William Cochran, 26, was convicted of 10 counts of murder and attempted murder after a week-long trial in the killing of John Buckner, 59, known as Buck. Another man was injured in the shooting. Buckner was the uncle of Kam Buckner, a state representative who ran for mayor in 2023. The jury deliberated for several hours Thursday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building before arriving at a verdict in the nearly decade-old killing. Cochran was 18 when he was accused of shooting Buckner in his Morgan Park neighborhood on Sept. 16, 2015. Three people on bicycles pulled out handguns and opened fire on five others sitting on a porch across the street, then turned and fatally shot Buckner as his wife and grandson watched the scene unfold, Cook County prosecutors said at a bond hearing shortly after Cochrans arrest. Buckner and his wife threw themselves to the ground to try to avoid the gunfire, but Buckner was hit in his side and later died at a hospital, prosecutors said. Buckners wife suffered a chipped tooth, cuts to her chin and face, and a busted lip in her bid to escape the gunfire, according to prosecutors. Police at the time said the shooting appeared to have stemmed from a gang fight in a neighborhood park, and they did not believe Buckner was the intended target. Buckner had proudly bought a new Dodge Charger just before the shooting, according to Tribune stories, and was unloading groceries from it shortly before the attack. He worked for the Chicago Police Department for 25 years, and had handled equipment and supplies for the department when he was killed, police said. Hes part of the family, a deputy chief said after the slaying. The Chicago Police Department is a family, whether youre sworn or civilian." Photos: Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2023 Brandon Johnson - 2023 Brandon Johnson - File Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 BELLEVILLE Police found the body of a 41-year-old man in a burned-out garage shed in downtown Belleville last month, 10 days after firefighters extinguished a fire and cleared the scene. The family of the victim, Trent Tuttle, who had been living on the streets for years, is wondering how that could happen. "I'm not trying to blame anyone, but I am looking for answers," said his mother, Judi Yates, who last saw her son on Jan. 8, when the two went "scrapping" (looking for metal to sell). Yates' son Marcus Tuttle waited a few days, hoping his brother would reappear, then filed a missing-person report with Belleville police on Jan. 13. The fire occurred early Tuesday morning, Jan. 9, in a garage shed behind a condemned two-story brick building at 520 N. Illinois St. It's widely known as a place where homeless people stay. Fire Chief Stephanie Mills said Thursday that firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire with heavy smoke and followed "standard protocol" by conducting a quick initial search for occupants and later a more in-depth search once the situation was under control. "They did not find anything," Mills said. "The conditions of the structure were unstable. There were holes in the floor of the attic area, and they did the best that they could on scene at that time." Mills confirmed that a body was found on Jan. 19 "between two walls" on the upper level of the garage shed. The fire's cause is still under investigation, she said. Family and friends spent days looking for Trent Tuttle and passing out missing-person flyers before people on the street told them his body was "in a wall" of the garage shed, according to his mother, who said she called authorities and begged them to take another look. "If I hadn't led them here, my son would still be here," said Yates, 61, fighting back tears while standing outside the garage shed Wednesday. Trent Tuttle used methamphetamine and preferred homelessness to staying with family or friends because it required him to answer fewer questions, his mother said. She believes he became addicted after taking painkillers for back surgery more than 10 years ago. Bitterly cold weather On Jan. 19, police initially searched the garage shed with a cadaver-sniffing dog that detected no body, according to Yates and Marcus Tuttle. They said it was because Trent Tuttle's body was frozen. Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits that week and twice dropped below zero. Yates said authorities told the family that Trent Tuttle died of smoke inhalation, that his body wasn't burned and that he was wearing no coat or shoes, which she found odd given the bitter cold. Marcus Tuttle, 37, an auto-body technician, said he suspected foul play when he heard that his 6-foot-5-inch, 185-pound brother was found in a wall, but after a police detective referred to it as a "cubby hole," it made more sense to him. "Maybe he was just trying to keep warm," Marcus Tuttle said. "You can heat up a small area easier than trying to heat up a big area." Marcus Tuttle said he sees why firefighters were being cautious on Jan. 9 while searching the garage shed since its upper level was unstable, but he doesn't understand how they could deem a burned building "clear" without inspecting every inch. Family friend Jenn Carlson, 34, hopes that Trent Tuttle's death was an accident, but she has an uneasy feeling. "What if it was made to look like an accident?" she asked. Assistant Chief Mark Heffernan, spokesman for Belleville Police Department, declined to be interviewed Thursday about the missing-person case due to the open death investigation and the fact that homeless and transient witnesses haven't yet been located. Heffernan emailed the following statement: "During the time Tuttle was missing, detectives interviewed numerous subjects known to be acquaintances with Tuttle, conducted checks at several hospitals and rehab facilities, conducted canvasses for digital evidence, applied for a search warrant for Tuttles' social media and cell phone data, checked several local law enforcement detention facilities, checked local homeless shelters, checked several vacant structures in the City, all with no success in locating Tuttle." Yates questioned why police hadn't distributed information about her son's disappearance or death publicly as of this week. "We asked for a press release, and the detective said 'no' because it was an open investigation," she said. "He said once you put a press release out there, (people are) not going to talk to you, especially the homeless." 'Infectious' sense of humor Friends and family describe Trent Tuttle as an artistic, kind and energetic man and a sharp dresser with an "infectious" sense of humor and a knack for bringing people together, despite his drug habit. Trent Tuttle graduated from Belleville East High School, worked in roofing and rehabbing as a younger man and recently earned money by doing odd jobs and selling scrap metal. He was divorced with two children. Trent Tuttle regularly saw Judi Yates and her husband, Doug Yates, some of his six siblings, other family members and friends, including Carlson and her boyfriend, Dylan Rea, who live a block away from the condemned building on North Illinois. He got around on a bicycle. "He was caring," Carlson said. "He had a big heart. He was polite. He was mannerly. He went out of his way to help people." Trent Tuttle had a long police record, with most charges related to drugs (meth and cannabis possession and delivery) or homelessness (camping in a public place, open burning and dumping garbage). Judi Yates said she knew that Trent Tuttle slept in the condemned building sometimes, so she got a bad feeling when she and Marcus Tuttle drove past it on the morning of Jan. 9 and saw fire trucks. Yates wonders why none of Trent Tuttle's "buddies" told firefighters he was in the garage shed when the fire broke out. "They were probably afraid of getting into trouble," she said. The city of Belleville has posted signs calling the condemned building "unfit for human occupancy or use" and telling people to keep out. Several windows are broken out, and rooms are filled with trash and debris. When asked if anyone had warned firefighters that a person might be in the burning garage shed, Fire Chief Mills said, "There were two passersby toward the end of operations, as I understand it, that asked if we had found anyone. They did not say there was someone." At one point, Yates said, an acquaintance of Trent Tuttle told her that his frozen body had been seen in a different abandoned building near the old Maxwell's restaurant, leading police to search that area. Today, the gray-sided garage shed off North Illinois is still standing but gutted, full of charred items and surrounded by orange plastic fencing. The yard is strewn with trash and debris, including propane tanks, a metal shopping cart, cooler, backpack, furniture and clothes. Graffiti messages such as "WATCH YOUR BACK" and "WE SEE YOU" are scrawled on walls. A memorial service for Trent Tuttle will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Caseyville Moose Lodge 4. "You always think somebody's going to be there," Marcus Tuttle said. "You never think, 'One day I'm not going to have them.' I thought we would be older before something like this happened." Photos: Illinois State Fair political days through the years 2012 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2015 State Fair 2015 State Fair 2015 State Fair 2007 State Fair 2008 State Fair 2008 State Fair 2009 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2005 State Fair 2004 State Fair 2003 State Fair 2003 State Fair 2006 State Fair 2007 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2018 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2021 State Fair 2021 State Fair Some Nigerians on Wednesday offered prayers over what they described as the countrys worsening economic situation. Muslim traders in Nigerias biggest textile market, Kantin Kwari, in Kano state came out of their shops to pray on the streets saying they need Gods intervention on the economy. One of the shop owners Hamisu Sani told the BBC that the situation has become unbearable for many as feeding is now a major problem for them. We offered this special prayer so that God can help us because we dont know what our leaders are doing about this (the economy). A bag of rice and sugar are now out of reach for a poor person, we want God to help us," he said. In recent years, food prices have been on the rise across Nigeria. The situation was made worse as a result of the impact of government policies such as the removal of subsidies on petrol. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Stronger computing power lays solid foundation for China's digital economy Xinhua) 08:56, February 02, 2024 HEFEI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's artificial intelligence (AI) and intelligent speech giant iFLYTEK has launched a new version of its AI-powered large language model, Spark Desk 3.5, which is completely trained by domestic computing power. The new model unveiled on Tuesday features a major upgrade of seven capabilities, including mathematics, language understanding and coding, said Liu Qingfeng, chairman of iFLYTEK. The company debuted Spark Desk in May last year, and by the end of 2023, a total of 27,000 developers had developed 49,000 apps based on this model, transforming their various innovations into products and services. As of October 2023, 238 large-scale models had been launched in China, according to official data. The total scale of China's computing power has ranked second in the world, and the number of AI enterprises has exceeded 4,400, said Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology, at a recent conference. Computing power, algorithms and data are regarded as the basis of the digital economy. By 2025, the added value of the core industries of the digital economy will account for 10 percent of China's GDP, according to the 14th Five-Year Digital Economy Development Plan issued by the State Council. Driven by the needs of a booming digital economy and large language models, developing stronger computing power has become the focus of China's strategic layout. Origin Wukong, China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer, went into operation on Jan. 6, in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. The quantum computer is powered by Wukong, a 72-qubit indigenous superconducting quantum chip. It is China's latest and most advanced programmable and deliverable superconducting quantum computer. Not long ago, also in Hefei, "Jiuzhang 3.0," a quantum computing prototype was unveiled, capable of solving Gaussian boson sampling problems 10 quadrillion times faster than the world's existing fastest supercomputers. According to an industry report, China's scale of intelligent computing power reached 260 EFLOPS in 2022 and is expected to reach 1,117 EFLOPS in 2027, realizing a compound annual growth rate of 33.9 percent. The stronger computing power has integrated with various industries and injected new impetus into the digital economy. Large-scale models have been used in various industries, including automotive, finance, education, energy and the medical field, to achieve more intelligent and high-efficiency design, production and services. Regions across China have rolled out a slew of measures to boost computing power infrastructure development. Shanghai, for example, has launched the computing power trading platform and public computing power service platform. Southwest China's Guizhou Province plans to build a base providing computing power to the whole country. Kong Weicheng, deputy director of the Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center, said quantum computing will further strengthen computing power, driving new productive forces in the future. "The future goal is that quantum computing can provide more stable and practical computing power, contributing to stronger computing power in China, together with supercomputing and intelligent computing," said Kong. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) North Korea fired several cruise missiles off the west coast Friday, the South Korean military said, in the latest in a series of the North's cruise missile launches this year. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the North's launch at around 11 a.m. from its west coast. It did not specify the number of missiles. "While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military has been closely coordinating with the United States to monitor additional signs of North Korea's provocations," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters. It marked the North's fourth cruise missile launch this year. The latest launch comes just three days after the North conducted a test of the Hwasal-2 strategic cruise missile off the west coast. On Jan. 24, North Korea said it test-fired an unspecified number of Pulhwasal-3-31 cruise missiles from its west coast for the first time. The North fired submarine-launched cruise missiles Sunday over the East Sea and later said they were Pulhwasal-3-31s. Cruise missiles, powered by jet engines, fly low and maneuver, making them harder to detect and intercept. Hwasal means an "arrow" in Korean, and Pulhwasal means a "fire arrow." The cruise missiles add threats to the South Korean air defense system at a time when North Korea has been improving capabilities of ballistic missiles with varying ranges, warheads and launch platforms. Experts say the submarine-launched cruise missiles could pose a serious threat to South Korea's air defense system if perfected, as they are harder to detect and shoot down due to their low-flying altitude and precision strike capabilities. (Yonhap) Victims of last December's oil terminal explosion in Guinea's capital, Conakry, that left 20 dead, have protested against what they call the failed promises of the military government to help rebuild their houses. In addition to those who were killed at least 240 others were injured in the inferno. Buildings were damaged, windows were blown out and residents were forced to flee their homes. Hundreds of those affected held an impromptu demonstration on Thursday, which was led by women, and paralysed activity in Kaloum, the administrative and business centre of Conakry. They carried placards with messages such as "we don't want false promises, stop the killings", "Guinea is suffering. Kaloum is suffering and We are tired! Our children are in danger!. Demonstrators blocked the highways in the morning, preventing workers from getting to their offices. They also condemned the government's cut in food aid, the high prices of food items, as well as internet and media restrictions. After hours of protest, the police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video One cannot visit South Africa without going to the site created purposely to celebrate the revered freedom fighter and first black president of the rainbow nation, Nelson Mandela. Drakensburg in the KwaZulu Natal Province, is situated at the capture site of Nelson Mandela, to make visitors relive the events before he went into incarceration for twenty-seven years (27). Join MzGee, the presenter and producers of United Showbiz on UTV and together in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, show how they own the moment in Drakensburg. 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 Caretakers at the Antoa Nyamaa shrine have directed the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Wontumi, and the Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, to return to Manhyia to resolve their differences before a curse placed on the latters head can be lifted. According to them, based on the two persons narratives at the shrine, it appears that the matter was not properly resolved at Manhyia, making it difficult for them to perform any rites to overturn the curse. This came to the fore when Wontumi and the Kokosohene visited the sacred place yesterday to overturn the curse placed on the Kokosohene by Wontumi. The duo has recently made headlines after it was revealed that Wontumi had cursed the Kokosohene with the dreadful Antoa Nyamaa, asking the river deity to strike the chief and his family dead for wrongfully accusing him for passing derogatory remarks again Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. The matter was sent to the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi last week, where the Asante chiefs instructed Wontumi and the Kokosohene to visit Antoa on Thursday to perform the needed rituals to overturn the cause, but this was not made to be. At the shrine, Wontumi denied making insulting remarks about Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II during the vetting of NPP Ashanti Regional parliamentary candidates, whereas Kokosohene said that he (Wontumi) did. Also, Wontumi reportedly admitted that he cursed the Kokosohene with the Antoa river deity out of anger because he believed the chief was falsely accusing him of a crime he had not committed. The guardians of the Antoa shrine firmly declared that they could not carry out the procedures to lift the curse since the case had not been adequately settled after carefully listening to both Wontumi and the Kokosohene. They then, ordered Wontumi and the Kokosohene to return to the Manhyia Palace, Otumfuos seat in Kumasi, for the case to be properly settled before the two could return to the shrine to have the curse lifted. The Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) yesterday cleared the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard AntwiBoasiako aka Chairman Wontumi of any insulting remarks made about the Asantehene during the NPPs parliamentary vetting process. The Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, who is the Chairman of the NPP Manhyia South Council of Elders, made the claims against Wontumi. During a confrontation with the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, the chief accused Wontumi of insulting the Asantehene and lodged a complaint before the KTC. 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 Henry Nana Boakye, the National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party, has implored the government to, with immediate effect, withdraw the emission levy imposed on vehicles. The government announced the imposition of a levy on carbon dioxide equivalent emissions on internal combustion engine vehicles in accordance with the Emissions Levy Act, 2023 (Act 1112). The Emissions Levy is in line with the governments efforts aimed at tackling greenhouse gas emissions, promoting the use of eco-friendly technology, and ensuring a safe environment. But many Ghanaians, particularly car owners, drivers, and motorists, have complained bitterly about this emission levy, citing the economic burdens it adds to their plight. Nonetheless, the government, through the Ghana Revenue Authority, has effected the levy. The implementation of the emission levy came into force yesterday, February 1. Addressing this levy during a panel discussion on Peace FMs Kokrokoo show, Henry Nana Boakye, affectionately called Nana B, asked the government to pay attention to the cries of the masses. He told the host, Nana Yaw Kesseh, that the government must stop the implementation of the levy. The government must withdraw with immediate effect. It is unnecessary...What is Emission Levy?" he slammed the government. He emphasized, "We all admit that the COVID and Russia-Ukraine war brought economic pressure. We don't have to further burden Ghanaians...For me, that emissions levy must be withdrawn ASAP. Lets listen to what the grassroots are saying. Im the National Organizer of my party; I listen to my people. He also cautioned the government against the imposition of VAT on electricity consumption. This must be withdrawn in addition to the VAT on electricity," he exclaimed. He noted that his call for the withdrawal of these taxes is supported by the ruling New Patriotic Party. "I am not stating my individual position. That is the position of the party." 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 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: Electrochemical sensors can combine affordability, rapid detection, miniaturization, convenience, easy of use, high selectivity and in situ pesticide detection. Credit: Paulo Augusto Raymundo-Pereira Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) and the Federal University of Vicosa (UFV) in Brazil have developed a sustainable sensor that can be placed directly on the surface of a vegetable or fruit to detect the presence of pesticides. Known for this reason as "plant-wearable," it is made of cellulose acetate, a material derived from wood pulp. The device has the potential to help assure food safety in a world that increasingly suffers from a shortage of food and the environmental and health problems caused by excessive use of agrochemicals. The study is published in the journal Biomaterials Advances. Pesticides are widely used to raise crop yields and are typically applied by spraying, but only 50% reach their target. The rest ends up in soil, groundwater, surface water, raw drinking water, wastewater and food products. Monitoring of pesticide levels in water, soil and food is therefore essential to prevent contact between these toxic substances and the public via the skin, lungs or digestive system. The analytical tools most often used for this purpose are chromatographic techniques, which are effective but have drawbacks such as the need for pretreatment of samples, expensive equipment and qualified laboratory specialists, as well as the long time taken to complete the analysis and lack of portability. The unsafe residues produced by organic solvents are also a significant problem under present-day conditions. "As an alternative, electrochemical sensors can combine affordability, rapid detection, miniaturization, large-scale production, convenience, ease of use, high selectivity and in situ pesticide detection. Our invention has all these features. The analysis is performed directly on the surface of fruit, vegetables or leaves. Hence the term plant-wearable," said Paulo Augusto Raymundo-Pereira, last author of the article and a researcher at the Sao Carlos Physics Institute (IFSC-USP). "However, instead of the usual materials, which are environmentally unsustainable and take a long time to degrade, such as ceramics or plastic polymers derived from petroleum, we used cellulose acetate, a material derived from plants that has little impact on the environment and disintegrates completely in 340 days or less depending on local conditions. Of course, it has to have appropriate characteristics for any sensor, including low cost, portability and flexibility." The biodegradable cellulose acetate substrate was produced by a casting method in which the material was placed in a space with the required shape, and the full electrochemical system with three electrodes was deposited by screen printing. The researchers carried out laboratory tests in which a solution containing carbendazim, a fungicide, and paraquat, a herbicide, was sprayed on lettuce and tomatoes in a simulation of real-world use. Paraquat was banned by the European Union in 2003 owing to its harmful effects on humans but is still used in Brazil. The sensor was then directly attached to the lettuce and tomatoes, and measurements showed a level of detection compatible with those obtained with polyethylene terephthalate, the sensor material most frequently used for this purpose. Excessive pesticide levels The study also investigated whether washing and immersing vegetables in a liter of water for two hours was effective in removing pesticide residues. The results showed removal of 40% of the carbendazim and 60% of the paraquat from lettuce, and 64% of both from tomatoes. "Washing and immersion were clearly insufficient to remove residues of the pesticides. At least 10% remained in the leaves or peel," Raymundo-Pereira said. The technology can be useful for sanitary surveillance agencies worldwide, he added, as well as sellers of organic produce to certify absence of pesticides. Farmers generally can use it to monitor levels of pesticides in the field and be sure of applying only the requisite dose to each crop or part of a plantation. Pesticide use could decrease as a result, while yields will still rise, leading to lower consumer prices. More information: Samiris Cocco Teixeira et al, Sustainable plant-wearable sensors for on-site, rapid decentralized detection of pesticides toward precision agriculture and food safety, Biomaterials Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213676 Journal information: Biomaterials Advances Provided by FAPESP 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: As the Norwegian fleet was excluded from U.K. fishing grounds, the vessels were forced to areas where fishing was less efficient. The catch per fishing trip nearly halved, prompting a doubling in the number of trips per vessel. Consequently, the fuel used per kilo of mackerel caught more than doubled. Credit: Roar Bjanesy/Norges Sildesalgslag In a study published in Marine Policy, researchers have unveiled striking evidence that fisheries management decisions such as spatial fisheries restrictions can increase greenhouse gas emissions. The study, conducted by a team of scientists led by postdoctoral researcher Kim Scherrer at the University of Bergen, sheds light on the unforeseen consequences of policy changes on fishing fleets and their carbon footprint. In the North Atlantic, international agreements often allow fleets to follow the fish across national borders. This allows fishers to catch the fish where it is most efficient. But when the U.K. left the EU (Brexit), Norway's mackerel fishing fleet was suddenly excluded from fishing grounds in the U.K. Using Brexit as a natural experiment, the researchers used open fisheries data to unravel the consequences for the Norwegian mackerel fishery. The findings reveal an alarming shift in the fishery's performance and carbon emissions due to the changes in fishing practices. How could Brexit lead to a doubling of the carbon footprint of Norway's mackerel fishery? This video explains the findings of a new study on fishery emissions and area restrictions, performed by researchers at the University of Bergen, RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and Fiskebat. Credit: Espen Vike (Studio Vike) and CCO Music: "Final Thoughts" by Apex Music (Uppbeat.io) As the Norwegian fleet was excluded from U.K. fishing grounds, the vessels were forced to areas where fishing was less efficient. The catch per fishing trip nearly halved, prompting a doubling in the number of trips per vessel. Consequently, the fuel used per kilo of mackerel more than doubled. Because of this change, an extra 23 million liters of fuel were needed each year, costing about 18 million more. This also released an extra 72,000 metric tons of CO 2 into the air annually. The area restriction thus undid about 15 years of progress in fuel efficiency in Norway's pelagic fisheries. "This small change in fisheries' regulations unintentionally caused as much annual CO 2 emissions as half a million within-EU return flights," said Scherrer, emphasizing the necessity of considering emissions in fisheries management. "It is important that governments that have signed the Paris agreement avoid squandering emissions like this." The study underscores that policymakers and managers need to consider fuel efficiency trade-offs in marine spatial management, ensuring a balance between conservation efforts, other offshore industries, and reduced carbon footprints. More information: Kim J.N. Scherrer et al, Spatial restrictions inadvertently doubled the carbon footprint of Norway's mackerel fishing fleet, Marine Policy (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106014 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: Example of recurrent change. Still images from video dictionary entries that illustrate the phonological pattern of thumb extension. Both signs are produced with four fingers extended, but the sign for "work" in New Zealand SL (left) is produced without thumb extension, whereas the sign for "work" in British SL (right) displays thumb extension. Credit: Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.add7766 [From: www.spreadthesign.com]. An international team of linguistics experts has traced the origins of the most common modern sign languages using a computer model to compare them against one another. The research is published in the journal Science. In this new effort, the research team noted that while studies have traced the linguistic history of written languages, little work has been done on the origin of sign languages. They state that there are more than 300 sign languages used by hearing-impaired people around the globe, and little is known about their origins or how they might have impacted one another. Sign languages, like spoken and written languages, are unique to groups or cultures, with many corresponding to their written counterpartsthere is a Spanish sign language, for example, and French, Spanish and Japanese. For this new study, the research team sought to learn more about their origins by dissecting the way words in languages are formed using the hands. They first focused their efforts on 19 major sign languages, sorting words into what they describe as core vocabulary attributeszeroing in on the hand shape for "tree," for example, as opposed to "oak tree." They then entered the core words into a database to conduct a computational analysis of the glossaries for all the languages under study. Screen recording of real-time coding process for the sign ALL in British Sign Language. Credit: Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.add7766 As part of that analysis, the modeling took into account physical attributes used to form words and concepts, such as whether they were formed using one or two hands, handshape, hand location and movement of hands and arms. The researchers also programmed their model to conduct a phylogenetic analysis as part of the comparisons between languages to investigate shared traits or similarities in word expression. The research team was able to build family trees of sign languages, with a major split between European and Asian sign languages. They were also able to associate changes or additions to sign languages based on known historical events. For example, they determined that when leaders in France greatly expanded the country's deaf education system in the 18th century, French sign language matured and became a strong influence on other sign languages. The model also allowed the team to discover previously unknown associations, such as those between British and Western English sign language varieties. More information: Natasha Abner et al, Computational phylogenetics reveal histories of sign languages, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.add7766 Journal information: Science 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: The volcano has been active for thousands of years, erupting most recently in 1967, 1969 and 1970, devastating British and Chilean bases and forcing the evacuation of an Argentine base. On Deception Island in Antarctica, steam rises from the beaches, and glaciers dot the black slopes of what is actually an active volcanoa rare clash of ice and fire that provides clues to scientists about what life could look like on Mars. The horseshoe-shaped isle in the South Shetland Islands is the only place in the world where ships can sail into the caldera of an active volcano. In the waters here, some 420 kilometers (260 miles) from Chile's Port Williams, fish, krill, anemones and sea sponges survive, while unique species of lichen and moss grow on the surface in an ecosystem of extreme contrasts. The island, uninhabited by people, is home to perhaps the world's largest colony of chinstrap penguins, seabirds, seals and sea lions. The volcano has been active for thousands of years, with the most recent eruptionsin 1967, 1969 and 1970devastating British and Chilean bases and forcing the evacuation of an Argentine base. Yet life always returns and thrives on an island where water temperatures in steam vents, or fumaroles, have been measured at around 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit), even as air temperatures can plummet to -28 degrees. It is "similar to Mars because there what we have is a planet with (a part of) immense volcanic activity ... where currently there are very cold conditions," Spanish planetary geologist Miguel de Pablo told AFP. "It is the best possible approximation that we can make to understand Mars without stepping on" that planet, added de Pablo. Horseshoe-shaped Deception Island, in the South Shetlands, is the only place in the world where ships can sail into the caldera of an active volcano. A rich history The analysis of rocks on Deception Island complements the work of engineers, scientists and astronomers who study Mars from afar. In 2023, researchers with the US space agency NASA concluded that Mars once had a climate with cyclical seasons, conducive to the development of life, according to evidence found on the red planet by the Curiosity rover. Scientists believe an immense volcanic eruption changed the planet's atmosphere and led to the appearance of oceans and rivers that later evaporated. Even though temperatures on Mars are far lower nowestimated by NASA at about -153 degrees Celsius"Antarctic conditions can help us understand if the conditions for the development of life could, or could have, existed on Mars," said de Pablo. Another Mars rover, Perseverance, landed on the planet in February 2021 to look for signs of past microbial life. The island is also home to perhaps the world's largest colony of chinstrap penguins, seabirds, seals and sea lions. The multitasking rover will collect 30 rock and soil samples in sealed tubes to be sent back to Earth sometime in the 2030s for lab analysis. The South Shetlands are claimed by Britain, Chile and Argentina but are not administered by any one country. The 1959 Antarctic Treaty states they shall be used "for peaceful purposes" and guarantees "freedom of scientific investigation." Deception Island, first visited by British sealers in 1820, has a rich history, with abandoned scientific bases and an old whaling station rusting in the icy air. Wilson Andres Rios, a researcher and captain of a Colombian navy frigate conducting a scientific expedition in Antarctica, said the hunting of seals and whales from the island in the early 20th century was "indiscriminate." In 1931, a Norwegian whaling station on the island closed when the price of whale oil slumped. The island, first visited by British sealers in 1820, has a rich history, with abandoned scientific bases and an old whaling station rusting in the icy air. Deception Island is a popular spot for tourist cruises to Antarctica. Then, in 1944, Britain established a base there as part of a secret wartime mission to occupy Antarctic territories. After several evictions and eruptions, the island is now dedicated to scientific research. And, under the scientists' wary eyes, thousands of tourists now arrive on cruises. That phenomenon, said Natalia Jaramillo, scientific coordinator of the Colombian expedition, is "worryingly increasing." 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Applications from a single feedstock. A, Batch of as-cast, dried N 63 . B, Freestanding film of N 63 . C, N 63 60 spoon and fork. D, Demonstration of N 63 60 as a rigid spoon to scoop peanut butter. E, Demonstration of N 63 60 as a rigid fork to pick up a piece of cheese. F, Demonstration of N 63 110 as a pressure-sensitive adhesive. G, Demonstration of N 63 60 immediately failing as an adhesive. Credit: Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5009 A team of molecular engineers have developed a type of plastic that can be shape-shifted using tempering. In their paper published in the journal Science the team, from the University of Chicago, with a colleagues from the US DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, the National Institutes of Standards and Technology and the NASA Glenn Research Center, describe how they made their plastic and how well it was able to shape shift when they applied various types of tempering. Haley McAllister and Julia Kalow, with Northwestern University, have published a Perspective piece in the same issue of Science outlining the work. Over the past several years, it has become evident that the use of plastics in products is harmful to not only the environment but also human healthbits of plastic have been found in the soil, the atmosphere, the oceans, and the human body. Consequently, scientists have begun looking for ways to reduce the amount of plastic that is created, used and dumped into the trash. In this new effort, the research team has created a type of plastic that can be converted to something new once its initial purpose has been exhaustedusing tempering. A plastic bag holding food, for example, could be converted to a fork or spoon. To allow for such shape-shifting, the researchers developed a type of plastic using a dynamic cross-linked approach that was based on the reversible addition of thiols to benzalcyanoacetatesa process known as a "Michael addition." The resulting plastic was of a type that could be modified by tempering, which is where a material is heated to a certain point, then chilled quickly. Tempering is most often associated with metalwork. Demonstration of N 63 60 spoon rigidity while scooping peanut butter. Credit: Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5009 The researchers found by that heating the plastic to temperatures ranging between 60C and 110C, then transferring it to a standard food freezer, they could create different objects from the same material based on a whim. They created a spoon first, which they used to scoop peanut butter from a jar. They then used tempering to change the spoon to a fork, and then to an adhesive material capable of holding two panes of glass together. However, tests showed that there was a limit to the number of times the plastic could be changed, which was seven times. After that, it began to degrade. More information: Nicholas R. Boynton et al, Accessing pluripotent materials through tempering of dynamic covalent polymer networks, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5009 Haley P. McAllister et al, Plastics that lose their temper on demand, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adn3980 Journal information: Science 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: Simulated "mobility highways" of farmer-herder interactions overlaid with the geolocated archaeological sites dated between ca. 3600 and 2200 before present. Credit: Xinzhou Chen The 1 million-square-mile Tibetan Plateauoften called the "roof of the world"is the highest landmass in the world, averaging 14,000 feet in altitude. Despite the extreme environment, humans have been permanent inhabitants there since prehistoric times. Farming and herding play major roles in the economy of the Tibetan Plateau todayas they have throughout history. To make the most of a difficult environment, farmers, agropastoralists and mobile herders interact and move in conjunction with one another, which in turn shapes the overall economy and cultural geography of the plateau. A new study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and Sichuan University in China, published Feb. 2 in Scientific Reports, traces the roots of the longstanding cultural interactions across the Tibetan Plateau to prehistoric times, as early as the Bronze Age. The researchers used advanced geospatial modeling to compare environmental and archaeological evidence that connects ancient mobility and subsistence strategies to cultural connections forged among farmers and herders in the Bronze and Iron Ages. Their findings show that these strategies influenced the settlement pattern and the transfer of ceramic stylessuch as the materials used, characteristics and decorative features of the potteryamong distant prehistoric communities across the plateau. The research was an enormous undertaking made possible thanks to advances in geospatial data analysis and high-resolution remote sensing, according to Michael Frachetti, a professor of archaeology in Arts & Sciences at WashU and corresponding author of the study. First, the researchers generated simulations of the optimal pathways of mobility used by prehistoric farmers and herders based on land cover and capacity of the environment to support the needs of their crops or herds. For example, highland herders typically move across zones with rich grass resources toward the more limited arable niches on the plateau. Repeated patterns emerging from these simulations were shown to statistically correlate with the geographic location of thousands of prehistoric sites across the Tibetan Plateau. To test how these routes may have affected social interaction, the team compiled a large database of published archaeological findings from Bronze and Iron Age sites throughout Tibet and generated a social network based on shared technologies and designs of the ceramics found in these sites. The resulting social network suggests that even distant sites were well-connected and in communication thousands of years ago across the Tibetan landmass. "When we overlay the mobility maps with the social network, we see a strong correlation between routes for subsistence-oriented mobility and strong ties in material culture between regional communities, suggesting the emergence of 'mobility highways' over centuries of use," Frachetti said. "This not only tells us that people were moving according to needs for farming and herdingwhich was largely influenced by environmental potentialbut that mobility was key for building social relationships and the regional character of ancient communities on the Tibetan Plateau." Their findings also revealed an interesting caveat: The western part of Tibet did not match these patterns as well as the east. According to the authors, this suggests an alternative cultural orientation toward Central Asia, where similar mobility patterns connected prehistoric communities to the west. These east/west differences have been observed in other archaeological studies, they said. "Archaeologists have been seeking to understand how and why ancient human communities build social relationships and cultural identities across the extreme terrain in Tibet for decades," said lead author Xinzhou Chen, who earned his doctorate from WashU in 2023 and now works at the Center for Archaeological Sciences at Sichuan University. "This research provides a new perspective to explore the formation of human social cohesion in archaeology." More information: Geospatial modelling of farmer-herder interactions maps cultural geography of Bronze and Iron Age Tibet, 3600-2200 BP, Scientific Reports (2024). dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50556-9 Journal information: Scientific Reports Vice Unification Minister Moon Seoung-hyun on Friday emphasized the importance of North Korean defectors, calling them "precious assets" who can serve as South Korea's link to the North Korean people. Moon made the remarks as South Korea has been putting an emphasis on supporting the settlement of North Korean defectors and improving the dire human rights situation in the North. In a Cabinet meeting last month, President Yoon Suk Yeol called for embracing the North Korean people, saying they have the "same rights as us to enjoy freedom, human rights and prosperity." Yoon also instructed the ministry to designate a day for North Korean defectors. "North Korean defectors, for us, are a link to the North Korean people and very precious assets for unification as they have experienced both South and North Korea," Moon said at a meeting of 20 government ministries and three provincial governments to discuss support measures for defectors. "Every citizen should be aware that North Korean defectors are contributing to the country's capabilities for preparing for unification, as well as national development," he said. The vice minister vowed to swiftly designate a day for the defectors as instructed by Yoon and draw up more effective measures to support them. The total number of North Korean defectors in South Korea had reached 34,078 as of the end of last year, according to ministry data. (Yonhap) 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: Potential area for cultivation of selected grain legumes in Switzerland. Credit: Communications Earth & Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-01139-z ETH Professor of Agriculture and later Federal Councilor Friedrich Traugott Wahlen, whose 125th birthday is being celebrated this year, endeavored to increase the self-sufficiency of Switzerland's food supply. He became famous for staving off an impending famine during the Second World War with a "cultivation battle," also known as the Wahlen Plan. The main aim of this plan was to feed more people per hectare of cultivated land and to distribute what little food there was more fairly. To this end, more potatoes and vegetables such as beans were planted instead of animal feed. So where are we now almost 100 years later? This is precisely the question explored in a new study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. In this vein, Prof. Achim Walter discusses a "cultivation battle" for legumes. Dependent on imports Switzerland loves its meat and dairy products. The livestock needed to meet this demand is partly dependent on concentrated feed, some of which is produced on farmland. However, to provide farmers with some predictability in their operations, we have also made ourselves dependent on feed imports from abroad, particularly low-cost soy from countries such as Brazil. The pandemic and other global crises have shown us how vulnerable supply chains can be. This makes the call for a higher degree of self-sufficiency all the more understandableand the most efficient way to achieve this is to utilize our arable land differently, and in particular, to obtain protein from other sources. In 2020, around 60% of Switzerland's arable land was used to grow animal feed, while grain legumesi.e., pulses such as peas, soy or field beansaccounted for only 2.3%. Legumes can feed more people per hectare, they are healthier, require less water and space than livestock farming and do not cause any methane problems. To compare: during Wahlen's lifetime, the Swiss ate 30kg of meat per person per year; today, it's around 50kg. If we ate less meat, livestock numbers would fall. As a result of this reduction, Switzerland could avoid having to import feed, or it could increase its self-sufficiency since more space would be available for growing food for human consumption. More legumes, fewer CO 2 emissions A brief aside on greenhouse gas emissions: Imports of soy from regions with laxer environmental regulations cause ecological problems, including deforestation and high levels of CO 2 emissions. In addition, 85% of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland are attributable to livestock farming. This corresponds to around 14% of the country's total emissions. Legumes are clearly the better choice. Legumes are also good for the soil. They take nitrogen from the air and release it into the earth, which has a positive effect on crop rotation and reduces the need for nitrogen fertilization. This is of particular interest as excess nitrogen is a problem for Switzerland. In fact, the country needs to cut nitrogen levels by 20% between now and 2030. Less animal production would also mean less manure, and in turn, a smaller nitrogen surplus. Making the transition easy In view of these clear advantages, the question arises: Why has agriculture held off for so long on increasing its cultivation of legumes? I believe one reason is that Swiss farmers who grow legumes for direct human consumption didn't start receiving direct payments until January 2023. Furthermore, it remains financially more lucrative to produce meat thanks to something called the "refinement of protein." Farmers feed cheap grain they grow themselves to their livestock. They then market the meat at a high price. Even if farmers want to move away from this system, they are often carrying heavy debt on their livestock stables and so cannot get out quickly on their own. At present, it would hardly be economically worthwhile for a farmer to produce legumes on a large scale. So how can we support farmers so that they voluntarily make the switch? Agriculture must be actively involved in Switzerland's efforts to achieve net zero emissions. Let's face facts: This not only calls for the federal government to change its direct payment and pricing policy, but it also means that we all have to change our consumption habitsin other words, we need to eat more plant-based protein products from Switzerland. Farmers need security and long-term sales channels in order to mitigate the economic risk of a system change. To create these sales channels, we must also establish production facilities and processing chains for plant proteins. Then it will be possible to scale the market successfully: In most cases, it's not really the bean itself that's in demand, but the products that come from it. That goes for international markets, too. Perhaps we'll soon see not only Swiss chocolate made from coffee beans as a successful product on the market, but also Swiss plant steaks made from our own legumes. Better plants and better dialogue We also need to improve plants by breeding them to be more resilient to climate change. If the plants are resistant to pests, they deliver a more stable yield. And we could also use breeding to increase plants' nutritional value; for example, by increasing their iron content and thus making legumes even more attractive as a meat substitute. Why not have an open dialogue with farmers about which farms would be prepared to change systems and under what conditions? The situation calls for transitional periods and step-by-step solutions. Dialogue and compromise are part of the Swiss DNA, and I hope this strength will come to the fore herein the interests of greater self-sufficiency and ecology. More information: Beat Keller et al, Swiss agriculture can become more sustainable and self-sufficient by shifting from forage to grain legume production, Communications Earth & Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-01139-z Journal information: Communications Earth & Environment This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: After fertilization, the egg cell (purple) releases zinc ions (blue dots), which changes the shape of the green protein on the surface of a sperm. As a result, the sperm can no longer dock to the egg cell. Credit: Paulina Pacak, ETH Zurich Researchers at ETH Zurich recently developed highly realistic simulations of the proteins on sperm and egg cells coupling together before they fuse. These findings enabled the research team to solve several mysteries of fertilization at once, which could help to accelerate development of more targeted infertility treatments. Penetration of an egg cell by a sperm cell is a fundamental step in procreation, happening dynamically and seemingly without problems. However, if you zoom in on the processes that take place during fertilization at a molecular level, it becomes highly complex, and it is thus not surprising that 15% of couples worldwide struggle to conceive. No microscope, however modern, can illuminate the countless interactions between the proteins involved. Therefore, the exact trigger for the fertilization process and the molecular events that transpire just before the fusion of the sperm and egg have remained murkyuntil now. With the help of simulations on Piz Daint, the supercomputer of the Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS), a research team led by ETH Zurich Professor, Viola Vogel has now made the dynamics of these crucial processes in the fertilization of a human egg cell visible for the first time. According to their study, which was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers' simulations have succeeded in revealing important secrets. Special protein complex enables the fusion process It was previously known that the first specific physical connection between the two germ cells is an interaction of two proteins: The JUNO, which is located on the outer membrane of the female egg cell, and the IZUMO1 on the surface of the male sperm cell. "It was assumed that the combination of the two proteins into a complex initiates the recognition and adhesion process between the germ cells, thereby enabling their fusion," says Paulina Pacak, a postdoctoral researcher in Vogel's group and first author of the study. However, based on the crystal structure scientists had not yet been able to clearly describe the mechanism. The ETH research team finally succeeded in doing this in their latest simulations. In order to create a realistic environment in the in-silico experiment, the researchers needed to simulate JUNO and IZUMO1 in an aqueous solution. In water, however, the protein moves, and the interactions with the water molecules change both the way the proteins bind to each other and, in some cases, the function of the proteins themselves. "This makes the simulations much more complex, also because water alone already has a highly complex structure," says Vogel, "but the simulations provide a more detailed picture of the dynamic of the interactions." The simulations on Piz Daint spanned 200 nanoseconds each and showed that the JUNO-IZUMO1 complex is stabilized by a network of more than 30 short-lived contactsthe individual bonds lasted less than 50 nanoseconds each. According to the researchers, a deeper understanding of these network dynamics of the rapidly changing formation and breaking of individual bonds presents new possibilities for the development of contraceptives, as well as for better understanding mutations that affect fertility. From the petri dish to in silico experiments: With the help of high-resolution simulations, the team led by ETH Professor Viola Vogel succeeded in visualizing what must happen between the two proteins JUNO and IZUMO1 on the egg (Oocyte) and sperm surfaces to induce the fertilization. Credit: Research Group of Viola Vogel / ETH Zurich Zinc ions regulate bond strength With these network dynamics brought to light, the researchers then investigated how these vital protein binding could be destabilized. Zinc ions (Zn2+) play an important role here: If they are present, IZUMO1 bends into a boomerang-like structure as shown by the simulations and, as a result, IZUMO1 can no longer firmly bind to the JUNO protein. According to the researchers, this could be one reason why the egg cell releases many zinc ions immediately after fertilization in a so-called "zinc spark." This flood of zinc is known to prevent further sperm from penetrating the egg cell which would otherwise cause aberrant development. "We can only find out something like this with the help of simulations. The findings that we derive from them would hardly be possible on the basis of the static crystal structures of the proteins," emphasizes Vogel. "The highly dynamic process of fertilization takes place far away from the equilibrium. As available protein structures show them embedded in the crystal, resources such as those at CSCS are essential to capture and understand these interaction dynamics." Folic acid binding by IZUMO1 Thanks to the simulations, the researchers were able to unravel another mystery too: How naturally occurring folates and their synthetic equivalents, folic acids, bind to the JUNO protein. Expectant mothers are generally recommended to take folic acid supplements before a planned pregnancy and during the first three months to support healthy neural development in the fetus. However, laboratory experiments have shown that the JUNO protein does not bind with folate in aqueous solution, even though JUNO itself is a folate receptor. The molecular dynamics simulations have now shown that Folate binding is possible once IZUMO1 binds to JUNO. Only then can the folate enter the presumed folate-binding pocket of JUNO. These new discoveries are not only of fundamental interest for structural biology. They also provide a detailed basis for the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients. According to the researchers, the decoded dynamic mechanisms of the interaction between the JUNO and IZUMO1 proteins could point to new ways of treating infertility, developing drug-based non-hormonal contraceptive methods, and improving in vitro fertilization technology. More information: Paulina Pacak et al, Molecular dynamics of JUNO-IZUMO1 complexation suggests biologically relevant mechanisms in fertilization, Scientific Reports (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46835-0 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 Humanity's quest to exploreand, perhaps eventually, colonizeouter space has prompted a great many ideas about how precisely to go about it. While conventional wisdom suggests that space launch via rockets is the best way to send human beings into orbit, other "non-rocket" methods have been proposed, including a futuristic "space elevator." The concept of a space elevatoressentially a sky-high cable that would let humans climb into spacehas been championed by some industry experts as a way to overcome the astronomical costs associated with sending people and cargo into space by rocket, says Alberto de la Torre, assistant professor of physics at Northeastern. "Current launch systems are predominantly single-use and typically exceed $10,000 per kilogram of payload, totaling around $60 million per launch," de la Torre says. "Here's where space elevators are appealing." First imagined by Russian rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in the late 19th century, the space elevator would extend from the ground through the atmosphere, then past "geostationary orbit," an altitude where objects in spacepulled in by the Earth's gravityorbit more or less in tandem with its rotation. Geostationary orbit is roughly 22,236 miles above the Earth's surface. Effectively, a cable would descend from a satellite structure anchored in geostationary orbit that would act as a "counterweight" down to Earth. Theoretically, a satellite positioned beyond geostationary orbit would act to stabilize the cable through a combination of forces: the Earth's gravitational pull, which would exert a downward force on it from the ground, and the centrifugal force of its rotation, which would exert an upward force on the cable from space. The interaction of forces would create an ideal tensiona tautnessnecessary to sustain a cable of such length, de la Torre says. "The key element of a space elevator is its cable, positioned at the Earth's equator and synchronized with the Earth's rotation," de la Torre says. No proof of concept exists for a space elevator. While there have been several attempts at architectural designs, including an award-winning design by a British architect that recently bore a six-figure prize, numerous technical obstacles have kept the space elevator decades out of reach. "A cable of such length [more than 22,236 miles above the Earth] isn't feasible with standard materials," de la Torre says. "If made of steel, the maximal tension it faces at geostationary orbit exceeds its tensile strength rating by over 60 times." For an Earth-based space elevator, strategies to reduce tensile forces, or the ability of a material to withstand tension, are crucial, he says. But there are some materials that carry promise. Boron nitride nanotubes, diamond nano threads and grapheneall materials with "low density and high tensile strengths"could fit the bill, de la Torre says. "Carbon nanotubes are proposed as an ideal material due to their high tensile strength," he says. "Recent research has raised concerns about the feasibility of translating their nano-scale properties to megastructures." In the long-run, the space elevator's promise lies in its potential to make trips to outer space significantly more economical. "The cost of putting a payload beyond a geostationary orbit can be cut to just a few hundred dollars per kilogram," de la Torre says. "While the initial investment in a space elevator might be substantialakin to the expense of developing and launching the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit, the costs could be recouped after successfully launching a mere few tons of payload," he says. "With the continuous evolution of materials sciences, space technology and engineering, the concept of space elevators shouldn't be ruled out in the not-so-distant future," de la Torre says. Until those breakthroughs in materials science arrive, the space elevator may only continue to serve as fodder for science fiction enthusiasts. "Space elevators, in essence, hold the promise of transforming humanity into a spacefaring civilization," de la Torre says. "They could present a safe, cost-efficient avenue to bring into orbit the heavy payloads needed for hypothetical space stations, asteroid mining or developing extraterrestrial habitats." This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu. 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: Nucleic Acids Research (2024). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae055 A study at the University of Cologne's CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research has identified a protein complex that is activated by defects in the spliceosome, the molecular scissors that process genetic information. Future research could lead to new therapeutic approaches to treat diseases caused by faulty splicing. The genetic material, in the form of DNA, contains the information that is crucial for the correct functioning of every human and animal cell. From this information repository, RNA, an intermediate between DNA and protein, the functional unit of the cell, is generated. During this process, the genetic information must be tailored for specific cell functions. Information that is not needed (introns) is cut out of the RNA and the important components for proteins (exons) are preserved. A team of researchers led by Professor Dr. Mirka Uhlirova at the University of Cologne's CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research has now discovered that if the processing of this information no longer works properly, a protein complex (C/EBP heterodimer) is activated and directs the cell towards a dormant state, known as cellular senescence. The results appear under the title "Xrp1 governs the stress response program to spliceosome dysfunction" in Nucleic Acids Research. All eukaryotes (i.e. organisms in which DNA is enclosed within the cell nucleus) have a spliceosome. This is a machine that performs "splicing," the removal of introns and linking exons to form messenger RNA (mRNA). Malfunctions in the spliceosome lead to diseases known as spliceosomopathies, which may affect many different tissues, and manifest as retinal degeneration or myelodysplastic syndrome, a group of bone marrow diseases affecting the blood. In the study, the Uhlirova lab used the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, a fruit fly, to investigate how cells within a developing organism respond to spliceosome malfunction. The scientists used a combination of genomics and functional genetics to determine the role of individual genes and interactions among them. The study showed that cells suffering from a defective spliceosomal U5 snRNP (U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle) activate a stress signaling response and cellular behaviors that are characteristic of cellular senescence. The senescence program changes crucial functions of the cells. It prevents cells from dividing while stimulating their secretion. Senescence is triggered to preserve cells that are damaged, as their immediate elimination would cause more harm than good. However, senescent cell accumulation can have a negative impact on a tissue as well as the whole organism. Therefore, these cells are ultimately eliminated. Uhlirova's team identified the C/EBP-heterodimer protein complex, Xrp1/Irbp18, as the critical driver of the stress response program caused by faulty splicing. Upregulation of Xrp1/Irbp18 in damaged cells led to increased protein production and induced a senescence-like state. "Senescence is a double-edged sword," said Uhlirova. One advantage of senescent cells is that they are not all eliminated by cell death at the same time, thus maintaining the integrity of the tissue. After all, partially intact tissue is better than none at all. However, these cells create problems in the long term, as their accumulation promotes disease and aging. "A functioning spliceosome is a basic prerequisite for healthy cells, tissue and the entire organism," she concluded. "Additional investigation of the stress signaling program we have identified will be important to further unpack the complex responses triggered by defects in the essential machines controlling gene expressionand how we can influence them." In the future, the results could contribute to the development of therapeutic approaches to treat diseases that are caused by malfunctions of the spliceosome. More information: Dimitrije Stankovic et al, Xrp1 governs the stress response program to spliceosome dysfunction, Nucleic Acids Research (2024). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae055 ATLANTIC CITY A judge unfroze the bank account of the independent expenditures committee Jersey Freedom on Thursday, but did not rule on whether a lawsuit can proceed alleging the group broke election reporting law. Superior Court Assignment Judge Michael Blee said he will rule by March 15 on whether the case will proceed in court or be turned over to the state Election Law Enforcement Commission, which claims primary jurisdiction in the case. The New Jersey Republican State Committee and state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, sued Jersey Freedom just before the Nov. 7 general election, saying the group had not followed campaign reporting law and was trying to split the GOP vote with sham conservative candidates to benefit Democrats. On Nov. 3, Blee froze the assets of Jersey Freedom and enjoined it from making any more expenditures in the election. Lawyers for both Jersey Freedom and ELEC argued Thursday that ELEC has primary jurisdiction in the case and it should now be dismissed or referred to ELEC. Jason Sena, general counsel to the New Jersey Republican State Committee, argued it is important for candidates to be able to come to court for emergency relief when a group is acting improperly before an election. Once an election is over, its over, Sena said. Even if a party violates (the law) and ELEC later fines that party ... it is not an effective enough deterrent ... People will gladly pay the fine as long as their person wins the election. Jersey Freedoms lawyer, William Tambussi countered by saying a lawsuit can improperly stop political speech. ELEC moves to assert jurisdiction in Jersey Freedom 'dark money' lawsuit The state Election Law Enforcement Commission is asserting its "primary jurisdiction" over investigating and punishing election reporting violations in a proposed amicus brief in a lawsuit against the "dark money" group Jersey Freedom. Jersey Freedom, based in Queens, New York, funded ads and mailers in the 2nd and 4th legislative districts. It did not file reports on its donors with ELEC until after the election. At that time, Jersey Freedom filed disclosure reports showing it had raised $225,000 from Brighter Future Forward, a South Jersey Democratic super PAC. Tambussi, who has represented the Camden County Democratic Party since 1989, has consistently said the group followed New Jersey law and was not obligated to disclose its donors before the election. Tambussi has said the Election Transparency Act passed by the Legislature and signed into law in April removed some requirements for independent expenditure committees and said the group didnt violate the new law. ELEC has not yet finalized regulations regarding the new law, ELEC attorney Edwin R. Matthews said Thursday. In the 2nd District, which covers most of Atlantic County, Jersey Freedom promoted the candidacy of Libertarian Shawn Peck, who dropped out of the race when he realized the group was actually working for Democrats. He then endorsed Republican incumbent candidate Polistina, who won reelection. In the 4th District, Jersey Freedom promoted a supposedly conservative third party candidate, Giuseppe Costanzo, for Senate against Christopher Del Borrello. But Costanzo did no campaigning, the suit said. Both lost to Democratic Assemblyman Paul Moriarty. The 4th District covers parts of Camden and Gloucester counties and Buena and Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County. Norcross says GOP feud over his company about a bruised ego and power struggle Camden County Democratic powerbroker George Norcross has joined the fray in a feud between Atlantic County Republican leaders over the county hiring a company affiliated with Norcross' Conner Strong & Buckelew insurance firm. Jersey Freedoms contact person in the ELEC filing is listed as Shane Walsh, of Egg Harbor Township, but Republicans alleged the paperwork provided no contact information for Walsh. ELEC asserted its primary jurisdiction over investigating and punishing election reporting violations in an amicus brief filed in January. The Commission ... respectfully requests that this Court either dismiss the allegations of report violations or in the alternative refer jurisdiction over the alleged Campaign Reporting Act violations to the Commission, the ELEC brief states. Legislative intent was for the Commission to be the initial forum for resolution of any violations of the Campaign Reporting Act, said ELEC acting Executive Director Joseph Donohue in a certification also filed Tuesday. A trial court ruling could negatively affect the commissions legislative mandate of primary jurisdiction, Donohue argued, resulting in the publics and the regulated communitys inability to rely upon the Commissions uniform administration of the Campaign Reporting Act. A Pleasantville man will serve 21 years in prison for selling heroin to a person who later died of an overdose and leading a drug ring while serving time in the county jail, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Friday. Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury Jr. sentenced Emery Chapman, 44, Thursday on charges of leading a narcotics trafficking network, possession of heroin with intent to distribute and strict liability for causing a drug-induced death. Upon his release, Chapman will be subject to five years of parole supervision. He is ineligible for parole for nine years. Chapman supplied heroin to Galloway Township resident Brian Whitted, 61, in December 2018. Whitted later sold that heroin to a Galloway man who died from an overdose after ingesting the heroin, the Prosecutor's Office said Friday in a news release. Chapman pleaded guilty in September to causing a drug-induced death, while Whitted pleaded guilty in March 2022. Whitted was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is still serving his time, the Prosecutor's Office said. In 2020, while Chapman was in custody at the Atlantic County jail and in Georgia, investigators found Chapman was overseeing a narcotics distribution network with the help of Tennille Lee, Teresa Lockhart and Ebony Chapman. Emery Chapman used contraband cellphones to buy drugs from Philadelphia and resell them in Atlantic County, the Prosecutor's Office said. The investigation resulted in 19,650 bags of heroin being seized, or about 9 ounces. Lee, 47, of Atlantic City, and Lockhart, 37, of Millville, both pleaded guilty to drug distribution charges in exchange for a recommended sentence of five years in prison. Ebony Chapman, 43, of Absecon, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Her sentence is expected to be probation, the Prosecutor's Office said. All three are scheduled to be sentenced later this month. Atlantic City resident Juanita J. High had no children of her own, but during her decades in the resort and through her involvement with education, she impacted the lives of thousands of young people. High, 93, died Jan. 24 at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida, where she was a winter resident. High taught English at Atlantic City High School. She was the first executive director of the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund through the state Department of Education. She had ties to Stockton University in Galloway Township for more than 40 years. Atlantic City Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz is one of the people whose life was changed by High. Shabazz was a student in 1968 at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania, the nations first historically Black college, when he was expelled for seeking greater accountability for the Black students. Shabazzs father told him he had to get a job, head back to college or enter the service at a time when being in the military meant heading off to fight in the Vietnam War. I didnt know what I wanted to do. I was in a quandary, Shabazz said. Shabazz was walking the streets of Atlantic City when he ran into High, whom he knew as a teacher and a community leader, though he had never had her as an instructor. By this time, High was the director of the EOF. She encouraged him to apply to Rutgers Universitys Livingston College, which he had never considered. She was my secret adviser at Rutgers, in the background. She was intelligent, well-read and articulate, a stickler for grammar, Shabazz said, adding he graduated from Rutgers in 1971. Shabazz said a City Council resolution will be passed on behalf of High during its Feb. 21 meeting. She was opinionated in a good way, Shabazz said. She was very passionate about social justice and civil rights, an activist in the intellectual sense. ... She encouraged people to be active and civilly engaged. Besides Atlantic City High School and Stockton, High was involved in St. James A.M.E. Church in Atlantic City, where she was part of many clubs, including the senior choir. High also was a charter member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Theta Kappa Omega Chapter; and a member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Iota Chapter; and held regional and national positions within both organizations. Anne Rosenberg, current president of the Atlantic City Education Foundation, met High during the 1970s, when Rosenberg was the director of the Foster Grandparent Program and High was involved with the Atlantic City Tomorrow Leadership Program, which she founded. She expected you to know what you were doing, why you were doing it and to do it well. She didnt tolerate fools, Rosenberg said. High was inducted into the Atlantic Countys Womens Hall of Fame in 2000, and Rosenberg was inducted in 2011. Rosenberg used to see High at the organizations annual induction ceremonies. IN THEIR WORDS: Juanita High Juanita High grew up in Atlantic City, and spent her career in education. She was a very good representative of education, Atlantic City and womanhood. She was dynamic, Rosenberg said. Highs greatest impact was arguably at Stockton, where her affiliation lasted more than four decades. The Atlantic City High School graduate was the first full-time affirmative action director at Stockton, special assistant to the president and, later, executive assistant to President Vera King Farris. High went on to serve as a consultant for Stocktons Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, became an active member of the universitys Foundation Board of Directors starting in 2002, and served as a member of the Council of Black Faculty and Staff. High coordinated the CHEER (Civility, Harmony, Education, Environment and Respect) program at Stockton, conducting workshops and other activities designed to eliminate prejudice, racism and violence in schools statewide. In 2022, High received the Trailblazer Award by the Stockton University Black Alumni Association. Also in 2022, High was one of four women portrayed in a mural, located on the side of the former Midtown Grocery building in Atlantic City, titled, Education Trailblazers. The mural was finished in time for the NAACP National Convention held that summer in the city. Brian K. Jackson, chief operating officer of Stocktons Atlantic City Campus, met High when he was at Atlantic Cape Community College and was accepted into her Atlantic City Tomorrow Leadership Program in 1997. Pleasantville BOE meeting ends abruptly during argument over assistant superintendent PLEASANTVILLE The Board of Education was thrown into disarray Thursday as an argument over Jackson said he contacted High when the chief of staff to the president position opened in 1998. She gave him her advice and was very supportive, he said. He landed the job and started his Stockton career. She has a really strong reputation statewide in education, Jackson said. She really understood her position and her role here in the community. She was a mentor for so many professionals. ... She was incredibly talented and incredibly smart. When Jackson took the position with Stockton, he often thought about the people who meant the most to him, and High was among them. She was a very special person, who I loved and respected tremendously, Jackson said. She loved Atlantic City. Young people were her life. ... We dont want them to forget about her. 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. Editors note This article is the second in a series of interviews with African ambassadors to Korea ahead of the Korea-Africa Summit in June. ED. By Kim Hyun-bin Chafik Rachadi, the Moroccan ambassador to Korea, said the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit holds immense promise for both Korea and the African continent. He emphasized that potential collaboration based on Africa's abundant human and natural resources will pave the way for shared prosperity between the two regions. The inaugural summit is scheduled for June. "Morocco highly appreciates and values the organizational efforts and endeavors of the Korean authorities with regard to this special summit, wishing full success to this first-ever important encounter," Rachadi said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Moroccan Embassy in Seoul, Jan. 23. The African continents vast human and natural resources promise limitless potential for collaboration with Korea to achieve shared prosperity. The summit is an opportunity, considering that by 2023, 40 percent of the worlds young people will be African, and 75 percent of the regions population will be under 35." The ambassador emphasized the significance of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as an opportunity to balance business transactions and champion the "Made in Africa" initiative. He expressed his belief that the agreement could open up a market encompassing 1.2 billion consumers and stimulate increased intra-Africa trade. Morocco's dedication to Africa was articulated through a comprehensive commitment that encompasses various developmental actions. These include initiatives in migration, human development, food security, climate change adaptation and infrastructure development. Morocco's active engagement reflects not only geographical and historical ties, but also underscores its commitment to Africa as a realm of close human relations. Morocco is considered the No. 1 African investor in West Africa and the second in the entire continent, he said. Korea can leverage Morocco as a strategic relay point for accessing Africa, given its advantageous geographical location. The ambassador highlighted Morocco's recent initiative, the Atlantic Coast Vision, designed to contribute to the regional prosperity and development of landlocked Sahel and Central African regions. That vision seeks to turn the Atlantic region into a hub of human interaction and economic integration, underlining Morocco's commitment to fostering regional and international cooperation. (Atlantic Coast Vision) strives to improve connectivity, establish transportation infrastructure, build logistics platforms, and develop a strong and competitive commercial marine fleet. Given Korea's strength in this field, it presents an opportunity for Korea to actively participate in the development of the Atlantic Coast Vision and contribute capital to further its objectives, the ambassador said. Rachadi highlighted Morocco's prowess in diverse sectors such as automobiles, aeronautics, renewable energy, trade, tourism, agriculture, filmmaking and phosphate production. The country's noteworthy achievements, such as being Africa's top producer in the automotive sector and a significant player in aerospace, underscore Morocco's dedication to innovation and sustainability. The ambassador expressed Morocco's commitment to cutting-edge tech fields, attracting investments through investor-friendly policies, particularly aiming to attract Korean investments. "Fifty years ago, Korea shared some similarities with many African countries. Today, it stands as a success story, inspiring many African nations, including Morocco, of course. I believe that we have already gained valuable experience in the automotive sector through collaborations between Morocco and KOICA, aimed at training Moroccans in this industry," Rachadi said. In the automotive sector, Morocco's excellence was highlighted as Africa's leading producer, with milestones in electric and hydrogen vehicles, reinforcing the "Made in Morocco" label and showcasing a commitment to sustainability. Diplomatic ties Six decades after the initiation of diplomatic ties in 1962, both nations have witnessed continuous progress in political, economic, cultural, educational and technological cooperation. Rachadi highlighted the special connection forged during the Korean War, where Moroccan soldiers volunteered to defend the Republic of Korea, solidifying a bond as blood brothers in the fight for shared democratic ideals. "The diplomatic relations between Korea and Morocco began in 1962, with Korea opening its first embassy in Africa in Morocco on July 6, 1962," he said. The interview explored the ongoing collaborative efforts between Korea and Morocco, encompassing various fields such as politics, the economy, culture, education, health, research, and technology transfers. The ambassador emphasized that these pillars of current actions play a pivotal role in nurturing a comprehensive and mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries. The ambassador concluded by highlighting Morocco's rich cultural heritage, inviting Korean tourists to explore the vibrant streets, diverse landscapes and unique flavors of Moroccan cuisine. Rachadi emphasized that Morocco-Korea cooperative endeavors reflect a mutual desire to strengthen ties in the future, paving the way for enhanced opportunities in all fields. Envisioning the future of Korea-Morocco relations emphasizing the imperative of strengthening partnerships for mutual cooperation and collaboration. Morocco, situated in North Africa, is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The capital city is Rabat. Official languages include Arabic and Amazigh (Berber), with French widely utilized in government and commerce. King Mohammed VI has held the monarchy since 1999. As of 2021, the country's estimated population stands at around 37 million people, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of approximately $120 billion. MAYS LANDING A new Department of Veterans Affairs clinic may still be ready in about a years time, federal officials said Thursday night during a town hall meeting. The clinic, which will be located inside the Cornerstone Commerce Center on Route 9 in Linwood and replace the one 2 miles away in Northfield, is in a hurry-up-and-wait phase, lead engineer on the project Jermaine Best said. Best joined representatives from VA Wilmington (Delaware) who held a town hall meeting for about 60 people at VFW Post 220 on Route 50. The new VA facility, which will be 22,500 square feet and offer more opportunities for Atlantic County veterans to get medical help, was slated to be opened by the end of 2024. If everything remains on track, that may still happen, Best said. But work on the site is at a standstill as the VA waits for the approval of several construction permits. After that process, which may take one or two months, is over, construction will begin, taking another 10 to 12 months, Best said. Typically, because were the federal government, we go through and get state permitting, Best said after the meeting. But because of the facility having radiology, its another (thing) that needs to await approval from the Department of Health, because (they need to) go through to see the type of radiology we are using, the type of equipment and all those components that have to be approved. The replacement Atlantic County VA Clinic is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, per a statement from the VA. There is a one-time cost to VA of $4.1 million when it takes occupancy of the clinic, and an annual rent thereafter of $1,153,417, the statement read. As of now, the space in the Cornerstone building is completely gutted. Thursdays town hall broached topics such as community-based outpatient clinic updates, the Community Care program, eligibility, claims, womens health, mental health and homelessness. There were tables with representatives present, providing veterans with resources and offering help with problems they may be experiencing in obtaining VA services. Wilmington VA director to hold town hall in Mays Landing The director of the Wilmington, Delaware, Veterans Affairs Hospital will host a town hall in South Jersey next week. VA Wilmington Director Vamsee Potluri, associate director for operations Kim Butler and Best presented some of these services and answered a handful of questions from veterans Thursday. We have over 1,400 team members to take care of over 40,000 veterans across our (coverage area), Potluri said. Were continuing to work to expand access and increase the number of offerings we have for you, not just in volume but in variety in care offerings. There is no VA hospital in South Jersey. Veterans must use facilities in Pennsylvania, Delaware or North Jersey to receive full or partial coverage for their procedures. They do not have the choice of seeing a local doctor unless they are willing to pay the cost themselves. As for clinics, facilities exist in Vineland, Northfield (to be replaced by Linwood) and Middle Township. They all fall under the VA Wilmington Health Care hospital in Delaware. Another clinic in Washington Township, Gloucester County, falls under the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Christopher Chin, director of veterans outreach for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, and his office recently did research and determined there are more than 700,000 service members and veterans eligible in New Jersey, but only half are enrolled in VA health care. Last May, Van Drew announced the expansion of the Atlantic County clinic, which includes a move from its location at 1909 New Road in Northfield to the Cornerstone building in Linwood. It was slated to be completed this summer, but that date was pushed back to the end of the year. The new facility in Linwood is a welcomed project that has local veterans waiting in anticipation of its completion. The tents are better hidden, but the homeless remain in Middle Township It is difficult to get reliable information on how many people are without homes in Cape May County, but local officials and advocates for the homeless agree that the issue is at its most visible in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township. John Hinker, junior vice commander of the Department of New Jersey VFW, uses the VA clinics in Middle Township and Northfield. He feels the quality and ease of care is better now than it was about eight years ago. Theyre hitting home runs, said Hinker, 54, a New Jersey Army National Guard veteran who served in Iraq from 2003-04. The past is the past, the present is the present, and were living in the future and were seeing great things happen here in southern New Jersey compared to the way it used to be. Best said the new facility will expand from five exam rooms offered in Northfield to 10 in Linwood. The Linwood lab also will expand to more than four times the size of what is offered in Northfield. New services will be offered, including radiology (X-ray and CT scan) and physical therapy. TeleHelp and special care will also expand, Best said. There simply wasnt enough room for all of that in Northfield, coupled with the amount of people needing the services. The increase in size was needed, Best said. When we moved into our existing clinic, which is about 10,000 square feet, about 10 years ago, we were at capacity two or three years after that, Best said. Once construction is underway, the hope is it will ease everyones minds and deliver what was promised to them almost a year ago. I think a lot of the veterans here are very well informed of whats going on in the community, and theyre all aware that, because we started this process about a year ago, Best said. I think, as you can see, theres a lot of excitement for it. Hinker is excited for the addition of a womens health clinic for female veterans. Pearl Harbor remembered in Somers Point days before anniversary of attack In a small, somber ceremony in Somers Point, members of the American Legion Post 352, local officials and guests gave tribute to the 2,403 U.S. personnel and civilians who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Were getting the clinic. Its actually going to happen, Hinker said. Its a great location for southern New Jersey. Its centrally located. Cape May, it takes 35 minutes. Ocean County, a drive down the parkway. So everything is half an hour. Thats what it needs to be. It used to be hours when we had to go to Wilmington. Now its all in the community. A Rock Island man awaits sentencing in March after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder in relation to a 2022 shooting. A gunman killed Desavion Foster, 19, Rock Island, around 3 p.m. on May 22, 2022, as he walked in the 1000 block of 15th Street in Rock Island. Prosecutors accused Terrionce C. Kitchen, 20, Rock Island, of shooting Foster. On Jan. 26, a jury convicted Kitchen on the murder charge, according to court records. His trial lasted five days. Kitchens sentencing has been set for March 25. The Rock Island County States Attorneys Office also charged Damya Payton, 22, Rock Island, in relation to the Foster killing, according to court records. On May 29, 2022, prosecutors first accused her of obstructing justice. They allege Payton provided false information in an attempt to obstruct their prosecution of Kitchen. On Aug. 21, 2023, they charged Payton with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm. The charges were filed in a separate case from the obstruction charge but also stem from Foster's death. Both cases remained pending as of Thursday, according to court records. Payton, who was in a relationship with Kitchen in May of 2022, testified at his trial, according to court records. She remained free on her own recognizance, court records state. The courts have set her next hearing for Feb. 15. Close 1searsdamrockislandthumb 14|479 2searsdamrockislandthumb 14|479 3searsdamrockislandthumb 14|479 Sears Dam in Rock Island 1searsdamrockislandthumb 14|479 2searsdamrockislandthumb 14|479 3searsdamrockislandthumb 14|479 After departing earlier this week, a group of Muscatine High School students have safely arrived in China. So far, they have gotten to meet with the Minister of Education and several Chinese students, visit a zoo filled with pandas and see the Great Wall of China. When Savannah Necker-Levesque was diagnosed with anxiety at eight years old, she was relieved. "As a child who didn't really understand the complexities of their emotions, it was a great thing to finally be like, 'Yep, you have anxiety,'" she said. The next wave of relief came when she was 10, and her family adopted a Chihuahua-Yorkie puppy named Bella. Taking care of a dog who got into constant shenanigans helped Necker-Levesque process her anxiety. Now 27 and working at Necker Jewelers, her family's business, Necker-Levesque decided it was time to share her journey in the form of a children's book. "Bella: The Best Companion" released on Amazon in December. The DeWitt native says it's a culmination of 12 years of work. "I started drafting the original story when I was 15 years old in high school Spanish class," she said. "It took up until this point to have the courage, I guess, to run with my idea and finally publish it." Necker-Levesque is hoping her children's book which has illustrations by Bijan Samaddar, an artist she connected with through a company online will allow parents to discuss anxiety with their kids. The first-time author said that a book like this would have meant a lot to her as a girl, when fairytales and other children's books often didn't help her feel seen. "Reading was a huge part of my childhood," she said. "But I never had a book that I could really relate to." The book follows a little girl, Marie, who gets a small puppy named Bella. Necker-Levesque calls it her "literal life story." As Bella gets into more and more hijinks, Marie learns to cope with her anxiety. That's how it was for Necker-Levesque as a kid. She specifically was anxious about germs as a kid, but her bond with a messy mutt made that close to impossible. "It sounds so silly, but when you have a tiny puppy who gets into literally everything, you can't be scared anymore," she said. "She kind of helped me overcome some of those things." Outside of summoning the courage to write the story in the first place, Necker-Levesque said the toughest part of publishing "Bella: The Best Companion" was getting the story up for sale online. She was nervous when it finally released, but called it a "therapeutic journey" to finally get the story out. The initial feedback has been positive, with the book carrying an average rating of 5 stars on Amazon. "Thankful that there is now a book to help children understand anxiety and mental health instead of struggling," wrote one. "What a great way to bring up a conversation such as mental health with your child," wrote another. Necker-Levesque says she isn't expecting to turn a profit from the book's sales. She's donating a portion of the proceeds from every book sale to mental health organizations nationwide. For the last two months, her charity of choice has been Foster's Voice, a suicide awareness nonprofit based in East Moline. Beyond the financial reinvestment, Necker-Levesque said she's excited to further the conversation around mental health. "There (weren't) a lot of children's books out there that were talking about mental health," she said. "Nobody wants to talk about those things with their kids because they seem so scary. "So having a word like anxiety in a book, I was a little nervous about how people would respond to it, but overall, it's been a really positive experience." 10 trending travel destinations inspired by TV shows and movies 10 trending travel destinations inspired by TV shows and movies Busteni, Romania: "Wednesday" Richmond, UK: "Ted Lasso" Pasadena, California: "Twilight" Brisbane, Australia: "Thor: Ragnarok" Budapest, Hungary: "The Witcher" Taormina, Sicily: "The White Lotus" Petra, Jordan: "Star Wars" Astoria, Oregon: "The Goonies" Democratic lawmakers representing Scott County are asking for public input on education legislation in the statehouse this session, including on the governor's controversial plans for Area Education Agencies. The forum will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Eastern Avenue branch of the Davenport Public Library, 6000 Eastern Ave. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a plan, which she amended this week, to give school districts the choice to keep contracts for special education services with Area Education Agencies or to contract with a third party, likely a private company. Reynolds argues the changes will lead to more accountability and better results for Iowa students with disabilities, but advocates worry the changes will fracture special education services in the state and disadvantage smaller districts without enough funds to contract out for services if larger districts flee AEAs. The governor's bill met some resistance from Republican lawmakers in both the House and the Senate Wednesday. The chair of the House Education Committee declined to advance the bill out of a subcommittee Wednesday wanting further conversations before taking action. Senate Republicans advanced the bill, but pledged to make changes as it moves forward. State Reps. Ken Croken and Monica Kurth and State Sen. Cindy Winckler, all Democrats from Davenport, plan to attend the forum on Saturday. In a news release announcing the event, the lawmakers also expressed concern about a bill, SSB 3092, that would allow schools to hire chaplains. Which states need K-12 educators the mostand in which subjects? Which states need K-12 educators the mostand in which subjects? Teacher shortages A Pennington County Judge sentenced a 44-year-old Rapid City man Thursday to 10 years of probation and 19 years of suspended prison sentences for breaking into a womans house and assaulting her months after she ended their relationship. After a Dec. 2023 trial, a jury found Jeffrey Kingsbury guilty of first-degree burglary, intentional damage to private property, interference with emergency communication, simple assault and stalking. The victim testified during the trial she had ended the relationship with Kingsbury in Dec. 2021, when he began sending multiple text messages, voicemails and emails harassing her. The victim also testified Kingsbury had abused her throughout their decade-long relationship. On May 8, 2022, Kingsbury came uninvited into her home through a back sliding glass door. When she tried to call 911, he took the phone, stomped on it and then began punching her in the head. Circuit Court Judge Stacy Wickre sentenced Kingsbury to an 18-year suspended prison sentence for the burglary charge, and one year suspended on the remaining charges. All but the stalking charge will run concurrent to the burglary sentence. Since the stalking sentence will run consecutive to the burglary charge, if Kingsbury violates his probation, he could face up to 19 years in prison. According to a Pennington County State's Attorney's Office press release, Wickre said she hoped she doesn't regret the sentence. Senior Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney Alexa Moeller asked the judge for a 25-year prison sentence, highlighting the severe and enduring impact on the victim. "When reviewing the victims letter, I am reminded of a passage I recently read in Chanel Miller's memoir Know My Name:' 'For so long I needed permission to return to my life, waiting for validation. I promised myself I would never question whether I deserved better. The answer would always be yes and yes and yes,'" Moeller quoted. "The victim shouldnt need permission to return to her life. But a lengthy penitentiary sentence would give her that permission. Kingsbury, who spent 450 days in jail awaiting his trial, addressed the court and called his actions "horrifying." He apologized to the victim and others affected and pledged personal growth to become a better person and father. A 51-year-old Rapid City man pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon to aggravated assault, a charge he faces for allegedly threatening a tow truck driver tasked with towing away his motorcycle. Michael Leger entered the plea during his arraignment in Pennington County Court before Circuit Court Judge Jane Wipf Pfeifle. Aggravated assault is a class 3 felony with a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $30,000 fine. According to police reports, on Oct. 23, 2023, property management at a mobile home park on East Saint Patrick Street asked a private tow company to remove a motorcycle at the park. When the tow truck operator arrived at the address, a neighbor of Leger's allegedly warned him Leger had brandished firearms at people in the past. When the operator approached the residence, he saw Leger stick his head of the door and explained he was there to tow the motorcycle. Leger allegedly yelled at him, "No, you're not," before grabbing a rifle. The alleged victim walked away, fearing he would be shot. He returned to the tow truck and grabbed a pistol. When police arrived, they arrested Leger and brought him to jail. Leger told police he would not consent to police going into his house to get the shotgun, but instead had his daughter get the gun. Leger allegedly told police he did exit the house with a shotgun in his hand, but he didn't point the gun at the tow truck driver or threaten him. Leger is out of custody on a personal recognizance bond. His next day in court is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on April 18 for a motions hearing. PIERRE Gov. Kristi Noem went after cartels entering into the United States and the flow of drugs from the southern border into South Dakota during her emergency joint session speech Wednesday. The second-term Republican governor called whats happening at the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas an invasion. And her 18-minute speech set the stage for her administration and the state to stand with what Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is trying to do to staunch the flow of migrants. The invasion is coming over the southern border, she said. The 50 states have a common enemy, that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels that are waging war against our nation. Noem's address came less than a week after she traveled to Eagle Pass, Texas, a small town on the border, where she was briefed by border patrol agents about the situation they face daily. What's going on at southern border? The number of arrests at the southern border skyrocketed to a new national high in December, with 249,785 arrests recorded by border patrol agents, according to the Associated Press. Data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in December found arrests of migrants crossing the border not at ports of entry had spiked 31% from November and was also up 13% from December 2022, when 222,000 people had been arrested, the previous record. Encounters were highest in Tucson, Arizona, at 200,000, but Del Rio, where Eagle Pass is located, had 152,000 encounters between October 2023 and December 2023, according to CBP. When including migrant encounters with people who had come to the U.S. via legal pathways, encounters totaled 302,034, according to the AP. Earlier in January, Abbott seized Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, near the Rio Grande, from border patrol agents and installed razor wire and fencing. Abbott defended the move, citing the U.S. Constitution's provision that states can defend themselves. Noem and 24 other Republican governors supported Abbott's decision. Abbott called the migration crisis an "invasion," according to the Austin-American Statesman, and as a part of Operation Lone Star, an $11 billion border security investment, physical barriers including razor wire and water buoys were installed. But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in January that border patrol agents could remove razor wire and Texas was also instructed in September to remove the water buoys. Additionally, Abbott recently signed legislation in December making it a state crime to illegally cross the Texas border from Mexico, according to the Texas Tribune. The law will go into effect in March and is expected to force a legal battle between the state and the federal government. Drugs on South Dakota reservations Noem narrowed her scope of the speech to speak about the flow of the drugs into South Dakota and onto its nine reservations. The cartels are perpetrating violence in each of our states, even here in South Dakota, she said. ...The cartels are using our reservations to facilitate the spread of drugs throughout the Midwest. She said one gang, the "Ghost Dancers," were operating with the cartels in Pine Ridge, as well as in Rapid City. The Oglala Sioux Tribe sued the federal government in 2022, citing the feds werent fulfilling treaty obligations by not providing adequate law enforcement staffing. The lawsuit alleges the increase of murders and increased drug trafficking had created a public safety crisis on the Pine Ridge Reservation. More dangerous drugs and more sophisticated drug dealers have entered the Reservation, according to the lawsuit. The tribe sued again in January over the feds' inability to provide more law enforcement. Noem said Wednesday she planned to support the Oglala Sioux Tribe loudly and publicly. When it came to supporting Texas, Noem said she and the state were willing to send razor wire to Texas, support Texas in legal action and find options to provide personnel, such as guard troops, to Texas. In the past, when South Dakota had deployed National Guard troops, Noem said that federal regulation hampered their efforts. I dont want South Dakota soldiers to facilitate an invasion; I want them to stand up and stop it," she told lawmakers. "So we are talking to Texas about what rules of engagement can look like to make sure that happens." Members of the South Dakota National Guard sat in the gallery while Noem made her speech, along with four members of South Dakota Voice for Peace, who had earlier protested outside the Capitol. Noem said that South Dakota had to stand with Texas in defending the states right to protect itself and was critical of the Biden administration. It is clear we cannot rely on this administration to uphold the law and secure our border, she said. ...These cartels are being fed from over the open southern border where more dangerous individuals are entering the country to destroy America from within. The House adopted a resolution following Noems speech, 62-6, along party lines, supporting Texass right to defend itself and recognizing the crisis at the border. In the Senate, for the same resolution the vote was 28-3, along party lines. Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Fort Pierre, and Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, spoke on the resolutions and referenced their trip to the U.S.-Mexico border over the summer. I think we can agree were in a critical moment in our nations history and this is a memorable day that the South Dakota governor brought to us, Mortenson said. Lawmaker, tribe frustrated over speech Rep. Peri Pourier, D-Rapid City, represents the Pine Ridge reservation in the Legislature. She was upset Noem took time during the 38-day session to make a political statement. To use the disadvantagement of Lakota people to further her national-level ambitions is appalling, Pourier said. To throw Pine Ridge underneath the bus, to create misinformation that theres a gang called Ghost Dancers that is an affront to our spiritual beliefs, that is an affront to who we are as Lakota people. Cora White Horse, the treasurer of Oglala Lakota, said Wednesday that she was unaware of a gang called Ghost Dancers operating in Rapid City or on Pine Ridge. Instead, she said she knew about a charity motorcycle group called Ghost Dancers. But a spokesperson for the South Dakota Attorney Generals Office confirmed that a gang called Ghost Dancers, a sect of the Bandidos, an outlaw motorcycle gang, was active in South Dakota. The Department of Criminal Investigations and the FBI raided a Bandidos clubhouse in Rapid City, according to the Rapid City Journal in 2022. White Horse disputed Noems statement that cartels were active on the Pine Ridge Reservation and was unaware of where in the 2024 Oglala Sioux lawsuit there were mentions of drug cartels. She said the lawsuit said there were drug crimes. [Noem] couldve supported us in the beginning, White Horse said. You cant call blaming supporting. White Horse called on Noem to send letters of support to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and to the South Dakota congressional delegation and surrounding counties stating that Pine Ridge needs more law enforcement. This story originally appeared in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Yeti, the Texas-based company known for its high-end coolers, announced Wednesday that it signed a deal to acquire Bozeman-based backpack designer and manufacturer Mystery Ranch. The press release announcing the acquisition did not include a purchase price. According to the release, the Mystery Ranch team will continue to operate from Bozeman and will work with Yeti in coming months to integrate teams and functions. The move comes about two years after Mystery Ranch co-founders Dana Gleason and Renee Sippel-Baker stepped away from senior leadership and into new roles on the companys Board of Directors. Alex Kutches, who served as vice president of sales and marketing, took over as company president in February 2022. Yetis passion for innovation and the outdoors closely aligns with our founding vision, Gleason stated in the release. They are a perfect partner to build upon our long history of making the best load-bearing equipment in the world for the most extreme users as well as the everyday mission. Mystery Ranch was founded in Bozeman in 2000. It was the latest in a series of pack manufacturing businesses Gleason started, including Kletterwerks, which he founded in 1975 after moving to Bozeman from South Dakota, and Dana Design, which was started with Sippel-Baker and sold to K2 Corporation in 1995. Over the years, Mystery Ranch packs have earned a reputation for quality and durability. The company focuses on four types of packs: military, fire, outdoor and hunting, along with various accessories. The company has rebounded considerably from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, growing to roughly four times the size it was in 2019, according to an interview Kutches gave to The Daily by Outdoor Retailer. Mystery Ranch has 106 employees and sell inventory to about 450 retailers in North America, Kutches told The Daily at the time. Mystery Ranch packs have earned a global reputation within the most demanding communities by building load-bearing equipment that delivers in the harshest environments. Their ethos, passion and people not only align with the Yeti team, but also connect well with our commitment to innovation and our customers, said Matt Reintjes, Yetis president and CEO. Yeti started as a cooler manufacturer in 2006 seeking to provide the perfect everyday cooler that could handle outdoor adventures. The company now has stores across the US and offers everything from its signature coolers to dog beds, all still with the goal of product performance. Korea and Indonesia have agreed to allow airlines to freely operate flights between their regional airports, Seoul's transport ministry said Friday. In their latest bilateral aviation talks Wednesday, the two sides agreed to free up flight routes between six regional cities of both countries, the ministry said. According to the agreement, airlines can now freely operate flights between airports in six Korean cities Busan, Daegu, Cheongju, Jeju, Muan and Yangyang and Indonesia's Batam, Manado, Lombok, Yogyakarta, Balikpapan and Kertajati. The two sides also agreed to establish two new flight routes between Korea's Incheon and Indonesia's Batam and Manado, as well as two additional routes connecting regional cities in Korea to Jakarta and Bali. They also agreed to allow airlines of both countries to freely forge code-sharing deals involving flights to Indonesia's popular tourist destination of Bali. The ministry said the agreement is expected to alleviate the current inconveniences of having to depart only from Incheon for direct flights to Indonesia while contributing to the vitalization of regional airports in Korea. (Yonhap) Prince George County police on Friday announced that officers had arrested a 13-year-old student of J.E.J. Moore Middle School after the student allegedly threatened a shooting at the school. Police said they received reports regarding the threats, which a juvenile male student had posted on a social media account, on Thursday, prompting an investigation and the provision of "additional security safeguards" at the school. Within three hours of the reports, police had identified and arrested the suspect. The suspect has been charged with two counts of threatening death or bodily injury to persons or school property, police said. From the Archives: Forest Hill Park Hanovers Cool Spring Elementary School is facing packed classrooms and rising student enrollment. Meanwhile, contingency plans for easing the growing pains are running out. The superintendents budget, released Tuesday, was short on funding to address the bulging class sizes at Cool Spring, though leaders say theyre working on fixes to alleviate the stress, at least temporarily. According to a Jan. 16 presentation to the school board, a former janitor space and breakroom had to be converted into a music classroom to avoid cannibalizing other classroom space. The library also had to be partitioned to create another classroom, and there were accounts of students eating lunch in the hallways. Amanda Kronenberg volunteers at Cool Spring Elementary, where one of her children is a student. Her daughter has a class in the converted janitorial space. She described the room as a hallway running beside the cafeteria where custodians could easily access the trash to remove it. Storage shelves on either side containing paint, sprays and rags were removed over the summer. Its like a very narrow little hall, Kronenberg said. She played down reports of students having to eat lunch in the hallways, but said the cafeteria itself is overcrowded, with every inch of the room being used for seating. A stage now holds tables for students to eat, and desks have been placed along the walls to accommodate more students. There is technically enough space, but its pretty much maxed out, Kronenberg said. She also noted that multiple physical education classes have to use the gym at the same time, pushing some students to have PE in their homerooms. The school board shot down a proposal from staff that was seeking to add an eight-classroom learning cottage at a cost of $250,000 per year $750,000 the first year to set up. That temporary fix, staff said, would address overflow to give more time to assess student enrollment, and find a permanent solution. Of the 40 classrooms at Cool Spring, 38 are being used as full-time classrooms. The remaining two are specialty classrooms for gifted students and special education students. Enrollment is expected to increase by 99 students during the next four years. Redistricting was one possibility, among others, discussed at that Jan. 16 meeting. (Redistricting) is not a popular thing, I know, but its not popular with me to spend $250,000 over four years, said John Redd, the school board representative for the Mechanicsville District. I would propose we consider moving students. Nearby schools are under capacity. Pearsons Elementary is 141 students under capacity, Washington-Henry Elementary is 119 under capacity and Mechanicsville Elementary is 210 students under capacity. Other solutions mentioned at that meeting include the addition of more teaching assistants to decrease student-teacher ratios and adding wings to Cool Spring, along with the future approval of a learning cottage. Assistant Superintendent Christina Berta told the board she was unsure, as of Jan. 16, if the learning cottage was still available due to high demand nationwide. The proposed budget did include funding for three instructional assistants at Cool Spring. Redd was alone in suggesting redistricting. School Board Chair Bob May said it was premature to say it is strongly being considered. May said he is expecting to announce a work session early next week for the board to comprehensively evaluate all of the possible solutions. The school board is also expecting to put a line item into the 2025 budget addressing Cool Spring. That line item is up for a vote at the Feb. 13 meeting. Cool Spring does not yet meet Hanovers definition as overcrowded. It currently has 817 total students. Over capacity is considered a student population of 768 students. Overcrowded hits when the school reaches 922 students. Hanovers benchmark for elementary class sizes is between 19 and 23 students per general education teacher, depending on the grade. Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Greif told the school board Cool Springs total average ratio was 21 students per teacher, but the fifth grade had a ratio of 24 students per teacher. She added that cohorts tend to get bigger over time. Kimberly Foley is another volunteer at Cool Spring where her son is a student. She also has preschoolers scheduled go there. (Small class sizes) is one of the reasons we came here, Foley said. We came here because of how incredible a school system Hanover is. I want to see it stay that way whether its in a learning cottage or a traditional classroom in a stick-built building, I want my kid to have that kind of classroom experience. Her biggest worry, she said, is that the expansion of homerooms has cannibalized other important spaces, like rooms for specialists providing extra help. The gifted and talented classroom would be next to go should Cool Spring need another general education classroom. If you have to increase homeroom space, its the intervention services that suffer, Foley said. Its those services that help elevate other kids to their greatest potential. All were asking for is the ability to run the same as we always have. And unfortunately, going into next year, I really dont anticipate that theyre going to be able to do that without some kind of short-term, temporary fix. Aside from Redd, school board members have not indicated their preferred solution. Superintendent Michael Gill said staff is ready to build any decision into the upcoming budget. We do have a little flexibility to our contingency plan Gill said. Whatever solution the board comes up with, we will make it work within this proposed budget. Top five weekend events: ChinaFest!, Glow, Ice cream for breakfast day ChinaFest Chinese New Year Celebration Glow Ice cream for breakfast day Valentine's Day Artisan Market WASHINGTON A federal judge in Washington formally postponed Donald Trump's March trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election as a key legal appeal from the former president remains unresolved in the courts. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday vacated the March 4 trial date in the case brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith but did not immediately set a new date. The move opens the door for a separate prosecution in New York, charging Trump in connection with hush money payments to a porn actor, to proceed first. That case has long been seen as arguably the least legally perilous of the four indictments Trump faces, with the alleged misconduct less grave than accusations of mishandling classified documents or plotting to subvert a presidential election. The postponement in Washington comes as a federal appeals court has yet to resolve a pending appeal from Trump arguing that he is immune from prosecution for actions he took in the White House. It is not clear when the three-judge panel might rule, but a ruling in favor of prosecutors that permits the case to move forward is expected to be appealed by the Trump team, likely resulting in additional delays. For both sides, timing is of the essence. Trump, who faces four indictments and 91 felony counts, is looking to push his criminal cases back as he enjoys front-runner status in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Smith's team, meanwhile, is hoping to be able to prosecute Trump this year before the November election. If Trump is elected while the case is pending, he could presumably order the Justice Department to drop it and could potentially try to seek a pardon for himself. The Washington case had been expected to take place first, but it has been delayed for weeks by Trump's appeal on grounds that he is shielded from prosecution a claim that has been vigorously disputed by Smith's team. The appeals court heard arguments on Jan. 9 and appeared skeptical of a Trump lawyer's position. Though the court has said it intended to work quickly, it has not yet issued a ruling. The judge in the New York case, the first of four indictments filed against Trump last year, has long resisted defense demands that he postpone the March 25 start date in light of the conflicting trial date in Washington, figuring correctly that the former presidents legal calendar might change as the trial neared. Trump is due back in court in Manhattan on Feb. 15 for a pretrial hearing where final details are expected to be ironed out. All signs point to the New York case starting on time. Trumps lawyers and prosecutors have been discussing jury selection procedures with the judge and some witnesses have said theyve been told to be ready to testify. The New York case involves steps Trump allegedly took to hide payments that were made on the Republicans behalf to suppress damaging stories before his 2016 win over Democrat Hillary Clinton, namely logging them as legal expenses. While a guilty verdict would give Trump another historic moniker as the first former president convicted of a crime, potentially complicating his campaign to return to the White House, theres no guarantee of prison time. Trump critics and rival campaign aides have long bemoaned that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs indictment was the first, believing that it helped blunt the political impact of more serious charges that followed because voters tuned out or grew confused by the myriad cases. Bragg has eschewed his cases hush money label, opting in recent weeks to describe it as another Trump election interference case albeit, this one involving behind-the-scenes maneuvering during Trumps first campaign for the White House in 2016. Trump, meanwhile, faces dozens of felony charges in Florida accusing him of illegally retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. That case is set for trial on May 20 but could still be postponed. Another case in Georgia, brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, accuses him of plotting to overturn that state's 2020 election. No trial date has been set. Read more: Gov. Glenn Youngkins proposal to cut income taxes and raise the sale tax didnt survive its first test in the General Assembly on Thursday, as a Senate subcommittee recommended carrying over the legislation until next year and leaving it to a joint tax policy subcommittee to consider. The recommendation by the Senate Finance & Appropriations Resources Subcommittee will go to the full committee next week for final action, but the outcome is all but certain. Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, chairs both the four-member subcommittee and the full committee, which are concerned that the governors plan would cut too deeply into state revenues with a potential recession still hovering. Modernization of our tax code is long overdue, Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, said before moving to carry over Senate Bill 632. But the bottom line for this proposal is it takes more than $900 million out of the revenue stream over two years. Youngkin still has the same proposal pending before the House Appropriations Committee, which hasnt considered yet, and it also is embedded in the two-year budget that he proposed on Dec. 20. Any of those mechanisms still would have to get through the full Senate panel. Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George, who introduced the legislation for the governor, said the state must begin reducing its reliance on income taxes, which generate about 70% of revenues for the general fund budget, and increasing taxes on consumption by increasing the sales tax and broadening its application to digital services instead of just goods. This is an important piece of legislation for the governor and his budget in order to give hard-working Virginia families a tax cut, Stuart said. He argued that its also an essential first step for Virginia to take to adapt to a changing economy. We are moving more toward a consumption economy, Stuart said. A consumption tax is fair. Advocates for low-income families said Youngkins plan would not be fair to families that would benefit far less from the proposed 12% average cut in income tax rates than those who earn the most, but would pay more of their limited income on purchases of essential goods for their households. The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a liberal think tank, estimates that Youngkins proposed tax plan would give the families earning more than $763,000 a year a tax cut of $9,640 while raising the overall tax burden on families earning less than $30,000 by $44 a year. The proposal would double down on Virginias upside-down tax code, said Rodrigo Soto, spokesman for the Commonwealth Institute. Youngkins proposal to cut income taxes and raise the sales tax has received a hostile reception from Democrats who now control both chambers of the General Assembly, as has his suggestion that the state eliminate the local car tax without introducing a plan to do so that would replace lost local government revenues. However, his proposal to broaden application of the sales tax has some support among Democrats on both sides of the Capitol. Lucas has introduced Senate Bill 703 to apply the sales tax to a range of digital services, as Youngkin suggested, and House Finance Chair Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax, has introduced House Bill 889 to broaden the sales tax to a wider range of services, recognizing the states overreliance on income taxes for government revenues. Secretary of Finance Steve Cummings said the governors proposal is necessary to lower the tax burden and cost of living in Virginia so that fewer high-earning residents move to other states, including North Carolina, that have lowered their income tax rates on individuals and businesses, while raising taxes on sales. We think we have the opportunity to prudently adjust the structure to make us more competitive with surrounding states, Cummings said. Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, a member of the subcommittee, said the state must restructure its tax system or face declining revenues in the future. It is a big project, McDougle said. The subcommittee also recommended carrying over bills to allow betting on Virginia collegiate sports; consider a proposed casino at Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia; allow cruise ships to operate casino gambling in state waters; divert 5% of income tax revenues to state parks; and remove a sunset clause on increases to the standard deduction for income tax filers who dont itemize deductions. The increases in the standard deduction, part of two tax cut packages approved under Youngkin, would expire after the 2025 tax year to mirror the potential expiration of increases in the standard deduction on federal income taxes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Close The deal includes more than $900 million in tax cuts, almost all of it through one-time payments of $200 to individual taxpayers and $400 to couples filing jointly. It does not include cuts in the corporate and individual tax rates that Gov. Glenn Youngkin had proposed, but it would raise the standard deduction for taxpayers who don't itemize their deductions by half of what the governor had sought and would eliminate the age limit on a new exemption for military retirement income. Youngkin said this week that he can live with a budget agreement that prioritizes one-time rebates over ongoing tax cuts, but expects to seek additional cuts in the two-year budget that he will propose in December. Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach (left) is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. House of Delegates Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, a University of Virginia alumnus, demanded UVa President Jim Ryan repudiate a statement by UVa's Students for Justice in Palestine, which, among other things, described the Hamas attacks as an unprecedented feat for the 21st century." $1 billion in tax cuts: 4 things to know about the state budget deal General Assembly budget leaders have reached an agreement that ends a six-month standoff on revisions to Virginia's two-year budget. The deal includes more than $900 million in tax cuts, almost all of it through one-time payments of $200 to individual taxpayers and $400 to couples filing jointly. It does not include cuts in the corporate and individual tax rates that Gov. Glenn Youngkin had proposed, but it would raise the standard deduction for taxpayers who don't itemize their deductions by half of what the governor had sought and would eliminate the age limit on a new exemption for military retirement income. Youngkin said this week that he can live with a budget agreement that prioritizes one-time rebates over ongoing tax cuts, but expects to seek additional cuts in the two-year budget that he will propose in December. Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach (left) is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. House of Delegates Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, a University of Virginia alumnus, demanded UVa President Jim Ryan repudiate a statement by UVa's Students for Justice in Palestine, which, among other things, described the Hamas attacks as an unprecedented feat for the 21st century." Homicide and witness intimidation suspect returned to California Mexico City, Mexico A man of Mexican nationality required by the Superior Court of the State of California was extradited to L.A. Thursday. The man, Carlos M, was wanted on homicide and witness intimidation. In a statement by the Attorney General of the Republic, in February 2019, Carlos M shot a man in Los Angeles, California, killing him. The incident occurred after an argument between the victim and Carlos M. The Government of Mexico granted the extradition of the requested person to the Government of the United States after he was detained in February 2022, in Mazatepec, Morelos. The fugitive, who was wanted for homicide and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, was handed over to U.S. officials at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) for his return to California to face charges. Isla Mujeres boat captain to stand trial for manslaughter Isla Mujeres, Q.R. An Isla Mujeres boat captain who was arrested after a capsize claimed the lives of four will stand trial. A Cancun judge has ordered boat captain Ramon Guadalupe N to remain in custody during his legal process. In a statement from the State Attorney General (FGE) of Quintana Roo, a Cancun judge declared his detention as legal and granted the defense of the accused the extension. The FGE says Ramon Guadalupe N will stand trial for the crime of manslaughter to the detriment of four victims whose identities are withheld. The events to which the accused is related occurred on January 29, around 7:00 p.m., after the sinking of a recreational boat that came from Isla Mujeres with 17 tourists and two crew members on board, they said. Video still shots (below) show other vessels coming to the rescue of the capsized boat. At least two other vessels participated in the rescue of the tourists who were dumped into the sea. Men identified by their staff shirts as Juanito and Adan from another boat are seen throwing lifelines to the passengers of the overturned vessel. Adan is seen pulling six of those boat passengers with hand-over-hand rope pulls to his boat. The first investigations indicate that the boat left Puerto Juarez shortly before 3:00 p.m. to go to Isla Mujeres where they remained visiting the island. The boat departed Isla Mujeres at 6:20 p.m. to return to Puerto Juarez. During the journey, a wave allegedly caused people to move from place to place and due to the weight, water entered through the bow and sank the boat in which a total of 19 people were traveling. As a result of this accident, four tourists, two women, a man and a minor lost their lives, while another female person remains hospitalized and her health condition is reported as serious, the agency reported in an official statement. Other occupants of the boat were discharged, as they did not suffer serious injuries. A judge has ordered Ramon Guadalupe N to remain in preventive detention and granted the defense of the accused the extension of the constitutional term. The process will resume February 5, 2024. Mexican sailors respond to help request by French crew off coast of Mahahual Mahahual, Q.R. Thursday morning, two men of French nationality were rescued off the coast of Mahahual after being reported adrift. Marina sailors located the adrift sailboat Alishanee approximately two nautical miles (three kilometers) off the coast. The Mahahual Harbor Masters Office received a distress call requesting the rescue of the two crew members of the Alishanee sailboat, which was left without propulsion due to lack of fuel the Secretaria de Marina explained in a statement. To respond to the emergency, a Defender-type boat from the Maritime Search, Rescue and Surveillance Station (Ensar) of Chetumal was sent with rescue swimmers on board. Upon arriving at the scene, they found the two men adrift and gave them autonomous navigation instructions so they could reach the Mahahual fishing pier. One of the two French crewmen are seen here being treated by Marina health officials. Photo: Secretaria de Marina February 1, 2024. Once on land, the two rescued were evaluated by medical personnel, finding that one of them had slight dehydration. Both are in good health and thanked the Secretary of the Navy for the support, they said. Mexico wished prosperity, peace and a good harvest during Year of the Dragon Mexico City, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was presented with a good fortune dragon during a recent visit by the Chinese Ambassador to Mexico. Ambassador Zhang Run presented the dragon during his recent National Palace visit with Lopez Obrador. In turn, Zhang was presented with a locally made jaguar. He brought me a dragon as a gift and we reciprocated with a jaguar made by Mexican artisans, the president highlighted in a video on his social networks. The Ambassador explained that the dragon is the official symbol of the Chinese government for the Year of the Dragon, which will begin on February 10. It is a symbol of good luck. In fact, it has the name of Buenaventura Dragon. Through this we wish prosperity, peace and also a good harvest for Mexico, Zhang explained. Lopez Obrador highlighted the good relations with the Chinese government and the support in emergencies such as COVID-19 and the most recent one, which occurred in Guerrero due to Hurricane Otis. We are grateful for the support we have received since the pandemic. We are not going to forget it. Now they are also helping us obtain household goods for victims of Acapulco and Coyuca and they are punctually fulfilling all commitments, which is why I am very pleased to receive him here in the office, said the President. Mexico is wished prosperity, peace and a good harvest during 2024. Photo: AMLO Lopez Obrador sent greetings to the President of the Republic of China, Xi Jinping and the people of that country. Accompanying the ambassador were: the trade minister, Zou Chuanming. the head of the political section, Chen Xiang and the ambassadors private secretary, Yao Xing. Road rage: Playa del Carmen driver points gun at fellow motorist for being unable to pass Playa del Carmen, Q.R. The armed driver of a company vehicle was arrested after police received a report of road rage. Playa del Carmen police intercepted his company vehicle at a highway filter Thursday after another motorist, 43 year old Luis P and his 34 year old passenger Maria I said the driver pointed a gun at them when he could not pass. Public Safety and Transit of Solidaridad reported arresting 27-year-old Carlos N from Tabasco. Carlos N was arrested in full uniform from his company truck at the north Playa del Carmen police filter. According to an official statement from the Seguridad Publica y Transito Solidaridad elements of the Municipal Police arrested a subject in possession of a firearm after allegedly threatening a person following a traffic incident. Carlos N, 27 years old from Tabasco, was arrested by the Preventive Police at the police checkpoint located on the Tulum Playa del Carmen federal highway. He had a revolver-type firearm and 18 cartridges. He was pointed out by a person after pointing the gun at him from his vehicle when he could not pass him on the federal highway. The detainee, who is an employee of a securities company, was placed at the disposal of the State Attorney Generals Office. A new government is likely to legislate further restrictions on the exercise of religious free speech and pose a danger to other areas of concern for the religious in Britain. We should be under no illusion of the threat to our basic liberties. There is a real possibility that the next general election in the United Kingdom will take place within a few weeks of the presidential election in the United States. It is fair to say that no one knows what will happen on either side of the Atlantic. One significant disadvantage of the United Kingdoms lacking a written constitution is that basic freedoms, including religious liberty and free speech, are not enshrined in a foundational document. Hence such freedoms become much more dependent on the policies and preferences of the incumbent government. There is a very real chance that the British electorate will buck both its recent and historic preference for a Conservative government and take a leftward turn. The reasons are perhaps beyond our scope and complex but ineptitude features quite highly alongside policy prescriptions shockingly out of touch with the electorate that returned the government. What will this mean for important aspects of religious liberty and Christian moral teaching? If the British Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer, takes the reins of power, we can be sure that the power of the state will be used aggressively in several areas of religious liberty. The consequences are potentially far-reaching and will affect parents, businesses, churches, and preachers, with widespread implications for Christian witness in society. The area most likely to attract interest from a new left-of-center government and, of course, generate the deepest concern for those concerned with liberty is free speech, religious and otherwise. We can expect more precise and extensive definitions of both so-called hate speech and the extension of the idea of non-crime hate incidents. The very concept of a non-crime hate incident seems to many incoherent and bizarre. Why are police resources being wasted on investigating incidents that are, by definition, non-criminal, especially when the police often dont even turn up to a burglary or ignore hate crimes when aimed at Israel? The origin of recording so-called non-crime hate incidents goes back to the last time we had a Labour government, in the 2000s. Who is to decide the criteria? What protection does the individual citizen have against aggressive police action in regard to public speech and expression? As Justice Gorsuch said in the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, respect for religious expression is indispensable to life in a free society whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head. We have already seen cases in the U.K. of open-air street preachers being arrested because the police dont understand the law, resulting in allegations of homophobia or hate for preaching from the Bible. These cases have sometimes resulted in the recording of a non-crime hate incident. In the most recent case, a street preacher in Glasgow, Angus Cameron, received damages from Police Scotland for wrongful arrest, and the non-crime hate incident was expunged from the record. Note: He simply quoted the Bible. Recently enacted public-order legislation has permitted the imposition of buffer zones around abortion clinics to prevent public protest. A Roman Catholic woman, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, was arrested for praying, in silence, outside a Birmingham clinic. The arresting officer even cited prayer as the offense. These types of cases will almost certainly multiply, and a new government is highly likely to legislate further restrictions on the exercise of religious free speech. We should be under no illusion of the threat to our basic liberties. Another very sensitive area is that of a proposed ban on conversion therapythat is, programs, which might include counselling or prayer, for those who wish to leave a homosexual lifestyle. The disproportionate emphasis on this matter by politicians, mostly on the left, but also in the liberal wing of the British Conservative Party, is astonishing and a threat to religious liberty way beyond any reasonable provision. Perhaps this is part of the problem of government: administrations feel the need to legislate every aspect of life. Any coercive or aggressive use of any method or technique to persuade an individual to leave one lifestyle for another is already covered by a variety of laws. And, in reality, it is extremely difficult to identify any extensive or widespread use of inappropriate methods. A new Labour government will nevertheless legislate aggressively in this area. Does it matter? It most certainly does. The threat here is to the basic, ordinary work of churches, including preaching and prayer. Can a person change? Under Gods grace, yes. Will the state intervene to prevent prayer with a person seeking counsel? There will be some Bible passages we may not be allowed to preach. Prosecution and even imprisonment of ministers and preachers are real possibilities. Of course, in all this the biggest offense is to the many faithful Christians who, while perhaps struggling with homosexual attractions, remain faithful to the teaching of Christ, the teaching of the Bible, and the doctrine of the church in celibate singleness. A third area of concern is education. I fear inappropriate policies in schools around gender and sexual ethics that contradict Christian teaching. A Christian governor of a school was recently removed from the governing body (although subsequently reinstated after court action) after challenging a curriculum that included encouraging children to question their gender identity, which was presented in the curriculum as a scale rather than biologically determined. Then there is the excessive regulation of homeschooling. The home education sector is not large in the U.K.perhaps a little over 1% of the school-age population, around 125,000. But the numbers are rising significantly and have quadrupled in a decade. The reasons why parents choose to homeschool are varied but increasingly include Christian parents concerned about the anti-faith policies and curriculum of the state system. There is already a registration requirement, but there is much concern about state overreach, with increasingly draconian registration and monitoring under a new left-of-center government, which would almost certainly view any educational provision outside the state system as a threat to its control. The freedom of parents to educate children at home within a Christian framework is under threat. A final area of concern is assisted suicide, which is really a euphemism for euthanasia. Starmer has already made clear his support for assisted dying. Prominent celebrities are also joining the campaign. We should not underestimate the danger of this pernicious approach to life and death, which undermines the dignity of the human person as endowed by God and made in his image. The consequence is pressure on vulnerable or disabled people to reduce the burden on their families or on society. The choice to die becomes a duty. Christian Members of Parliament, including Conservative members Danny Kruger and Miriam Cates, have led the opposition, pointing out that the promised protections in countries such as Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands invariably led to ever more liberal approaches, with disastrous consequences. Deaths from euthanasia have doubled in these three countries in five years, from 11,729 in 2017 to 24,927 in 2022. In Canada, the option was originally offered only to the terminally ill. In 2021, this was extended to serious and chronic conditions even if not life threatening. Belgium has announced its intention to extend the provision to terminally ill children between 1 and 12 years old. Not only is this mission creep; it is also the opposite of Christian compassion. Christians have a responsibility to ensure that society values all life (euthanasia and abortion are inextricably linked), and to offer hope and support for patients and families at the end of life. Do pray for us. We will also pray for you. Indonesian engineers have been under investigation over allegedly stealing technologies related to the KF-21 fighter jet under development, the state-run procurement agency said Friday. The engineers dispatched to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) are under suspicion of storing data on KF-21 development on a USB, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). "A joint investigation composed of related agencies, including the National Intelligence Service, is currently under way to look into the circumstances of the Indonesians' alleged technology theft," a DAPA official told reporters. The probe is focused on whether the stored data contains strategic technologies related to the KF-21 development program, according to sources familiar with the issue. The Indonesians are currently banned from leaving South Korea. Indonesia, a partner country of the KF-21 fighter jet development project, has failed to shoulder 20 percent of the project's cost of 8.8 trillion won ($6.5 billion), raising questions over its commitment over the program launched in 2015. Indonesia is estimated to have paid 278.3 billion won for the project so far and is behind in payments by nearly 1 trillion won. South Korea plans to begin production of the KF-21 fighter jets later this year, with the aim of deploying 120 KF-21s by 2032. (Yonhap) Correction Feb. 5, 2024, 4 p.m.: The date of a Black History Month program to be held by Christ Episcopal and Jerusalem Baptist churches was incorrect in the originally published version of this column and has been updated. Women of Color Bringing About Change Role models, Motivators and Change Agents, will be held at 3 p.m Feb. 25 at Jerusalem Baptist, located at 1014 Norfolk Avenue S.W. At least six Roanoke-area homeowners 60 and older will get repairs such as roof replacement, heating and cooling system repairs and replacements, plumbing and electrical repairs, and accessible home modifications through a recent grant to Renovation Alliance. The Marion S. and Willie Z. Camp Fund for Eldercare of the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia made a $50,000 donation to Renovation Alliance to make the critical repairs for those who are unable to afford the repairs themselves. Throughout the year, Renovation Alliance works with volunteers and local professional contractors to rebuild the homes of persons in need. During 2023, the organization completed 209 critical and necessary repairs on 82 homes in Roanoke and Salem, and the counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd and Franklin. The average gross household income of homeowners who RA serves is under $23,000 but the average cost of repair exceeds $5,000. Without assistance from RA and its partners, homeowners would remain in unsafe and unhealthy housing conditions, according to a news release. Marking its 25th year of service to the Roanoke Valley, the organization has rebuilt more than 1,600 homes. Renovation Alliance has the ability to lift the quality of housing in the Roanoke area, said Kendall Cloeter, executive director, adding that the organization would not be able to answer the call for those in need of home repair service if not for incredible volunteers and community partners, including the Community Foundation. Persons in need of home repair assistance should call Renovation Alliances office at 540-400-0959 or visit the organizations website to learn more and access the online application for assistance, www.renovateall.org. Black History Month program Two Roanoke churches, Christ Episcopal and Jerusalem Baptist, are presenting a Black History Month program Feb. 25 at Jerusalem Baptist, located at 1014 Norfolk Ave. S.W. The 3 p.m. program, Women of Color Bringing About Change Role models, Motivators and Change Agents, is part of Christ Episcopals annual Terry Steer Memorial Lecture Series. Steer, who died in 2017, was a devout member of Christ Church, who fostered ecumenical and social justice activities at the parish. This years program honors the memory of parish member Saundra Butcher. JoAnne E. Poindexter, a retired Roanoke Times reporter and editor, is moderator a three-member panel composed of: Mary Divers Hackley, a religion leader and retired Roanoke teacher and school administrator. Connie Bullock Steele, co-owner of Serenity Funeral Home, religion, and community leader. Amanda Claytor Spivey, a Roanoke educator, arts, and community activist. Genealogy workshop The Colonel William Preston Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is holding a genealogy workshop focusing on African American lineage on Feb. 24. Virginia DAR State Specialty Research Chair Janet H. Jackson will lead the Finding Your Ancestors workshop aimed at inspiring African Americans to build on the legacy of their ancestors by researching and documenting their family history. Each participant will receive the necessary step-by-step tools to begin researching their family lineage. The workshop is from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Roanoke Public Library, 706 S. Jefferson St. It is free, but preregistration is required by emailing cwpchapterdar@gmail.com. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, a nonprofit, nonpolitical womens service organization, started in 1890 to preserve the memory and spirit of those who contributed to securing American independence. Through the organizations Genealogical Research System (www.dar.org/GRS), the public can access a free database of information amassed about these patriots. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. Adult care center grant The Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia, based in Roanoke, recently awarded a $73,000 grant from its Mary Louise Home Fund to Adult Care Center of Roanoke Valley. We work closely with Community Foundation and are very grateful for their support of our mission, said Guy Byrd, the centers director of philanthropy. Adult Care Center in Salem celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and was the first medical daycare facility for adults in Virginia. We serve dependent adults who are still living at home, but cannot be left alone, Byrd said in an email. Thanks to a good working relationship with the Salem VA Medical Center, over half of our participants are veterans. Since opening, he said, the facility has served thousands of dependent adults from around the Roanoke Valley, 43 currently are enrolled. Most are cognitively and/or physically impaired, but on a typical day 75 percent of enrollees attend activities. Many of our participants come from lower-income families who cannot afford to pay our fee, so we ask them to pay for at least one day per week currently $77. He said the difference for any additional days is made up with transfers from a scholarship fund for eligible participants. Veterans benefits and Medicaid help cover some costs. The grant from the Mary Louise Home Fund helps replenish the scholarship fund, making it possible for people who have few options, to receive services they need. On any given day, 25 to 30 participants may benefit from this very generous grant. We are truly grateful for their support of our mission, Byrd said. TAP tax help Virginians with an annual household income of less than $64,000, or who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, can get help from a free tax clinic offered by Total Action for Progress. The clinic, open through April 12 by appointment, is at the Dumas Center, 108 Henry Street, on the first floor. To schedule appointments and more information, contact taxhelp@tapintohope.org, or call 540-283-4804. MARTINSVILLE With reversion in the rearview mirror, Martinsville is looking for quick ways to create new revenue and the answer may be staring the city in the face. Martinsville is landlocked, surrounded by Henry County. The inability to expand and grow became the single greatest argument for proponents of Martinsville reverting to a town within Henry County. After approving reversion in December 2019, a new council majority stopped the process in January 2023. This year that majority plans to implement new generators of revenue and one of the first categories is an already operational municipal broadband network. MiNet MiNet, an acronym for Municipal Internet Network, is a city-owned telephone and internet service provider for local businesses and residents, according to the citys website. Mike Scaffidi is Martinsvilles MiNet director. The fiber system was constructed in the 1990s. Scaffidi says he has been in charge of the operation for 26 years. Around 2000 is when inquiries for service started to explode, said Scaffidi. We didnt advertise the system because we were not prepared. Even now its all word-of-mouth. As of the 2020 census, the population of Martinsville was 13,485. Despite predictions of a declining population, the estimated number of people who live in Martinsville grew to 13,517 in 2021. And yet, despite owning its own broadband service for more than a quarter of a century, Scaffidi admitted that MiNet only has a total of 376 customers with 98 and of them classified as residential and about 20 on a waiting list that can take months. With a mature fiber system already in place, Martinsville is far ahead of many other municipalities, but a study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) released Jan. 18, shows a dramatic surge over the past three years in the number of communities that are building publicly owned, locally controlled high-speed internet infrastructure. Unlike Martinsville, they are going head-to-head in competition with traditional internet service providers. The ISLR study shows since January 2021, at least 47 new municipal networks have come online and dozens more are in various stages of planning and construction. From the Midwest to the Deep South, East Coast to West, weve seen an incredible amount of new energy by cities over the last two years, said Ry Marcattilio, ILSRs associate director for research. The localities embracing the concept are not limited to larger cities in urban areas either. Marcattilio says expansion is occurring in communities ranging from 5,000 to 100,000 people. The study did not include the ongoing vast expansions of community broadband networks like the joint venture by Appalachian Power Co. and Riverstreet through the West Piedmont Planning Commission to provide internet service to everyone in Henry and Patrick counties. With approximately 400 municipal broadband networks serving about 600 communities, ILSR estimates one out of every three of these networks serve nearly every address in the communities they serve. MiNet can not only be an economic benefit to the city, but its an excellent fundamental service for our citizens, said Vice Mayor Aaron Rawls. Ive had it for the last seven years, and there is no deal that would make me switch. Its reliable, fast, and a tier above what Ive had in bigger cities like Phoenix, Arizona and Denver, Colorado. Mindset Rawls said councils mindset has changed from a managed decline to the recognition that MiNet could be a significant source of revenue for the city. This council sees an ocean of opportunity for this community and were focused on bringing those opportunities to life, Rawls said. Localities like Martinsville are across the country and they are building broadband infrastructures just like MiNet and were not going to act like we are incapable of doing it too. City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides agrees and said a coordinated plan is already being developed. We are working on a phased approach to roll out [MiNet] to the community, said Ferrell-Benavides. Its about putting our money where our mouth is. We want to make sure we have the resources to deal with it resources and staffing. Theres a lot of competition and this is a government function. Right now we dont have a large staff here and someone has to go out and service this system. We can grow this out and build our own because were already so far ahead. I believe MiNet is like my grandmothers diamond ring. Weve got to commit to it and move forward. Were beyond reversion now and we can build this ourselves. Schools Scaffidi said during the pandemic the city was able to secure funding to provide wireless internet throughout the city so students would have access to attend classes remotely, but the program met with limited success. The issue we had were the forms that people had to fill out, Scaffidi said. Less than 100 families filled those out. It was unfortunate. Mayor LC Jones, now a school resource officer in Henry County, was a resource officer for Martinsville City Public Schools during the pandemic. MiNet is so much more cost-effective versus the competitors, said Jones. We are looking at ways for all students to get into some kind of plan so they can do their homework and attend school on snow days. Schools function via the internet and if the students dont have it they get behind. The program didnt work at first because our messaging wasnt clear. This time were working on our brand, present our messaging the right way at the right time, and roll this out officially. Jones said he believes once everyone understands the savings available through MiNet and how to access it, the program will succeed. We need to do everything we can even go door-to-door and approach it that way, Jones said. Overall theres got to be a change of mindset and how weve done things. There just hasnt been a real plan in place or a sense of urgency to grow and develop. MiNet will provide us our quickest return on our money and with Aretha at the head of this, people will start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and we need to capitalize on this opportunity. The plan The Martinsville City Council will meet for a regular meeting Feb. 13 and MiNet will be front and center on the agenda. We know people are starving for affordable broadband access, but many wanted nothing to do with a government-provided system. Even though MiNet has been successful in its own way, and weve been at the forefront at every step, we need to make the commitment and the time is now, said Scaffidi. The ILSR says dark money campaigns funded by the big monopoly internet providers have been popping up across the country in an effort to persuade local officials and residents to reject municipal broadband proposals. Organizations like the American Association for Public Broadband have begun combatting the effort by issuing alerts to shed light on the misinformation at the center of these campaigns. Yet, despite the efforts to undermine municipal broadband, in the years to come ILSR believes communities, like Martinsville, will join the rising tide of local leaders, residents, and businesses calling for an alternative to the private monopoly model in addressing local connectivity needs. Were going to be engaging external help to meet our expansion needs, Rawls said. We want every citizen to have access and we need help to make this happen. The city has already issued a request for proposals and that closed this month [January]. When we officially roll this out, well be working with multiple partners that will provide affordable broadband service to everyone. HARTSVILLE Jaime Harrison says South Carolina is a sleeping giant that is about to wake up. Harrison, the national chairman of the Democratic Party, spoke in Florence and Hartsville as the First In the Nation Tour Stop sponsored by the South Carolina Democratic Party reached the Pee Dee Region on Thursday. The bus tour has brought top Democrats from across the country to nearly every county in the state over the past two weeks with the hope of drumming up support for President Joe Bidens reelection campaign ahead of todays Democratic presidential primary. South Carolina is the Democratic Partys first official primary, despite New Hampshire defying the Democratic National Committee and holding its primary on Jan. 23. Biden easily won the New Hampshire primary despite doing no campaigning in the state and refusing to file for his name to appear on the primary ballots. The decision to make South Carolina the first Democratic Party primary was driven by a desire to empower Black and minority voters by giving them an earlier voice in the process, according to DNC officials. It also gives the campaign an early look at how its message resonates with Black voters, who made up 60 percent of South Carolinas Democratic electorate in 2020. During Thursdays stops in the Pee Dee, local and state leaders spoke to a crowd of about 100 at the Butler Heritage Foundation Auditorium. They made their way to Lil Jazzis Cafe in Florence later that evening. The guest speaker at both events was Harrison. There was little mention of the New Hampshire primary in Hartsville on Thursday. Speakers focused their words on the importance of going to the polls and supporting Biden and other Democratic candidates. Its important that people understand that, and they utilize that power, because when you dont utilize your vote, youre giving that power over to somebody else who does, Harrison said. Harrison, who is from Orangeburg, said that being the first Democratic primary will bring much more attention to the state. Theres a sleeping giant here in South Carolina, and that sleeping giant is about to wake up, said Harrison. Its tired of representation that doesnt really represent us. On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for what you do and what you will do on Saturday. He asked those in attendance to think back to the 2020 election when the nation was in the midst of the COVID pandemic. We were a people divided and a lot of that was due to the Trump administration, said Harrison. He said it was South Carolina voters who voiced the need for change. It was the voters of South Carolina, said Harrison. It was the farmer in Bamberg, the teachers in Charleston, and yes, the good people here in Hartsville and the Pee Dee. You marched to the polls and we did what we always do that people dont give us credit for we set a precedent and picked the next president of the United States in Joe Biden. He said the Democratic Party is looking to the people of South Carolina to do the same during this election. Being first in the nation is a big deal, because once again it will be South Carolina deciding on who is our nominee, who will be the most powerful person on the face of the planet, said Harrison. You get to do it before anyone else does. He touted the accomplishments of the current president and said he is a man of his word. Joe Biden is a president who has demonstrated not only through his words but through his actions, particularly to the Black community, that he will listen to us and act on our behalf. He says to us, I see you, I hear you, and you matter, and he means it, said Harrison. He touched on many of the important issues the economy, the high cost of prescriptions, particularly the cost of insulin, Medicare, college loans, and infrastructure improvements. He said Biden will continue to lead the nation in the right direction. It all begins with you, Harrison said. We need you to cast your vote and let your voice be heard. The nation will be watching. Other speakers in Hartsville included Darlington County Sheriff James Hudson, Davita Malloy (wife of Sen. Gerald Malloy), Darlington County Councilwoman Joyce Thomas, and Darlington City Councilwoman Elaine Reed. In Florence, Mayor Teresa Myers Ervin told supporters it was imperative that we keep the country moving in the right direction. Florence, I want to ask you, are you in a position where youre ready to continue to move this nation forward? said Ervin. That we will not let our history be eroded, we will not let the rights that have been given be taken back. Thats how important this election is. S.C. Rep. Terry Alexander echoed Ervins sentiments, say our future depends on the outcome of this years election. Our challenge in my mind is, what are we going to do? said Alexander. What are we going to leave my granddaughter and my great granddaughter? Are we going to leave this place better or worse? Thats our call, thats our challenge. Senator Maggie Glover said it was time for every voter to let their voice be heard. Ladies and gentlemen, now is the time for you to prevent the tragedy that is headed towards America, said Glover. Now is the time when you can open your mouth and speak to everyone who will listen, you keep talking even if they appear to not be listening. I dont care if nobody else around you is saying anything, you let your light shine wherever you are. Cry out aloud like a trumpet and tell your people to participate in what many gave their lives for us to have the right to do. And just as he did in Hartsville earlier in the day, Harrison encouraged Florence supporters to cast their ballots on Saturday. You all have power, but we know power is useless if you dont use it, said Harrison. Its time for the good people to stand up, its time for the good people to make sure their voices are heard and guess who are the first good people who have to do it, Its right here in South Carolina. Others who spoke in Florence were Florence City Councilman Chaquez McCall and Nicole Dixon of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. A screenshot from a video showcases Indonesian police officers presenting counterfeit banknotes, revealing the successful bust of a syndicate in November 2023. (PHOTO: Facebook/Polda Kepri) SINGAPORE Singapore and Indonesia police have busted a counterfeit currency syndicate after the presentation of fake S$10,000 notes at a Singapore casino. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Thursday (1 February) that four Indonesian men were arrested in connection with this operation, following a joint investigation by Singapore's Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and the Indonesian National Police. SPF became alerted to the case on 21 September 2023, when an Indonesian couple tried to exchange a fake S$10,000 note for casino chips. Casino's discovery leads to joint effort by CAD and Indonesian police Upon being informed of the counterfeit nature of the note, the man presented another S$10,000 note for verification. The casino withheld both notes, subsequently handing them over to the CAD for investigation. The information regarding the counterfeit notes was also shared with the Indonesian police. Investigations unveiled that the couple had travelled from Batam to Singapore on the same day and had received the two notes from a business associate in Batam as payment for a business transaction. The couple intended to use the notes for gambling at the casino, according to the police statement. "As there was insufficient evidence to suggest that the couple were aware that the notes they were in possession of were counterfeit, the police, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, has taken no further action against the couple," it added. In Indonesia, authorities conducted three raids in Riau and West Java provinces between 15 and 20 November. Three Indonesian men, aged 39 to 48, were arrested for suspected involvement in counterfeiting and distributing banknotes. During these operations, a total of 390 pieces of S$10,000 banknotes, suspected to be fake, were seized. A fourth suspect, a 51-year-old Indonesian, was recently arrested by the Indonesian police, according to SPF. Public reminded to stay vigilant in the face of counterfeit threats David Chew, the director of CAD, emphasised the need for close collaboration with foreign law enforcement agencies to combat counterfeit currency syndicates. Story continues The police also highlighted the potential for large losses to victims and undermining confidence in the currency due to counterfeit banknotes. It reminded the public to remain vigilant and examine notes that are not commonly available but remain in circulation as legal tender. Detailed information about the security features of authentic Singapore currency can be accessed on the Monetary Authority of Singapore's website. Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube. More than 100 Myanmar migrants fled from a Malaysian detention centre after protests, with one killed in a road accident. Officials said that more than 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar escaped from the Bidor facility in the northern state of Perak on Thursday night. The Malaysian immigration department said in a statement that some 115 of the men were Rohingya refugees and the remaining 16 were of other Myanmar ethnicities. Director-general of the immigration department Ruslin Jusoh said in a statement that 131 detainees escaped from a centre in Perak state late Thursday. District police chief Mohamad Naim Asnawi was quoted by the national Bernama news agency as saying that the immigrants escaped from the mens block after a riot broke out at the detention centre. This is the second time Rohingya refugees have fled a temporary detention centre in Malaysia. In 2022, 528 Rohingya refugees protested and fled from the detention facility in northern Penang state. Six lost their lives while crossing a highway, and the majority of the escapees were recaptured. Malaysia, a country that does not recognise refugee status, has historically been a popular refuge for ethnic Rohingya escaping oppression in Myanmar or from refugee camps in Bangladesh. However, in the past few years, Malaysia has started to reject boats filled with Rohingya refugees and has detained thousands in overcrowded detention facilities, intensifying its efforts to clamp down on undocumented migrants. Meanwhile, search operations for over 100 escapees were ongoing on Friday. Nearly one million Muslim Rohingyas fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar amid waves of violence starting in August 2017 when armed attacks, massive-scale violence, and serious human rights violations forced the community to flee their homes in Myanmars Rakhine state. The United Nations describes the Rohingya as the most persecuted minority in the world. The Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority, have resided for centuries in what is now predominantly Buddhist Myanmar previously referred to as Burma. Although they have been inhabitants of Myanmar for numerous generations, the Rohingya are not acknowledged as an official ethnic group and have been deprived of citizenship since 1982, rendering them the largest stateless community globally, according to UNHCR. Additional reporting with agencies SIOUX CITY A Sioux City man has pleaded not guilty of setting a fire that caused extensive damage to a Sioux City house. Victor Montepeque-De Leon, 31, entered his written plea Thursday in Woodbury County District Court to charges of second-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief. Firefighters responded to the fire at 6:24 a.m. on Jan. 8 at 1114 Jennings St. Montepeque-De Leon was alone inside the home at the time of the fire and was transported to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center, where he was treated for smoke inhalation. According to court documents, Montepeque-De Leon told emergency room staff he had started the fire. The fire began in his bedroom, and his clothing tested positive for accelerants, as did the fires point of origin. According to court documents, Montepeque-De Leon was reported to be suicidal the night before, but refused medical attention and was left with family at the Jennings Street home. He told police that on the morning of the fire, he was suicidal, under the influence of methamphetamine and had overdosed on prescription drugs. He couldnt recall how the fire started, but didnt deny starting it, court documents said. The fire caused more than $50,000 in damage to the two-story house, which was red-tagged as unfit for occupation because of heavy fire and smoke damage. RANDOLPH, Neb. Rufus is staying put. The dog's owner, Kandice Cooke, has settled her federal lawsuit with the city of Randolph, allowing her to keep the emotional support dog within city limits. "He's licensed with the city now, which is what I wanted in the first place," Cooke said. The city had previously ordered Cooke to remove the dog because it was believed to be a pit bull and was thus prohibited from living within city limits under Randolph's dangerous dog ordinance. Cooke sued the city in June, saying the Randolph City Council was denying her right to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and also was violating the Fair Housing Act. Cooke, who moved to Randolph in March, said she'd been harassed by police about Rufus and had been ticketed four times totaling $400 for violating the city ordinance. The city dismissed those tickets as part of the settlement. The city was pleased with the quick resolution of the dispute, city administrator Benjamin Benton said. "It all started with her wanting to keep her dog, and that's the outcome," Benton said. A federal judge had granted an injunction to allow Cooke to keep Rufus in her home while the lawsuit proceeded, but said the only viable claim she had against the city was under the Fair Housing Act. The injunction was dissolved in a dismissal order signed on Jan. 26 in U.S. District Court in Omaha. Cooke has dismissed a complaint she filed with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission. Rufus the emotional support dog A registration certificate shows Kandice Cooke's dog, Rufus, as a boxer mix and an emotional support dog. Rufus also is believed to be part pi Cooke said Rufus, who she's had for four years, is a licensed and certified emotional support dog which she said is a boxer-pit bull mix, mostly boxer. The city's dangerous dog ordinance prohibits American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers within city limits but says the breeds are permissible if the dog is a certified service animal. The city had argued that Cooke's documentation filed with her city pet registration didn't make it clear Rufus is a service animal. Cooke said she supplied documents from two psychologists and her treating physician supporting her need for a support animal. Cooke also registered him with the city as a pit bull, but said she did so because that's what his previous owners who surrendered him to the Humane Society called him. She said the Humane Society and her veterinarian were required to list Rufus as a pit bull because of the previous owners' statement. According to the settlement, the city will rewrite its dangerous dog ordinance, action the city had been considering before the lawsuit, Benton said. Cooke said she hoped the new ordinance would make it easier for future dog owners to register their animals with the city. "The next person who has a service dog as an emotional support animal won't have to go through the hassles I went through," she said. Ruling party led by ex-justice minister proposes bill to establish immigration agency By Lee Hyo-jin Legislative efforts for the establishment of a new immigration agency are gaining traction in the National Assembly, marking progress in the government's plan to establish a "control tower" for handling affairs related to foreign residents. On Friday, Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig and nine other lawmakers of the conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed a bill to revise the Government Organization Act with the aim of establishing an immigration agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. The PPP's interim leader Han Dong-hoon, who had served as the justice minister before joining the party, has been at the forefront of government efforts for advanced immigration policies to tackle the nation's demographic crisis. With about 2.5 million foreign nationals residing in the nation comprising roughly 5 percent of the total 51.5 million population Korea has been facing an increasing need to pursue cohesive immigration policies by creating a separate government entity. If enacted, the bill would facilitate the launch of the immigration agency, responsible for managing immigration-related tasks currently handled by the justice ministry. These tasks encompass entry, residency, nationality, refugees and social integration programs provided to foreign residents. "The establishment of the immigration agency is an urgent and crucial task for the future of Korea. Once established, it can serve as a control tower for immigration and entry policies, formulating and implementing unified policies across the government to address the complex issues surrounding immigration," Jeong said in a statement. However, the specific roles and tasks of the immigration agency are expected to be a source of debate between the parties. Rep. Jasmine Lee of the minor opposition Justice Party expressed support for the envisioned immigration agency, but emphasized that it should prioritize protection of migrants' rights. Lee, a Philippines-born naturalized Korean and a longstanding advocate for migrants' rights, returned to the National Assembly last week as a proportional representative of the minor progressive party, succeeding the role of Ryu Ho-jeong, who left the party in January. From 2012 to 2016, Lee served as a lawmaker in the conservative Saenuri Party, the predecessor of PPP. "The demographic crisis due to declining birthrate and aging society pose a threat to the nation's existence. This is why I agree with the PPP's plan to establish the immigration agency," Lee said during a National Assembly session, Thursday. "But if this initiative is aimed merely to address the population decline, the agency will just become another burden on taxpayers. Discussions on enhancing the rights of immigrants should accompany the establishment of the agency to truly fulfill its purpose." In that regard, Lee said that measures to guarantee the basic rights of migrants, such as labor rights and suffrage, must be included in related bills. This stance somewhat differs from the tone set by the ruling party and the government. In December, then Justice Minister Han had stated that the purpose of the immigration agency would be to "realize the practical interests of the nation and its people," rather than to introduce cultural diversity or for humanitarian purposes. "The policies we aim to pursue are not about simply accepting a large number of foreigners. Instead, we will accept only foreign nationals who meet our needs based on thorough assessments, while strengthening crackdowns on undocumented migrants," Han said in a National Assembly speech given at that time. SIOUX CITY A man suspected of shooting off explosive rockets that caused a grass fire in Plymouth County has been charged with making explosives in his Sioux City home. Daniel Graben, 59, pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court to charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of an explosive by a felon, receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm or destructive device and making an unregistered firearm or destructive device. He's scheduled to stand trial April 1 in U.S. District Court in Sioux City. According to court documents, federal agents executing a search warrant on his duplex near North High School found a basement workshop containing military-grade explosives, black powder, flash powder, fuses, ignition devices, 11 destructive devices, six possible handmade explosive devices, metal tubing and other unlabeled powders currently undergoing lab analysis. Agents also found three guns and ammunition in his home. Graben was prohibited from possessing the firearms and explosives because of previous felony convictions, one for arson, in California and Idaho. Also found in Graben's home was a rocket motor containing markings consistent with those found on fragments discovered at the scene of a Feb. 28, 2022, grass fire near Akron, Iowa. Suspicious because the fire was in the middle of the field and not near any fire sources, the landowner searched the site the next day, found two gray metal pieces about 3-4 inches long and contacted the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office. A deputy found the remnant of a large metal device resembling a rocket and turned it over to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent who observed hardened epoxy and black electrical tape on the tube, which appeared to the agent to be a homemade device. A month later, the landowner found a second device similar to the first one while working in his field. An ATF lab examined the devices and later classified them as improvised explosive devices. Technicians also recovered DNA from the black electrical tape and, using a national database, matched it to Graben, whom ATF agents had interviewed in 2020 in connection with an investigation into a Minnesota man who was later convicted of distributing explosive devices and had shipped packages to Graben's Sioux City address. In September, according to court documents, ATF agents executed a search warrant to review contents of Graben's cellphone and found photos of guns, homemade explosive devices and people appearing to make explosives. The phone also contained three videos of explosives being detonated, and one of the people in the video appeared to be Graben. In text message exchanges, one acquaintance referred to Graben as "Dynamite Dan," and Graben told him a busy holiday was coming up and he'd be making money on "boom boom." In another message chain, Graben told the recipient that "Fireworks are ready" and arranged a meeting to sell them. In another message, a third person appeared to be ordering explosives from Graben, asking for more of the "quarter stick lookin (sic) ones and the 3-inch mortars." Graben responded he'd be able to provide them. Court documents show Graben had multiple convictions, one of them for arson, in California in 2008, and a drug conviction in Idaho in 2012. In that case, police investigated a fire in the home in which Graben was staying and located explosive material and explosives in various states of completion in his trailer. In 2016, court documents said, Graben bought two 10-pound bags of refined potassium nitrate, a chemical that can be used to make explosives, and two more in 2017. All were shipped to his Sioux City address. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Kelly Mahoney has ordered Graben to remain in custody pending trial. OMAHA A federal judge has approved an agreement between two Indian tribes and Thurston County that gives Native American voters the majority in five of seven county board of supervisors districts. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Rossiter Jr. called the agreement "fair, reasonable and adequate" in a Jan. 26 order that provides for the settlement of a lawsuit in which the Winnebago and Omaha tribes and several individuals said the county and the board of supervisors had violated the Voting Rights Act with its previous district map in 2022. "The settlement reasonably resolves difficult voting rights issues in a manner that is fair to all parties," Rossiter said in his ruling. The settlement includes a new district map, which the Thurston County Board of Supervisors has approved for implementation in this year's election. The map will be in place until after the next census in 2030, when population shifts could require the redrawing of districts. The tribes and nine individuals sued Thurston County, the seven county board members and the county clerk in January 2023 in U.S. District Court in Omaha, saying a district map approved in 2022 violated the Voting Rights Act because it did not provide Native voters a fair chance to elect candidates of their choice in at least four of the seven districts. In November, the parties reached an agreement on a redrawn district map. Lawyers for the tribes said they are pleased to have the agreement approved. "This is the third time the county has been sued under the Voting Rights Act and the third time the county has had to take court-ordered corrective action. Hopefully this is the last time this has to be done. I believe it is in line with what the tribes had asked for during the redistricting process," said Mike Carter, a lawyer with the Native American Rights Fund civil rights organization. The tribes and county agree the new map complies with the Voting Rights Act. Thurston County Board chairman Glen Meyer said the agreement was reached amicably. "The lawsuit originated from a perceived problem the tribes had with the redistricting map adopted by the Thurston County Board of Supervisors after the 2020 census," Meyer said in a released statement. "At that time, the board thoughtfully considered three maps developed by an independent contractor as well as a redistricting map provided by the tribes with one of the contractor maps eventually being selected. The tribes and county cooperated in developing a new map, which addressed the concerns of both parties and resolved the issue." Natives make up 50.3% of the voting age population, compared with 43% of whites, in Thurston County, which is home to both the Winnebago and Omaha Indian reservations. Because of their majority, the tribes said in the lawsuit, Natives should have a legitimate chance to elect representatives in at least four districts, but the former plan gave them a clear majority in only three. Though Natives had a slight majority in two other districts under the disputed map, the lawsuit said, those districts were drawn purposely to take advantage of traditional low Native voter turnout and ensure white politicians maintained control. The board currently has two Native and five white members. The county denied the discrimination claims and argued that the map met Voting Rights Act requirements. The map was used in the 2022 election cycle, in which no Native candidates ran in three of the four districts up for election. Under the newly approved settlement, Natives now have a majority of voters in five districts. Natives will have majorities of 95% and 87% in districts that include Macy and Winnebago, respectively. Native majorities in the other three districts are 74%, 69% and 53%. In the remaining two districts, white voters have majorities of 94% and 85%. "Terms of the settlement provide relief for our clients and allow them to elect candidates of their choice," said Ezra Rosenberg, a lawyer with Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which also represented the tribes. The new district map does not displace any current supervisors from their districts, giving incumbents the chance to run for re-election in their present districts when their current terms are on the ballot this year or in 2026. The lawsuit was the third voting rights suit the tribes have filed against Thurston County. In 1978, the Justice Department sued the county over its at-large method of electing supervisors. A consent decree in that case resulted in the current seven-district format. A second lawsuit stemmed from redistricting after the 1990 Census that diluted Native voting strength by not creating a third district in which Natives had an effective majority. More than 27,000 people have been killed and 66,000 wounded by Israels offensive in Gaza, the Hamas-controlled territorys Health Ministry said Thursday. The number of deaths has grown by more than 1,100 since the International Court of Justice in the Hague last week told Israel to do its best to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. South Africas foreign minister accused Israel of ignoring that ruling by the United Nations top court. Israel denies the genocide accusations. Israels Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the military has almost completed its operations in the southern city of Khan Younis after inflicting heavy losses on Hamas and is poised to move farther south toward the Egyptian border. The army has focused its offensive in recent weeks on Khan Younis, saying the city is a Hamas stronghold. It claims it killed at least 2,000 Hamas militants there and destroyed a number of important tunnels in the militant groups underground network. Israel vowed to press ahead to Rafah, located on the border with Egypt. It remains unclear how Israel will operate in the area, which is filled with hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in makeshift tent camps. U.S. sanctions Meanwhile, President Joe Biden issued an executive order Thursday that targets Israeli settlers in the West Bank who are accused of attacking Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the occupied territory, imposing financial sanctions and visa bans in an initial round against four individuals. Those settlers were involved in acts of violence, as well as threats and attempts to destroy or seize Palestinian property, according to the order. The penalties aim to block the four from using the U.S. financial system and bar American citizens from dealing with them. U.S. officials said they are evaluating whether to punish others involved in attacks that have intensified during the Israel-Hamas war. Biden's order is a rare step against Americas closest ally in the Mideast who, Biden says, has the right to defend itself. But the Democratic president has pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government to show greater restraint in its military operations aimed at rooting out Hamas. Palestinian authorities say some Palestinians have been killed, and rights groups say settlers torched cars and attacked several small Bedouin communities, forcing evacuations. This violence poses a grave threat to peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, Israel, and the Middle East region, and threatens the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement. Biden faces growing criticism for his administration's strong support of Israel as casualties mount in the conflict, which began when Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, attacked Israel on Oct. 7. The order notes that the violence by settlers undermines U.S. foreign policy objectives, including the viability of a two-state solution and ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom. Biden has reinvigorated calls for an independent Palestinian state that would exist alongside Israel, a goal that has eluded American presidents and Middle East diplomats for decades. Biden says finding a way to achieve Palestinian sovereignty once the Israel-Hamas war ends is essential to building a durable peace. Netanyahu has rejected the idea throughout his political career and has told U.S. officials he remains opposed to any postwar plan that includes establishment of a Palestinian state. The Israeli leader quickly denounced the sanctions. The vast majority of settlers, he said in a statement, are law-abiding citizens, many of them these days are fighting as conscripts and reservists for the defense of Israel." He said his country "takes action against law-breakers in every place, and therefore there is no place for exceptional steps on this measure. Also Thursday, Britains Foreign Secretary David Cameron said his country could officially recognize a Palestinian state after a cease-fire in Gaza without waiting for the outcome of what could be yearslong talks between Israel and the Palestinians on a two-state solution. However, Cameron said no recognition could come while Hamas remains in Gaza. He spoke during a visit to Lebanon intended to tamp down regional tensions as Israel's war in Gaza continues to spill over into neighboring countries. Hostage situation In Turkey, two gunmen took seven hostages at a factory owned by U.S. company Procter & Gamble on Thursday, according to media reports, apparently in protest against the war. Turkish media published an image of one of the purported suspects inside the factory, a man wearing what appeared to be a rudimentary explosives belt and holding a handgun. Private news agency DHA said the suspects entered the main building of the facility in Gebze in the province of Kocaeli, about 3 p.m. local time and took seven members of the staff hostage. It claimed the suspects actions were to highlight the loss of life in the Palestinian enclave. Hours later, a P&G spokesperson said the situation was resolved, all personnel were safe and the assailant was apprehended by law enforcement. The statement from the spokesperson referred to one assailant. Today in history: Feb. 2 1887: Groundhog Day 1913: Grand Central Terminal 1925: Alaska Serum Run 1943: Battle of Stalingrad 1948: Harry Truman 1980: "Abscam" 1990: South Africa 2006: John Boehner 2012: Egypt 2018: Larry Nassar 2020: Coronavirus 2021: Pete Buttigieg 2022: Michael K. Williams 2023: Chinese balloon WASHINGTON Donald Trump's storied business career is checkered by bankruptcies and blunders. His investment in Eli Bartov, a New York University accounting professor, looms as another failed venture. Trump's Save America political action committee paid Bartov nearly $930,000 last year as an expert witness in the New York attorney general's civil fraud case that threatens the former president's real estate empire, according to new Federal Election Commission filings. Bartov bombed. New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron declared in December the professor's testimony proved only that "for a million or so dollars, some experts will say whatever you want them to say." An Associated Press analysis of new Federal Election Commission filings shows the payments to Bartov are among $54 million in legal expenditures made last year by Trump's political fundraising machine. The spending came as Trump battles multiple lawsuits and dozens of felony charges in four criminal cases. Save America accounted for the bulk of the payments, with 84% of the committee's spending going toward legal costs. Coupled with FEC data from 2022, AP's review found that Save America, Trump's presidential campaign and his other fundraising organizations devoted $76.7 million to legal fees over the past two years. The hefty sum underscores the legal jeopardy Trump faces as he marches toward securing the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School in New York who specializes in campaign finance regulation and government ethics, said that while the legal expenses are large, they're unlikely to hamper Trump's run for the White House. "He seems to be able to raise a lot of money, so I wouldn't really worry about the long-term impact on his campaign," Briffault said. Trump denies any wrongdoing and blasted the lengthy list of felony charges and lawsuits as partisan attempts to upend his presidential bid. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the legal spending. Several of his most prominent lawyers surpassed $5 million each in payments, all footed by the former president's campaign donors, according to the FEC filings. Alina Habba, whose New Jersey-based law firm represented Trump in the sexual assault and defamation suit brought by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, earned the most: $6 million. Trump suffered a stinging loss in the Carroll case. Juries awarded her more than $88 million. The criminal cases carry greater political and personal risk for him. Even as the former president drains his campaign coffers to pay for his personal attorney fees, he's sought to transform the legal woes into an opportunity by portraying himself as the victim of a corrupt justice system. Reporters and cameras often show up in large numbers when he makes a courtroom appearance, as he's done in the Carroll and New York fraud cases, and he seizes the stage to pound the message that his political enemies are aiming to silence him and his supporters. "It's a terrible thing that's happening here," Trump told reporters in early November after exiting the courtroom where the New York fraud case was being held. "I think it's a very sad day for America." Trump is battling two sets of federal charges over his retention of classified records at his Mar-a-Largo resort in Florida and for his alleged role in seeking to undermine the 2020 election. He faces state charges in Georgia that he illegally schemed to overturn the election in the state. He has been charged by New York City prosecutors with making hush money payments during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep a sexual relationship from becoming public. Scaramucci: I'll help President Biden and fundraise for his re-election campaign Former Trump White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci says that he will support Joe Biden's re-election campaign, and will fundr Chris Kise, who left the megafirm Foley & Lardner to be one of Trump's attorneys, was paid $5.1 million in donor dollars over the past two years, according to the FEC filings. Kise and Habba represented Trump in the New York fraud lawsuit, which could end up banning him from doing business in the state and requiring him to pay several hundred million dollars in penalties. Continental PLLC, a Florida law firm Kise joined after leaving Foley & Lardner, separately received $5.4 million in Trump donor money, according to the records. Trump's campaign paid Atlanta attorney Steven Sadow $1.5 million in the second half of 2023. Trump hired Sadow to represent him in the Georgia election subversion case. Campaign money was also used to pay attorneys who represented co-defendants and potential witnesses in the Trump cases. Brand Woodward Law in Washington received $660,000, with the bulk of that money coming in 2023. One of the firm's clients, Trump valet Walt Nauta, is accused to scheming to conceal Mar-a-Lago security camera footage from government investigators. Quiet luxury vs. loud budgeting: The best splurge and save home goods of 2024 Splurge on Quiet Luxury: Gwyneth Ivory Boucle Swivel Chair by Goop Save With Loud Budgeting: Arijit Boucle Upholstered Swivel Armchair by Wade Logan Splurge on Quiet Luxury: Aesop Aromatique Hand Wash Save With Loud Budgeting: Muse Bath Apothecary Hand Ritual Soap Splurge on Quiet Luxury: Restoration Hardware Reed Floor Lamp Save With Loud Budgeting: Project 62 Ellis Tripod Floor Lamp Splurge on Quiet Luxury: CB2 Mardones Camel Brown Velvet Sofa Save With Loud Budgeting: Bed Bath & Beyond Kaiya Performance Velvet Sofa Splurge on Quiet Luxury: Le Labo Santal 26 Candle Save With Loud Budgeting: Aire Candle Co. Santal and Cardamom Candle Today is Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Let's get caught up. Keep scrolling for celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history. Plus, check out our daily news podcast: *** Half of US adults say Israel has gone too far in war in Gaza, AP-NORC poll shows Half of U.S. adults say Israel's 15-week-old military campaign in Gaza has gone too far, a finding driven mainly by growing disapproval among Republicans and political independents, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Broadly, the poll shows support for Israel and the Biden administration's handling of the situation ebbing slightly further across the board. The poll shows 31% of U.S. adults approve of Biden's handling of the conflict, including just 46% of Democrats. That's as an earlier spike in support for Israel following the Hamas attacks Oct. 7 sags. Read more: *** President Joe Biden to attend dignified transfer for US troops killed in Jordan, who 'risked it all' President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will join grieving families at Dover Air Force Base on Friday to honor three American servicemembers killed in a drone attack in Jordan, a solemn ritual that has become relatively uncommon in recent years as the U.S. withdrew from conflicts abroad. The Bidens will attend a dignified transfer as the remains of the troops killed in the overnight assault Sunday return to U.S. soil. *** A year on, a small Ohio town is recovering from a fiery train derailment but health fears persist Daily life largely returned to normal for most of the nearly 5,000 residents of East Palestine, Ohio, months after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled a cocktail of hazardous chemicals that caught fire a year ago, but the worries and fears are always there. Some people still report respiratory problems, rashes or headaches, or say they feel ill whenever they return to the village not far from the Pennsylvania border. At least several dozen havent returned to their homes, concerned about chemicals like the vinyl chloride that was released and burned when officials blew open five derailed tank cars because they worried the cars might explode. But others believe the EPAs findings that their air and water are safe. They say theyre ready to move on and take advantage of all the money the railroad and governments are investing in the area. They don't want the derailment to define their town. *** MORE TOP STORIES *** MORNING LISTEN Co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz discuss new programs, including the Candian comedy "Son of a Critch" that has made its way to American audiences via The CW. Miller has an interview with star and creator Mark Critch. *** TODAY IN HISTORY Today in sports history: Feb. 2 Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner were among the first Baseball Hall of Fame class elected in 1936. Here are some more sports moments on this date: *** TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS Celebrity birthdays: Feb. 2 Barry Diller Brent Spiner Christie Brinkley Graham Nash Ina Garten Jack McGee John Cornyn Kim Zimmer Rich Sommer Robert DeLeo Shakira T-Mo Zosia Mamet WASHINGTON The U.S. military launched an air assault Friday on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in the opening salvo of retaliation for the drone strike that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan last weekend. The massive barrage of strikes hit more than 85 targets at seven locations, including command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities that were connected to the militias or the IRGCs Quds Force, the Guards expeditionary unit that handles Tehrans relationship with and arming of regional militias. President Joe Biden made it clear in a statement that more will come. Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing," he warned, adding, let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond. He and other top U.S. leaders had been saying for days that any American response wouldn't be just one hit but a tiered response over time. The U.S. strikes appeared to stop short of directly targeting Iran or senior leaders of the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force within its borders, as the U.S. tries to prevent the conflict from escalating even further. Iran denied it was behind the Jordan attack. The assault came just hours after Biden and top defense leaders joined grieving families to watch as the remains of the three Army Reserve soldiers were returned to the U.S. at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The Bidens met privately with the families before the roughly 15-minute solemn ritual, called a dignified transfer. The service members killed Sunday were all from Georgia and assigned to the 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, based at Fort Moore, Ga.: Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross and Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah. Sanders and Moffett were posthumously promoted to sergeant rank. The U.S. blames the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad coalition of Iran-backed militias, for the deadly attack in Jordan that also injured more than 40 service members, but has not yet narrowed it down to a specific group. Kataib Hezbollah is, however, a top suspect. It was unclear what the impact of the strikes would be. Days of U.S. warnings may have sent militia members scattering into hiding. With multiple groups operating at various locations in several countries, a knockout blow was unlikely. In a statement this week, Kataib Hezbollah announced the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government." Other groups vowed to continue fighting, casting themselves as champions of the Palestinian cause while the war in Gaza shows no sign of ending. Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the other major Iran-backed groups, vowed Friday to continue military operations against U.S. troops. Some of the militias have been a threat to U.S. bases for years, but the groups intensified their assaults in the wake of Israel's war with Hamas militants. The war has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza and spilled across four other countries now. Iran-backed militia groups throughout the region used the conflict to justify striking Israeli or U.S. interests, including threatening civilian commercial ships and U.S. warships with drones or missiles in almost daily exchanges. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the targets "were carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties and based on clear, irrefutable evidence that they were connected to attacks on U.S. personnel in the region. He declined to detail what that evidence was. The strikes took place over about 30 minutes, and three of the sites struck were in Iraq and four were in Syria, said Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Staff. He said the U.S. planned the strikes in order to allow the U.S. to confirm it was hitting the right targets and avoiding civilian casualties. It wasn't clear whether militia members were killed. Syrian state media reported that there were casualties but did not give a number. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 18 militants were killed in the Syria strikes. Iraqi army spokesman Yahya Rasool said in a statement that the city of al-Qaim and areas along the countrys border with Syria had been hit by U.S. airstrikes. The strikes, he said, constitute a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, posing a threat that will pull Iraq and the region to undesirable consequences. Kirby said that the U.S. alerted the Iraqi government prior to carrying out the strikes. As of Tuesday, Iran-backed militia groups launched 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, according to a U.S. military official. The last attack was Jan. 29 at at al-Asad airbase in Iraq, and there were no injuries or damage. The U.S., meanwhile, bolstered defenses at the base in Jordan that was attacked by the Iran-backed militants Sunday, according to a U.S. official. The Israeli military said its Arrow defense system intercepted a missile that approached the country from the Red Sea, raising suspicion it was launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility. A U.S. official also said the military took additional self-defense strikes Friday inside Yemen against Houthi military targets deemed an imminent threat. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said British and American forces conducted three strikes in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah, a Houthi stronghold. 2023 in photos: Unforgettable images capture Middle East in turmoil DES MOINES Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will travel to Eagle Pass, Texas, on Sunday to join a group of Republican governors for a press conference as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues to feud with President Joe Biden over border security. Reynolds was one of two dozen Republican governors who rallied behind Abbott last week as he vowed to continue installing razor wire at the southern border in an effort to stem the flow of migrants across the border. Reynolds' office said in a press release the conference would highlight the "actions the State of Texas has made to protect Americans in response to President Joe Bidens reckless open border policies." In addition to Reynolds, the governors of Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee and Utah will join Abbott at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. The U.S. Supreme Court last week cleared the way for Border Patrol officials to begin cutting razor wire fencing Texas officials had installed at the border after Abbott sued to stop them. The ruling did not impact Abbotts ability to continue placing the razor wire. Abbott has since said that Biden has failed his constitutional duty to secure the border. Abbott has declared the rise in unlawful border crossings an invasion, saying he has a constitutional duty to enforce border policies. "Because the Biden Administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation," Reynolds and other Republican governors said last week. The Biden administration has been pushing for Congress to agree on a deal to secure the southern border and Biden said he would "shut down" the border if given the authority. White House Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said last week Abbott had politicized the situation at the border and was endangering peoples' lives. "It's not making people's lives safer. It's actually making it harder for law enforcement at the border to do their job," she said in an interview on CNN. "And so we have been very clear. We want to make sure we get something done at the border." Reynolds will hold a press briefing in Des Moines after she returns on Monday, her office said. The Texas shrimper holding industrial polluters accountable The Texas shrimper holding industrial polluters accountable Wilson's education ended with high school, but she self-educated in order to navigate the murky waters of scientific data and the legal world For Wilson, the process of proving just how widespread pollution had become was an exercise in patience and determination Wilson's efforts led to a historic legal judgmentand the vindication of years of struggle In a break with the Nebraska Republican Party, a group of 26 conservative state senators signed a public letter this week endorsing Nebraska's incumbent federal delegates, some of whom are facing hard-right primary challengers. Led by Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk, the group of lawmakers called for unity in the state's fractured GOP as they endorsed Nebraska's five federal delegates: U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, and Reps. Mike Flood, Don Bacon and Adrian Smith all of whom are Republicans. "I know to win, we must be united as a party," Dover said in the letter, made public Thursday morning. "Our federal delegation has done a tremendous job representing us over the years," said Dover, who Ricketts appointed to the Legislature in 2022. "I look forward to seeing them continue their work for us all." The letter comes two days after the Nebraska GOP announced its endorsements for May's primary, signaling support for a host of school board and state senate candidates while withholding endorsements of the federal delegates. In a news release announcing the endorsements, the party did not signal support for hard-right challengers to the incumbents though the partys State Central Committee voted last week to endorse three of the incumbents' primary challengers, the Nebraska Examiner reported. And Lt. Col. John Glen Weaver, who is challenging Ricketts for his Senate seat, said in a social media post that he had been "endorsed by 71%" of the state party. The Examiner had reported that the Nebraska GOP also voted to endorse Omaha businessman Dan Frei, running against Don Bacon in the state's 2nd Congressional District, and Hastings engineer John "MAGA" Walz, who is running against Smith in the 3rd District. Neither Flood nor Fischer so far face primary challengers. Three state senators who the party did endorse Sens. Beau Ballard, Carolyn Bosn and Kahtleen Kauth, all of whom were appointed to the Legislature by Ricketts or his successor, Gov. Jim Pillen also signed Dover's letter endorsing the incumbents. Nebraska GOP Chairman Eric Underwood did not immediately return an email seeking comment Thursday. A phone call to the party's office directed callers to the GOP's email address. When the party announced its endorsements earlier this week, Underwood indicated that none of the delegates had sought the party's endorsement, which comes with perks including shout-outs on the party's social media account, event promotion and postal mailing for campaign flyers. Still, the party's withholding of its endorsement marked an escalation of longstanding tensions between the Nebraska GOP and the state's establishment Republicans that emerged publicly in the summer of 2022, when conservative activists took over the party, which had been run by establishment figures loyal to Ricketts, who was then the governor. The tensions boiled over all the way to the floor of Nebraska's Legislature amid debate Thursday morning, when some of the same senators who signed the letter endorsing the federal delegates spoke about the matter. Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who Ricketts appointed to the Legislature in 2018, called the state party "broke" and, almost immediately, faced attacks from nameless far-right accounts on X, the social media website more commonly known as Twitter. Moments later, Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams said he "can't hardly believe" that the state party didn't endorse Nebraska's congressional delegates, who he said he is "very, very proud of." "Why none of them were endorsed is beyond me," said Dorn, who signed onto Dover's letter. "I guess we'll hear more in the days to come." Photos: Nebraska Legislature gavels in for first day of 2024 session DES MOINES Iowa House and Senate Republicans rolled out a new proposal to provide a glide path to eliminating the state individual income tax. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, and Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, filed legislation Thursday that would put Iowa on a path to eliminate the individual income tax and protect the tax relief measures Republicans have passed. Kaufmann and Dawson lead the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee in the House and Senate. We have heard time and time again from our colleagues in both the House and Senate, as well as Iowans across the state, that we want to get Iowa to a zero-income-tax rate, and we believe these proposals will responsibly get us to that point and set our state up for continued success and stability for years to come, Kaufmann said. Senate Study Bill 3141 would accelerate current income tax cuts lawmakers passed in 2022 that gradually reduces rates until tax year 2026 when most Iowa workers will pay a 3.9 percent state income tax. The bill would lower the rates to 3.65 percent by tax year 2027. It also would have Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System start managing the states more than $3.5 billion Taxpayer Relief Fund. Profits earned from investing that money would be used to ratchet down the state income tax rate over time. Under the proposal, the new trust fund that would be created would receive an initial $2.6 billion transfer from the Taxpayer Relief Fund. It would have an oversight board and contract through IPERS to invest those dollars. Once the trust becomes operable, 5 percent a year would be transferred to the new Income Tax Elimination Fund, used to help lower and eventually eliminate the income tax, while assisting with budget stabilization as rates are cut, the two lawmakers told reporters. If the trust fund has sufficient dollars and sales tax growth hits a certain trigger, the income tax rates will be automatically reduced. Were doing something that everyday Iowans do for their retirement, everyday businesses here in the state do, Dawson told reporters. Were using the money, growing it for something bigger. Kaufmann said the proposal responsibly achieves Republicans long-term goal to eliminate the individual income tax and put Iowa on a stronger path to prosperity. Dawson said the plan ensures state government can meet its spending obligations even as the state reduces income tax revenue. Ultimately, its a responsible glide path to zero, Dawson said, as opposed to some massive sales tax increase or eliminating a bunch of (tax) exemptions out there. ADDING TAXPAYER PROTECTIONS TO IOWA CONSTITUTION Both lawmakers, though, described the proposal as a long-term plan meant to be a starting point for continued conversations. How quickly this bill happens, this is the beginning, Kaufmann said. And so this will happen as quickly as people are ready for it, and I think youll find out as this gets talked about youre going to find a high appetite for Iowans to want to do that. Kaufmann and Dawson also plan to advance a proposed constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 14, that would require a two-thirds vote rather than a simple majority in the Legislature to raise any state tax. Lawmakers considered but failed to advance the constitutional amendment last year, noting this year its become a priority of the two chairmen. In the near term, Republican lawmakers say theyre focused this session on passing legislation accelerating the already approved income tax cuts. They said they intend to file a bill this spring to do just that but are waiting on a March report on state tax revenue and may use some elements of the tax reduction plan Gov. Reynolds introduced three weeks ago. Reynolds, in her annual Condition of the State address, called for accelerating state income tax cuts landing at a 3.5 percent rate for most Iowa workers next year The proposal would reduce Iowans state income taxes, and thus limit future state revenue growth, by $3.8 billion over the first five years. Republicans say the state can afford more tax reductions, with a $2.1 billion general fund budget surplus projected to grow to $3.1 billion in the next fiscal year, full emergency accounts and $3.7 billion in the Taxpayer Relief Fund. TAX-CUTTING SPREE Iowa lost $57 million in tax revenue in 2022-23 and will lose close to $5 billion over the next five years about 7.8 percent of the states general fund, according to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. State policymakers nationwide have embarked on a tax-cutting spree over the past three years, using the cover of temporary budget surpluses stemming from robust federal aid in response to COVID-19 and the economic recovery that followed, the report states. The tax cuts most of which are both permanent and tilted toward wealthy households and corporations will weaken state revenues by large and growing amounts over time, limiting these states ability to maintain support for schools and other vital public services or make new investments that can strengthen the economy and promote opportunity. DEMOCRATS PROPOSE LOWER COSTS, HIGHER WAGES House and Senate Democratic leaders said they are concerned that further income tax cuts would disproportionately benefit the wealthy while leaving hundreds of thousands of Iowans who pay no income taxes with no benefits. House Democrats on Thursday, meanwhile, unveiled a legislative package to lower costs and raise wages for Iowans. The package of bills would: Gradually raise Iowas minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. Clear the list of more than 20,000 Iowans with disabilities on the Home and Community-Based Services waiver waitlist to get services like personal care, food preparation, home repairs and modifications so they can stay in their homes. Doing so would cost $69 million, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. It could be paid for with unspent federal COVID relief dollars, said Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, but also would require additional money to provide services since Iowa faces a shortage of direct care workers. Make a one-year pilot program that allows child care workers to apply for state child care assistance for their own children permanent and available statewide. Provide a subsidy for child care workers who need child care for their own kids so they can afford to stay on the job. Expand and extend Iowas tax-free holiday in August from two days to two weeks; add school and art supplies, instructional materials and musical instruments to the list of tax-free exemptions; and raise the cap on clothing items from $100 to $250 so Iowans can purchase work uniforms, work boots and other items. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said the bills will lower costs, raise wages and leave Iowans with more money in their pockets. What were proposing is what Iowans tell us they want, Konfrst told reporters. What Republicans are proposing is what special interests tell them that they want. The Army's special operations troops wrapped up this year's first combined exercise with the U.S. Green Berets on Friday, officials said, amid joint efforts to hone combat capabilities against North Korean threats. The exercise took place at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, 51 kilometers northeast of Seoul, from Jan. 22, involving troops from the North Star battalion under the Army Special Warfare Command and the U.S. 1st Special Forces Group, according to the South Korean Army. The two sides staged various drills, including those on combat shooting and first aid, special reconnaissance, and directing air support, it said. They also formed combined teams to stage a two-day reconnaissance and infiltration exercise without sleep to identify and destroy a target by directing simulated air strikes. "The Army Special Warfare Command will closely analyze the exercise's results and strengthen education and training to enhance combined special operations capabilities," the Army said in a release. The U.S. special operations unit in South Korea confirmed the drills, adding that U.S. SEALs and other troops from the Naval Special Warfare Command also separately trained with South Korean soldiers and police personnel last week. "Through the presence of a strong, credible, and combined (special operations forces) ... we round out an integrated deterrence posture that enables a free and open Indo-Pacific," U.S. Special Operations Command-Korea said on its Facebook page. The joint drills took place as tensions are running high amid North Korea's continued saber-rattling in the new year, including the launch of cruise missiles Friday. (Yonhap) Why Do So Many Music Venues Use Ticketmaster? Whats It Like to Train to Be a Sushi Chef? How Do Martial Artists Break Concrete Blocks? If you were looking for answers to such questions 10 years ago, your best resource for finding a thorough, expert-informed response likely would have been one of the most interesting and longest-lasting corners of the internet: Quora. Most people have encountered Quora in some form, whether they know it or not: in Google search results, in writing samples from famous authors, or perhaps in reprints of certain Q&As in digital publications, like Slate. One of those Slate-via-Quora contributors, author and researcher Erica Friedman, joined the site back in 2011, when it was starting to get a little bit of new traffic thanks in part to Yahoo Answers decline in reliability and activity. This, she said, allowed Quora to stand out as an accuracy-focused, knowledge-centric text platform. That was a unique offering in an age when Facebook and Twitter were coming to dominate the social internet, and YouTube was doing its own thing. Friedman was so enamored of the quirky Q&A monolith that sheand many, many otherscontributed answers for free. There was a period of time, for a number of years in the mid-2010s, that a lot of us were really dedicated to a particular mission, she said. That was: Lets make Quora the place on the internet that says you cant be a jerk here. Lets put those policies into action, and lets make it impossible for people to come here in bad faith and act in bad faith. A smart and passionate community dedicated to maintaining a positive and affirmative space where the most curious netizens could gatherwhat sounded more ideal than that? No wonder Quora had such a growth spurt in the 2010s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todays Quora, however, hardly meshes with those utopian aims. The once-beloved forum is now home to a never-ending avalanche of meaningless, repetitive sludge, filled with bizarre, nonsensical, straight-up hateful, and A.I.generated entries along with a slurry of all-caps non-questions like OMG! KING CHARLES SHOCK the WORLD with ROYAL BAN ON PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE. SAD? (The answer to this question, which garnered about 7 million views, links to a bizarre, barely functional royals-watching website called red-carpett.com.) Whereas once you could Google a question about current events and find links to thoughtful Quora answers near the top of the results, youre now more likely to come upon, say, a bunch of folks asking in the year of our Lord 2024 whether the consistently racist Donald Trump is, in fact, racist. Or, maybe, the featured Google snippet will tell you that eggs can melt, thanks to a nonsense Quora answer caught in the search crawler. Advertisement this is actually hilarious. Quora SEO'd themselves to the top of every search result, and is now serving chatGPT answers on their page, so that's propagating to the answers google gives the internet is dying pic.twitter.com/gcV9b36vEA Tyler Glaiel (@TylerGlaiel) September 25, 2023 Advertisement Quoras still-strong SEO has only brought more attention to the issue. Commenters across a variety of forums have bemoaned Quoras downgrade in quality, and the Atlantic recently asked, If There Are No Stupid Questions, Then How Do You Explain Quora? Just scroll through the Insane People Quora subreddit if youd like more examples of this pronounced decline in quality. Advertisement Advertisement Quoras shrinking utility isnt due entirely to A.I.: Longtime writers cite issues with moderation and functionality that started well before the ChatGPT era. But its decline has been acceleratingmuch to the chagrin of the uniquely attached and now-fraying communitywith the rise of this new knowledge broker. Earlier this month, the A.I.accelerationist venture capital hub Andreessen Horowitz blessed Quora with a much-needed $75 million investmentbut only for the sake of developing its on-site generative-text chatbot, Poe. The early advantage Quora had over the (many) other Q&A sites in the late 2000s was that it was designed with social networking in mind. Co-founders Adam DAngelo and Charlie Cheever were both early Facebook employees who quit in 2009 in order to build a website where, as they told TechCrunch at the time, were trying to get information out of peoples heads, so its not on sources that are hard to access on the internet, and get it into a really useful format to make a valuable database. Their plan was to persuade experts in specialized fields to share their insights with knowledge-seekers and, from there, build a vibrant community around this free exchange of authentic information. There were a lot of high-quality answers from people who wanted to just share their experiences, said Friedmana feature that stood in stark contrast with Yahoo Answers, which never built up that community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ariel Williams, one of Quoras first 500,000 members, agreed. You had Yahoo Answers, and the quality was horrible: People would write a question and somebody would just say something disgusting, she told me. Quora had a focus on quality, and they were looking for quality answers, they were looking for quality questions, there was active moderation, and the whole site was set up around the people, around the users. Advertisement It didnt take long for experts like Stan Hanks, best known as a pioneering network engineer who built the first IP virtual private networks, to show up. In late 2012, he told me, he would log on to Quora, and there would be something where I had personal experience where I knew the people involved, where I had backstories, and it would just light me up, and I would just write. Advertisement To keep the volunteer experts happy, Quora built out its perks. The company established a Top Writer program for Quoras best and most fervent answer-writers, built a system that incentivized thoughtful discussion, and even invited these happy Quorans the opportunity to hang out at summits held at company headquarters. The Top Writer program spanned from 2012 to 2018, said Williams, herself a Top Writer in an elite crew of just a few hundred Quorans. There was a physicist that had worked with Freeman Dyson. There were people that worked at NASA. There were people with doctorates. Advertisement There was also robust human backup for all these writers. There was a moderation team, a review team, and a support team, said Hanks. Full-time paid moderators were employees of Quora, and part-time moderators had other jobs like writer engagement. There were paid community managers who enforced a basic standard of BNBR (Be Nice, Be Respectful), customer service support staff, and a department for cross-publishing particular Q&As to websites like Forbes and HuffPost. Advertisement The social network racked up hundreds of millions of page views, raised millions of dollars from cash-happy investors, and carved out a corner of the internet distinct from Wikipedia, Reddit, or Facebook. It may not have had the ubiquity and fame of those sites, but that was fineeveryone touching Quora knew what it stood for. Advertisement But even then, there were issues plaguing Quora that would continue to fester. First, an anonymous former Quoran told me, the site started shortening the length of questions. The professed reason was to increase Quoras visibility on Google, but that brevity came with a cost: It also made it difficult for users to ask the types of complex questions that could be addressed by specialists, including extremely specific business-related queries of the type Hanks would answer. (For example: How much equity should I get as a co-founder to build a startup from scratch? Ive been offered 10%, subject to dilution, with a typical CTO salary. The company hasnt started yet, they dont have a prototype. 10% for a CTO is very low. What is fair?) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then there was what former Top Writer J. Starr (who has since deleted her account) characterized to me as optimizing the feed. At first, when a user signed in to Quora, they saw what they had come there to see: questions to be answered. But soon, the site started putting content articles into everyones feed, flooding the site with articles that were, according to Starr, just dreck, gossipy-rag articles about Hollywood figures. A grim precursor, it seems, to the current-day all-caps PSAs around King Charles. Advertisement Advertisement There were early problems with ads and bots too. When Quora started putting ads on the site in 2016, Williams and other Top Writers suggested that there be some sort of creator revenue-sharing program, she told me. As a result, higher-ups created the Quora partner program, which I joined myself, Williams said. But that was all about trying to come up with questions that would draw in more views and more people, she saidnot about incentivizing high-quality answers. It was all about adding webpages of individual questions, for SEO purposes. Advertisement And Quora partners werent the only ones being recruited to this taskthe site also attracted bots that would pull questions from Reddit threads onto Quora pages. They werent the type of questions the Quora community was looking for. You would have people creating bots with templates of What are the best places to eat at, and then it would put in city names, state, country names, Williams said. (Redditors on r/Quora began to notice and complain about this practice.) Advertisement The quality of the writing had taken a back seat to a pure volume of traffic, said Bethann Siviter, another former Top Writer. With the partner program, it became clear that quantity meant more than quality. You could report people over and over, and nothing happened. Even though the partner program didnt earn participants all that much money (maybe a few thousand dollars at most), the people who made bots soon learned that this was the easiest way to cash in quickly. This was all downstream of the fact that Quora was also slow to monetize, and it didnt help that the site, popular as it was, was aiming for pieces of the same digital-advertising pie that was rapidly overtaken by Facebook and Amazon (as well as its No. 1 traffic referrer, Google). Investors hesitated to continue pouring cash into Quora in light of its steep expenses. So, the company slashed budgets, shrinking the moderation teams, the customer support apparatus, and the Top Writer initiative. Other originating featuresthe requirement that Quorans use their real names, Suggested Edits that readers could propose for answers that had mistakes or typoswere also cut. All these choices led to more unchecked spam and a deluge of trolls, which volunteer users could not hold off on their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate On Wikipedia, Anyone Can Be a Model Read More Nelson McKeeby, an author who joined Quora in 2013, said that things got worse in a post-Gamergate internet, with alt-right, Trump-loving trolls invading online forums, aided by anonymity and weakened moderation. When real users tried to take down demonstrably false answers, troll farms with multiple servers were able to overpower users, he wrote to me in an email. Further, as Quora launched Spacesbasically, private userrun community blogsproblems with moderation continued to spiral, with ugly ideologies running rampant. Loyal Quora users attempted to report bigoted, transphobic, and obscene content without adequate support from the company. And then came A.I. As the spamming bots got even worse, Quora changed the terms of service and did away with BNBR, then automated the moderation process. Needless to say, it did not improve the situation on the site. Nor did the integrated A.I. chatbots offer good questions or answers. Instead, they made up some really generic, and oftentimes first-grade-level questions, wrote user Steven P. Robinson in an email. It is a good example of A.I. not being ready for prime time. Now Quora is even offering A.I.generated images to accompany users answers, even though the spanwed illustrations make little sense. To top it all off, after Quora began using A.I. to generate machine answers on a number of selected question pages, the site made clear the possibility that human-crafted answers could be used for training A.I. This meant that the detailed writing Quorans provided mostly for free would be ingested into a custom large language model. Updated terms of service and privacy policies went into effect at the site last summer. As angel investor and Quoran David S. Rose paraphrased them: You grant all other Quora users the unlimited right to reuse and adapt your answers, You grant Quora the right to use your answers to train an LLM unless you specifically opt out, and You completely give up your right to be any part of any class action suit brought against Quora, among others. (Quoras Help Center claims that as of now, we do not use answers, posts, or comments added to Quora to train LLMs used for generating content on Quora. However, this may change in the future. The site offers an opt-out setting, although it admits that opting out does not cover everything.) Advertisement Advertisement This raised the issue of consent and ownership, as Quorans had to decide whether to consent to the new terms or take their work and flee. High-profile users, like fantasy author Mercedes R. Lackey, are removing their work from their profiles and writing notes explaining why. The A.I. thing, the terms of service issue, has been a massive drain of top talent on Quora, just based on how many people have said, Downloaded my stuff and Im out of there, Lackey told me. Its not that all Quorans want to leave, but its hard for them to choose to remain on a website where they now have to constantly fight off errors, spam, trolls, and even account impersonators. Advertisement Quora is far from the only digital community to face an existential battle for its identity in the age of A.I.Reddit and Google are facing related, if slightly distinct, concerns. The tragedy of Quora is not just that it crushed the flourishing communities it once built up. Its that it took all of that goodwill, community, expertise, and curiosity and assumed that it could automate a system that equated it, apparently without much thought to how pale the comparison is. McKeeby has a grim prediction for the future: Eventually Quora will be robot questions, robot answers, and nothing else. I wonder how the site will answer the question of why Quora died, if anyone even bothers to ask. You can read all about device management here To continue reading this article on this device/browser, please edit the list of registered devices in your profile settings here: Your active subscription only allows a limited number of browsers to access locked content. The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk Subscribe now for full access I already have subscription - Sign in A selection of short feel-good stories from Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent. National gallery shortlisted for EU prize The reconstructed premises of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) in Bratislava is among 40 structures shortlisted for the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture | Mies van der Rohe Award (also known as the EUmies) for 2024. It is only the second time in the countrys history that a site in Slovakia has made the shortlist, the SNG wrote in an Instagram post. The aim was to refurbish the existing architecture of the ensemble and supplement it with new spaces for the needs in the 21st century, reads the EUmies Awards website. Apart from meeting the requirements of the programme, the essential intention was to significantly open the gallery to the city and thus to the public. Such an area is to be a place of activities that go beyond its gallery function. The award has been granted since 2001 to celebrate excellence in architectural works built across Europe. It also highlights the contribution of quality architecture to sustainable development and citizens well-being. Stunning ice sculptures complete the image of winter in the Tatras The winning sculpture, carved by a team from Mongolia, called Gratified. (Source: TASR) In recent days, the Hrebienok resort in the High Tatra mountains has been adorned with 35 ice sculptures. They were created by 10 teams from various parts of the world during the last weekend of January, as part of the 10th edition of the Tatra Ice Master event. Apart from artists from Slovakia and neighbouring countries, there were also teams from Mongolia, Spain, Germany and Lithuania working with about 50 tonnes of ice. The teams focused on two main topics: Love, Understanding and Peace; and the World Under Water. Both categories were won by carvers from Mongolia, who charmed the jury with their sense for ice details and the ability to depict the given topic in wonderful fairytale-fantasy scenes, according to Marian Galajda, the spokesperson of the organiser, as quoted by the SITA newswire. Some ice sculptures were moved to the Tatra Ice Dome, where they will be on display until the end of the winter season. The rest will be left in the open air, and visitors to Hrebienok can admire them until the weather thaws them out. One ice sculpture, carved by a duo from Spain, was placed near the Skalnate Pleso lake under Lomnicky Stit peak. A rare surgery to save a childs life Surgeons from the National Institute of Childrens Diseases and the Bratislava University Hospital inserted a modular endoprosthesis during the unique surgery. (Source: Facebook/NUDCH) For the very first time in Slovakia, surgeons performed a rare surgery during which they replaced the entire shoulder bone of a young child suffering from a tumour. They used a modular endoprosthesis to replace the child's shoulder, humerus and elbow. The operation was carried out thanks to cooperation between doctors from the National Institute of Childrens Diseases (NUDCH) and the Bratislava University Hospital. Were always doing our best for our patients; the doctors consider all options and propose new solutions, said Peter Barton, director of NUDCH, as quoted in a press release. This was also the case with this child, for whom, due to the size of the tumour, amputation of the arm was one possibility to save the childs life. Im very glad that the doctors managed to save the childs hand with this rare operation. The child is doing well, and is currently recovering, NUDCH informed. Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator to read: Political meme of the week (Source: Zomri.online) Caption: The Grand Prix of Shame 2024 has begun. This meme, published by the satirical site Zomri on Facebook, depicts five politicians who have officially confirmed their ambition to run for president in the upcoming election. The list includes some rather controversial candidates. The picture features (from top): Peter Pellegrini (Hlas leader, speaker of parliament and former prime minister), Stefan Harabin (a pro-Kremlin former judge), Marian Kotleba (chair of the far-right LSNS party), Igor Matovic (leader of the Slovensko movement and another former prime minister), and Andrej Danko (chair of the Slovak National Party). Danko was recently involved in a now-notorious traffic accident in a car he claims to have been "testing" at the time. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for March 23. You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: radka.minarechova@spectator.sk. Thank you! A boom in demand for rental flats is being reported in Bratislava Region. Slovaks seem less willing to rent their properties to foreigners, even though foreigners are often willing to pay more for accommodation than Slovak tenants. (Source: Pexels) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share A foreigner looking for a flat in Slovakia may not have as much luck as local people. Although demand for properties on the Slovak rental market among Ukrainian people has increased since the war in Ukraine began, Slovak property owners prefer renting their places to Slovaks, a survey by real estate agency Bosen Group suggests. In addition to Ukrainians, people from Romania, Serbia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have also become more interested in flat rentals. Its not just the language barrier that deters some Slovaks from renting their flats to foreigners. Of course, its also a concern about the enforceability of the law against foreigners, which is why Slovaks prefer Slovaks with permanent residence in Slovakia as tenants, Bosen Malacky Director Jan Vaskor told the SITA newswire. Some fear that their property will be damaged by tenants or their pets. Vaskor noted that Slovaks may also worry that foreigners are more likely to be laid off or decide to quit their jobs without announcing this to the landlord, and then leave the flat without paying the rent. In this regard, Slovak people appear to be more trusted. Boom in Malacky According to the survey, Bratislava Region is experiencing a boom in terms of foreigners looking for long-term housing. They are often interested in one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats. Increased demand for rental housing from foreigners has been recorded mainly in Bratislava and in Malacky," said Vaskor, who added that demand among people seeking rented housing had grown 50 percent in Bratislava, and up to 70 percent in Malacky. This is mainly due to the rising number of foreign workers, prompted by labour shortages in some parts of the country. 18 percent Foreigners are often willing to pay more for a flat. Still, they represent only a small minority of renters who sign leases. Last year, only around 18 percent of the total number of our properties were rented to foreign customers, said Bosen Group founder Michal Janci. Bosen Group says that landlords can reduce the risks by checking whether the potential tenant is registered as a debtor, asking for a reference from their previous landlord, and by purchasing insurance. It is said that the car originated from a chance meeting between a local craftsman and the tsar of Bulgaria. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Locals used to call it Drndicka because of the distinct rumble made by the vehicle's wooden wheels. Now, a metal replica of the first car made in Slovakia has been unveiled in the village of Hronsky Benadik, Banska Bystrica Region. The original was made from wood in the 1920s by craftsman Michal Majer, from the village of Psiare, now part of Hronsky Benadik. For the next 30 years it roamed the roads of Slovakia. It is said that the car originated from a chance meeting between Majer and Ferdinand I, the then tsar of Bulgaria, when the latter's car broke down. Majer helped him to fix the car and in exchange the tsar later gave him the wheels, steering wheel and car design documents. Based on those, the Slovak craftsman designed his own vehicle from scratch in his workshop. Unfortunately, none of the parts from the original car, or any design documents were preserved. The current replica was made by artistic blacksmith Andrea Kosecova based on historical pictures. She spent almost a year trying to make it as authentic as possible. The replica is painted beige, although Majer himself later painted his car green. "I remember the car well," said Jozefina Kostalova, the 93-year-old granddaughter of Michal Majer, who spoke to the My Zvolen website at the unveiling of the replica. "When we came to visit our grandparents, he used to take us home in it," she recalled. The carmaker did not let her into his workshop. "As a little girl, I ran in there a few times, but only for a while," she added. To this day she has a picture of herself as a child with her grandfather in the original car. The replica has been placed near the Basilica of St. Benedict where it is hoped it will attract the attention of visitors the mediaeval basilica is the main reason that most visitors come to the village. Ferdinand I belonged to the rich Saxe-Coburg noble family. "The family left behind unique buildings," notes archaeologist and regional deputy Jan Beljak. These include a hunting lodge and mansion that now serves as a medical institution in Predna Hora, and another mansion in the town of Jelsava all of them in the historic Gemer region, in south-eastern Slovakia. In addition, their business activities are still visible in the remnants of the Pohorelska ironworks complex spread across several villages in the area. Oklahoma City, OK 1/29/2024 In a world where mobile applications clutter screens and ordering has become tedious, Barista Bot is a simple and convenient solution for coffee enthusiasts and cafe owners alike. With the launch of its groundbreaking text-based ordering system, Barista Bot aims to streamline the coffee ordering process and revolutionize customer experiences. Sam DuRegger, the founder of Barista Bot, has made a career out of building mobile apps but sees an opportunity in an age of app fatigue, as most phones are bloated with rarely used apps. Reflecting on the cluttered screens and complexity of existing ordering apps, Barista Bot presents a seamless solution that integrates directly with messaging platforms, making ordering as easy as texting a friend. At Barista Bot, our mission is clear: to simplify the ordering experience while enhancing operational efficiency for coffee shops, said Sam. We recognize the need for a solution that resonates with customers and cafe owners, and our text-based ordering system is conversational, convenient, and fun! Barista Bots innovative features include emoji-based order recognition, personalized order history, and seamless integration with point-of-sale systems. During a six-month trial period at a local Oklahoma City coffee shop, Barista Bot outperformed traditional ordering apps by a staggering 35%, demonstrating its potential in the market. Weve witnessed firsthand the positive impact Barista Bot can have on customers and cafe operations, Sam added. By automating order collection and payment processing, Barista Bot empowers baristas to focus on crafting exceptional lattes and delivering quality service to every customer. As Barista Bot prepares to expand its reach, the company secured pre-seed funding from the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund and Accelerate Oklahoma Fund. It seeks a Seed Round to enhance its infrastructure and integrate with additional messaging platforms and point-of-sale systems. Founders like Sam DuRegger epitomize the ideal candidates for Bridge2, bringing not just visionary ideas but also a relentless commitment to simplifying and enhancing customer experiences. Barista Bots participation in i2Es inaugural cohort of Bridge2 has been instrumental in shaping its trajectory towards innovation and success. Were immensely grateful for Barista Bots contribution to our program and excited to witness its continued growth and impact in revolutionizing the coffee industry and beyond, commented Shannon Carr, Communications Director of i2E, Inc. Were excited to embark on this journey and explore opportunities for growth and expansion, Sam remarked. As we enter the seed funding round, we remain committed to delivering innovative solutions that redefine the future of ordering in the coffee industry and beyond. To experience the simplicity of Barista Bots text-based ordering system, interested parties in Oklahoma City are invited to join the pilot program by texting hi to 405-363-1989. For more information about Barista Bot and its revolutionary ordering solutions, please visit https://baristabot.app. About Barista Bot Barista Bot is a product of Espresso+ Milk, LLC, a technology company dedicated to simplifying the ordering experience through innovative text-based solutions. By leveraging advanced natural language processing technology and conversational UX design, Barista Bot aims to transform how customers interact with their favorite coffee shops while enhancing operational efficiency for cafe owners. Providence, RI Covoya Specialty Coffee welcomes Mark Inman as Director and Senior Trader. Inman brings over 30 years of coffee experience to his role at Covoya. Mark is one of the most respected professionals in our industry, Says Rob Stephen, Managing Director for Covoya, and for good reason. It starts with the breadth and depth of his accomplishments which make him an amazing asset for Covoya, our suppliers and our customers. But to me, its his character and the strength of the relationships that he cultivates that truly sets him apart from his peers. I include our relationship among themIve been proud to call him a friend for over 25 years and Im thrilled to be working with him again. Hell make our company better in every way. A coffee industry veteran, Inman has experience as a retailer, roaster and trader. He has served on the board of directors for numerous industry organizations and is a past president for the Specialty Coffee Association. As founder of coffee roaster Taylor Maid Farms, Inman was a sustainability pioneer in the coffee industry and has remained a leading voice for social and environmental justice. I am elated to be coming back home to Covoya and working with a team I know and love, says Inman. I am especially looking forward to reuniting with my dear friend and co-host Todd Mackey as we start our work on season 4 of The Exchange podcast! This has been something I have missed dearly and could not be happier when we are coming back. As a Director and Senior Trader working from the Covoya office in Healdsburg, California, Inman will be focused on business development, sustainable sourcing, and continuing to provide comprehensive services to coffee roasters. Two former senior aides to ousted President Park Geun-hye did not appeal recent court rulings convicting them in connection with an artist blacklist scandal, leading to the finalization of their prison sentences. In a retrial last week, the Seoul High Court sentenced Kim Ki-choon, a former chief of staff for Park, to two years in prison and Cho Yoon-sun, a former senior presidential secretary for political affairs, to one year and two months in the case stemming from the Park administration period. The two had until Wednesday to appeal the decisions but did not do so. The scandal centers on allegations that the then government ordered the creation of a list of cultural organizations or artists critical of the government to exclude them from government subsidies. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/asias-share-in-russias-lumber-exports-up-to-98-1116553488.html Asia's Share in Russia's Lumber Exports Up to 98% Asia's Share in Russia's Lumber Exports Up to 98% Sputnik International Asia has replaced Europe as a destination for Russian lumber exports, with the share of Central Asia rising to almost 100% and China continuing to lead the pack of importers, the federal forest inventory manager said. 2024-02-02T10:56+0000 2024-02-02T10:56+0000 2024-02-02T10:56+0000 russia russia central asia china wood lumber https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/02/1116553328_0:86:3337:1963_1920x0_80_0_0_58b67656bd9f7270609903c5f8cd5997.jpg "The Russian wood industry has managed to quickly replace the European export markets with Asian ones. Their share in the exports by country has reached 98%, versus some 87% reported last year and 76% in the pre-sanctions period," Roslesinforg said. The European Union imposed a ban on wood product imports from Russia as part of its fifth sanctions package in April 2022. The EU executive estimated that Russias wood product exports made up about 2% of the countrys exports to the 27-nation bloc. Roslesinforg, which conducts national forest inventories, said Russias lumber exports fell 10% in 2023 from the year before, to 20.7 million cubic meters, which it said was above the worst-case scenario forecast of 30%. China remained the biggest importer of Russian lumber, with roughly 13 million cubic meters of imports (unchanged from 2022), followed by Central Asias Uzbekistan with over 2 million (up 8%) and Kazakhstan with 926,000 (up 17%). Other major importers included Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran and Hong Kong. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240129/eu-uses-lure-of-infrastructure-investments-to-entice-central-asian-states-to-turn-on-russia-1116469270.html russia central asia 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 russia's lumber exports, central asia, importers https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/deep-state-powerful-israeli-lobby-blocking-us-withdrawal-from-iraq-and-syria-fmr-state-senator-1116558704.html Deep State, Powerful Israeli Lobby Blocking US Withdrawal From Iraq and Syria: Fmr State Senator Deep State, Powerful Israeli Lobby Blocking US Withdrawal From Iraq and Syria: Fmr State Senator Sputnik International US forces in Iraq and Syria have been coming under almost daily drone and rocket attack by militias since October amid Washingtons support for Tel Avivs military assault in Gaza. Last Saturday, three US troops were killed and 47 others wounded in a drone attack on a base in Jordan just across the border from an illegal US outpost in Syria. 2024-02-02T16:41+0000 2024-02-02T16:41+0000 2024-02-02T16:41+0000 world richard black middle east us joe biden donald trump syria iraq washington republican https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/13/1109656090_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_f8d56661aa91fed279ae57b8df5c17ae.jpg A powerful foreign lobby and elements of the American deep state are working to prevent Washington from pulling troops out of Iraq and Syria, Richard Black, a former Republican senator in the Virginia Senate, has told Sputnik.The Israeli lobby is powerful, and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu fiercely opposes any such US withdrawal, Black explained.Survival of the Kurdish SDF is solely dependent on American might. It will dissolve once the American occupation ends, Black added, commenting on the US-backed Kurdish-led militia force in de facto control over the oil and food rich-regions of northeast Syria, which the Damascus government needs desperately for reconstruction.The US occupation of Syria and American troops presence in Iraq are part of a global problem, Black said. DoD is overstretched across the globe, he said. Meanwhile, our soldiers have been taught critical race theory, making them distrustful of one another, he added. Black also noted that as the US continues to squander billions of dollars on conflicts in far-off Ukraine and Gaza, Americas own borders have been left open to foreign invasion by illegal immigrants.Black, 79, served as a member of the Virginia Senate between 2012 and 2020, and before that as a member from the states House of Delegates from 1998-2006. The Republican former military officer and Army lawyer made headlines in 2014 after sending a letter to Syrian President Bashar Assad thanking the Syrian Army for its heroic rescue of Christians in the Qalamoun Mountain Range as part of government forces operations against jihadist militants backed by the US and its regional allies. Blacks name ended up on ISs* enemies list in 2015. Black traveled to Syria in 2016 on a goodwill visit aimed at debunking the Western narrative regarding the CIA dirty war against the Middle Eastern nation.Damascus has repeatedly called on all US forces operating in Syria to vacate the country, emphasizing that they were not invited and that their pretext for being there (preventing an IS* resurgence) is a sham. Last week, the Iraqi government and US forces began talks aimed at bringing the US-led mission in the country to an end following Washingtons air strike assassination of a senior pro-Baghdad militia leader last December.* ISIS (also known as ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/us-forces-in-iraq-on-standby-to-go-fight-in-gaza-docs-show-1116519749.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240201/us-reportedly-approves-retaliatory-strikes-on-targets-in-iraq-syria-1116537361.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/us-has-overstayed-its-effectiveness-in-middle-east-1116546301.html syria iraq washington 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 us forces still in iraq, why are americans still in syria, us military, syria, iraq, withdrawal, pullout, richard black, united states https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/drums-of-war-fbi-director-delivers-scathing-testimony-on-china-1116544068.html Drums of War? FBI Director Delivers Scathing Testimony on China Drums of War? FBI Director Delivers Scathing Testimony on China Sputnik International On Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Melik Abdul delved into global issues, including potential China meddling in the US as FBI Director Christopher Wray informed a Congressional Committee that hackers linked to the Chinese government are targeting vital US infrastructure with plans to cause "real-world harm. 2024-02-02T04:13+0000 2024-02-02T04:13+0000 2024-02-02T11:24+0000 fault lines us radio spyware china donald trump boeing ukraine fbi https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/01/1116544243_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_fe194d944572b5d73ef1bb0b977450c6.png Drums of War? FBI Director Delivers Scathing Testimony on China Sputnik International On Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Melik Abdul delved into global issues, including potential China meddling in the U.S. as FBI Director Christopher Wray informed a Congressional Committee that hackers linked to the Chinese government are targeting vital U.S. infrastructure with plans to cause "real-world harm. In the first hour, Fault Lines spoke to international relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda about the crumbling Ukrainian regime as President Zelensky's attempt to reposition General Valeriy Zaluzhny is met with resistance, unraveling a complex political dynamic.In the second hour, Fault Lines engages with Jamie Finch, former Director at the National Transportation Safety Board, to delve into the aftermath of Boeing's mid-air cabin panel incident on an Alaskan Airlines 737 MAX 9. Shareholder lawsuits unfold, accusing Boeing of prioritizing profit over safety and deceiving them about aircraft safety commitments.Later in the second hour, political analyst and Veteran Tom Norton provides insights into the New York attorney generals civil fraud lawsuit against Former President Donald Trump and his family company. Uncover Trump's reactions to this legal battle and his response to another lawsuit filed against him.In the final hour, Fault Lines engages with journalist KJ Noh to delve deeper into the alleged Chinese cyber attacks targeting vital US infrastructures, as disclosed by FBI Director Christopher Wray.The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comCatch us in the US at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM china ukraine 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, is boeing 737 safe to fly, fbi on china spy baloon, what is donald trump sued for, zaelensky vs zaluzhny https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/eu-continuing-talks-on-sanctioning-israeli-settlers-in-west-bank---spokesperson-1116564821.html EU Continuing Talks on Sanctioning Israeli Settlers in West Bank - Spokesperson EU Continuing Talks on Sanctioning Israeli Settlers in West Bank - Spokesperson Sputnik International EU member states are in the process of drawing up sanctions against violent Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the European Union's lead spokesperson for foreign affairs said Friday 2024-02-02T19:01+0000 2024-02-02T19:01+0000 2024-02-02T19:01+0000 world state council josep borrell west bank israel palestine european union (eu) palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0c/0b/1105337426_0:205:2911:1842_1920x0_80_0_0_f0cd6cd1643d18a1c0ec8e95dae8c224.jpg "As the high representative has announced, he has taken work forward on sanctioning the violent extremists settlers under the EU global human rights sanctions regime, and the discussions and the related work among the member states in the Council continues in this regard," Peter Stano told reporters. The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in December that he would propose sanctions against Israeli settlers responsible for violence against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories, which spiked following the breakout of the Palestine-Israel conflict in October. The United States, one of Israel's staunchest backers, said in December that it would deny visas to Israeli settlers who are believed to be involved in "undermining peace, security, or stability in the West Bank." On Thursday, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order that goes beyond the December directive, imposing financial and travel bans on four Israeli citizens accused of violence in the West Bank. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/why-bidens-sanctions-on-west-bank-settlers-could-escalate-into-total-cutoff-of-arms-aid-to-israel-1116561574.html west bank israel 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 west bank settlers, jewish settlers in west bank, violence in west bank, jewish settlements in west bank, why are there jewish settlers in west bank, sanctions against jewish settlers in west bank, white house new sanctions, us sanctions against jewish settlers in west bank https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/germany-to-send-frigate-to-red-sea-next-week-to-take-part-in-eu-operation---reports-1116547296.html Germany to Send Frigate to Red Sea Next Week to Take Part in EU Operation - Reports Germany to Send Frigate to Red Sea Next Week to Take Part in EU Operation - Reports Sputnik International Germany will send its frigate Hessen to the Red Sea next week to take part in a European operation to protect merchant vessels from Yemen's Houthi rebels, DPA news agency reported. 2024-02-02T03:48+0000 2024-02-02T03:48+0000 2024-02-02T03:48+0000 world european union (eu) germany houthi red sea red sea crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107901/09/1079010968_0:542:2048:1694_1920x0_80_0_0_d0cf094be49e103f34136abd5b381655.jpg The frigate, equipped, among other weapons, with air defense missiles, is expected to arrive in the Red Sea by the end of the month.EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on January 31 that the EU aimed to establish and launch the maritime mission in the Red Sea no later than February 19, adding that it would be defensive and no operations would be carried out on land. The Houthis vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships linked to Israel until it halted military actions in the Gaza Strip. This prompted US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. The United States and the United Kingdom later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.In mid-January, Borrell called on the Houthis to show restraint and stressed that countries had the right to protect their ships from attack. He said the Red Sea was a vital maritime route for the whole world and Europe in particular, which is the reason why he would propose that the EU establish its own mission in the Red Sea to ensure safety of navigation. Last week, Borrell said EU foreign ministers had agreed to set up the mission. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/uk-considering-sending-aircraft-carrier-to-red-sea-to-deter-houthis---reports-1116508851.html germany red sea 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 frigate hessen, yemen houthi rebels, red sea crisis, eu red sea mission, eu military operation https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/iran-begins-construction-of-new-nuclear-power-plant---reports-1116546452.html Iran Begins Construction of New Nuclear Power Plant - Reports Iran Begins Construction of New Nuclear Power Plant - Reports Sputnik International The start of construction of a new Iranian nuclear power plant, was announced by Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as reported by IRNA news agency. 2024-02-02T01:07+0000 2024-02-02T01:07+0000 2024-02-02T01:07+0000 world iran atomic energy organization of iran ebrahim raisi nuclear power nuclear power plant nuclear power plants https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/04/12/1082662088_0:164:3059:1884_1920x0_80_0_0_b2aa4e2320f92bb362003c18f4e98fa1.jpg The Iran-Hormoz NPP with a capacity of 5,000 megawatts, will be built in Sirik city, located in the southern coastal province of Hormozgan, Eslami was cited as saying. The project was given the green light by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi along with 157 other initiatives in the field of industry and energy. Russia is currently building the second power unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant the largest joint Russian-Iranian project which is located in southeastern Iran along the Persian Gulf coast.The first NPP unit, completed in cooperation with Russia, was connected to Iran's national power grid in September 2011, while a contract for the construction of the third power unit has already been signed. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230827/iran-takes-giant-step-toward-nuclear-self-sufficiency-with-homegrown-cesium-137-1112931550.html iran 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 mohammad eslami, npp in iran, iranian nuclear power plants, atomic energy organization of iran, iran peace atom https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/meet-new-vega-volunteer-detachment-in-lugansk-peoples-republic-1116557630.html Meet New Vega Volunteer Detachment in Lugansk People's Republic Meet New Vega Volunteer Detachment in Lugansk People's Republic Sputnik International In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that there are over 600,000 Russian troops currently serving in the special op zone along the whole line of combat contact. A great number of those are volunteers. Recently, a brand new volunteer unit in the Lugansk Peoples Republic has recently been announced. 2024-02-02T13:44+0000 2024-02-02T13:44+0000 2024-02-02T13:46+0000 multimedia lugansk bmp-3 lugansk peoples republic russia combat training drone warfare infantry fighting vehicle https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/02/1116556543_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_d65ed3f5aaa1e5f0e7038d8d165f6e92.jpg Meet the Vega special detachment with recruits serving in the Lugansk Peoples Republic (LPR). The detachment has troops that come from the heart of Siberia, Novosibirsk. It was named after an elite Soviet army detachment.The troops are currently finishing their comprehensive combat training, mastering the most advanced UAVs, new equipment and combat vehicles.Check out Sputniks gallery with exclusive photos from the ground to learn more about the new detachment protecting the people of Donbass. lugansk 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 lugansk, bmp-3, lugansk peoples republic, russia, combat training, drone warfare, infantry fighting vehicle, https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/new-54bln-for-ukraine-aimed-at-supporting-economy-not-arms-procurement---orban-1116548936.html New $54Bln for Ukraine Aimed at Supporting Economy, Not Arms Procurement - Orban New $54Bln for Ukraine Aimed at Supporting Economy, Not Arms Procurement - Orban Sputnik International A new 50 billion euro ($54.4 billion) package for Ukraine is aimed at supporting the country's economy, which cannot survive without European and US support, and is not related to arms procurement, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday. 2024-02-02T08:57+0000 2024-02-02T08:57+0000 2024-02-02T08:57+0000 world viktor orban hungary european union (eu) ukraine aid financial aid military aid https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/07/01/1111602604_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_e1e4a658d55e9b19ee38cb694fbf183b.jpg "This 50 billion euros we are talking about will not be spent on weapons, but is aimed at preventing the Ukrainian state, which has reached bankruptcy, from collapsing. In terms of the Ukrainian economy, Ukraine has collapsed If the Americans and we, the Europeans, do not send weapons, the shop can be shut down, which means no pensions, no payments, no nothing," Orban told Hungary's Kossuth Radio. The issue of military aid to Ukraine from the European Peace Facility will be discussed at the meeting of the EU foreign ministers, Orban added. Hungary has not sent any weapons to Ukraine and has no plans to do so, the prime minister said. On Thursday, EU leaders reached an agreement to allocate 50 billion euros as part of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine for the period until 2027. The total amount of EU macro-financial assistance to Ukraine last year amounted to 18 billion euros, transferred in monthly payments of 1.5 billion euros. This assistance was provided to Kiev regardless of the implementation of reforms and the fight against corruption. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/french-politician-says-54bln-in-aid-to-ukraine-will-cost-france-86bln-in-taxpayers-money-1116546030.html hungary 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 ukraine aimed at supporting economy, arms procurement, hungarian prime minister viktor orban https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/ruling-parties-of-hungary-will-not-vote-on-swedens-nato-membersip-bid-on-feb-5---reports-1116564307.html Ruling Parties of Hungary Will Not Vote on Sweden's NATO Membersip Bid on Feb 5 - Reports Ruling Parties of Hungary Will Not Vote on Sweden's NATO Membersip Bid on Feb 5 - Reports Sputnik International Ruling parties of Hungary with two thirds of votes will not vote on Sweden's NATO membership bid on February 5 and will wait for a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Hungarian broadcaster ATV reported on Friday 2024-02-02T18:34+0000 2024-02-02T18:34+0000 2024-02-02T18:34+0000 world europe viktor orban ulf kristersson sweden hungary fidesz nato nato expansion nato enlargement https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/12/1107582042_0:0:2772:1560_1920x0_80_0_0_858e34524413c0d911f176c4e8544d67.jpg Earlier this week, the Hungarian parliaments website showed that it will hold an extraordinary meeting on February 5, and its agenda includes discussions of the ratification of Swedens membership in NATO. Representatives of Hungary's ruling Fidesz party and the Christian Democratic People's Party will not participate in the extraordinary session of parliament, adding that "with the final vote, they will wait for the meeting of the two prime ministers," the press service of Fidesz told ATV. As the Fidesz-Christian Democratic People's Party alliance has 135 seats out of 199 in parliament, the vote will not take place due to the lack of a quorum. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240124/hungarian-government-calls-on-parliament-to-ratify-swedens-nato-bid---orban-1116359075.html sweden hungary 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 nato enlargement, nato expansion, whos joining nato, finland and sweden in nato, new nato members, why is hungary against nato expansion, why is nato expanding, nato expanding eastward https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/schumer-says-will-release-text-of-us-senate-ukraine-aid-border-proposal-by-sunday-1116546153.html Schumer Says Will Release Text of US Senate Ukraine Aid, Border Proposal by Sunday Schumer Says Will Release Text of US Senate Ukraine Aid, Border Proposal by Sunday Sputnik International US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that lawmakers will release the text of a supplemental funding bill with Ukraine aid and border security measures by Sunday. 2024-02-02T00:16+0000 2024-02-02T00:16+0000 2024-02-02T00:16+0000 world us senate ukraine mexico mike johnson chuck schumer us-mexico border https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0b/06/1090528417_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_00dfc82a33741abdf989f6043c643dc6.jpg We plan to post the full text of the national security supplemental as early as tomorrow, no later than Sunday, Schumer said during floor remarks.Schumer plans to hold the first vote on the legislation no later than Wednesday, Schumer said. Senators have been negotiating a supplemental funding bill with aid to Ukraine and Israel, which was requested by the Biden administration in October. Republican members of Congress have insisted on the inclusion of more stringent border security measures in the bill, amid an increase in illegal migration at the United States border with Mexico.Some issues on the bill still require resolution, but negotiators are close to an agreement, Schumer said. Last week, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said that the legislation would be dead on arrival in the House of Representatives, based on draft proposals of the bill. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/us-migration-crisis-amlo-takes-a-page-from-putin-1116341957.html ukraine mexico 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 senate ukraine aid bill, us senate border bill, us senate majority leader chuck schumer, us relations, funding bill with aid to ukraine Police said Friday they have arrested a married couple in their 20s on charges of killing twin baby sisters, who were less than two months old, at a motel in Incheon. The 49-day-old twins were found dead, lying with their faces down on a motel bed in Michuhol Ward in the city, 27 kilometers west of Seoul, when emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene at 11:22 a.m. Thursday. They had livor mortis on their faces and stomachs, a posthumous symptom that develops when blood leans to the lower part of the body after death, according to officials. During police investigations, the mother confessed to having laid the twins face down on the mattress at about 3 a.m. "because they were crying so hard." The man, who is not the biological father of the twins, initially told police he woke up to find them dead after placing them face down on the bed. But later, he admitted his wife was behind their deaths. The couple had been visiting Incheon from the central city of Daejeon for a trip since Wednesday and checked in to the motel at 12 a.m. on Thursday, officials said. The mother is known to be unemployed, and the stepfather a delivery man. By law, child abuse resulting in death is applied when the death is found to be unintentional and is punishable by five years or more in prison, up to a life sentence. Police plan to request the National Forensic Service carry out an autopsy on the twins' bodies and conduct digital forensics on the couple's phones. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/uk-to-start-housing-asylum-seekers-at-former-military-base-scampton-in-april---reports-1116564108.html UK to Start Housing Asylum Seekers at Former Military Base Scampton in April - Reports UK to Start Housing Asylum Seekers at Former Military Base Scampton in April - Reports Sputnik International The UK Home Office will start housing undocumented migrants at the former air force base Scampton, located in the county of Lincolnshire, in April, media reported on Friday 2024-02-02T18:26+0000 2024-02-02T18:26+0000 2024-02-02T18:26+0000 world united kingdom (uk) uk home office migrant crisis europe's refugee and migrant crisis refugee and migrant crisis in europe https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/07/12/1097429843_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_7683009d06e78b684b8b923a77b91578.jpg Up to 2,000 of asylum seekers are expected to be accommodated at the base, the ITV broadcaster reported. In March 2023, the UK authorities announced plans to use the territory of four military bases instead of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers in a bid to save millions in government money per day. The idea was met with criticism from the opposition and human rights activists, who claimed that the living conditions at the military bases were not satisfactory. A circus-themed rally was staged outside Scampton in August 2023 in protest against the government's plans, with demonstrators holding signs "Home Office clowns at work" and "Just stop clowns." https://sputnikglobe.com/20240117/sunak-loses-support-of-two-conservative-vice-chairmen-in-rwanda-bill-rebellion-1116209435.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 migrants in uk, migrants in britain, sunak anti-migrant policy, refugees in uk, asylum seekers in uk https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/ukraine-loses-up-to-290-soldiers-near-donetsk-in-past-day---mod-1116557359.html Ukraine Loses Up to 290 Soldiers Near Donetsk in Past Day - MoD Ukraine Loses Up to 290 Soldiers Near Donetsk in Past Day - MoD Sputnik International Ukraine has lost up to 290 soldiers in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Friday 2024-02-02T12:51+0000 2024-02-02T12:51+0000 2024-02-02T12:51+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia ministry of defense (mod) russian ministry of defense donetsk region donetsk people's republic donetsk m113 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/1a/1115820728_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_625b8ca5e8ceb7c7f6bac0a0cf1d5d4c.jpg Over the given period, the Russian armed forces have repelled three attacks by Ukrainian troops around Krasny Liman and two attacks in the Donetsk area. Ukraine has also lost up to 270 soldiers in the Krasny Liman region and over 100 soldiers South of Donetsk, the MoD added. russia donetsk region donetsk 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 russias special military op in ukraine, special military operation, special military operational zone, special op zone, russian troops in special op zone, ukraine casualties in conflict, total ukrainian losses, how many people did ukraine loose, how many people did kiev loose, new russian weapons in ukraine, advanced russian weapons, russian defense ministry statements, latest russian military statements, what did shoigu say about ukraine, donetsk peoples republic, nato in ukraine, is nato in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/ukrainian-officer-urges-kiev-reveal-true-losses-1116548188.html Top Ukrainian Official Urges Kiev to Reveal True Losses Top Ukrainian Official Urges Kiev to Reveal True Losses Sputnik International The Kiev regime must begin to provide real figures of casualties among the living forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Yuriy Kasyanov, an officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in an interview with the Ukrainian TV channel. 2024-02-02T08:36+0000 2024-02-02T08:36+0000 2024-02-02T08:53+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine kiev volodymyr zelensky george tuka ukrainian armed forces armed forces of ukraine https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/18/1110561315_0:80:2157:1293_1920x0_80_0_0_f75696471ea7fa8c8cfb5d9f16365836.jpg The Kiev regime must begin to provide real figures of casualties among the manpower, a Ukrainian serviceman said in an interview with a local TV channel.He said that the Ukrainian authorities are hiding the truth about real losses on the battlefield from society to avoid shocking it. However, he urged that fainthearted citizens be allowed to face the real numbers and "suffer a bit."Earlier, on January 29, Ukrainian politician George Tuka called on the Ukrainian government to tell the population the truth about the situation on the front instead of endless lies about the successes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In January, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Ukraine's Armed Forces had lost over 215,000 men and 28,000 weapons in 2023. Russian forces retain the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact, Shoigu said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240118/russian-strikes-dampen-enthusiasm-of-ukraines-mercs-amid-massive-losses-1116244622.html ukraine kiev 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 ukrainians about real losses, kiev regime, ukrainian armed forces https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/us-has-overstayed-its-effectiveness-in-middle-east-1116546301.html US Has Overstayed Its Effectiveness in Middle East US Has Overstayed Its Effectiveness in Middle East Sputnik International The US has 'overstayed' its 'effectiveness' in the Middle East, former senior security policy analyst for the Secretary of Defense Michael Maloof told Radio Sputnik. 2024-02-02T01:49+0000 2024-02-02T01:49+0000 2024-02-02T01:49+0000 analysis michael maloof joe biden iran iraq red sea red sea crisis persian gulf https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/06/1c/1083260552_0:97:3073:1825_1920x0_80_0_0_a75bd0e34be2f9c5803320460816181a.jpg Critics have started to ask if the US military presence in the Middle East is serving US interests. What is the reason why were still there, either in Iraq or Syria? [In] Syria were illegally there, we were never invited. In Iraq, we were and now theres talk about us getting out, Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst for the Secretary of Defense and author asked on Sputniks Final Countdown on Wednesday.Maloof doubts the US will strike inside Iran, with the hope that it will prevent a full response by the Iranian military. I think the deep, dark secret is where they're going to hit. I don't think it'll be Iran, per se. And I think that that's what Iran was warning about - don't hit our sites, he explained. If we in fact do it, the chance for greater escalation is very high, Maloof added.Maloof called for a flexible foreign policy that reevaluates the situation and adjusts to changing conditions. Were sucking the oil resources of Syria and making money off it and not giving a dime to the Syrians. Its their oil. Its their resource, and they cant seem to kick us out, Maloof prefaced. This is why this is a perpetual problem. We have to reevaluate what were doing.The cause, according to Maloof, is that the US continually looks at and acts in the Middle East from a single perspective.Furthermore, the situation in the Middle East could quickly get out of hand, Maloof explained. It could bring in Russia and China. I mean, this thing could get out of control completely. Why do we want to continue on? We have Saudi Arabia and UAE saying, Look we want normalization. We want to get this war over with so we can have normalization and bring some sanity to the region again but instead were provoking and continuing to agitate even further.A war with Iran, even a cold one, would have disastrous consequences for the world, Maloof warned. Iran could go the full length, shutting down the Strait of Hormuz. Between that and shutting down Bab al-Mandab, the other strait in the Red Sea, you shut off both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. [It would halt] a tremendous [amount of] trade [of] oil and gas it would create a worldwide depression and no ones talking about it. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240130/biden-says-decided-how-to-respond-to-attack-on-us-base-in-mideast-doesnt-want-wider-war-1116498591.html iran iraq red sea 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 us response to iran, us response to drone attack, effects of iran-us war, will the war in the middle east escalate, iran warns the us, biden authorizes attack on iran https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/us-not-prepared-for-war-against-iran-and-axis-of-resistance-1116562586.html US Not Prepared for War Against Iran and Axis of Resistance US Not Prepared for War Against Iran and Axis of Resistance Sputnik International Attacking Iran would be a catastrophic mistake for Washington, as the US is too internally weak to wage a new major in the Middle East, University of Tehran professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi told Sputnik's New Rules podcast. 2024-02-02T18:30+0000 2024-02-02T18:30+0000 2024-02-02T18:30+0000 seyed mohammad marandi americans joe biden iran yemen iraq houthis white house middle east palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107395/05/1073950529_0:74:3072:1802_1920x0_80_0_0_5d5ea007822d19fcbcd5e1fa018d7946.jpg US officials have reportedly signaled that plans have been approved for a series of strikes against targets in Iraq and Syria.That would be in response to a recent drone attack on US personnel in the Middle East which claimed the lives of three soldiers and left 34 wounded.In the wake of the strike Bloomberg claimed the Biden administration was considering a covert strike on Iran or Iranian officials as possible options. But University of Tehran Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi told Sputnik that directly targeting Iran would be a major mistake and a major miscalculation by Washington.He suggested that scenario was very unlikely, given Iran's missile defense and drone capabilities, as well as the vulnerability of US bases which are scattered across the Middle Eastern region.The professor warned the fallout from the tit-for-tat attacks would send oil and gas prices "through the roof." Given the latest US media reports, it appears far more plausible that the US would attack targets in Iraq and Syria, Marandi continued.Marandi noted that most recently instead of pushing the Israeli regime to end the slaughter in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the US tried to facilitate the genocide by attacking Yemen. Since early January the US and its allies conducted a series of strikes against the Ansar Allah-led government in the Yemeni capital Sana'a, also known as the Houthis after their leader.In the aftermath of the strikes the Biden administrations came under criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. A bipartisan group of House representatives, comprising such strange bedfellows as Republican Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green and New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, argued that the US' "unauthorized strikes in Yemen" violate the Constitution and US statute. They called on Biden "to seek authorization from Congress before involving the US in another conflict in the Middle East," and warned the White House against provoking Iran and Iran-backed militia in the region which could swiftly spiral out of control and lead to a broader regional conflict.US legislators' concerns are justified as the US cannot afford to wage wars on multiple fronts, the academic pointed out."The United States cannot win another war," said Marandi. "I have no doubt that if the Republicans were in charge, they would be... Whoever is in the white House, the people around him would be saying these things in private, and the Democrats in public would be denouncing the president for holding back. But the truth is that the United States is not the United States of the past. They can launch an attack on Iran. But the price would be extremely high and the United States wouldn't win."Marandi questioned when the US had last won an overseas war."They are capable of ruining lives and murdering millions and they don't care. We see that in Gaza every day, but they simply don't have the power to win. And Iran is not Iraq. Iran is not Libya. Iran is not Yemen. Iran is not Vietnam," Marandi stressed. "Attacking Iran would be a catastrophic mistake for the United States, and something that I don't think those decision makers in Washington would ever seriously contemplate""The Americans may be foolish enough to do so, but if they do so, then I think you'll see the demise of the American empire take place much more rapidly than we're seeing right now," he concluded. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240127/us-think-tanks-cost-of-bidens-attacks-on-houthis-may-exceed-that-of-red-sea-trade-disruption-1116435814.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240129/direct-us-attack-on-iran-would-open-pandoras-box--mideast-experts-1116473612.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/potential-us-attack-against-iran-would-trigger-catastrophic-effect-on-global-economy-1116501709.html iran yemen iraq 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 joe biden considering strike on iraq and syria, us to target iran-backed militias in iraq and syria, lethal drone attack on us base in middle east, iran, yemen, red sea crisis, houthis, hezbollah, axis of resistance https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/why-bidens-sanctions-on-west-bank-settlers-could-escalate-into-total-cutoff-of-arms-aid-to-israel-1116561574.html Why Bidens Sanctions on West Bank Settlers Could Escalate Into Total Cutoff of Arms Aid to Israel Why Bidens Sanctions on West Bank Settlers Could Escalate Into Total Cutoff of Arms Aid to Israel Sputnik International Joe Biden signed an executive order Thursday leveling sanctions against four Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank after weeks of warnings to Tel Aviv. Sputnik asked a pair of leading regional politics observers what the unprecedented move will mean for US-Israeli relations going forward. 2024-02-02T18:30+0000 2024-02-02T18:30+0000 2024-02-02T18:30+0000 joe biden simon tsipis palestinians israel west bank washington democrats republicans white house sanctions https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/13/1114328422_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_5e20a8f4305645adbb2822194d8eacd2.jpg Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office slammed Washington on Thursday ahead of the announcement of sanctions against Israeli nationals accused of violence against Palestinians and Jewish peace activists in the West Bank, assuring that Israel acts against all lawbreakers everywhere, and that there is no room for exceptional measures in this regard.The absolute majority of the settlers in Judea and Samaria are law-abiding citizens, many of whom are currently fighting regularly and in the reserves for the defense of Israel, the prime ministers office said, citing the term used by the Israeli government to refer to the occupied West Bank territories.The Biden administration designated four Israeli nationals accused of targeted violence in the West Bank on Thursday, blocking them from accessing Americas financial system, slapping an asset freeze on any property they might own in the US, and banning them from entering the country.US and Israeli media believe the sanctions could expand to target more individuals, including Israeli politicians and government officials, and perhaps even cut the entire settler project off from US financing.New Chapter in US-Israeli Relations?The Biden administrations move is a cynical ploy designed to placate its domestic critics, and will not fundamentally alter Washingtons long-standing policy of full-throated support for Tel Aviv, says Shahram Akbarzadeh, a research professor of Middle East politics at Deakin University in Australia.The professor sees the move as an attempt to pacify public backlash to the administrations pro-Israel policies during the Gaza war, including the carte blanche the White House is perceived to have given Tel Aviv in the conflict.As elections in the US near, the Biden administration worries that his unconditional support for Israel could drive away many voters, especially young voters. So taking issue with illegal settlement activity is a safe way to try and balance that view to suggest to the domestic audience that Washington is not beholden to the pro-Israel lobby, Akbarzadeh said.Bidens already shaky poll numbers ahead of the 2024 vote have been rocked by his position on the Gaza, with progressives reportedly fleeing in droves over his support for Israel. Polling in December found that just 37 percent of registered voters approved of his handling of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis, with that number shrinking to 20 percent among young people. Additional polling last week found that some 50 percent of Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 now believe he is supporting an Israeli genocide against Palestinian civilians.Ultimately, Akbarzadeh expects Israel to simply ignore the new sanctions. Israel has been non-compliant with international law in relation to settlements in the West Bank, and has ignored US calls for restraint in the past. It will not start listening to Washington now, he said.Battle of Two Israeli LobbiesTel Aviv-based international relations expert Simon Tsipis says the Biden administrations measures were both predictable and absolutely expected.The sanctions are an absolutely understandable policy, an absolutely understandable result of the internal political struggle between Democrats and Republicans, Tsipis said. At the same time, the Democrats are trying to earn election points with this move, since the election campaign has now begun in the United States. If the Republicans come to power at the end of the year, they will scrap all these sanctions.As for the timing of the restrictions, Dr. Tsipis believes its related, at least in part, to Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvirs announcement this week authorizing the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including permission to build housing and settlements on the so-called Green Line (the border separating pre-1967 Israel from the Occupied Palestinian Territories). Against the backdrop of this announcement, Biden spoke out because it is in his interests to stop the Zionist movement or slow it down. Thats why he announced sanctions, the observer said.Netanyahu has already said that he does not recognize these sanctions and opposes them. But once againits important to understand whos in power in Israel to determine Israels reaction, Tsipis said, suggesting that if anti-Likud forces in Israel came to power, they would respond to this step with loyalty and understanding. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240201/biden-issues-executive-order-for-measures-to-combat-west-bank-violence---white-house-1116541095.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240201/is-netanyahu-main-obstacle-to-gaza-conflict-resolution-and-regional-peace-1116535209.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240128/biden-may-give-israel-fewer-weapons-to-protest-gaza-violence-or-more-weapons-1116456366.html israel west bank washington 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 will biden's sanctions on israelis cool ties with israel, what did netanyahu say about us sanctions on israelis, west bank, sanctions, joe biden, benjamin netanyahu, settlers, palestinians, violence https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/zelensky---zaluzhny-rift-shows-there-is-no-center-of-power-in-kiev-1116547428.html Zelensky-Zaluzhny Feud Proves Kiev Has No Center of Power Zelensky-Zaluzhny Feud Proves Kiev Has No Center of Power Sputnik International Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's apparent failure to fire his own generals shows that the center of power in Kiev, if there is one, has moved from Zelensky, international relations and security analyst told Radio Sputnik. 2024-02-02T04:00+0000 2024-02-02T04:00+0000 2024-02-13T13:27+0000 analysis volodymyr zelensky valery zaluzhny mark sleboda kiev sputnik ukraine fault lines https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/01/1115333641_0:0:974:548_1920x0_80_0_0_84cea6b5c6357dc199985f25ba9062b6.png There have since been conflicting reports in Western media outlets that Zelensky may have promised to fire Zaluzhny but couldnt find a suitable replacement or his potential replacements refused to take the post. Some reports say that Zelensky still plans to fire Zaluzhny, while others imply Western leaders ordered him not to.Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst told Sputniks Fault Lines on Thursday that the kerfuffle shows that if [US President] Joe Biden is the emperor with no clothes, then that kind of makes Zelensky the butt-naked king.Sleboda suggested that either [Zelensky has] to correct the situation and get rid of Zaluzhny, or the center of power in the country [will continue] spiraling out of control.The actions taken by people ostensibly serving under Zelensky showcased the tenuousness of his power. That the entire military apparatus, the generals, even those viewed as close to Zelensky, have shown defiance. I mean, you can't really count this as anything but defiance, a refusal to follow the wishes of the president, certainly in the way that most countries regard the relationship between the executive and the military branches of the country, Sleboda explained.The situation reminded Sleboda of Zelenskys argument with a soldier in the Azov battalion* in 2019, implying that Zelensky has always had a shaky grasp on his own military.Right after he became president. 'I'm not some loser off the street,' he said. And [the] Azov commander is like, 'Yeah, okay, whatever, dude.' And it was after that that he gave up on any attempts to complete the Minsk protocols, which initially he made some gestures, some small gestures towards [that]. That's what he was there to do to get Azov to stop firing artillery shells into Donetsk and they refused.Sleboda also discussed the situation on the ground in Ukraine and the growing prospect of war between Iran and the US.*The Azov Battalion is a terrorist organization banned in Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240201/kievs-bill-on-mobilization-throwing-more-ukrainians-into-meat-grinder--1116537509.html kiev 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 zelensky fires general, zelensky tries to fire zaluzhny, was zaluzhny fired, https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/zelensky-wants-zaluzhny-out-over-alleged-effort-to-pursue-ceasefire-with-russia---hersh-1116547705.html Zelensky Wants Zaluzhny Out Over Alleged Effort to Pursue Ceasefire With Russia - Hersh Zelensky Wants Zaluzhny Out Over Alleged Effort to Pursue Ceasefire With Russia - Hersh Sputnik International Ukrainian President Vovlodymr Zelensky wants to remove Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny from his post because of his alleged involvement in secret talks with Western officials about pursuing a ceasefire with Russia, US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported. 2024-02-02T04:22+0000 2024-02-02T04:22+0000 2024-02-02T04:59+0000 world valery zaluzhny volodymyr zelensky seymour hersh russia ukraine ukrainian defense ministry https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0b/1e/1115307893_14:0:1077:598_1920x0_80_0_0_d1cb1616d75ce697872e4702061d47b1.jpg On Monday, Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko said, citing sources, that Zaluzhny was allegedly ordered to resign. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry and Zelensky's spokesman denied the claims. The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing sources, that the Ukrainian government had postponed the dismissal of Zaluzhny due to a leak of information about his possible resignation. The government planned to fire Zaluzhny, but on Monday evening, when information leaked, it decided to back off, the report said, adding that now, the government is slowing down the process. According to reports, Zelensky was forced to reverse his decision as international partners, including the United States and the United Kingdom, expressed concern about Zelensky's actions. Zelensky reportedly met with Zaluzhny to inform the general of the decision to fire him. Instead, Zelensky offered Zaluzhny the post of secretary of the countrys security council, but Zaluzhny turned it down. The head of Ukraine's military intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, and the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, were named candidates for the post of commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, the report added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/why-zaluzhny-may-become-more-dangerous-for-zelensky-if-fired-1116517084.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 ukrainian president vovlodymr zelensky, valery zaluzhny, us investigative journalist seymour hersh Dr. Ian Moore is poised for a big night this Saturday, Feb. 3 with four chances to take the stage at the 35th O'Brien Awards Black Tie Gala, celebrating the best in Canadian harness racing from this past season. Moore joined the Woodbine Mohawk Park pre-card show on Thursday (Feb. 1) evening to discuss the O'Brien Awards and the year that landed him those three nominations while looking ahead to 2024. Moore added a successful 2023 to his lengthy resume and goes into this weekend's O'Brien Awards gala at the Delta by Marriott Prince Edward in Charlottetown, P.E.I. his home province as a finalist for Trainer of the Year. The Cambridge, Ont. resident had 217 starts last year with a record of 51-38-28 and $3,101,539, headlining a career-best season by earnings. "I'm very humbled and very honoured to be nominated," said Moore. "I know there's a lot of good trainers out there, probably a lot of trainers better than me and race year round that should have been nominated, so I am very humbled and honoured to be here. The fact that it's in my own hometown or own province of Prince Edward Island is a bonus for sure." Of his accomplished roster of students, Tattoo Artist wrapped up his star-studded career on Nov. 25 at The Meadowlands. The seven-year-old son of Hes Watching and the Artsplace mare Stylish Artist made 96 track appearances with a record of 40-19-10 and $3,272,258 earned. Tattoo Artist is a finalist for Older Pacing Horse of the Year. "It was time for him to retire. Some of the wear and tear was starting to show on him now where during his early years of racing as a two and three, four and even five-year-old, soundness was one of his greatest attributes. I think it was time and I hate seeing someone take a good horse like him and race them when they are not where they should be. It would be an insult to the horse...He's been quite a ride, that's for sure. "It just seems like every race we've ever had with him, there was never a moment where I was disappointed that he did not give his 100 per cent best. I can't say that about a lot of horses, but I certainly can about him," Moore added. Stockade Seelster joins the line-up as the third O'Brien Award finalist in 2023 in connection with Moore. Owned by Sally and Paul MacDonald, the four-year-old son of State Treasurer and the Big Jim mare Soiree Seelster earned $677,688 from 19 sophomore starts in 2023. He made seven trips to the winner's circle to go along with four seconds and four thirds. "He's doing very well. He raced until the end of November. We just started back with him. He started a week ago Monday. I gave him as long as I could, but the [Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup] for four-year-olds is around May the 12th, I think, at Flamboro and it'd be nice to have him ready for that. And there's also an invitational for $100,000 in Miami Valley on the fourth of May and hopefully, we will be going there for the Sires Stakes with our three-year-old, Clever Cody. Might be nice to have him ready for that if I can as well. "The fact that he's four, I should be able to get him ready a little bit quicker," Moore continued. "And if he's like his father, which he is, he's going to be difficult to go a lot of rated miles with. The second to last year his father raced as a five-year-old in Florida, the first time I turned him after four weeks of jogging, he was all out in 2:12, it was all I could do to hold him in 2:12. It was hard to go rated miles with him. We did get him slowed down a little bit after that, but this guy can be similar at times....We're looking forward to racing him as a four-year-old. "His three-year-old season was okay. It wasn't top of the line, it wasn't bottom of the line either. He was right there. He was second in the Breeders Crown to Confederate, no shame there. We were quite pleased and he ended up making quite a bit of money for the MacDonalds as well." Moore looks forward to what's in store for 2024, especially with the two coming three-year-olds. "We kept two fillies over, Ann and Odds On Platinum, who were very good babies for us last year. Ann didn't start until late because she qualified twice in June and won her qualifiers and then had some issues pop up that we had to give her a little bit of time, but she's really lengthened out and grown to be a really nice mare. Odds On Platinum has changed a bit as well. "Clever Cody, he has changed more than any two coming three-year-old that I have ever seen. The body on him is just phenomenal and I let his hopples out two inches at the end of the year. They are going to go out another three or four inches this year as well. The length of him and the size of him now and the power in him as you jog him. I started him a little early around January 10 so I'm very optimistic at this point for him." A replay of the pre-card show and interview with Dr. Ian Moore is available below. Standardbred Canada presents the 35th OBrien Awards Gala this Saturday evening, Feb. 3 at the Delta by Marriott Prince Edward in Charlottetown, P.E.I. (Standardbred Canada; photos courtesy Conrad Photo, Bente Nielsen, New Image Media) After a rest of more than four months, two-time O'Brien Award winner Perfetto made his return to the track during the session of qualifiers on Friday, Feb. 2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Trainer / driver Dagfin Henriksen sent the nine-year-old trotter to the front during his return effort and made every call a winning one. With fractions of :29.2, :59.3 and 1:29.4 through the first three panels, Perfetto confidently trotted home in :29.1 for the 1:59 mile. He was five lengths better than pocket-sitter Tijuana Seelster (Colin Kelly). A 28-time winner in his career with $842,361 in earnings, Perfetto (Majestic Son - Perfect Prelude) is owned by Gerald Haggerty of Camden East, Ont. Preferred class pacer American History enjoyed the mild temperatures in Campbellville on Friday morning, uncorking a 1:52.1 mile for driver Dale and trainer MacKenzie Spence. Also nine, millionaire American History (American Ideal - Perfect Touch) is owned by Patrick Hill of Fredericton, N.B. The full video stream is available below. For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers). By Nam Hyun-woo President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hees Lunar New Year gifts triggered controversy, as they were presented to Buddhist leaders in packaging featuring illustrations of a church, cross and rosary drawn by Hansens disease patients. An association of Hansens disease patients also expressed displeasure, saying the patients were hurt by the controversy which they said caused by prejudice. According to the presidential office, Friday, Korean Hansen Welfare Association President Kim In-kwon sent a letter to Yoon and Kim expressing the associations regret over the controversy. We feel sorry that the cross in the drawings hurt someones mind, reads the letter. Since we are living on Sorok Island, we drew cultural properties and scenes surrounding us, but unfortunately it ended up being seen as prejudice. The letter continued, Not only the people on Sorok Island but also other Hansens disease patients wish that all misunderstandings caused by our drawings can be cleared, and everybody can have a happy Lunar New Year. Korean presidential couples traditionally offer gift boxes containing regional products from across the country to community leaders, veterans and the underprivileged on the occasions of Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays. This years Lunar New Year gift includes a traditional liquor from Gongju, South Chuncheong Province; pine nuts from Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province; and beef jerky from Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province. While revealing this years gift on Wednesday, the office said it replaced the liquor and beef jerky with honey and mushroom slices for the Buddhist community. All of the gifts were packaged in boxes printed with drawings by patients at the Sorokdo National Hospital on the island, which specializes in treating Hansens disease, and the drawings included religious imagery. Also included was a prayer of Hansens disease patients which ends with Amen. This triggered complaints from the Buddhist community that the gifts are inappropriate and the presidential office is showing a religious bias. Following the criticisms, presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-sup and senior presidential secretary for civil and social affairs Hwang Sang-moo on Thursday visited Jogye Temple, which is the headquarters of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and delivered apologies, saying we were not thoughtful enough. Ven. Jinwoo, the president of Jogye Order, accepted the apologies, saying it is seen as a mistake, and I will explain this to the believers. The Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ) issued a press release on Friday, Feb. 2 stating it remains committed to working with the State Legislature and Gov. Phil Murphy to secure an extension of the states annual appropriation for racing from 2025 through fiscal year 2029. In January, the governor declined to act on a bill that would have extended the appropriation for five years, resulting in a pocket veto. The legislation was one of 12 bills that were not signed into law by the governor on Jan. 16, the final day for bills sent to the governor in the last 10 days of the previous legislative session to be approved. Legislators can reintroduce the bills in the current session. The racing appropriation legislation was passed by the Assembly, 73-0, and by the Senate, 35-1, during the State Legislatures lame-duck session that ended in early January. "Although the governor has not released a public statement regarding the situation, based upon our conversations with the Governor and his senior staff, he preferred the legislation be a part of the upcoming budget process in June instead of an off-line appropriation outside the FY25 budget," the SBOANJ stated in its release. "We take the Governor at his word and will continue to work with his Administration and Legislative Leadership to extend our appropriation another five years. "There can be no doubt the past appropriations strengthened the industry at a grassroots level while fostering growth and promoting breeding and racing in New Jersey. Harness racing in New Jersey enjoyed success on multiple levels, whether looking at stallions standing in the state, yearlings sold at auction, participation in the Sire Stakes program, or money generated from wagering. Many of the sports brightest stars, human and equine, call New Jersey home. "Gov. Murphy and the members of the State Legislature have been strong supporters of the racing industry, and the SBOANJ remains dedicated to seeing the appropriation approved during the new legislative session now under way. The SBOANJ board, TrotPAC and our lobbying group will continue to work diligently toward that goal." (With files from SBOANJ) Western Nebraska authorities searched Wednesday, Jan. 31 and Thursday, Feb. 1 for a Scottsbluff man accused of stabbing a woman. According to information released by Morrill Police Chief Jay Muller, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Martin Palomo, 52. Authorities arrested Palomo Thursday on suspicion of first-degree domestic assault, a Class IIA felony; use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, a Class II felony; possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, a Class III felony; burglary, a Class IIA felony; and terroristic threats, a Class IIIA felony. Morrill Police officers were notified at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday that a woman had been treated at Regional West Medical Center after having been stabbed in the abdomen. The injuries she suffered were described as non-life-threatening. The woman had reported being stabbed at a Morrill residence and she was transported to the hospital by two roommates. Authorities served a search warrant at a Gering residence as part of the Morrill Police Department's investigation, however Palomo was not located. The Morrill Police Department and Scotts Bluff County Sheriff's Office are investigating. The Scottsbluff Police Department, Gering Police Department, Mitchell Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Nebraska Game and Parks, Scotts Bluff County Sheriff's Drone Team, Gering Fire Department and Regional West Medical Center Ambulance Service were also involved in the investigation and response. State senators this week began debating a bill that at least as its currently written would switch Nebraska to year-round daylight saving time if three border states and the federal government agree. The Legislature adjourned Tuesday without voting on a floor amendment to LB 143 by state Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard that instead would immediately adopt year-round standard time if enacted. Year-round standard time would make drivers between North Platte and Colorado switch their clocks back and then forward again from mid-March to early November should Colorado keep daylight time. A Unicameral filibuster on an unrelated bill on train crew sizes kept debate on LB 143 from resuming Wednesday. Its unlikely to resume the rest of this week for that reason. LB 143 would take effect the first Sunday of November after three states adjacent to this state adopt laws for a single year-round standard of time and either Congress or the U.S. Department of Transportation allows year-round daylight time. Wyoming adopted a similar bill in 2020, followed by Colorado in 2022. An Iowa House subcommittee advanced a year-round DST bill Jan. 16. The daylight-time bill is separate from a nonbinding resolution (Legislative Resolution 276) by Sumner Sen. Teresa Ibach that would ask Congress to move Nebraskas Central-Mountain time zone line west to the Colorado line and eastern Panhandle county borders. Former Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, who introduced LB 143 a year ago, saw senators in 2022 give first-round approval to an identical bill before it died with the end of that session. Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad, an LB 143 cosponsor, became main sponsor after Briese resigned in October to become state treasurer. Conrad told lawmakers Tuesday that Nebraskans, who since 1967 have moved their clocks forward an hour in spring and back an hour in fall, have been making clear theyre tired of it. My primary goal in moving this forward is that we stop changing our clocks twice a year, she said. Erdman, who unsuccessfully tried to amend Brieses 2022 bill to switch to year-round standard time, renewed his effort Tuesday with the current bill. The District 47 senator cited a variety of studies saying physical and mental health declines and motor vehicle wrecks increase at the times Americans spring forward and later fall back. Its quite obvious that the study proves and has proven that permanent daylight saving time is the worst option that we could choose, Erdman said. It also shows that changing the clock twice a year is detrimental to your health. The studies also hold that human health fares best when sticking to standard time, he said. That includes people who have to do outside things in the morning and children who dont have to go to school in the dark. Biological clocks work best on standard time, Erdman said. I think the reason they work best on standard time is thats what God created. Erdman urged his colleagues to make LB 143 a year-round standard time bill and advance it so they would have time to read and consider the studies. Conrad said she would be fine with that. I think were all aware (of) the partisan dysfunction that has crippled our nations capital, and I am deeply concerned about waiting around to make the change. Congress has allowed states to opt for year-round standard time, as Arizona and Hawaii have, since it adopted the partial-year DST system with the Uniform Time Act of 1966. But states cant adopt full-year DST alone. Were Nebraska alone among its neighbors to adopt year-round standard time, Nebraskas Mountain Time counties would fall an hour behind Colorado and Wyoming as well as Nebraskas Central Time counties from early March to mid-November. Thats because Mountain Daylight Time equals Central Standard Time on clocks. As written and because Colorado and Wyoming already have passed year-round DST trigger bills LB 143 would not put those counties an hour behind all their neighbors. A Georgia man has been arrested and charged with carrying out a scam on a Troutman homeowner, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said in a news release. Bin Zhu, 62, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, was arrested on felony charges of obtaining property by false pretense, possession of cocaine, possession of Schedule I, possession with intent to sell or deliver MDA/MDMA and maintaining a vehicle to keep/sell controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $76,000. Zhu told people he was an FBI agent and their bank accounts had been compromised, Campbell said. Campbell said that on Tuesday, deputies were notified about a possible scammer going to a home on Hazel Lane in Troutman. The deputies were told that a man, identifying himself as an FBI agent, was contacting elderly people and telling them their bank accounts had been comprised and they would need to withdraw all the money and turn it over to the FBI, he said. They were told someone from the FBI would come to their house and retrieve the cash. Campbell said deputies spoke with one homeowner who said the man was supposed to arrive at her home shortly. Since there was no description of either the man or a vehicle, Campbell said, deputies remained in the area to watch the residence. Once the man approached the door, deputies took him into custody. Deputies searched his vehicle and found $3,890 in cash along with multiple vials of cocaine and ecstasy, Campbell said. The vehicle and its contents were seized, and Zhu was taken to the Iredell County Detention Center. Campbell praised the actions of the homeowner. The victim did the right thing by calling law enforcement when she felt that something was not right. Sheriffs deputies were able to act quickly to gather information, set up surveillance, and make an impactful arrest of a scammer that was attempting to victimize our citizens. We encourage anyone that has an uneasy feeling to always reach out. We are here for you! You no longer have to pick up the phone and make a call to submit tips, you can effortlessly do this on the Iredell Sheriff App in seconds, he said. Construction worker turned piano sensation meets his idol 08:59, February 02, 2024 By Zhao Ruinan ( Chinadaily.com.cn World-renowned pianist Lang Lang shakes hands with the 58-year-old construction worker Yi Qunlin in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Tuesday. A construction worker who gained fame for playing improvisational piano on the streets of Shenzhen has realized a dream by meeting his piano idol, Lang Lang. Yi Qunlin is a 58-year-old construction worker from Yueyang, Hunan province, and has worked in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, for about two decades. In the summer of last year, Yi's son posted a video of him playing songs on a public piano on the streets around Huaqiangbei, home to one of the world's largest electronics markets, in Shenzhen. The video went viral, making Yi an internet sensation. As a result, Yi was invited to Beijing to watch a rehearsal for the Dragon Year Spring Festival Gala on Jan 21 and played the piano in the hall of the CCTV building. After the performance, he expressed his desire to receive guidance from the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang. Lang immediately responded on his official Weibo account, saying he was touched by Yi's spirit of loving life and "looking forward to meeting you". The meeting took place on Tuesday, and a video capturing their meeting has once again created an online sensation. In the footage, Yi performed Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, seeking advice on improving his piano skills. Lang demonstrated how to incorporate chords and practice scales while playing the piano. Lang also gifted Yi with one of his albums, extending warm wishes for Yi's continual advancement in piano mastery. "He is so nice, and I am so happy," said Yi. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) By Lee Hyo-jin The number of newly recruited teachers for public elementary schools in Seoul this year hit a fresh low of 110 amid the nation's rapidly declining birthrate, according to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Friday. The education office said a total of 156 individuals have successfully passed the recruitment exam for the 2024 academic year for working at public kindergarten, elementary and special needs schools across Seoul. Among them, 110 were elementary school teachers, marking the lowest amount since the education office began announcing successful candidates in 2008. The figure has been declining consistently in recent years, with 366 successful candidates in 2020, 303 in 2021, 216 in 2022 and 114 in 2023. The reduction in the hiring of elementary school teachers was also attributed to the Ministry of Education's policy of downsizing the public school workforce gradually to respond to a sharp decline in the population of school-age children. Last April, the education ministry unveiled a teacher employment plan covering the period from 2024 to 2027, which included a gradual reduction in the new recruitment of public elementary school teachers nationwide. The goal was to reduce the number of new teachers to a range of 2,600 to 2,900 teachers by 2027, representing a cut of up to 27 percent from the 3,561 teachers hired in 2023. According to the Korea Educational Development Institute, the total number of elementary, middle and high school students nationwide is expected to decrease by 17 percent over the next five years, from around 5.13 million this year to 4.27 million in 2029. Even the densely populated capital is not exempt from this trend. As of 2023, the number of students in Seoul's elementary, middle and high schools totaled 857,223, marking a 10 percent decrease compared to the 951,965 students in 2019. Recent developments have significantly complicated the process of conducting internal money transfers in Syria, Shaam Network reports. Recent developments have significantly complicated the process of conducting internal money transfers in Syria, as confirmed by local economic sources. The closure of all transfer offices in Homs and the Damascus countryside, coupled with the imposition of additional stringent conditions by the regime, has markedly increased the difficulty of sending funds internally. Citizens who have recently completed financial transfers report being subjected to intense surveillance measures, including camera monitoring and video recording, treating them as if they were potential criminals. These actions aim to deter recipients from utilizing internal notifications for receiving external transfers, pushing them toward official companies that adhere to the Central Banks exchange rates, deemed unfair by some. A local website with government ties recently reported that the Al-Haram money transfer company has lowered its weekly transfer limit to a mere one million Syrian pounds per individual. The report further clarifies that individuals must present a commercial register to transfer one million liras. Without such a register, the transfer amount is restricted to less than one million, for example, between 950,000 to 800,000 Syrian pounds. This measure, described as temporary and intended to last a few months due to unspecified company-specific circumstances, is expected to be implemented across all money transfer firms and branches throughout Syrian governorates. The regimes banks inconsistent policies have presented numerous challenges for the populace and merchants alike. Citrus exporters, for instance, have reiterated calls to halt the enforcement of Resolution No. 20 of 2024 by the bank, which mandates foreign exchange commitments from exports, adversely affecting various sectors. In a recent development, the Regime Bank reinstated the original transfer ceiling after a temporary reduction, raising the daily limit back to one million Syrian pounds per person. This adjustment follows a statement from the Central Bank announcing the restoration of the transfer limit for Al-Haram and Al-Fouad companies to 5 million liras per individual, along with a reassurance of regulated liquidity movements in line with pre-existing directives. Merchants have voiced concerns over the reduced daily transfer cap from 5 million liras to 1 million, even for those with commercial records, forecasting potential complications in business transactions. In an exclusive conversation with Athr Press, the Iranian Ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, shed light on the discussions surrounding the "step for step" approach with the UN's Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen In an exclusive conversation with Athr Press, the Iranian Ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, shed light on the discussions surrounding the step for step approach with the UNs Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen. Akbari revealed that Pedersen has yet to outline a concrete plan for implementing this strategy. Akbari elaborated, The step for step proposal, introduced by UN representative Mr. Pedersen, came about before Syrias reintegration into the Arab League, first proposed in Jordan. However, the specifics of the plan, including who should initiate the process, remain undefined. He added, Even in my inquiries with Mr. Pedersen during his visits to the embassy, he admitted the absence of a structured program for the proposal. Furthermore, Arab nations have yet to formally acknowledge this strategy. Highlighting the enduring bond between Iran and Syria, Akbari noted, For four decades, the Syrian-Iranian relationship has been anchored in strategic partnership. Despite external pressures, our alliance remains steadfast, characterized by robust political and security cooperation at the behest of the Syrian government. The Step for Step initiative has captured the attention of analysts and sparked widespread speculation, particularly regarding the potential reduction of Iranian influence in Syria. Following Syrias reinstatement into the Arab League last Maya decision made during a summit in Amman involving Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and Egyptthe meetings agenda focused on three main areas: the repatriation of Syrian refugees, the political framework of the Constitutional Committee, and the Step for Step initiative. The discussions also touched on enhancing border security and curtailing smuggling activities through improved military and security coordination with neighbouring states. Recent developments have seen a significant diplomatic rapprochement between Arab nations and Syria, marked by the elevation of the UAEs diplomatic representation in Damascus with the arrival of Ambassador Hassan Ahmed Al-Shehhi. Reports from the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan also hint at the imminent reopening of the Saudi embassy in Damascus. In a testament to the strengthening Syrian-Iranian ties, the two countries have recently inked a series of agreements spanning the economic, commercial, military, and defence sectors. A notable highlight was the signing of 15 memorandums of understanding in various fields during Iranian President Ibrahim Raisis visit to Syria last March. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. A Longview man is facing assault charges for reportedly striking PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center workers on two separate hospital stays a trend in healthcare worker assaults seen throughout the country. Blake Michael Anthony Rollins, 29, of Longview, was arrested Monday for allegedly headbutting a registered nurse, kicking a security guard in the groin, and threatening to hurt the guard when he leaves the hospital. Rollins was scheduled to appear in court two days later due to an assault on a different PeaceHealth nurse that occurred two weeks prior. The American Nurses Association a professional organization aiming to protect nurses reports one in four nurses say they have been physically assaulted while on the job, according to the group's 2019 survey. In 2019, Washington state also passed a law requiring hospitals to regularly update workplace violence prevention plans and review workplace violence cases annually. Monday Rollins is expected to appear in court next week for Monday's alleged crimes. His bail stands at $2,500, and a public defender has been appointed to represent him. Rollins had to be restrained Monday by several security officers who were trying to carry him as he attempted to get away, the police report states. The guard told police Rollins said something like "Once, I get out of here, I am going to cut you," the report continues, and the guard believed Rollins would carry out the threat. Rollins also reportedly told staff "If you touch me, things are going to get real bad." Jan. 17 That incident happened as Rollins was out on a $2,000 bail and awaiting a Thursday court appearance for striking a different PeaceHealth emergency room nurse in the face. He faces a third-degree assault charge for the Jan. 17 incident. A Cowlitz County judged order a no-contact order against Rollins in which he has to stay away from that victim and could only go to PeaceHealth for medical purposes. According to the Jan. 17 police report, Rollins admitted himself at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center as a patient after he felt he was experiencing symptoms of a seizure while at home. While at the medical center, Rollins had to be restrained by staff as he attempted to leap from his hospital bed after being denied water. He started kicking, swinging his arms, and thrashing his body, and "intentionally struck" one of the hospital's nurses who was attempting to restrain him, the report states. Several staff members told authorities Blake attempted to strike them and bite staff members. Rollins has a criminal history that includes assault, malicious mischief, reckless burning in 2015, and three assault charges and one malicious mischief charges in 2022. The former owner of a Kelso septic business was sentenced to hundreds of hours of community service Wednesday for falsifying a signature on a check. Garyn Mark Indiana Bowen, 29, of Longview, pleaded guilty in late December to one count of forgery, and a plea deal included paying back customers who say he took their money without performing the work. He could have served time in Cowlitz County Jail but was instead sentenced to 240 hours of community service and a $500 crime victim fee. Bowen has to complete community service hours by March 29 or the remaining hours would be converted back to jail time. His next hearing is scheduled for Monday. Paying money back Bowen was the owner of J & B Septic, a Kelso business that installed septic systems. When Bowen pleaded guilty, part of the agreement included paying $27,692 in restitution to two victims, having initially faced four extra charges of first-degree theft that were dismissed. One of those victims is Kirstin Joy Ribelin, 41, of Kelso, who is slated to receive $10,875, but said after the sentencing she hasnt received any money yet. Ribelin said she was disappointed in the outcome. I think that he absolutely deserves jail time and quite a bit of jail time, she said. According to a police report, Ribelin paid Bowen over $16,000 to install a septic tank and gather the needed materials for the project. Instead, Bowen cashed the check and never performed any work, Ribelin told police. Ronald William Gottschalk, 53, of Castle Rock, is set to receive $16,317 in restitution. Gottschalk previously told The Daily News he paid Bowen thousands of dollars in a down payment for a septic system that was never installed. An email from the Cowlitz County Health Department states Bowens license to install septic systems expired on July 6, 2022. Bowen has a criminal history, which includes charges of theft and identity theft in Washington County, Oregon, in 2017. PeaceHealth Richard Nau Hospice House is scheduled to begin accepting patients Monday. An open house Wednesday allowed community members to tour the facility and meet with care staff ahead of the centers opening. Nonprofit Community Home Health and Hospice formerly operated the facility, called the Longview Dr. Richard Nau Hospice Care Center at the time, but closed it in April after being purchased by the for-profit company Eden Health. The sale took place due to financial concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which former Community Home Health and Hospice CEO Greg Pang told The Daily News exacerbated existing staff shortages that left the center unable to fill all its beds. In October, PeaceHealth announced partnering with Community Home Health and Hospice to take over the center and reopen it. The 12-bed center provides end-of-life care including symptom management, emotional support and spiritual care, as well as bereavement services for caregivers and loved ones. Although hospice care is often done at home, this can sometimes become overwhelming for caregivers, and the center aims to alleviate that burden, program director Gurpreet Dhillon said at Wednesdays open house. This is a space where they can just be a family member, a spouse, a loved one, he said. Were the professionals. Let us handle the rest. When hiring the centers new staff, PeaceHealth reached out to former employees from the previous management. Several of them have returned to work under PeaceHealth, hospice manager Sofia Cartagena said. Were very much dedicated not only to the mission of what hospice is but to the center, she said. We believe very much in what its doing for the community. PeaceHealth operates two other hospice centers, located in Vancouver and Bellingham. Richard Nau Hospice House is the only dedicated hospice facility in Longview. How to get help If you or someone you know is being abused, call the Emergency Support Shelter at 360-425-1176. The shelter provides free services to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse and other crimes. 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: More than 15 years after its launch the creator of bitcoin is still unknown. A court case starting in London on Monday will seek to determine whether Australian computer scientist Craig Wright invented bitcoin, the world's first and biggest cryptocurrency. Wright says he is Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym of bitcoin's creator and author of a white paper that introduced the cryptocurrency to the world in 2008. Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a non-profit organization set up to keep cryptocurrency technology free from patents, is suing Wright over his claims first made in 2016resulting in the trial at London's High Court set to last six weeks. The enigmatic programmer describes himself on X as "Creator of Bitcoin". "I conceived bitcoin, and I unveiled it to the world," he last month wrote in a posting on the platform, formerly known as Twitter. Wright, who on his website describes himself also as a businessman, has been involved in a number of lawsuits brought by himself but this time around is being asked to defend himself. "The very concept of bitcoin from the beginning was open source," a COPA spokesperson told AFP. It "raises a reasonable question: is Satoshi Nakamoto the kind of person who would sue people for (re)publishing the white paper? We think obviously not". 'Faketoshi' COPA brings together heavyweights in the industry, including cryptocurrency platform Coinbase and Block, which specializes in digital payments. It accuses Wright, nicknamed 'Faketoshi' by his detractors, of lying about his identity and of forging and manipulating documents presented to try and prove his claims. "Craig Wright claims to be the mysterious creator of bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. He isn't," Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal insisted before the start of the London hearing. "But, undaunted by this basic truth, Wright has used his substantial financial backing to bring an endless stream of baseless litigations against crypto developers based on this lie, many of whom cannot even afford to present the most basic defense." The outcome of the upcoming case could determine that of another pitting Wright against 26 developersincluding Coinbasefor allegedly infringing upon his intellectual property rights. Other bitcoin 'inventors'? Should it be judged that Wright is not the inventor of bitcoin, ascertaining who is would prove another major challenge. Dorian Nakamoto was one of the first to be suspected of shaking up the world of currency, following a report by Newsweek magazine that he was behind the digital token. The Japanese-American engineer denies being Satoshi Nakamoto. Others argue that work of such magnitude would more likely have been carried out by a collective rather than a single developer. The court case comes as bitcoin becomes more widely accessible. US regulators last month gave the green light to a group of bitcoin exchange-traded funds, which grant investors exposure to movements in asset prices without taking direct ownership of the underlying assets. Bitcoin on Friday traded at around $42,500, far from a record-peak of almost $69,000 in 2021. 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An atomic-scale rendering of the Mott insulator (green) and underlying material (blue) that proved key to refining and stabilizing the performance of a potentially smaller transistor. Credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln By better taming the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of an alternative to the semiconductorone that transitions from electricity-resisting insulator to current-conducting metalNebraska's Xia Hong and colleagues may have unlocked a new path to smaller, more efficient digital devices. The team reports its findings in the journal Nature Communications. The semiconductor's ability to conduct electricity in the Goldilocks zonepoorer than a metal, better than an insulatorpositioned it as the just-right choice for engineers looking to build transistors, the tiny on-off switches that encode the 1s and 0s of binary. Apply some voltage to the control knob known as a gate insulator, and the semiconductor channel allows electric current to flow (1); remove it, and that flow ceases (0). Millions of those nanoscopic, semiconductor-based transistors now coat modern microchips, switching on and off to collectively process or store data. But as minuscule as the transistors already are, the demands of consumers and competition continue pushing electrical engineers to shrink them even further, either for the sake of squeezing in more functionality or downsizing the devices that house them. Unfortunately, those engineers are now bumping up against the practical and even fundamental limits of just how small semiconductors can get. Researchers, in turn, have begun looking beyond not just industry favorite silicon but semiconductors as a whole. More than two decades ago, some began tooling around with a class of materials called Mott insulators. If the semiconductor is the happy medium that has driven decades of clockwork-constant progress, the Mott insulator is more akin to a two-faced wild card whose ambivalence rates as both the source of its appeal and of frustration. A longstanding theory of conductivity says that a material with the electronic characteristics of a Mott insulator should generally be classified as a metal. Unlike the electrons in a metal or semiconductor, though, those in a Mott insulator don't behave like independent particles. Instead, they interact in ways that confine them to localized sites and keep them from moving freely through a material. Still, certain conditionshigher temperatures, the introduction of more electronscan overwhelm those forces, ultimately freeing the electrons and essentially transforming the Mott insulator into a conductive metal. "So you (traditionally) have either itinerant electrons or localized electrons," said Hong, professor of physics at the University of NebraskaLincoln. "It's very clearly defined." "But in the case of a Mott insulator, electron interactions cannot be ignored. Because of that correlation, it's hard to define it as simply a metal or insulator. If you can tune the strength of the interaction, it can be a metal, or it can be an insulator." By topping a Mott insulator with a gate insulator made of so-called ferroelectric materialthen using voltage to flip the latter's polarization, or alignment of positive and negative chargesresearchers realized they could direct the Mott transition from insulator to metal and back again. In that way, the pairing's behavior, and most promising function, took after that of the semiconductor. Yet the metallic phase of the Mott insulator lends it a vital advantage over its long-reigning counterpart: carrying a number and density of electric charges that far surpasses what a semiconductor ever could. The higher that density, the less space that charged electrons require to screen out electric fields that otherwise switch back the polarization of the ferroelectric and keep the transistor from maintaining an "off" state. And the shorter the screening length those charged particles need, the smaller a transistor can besmaller, potentially, than any of its semiconducting predecessors. The problem? That same downsizing density also ratchets up the difficulty of transitioning the Mott channel from insulator to metal, or vice versa, via the ferroelectric material above it. Engineers often measure the technological viability of a transistor in terms of its on-off ratio: the amount of current it carries when voltage is applied versus the amount, ideally close to zero, that flows when voltage is withdrawn. The higher the ratio, the more margin for error when processing and storing data. Minimizing current in the "off" state saves energy, too, while maximizing it while "on" can raise processing speeds. In 2018, a year after Hong, doctoral advisee Yifei Hao and postdoc Xuegang Chen first approached the problem, another research team reported an on-off ratio of 11, the highest to date in a Mott-ferroelectric pairing at room temperature. With some experimentation of its own, the Husker-led team eventually pushed it to 17better, but still far too low. Eventually, Hong and her colleagues decided to try adding another layer beneath the Mott channel. For that third, underlying layer, the team chose a material that could not carry nearly the density of charges as the Mott material above it but, crucially, could allow charges to migrate from the Mott down to it, as they tend to do when encountering a sparser region. The team had, in effect, kept the Jekyll and domesticated the Hyde. The space-saving benefits of the high-density region remained, but because the overall density had dropped (thanks to the additional, bottom layer), the team retained greater control over the insulator-metal transition, too. That advantage manifested in the form of a record-high on-off ratio, which came in at a whopping 385more than 20 times higher than any yet reported. That number, Hong said, may be scraping the ceiling of what can be reached with the Mott-ferroelectric approach. Also in its favor? Ferroelectrics are non-volatile, meaning that they can retain their 1s and 0s without a constant power supply. And the fact that they require only sips of voltage to flip their polarization makes the Mott-ferroelectric pairing more energy-efficient than similarly non-volatile but magnetism-based memory, including MRAM. "To me, in terms of technology development, it's a big deal, because this shows that it is possible," Hong said. "We can have very high-performance devices, retaining many manufacturing processes of conventional semiconductors and overcoming some fundamental limitations of them." To Hong's mind, Mott-based transistors could wind up finding their way into those devices sooner than later. "I think it's ready," she said of the concept. "It's really competitive with other non-volatile memory technologies. I think someone who has the right mindset can pick up the concept and run with it." More information: Yifei Hao et al, Record high room temperature resistance switching in ferroelectric-gated Mott transistors unlocked by interfacial charge engineering, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44036-x Journal information: Nature Communications 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 person stands in front of a Meta sign outside of the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., March 7, 2023. Meta releases results on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File Meta Platforms Inc. tripled its profit and posted sharply higher revenue in the final quarter of 2023, boosted by a rebound in digital advertising as well cost cutting and layoffs in what CEO Mark Zuckerberg called the "year of efficiency." The Menlo Park, California-based company said Thursday that it earned $14 billion, or $5.33 per share, in the October-December period. That's up from $4.65 billion, or $1.76 per share, a year earlier. Revenue grew 25% to $40.11 billion from $32.17 billion. Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $4.82 per share on revenue $39.1 billion, according to FactSet Research. "This was a pivotal year for our company. We increased our operating discipline, delivered strong execution across our product priorities, and improved advertising performance for the businesses who rely on our services," Meta said in a statement. The blowout results come a day after Zuckerberg testified before the Senate along with other social media CEOs about the dangers their platforms pose to children. For the current quarter, Meta is forecasting revenue of of $34.5 billion to $37 billion, above Wall Street's expectations. Analysts are projecting revenue of $33.9 billion for the first quarter. The company said it had 67,317 employees as of December 31, 2023, a decrease of 22% year-over-year after it laid off thousands to cut expenses. Meta's shares jumped $45.37, or 11.5%, to $440.15 in after-hours trading. The stock had closed at $394.78, up 1.2%. 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: This aerial photo shows Shika nuclear power plant, rear, in Shika, on the western coast of the quake-struck Noto peninsula, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, on Jan. 28, 2024. A group of residents of towns near Japanese nuclear plants submitted a petition on Friday asking regulators to halt safety screening for the restart of idled reactors until damage to a plant that partially lost external power and spilled radioactive water during a recent powerful earthquake is fully examined. Credit: Kyodo News via AP A group of residents of towns near Japanese nuclear plants submitted a petition on Friday asking regulators to halt safety screening for the restart of idled reactors until damage to a plant that partially lost external power and spilled radioactive water during a recent powerful earthquake is fully examined. The magnitude 7.6 quake on New Year's Day and dozens of strong aftershocks in north-central Ishikawa prefecture left 240 people dead and 15 unaccounted for and triggered a small tsunami. Two idled reactors at Shika nuclear power plant on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa suffered power outages because of damage to transformers. Radioactive water spilled from spent fuel cooling pools and cracks appeared on the ground, but no radiation leaked outside, operator Hokuriku Electric Power Co. said. The damage rekindled safety concerns and residents are asking whether they could have evacuated safely if it had been more severe. The earthquake badly damaged roads and houses in the region. All Japanese nuclear power plants were temporarily shut down after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster for safety checks under stricter standards. The government is pushing for them to be restarted but the process has been slow, in part because of lingering anti-nuclear sentiment among the public. Twelve of the 33 workable reactors have since restarted. Residents of Ishikawa and other towns with nuclear plants gathered in Tokyo on Friday and handed their petition to officials at the Nuclear Regulation Authority. They are asking officials to freeze the screening process while damage at the Shika nuclear plant is fully examined and safety measures are implemented. Susumu Kitano, a Noto Peninsula resident, said there would be no way to escape from his town in case of a major accident at the plant. A group of residents hand a petition asking nuclear regulators to freeze procedures for restart of Shika and other reactors in the region to a nuclear safety official Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Tokyo. A group of residents of towns near Japanese nuclear plants submitted a petition on Friday asking regulators to halt safety screening for the restart of idled reactors until damage to a plant that partially lost external power and spilled radioactive water during a recent powerful earthquake is fully examined. Credit: AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi Nuclear safety officials have noted that the extensive damage suffered by houses and roads in the area of the Shika plant make current evacuation plans largely unworkable. The damage, including landslides, made many places inaccessible, trapping thousands of people on the narrow peninsula. Experts say current nuclear emergency response plans often fail to consider the effects of damage from compounded disasters and need to be revised to take into account more possible scenarios. Takako Nakagaki, a resident of Kanazawa, about 60 kilometers (35 miles) south of the Shika plant, said the current evacuation plan is "pie in the sky." Under the plan, residents closer to the plant are advised to stay indoors in case of a radiation leak, but that would be impossible if houses are damaged in an earthquake. The Noto quake also sparked fear in neighboring Fukui prefecture, where seven reactors at three plants have restarted, and in Niigata prefecture, where the operator of the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant is preparing to restart its only workable nuclear plant, the world's largest seven-reactor Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant. Hundreds of other residents of towns hosting nuclear plants submitted similar requests to regulators and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier this week. The Nuclear Regulation Authority has requested a further investigation of the Shika plant, even though initial assessments showed no immediate risk to its cooling functions or outside radiation leaks. NRA officials said Shika's operator should consider the possibility of additional damage to key equipment as aftershocks continue. The Shika reactors, inaugurated in 1993 and 2006, have been offline since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Hokuriku Electric Power has expressed hopes to restart the newer No. 2 reactor by 2026, but reviews of the recent quake damage could delay that plan. Despite the Fukushima disaster, the government has pushed increasing use of nuclear energy as a source of stable and clean energy. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Presidents New Year interview likely to broadcast Feb. 7 By Nam Hyun-woo President Yoon Suk Yeols prerecorded interview which is expected to feature comments surrounding the controversy over his wife Kim Keon Hee's acceptance of a luxury bag as a "gift" is expected to be televised next Wednesday, replacing an envisaged Lunar New Year's press conference. During the interview, Yoon is also expected to mention his plan to improve the people's livelihoods during his third year in office. Questions remain as to whether this interview can settle the negative public sentiment surrounding the first lady and eventually become a boost for the ruling People Power Party (PPP) as it campaigns for the April 10 general elections. The interview will likely be focused on delivering what Yoon will want to say to the public, and not answering questions that voters want to ask. According to the presidential office, the New Year's interview with broadcaster KBS was conducted on Sunday and will be broadcast, Wednesday. The main theme of the interview will be the president's thoughts on last years state affairs, progress in his reform agenda concerning labor, education and pensions, and this years policies related to people's livelihoods. In doing so, Yoon is expected to also explain the controversy surrounding his wife. Though details are yet to be fixed, the interview, if it takes place, is expected to include answers to what the public want to know about the president, one of the officials said. The first lady has been at the center of the political controversy after spy camera footage was released late last year, showing a pastor presenting a Christian Dior bag valued at around 3 million won ($2,240) to her. Except for joint press conferences after summits with foreign leaders, Yoon has not held press conferences since Aug. 17, 2022, which marked his first 100 days in office. In 2023, he replaced a New Year's press conference with an interview with the conservative newspaper, the Chosun Ilbo. While the president has been keeping his mouth shut on the controversy surrounding his wife, public sentiment against the administration has worsened, with polls showing that nearly 70 percent of voters want Yoon to provide an explanation about the controversy and the reason behind why he vetoed a separate special counsel probe bill on Kims alleged involvement in manipulating stock prices of Deutsch Motors, a BMW car dealer in Korea. Though Yoon apparently opted to explain the controversies through an interview, doubts remain as to whether this will help address the skepticism toward the ruling bloc before the general elections. The interview means that Yoon will be speaking based on prearranged scripts and questions, and this will not likely reverse the negative public perceptions toward the first lady and the administration, said Park Sang-byeong, a professor at Inha University's Graduate School of Policy Science. The president's New Year greeting event should involve candid conversations with the public and him answering questions on pending state affairs, ideally conveying positive messages to the country. On the other hand, an interview is about understanding someone's perspective from their point of view. This interview seems primarily focused on unilaterally delivering Yoons messages. Park and other political watchers say what matters in the interview will be Yoons rhetoric on addressing the first lady controversy. So far, the presidential office and the PPP have been saying the first lady is a victim of a planned set-up using a spy camera, and Yoons messages during the interview are also expected to be in line with this view, though he may express regrets on the controversies. Yoon is doing an interview because of the general elections, as the public attention is on the controversy surrounding Kim, not the policies that the administration is now pushing, Park said. And the point is whether Yoon will make an apology. If he makes a sincere apology regarding the controversies, it will serve as a shield for the ruling bloc during the campaign. If he doesnt, the interview will be worse than not doing it. Located off Texas Avenue in College Station, cinnamon roll bakers at Cinnaholic are hard at work preparing for their grand opening Friday. Cinnaholic is a bakery focused on 100% plant-based cinnamon rolls that are dairy and lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free. Guests can choose from 20 unique frosting flavors and a diverse set of toppings to create their own flavor profile for their cinnamon roll or order pre-made combinations including caramel apple pie, smores or very berry. Zach Tate, owner and operator of the new Cinnaholic, said the College Station area is very important to his father, a Texas A&M graduate, and theyre excited to open the store together. Im originally from Huntsville, and I currently live in Conroe. My dad is an A&M graduate and he and I are doing this business together, Tate said. He really wanted to open up a business in College Station where he went to school. The two started the process of opening a Cinnaholic around September 2022 and began construction around March 2023, Tate said. Initially, we visited other Cinnaholics to get a feel for what it was about and what the service was like, he said. We had some meetings with them and decided to move forward with bringing a store to College Station. We thought it was going to be a great location because of the family feel of the town. Atlanta-based Cinnaholic has more than 90 locations currently operating in the United States and Canada, according to a company press release. Tate said that Cinnaholic stands out from other bakeries by being completely vegan and allergen friendly, as well as serving other treats such as brownies, cookies and cookie dough. Cinnaholic is a 100% plant-based bakery. We offer custom cinnamon rolls and well be open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., he said. Weve also got a Cinnacake, which is basically like a large cake made of cinnamon rolls and you get to pick the frosting you want on it. Tate said their grand opening special will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday where guests can try $2 cinnamon rolls and free coffee. The cinnamon rolls [for Friday] include any combination and any of our specialty rolls, he said. The free coffee is provided by Gogh Gogh coffee for people while supplies last. Well try to get as many people as we can. During the grand opening, Tate said theyll also include the winner of the local roll submission, a flavor combination created by someone from the area. Many of the stores have a local roll submission. People can go in, create their own roll, make a unique name for it and submit it on the Google Form, he said. Well pick the top three that people can vote for and well have the winning roll on display for our grand opening and available to order. Tate said all the hard work his dad and he accomplished will be worth it after they host their grand opening. Were excited to be here and excited to finally get up and running I hope Cinnaholic is a unique and fun place for people to come and enjoy some delicious sweets, he said. Chi Alpha Campus Ministries and Mountain Valley Fellowship in College Station are being sued for over $1 million for allegedly allowing the sexual assault of a minor to take place multiple times under its leadership, according to a lawsuit filed in Harris County last Thursday. The lawsuit, filed by the alleged victims father, claims that multiple instances of assault took place from October 2021 to November 2022. The lawsuit also accuses the organizations of allowing a registered sex offender Daniel Savala to become involved in its operations. Chi Alpha is a fraternal ministry organization with over 300 locations on university campuses around the world, including one at Texas A&M University, according to the organizations website. Mountain Valley Fellowship (MVF) is a church within the North Texas District of the General Council of the Assemblies of God. The North Texas District Council Assemblies of God is under the supervision of the General Council of the Assemblies of God. All four organizations are listed as defendants in the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the then-pastor of MVF, Eli Russel J. Stewart, allowed members of the Texas A&M Chi Alpha chapter to take the victim to Savalas home in Houston in October 2022. While at Savalas home, Savala and other members allegedly made the victim strip naked and touch them inappropriately. The victim was 13 at the time of this alleged assault, according to the lawsuit The lawsuit claims that further instances of assault took place in August and September 2022. Stewart was removed from his position at MVF in late April 2023 following multiple allegations against him. Before the alleged assaults took place, Savala already had a criminal history of using ministry organizations to assault minors. In July 2012, Savala was convicted of one count of third-degree sexual abuse in Alaska. He was released after serving 90 days in prison and was required to register as a sex offender. Savalas conviction came after several members of Savalas youth group at Clover Pass Community Church (CPCC) in Ketchikan, Alaska, came forth accusing him of sexual assault. Savala had been the youth pastor at CPCC from approximately 1995 to 1997, according to the lawsuit. Stewart was also allegedly a member of the CPCC youth group during the 1990s, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff claims that Stewart was one of Savalas victims. After being released from prison, Savala became involved in the Chi Alpha chapter at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville where Stewart was serving as a pastor, according to the lawsuit. In 2017, Stewart relocated to College Station where he relaunched a Chi Alpha chapter at Texas A&M University and started MVF. In May 2023, The Battalion published a lengthy article regarding allegations against Savala, Stewart and Chi Alpha. In June 2023, Savala was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and charged with a first-degree felony count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. The charge was upgraded to continuous trafficking of a person in September 2023. Savala was later charged with additional sexual assault charges out of Houston. He was charged with sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact, according to the Houston Police Department. Savala is currently being held at the McClennan County Jail in Waco. His trial date for trafficking is set for June 6, 2024. The Supreme Court on Friday nominated two veteran judges as new justices at the top court. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae recommended Eom Sang-phil, 55, and Shin Sook-hee, 54, for nomination by President Yoon Suk Yeol. Once Yoon approves their nomination, the National Assembly will hold a confirmation hearing. Eom began his judicial career in Seoul in 1997. He has been at the Seoul High Court since 2021. Shin started her career as a judge in 1996, also in Seoul. She has been working at the Suwon High Court since 2022. The two were selected from a pool of six candidates. If appointed, Eom and Shin will replace two outgoing justices, Ahn Chul-sang and Min You-sook, who had been with the Supreme Court since January 2018. Korean firm's AI functions for mainland users are not ideal By Ann Cao The latest partnership between Samsung Electronics and Baidu on the Galaxy S24 series might hardly help the Korean smartphone giant regain its lost market share in China, according to consumers and analysts, Thursday. On Jan. 25, Samsungs China division and Baidu AI Cloud announced a strategic partnership on AI ecosystems for the Korean companys latest handsets, which were first unveiled in California on Jan. 17 and launched in mainland China on Jan. 25, with functions tailored for the Chinese market. The move marks Samsungs latest attempt to attract the worlds largest smartphone market with advanced generative AI functionalities, including real-time call translation and a Circle to Search feature that enables users to search for text, images or videos via hand gestures. Many of the functions, based on the capabilities of Baidus search engine and large language model (LLM) Ernie, are aiming to provide similar services to Googles Gemini AI technology, which Samsung is working with to power the Galaxy S24 series globally. Googles services are officially unavailable in China. However, the series has so far drawn little interest among mainland consumers. Within the first week of the release, many took to social media to express their concerns that the mainland AI functions are not ideal. The overseas version is a completely different world from the mainland version, said a Weibo user with the handle Sun Weilun, who said he had visited a Samsung store in Hong Kong to test the models. For instance, the Circle to Search feature powered by Baidu provides much fewer results than the overseas version powered by Google, he added. Richard Zhang, a 30-year-old resident in Beijing, said that he is planning to buy an overseas version of the Galaxy S24 to get the best of the AI services. I started considering this after I saw the [mainland] system recognizes Samsungs own phones as other brands. Still, Baidu might be one of the best choices that Samsung can turn to for China-developed LLMs, as the search engine and internet firm is viewed as a major player in Chinese tech companies race to launch their own ChatGPT-like services. Baidu was the first major tech firm in China to launch its own AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, in March 2023. Last September, it unveiled the latest version of its LLM, Ernie 4.0, which is said to be by no means inferior compared to OpenAIs GPT-4 in generalized abilities. The partnership with Baidu, or the entire Galaxy S24 series, might hardly help Samsung make a big change in the Chinese market, where the company saw its share slump from 20 percent to less than 1 percent over the past decade. A major pressure that Samsung is facing in China is the rise of domestic vendors, and the battle now has also extended to the AI ecosystems. Samsungs latest attempt at AI came as major Chinese smartphone makers from Huawei to Oppo and Vivo are all rushing to release their own LLMs or integrate generative AI features in the latest handsets. "Within the Chinese market, AI alone is unlikely to trigger immediate changes," said Ivan Lam, a senior analyst for Counterpoint Research, while adding that the partnership "signifies Samsung's dedication to long-term, consistent operations in China." At the current stage, there are no apparent major influencing factors that suggest a significant shift in Samsung's market standing in China, said Lam. Peng Peng, an analyst for wireless smartphone strategies at TechInsights, noted in a recent report that Samsung had set the prices for S24 and S24+ in China around 500 yuan ($70) to 800 yuan more expensive than S23 and S23+ models. In comparison, it maintained U.S. price tags for the latest series and reduced their prices in Europe. It seems Samsung is not intensively competing in terms of value for money in the worlds largest smartphone market with domestic vendors, Peng said. Ann Cao is a tech reporter with the South China Morning Post. She is currently based in Seoul, reporting for both The Korea Times and the South China Morning Post under an exchange program. By Baek Byung-yeul Merck will actively support its Korean customers such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which are expanding their investment in AI memory chips to meet surging demand for AI semiconductors, the head of the German companys electronics business said Friday. "To support and enable our customers, the Korean market continues to be one of the most exciting parts of the industry, particularly with the AI applications coming online. The Korean customers are very well positioned and they've taken leadership, in particular, in the memory sector," Anand Nambiar, executive vice president and head of the semiconductor material solutions and electronics business at Merck, said during a press conference in Seoul. "So we're lockstep making sure that we are present with them to win in this marketplace." He added that AI applications will use more memory chips in the future, and their strength is in memory chips. And of course that is because what we have today accounts for 18 percent of the global semiconductor market. But memory is close to 60 percent. Memory is a key element for AI applications. And we believe that AI on the edge is going to be the future, the executive vice president said. The executive visited the country to attend SEMICON Korea, an exhibition about the semiconductor industry, held this week in Seoul. At this event, Nambiar gave a keynote speech in which he stated that a data platform through digital and data innovation can improve the quality of materials needed for semiconductor production and eliminate defects in the chip production process. He also shared a case where by collecting and analyzing data from all chip-making processes on a single platform, they were able to eliminate defects in semiconductor materials and processes, which used to take several years, but now can happen in just a few months. Merck has been continuously expanding its investment in Korea, a semiconductor powerhouse. In 2021, Merck announced a plan to invest 600 million euros ($653 million) in Korea by 2025. So far, they have spent 300 million euros on acquiring the domestic thin-film materials company M Chemicals and expanding the OLED materials manufacturing facility in Pyeongtaek, and they plan to invest the remaining 300 million euros according to the plan. WooKyu Kim, managing director of Merck Korea, said, "Korea is the undisputed strongest country in memory. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have been maintaining leadership in memory chips and this trend will continue." "Our customers are continuously preparing research and production facilities in Korea to maintain leadership, and about 10 semiconductor mega chip factories are expected to be built here in the future," Kim said. "Merck considers the Korean market to be very important to support the leaders." The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services on Thursday launched an ambitious plan to cut its recidivism rate in half before the end of the decade. As part of Reentry 2030, a national initiative led by the Council of State Governments Justice Center and funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, Nebraska also is aiming to improve educational attainment and program participation among its incarcerated population. Billed as Transform Nebraska, the plan also seeks to ensure those leaving the prison system have possession of their critical documents, are able to find gainful employment and are enrolled in health care benefits. Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys said Nebraska has an awesome opportunity to take the lead, becoming a national model as it implements its plan, which he framed as boosting its success rate. Were going to make some things happen in Nebraska, Jeffreys said at an afternoon launch event held in the Warner Chamber at the state Capitol. I promise you that. According to the Department of Correctional Services, roughly 30% of those who left prison in 2019 were reincarcerated by 2022. Jeffreys said the department would aim to cut that in half, focusing instead on what he described as boosting the success rate by 15% by engaging in several different initiatives: * Raising the number of inmates with a high school diploma or General Education Development equivalency from 50% to 80%, and raising college coursework enrollment by 50%. * Expanding tablet programming for inmates by 50%, as well as vocational and life skills programming by 25%. * Ensuring 100% of inmates leave the system with birth certificates, Social Security cards, state identification cards, veterans documents or other papers in hand. * Enrolling 100% of those leaving prison in Medicaid or informing them on how to do so. * Using a support network to ensure at least 90% of released individuals find gainful employment within 30 days of parole placement. * Creating the Nebraska Reentry Council, which will include representatives from state agencies, nonprofit organizations, service providers and other entities. This is not just the Department of Correctional Services who is going to be doing all this work, Jeffreys told several members of Gov. Jim Pillens cabinet, including directors of the departments of Transportation, Labor, Veterans Affairs and others. This is a Nebraska thing. Its going to take all of us to get this done. Megan Quattlebaum, the director of the Justice Center at the Council of State Governments, said supports for incarcerated individuals reentering society are fragmented, which can become barriers to success. There arent enough of them, and they are not equitably distributed, Quattlebaum said. For too many folks, having a criminal record triggers barriers that really hamper their ability to live successful, crime-free lives in their communities. Reentry 2030, which was funded through the Second Chance Act reauthorized by Congress in 2023 as well as private funds, aims to provide states like Nebraska with research-backed data and resources, Quattlebaum said. Nebraska becomes the fourth state to join the Reentry 2030 initiative, following Missouri, Alabama and North Carolina. The ambitious goals youve laid out are really, really impressive, and its so exciting to see how Nebraska plans to scale up reentry success, she said. Others also lauded the plan Thursday, including Pillen, who said the systems approach outlined by Jeffreys was in concert with the compassion, empathy and grace Nebraskans feel for those who have committed transgressions. Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, a former prosecutor, said Nebraskas plan would help break the cycle of recidivism and make those who were formerly incarcerated productive members of the state. Amy Doty, the director of Southeast Community Colleges prison education program, said the initiative to boost access to education among Nebraska's incarcerated population is a cause close to her heart. Doty, who described herself as the child of a lifetime inmate who spent time in prison where she earned 128 community college credits before going on to lead similar programs, said the effort to expand educational offerings in Nebraska's prison system are underway. Last month, nearly 400 inmates took an entrance exam before enrolling in at least 1 of 47 college courses being offered at correctional centers across the state, Doty said. Expanding those opportunities will give inmates something to work toward, which makes facilities safer while improving their chances outside the prison's walls. "I was able to cling to that and it gave me hope," Doty said. Jeffreys said work on other initiatives announced as part of Transform Nebraska are already progressing as well. "These are all attainable and something that needs to happen for the state of Nebraska," he said, adding the Department of Correctional Services will also track its progress in order to "course correct" if needed. NDCS will also study where it can "bake these initiatives into our policies" moving forward, he said. "If you create the right policy, you set the right expectation and everyone knows what to do to achieve it," he said. Top Journal Star photos for January 2024 Vietnam rare earth production halved to 600 tons: US Geological Survey By Tri Duc Fri, February 2, 2024 | 9:34 pm GMT+7 Vietnams 2023 rare earth production, estimated at 600 tons, was down 50% from 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Surveys Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 report. The revised 2022 figure of 1,200 tons was also a steep decline from an estimation of 4,300 tons, the report said. In 2023, the worlds biggest rare earth producers were China with 240,000 tons, the U.S. with 43,000 tons, Burma with 38,000 tons, and Australia with 18,000 tons. Dong Pao rare earth mine in Lai Chau province, northern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Tai Nguyen & Moi Truong (Natural Resources & Environment) newspaper. Meanwhile, Vietnam remains the second biggest known rare earth source in the world with 22 million tons, behind China with 44 million tons. Other major sources are Brazil with 21 million tons, Russia with 10 million tons, India with 6.9 million tons, and Australia with 5.7 million tons. Vietnamese businesses have signed many rare earth export details in the last three years. In January 2024, Hung Thinh Titanium JSC signed an offtake agreement to supply 500 tons of rare earth oxides every year from 2025 onwards to South Korean cable firm LS Eco Energy. It will supply 200 tons this year. In July 2023, Vietnam Rare Earth JSC (VTRE) and two Australian firms - Australian Strategic Materials Ltd. (ASM) and Blackstone Minerals Ltd. - signed an MoU on rare earth mining and production. ASM said the agreement would facilitate cooperation in identifying, assessing and securing rare earth mining opportunities in Vietnam as feed stock for VTREs refinery as also ensure long-term offtake of rare earth oxides. In December 2022, VTRE signed a contract to annually export 1,000-2,000 tons of rare earth to South Korea. Under the deal, the Vietnamese firm will supply rare earth oxides worth $50 million in five years from 2023 to Korean Strategic Materials Metals (KSMM), a subsidiary of Australian Strategic Materials Limited (ASM). In October 2023, VTRE chairman Luu Anh Tuan was among six people arrested for alleged violations of mining and accounting regulations, causing serious consequences. COLUMBIA - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that on Jan. 30 Taylor Schiel pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, first degree, in Richland County before the Judge Thomas W. Cooper Jr. On Aug. 20, 2021, Special Investigator Jason Hughes with the South Carolina Attorney General's Office received a phone call from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) regarding a request for information from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Per the request, Investigator Anthony Tucker, an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force officer in Texas, had been working a cyber tip involving an individual in Texas. While working the investigation, law enforcement reviewed a cell phone and found a video of the sexual assault of a baby boy located in Blythewood, South Carolina. After receiving the Texas case file, Special Investigator Jason Hughes began his investigation. Investigator Hughes' investigation revealed that an adult woman named Taylor Schiel lived at the residence associated with the video. An exhaustive search of Schiel's social media accounts was conducted by Forensic Examiner Jamie Johnson with the South Carolina Attorney General's Office and the examination revealed several videos showing the sexual assault of a male infant. Many of the videos of the sexual assault of the baby were spliced with videos of Schiel engaging in sexual activity with an adult male. On Aug 25, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Blythewood residence. Schiel was at home at the time and, after being advised of her Miranda rights, agreed to speak to Investigator Hughes. Schiel admitted to sexually assaulting the baby, recording the assaults, and sending the videos to the individual in Texas. Judge Cooper sentenced Schiel to 20 years in prison on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, first degree; and eight years on the second count of sexual exploitation of a minor, first degree, to be run consecutively for a total of 28 years at the South Carolina Department of Corrections. She received credit for 899 days and will have to register as a Tier 2 sex offender upon her release. Get The Times and Democrat app today Local news has never been this personal. Free to download. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access. I want to take the time to acknowledge the hard work of Texas Investigator Anthony Tucker, who was very helpful in providing case information to the SC Attorney General's Office regarding his findings, as well as SCAG Investigator Jason Hughes, who worked tirelessly to apprehend Ms. Schiel as quickly as possible so that she could not further victimize the child. Also, a special thank you to Forensic Examiner Jamie Johnson who examined countless images and videos searching for files showing the assault of the baby. Her exam made it possible to bring additional charges against Ms. Schiel after her initial arrest, Wilson said. A Seoul court on Friday acquitted Hur Young-in, the chairman of the nation's largest bakery chain, SPC Group, of charges of ordering the dumping of affiliate shares to evade gift taxes. Hur was accused of selling stocks of Mildawon, a grain company wholly owned by his family, at 255 won ($0.19) per share in December 2012, a price far cheaper than the appraised 2011 price of 1,180 won and their 2008 acquisition price of 3,038 won, with tax evasion purposes. Prosecutors suspected the stock sale inflicted damage of 5.81 billion won on Shany and 12.16 billion won on Paris Croissant both SPC affiliates while giving Samlip proceeds of 17.97 billion won. On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court found Hur not guilty of the charges, stating that the evidence presented is not sufficient to determine the pricing of the disposed shares constitutes a breach of duty. (Yonhap) Two poll workers unintentionally rattled David Bohlken two decades ago when he walked into a petite country church near Tulsa to vote for his first time as an Oklahoman. They wouldnt offer him a ballot. Only a cup of coffee. The ballot got flipped upside down on me. I wasnt even allowed to look at it, Bohlken said, noting that the two apologetic poll volunteers his friends were just doing their jobs. That kind of made me feel bad. Bohlken grew up in Minnesota, a state with open primaries, where all registered voters may participate in any partys primary election. He didnt realize his status as a registered independent in Oklahoma would exclude him from partisan primaries. Millions of voters in states like Oklahoma with primaries that are at least partially closed are shut out from voting in contested races because of their independent status or party affiliation, denying participation in elections their tax dollars fund. In some cases, those primaries decide who wins the seat outright. Across nine closed or partially closed primary states, about two in five registered voters in districts with contested U.S. Congressional primary elections in the 2022 midterms were barred from casting ballots in those races, according to a Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism team analysis of publicly available data. Similarly, about two in five registered voters throughout those nine states in districts with contested state legislative primaries in 2022 were prohibited from participation. In 181 of those 590 contested federal and state primaries, disallowed voters were entirely blocked from a choice in who represents them because the primaries decided who won the office either directly or with an uncontested general election, according to Lee Enterprises analysis. Thats almost one in three districts where the excluded voters had no say in their representation. Jeremy Gruber, a lawyer and senior vice president of Open Primaries, a national advocacy group, frames the issue in stark terms. There's a country where when you vote in the general election, half the time there's only one person on the ballot. Almost every time it's an uncompetitive election, and half the voters in the country are barred from the first round or limited, Gruber said. And even the voters that can participate are segregated into warring camps. People would say, Well, that doesn't make sense. That doesn't sound democratic. Where is that? What strange country has that system? But that's us. That's our system. Gruber is part of a burgeoning movement across the U.S. to open up primaries so all registered voters can participate. As the 2024 election season begins, there are already about a dozen active campaigns in states across the U.S., including Oklahoma, Arizona, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Idaho. Proponents who are pushing for changes through citizen-led ballot initiatives, state law changes or even lawsuits say open primaries strengthen American democracy by allowing all registered voters equal access to taxpayer-funded elections while broadening voter choice and improving outcomes through competition. But open primary efforts are running up against opposition from some political party leaders and partisans who think only party members should choose their candidates for the general election. In the 20 years since Bohlken first tried to vote in Oklahoma, the states Democratic Party has opened its primaries to independent voters. But neither Republicans nor Libertarians have followed suit. State Sen. Nathan Dahm, chair of the Oklahoma GOP, said he adamantly opposes open primaries because political parties are private organizations with specific ideals that should be able to decide who participates in their affairs primary elections included. "You don't want the out-of-town atheist coming in and voting on who your next pastor should be in your church," Dahm said. Dahm said no requirements force a person to vote in a primary. In fact, he said, most registered voters don't participate. And many citizens aren't even registered to vote. "The purpose of the primary is for the party to determine who they want to be their nominee," Dahm said. However, primaries often are where the real decisions are made, Gruber said. General elections in most state and federal races have ceased to be determinative, he said, becoming more of a dance a formality. All of a sudden, we've allowed the parties to control the process that we pay for that our tax dollars pay for and it's perverted our democracy in all kinds of ways, Gruber said. Most U.S. states have some form of open primary even if advocates like Gruber argue they're more limited or less inclusive than they should be. He emphasized that the de facto model for municipal governments are nonpartisan elections, which he said are effective and elicit the highest satisfaction in voter surveys. Bohlken, a farmer and rancher who lives in Leonard, an unincorporated town near Tulsa, described his move to Oklahoma from Minnesota as a sort of slap in the face politically. His voting power was erased from primaries that his tax dollars support. As an independent, he prefers to carefully consider candidates from both sides of the aisle. I feel like I hesitate to say this out loud, but the primaries seem to drive a lot of real zealots some people who are really extreme in their views, Bohlken said. So those few people who can show up for a primary really determine whos going to be put in office. And that just kind of freaks me out. What research has found The high level of voter disenfranchisement that Lee Enterprises analysis found in states such as Oklahoma was surprising even to a researcher who studies open primaries. Thats nuts, said John Johnson, a research fellow at Marquette University in Wisconsin, a state with open primaries. Johnson said he would be angry if he lived in a state in which he couldnt participate in the primary, particularly if the general election wasnt competitive. In stark contrast, Wisconsins open primary system doesnt require voters to register with a party and allows them to decide in which partys primary they want to vote. Its mostly people just voting with the party that they prefer, and then when they cross over its because they genuinely feel some stake in the contest thats happening inside the other party, Jo hnson said. Johnsons research has found that crossover voting when Republicans vote in a Democratic primary, for example happens at such low levels as to be inconsequential in swaying the results, despite fears of party-raiding expressed by opponents of open primaries. In analyzing both the 2016 and 2018 Wisconsin primaries, an identical share of Republicans and Democrats 2% crossed over to the opposite party. Even if this tiny share of people were indeed party raiding, they canceled each other out, Johnson wrote in a summary of the study. But there is no good evidence suggesting they werent voting in good faith. Still, high-profile stories of voters trying to disrupt primary elections pop up. For example, some Democratic and independent voters in Wyoming crossed over to the Republican primary in 2022 to try to save former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney from her GOP challenger. They were unsuccessful as Cheney lost by more than 30 percentage points. Johnson thinks the academic literature is pretty settled in that open primaries dont cause harm but they do increase voter turnout. The Bipartisan Policy Center examined the 2022 midterm primaries and found that open primary states had higher voter turnout on average than closed primary states. The average turnout was 24.5% in states with fully open primaries or what are referred to as top-two or top-four formats, according to Bipartisan Policy Centers analysis. Meanwhile, average turnout was just 21.5% in states with semi-open primaries and 20.7% in states with closed primaries. Fully open primaries allow individuals to decide in which partys primary they want to vote. Top-two or top-four formats place all candidates on a common ballot for all voters, with the top vote-getters advancing to the general election. Generally, partially open primaries permit independent or unaffiliated voters to choose a partys primary but dont allow party members to switch to another partys primary. Closed primaries only authorize party members to vote and only within their designated party. And partially closed primaries let the recognized parties decide whether any independent or unaffiliated or minor party voters can participate. Primary systems can be nuanced and vary widely by state. For example, Nevada and New Mexico technically closed primary states allow any person to register to vote or switch parties at the polls on primary day. Other state deadlines for switching parties are weeks or months in advance of primary elections. Wyoming, for example, requires that individuals who want to change or declare a new party affiliation for the primary must do so before the candidate filing period even begins. Oklahoma Republican mayor reverses view Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, a Republican, is now one of the faces of a grassroots movement to open up the Sooner states primaries, called Oklahoma United For Progress. But a decade earlier, he said he wrongly campaigned against the concept. Bynum, then a city councilor, opposed the citizen-led ballot question that made Tulsas municipal elections nonpartisan on his mistaken belief that political parties fundamentally are supposed to educate and motivate voters. He had feared voter interest would wane in a nonpartisan process. At the core of Bynums change of heart? He said he unexpectedly unseated the Republican incumbent for mayor in 2016 by building a broad coalition that he couldnt have mobilized in a partisan primary. And contrary to his belief, average voter turnout in the three mayoral primaries after Tulsa switched to nonpartisan elections rose 35% compared to the same period before the reform. In his 2020 re-election bid, Bynum said the center held despite a strong primary challenge from his ideological left and right opponents. The fact that Im sitting here as a mayor right now and didnt lose in 2020 is testament to the fact that most people are not in the vocal, angry extremes, Bynum told a crowd in July at a burger restaurant in Oklahoma City. Most people are in between there somewhere, but theyre not as loud. The Lee Enterprises analysis of publicly available voter data for the 2022 midterm primary illustrates how Oklahomas partially closed system and others like it stifles voter participation. In districts with contested U.S. House races, about 49% of registered voters or 889,880 eligible Oklahomans were shut out from casting a ballot in them. Similarly, about 45% of registered voters or 350,669 eligible Oklahomans in contested State House races and about 40% or 252,197 in contested State Senate races were blocked from voting in them. And 31 of those 52 contested state and federal seats about 60% were decided outright by the primary and not the general election, meaning hundreds of thousands of registered voters who were disallowed a primary voice had no vote at all for who would represent them in public office. Bynum called that data one of the great arguments in favor of open primaries. From a democracy standpoint, he said, its much better to have elected leaders chosen by all of the people not half of half the people, in many cases. Dahm, who has been chair of the Oklahoma GOP since May, said it isn't fair to consider closed primaries as keeping voters from participating because all someone has to do is register with the party. He said Democrats weren't pushing for open primaries when they had control of the state 20 years ago. "What happened is Republicans organized better," Dahm said. "We got better candidates people that better represent the will of the people in those districts and we flipped those seats from Democrat seats to Republican seats. "And if those people want to continue to participate in that, they can become registered Republicans." Privately, Bynum said he hears from many elected officials who support the open primaries effort but wont do so in the open. The party in control in a state no matter whether Republican or Democrat doesnt have incentive to change a system that could loosen its grip on power, he said. He said he is sticking out his neck publicly for a shot at generational change because he sees better focus on policy and improved outcomes in nonpartisan races. I think a fear of (open primaries) would betray a lack of confidence in the ideas that one political party or another is supporting, Bynum said. Organized party pushback in some states like Missouri While momentum to open up primaries is building among the countrys independent voters, some states including Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio are facing action in the other direction, forcing advocates to play defense. In Missouri, voting rights advocates like Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition so far have successfully staved off Republican efforts to close the states open primaries, but the threat is constantly looming, she said. Major changes to the states voting system already have taken place, such as the 2022 elimination of the Republican presidential primary election in favor of a caucus system, which tends to encourage participation by loyal party members and decrease turnout overall. This is all part of a national trend to constrict who is able to cast a ballot, Lieberman said. I do think these efforts to close primaries that weve seen in about a half-dozen states are part of this effort to make the electorate smaller. Lieberman said a consequence of shutting out voters from primaries is making them feel like it was rigged from the beginning. What we know from the data is that fewer and fewer people are choosing to affiliate with the major political parties, Lieberman said. If you have no say in who the party candidate is going to be, why even bother to show up at the general election to vote? It remains to be seen what happens in this legislative session in Missouri. A Republican state senator who last year sponsored a bill to close primary elections, Sen. Andrew Koenig, doesnt appear to be focused on it in 2024. Dave Evans, communications director for the senator, said I dont know that thats an issue thats going to be a burning issue this year. But Evans said the senators view hasnt changed on the matter. In fact, the Missouri Republican Party states on its party platform that it believes in closed primaries requiring all voters who cast a ballot to declare a partisan affiliation and maintain declared party affiliations as a public record. Political parties are in fact private organizations, Evans said. They ought to have the right to have freedom of association like any other group. Independents the new plurality in Arizona In swing-state Arizona, independent voters, or individuals not with a recognized party, became the plurality of registered voters in October. But those voters are excluded from the states version of a presidential primary, called a presidential preference election. Ray Kimball is a retired U.S. Army officer who is a relatively new independent voter in Arizona after nearly three decades as a registered Republican. Kimball said the GOP alienated him over its refusal to acknowledge that Joe Biden is the duly elected president, prompting his move to independent status. Kimballs wife received notice in the mail of the forthcoming presidential preference election and that she automatically will get her partys ballot. Kimball himself wont be sent any such mail and won't be able to participate in what he called a crucial election. Im fiercely proud of my vote, and I will cast it at any opportunity available, said Kimball, who lives in Gilbert in the East Valley of the Phoenix metro. Im just angry that I dont have the ability to make that voice heard in every election. I think thats wrong. Kimball, who works in higher education after his military retirement, is open to considering a return to the GOP if it were to find its bearings and embrace reality. But he does find meaning in his fresh status as an independent. I feel proud to be close to what George Washingtons original vision for politics in this country was he warned against partisan politics, Kimball said. He was concerned about what it would do to our country. So I feel proud that Im exercising a political tradition that has its roots in the origin of our country. Paul Johnson, a former Democrat mayor of Phoenix, is helping lead the Save Democracy Arizona petition effort to enshrine nonpartisan primaries and uniform signature requirements into the state Constitution. As it stands, Arizona law requires independent or unaffiliated individuals who want to run for legislative office to come up with tens of thousands of signatures more than someone who is with a recognized political party. Now an independent, Johnson said voters breaking away from a desire to be identified as a member of a party is one of the most powerful movements ongoing in American politics. The countrys single greatest achievement has been to empower individuals over itself, he said. He added that the magical key to democracy is talking to people with whom you dont necessarily agree. The single biggest thing that defines (the parties) is they hate each other. They cannot stand one another, Johnson said. And my answer is, I dont want to eliminate them. I want to get the best from them. Pennsylvania voters push for open primaries Meanwhile, Pennsylvania is closer than it ever has been to adopting an open primary system. But its not there yet. For the first time in October, a bill to open up primary elections to an estimated 1.2 million excluded unaffiliated and independent Pennsylvania voters passed out of a house legislative committee. One of the key proponents of the bill, Democratic Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia, said he feels a shift, that more and more folks are coming on board. The proposal has been around forever and its the first time it passed the House (committee), Solomon said. I think its a really big deal. We need to finally get this bill to the finish line. However, the full House chamber still hasnt acted on the bill yet. A spokesperson for the House speaker, who has the power to call the bill down for a vote, told Lee Enterprises that the measure is currently being reviewed. Solomon says hes pushing hard on this because he believes its the right thing to do. The fastest group of unaffiliated independent voters are people aged 18 to 35, he said. Imagine youre a new voter in Pennsylvania and were basically saying to you no thanks, not welcome, not here. At the same time, Solomon said the state will take their tax money to prop up the primary system. It doesnt really roll out of the welcome mat, he said. This is not the look we want in PA. One of those new young voters is Ethan Barnes, a Dickinson College student who was disappointed to find out upon moving to Pennsylvania that he wouldnt be able to vote in primary elections unless he registered as a Democrat or a Republican. But at heart, hes an independent, just like his dad, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who instilled in him the importance of being politically active at a young age. Its really sad that you cant register as an independent and still be able to be as politically active as you could if you were registered as either a Democrat or Republican, Barnes said. Thats what many of my friends (and I) have had to go through. Why should I not be able to participate just because Im registered as an independent? Barnes said. The issue led Barnes to join BallotPA, a statewide advocacy group of independent and unaffiliated voters who are trying to push lawmakers on the issue. I always cared a lot about politics, but I dont know if I would have imagined myself getting this strongly involved in the fight for open primaries, Barnes said. But Im happy that I did. I think the ability to participate in politics and being able to vote should be open to all. Andrew John, retired teachers, has got the first nod as the NDP candidate for the South Windward constituency. Well-known environmentalist and community activist Dr. Andrew Simmons did not win favour with the constituency council of the New Democratic Party (NDP), which met to advance a candidate for the South Windward constituency. Instead, those voting in the primary conducted at the NDP headquarters, Kingstown, last week Thursday, gave the nod to Andrew John, a retired teacher and industrial relations officer of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union, who resdies at Argyle. John, 59 years old and who served for 35 years as a teacher/educator, holds a certificate in teacher education (a Graduate Teacher) and a bachelor of science degree in management studies. Simmons, a resident of Enhams, trained originally in education, holds a masters degree in economic development and earned his doctoral degree in 2019 at De Montfort University. But while the constituency council has decided on John as the replacement for Noel Dickson who unsuccessfully contested the South Windward seat in 2020, their choice has to be ratified by the central executive of the party, headed by Dr. Godwin Friday. A person close to the process told THE VINCENTIAN that the vote was surprisingly a clear one in favour of John. The person gave no details. General elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are constitutionally due by February 2026. NDP will be working to regain the seat of government which it lost to the Unity Labour Party (ULP) in 2001 and which it has lost to in four subsequent general elections. Frederick Stevenson of the ULP is the current parliamentary representative of the South Windward constituency and has been since 2010. The ULP is still to confirm or give any indication of its slate of candidates for the next general election. The Federal Maple, one of two custom-built vessels, the other being the Federal Palm, given to the W.I. Federation by the Canadian government in 1961, to assist with strengthening shipping service (passenger and cargo) in the region. A private sector-led regional ferry service was launched in Barbados on Tuesday 23 January aimed at increasing and improving transportation among the Caribbean countries. Upturn Funds Caribbean in collaboration with Pleion Group Incorporated unveiled the joint-venture partnership, which it said has led to the establishment of the new private sector-led ferry company - "Connect Caribe. Speaking at the launch held by stakeholders, the co-founder and chief executive officer for the Caribbean region, Andre Thomas said discussions are currently ongoing between regional leaders including Trinidad and Tobagos this countrys Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his Guyana and Barbados counterparts on the services offered by Caribe as well as the benefits attached. "We are in talks with the governments...There is a significant discussion on how we can integrate and tackle this huge opportunity and problem. I believe that where there are problems, there are opportunitiesso there will be significant collaboration between the service that will be done by the governments and our service, Thomas said. He said its services will be a game changer in the transportation industry. He further noted that the three proposed vessels will have the capacity to transport up to 8,000 passengers, cargo and manufactured goods and produce. The service is scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2024 and will offer weekly and daily round trips, linking Barbados with Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua, Suriname, and Guyana. Thomas said, though, that specific focus will be placed on the Barbados-Trinidad-Guyana route, and a standard fare on that route would cost US$100 plus whatever charges come from that particular government. Trans-Caribbean shipping service History records that a regional ferry service passenger and cargo service from Jamaica in the north was established in the early 1960s when the Canadian government gifted two vessels the MV Federal Maple and MV Federal Palm - to the West Indies Federation. The vessels remained in service up until 1972 when it became unprofitable to continue the service. Nautical Solutions recorded that the Federal Palm was reported to have been sold to the government of Nauru in 1972, and renamed the Cenpac Rounder. It was "wrecked on March 28th 1979, and was found to be at the breakers in Pusan on June 6th of that year. There has been some concern here after Candace John (pictured) was grated station bail and not brought to court earlier that when she eventually appeared. Questions surround the granting of station bail (bail granted at the police station, at the discretion of the police) to a woman charged with physically abusing her 2-year-old daughter recently. The charge was brought following police investigations into what the police described as a "very disturbing video circulated on social media, showing a child being physically abused and suffocated by someone who sounded like an adult female. A 26-year-old Vermont woman, Candace John, appeared at the Kingstown Magistrates Court on Monday, three days after she was released on station bail at the Central Police Station (CPS). John was charged with, that on January 20, 2024, at Vermont, having the charge or care of a juvenile, willfully ill-treated that juvenile in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering, contrary to section 8 (1) (b) of the Juvenile Act, Chapter 231 of the Revised Edition of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 2009. The section, which deals with Cruelty to Juveniles states that any person who, having attained the age of 17, and having the custody, charge, or care of any Juvenile willfully assaults, ill-treats, neglects, abandons or exposes such juvenile or causes or procures him to be assaulted, ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed, in a manner likely to cause that Juvenile unnecessary suffering or injury to health (including injury to or loss of sight, or hearing or limb or organ of the body, and any mental derangement, is guilty of an offense and liable to, (a) upon conviction on indictment to a fine of $5,000, and imprisonment for two years, and (b) on summary conviction to a fine of $1,500 and to imprisonment for three months imprisonment. John, who was charged summarily, pleaded guilty when she appeared before Senior Magistrate Colin John on Monday, and the matter was adjourned to March 4, pending a Social Inquiry Report. THE VINCENTIAN understands that John was charged since January 25, but was not taken to Court by the police. She was instead released on station bail the following day, and carded to appear in Court last Monday. THE VINCENTIAN is not aware of the issues that prompted the polices discretion to grant station bail, but Johns attorney, Grant Connell, was seen at the Central Police Station in the company of the defendant and police officers on January 26, shortly before John was released on station bail. While station bail is a discretion of the police, persons close to the Court process have been following the drama with keen interest, given the nature of the offense and the public interest factor. Prosecutor Corlene Samuel accepted Johns guilty plea but requested a Social Inquiry Report before sentencing. Connell agreed, adding, "Finally, some wisdom in the case. The lawyer told the Court that the police must understand that when they charge somebody, the matter is no longer in their Jurisdiction, they (police) are duty-bound to bring them to Court. He drew the Courts attention to the charge sheet which showed that John was charged since January 25. Connell did not go into details but said that his client was able to get station bail, pending her appearance in Court last Monday. Connell requested an adjournment of about three weeks so that the Social Inquiry Report could be prepared and ready, before sentencing. "We may not have certain facilities in place, but we have to work with what we have, Connell said, adding that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is without a Psychiatrist. Both the Prosecution and the defense agreed on the three-week duration, but the Senior Magistrate said he would allow what he described as elbow room to ensure that the report was ready and adjourned the matter to March 4. A police release, last week, stated that the child was removed from the home by the Child Development Division, and placed into foster care, where she will receive the necessary treatment and care. The boy who alleged he was beaten by the police was paraded on a Facebook live showing what he claimed to be indications on his back of a beating. Three members of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) assigned to the Stubbs Police Station have been suspended with half pay, following an allegation of physical abuse of a 10-year-old boy. In a press release on Wednesday 31st, January, the RSVCPF said that it "wishes to notify the public that on Tuesday 30th January 2024, Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Enville Williams suspended three (3) police officers from duty. The release further stated that "the officers include one (1) Corporal and two (2) Constables who are the subjects of interest in an allegation of the abuse of a 10-year-old boy. The officers would receive half pay pending the outcome of an investigation. In an earlier press release, it was said that the officers implicated in the allegation were paraded before the Acting Commissioner of Police on Monday, 29, at the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Police Headquarters in Kingstown. The action against the three officers was taken after the 10-year-old and his family members appeared on a Facebook live and made the allegations. On Sunday Rosita Phillips, the mother of the child, appeared in a Facebook live video from outside the Stubbs Police Station, stating that her 10-yesr-old was locked up by the police after he allegedly went into someones yard in Diamond and took their bicycle. When she turned up at the police station to enquire about her son, Phillips said the officers released him and told her they would investigate the matter. She said that her son told her that he was feeling pain, after the officers beat him. "Two police officer beat my child. If you see the bruise and dem in ye back and all thing. I calling on authority who listening me now and who seeing this. I dont satisfy. If you see the condition of my childs back, said the angry woman. The boy also appeared in the live. He admitted to going into someones yard and removing a bicycle. The police met him riding the bike at Diamond. "They tek me and hold me by me hand and bring me by the station. Then them tell me fuh siddung pon top the bench. Then one de corporal tek off he belt and start to beat me. Then the other fat one been going tek off he leather belt to come and beat me but dem puh down that and the thin one ge the fat one ye belt fuh beat me, the boy explained. The mother insisted that the police should have got in touch with her when they apprehended her son and should have questioned her son in her presence. "I want to know if they lock up my child if they nah fuh get in touch with me as the guardian and question him in front of me. They suppose to lock up a 10-year-old child and beat him without he parents know anything way going on? If is me beat him and chop up his back like this, they going lock me up, the mother reasoned. The mother said she asked an officer for the names of the police officers allegedly involved and for a medical injury report form but the officer did not comply. "And all ah dem going in the station and leave me in the yard sit down, said the mother, who pleaded with the officers to use the police transport to take the boy to the hospital. "I want to know what to do this hour I need help This is the way that police serve and protect? Phillips questioned. However, the police force has indicated intent to investigate the matter. Toward this end, a senior police officer attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) South Central Division, which inluds the Stubbs Police Station, was assigned to conduct the investigation. "The public is asked to bear with the police as we probe this matter. While the allegations are painful to listen to, we must strive to be fair to all parties involved. We, however, wish to reiterate that the police force is an organization that does not operate outside of the laws of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and no officer will be tolerated if he or she chooses to do so, the Police release added. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the reimposition of sanctions was rude and improper blackmail (File: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters) Venezuela has criticised Washingtons decision to reimpose oil and gas sanctions and warned it could halt deportation flights for Venezuelan migrants who are in the United States without documents. "All of Venezuela rejects the rude and improper blackmail and ultimatum expressed by the US government, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez wrote on X. "If they take the wrong step of intensifying the economic aggression against Venezuela as of February 13 repatriation flights for Venezuelan migrants would be immediately cancelled. The US began repatriating Venezuelan migrants on chartered flights in October, after a deal was struck between Nicolas Maduro and President Joe Biden for the "orderly, safe and legal repatriation of undocumented Venezuelan migrants. Rodriguez said that all other areas of cooperation would be reviewed as a countermeasure to the "deliberate attempt to strike a blow to the Venezuelan oil and gas industry. The rejection comes in response to the United Statess reimposition of sanctions on Caracas this week. Washington took action after Venezuelas top court upheld a ban blocking the candidacy of the leading opposition hopeful in a presidential election later this year. The US Department of the Treasury on Monday gave US entities until February 13 to wind down transactions with Venezuelan state-owned miner Minerven. Meanwhile, the US Department of State said on Tuesday that Washington does not plan to renew a licence that has allowed Venezuelas oil to freely flow to its chosen destinations. "Actions by Nicolas Maduro and his representatives in Venezuela, including the arrest of members of the democratic opposition and the barring of candidates from competing in this years presidential election, are inconsistent with the agreements signed in Barbados, the State Department said in a statement. "Absent progress between Maduro and his representatives and the opposition Unitary Platform the United States will not renew the license when it expires on April 18, the State Department said, referring to General License 44, which provides relief to Venezuelas oil and gas sector. The US, which first imposed oil sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, had granted sanctions relief for the OPEC member country in October in recognition of a deal signed in Barbados with President Nicolas Maduros administration that included releasing political prisoners, allowing international observers and setting conditions for a fair presidential election. Venezuela is prepared for any scenario including the reimposition of US sanctions on its crude and gas exports, Oil Minister Pedro Tellechea said. The US would also feel the effect of any reimposed energy sanctions on Venezuela, Tellechea told reporters, adding that the country would not "kneel down just because someone tried to dictate the countries with which it can do business. (Source: Al Jazeera) By Ko Dong-hwan The Seoul Central District Court acquitted SPC Group Chairman Hur Young-in, the head of Korea's biggest bakery company, over charges of gift tax evasion and breach of trust, the court said Friday. The court acquitted Hur and the group's two executives, dismissing the prosecutors' indictment that SPC deliberately sold shares of Mildawon, an affiliate of Paris Croissant and Shany which manufactures flour, to Samlip for an undervalued price to increase Samlip's business profit. Paris Croissant, Shany and Samlip are all subsidiaries of SPC Group, with Samlip being the only publicly listed company among the group's subsidiaries. The court said that Hur didn't have any intention to commit the alleged crimes and that it was only part of the company's legal business activities. In December 2012, Hur sold Mildawon's shares to Samlip at 255 won ($0.19). Paris Croissant and Shany acquired Mildawon shares in 2008 at 3,038 won and the same shares were valued at 1,180 won per share in 2011. The prosecutors said the trade caused Paris Croissant a financial loss of 12.2 billion won and Shany 5.81 billion won while Samlip profited almost 18 billion won. The court said, however, that the alleged dumping of Mildawon's shares eventually caused Hur the same business loss because he owned 100 percent of Paris Croissant and Shany. The court said that fact makes it implausible that he sold the shares at the controversial price for profiteering. The prosecution had also accused Hur of ignoring Midawon's potential market value when selling its shares at an undervalued price. However, the court rebutted that it is hard to predict successive growth in the share values of companies in grain or food manufacturing businesses. It added that determining the value of a company share by taking into account its future market value ultimately involves a subjective view. Upon the court's ruling, SPC Group released a statement expressing appreciation to the court for resolving the misunderstandings. On Thursday, the Seoul High Court ordered the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to cancel a 64.7 billion won fine against SPC, ruling that the antitrust agency's decision was made without sufficient evidence. The antitrust agency levied the fine in 2020 for allegedly engaging in illegal business activities to increase the market size of Samlip and leverage the effect to smooth the transition of its managerial leadership within the group's owner family. Historian Tim Borstelmann will discuss John F. Kennedy and Africa: When Colonialism Met the Cold War during a Presidents Day lecture at Rowan University on Monday, Feb. 19. The Elwood N. and Katherine Thompson Distinguished Professor of Modern World History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Borstelmann (at right) will discuss Kennedys diplomatic initiatives with several newly independent African nations in the early 1960s. His lecture in the Welcome Center, 131 Rowan Blvd., Glassboro, begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The event is part of the Universitys Celebrating Operation Uganda Lecture and Event Series and Rowans Centennial celebration. In 1962, Kennedys leadership, coupled with a meeting in New York City between students at then-Glassboro State College, inspired students and faculty to launch Operation Uganda. One of the most ambitious humanitarian efforts ever attempted in South Jersey, Operation Uganda was a student-led initiative to support the education and independence of the people of Ugandaand to foster international goodwill and friendship. Borstelmanns research focuses on the intersection of United States domestic history and international history. Author or co-author of five books, Borstelmann received the Tonous and Warda Johns Family Book Award from the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association for his latest book, Just Like Us: The American Struggle to Understand Foreigners (Columbia University Press, 2020). Prior to the lecture, the annual History Department Student Research Poster Session will be held in the atrium of the Welcome Center. Borstelmanns talk is sponsored by the Department of History and the College of Humanities & Social Sciences. 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). We read with great interest the article by Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, entitled Life is beautiful and deserving of our support. Ms. Rodriguez-Williams sponsored the abortion ban that is being challenged in state court as an unconstitutional infringement of our right to privacy and to make our own healthcare decisions. Ms. Rodriguez-Williams reports that she made her own decisions about what medical care she needed after having several miscarriages. During two of those miscarriages, she decided, presumably on the advice of her healthcare provider, to undergo a dilation and curettage procedure. A D&C is a medical procedure that can be done for several different reasons, including treatment after a miscarriage or for first trimester abortions. Its ironic that Ms. Rodriguez-Williams was able to confer with her healthcare provider about what was best for her, given her personal and medical circumstances. But yet she wants to deny other women the ability to make those decisions for themselves and to insert the government between a woman and her healthcare provider. A majority of Wyoming residents agree, as do most Americans, that the government should not be involved in personal medical decisions that are better left to individuals, their faith and their healthcare providers. We need politicians and leaders in our state who trust women to make their own very personal healthcare decisions. We represent organizations that work to protect every persons right to access the full range of reproductive health options, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. No matter how Ms. Rodriguez-Williams tries to spin it, abortion is healthcare. And when pregnancy complications threaten a mothers life or health, there is no doubt that abortion can be life-saving care. Fortunately for now, abortion remains legal in Wyoming while we await a decision from the courts. Wyoming stands for freedom, equality, independence, and the right to access a full healthcare spectrum. That includes the constitutional right to make personal healthcare decisions, including whether or not to have an abortion. 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. 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. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday it's time to further disable Iran-backed militias that have struck at U.S. forces and ships in the Middle East and the U.S. is preparing to take significant action in response to the deaths of three U.S. service members in Jordan. For days the U.S. has hinted strikes are imminent. While the threat of retaliation for Sunday's deaths has driven some militant groups to say they were stopping hostilities, as late as Thursday Yemens Houthi rebels were still attacking vessels and fired a ballistic missile at a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea. At this point, its time to take away even more capability than weve taken in the past, Austin said Thursday in his first press conference since he was hospitalized on Jan. 1 due to complications from prostate cancer treatment. Previous U.S. strikes have not deterred the attacks. Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, Iranian-backed militant groups have struck U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria at least 166 times with rockets, missiles and one-way attack drones, drawing about a half-dozen U.S. counterstrikes on militant facilities in both countries. The U.S. military also has carried out airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The U.S. has attributed the attack on Tower 22 in Jordan to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the militant group Kataib Hezbollah. While Iran has denied involvement, Austin said Thursday that how much Iran knew or didnt know, we dont know. But it really doesnt matter because Iran sponsors these groups. Austin said without that facilitation, these kinds of things dont happen. He said the Pentagon is still looking at the forensics of the drone that struck Tower 22, a secretive base in northeastern Jordan thats been crucial to the American presence in neighboring Syria. I dont think the adversaries are of a one and done mindset. And so they have a lot of capability. I have a lot more, Austin said. "Were going to do whats necessary to protect our troops." In the Red Sea, the Houthis have fired on commercial and military ships almost 40 times since November. In the latest attack, they fired a ballistic missile at the M/V Koi, a Liberian-flagged container ship on Thursday, U.S. Central Command said. The ship's management could not immediately be reached for comment. The Houthis did not claim responsibility for the assault. The attack happened west of Hodeida, a port city in Yemen long held by the rebels, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military group overseeing Mideast waterways. Also on Thursday, Central Command said it had destroyed two more Houthi-fired drones. One overhead drone, fired at 5 a.m. in Yemen, was shot down in the Gulf of Aden. A few hours later, an uncrewed surface vehicle, a drone that travels through water, was determined to be an imminent threat and was struck in self defense in the Red Sea, Central Command said. The Houthis say they are targeting ships over Israels offensive in Gaza against Hamas . But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. The Houthis hit a commercial vessel with a missile on Jan. 26, sparking a fire that burned for hours . The Pentagon has the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in the region, along with at least a half dozen other major U.S. warships, U.S. Air Force fighter jets and radar aircraft. It has already been regularly using those assets to conduct strikes and defend ships. Late Wednesday, American F/A-18 fighter jets struck and destroyed 10 Houthi drones that were prepared to launch, as well as a ground control station used by the rebels, the U.S. military said. The U.S. also intercepted a ballistic missile and other drones already in the air during the day. (AP) 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. Bloody marys are my favorite brunch cocktail. Ive even been known to order them sans-alcohol, if Im not in the mood to imbibe. While some people drink the savory, spicy cocktail for the supposed hangover remedy, Im all in on the flavor. While I love the flavor of horseradish, the one part of bloody marys I dont care much for is the texture of prepared horseradish in my cocktail. I solve this by blending some of the tomato juice (I like the clean flavor of Sacramento brand ) with the horseradish until smooth. From there, its just about picking my garnishes. I will happily accept any and all bloody mary garnishes and trust me, there are many wild ones out there but I love the classic leafy, tender celery heart and a few pimento olives. What is a bloody mary? The bloody mary was invented in the early 1920s at Harrys American Bar in Paris by bartender Ferdinand Pete Petiot. He reportedly mixed together a concoction of tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Some stories suggest the drink is named after Mary Queen of Scots, the actress Mary Pickford, or a lovelorn young woman named Mary, yet the origin remains unknown. Petiot brought the bloody mary stateside in 1934, serving it at the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. Here, he added lemon juice and Tabasco to suit the tastes of his American customers. The bloody mary didnt become a brunch fixture until the 1960s, due to an aggressive marketing campaign by Smirnoff Vodka. Bloody mary variations Here are a few of the many versions of bloody marys to try: Red Snapper. While originally the red snapper was just another name for the classic bloody mary, today it refers to the same cocktail base with gin instead of vodka. While originally the red snapper was just another name for the classic bloody mary, today it refers to the same cocktail base with gin instead of vodka. Caesar cocktail. Instead of tomato juice, this Canadian cocktail starts with a base of Clamato (or a combination of tomato juice and clam juice). Instead of tomato juice, this Canadian cocktail starts with a base of Clamato (or a combination of tomato juice and clam juice). Bloody Maria. Either tequila or smoky mezcal stand in for vodka in this twist on the original. Either tequila or smoky mezcal stand in for vodka in this twist on the original. Michelada. It can be as simple as swapping vodka for beer, but some recipes skip the tomato juice entirely, opting instead for a well-spiced and seasoned Mexican lager. How to customize your bloody mary You can add your own twist to the cocktail. Here are some ideas to get you started: Stir in pickle juice for an extra sour, briny boost of flavor. Rub the edge of the glass with lemon, then coat the rim in Tajin or another chili seasoning. Garnish with pickle spears and other pickled vegetables, or go more daring with crispy bacon strips, poached shrimp, and meat snack sticks. Swap tomato juice for V8 vegetable juice for a bolder vegetable flavor. Bloody Mary Serves 8 3 to 4 medium lemons 1 (46- to 48-ounce) bottle or can tomato juice, divided 3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup prepared horseradish 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more as needed 1 teaspoon celery seeds 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed 2 cups (16 ounces) vodka, such as Titos Ice Garnish options: Small leafy celery stalks Lemon wedges Pimento-stuffed olives 1. Juice 3 to 4 medium lemons until you have 1/2 cup. Place in a blender. Add half of 1 (46- to 48-ounce) bottle or can tomato juice, 3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup prepared horseradish, 2 teaspoons hot sauce, 1 teaspoon celery seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. 2. Pour into an 8-cup or larger pitcher (or 10-cup pitcher if making a pitcher drink) and stir in the remaining tomato juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or ideally overnight. Meanwhile, refrigerate 2 cups vodka. 3. Taste the bloody mary mix and season with more kosher salt and more hot sauce as needed (or serve the hot sauce on the side). 4. To serve individual bloody marys: Fill a Collins glass halfway with ice. Pour 2 ounces vodka over the ice. Top with about 6 ounces of the bloody mary mix and stir until just combined. Garnish with a celery stalk and pimento-stuffed olives and a lemon wedge speared with a toothpick. 5. For a pitcher drink: Add all of the vodka to the pitcher and stir to combine. Pour into ice-filled glasses, stirring the drink before each pour (the tomato mixture and vodka may separate as they sit). Garnish each drink with a celery stalk and pimento-stuffed olives and a lemon wedge speared with a toothpick. Recipe notes Make ahead: The bloody mary base can be made up to four days in advance and refrigerated. Stir before serving. Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered pitcher for up to four days. Stir before serving. (Rachel Perlmutter is a recipe developer, food stylist, and culinary producer at TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.) Sabino Canyon is without its usual army of volunteer trail guides during one of its busiest times of the year. The Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol has been a green-uniformed presence at the popular recreation area since 1997, but the dozens of patrol members who work in the canyon and on mountain trails for free were told to stand down in early January due to apparent public contact disputes with the Santa Catalina District Ranger. Coronado National Forest spokeswoman Starr Farrell said the patrol voluntarily suspended operations in early January so all members could receive training and be in alignment with (USDA) Forest Service policies. Farrell added that to update expectations, additions have been made to the patrols volunteer agreement with the Forest Service. The volunteer patrols leadership announced the stand down in a Jan. 9 email to members. This means that we will not be patrolling, not be in uniform, and will not be representing the Forest Service, the email said. This drastic action is needed because we have patrollers not following our Forest Service Agreement, and any additional violations will result in our charter being removed. All patrollers will be required to go through retraining. Donato (Don) DelMastro is the district ranger in charge of the Santa Catalina Ranger District, which manages Sabino Canyon. He said on Wednesday that he had met with representatives from the volunteer patrol and worked through the nuances of their updated agreement. Once the agreement is signed, the patrol can resume its work in the district, DelMastro said. Its unclear what specific incidents prompted revoking the groups operating agreement and requiring new training. The patrols interim president, Mark Wright, and its former president, Richard Cyr, declined to comment. Cyr resigned on Jan. 27, explaining in an email to members that he was stepping down for the good of the organization after meetings with DelMastro. It is clear to me that the best (and maybe only) chance that SCVP has to get reinstated as a partner with the USFS is if I am no longer a part of it, Cyr wrote. Sabino Canyon attracts about 1.3 million people annually, according to the Coronado National Forest website. Tourism data shows that January to April is by far the busiest time for out-of-town visitors to the recreation area. The volunteer patrol was founded in 1997 by volunteers and Forest Service employees concerned about the impact of budget cuts and limited personnel on Sabino Canyon visitor services and facility maintenance. Patrol members wear a green Forest Service uniform with a volunteer patch and provide information to the public outside the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center and on trails throughout the Santa Catalina Mountains. The groups bike patrol rides the roads in Sabino Canyon to offer information and assistance where needed. (The canyon is open to cyclists for limited hours when shuttles are not operating). Patrol members also help at the visitor centers front desk and assist with wildlife monitoring for another large volunteer group, the Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists. In the past, potential patrollers had to apply and go through extensive training. At last check, the patrols website said the group was not accepting applications at this time. A storm system expected to move into Tucson Thursday night will bring colder temperatures, rain and snow to the region. Snow along the Catalina highway is expected to range from two inches at its lower portion to up to 12 inches at Summerhaven, the National Weather Service in Tucson said Thursday afternoon on Facebook. Photos: Snow on Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Mountains Most of the snow will fall Thursday night and Friday morning, the weather service said. Cooler temperatures are expected to stick around metro Tucson until the end of the weekend, when the valley warms up again. Stormy weather is again expected during the middle to end of next week, forecasters say. General Hitchcock Highway opened before noon Friday, but only to motorists with 4X4 vehicles, all-wheel drive or tire chains. Snow and ice remain a concern on the highway that leads to Mount Lemmon. A storm moved into Tucson overnight bringing wind and rain to the valley. At least five inches of snow had fallen on Mount Lemmon by early Friday morning, though more was expected. Higher elevations across southeastern Arizona are under a winter weather advisory until 11 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service in Tucson said. PHOENIX A new lawsuit against the secretary of state could end up affecting whether Arizonans will get a voice in the November presidential election. Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma contend in the lawsuit that county supervisors have some discretion in deciding whether to simply accept election results and have leeway to raise questions. The suit also says there is some flexibility in the current deadline for counties to get their formal results to the secretary of state by the fourth Monday following the General Election, or Dec. 1 this year. If the supervisors want more time to consider the results, state law gives them 30 days after the general election, or until Dec. 5, it says. Those extra four days can make a big difference. Thats because the state cannot begin mandatory recounts in close races until after the formal canvass. And a change in state law makes it more likely a recount will be necessary. Also, a new federal law requires states to send their results of the presidential election to Congress no later than Dec. 11 or not have the wishes of Arizona voters considered, nor the states 11 electoral votes counted. The arguments At the heart of the complaint is the Elections Procedures Manual. Adopted by the secretary of state with approval of the governor and attorney general, it is considered a guide for local officials to use when conducting elections. Republicans Petersen and Toma allege that some of what Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes put into the new manual does not comply with state law. They say that in such cases, statutory provisions override the manuals guidance. Fontes, in the new manual he has adopted, says if a county doesnt get its official tallies to him by his deadline to certify the statewide results, the secretary of state must proceed with the state canvass without including he votes of the missing county. That is illegal, says the attorney for Petersen and Toma, Kory Langhofer. Arizona law does not allow the secretary of state to disenfranchise the voters of an entire county, he told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Ryan in the new lawsuit. He disputes any contention that the supervisors must simply rubber stamp the results as reported by the county recorder. Instead, Langhofer said, Arizona law requires a county Board of Supervisors, on its own, to determine the vote, which might take extra time. In fact, Langhofer argued, state law spells out that if Fontes hasnt received the official results from any county by the late November deadline, he must postpone the formal statewide canvass until canvasses from all counties are received. The law allows delays up to 30 days after Election Day, he said. Fontes stands behind manual Fontes defended the Election Procedures Manual. Elections must have finality, he said. And the EPM provides a roadmap for our counties to help us move on. Fontes bristled at the allegation in the lawsuit. Any accusation that this office disenfranchises Arizona voters is ridiculous, he said. Petersen said the legal action has merit. It all comes down to the time crunch. That starts with the possibility of a mandatory recount in the presidential race, which cant occur until after the statewide canvass. Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in Arizona by 10,457 votes in 2020, winning the states 11 electoral votes. Thats a 0.3% difference. A 2022 Arizona law increased the margin to trigger an automatic recount to 0.5%. So a race this year as close to the one in 2020 would force a recount, exacerbating already existing deadline problems. And if the loss of those extra days means the state doesnt get its formal results to Congress by the Dec. 11 federal deadline, the votes of Arizonans may become irrelevant as to who takes the presidential oath of office in January 2025. 2022 case This isnt just an academic question. The two Republicans on the three-member Cochise County Board of Supervisors initially refused in 2022 to certify the results of the election after they argued that the ballot tabulators were not properly certified. That led to threats from then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs that failure to certify would lead her to conduct the canvass without the results from 47,284 ballots cast by county residents. That would have changed the results of elections for state schools chief and Congressional District 6. A majority of the board eventually relented, but only after being ordered to do so by a judge. The votes of county residents were included in the final statewide tally. Now the two Republican supervisors, Peggy Judd and Tom Crosby, are facing felony charges that they illegally conspired to delay the formal canvass. They also face a separate charge of illegally interfering with an election official. That is based on the delay in preventing Hobbs from completing the statewide canvass. This comes back to what Fontes included in the manual. It says county supervisors have a non-discretionary duty to canvass the returns provided to them by the county recorder or other official running the election. The manual says the board has no authority to change vote totals, reject the election results or delay certifying results without express statutory authority or court order. Langhofer, who had nothing to do with what occurred in Cochise County, said thats not exactly what the law says. While (Arizona laws) require the board to conduct a canvass by a certain deadline, it also empowers the board to determine the vote of the county, he told Ryan. Langhofer said that means more than simply accepting as true the numbers board members get from the official who ran the election. The boards statutory duty to canvass the vote does not necessarily require the board to accept the returns in the form provided by the election official or vote in a certain way regarding the accuracy of returns, he said. Langhofer said that means Fontes manual conflicts with state election law. That issue of the county deadline to canvass the votes and what happens if they do not is only part of the challenge to the manual by Petersen and Toma. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: Nearly 41,000 Arizonans were diagnosed with cancer in 2023. While cancer is still the second-leading cause of death in Arizona, mortality rates here have actually decreased in recent years. Advances in technology and greater health care access have improved the welfare of Arizonans in every corner of our state. While hospitals will always remain an option for those who need cancer care, too few patients and caregivers realize that community care settings are often closer to home and provide exceptional care at a fraction of the cost. Conveniently located in communities where patients live and work, independent cancer centers offer tremendous value for patients and caregivers alike. Heres why. As costs are increasingly top of mind for patients, community-based centers remain focused on affordability. Studies show that cancer care costs up to 60% more in the hospital setting, driven by excessive fees and markups. In contrast, community-based practices offer lower overall costs, while providing financial support services to reduce mental distress and cost burdens for both patients and their caregivers. At independent cancer centers like mine, patients work with a team of locally based, knowledgeable professionals to personalize each patients care plan. Under this model, our medical oncologists have full autonomy to make decisions that are best for the patient, not just for the bottom line. Patients at community-based centers receive more streamlined care, ensuring timely access to appointments and minimizing unnecessary wait times. For example, I routinely hear of patients who have experienced wait times of up to four hours just to have blood drawn. At my practice, patients have access to quick and reliable appointments. Despite these benefits, our healthcare system allows hospitals to charge and receive drastically higher payments than small, independent physician practices for the same service. Put another way, cancer care provided at hospitals is significantly more expensive both to patients who must shoulder copayments and to the nations health care system as a whole. As a community oncologist, Ive seen firsthand how this quirk in our healthcare system has chipped away at patients access to high-quality, community-based care. With these dramatic differences in reimbursement, large hospitals and health systems are incentivized to buy up independent physician practices, put their name on the door, and charge higher rates for the same services. As a result, physicians are being driven out of private practice, making it more difficult for patients to find care outside of the hospital setting. According to a recent report, the share of physicians working in private practices fell by 13.4% between 2012 and 2022. At the same time, the number of physicians working in a hospital-owned practice grew from 23.4% to 31.3%. This rapid consolidation is happening in our own backyard. Across our state, Ive seen my fellow community oncologists left with few options but to sell their practices to hospital systems and become outpatient infusion centers. With less access to more affordable, community-based care, our states cancer patients are forced to pay the price for this new health care reality with no new benefits or improvements in quality. There is hope for a simple fix, however, thanks to a new bill that would address these site of payment disparities. Representative Debbie Lesko (AZ-8) alongside Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Michael Burgess, MD (TX-26) has introduced the Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment (MPACT) Act, which would ensure that the Medicare program provides equal payments for identical services provided in hospitals and community-based oncology practices. We appreciate Rep. Leskos leadership in introducing legislation that would lower the cost of cancer care for Arizonans. Such changes in Medicare could also lead to lower prices under commercial insurance, ensuring lower costs and a level playing field for community providers across the health care system. Every so often, Rosanne Cash gets a postcard from the future. One of the earliest ones was when she was a seventh-grader in a Catholic school. While writing an English paper on similes and metaphors, the young Cash gave as an example: A lonely road is a bodyguard. Cash would rediscover that line years later, when her mother sent her a box in which her mother had stored all the drawings, papers and other memorabilia from Cashs younger days. Cash would incorporate that line in her song Sleeping in Paris and described it as an example of how solitude can nurture the seeds of creativity. Cash shared that story during her appearance Friday at the Tulsa PAC, as the latest speaker in Tulsa Town Halls 89th season. Her appearance was sponsored by The Helmerich Trust, with assistance from the Bob Dylan Center. Her lecture was titled Americana: A Tour of American Music, but it was rather an episodic tour through her own life, punctuated and illuminated by several songs Cash performed, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. Cash said she always considered herself a songwriter first and did not seek out the spotlight of performing. I didnt want that attention, she said. My childhood was rife with conflict that arose from the fame my father had. He was constantly touring, and that led to his drug addiction, primarily to deal with the pain of constantly touring. So I saw fame as a terrible thing, Cash said. It was something bad that happened to you, like a disease. As time went on, Cash would come to terms with performing as a necessary part of making her art, because a song isnt complete without a listener, just as a book isnt complete without a reader. That does not mean, Cash stressed, that she no longer has to deal with doubt and uncertainty. Those qualities are essential to an artist, because they help keep me a beginner, she said, always striving to create something new, something better. Although there are those rare times, when everything seems to come perfectly together. One example was the song The World Unseen, which she performed as part of the lecture. It was one of the songs on her 2006 album Black Cadillac, which she wrote and released after the deaths of her father, Johnny Cash; mother, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin; and stepmother June Carter Cash. Cash said that, while the verses came to her with relative ease, she was not able to craft a suitable chorus. Then she took her children to a Christmas concert at a local church, and a line from one of the works performed gave her the inspiration. After she performed the song, she said fellow songwriter Elvis Costello told her, It doesnt get any better than that an assessment she cherishes. Cash also performed her first major hit, Seven Year Ache, saying that she has been performing this song for 45 years, and compared her relationship to it like a romance infatuation to wanting to break up with it, to finally loving it once again. She referenced The List, a collection of 100 essential country songs that her father gave her to serve as her education, with a performance of 500 Miles, which she described as a song about loneliness and the longing for home, and used to introduce a bit about her work to help restore Johnny Cashs boyhood home in Arkansas. Former Tulsan William Lawrence Boyd, a one-time playboy, became a "wonderful guy" to conform to the characteristics of his movie screen role as the good guy in the black hat. Boyd modeled his personal life after his role as cowboy Hopalong Cassidy who didn't smoke, drink, swear or kiss girls and who captured villains rather than shoot them. He became a philanthropist devoted to American youth. His role as Hopalong Cassidy became the longest-running characterization in Hollywood history. By the time of his death at 77 in 1972 of heart problems and Parkinson's disease, he had made 66 motion pictures and 52 half-hour programs for television. Boyd also did rodeos, circuses, hospital visits and had his own Hoppyland theme park where cap guns, gunbelts, hats, lunch boxes and other items could be purchased. In 1950, Cassidy was featured on the first lunch boxes to bear an image, and Aladdin Industries sales jumped from 50,000 units to 600,000. He also had been featured in magazines such as Look and Life. Many of the Hoppy films were shown in foreign countries, creating international fame for the actor. But Boyd never forgot his Tulsa roots and made many appearances here, frequently in support of the Tulsa Charity Horse Show. While here he always visited children in hospitals and at such places as the Tulsa Boys Home and frequently led parades. Born in Ohio, Boyd took a job as a grocery delivery boy when he was 9. The family moved to Tulsa in Boyd's early teens and he again found a job as a grocery delivery boy, working with the late Fred Johnson, who later became president of the Fourth National Bank. After his father was killed in an automobile accident when Boyd was 17, he went to California with his grandmother and held several jobs before moving to Flagstaff, Ariz., where he opened a general store. Two actors who met him at the store convinced Boyd he should go to Hollywood to try for a role. Boyd was cast in romantic roles in such films as "The Volga Boatmen" and "Two Arabian Knights" and married and divorced four women, including three beautiful actresses. A 1958 Parade article said he had gone "completely Hollywood," had a Beverly Hills mansion, a Malibu beach house and a Ventura ranch. The good life came to an end in 1932 because of another actor named William Boyd, who had been arrested at a drinking and gambling party. The morning newspapers used Bill Boyd's picture by error. And although the newspapers apologized, his career plunged downhill. When the first Hopalong movie was cast in 1935, Boyd was offered the role of Buck Peters who had an ornery, limping, cussing, tobacco-spitting sidekick named Hopalong Cassidy, a character that was created in 1904 by Clarence E. Mulford. Boyd read the script, decided the Cassidy role was more colorful and got the script rewritten to make Hoppy the hero. Movie executives said Boyd had made Hopalong too much of a gentleman. But Boyd persisted. Boyd married his fifth wife, Grace, in 1937 and the two remained devoted to each other until Boyd's death. The responsibility of being a children's hero transformed Boyd into a philanthropist devoted to strengthening the fiber of American youth. He founded a club called Hoppy's Troopers that had a Hopalong code of conduct and that preached loyalty, honesty, ambition, kindness and other virtues. He also donated money to children's hospitals and homes because "the way I figure it, if it weren't for the kids, I'd be a bum today. They made my success possible. They should benefit from it." Before he retired in 1966, Boyd traveled six to eight months a year to personally meet as many of his admirers as he could. He also rode his horse Topper in the Rose Bowl parade in Pasadena and the Macy's Thanksgiving parade in New York City. During a 1954 visit to Tulsa, Boyd told a World reporter "when you've got kids looking up to you, and when you've got parents saying what a wonderful guy Hoppy is, you have to be a wonderful guy." Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive. Sharon Bishop-Baldwin Sand Springs Leader Staff Writer Follow Sharon Bishop-Baldwin 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 SAND SPRINGS Despite conditional approval from the City Council, a proposal that would have brought a water cremation operation to Sand Springs only the second such entity in Oklahoma is on hold, at least for now. The process, known scientifically as alkaline hydrolysis, involves breaking down the body with heated water and an alkali until all that remains are the inorganic minerals existing in the bones. Those elements are then processed into a powder and returned to the family, much like with traditional cremated remains. The Sand Springs City Council recently gave unanimous approval to allow an Aquamation Service Center in an industrial business complex in the city at 411 S. Lincoln Ave., just south of Morrow Road, based on a recommendation from the city Planning Commission. That body made its recommendation after a Jan. 8 public hearing and fact-finding process, resulting in a 5-1-1 vote, with one member recusing himself, to allow the facility to operate, albeit with conditions to its proposal. The applicant, Shain Family Funeral Service, has long provided funeral and cremation services across northeastern Oklahoma but had, in recent years, sold all of its facilities, according to Preston McCurtain of Dillon Funeral Services, who represented the Shain Family Funeral Service for the purpose of the Specific-Use Permit application. The Shain Family Funeral Service does still own an Aquamation system, however, and an agreement called for Dillon Funeral Services of Sand Springs to operate it at the Lincoln Avenue site, serving clients through affiliated and area funeral and cremation service providers, according to McCurtain. Despite the two city entities votes in support, however, the project might never gain traction because of the unfeasibility of adhering to the modifications set out by the Planning Commission. At the heart of the matter was the proposals plan to discharge effluent the wastewater left over at the end of the water-cremation process into the citys sewer system. Public records reflect scores of pages of information exchanged via email between city officials, McCurtain and Bio-Response Solutions, the Danville, Indiana, company that created, produces and sells the Aquamation system. The company provided data on how much of each chemical component would be discharged into the city sewer system, but the data were not precise enough for city personnel to feel confident that the effluent would allow the city to stay in compliance with Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality standards for treated wastewater discharged into the Arkansas River, according to City Planner Brad Bates. So city staff members recommended to the Planning Commission that the application be approved, subject to initial testing of the effluent by the city to ensure that it met city thresholds, Bates said. Instead, Planning Commission members decided that there were still some unknowns, he said, and they opted to make the projects approval conditional on the Aquamation Service Centers collecting the effluent on site and contracting with a private company licensed through the ODEQ to remove it and dispose of it elsewhere. Thats the same path followed by the city of Shawnee, where the only other Aquamation system in Oklahoma operates. Sand Springs city personnel had reached out to their Shawnee counterparts as part of the information-gathering process. But McCurtain said the added costs of collecting the effluent on site and hiring a company for its removal could be the death knell for his project, at least in Sand Springs. Going forward, we are looking at our options, he said. One possibility is to join forces with another funeral home in Tulsa or nearby where the Aquamation system could be located, McCurtain said. Another possibility is to see whether theres a way with the current Aquamation system to treat the effluent and allow the city to test it before its discharged into a wasterwater system, he said. Although hes a bit frustrated that a roughly $175,000 machine is sitting idle in a building in downtown Sand Springs collecting dust, McCurtain said that for him, the issue has always been about serving grieving families. A typical cremation costs at least $1,200, he said, and though the Aquamation process would likely add $400 to $500 to that, the total still would be vastly more affordable than a traditional full-service burial. Everything just costs so much more these days, he said. Only 28 states and four Canadian provinces approve of Aquamation for humans, according to Bio-Response Solutions website, which adds that Aquamation for pets is approved everywhere in the United States and Canada. Although Aquamation businesses typically are licensed by state funeral boards, as in Oklahoma, in most of those locations, the onus for compliance with water standards as a byproduct of the process typically falls to municipalities rather than state or federal government entities, as in Oklahoma, Bates said. Water quality aside, though, for some people, there may be a bigger squeamishness factor at play, he said. I think that was part of the concern of the Planning Commission, he said. Yes, they understand we have these requirements from DEQ, but theres always that perception of what the process is and that thats whats going into the Arkansas River. There may be a negative connotation that Sand Springs is sending that to Tulsa, with its new dam downstream where people are going to swim and kayak and do things, so I think they had some concern about what that would do to the general publics perception of Sand Springs. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Police have identified two motorcyclists who were killed in separate crashes Thursday in Tulsa. Police said Jonathan Vasquez-Ruizs 1998 Suzuki motorcycle was westbound on East Admiral Place shortly before 4 p.m. when it collided with a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse that was pulling out of a driveway on the north side of the streets 4100 block. Vasquez-Ruiz, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The driver of the SUV, a 76-year-old man, cooperated with investigators and consented to a blood test, police reported. He was taken by ambulance to St. John Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening. Around 8:30 p.m., officers responded to a collision on North Harvard Avenue just south of Apache Street. Steven Frost, 38, was northbound on Harvard when his motorcycle reportedly collided with a Chevrolet Tahoe. Frost died late Thursday at a local hospital, police said. The driver of the Tahoe remained at the scene but did not consent to a blood draw. Police obtained a search warrant for a blood test, they reported. Both incidents remain under investigation, according to police. As we start seeing warmer days, expect an increase of two-wheeled motorists in the roads, TPD posted on social media Friday. Whether you are driving a car or riding a motorcycle, please be aware of your surroundings and drive courteously. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Curtis Killman Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Curtis Killman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A judge on Friday sentenced a man to federal prison after he earlier admitted to fatally stabbing his girlfriend at a Bartlesville motel in 2021 while experiencing what his attorney described as methamphetamine-fueled psychosis and paranoia. U.S. District Judge David O. Nuffer sentenced Koalton Brynn Ellis, 31, to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Ellis pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2022, to one count of second-degree murder in Indian Country in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Ellis admitted to stabbing Buffie Raulston multiple times on July 24, 2021, at a motel in the 2300 block of Southeast Washington Boulevard in Bartlesville. Raulston, 38, a member of the Cherokee Nation, died Aug. 12, 2021, at a hospital from her wounds. The plea agreement called for a judge, should he accept the plea deal, to sentence Ellis to prison for a term ranging from 20 years to 35 years. A second-degree murder conviction carries a statutory prison term ranging up to life. A grand jury initially named Ellis on Jan. 19, 2022, in a one-count indictment charging him with first-degree murder in Indian Country. Ellis is non-tribal. Prosecutors filed a reduced second-degree murder in Indian Country charge against Ellis on Sept. 1, 2022. A federal public defender for Ellis attributed the murder to a substance-induced psychotic episode. Koalton Ellis killed his friend and partner while suffering from psychotic symptoms of hallucinations and paranoia due to chronic methamphetamine abuse that had not yet been diagnosed, Dennis Candelaria, an assistant public defender based out of New Mexico, said in a sentencing memorandum. Prior to the stabbing, Ellis is seen on surveillance video kicking and banging on a motel room door while yelling for his family after coming out of a nearby room, according to Candelarias court filing. At some point, Raulston confronts Ellis, telling him his family is not in the room, according to the memo. Ellis is then seen stabbing Raulston multiple times before walking away briefly, only to return and again stab her repeatedly and then leave the area, according to the memo. Candelaria requested that Ellis be sentenced to a 20-year prison term, noting that federal sentencing recommendations called for him to be sentenced within a guideline range of about 15.5 years to 19.5 years. Prosecutors, meanwhile, requested that Ellis be sentenced to a prison term at the top end of the sentencing range 35 years. Ellis actions on July 24, 2021 were violent and exhibited a callous and wanton disregard for human life, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi, wrote in a sentencing memo. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Kevin Canfield Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Kevin Canfield 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 Tulsans trek to City Council meetings all the time to appeal code enforcement citations. Its not often that councilors venture out as a group to see what all the fuss is about. Thursday night was a rare exception. And thats because the visit was about more than fixing up six homes in the Crosbie Heights neighborhood. It was about balancing the interests of a long-established property owner and the citys interest aided by the work of an established nonprofit in providing assistance to Tulsas growing homeless population. Stephen Buford, who grew up in Crosbie Heights and has rehabilitated and rented 58 houses in the neighborhood, has told the city he will not repair six dilapidated houses near where City Lights weekly homeless program known as Night Light Tulsa is held until the event is moved elsewhere. The city has told Buford the properties are a nuisance and ordered him to bring them up to code or face the possibility that they could be demolished. Thursday nights special meeting convened at 6:30 p.m. on the southwest corner of Reconciliation Way and Maybelle Avenue. About 50 feet away, underneath the Interstate 244 bridge, volunteers were feeding, clothing and providing other services to the homeless. Its been the same story at the same location every Thursday night for more than a decade. Bufords properties were just a few steps away, along Maybelle Avenue, Reconciliation Way and Nogales Avenue. Kevin Cox, field supervisor for the citys code enforcement division, led city councilors on a tour of the properties. He said the citys goal is to get Bufords houses rehabilitated and habitable. Typically, Mr. Buford does a great job on keeping them secure, on keeping them mowed and keeping them clean, Cox said. Buford has argued that the city is sending conflicting messages: On the one hand, it is encouraging improvements in the neighborhood through its Vibrant Neighborhoods Partnership program; on the other hand, it permits an event like Night Light Tulsa that occurs weekly across the street from properties he is trying to rehabilitate and rent. At Thursday nights City Council meeting, he made that case again, noting that from the start he has politely asked the city to consider another site for Night Light Tulsa. I dont think Im going to be able to get good people in these houses when they see whats going on across the street on Thursday night with 300 people coming by their house, Buford said. He added: There is a better place for the people; thats all Im saying. Sarah Grounds, founder and executive director of City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma, also attended the council meeting. I dont think that homelessness is a Thursday night issue under the bridge, Grounds said. Homelessness is an issue that people are dealing with across our city, and it is complex and difficult, but that doesnt mean that we dont provide services to people. She said it is important to remember that many of the social services agencies assisting the citys homeless population are on Archer Street, just a block away from where Night Light Tulsa is held. People are inhabiting this area, not because of us, Grounds said. We are providing resources to help try to get people what they need to not have to be homeless anymore. Speaking before Thursday nights meeting, Fletcher Stewart said he supports the citys efforts to revitalize the neighborhood and ensure that Buford brings his properties up to code and also believes Night Light Tulsa provides a necessary and beneficial service. But it is hard to argue that they are an asset to the neighborhood, Stewart said. Stewart, who has lived in Crosbie Heights for 10 years and is president of the Crosbie Heights Neighborhood Association, said he was speaking only for himself. This is an opportunity to have a conversation about homelessness, Stewart said. The way Buford is approaching this feels wrong to me. I think maybe there should be some cooperative conversation about what the impact of homelessness in the neighborhood looks like. Yvette Wiley, a longtime resident of Crosbie Heights, said she does not want Night Light Tulsa to go but that she understands Bufords position. Its very valid, Wiley said. City councilors are expected to make a decision on Bufords appeals at their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday. Regardless of what councilors decide, it wont end the conversation regarding Night Light Tulsas future. City Council Chairwoman Jeannie Cue has said she plans to schedule a council discussion on the matter. What that could lead to remains unclear. According to city ordinances, the decision to grant or deny a permit for an event like Night Light Tulsa is made by the citys special events coordinator not the City Council. Asked for his thoughts on the situation, Mayor G. T. Bynum who did not attend the City Councils special meeting praised City Lights outreach program. I have nothing but gratitude for the work Night Light Tulsa does at this location. We benefit from centers all over Tulsa that operate periodic food service for homeless Tulsans, Bynum said. Those operations do not exempt their neighbors from complying with city of Tulsa codes and ordinances. I also think it is important to note that the individual raising a concern bought his properties after Night Light Tulsa was already in operation. This is not a new program the city permitted and impacted him by surprise. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Don Thompson was willing to allow that maybe just maybe urban renewal was well-intentioned in the beginning. But even if it was, he said, it didnt turn out that way, not for the people of Greenwood or a lot of other people. The policymakers back in the day when urban renewal was formulated thought (it) was going to be a panacea for poverty and so forth. Blight and all of that. But I think what happened is it got twisted. It got turned around, the Tulsa photographer said Thursday night at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa during a discussion of The Lingering Legacies of Urban Renewal. It was a tragedy. An American tragedy. And it happened right here on Greenwood, Thompson said. Thompson, who has spent more than 60 years living in and photographing Greenwood, and author Victor Luckerson, who wrote extensively about it in his book Built from the Fire, discussed the impact of urban renewal and highway building on the historic neighborhood. Maps and Thompsons photographs illustrated the presentation, which touched on both Greenwoods high point after World War II and its nadir in the late 1970s. Luckerson said the financial undermining of Greenwood began in the 1930s with the implementation of the Home Owners Loan Corp., a New Deal program ostensibly intended to bolster home ownership. The program did help many whites buy homes, but most Blacks were shut out. In an era of segregated housing, most Black neighborhoods, including Greenwood, were redlined as unacceptable loan risks. One result was a disparity in property values and home ownership that grew over time. In the early 1960s, President Lyndon Johnsons anti-poverty programs made federal funds available to replace dilapidated housing with modern homes. After Johnson left office in 1969, however, most of that money disappeared. In the urban renewal reports from the city of Tulsa, you see these comments saying things like because of the lack of funding, the repopulating of Greenwood is going to be a long-delayed dream, Luckerson said. On top of that, much of the land acquired before the money gave out sat vacant for years and even decades. Much of it is now OSU-Tulsa. One of the grander tragedies of the entire process was that so much of the land just wasnt used, Luckerson said. By 1978, what remained of Greenwood was practically a ghost town. Luckerson said he identified 300 businesses and 900 households dislocated during those years. The way it was pitched to people is that were finally going to be able to bring federal funding to your community, Luckerson said. During the Jim Crow era, Greenwood was constantly being denied funding for schools, for basic services, for things you need for a quality of life. So when the idea of some kind of federal funding for Greenwood came up, people were at least open to the idea. But what happened in Tulsa and many other cities is that the citizens did not ultimately have control of the process, he said. There were definitely a lot of efforts to seize that control. I think ultimately the process was more about fixing the face of the city than it was really about helping the folks who were impacted by the policy. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. 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 Science is rarely the star of the story when a headline screams Were No. 1, so when it comes to Oklahomas ranking for rates of long COVID, were really talking about a survey a snapshot in time. Every two weeks, the U.S. Census Bureau sends a list of questions to more than 1 million American adults whove ever had COVID-19. The Household Pulse Survey was designed to learn the ways peoples lives have been affected by the pandemic. In November 2023, 34.1% of Oklahoma respondents said they had symptoms of long COVID. The national average was 24.4%. Tabulating the most recent data, Oklahomas rate of self-reported long COVID was the highest in the U.S., followed by Montana at 33.8%, Alabama at 31.7%, Arkansas at 30.8% and North Dakota at 30.6%. Heres why its tricky to say Oklahoma is No. 1: Twice in the month prior to that survey, Alabama actually had a higher percentage of self-reported long COVID. Hard to diagnose long COVID We used to hear about it as long-haul COVID, which researchers call post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). It can be hard to officially diagnose, but it can mean symptoms persisting even years after a COVID-19 infection. It was Oklahomas high prevalence of self-reported long COVID that inspired Moderna representatives to reach out to the Tulsa World to talk about the condition and what it means for patients going forward. James Mansi, vice president of medical affairs, North America, pointed out research showing vaccination for COVID-19 can actually reduce the risk of long COVID. But his main message, Mansi said, is that people who recognize in themselves these symptoms and the list nears 200 should not suffer in silence. This is not a made-up disease, he said, and you are not alone. Ranking Oklahoma No. 1 for long COVID may be more statistics than science, but Mansi said at least it can bring awareness to a condition that researchers are still trying to fully understand. One of the issues with long COVID is how few people actually receive a diagnosis, as recognizing the condition can present a significant challenge for medical providers. No test exists that can say a patients symptoms are related to a previous COVID-19 infection. A provider might consider a long COVID diagnosis based on a patients unique health history as well as physical examinations. This makes it important for patients to be good historians of their condition. Patients can benefit from keeping a journal to note symptoms, severity, duration and correlation to specific activities. Patients should note anything that improves or worsens symptoms and keep track of patterns such as time of onset. Mansi pointed to recovercovid.org, a National Institutes of Health initiative, as a resource for patients. Long COVID presents differently depending on the patient but can affect the brain, heart and lungs. Symptoms may come and go, and they could last a few weeks to several months or longer. Common symptoms reported in many studies: coughing, shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue, body aches, chest pain, stomach pain, trouble sleeping, loss of smell, change in taste, mood changes. Adding to Oklahomas health burdens Regardless of whether medical records can confirm Oklahomas No. 1 rate of long COVID, the condition represents a significant burden, Mansi said. Most people who report long COVID symptoms say it affects their daily lives. The NIH estimates that about 1 million people may be out of the workforce at any given time due to long COVID. In July 2021, long COVID was added as a recognized condition that could result in a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Poor health indicators in Oklahoma make the states residents more vulnerable in general to long COVID, Mansi said. Only about 60% of Oklahomans have been double-vaccinated for COVID-19, and only 17% have gotten the latest version of the vaccine. Mansi noted that the prevalence of long COVID in unvaccinated patients is about 11% in the U.S. compared to only about 5% for double-vaccinated patients. The importance of maintaining overall health and keeping up to date with vaccinations is one key aspect of stymieing the prevalence as well as the severity of long COVID, Mansi said. The CDC says the more times someone has been infected with COVID, the more likely they are to suffer long COVID symptoms. The Oklahoma State Department of Health began tracking reinfections early in the pandemic because of the significance in data showing breakthrough COVID cases. The concept, Oh, Ive already been infected, so Im less at risk, is a common misconception, Mansi said. In fact, the risk of complications in the acute and post-acute phase versus those with no reinfection (are) almost three times higher with those with a history of three or more infections. The more comorbidities patients have, the more likely they are to suffer severe complications from COVID infection, including long COVID. Oklahomas high rates of heart disease, diabetes and lower respiratory disease have the potential to compound the effects of long COVID, Mansi said. Long COVID occurs more often in those whose initial COVID infection was severe, though it can appear even in patients who never showed symptoms of COVID but likely were infected. Often individuals want to suffer in silence. This is not the time to suffer in silence, Mansi said. If you have been experiencing those conditions or you think you are, go talk to your health care provider. A primary care doctor can try to treat symptoms but might also refer patients for specialized care, he said, as long COVID can cause new or worsening neurological, cardiovascular and pulmonary health conditions. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Four Vietnamese businesses are among the 37 Southeast Asian startups recently announced as recipients of pre-seed investments totaling US$5.1 million from Antler, a Singapore-based global early-stage venture capital firm. This round of investments represents the largest deal across the region in terms of the total number of investees. These startups operate across 19 diverse industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), software as a service (SaaS), fintech, healthcare, and various others, Antler said in an announcement on Wednesday. The four Vietnamese investees, namely Barely Skin, Flaex, Naki, and Upbrand, have qualified for undisclosed investments from Antler. According to a representative from Antler, these invested amounts are substantial, reflecting the significance of the support provided to these startups. Barely Skin specializes in providing accessible dermatology-level personalized skin treatment, offering online consultations and bespoke skincare products. Flaex acts as a decentralized margin trading exchange leveraging the liquidity of lending protocols to offer competitive rates for traders. Upbrand is a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand and e-commerce enabler for local fashion manufacturers to transition into global brands with cutting-edge services and market intelligence. Naki serves as a platform enabling Generation Z, the cohort of people born between 1997 and 2012, to create AI friends tailored to their needs and personalities, offering a unique, personalized interaction experience. Vietnam is rapidly emerging as an innovation hub in Southeast Asia, managing partner of Antler Vietnam Erik Jonsson said, adding that Antlers significant investment in this region demonstrates its strong confidence in regional startup founders in general and those in Vietnam in particular. With resilience and ingenuity, Vietnamese founders have been making breakthroughs and conquering new challenges, Jonsson commented. The investment round followed a resounding response from startup founders across Southeast Asia, with over 5,000 applications received by Antler offices in the region, according to the investor. Jussi Salovaara, Antlers co-founder and managing partner in Asia, said that Antler, as a multi-stage investor, recognizes the great potential of early-stage startups in the Southeast Asian region. Antler is particularly drawn to pre-seed investments, especially in verticalized AI and industry 4.0 startups that address deep-seated pain points and revolutionize how models and data translate into tangible products, Salovaara stated. As the worlds most active early-stage investor, Antler backs people from the beginning with co-founder matching, deep business validation, and funding, the investor said on its website. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams Long An International Port has the potential to become an important trade bridge between Vietnam and Cambodia as well as a convenient international border gate through which foreign goods will enter and leave Cambodia, a Cambodian official has commented. Governor of the Cambodian province of Svay Rieng Peng Posa was speaking after a tour of the seaport on Thursday, as part of his working visit to Long An, a province in Vietnams Mekong Delta region, to promote cooperation between the two bordering provinces. Situated in Tan Tap Commune, Can Giuoc District, the port holds a favorable geographical position that is envisioned to be developed not only as a significant trade hub for goods between the two countries but also as a convenient transit port for commoditities traveling between other countries and Cambodia, remarked the governor. The port should therefore be transformed into an international border gate for trade soon, Posa suggested. Once the port operates as expected, it will contribute to boosting trade between Vietnam and Cambodia as well as between Cambodia and its international partners, he added. Posa said relevant agencies of the two provinces will jointly conduct a survey of the port to develop it in that manner and will report the results to the authorities of both sides for consideration and approval. In recent times, many Vietnamese and Cambodian entrepreneurs have arrived in Long An to explore the possibility for goods to enter and leave Cambodia via the port as a trade transit point. We have recently recorded the demand from numerous businesses for transit and transhipment of goods via the port, Ngo Thi Thanh Vy, deputy general director of Long An International Port Operation & Management Joint Stock Company. The Svay Rieng leader emphasized that once the port becomes an international border gate for trade, it will help shape a multimodal international transport route from Cambodia through Vietnam to other countries across the world and vice versa. This will facilitate the operation of businesses of both Svay Rieng and Long An and enhance their competitive edge in the goods supply chain in the Southeast Asian region, Posa stated. As part of a complex economic area in Long An, the port covers an area of 147 ha and serves as a key link in the trade of goods in the Mekong Delta region, which includes Long An and 12 other southern localities. On November 16, 2023, representatives of Long An International Port and the Port of Long Beach signed a letter of intent to set up a sister port relationship at a conference hosted by the California Association of Port Authorities (CAPA) in the U.S., according to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thick fog forced dozens of flights headed to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi to divert to other airports or be delayed in the early hours of Friday. A leader of the airport told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that as of 8:00 am, the airport had yet to receive flights due to poor visibility caused by dense fog and a low cloud ceiling in the area. Between 3:00 am and 8:00 am, 12 domestic flights were diverted to Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam and Da Nang International Airport in the namesake central city. Another international flight also failed to touch down at the airport. Many other flights set to land at Noi Bai International Airport were delayed due to the bad weather. Dozens of flights scheduled to depart from the airport early Friday were unable to take off. In total, 55 flights were affected by fog at Noi Bai International Airport. An airport administrator referred to the forecast from the Aviation Meteorological Center, stating that normal flight operations were expected to resume by 10:00 am. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines reported that the fog shrouded not only Noi Bai International Airport but also Vinh Airport in Nghe An Province, Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa Province in north-central Vietnam, and Phu Bai Airport in Thua Thien-Hue Province in central Vietnam, causing more delays. To ensure safety, Vietnam Airlines delayed the departure time of many flights from and to these airports by two to six hours, including eight from Ho Chi Minh City to Nghe An, one to Thanh Hoa, and another to Thua Thien-Hue. Nearly 30 domestic and international flights operated by Vietnam Airlines were postponed due to a domino effect. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Childrens Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City opened two classes called Happy Class in the departments of neuroinfectious diseases and nephrology-endocrinology last month in order to provide child patients with basic knowledge and create a playground for them while they undergo medical treatment. The kids were given books, notebooks, and stationery during the classes. The classrooms are equipped with bookshelves, comic books, and crayons. The children are taught Vietnamese, English, and mathematics on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and life skills on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As the name suggests, these classes have brought joy to child patients, their parents, and caregivers. Quynh Trang (R), a resident of District 10 in Ho Chi Minh City, observes her grandchild learning in the Happy Class opened at Childrens Hospital 1 in the city. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre Vo Nhat Thanh Vy, hailing from Tay Ninh Province in southern Vietnam, currently undergoing medical treatment at the department of neuroinfectious diseases, expressed her delight in attending the class. She appreciates the opportunity to learn, interact with teachers, make new friends, and engage in enjoyable games. Le Thi Tinh, a resident of Hoc Mon District in Ho Chi Minh City, explained that her child eagerly participated in the class and enthusiastically shared their experiences with her hospital roommates. Tinh said that the class not only assisted child patients in staying on track with their schoolwork but also contributed to creating a more relaxed atmosphere. "Witnessing my child being happier and mentally healthier brings me a sense of comfort," she added. Child patients look happy when attending a Happy Class at Childrens Hospital 1 in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre Having a chance to interact with teachers and friends in the Happy Class seemed to help the children maintain their attention spans longer than when they undergo homeschooling, according to Quynh Trang, whose four-year-old grandchild with diabetes is in treatment at the department of nephrology-endocrinology. Trang, a resident of Ho Chi Minh Citys District 10, added that her grandchild really loved taking part in the class. On days when her grandchild has to undergo oxygen therapy, she becomes instantly happy right after the difficult procedure once she is told she can go to Happy Class, Trang said. Since the hospital-bound child patients incline to have lower educational attainment than their healthy peers, the classes are expected to support the former in learning and boost their mental health, said Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, head of the hospitals department of social affairs. Two or three teachers are responsible for each class and assign appropriate exercises and games to the kids based on their health conditions and their grade levels, the doctor said. Khanh revealed that the hospital planned to open more classes at other departments once it has managed to arrange a sufficient number of personnel and volunteers who will provide teaching and learning support to bed-bound patients like those suffering burns or having broken legs. A child patient with an infusion needle on the hand does an exercise in a Happy Class at Children's Hospital 1 in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre Both teachers and parents say they feel happy seeing the kids enjoy themselves in the class. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre Teachers in charge of the classes are staff of the hospitals department of social affairs. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ho Chi Minh City administration has tasked the municipal Department of Education and Training and other relevant agencies with definitively dealing with the Apax Leaders English language center chain's delays in pre-paid tuition fee refunds and reporting the results before Tet, specifically February 10. The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committees Office has issued a statement on vice-chairman Duong Anh Ducs conclusions regarding the operations of non-public educational institutions, including Apax Leaders. In particular, Duc asked the Department of Education and Training and other relevant agencies to work with the chains leaders and demanded that they fulfill their commitments to students and other individuals involved. The department was also assigned to coordinate with the Department of Planning and Investment, the Tax Department, the Social Insurance Agency, and other relevant bodies to assess Apax Leaders continued operations. The department will also have to collect information and propose solutions regarding the cooperation of departments, agencies, and districts to handle the case before Tet. Vice-chairman Duc asked the education agency to call on local residents to remain alert when using services provided by non-public educational institutions. It will have to review regulations in the management of non-public educational institutions and report those deemed unreasonable to the municipal government. City authorities have requested the police department to instruct officers in various districts to strengthen security and maintain social order in areas associated with a high risk of social disorder related to Apax Leaders. Many parents had accused Apax Leaders of having collected tuition fees for long-term courses but failing to arrange classes, while its former employees denounced the chain for failing to pay their salaries. The chain later repeatedly made commitments to refund pre-paid tuition fees in installments. However, many parents affirmed that they had yet to receive their refunds. As such, hundreds of parents gathered at Apax Leaders centers in Ho Chi Minh City to demand payment. They said that they had completely lost trust in promises made by Apax Leaders and requested that designated agencies investigate the case. Most recently, the chain announced a temporary suspension of in-person teaching activities at its centers in Ho Chi Minh City and its failure to reimburse the tuition fees, citing financial challenges and its inability to deal with disgruntled parents. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Court on Friday sentenced Tran Thi Ngoc Trinh, well known as Ngoc Trinh, a 35-year-old Vietnamese lingerie model, to one year of probation for causing social disorder. Her 37-year-old trainer, Tran Xuan Dong, was sentenced to one year behind bars for causing social disorder and six months for using counterfeit documents. According to the court, between July and October last year, Trinh and Dong rode motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of 999cc on public roads in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City although Trinh had no special license that would allow her to legally ride a motorcycle with an engine over 150cc. While riding the motorcycle, Trinh engaged in offensive and dangerous acts, including kneeling and lying on the vehicle without any protective gear, putting both legs to one side of the vehicle, and letting go of both hands. Tran Xuan Dong (C), the 37-year-old trainer of Ngoc Trinh, during the court in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre She also asked her assistant Nguyen Thi Thuy Kieu, her driver Nguyen Thanh Long, and Tang Duy Khanh, Longs friend, to use mobile phones and drones to record videos of her stunts. Trinh later edited these videos and uploaded them to her social media accounts. The video quickly got huge reactions and comments, sparking public concerns. Dong also used fake vehicle registration documents. The court reached the verdict that Trinh and Dong's stunts had disrupted public order and presented a significant risk to the life and health of others. However, this is Trinhs first offense and she showed repentance, so it was unnecessary to put her in jail. Ngoc Trinh receives a one-year suspended sentence for causing social disorder. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Trinh stated that she accepts the penalty for her violations, citing her limited understanding of the laws as a contributing factor. She consistently emphasized her commitment to complying with the laws and asserted that she did not intentionally violate them. Trinh explained that her actions were impulsive and, by the time she recognized her wrongdoings, it was too late, considering this experience a significant lesson for her. Trinh took the opportunity to apologize to those involved in the case who had supported her, including Dong, Long, Kieu, and Khanh. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Long An Province, southern Vietnam on Thursday commended two local police officers for their swift actions in rescuing a Chinese child from drowning in a swimming pool, thereby saving the child's life. On January 25, Captain Nguyen Quoc Dat and police officer Le Duc Anh from Phuoc Dong Commune, Can Duoc District, Long An province found a resort employee attempting to rescue a child from drowning in the swimming pool on San Ho 2 Island in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province. The two officers were visiting a tourist area on the island as part of a political course. Without hesitation, they swiftly intervened, pulling the unconscious child to safety. Employing their first aid training, the officers administered life-saving measures, stabilizing the child before transferring him to a medical facility for further treatment. The child, a Chinese tourist about 10 years old, had been dining with his family at a nearby restaurant and had entered the pool unaccompanied, resulting in the near-tragic incident. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Over the past five years, a pre-Tet event in Vancouver, Canada has become a beacon of hope for Vietnamese students, offering a taste of home and easing the ache of missing Lunar New Year celebrations in their homeland. For Vietnamese people, Tet is an occasion for reunion. But not all Vietnamese people are able to celebrate Tet in person with their friends and family. For overseas Vietnamese who are unable to make it home before the holiday, the days ahead of Tet are a time of serious homesickness. To ward off such feelings, a group of Vietnamese students in Vancouver have turned their homesickness into motivation to hold a program to help them preserve Vietnam's Tet culture and spread the holiday spirit to their fellow Vietnamese in Canada. The students involved with the program are all members of the Vancouver Vietnamese Youth Community (VVYC). The groups Tet initiative 'Tet Ben Tay' was first launched five years ago and has been celebrated annually on the first day of the new lunar year. This year, the event falls on February 10. A festive photo booth, reminiscent of the vibrant atmosphere of Ta Hien Street in Hanoi during the Tet holiday, was featured at 'Tet Ben Tay' in Vancouver, Canada in 2023. Photo: Courtesy of organizers According to Nguyen Phuong, president of the Vietnamese Student Association at Simon Fraser University and a member of VVYC, members of the organization are mostly students in Vancouver who share a passion for organizing activities and events for young people. As they are not able to return to Vietnam for the holiday, they are limited to banh chung (square glutinous rice cakes), banh tet (cylindrical sticky rice cake), and other Tet mainstays through video calls with their friends and family in Vietnam, Phuong added. Initially designed for students and young families, the program gained such popularity that VVYC decided to extend the invitation to all Vietnamese residents in Vancouver. This inclusive approach allowed everyone to partake in the Tet festivities, offering a respite and a taste of home to alleviate their homesickness. Despite their young age, members of VVYC believe in preserving Vietnams cultural values and have a desire to jointly establish and develop a tradition in Vancouver so that Vietnamese people in the city can enjoy the holiday. In the past, as many as 250 guests have showed up to the event. This year, however, VVYC expects to welcome over 450 participants. A dance performance by overseas Vietnamese students in Canada at Tet Ben Tay in Vancouver, Canada in 2023. Photo: Courtesy of organizers Six months of preparation VVYC has spent the past six months preparing food, artistic performances, and activities for the program. Funding for the event comes from local benefactors, small business owners who are Vietnamese, and entrance fees. According to Phuong, the event is so popular that tickets consistently sell out, likely because the event organizers do their best to appeal to all audiences by featuring cultural characteristics from each of Vietnams three regions northern, central, and southern regions. Phuong also shared that the event is a great chance for Vietnamese who were born or have spent the majority of their lives in Canada to connect with their native culture by exposing them to the values associated with Vietnams biggest festival. A singing performance of the song Tet Nay Con Se Ve (I Will Return This Tet) at Tet Ben Tay in Vancouver, Canada in 2023. Photo: Courtesy of organizers A major distinction when celebrating Tet in Canada compared to Vietnam is the scarcity of many Tet traditional elements readily available in the North American country. As such, to prepare for 'Tet Ben Tay,' VVYC has spent weeks making yellow apricot and peach blossoms from colored paper and building a neu pole (a long bamboo pole) from empty toilet paper rolls. In Vietnam, these neu poles are traditionally erected a few days before Tet as part of a longstanding ritual that involves the worship of deities and prayers for good luck in the upcoming New Year. VVYC has also bought kumquat branches from local Vietnamese and Chinese markets to help decorate the event space. Thanks to their hard work, 'Tet Ben Tay' has become an indispensable event on the first day of the lunar year in Vancouver. 'Tet Ben Tay' helps the organizers, including me, ease our homesickness and connect with the Vietnamese community [in Vancouver] through a festival rich in national character, Phuong said. Members of the organizing committee and guests of the 2023 Tet Ben Tay event. Photo: Courtesy of organizers Vietnamese culture, dishes in Canada As with previous years, this years 'Tet Ben Tay' will feature Vietnamese folk games, including mua sap (Cheraw dance), a sack race, and a traditional lotto game played similarly to 'BINGO.' Visitors to the event can also try their hand at creating Dong Ho folk paintings. A cuisine area at the event will offer visitors typical dishes from across Vietnam, including banh chung, braised pork, gio cha (Vietnamese sausage made from ground pork or pureed beef and traditionally wrapped in banana leaves), and nem ran (fried spring rolls). In addition, Tet-themed singing, dancing, and drama performances will also bring the festive vibes to the event. Last year, visitors showed their interest in a 'Kitchen Gods' comedy for young people. Vietnamese people believe that the Kitchen Gods ride a common carp to heaven on the 23rd day of the final month of the lunar year, several days before Tet, in order to report to the heavenly emperor on a familys problems and good and bad deeds from the year. In Vancouver, students also staged a drama depicting the distinctive characteristics of three sons-in-law hailing from the northern, central, and southern regions of Vietnam. They performed plays centered around the theme of returning home to celebrate Tet as well. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A thick mist flowed over Quy Nhon, a coastal city in the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh, on Thursday morning, transforming the city into a stunning beachside wonderland. Local residents said the fog descended on the city from 5:00 to 7:00 am on Thursday. The thick mist enshrouded the entire city and surrounding mountains, putting both locals and tourists into a state of awe. A high-rise building is covered in thick mist in Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Dung Nhan / Tuoi Tre Nguyen Hong Hanh, a Quy Nhon native, shared that she woke up early to enjoy the fog and to jog on the beach. "I feel comfortable in the windy, chilly weather," Hanh said, expressing her contentment. She added that the dense fog and temperate climate created an atmosphere reminiscent of Da Lat, a popular tourist destination in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Dense fog flows over Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Dung Nhan / Tuoi Tre Others echoed Hanhs sentiment. Quy Nhon City is so alluring this morning thanks to dense fog, said Tran Manh Hung, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City. From my room, I can enjoy a foggy picturesque view of the beach." Quy Nhon City and surrounding mountains become stunning in thick mist. Photo: Dung Nhan / Tuoi Tre I saw thick mist shrouding the city this morning, so I walked around to capture images of the foggy charming city, said photographer Nguyen Phan Dung Nhan, a resident of Quy Nhon. I was so happy to discover that everything becomes beautiful and mysterious in the mist. This is a wonderful morning." Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On 60 Minutes Tara Brown speaks with actor Madeleine West about confronting a perpetrator from her past in her pursuit for justice. Acting for Real For much-loved Australian actor Madeleine West, it was a role that came with caveats. She was told there would be no audience to admire the part, no applause and certainly no awards. Madeleine desperately didnt want to do it, but she knew she couldnt refuse. She also knew it had to be her finest performance ever. And thats because shed be acting for real. As Tara Brown reports, the role was about a dark chapter in Madeleines own life that shed kept hidden for 40 years, and taking it on was the only way to help police put a monster behind bars. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Garry McNab, Laura Sparkes The Power of One People all over the world are now wondering if, politically at least, Donald Trump is indestructible. The former United States president is facing 91 charges in four criminal trials, and the very real threat of going to prison. On top of that, last week he was ordered to pay more than $120 million in damages to a woman he defamed. For anyone else, any one of these setbacks would mean political death. But not Donald Trump, who just gets stronger, louder and more belligerent. And more likely to make a triumphant return to the White House after the US election later this year. Amelia Adams travels to Trumps heartland to investigate his secret to turning scandal into success. Reporter: Amelia Adams Producer: Laura Sparkes, Sheree Gibson 8:40pm Sunday on Nine. Married at First Sight has finished a dominant first week of viewing after topping ratings results for Thursday. Last night it reached 2.34m viewers, well in front of an extended Home & Away (1.1m / 1.01m), 7:30 (1.06m) and The Dog House (774,000). Nines Emergency was the second highest rating entertainment title reaching 1.19m viewers. It outranked Grand Designs Transformations at 965,000, Mrs. Browns Boys (889,000 / 748,000) and The Dog Hospital with Graeme Hall (524,000). In this early stage of the new-look ratings SBS is yet to see a title edge into the Top 30 shows and unable to be adequately reported. OzTAM also no longer supplies share for the evening. Survey begins on February 11. Total TV: Thursday 1 February 2024 Feature: Dragon Year Spring Festival celebration attracts people in Zimbabwe Xinhua) 09:00, February 02, 2024 Zimbabwean students learn Chinese martial arts from a member of a visiting troupe from the Henan Provincial Shaolin Wushu Training Center during a cultural exchange event in Harare, Zimbabwe, Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua) HARARE, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A cultural exchange event was held in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, on Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon. The event at the China-Zimbabwe Friendship High School in Hatcliffe of Harare was attended by Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding, and Zimbabwe's Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Torerai Moyo, among others. Vibrant local dances and drum performance by students from a school entertained the Chinese guests while Zimbabweans were awed by a Chinese martial arts performance by a visiting troupe from the Henan Provincial Shaolin Wushu Training Center, a magic show and Chinese dances. "These performances will open a window for you to the magnificent world of Chinese art and culture. Hope you all enjoy it and I wish you all realize your dreams in the future, and contribute to the modernization and industrialization of Zimbabwe," said Zhou. Zhou reaffirmed China's support for Zimbabwe's development, especially in the education sector. For his part, Moyo said the celebration helps strengthen the bonds between the two countries and highlights the importance of diversity and inclusiveness of Zimbabwe's educational institutions. "By celebrating the Chinese New Year together, we not only honor the Chinese community, but also foster a sense of unity amongst all of us. Education is a powerful tool that breaks down boundaries and broadens horizons. It enables us to embrace different cultures, traditions and perspectives, promoting a global mindset that is essential in today's interconnected world," he said. At the scene, local students attending the event enjoyed the opportunity to learn Chinese martial arts from the visiting troupe. "Today I joined the Chinese Kung Fu group. The martial art is difficult, but it's amazing. I would like to join again," said Brenda Moyo, a student from the school. Another student from the school, 20 year-old Benon Jairos, said this was his first time to attend a Spring Festival celebration. "I really enjoyed this event. The Chinese martial arts troupe showed us how they do martial arts, and I really enjoyed it to such an extent that I would like to join the martial arts team," said Jairos. The 2024 Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, will fall on Feb. 10, kicking off the Year of the Dragon. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Dermot O'Leary congratulated Alison Hammond on her new job. (ITV screengrab) What did you miss? Alison Hammond has revealed that Paul O'Grady's friend Julian Clary has given her the seal of approval after she took over the late star's show For The Love Of Dogs. Lily Savage star O'Grady passed away in 2023 at the age of 67, and for a while it wasn't known what would happen to his much-loved ITV programme about Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Then earlier this week it was confirmed that This Morning presenter Hammond would be taking over. When This Morning started on Friday (2 February), Hammond's co-presenter Dermot O'Leary congratulated her on her new TV role and she shared that she'd had a sweet message from Clary that really touched her. What, how, and why? "He text me yesterday and he just said, well firstly he told me was in the Maldives - I was a little bit jealous!" she said. "And he just said, 'I am so happy that you got the job. Paul actually thought a lot of you Alison, thought very highly of you and he would be so happy as am I.' Paul O'Grady died suddenly aged 67. (WPA Pool/Getty) "I just, it really like, got me. I'm so so happy. I just want to make him proud in his legacy at Battersea and I want to carry on that work because the charity does such good work and we just want some amazing homes for some wonderful dogs." O'Leary asked Hammond whether she would be getting a dog of her own now that she is going to be fronting the programme. "It's a massive responsibility and that's why I want to do the show, because I want to find out about dogs," she replied. "I have always wanted a dog. You have to take it very very seriously." What happened to Paul O'Grady? Comedian, actor and presenter O'Grady who rose to fame as drag queen alter ego Lily Savage died unexpectedly in March 2023 and at the time it was reported that he had passed away in bed beside his husband Andre Portasio. Paul O'Grady and Julian Clary together in 2017. (Getty Images) Portasio confirmed his death in a moving statement, which said: "It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening. He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion. I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years." Story continues What else has Alison Hammond said about For The Love Of Dogs? Hammond has said that nobody can replace O'Grady but that she is delighted to be taking the show forwards. When the news was announced she posted on Instagram: "Im thrilled to be joining team @battersea and helping dogs find special homes and continuing @paulogrady work. "We all know he can never be replaced but we need to continue his work so that @battersea can continue to thrive and give forever homes to lots of deserving dogs." Read more: Alison Hammond Watch: Why Alison Hammond didn't really enjoy I'm A Celebrity HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland will send up to eight fighter jets and a mine hunting navy vessel to take part in NATO's joint operations in 2024, the country's defence ministry said on Friday. The Nordic nation last year joined the Western military alliance in a historic security policy U-turn in response to neighbouring Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Allies participating actively in NATO's peacetime collective defence missions sends a message of unity and reinforces deterrence," Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement. One of Finland's Katanpaa class vessels will join NATO's mine countermeasure unit in the Baltic Sea in April and May, clearing old sea mines, participating in exercises and protecting underwater infrastructure, the statement said. The fighter jets will participate in regular air patrolling and "creating deterrence by show of military force" in Romania and Bulgaria, including in the Black Sea, during June and July, the defence forces added. (Reporting by Essi Lehto, editing by Terje Solsvik) Three people have died, including a child, after a lorry loaded with gas cylinders exploded near an industrial site in Nairobi - igniting a "huge fireball" which spread to nearby homes and warehouses. Officials said 271 people were injured and taken to hospital following the blasts in the Embakasi neighbourhood of Kenya's capital. The explosions took place on Thursday at around 11:30pm local time (8:30pm UK time), with many people thought to have been inside their homes when the fire reached their properties, government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said. Embakasi police warned the number of deaths could rise. Several vehicles and businesses were also damaged in the inferno. A witness told Kenya's Nation news site there were "huge explosions" and "huge fireballs", with "people screaming and running everywhere for fear of more explosions". Mr Mwaura wrote on X that a lorry carrying gas cylinders in the area exploded before "igniting a huge fireball that spread widely". He said one of the "flying" cylinders struck a textiles warehouse and burned it down. Mr Mwaura added: "Consequently, the inferno further damaged several vehicles and commercial properties, including many small and medium-sized businesses. "Sadly, residential houses in the neighbourhood also caught fire, with a good number of residents still inside as it was late at night." The vehicle believed to have started the explosion was flipped on its side, and only the shell remained on the road. The roof of a four-storey residential building about 200 metres from the scene of the blast was also destroyed by a flying gas cylinder. The cause of the initial blast is unknown. A total of 167 people were taken to the city's Mama Lucy Hospital for treatment, including 142 adults and 25 children, local media reported. The Standard newspaper said many of them had inhalation injuries. Read more from Sky News: CIA leaker jailed for 40 years Child's body found encased in concrete Water bills to rise in April The Kenya Red Cross said on X earlier that crews had been "tirelessly battling the flames" and that it had taken 29 people to the Kenyatta National Hospital. Story continues It later said staff had successfully helped reunite 21 children with their parents. Alfred Juma, who lives in the area, said his home was destroyed in the blast. Mr Juma said he woke up his neighbours and encouraged them to leave after he heard a loud noise. He said he grabbed two children and they hid in a sewage ditch until the explosions stopped. Mr Juma also said he warned a car not to drive through the area - but the driver insisted and his vehicle stalled because of the fumes. "He attempted to start the car three times and that's when there was an explosion and the fire spread into the [warehouse] setting off other explosions." Caroline Karanja, who also lives near the site, said: "Police were turning away everyone and so it was difficult to access my house and I had to seek a place to sleep until this morning." Ms Karanja said the smell and smoke were still intense on Friday morning, and she would have to stay away for a while because she had young children. The close proximity of the industrial firm's building to homes has prompted questions over the enforcement of city zoning rules. Officials have previously been accused of taking bribes to overlook building codes and regulations. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India Silence of SC Deafening: Muslim Panel Reacts on Gyanvapi Masjid Verdict The Muslim Personal Law Board also raised questions over the timing of the Varanasi District Court order pronounced by the judge on the last day of his service. Read More Friday February 2, 2024 10:21 PM , ummid.com News Network New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Friday February 02, 2024 expressed deep concern over the Varanasi Courts order allowing puja in the Gyanvapi Masjid, also saying that the silence of the Supreme Court on the development is worrisome. The issue extends beyond Gyanvapi Masjid. Baseless claims are persistently being made on places off worships like Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, Sunheri Masjid in Delhi along with numerous mosques and Waqf properties across the country. This trend of unwarranted claims on various places of worship raises serious concerns. The continued silence of the Supreme Court of India on the Places of Worship Act 1991 has become a deep source of worry for the Muslims in India, the Muslim Personal Law Board, one of the largest representative bodies of the Indian Muslims, said. The Muslim Panel also expressed regret and concerns over the abrupt manner in which the Pooja was allowed in the Celler of the Gyanvapi mosque. The swift initiation of this action, despite the court granting a seven-day window for the administration to make necessary arrangements, raises questions about apparent collusion between the administration and the plaintiff, attempting to foreclose any effort by the Mosque Managing Committee to pursue remedies against the district court, the Muslim Personal Law Board said. The Muslim Personal Law Board also raised questions over the timing of the Varanasi District Court order pronounced by the judge on the last day of his service. It is imperative to clarify that no Pooja was ever conducted in the basement of the Gyanvapi Masjid. The district judges decision, based on absurd and baseless claims, is highly questionable, especially given its timing on the last day of his service, the Muslim Personal Law Board said. The Muslim Panel also alleged that the judiciary is becoming a majoritarian judiciary and that the court decisions are made at the instance of executive. The recent comments of Dushyant Dave, senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, about the judiciary becoming a majoritarian judiciary and that the judiciary is silent while several transgressions of law are taking place at the instance of the Executive are deeply concerning, the Personal Law Board said. If the courts appear biased, it raises fundamental questions about where justice can be found, the Muslim panel said. The Muslim Personal Law Board also said it has sought appointments from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, and the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, to raise its concerns and convey the Muslim communitys sentiments. Meanwhile, thousands of Muslims turned up at the Gyanvapi Mosque to offer Friday prayers today afternoon. Earlier in the day the Allahabad High Court declined urgent hearing on the Gyanvapi Mosque Committee's plea seeking a stay on the district court's order. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India Uttarakhand likely to become 1st Indian state to implement Uniform Civil Code The BJP government in Uttarakhand has convened a Special Session of the State Assembly from February 05 to 08, 2024 to discuss a draft of what it calls a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Read More Saturday February 3, 2024 0:16 AM , ummid.com News Network Dehradun: The BJP government in Uttarakhand has convened a Special Session of the State Assembly from February 05 to 08, 2024 to discuss a draft of what it calls a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). A five-member committee, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, submitted the draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Friday February 02, 2024. The committee formed in May 2022 was given four extensions to submit its report. The implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the state was included in the BJPs poll manifesto. If passed by the state assembly, Uttarakhand will become the first Indian state after the Independence to adopt the Uniform Civil Code. Also Read Unravelling The Uniform Civil Code The 300-page draft of the proposed UCC is titled Fostering Equality Through Uniformity and at a first glance appeared to be focusing around mostly on the Muslim centric issues like Halala, Iddat, Polygamy, Triple Talaq etc. On the other hand, the draft UCC which Uttarakhand intends to implement allows live in relationship subject to mandatory registration in the state. Interestingly, the draft though dubbed uniform law for every citizen has exempted the tribals from the purviews of the proposed law. Meanwhile, former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat has refused to accept the draft as a "Uniform Civil Code". How can we call it a Uniform Civil Code when its only limited to one state? Crores of rupees have been spent on this draft but Uttarakhand has received no benefit from it", he said. On the other hand, other BJP ruled states like Assam and Madhya Pradesh are closely following the development in Uttarakhand and are mulling a similar legislation in the respective states. The Uniform Civil Code is a contentious issue in India for decades. Though the BJP and RSS have intention to implement it in the whole country, critics say it is a difficult task considering the diverse nature of India. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India Watch: Thousands turn up at Gyanvapi Masjid to offer Friday prayers Today being the first Friday after the courts order, thousands of Muslims turned up at the Gyanvapi Masjid to offer the Special Afternoon Prayers. Read More Friday February 2, 2024 7:38 PM , ummid.com News Network [Gyanvapi Masjid aerial view (File)] Varanasi: Thousands of Muslims turned up at the Gyanvapi Masjid Friday February 02, 2024 to offer Special Weekly Prayers. Gyanvapi Masjid is in news again after a Varanasi Court allowed Hindus to perform Puja in the sealed basement of the historic mosque. The Varanasi court in its order Wednesday had asked the district administration to make arrangements within seven days for the Hindus to perform puja. Hindu worshippers however were allowed to perform puja on the same day. Gyanvapi Masjid full to its capacity Today being the first Friday after the courts order, thousands of Muslims turned up at the Gyanvapi Masjid to offer the Special Afternoon Prayers. The mosque was full long before the scheduled time of the Friday afternoon prayers and the mosque administration, Intezamiya, had to use loudspeakers and make announcements asking the waiting Muslims to go to other mosques and offer the prayers. Masjid is full to its capacity. Go to the nearby mosque and offer prayers, Gyanvapi Masjid Intezamiya can be heard in a video appealing to Muslims waiting outside. There were a heavy deployment of security personnel outside the Masjid. Watch Video Massive security arrangements in place ahead of the Friday prayers at the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/MNeAYnzELW Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) February 2, 2024 No relief by HC In a related development, Allahabad High Court Friday refused to give any relief to the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee and deferred the hearing on its petition seeking stay on the local court's order till February 06, 2024. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee had approached the Supreme Court of India Wednesday challenging the Varansi Court order allowing Hindus to perform puja in the mosque. The Supreme Court of India declined to entertain the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committees petition and asked it to go to the High Court. Decades old case Located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Gyanvapi Masjid was built probably by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1678. Hindus claimed the mosque was built after demolishing a temple of Shiva. After a court monitored survey back in May 2022, Hindu lawyers claimed discovery of Shivling in the historic masjid . The mosque management however claimed that what is being claimed as Shivling was actually a fountain. Commenting on it, AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi had said that the discovery of shivling in Gyanvapi Masjid was textbook repeat of 1949 when in the similar manner the status of Babri Masjid was changed. Consequently, Babri Masjid was demolished by the right-wing Hindu extremists, and the construction of a Ram Temple was facilitated by the order of Supreme Court of India . Interestingly, the Supreme Court of India while granting the permission to build Ram Temple on the site where Babri Masjid stood till December 06, 1992 also observed that there was no proof to show the mosque was built after demolishing any mandir. The mandir was however built and was opened for Hindu devotees in a controversial ceremony on January 22, 2024. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Under the leadership of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) of Tay Ninh province, the Consecration Ceremony of the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue on the top of Ba Den Mountain was held with great solemnity, including sacred rituals such as chanting prayers, purification ceremonies and recitation of blessings. Located at an altitude of 900m on the peak of Ba Den Mountain, the giant Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue stands 36 meters tall, with a maximum width of 45 meters and a surface area of 4,651 square meters. This impressive sculpture, weighing 5,112 tons, is a unique creation in Vietnam, composed of 6,688 natural sapphire stones assembled to resemble terraced fields. Each sapphire stone is carefully selected for colour, veining, and precise dimensions before being sculpted according to the design template. The Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue on Ba Den Mountain is currently the largest statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva in the world, in terms of both height and weight. The emotional speech at the ceremony, by Venerable Elder Vien Minh, Deputy Dharma Master of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, shared: The Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue symbolises the virtues of compassion and generosity, and is the future Buddha, representing the prosperity and peace of our country's future. I am delighted and commend the merit of Sun Group, its leaders, and all employees who have wholeheartedly built a beautiful tourist area, enriching the spiritual life, promoting the beauty of Vietnam, and contributing to the prosperity of the Vietnamese economy. The most touching moment of the ceremony was when over 20,000 lanterns, inscribed with prayers by Buddhist followers, locals and tourists, were lit, creating a magical and sacred space. Each lit candle carries the heartfelt wishes of tranquillity and prosperity from Buddhist followers, tourists and locals. The entire square space under the foot of the Tay Bo Da Son Buddha at Ba Den Mountain seemed to be illuminated during the lantern offering ceremony, creating a grand lantern festival like never before. Although I have been to Ba Den Mountain twice, this is the first time I have participated in such a large-scale lantern offering ceremony. Especially, it is the first time I have seen the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue made of the largest jade stone in the world, so I feel even more touched and fortunate. Being able to come to pay homage to the compassionate Western Bodhisattva, I also feel serene, compassionate, and forget about everyday worries, feeling happier shared Ms. Ngo Bich Lien (Can Tho). Visiting the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue on Ba Den Mountain offers a unique opportunity for spiritual and cultural enrichment. The addition of the Wishing Bridge, a 90 m-long crescent-shaped bridge, provides a symbolic and visually stunning experience for pilgrims and tourists. The Wishing Bridge, adorned with golden metallic tiles depicting cloud patterns, symbolizes prosperity and tranquillity, enhancing the spiritual journey to the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue. Serving as a bridge to the statue and offering panoramic views of the vast plains and Dau Tieng Lake, the Wishing Bridge enriches the overall experience of the pilgrimage. Nestled behind and surrounding the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue is a colossal, 35-meter-high artificial waterfall, creating a dazzling and enchanting scene atop Ba en Mountain. The world-renowned Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue, crafted from top-quality granite, stands at the centre, while the waterfall is complemented by a modern fountain system, a first-of-its-kind technology in Vietnam, and an array of impressive lights and culturally rich dance performances by actors. Together, they form a grand and artistically rich water music show, reflecting the spiritual and cultural essence of the region. The Consecration Ceremony of the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue along with the appearance of the Wishing Bridge, and the grand and impressive water music show have contributed to the completion of the spiritual and cultural complex on the top of Ba Den Mountain. Sharing at the ceremony, Mr. Vo Duc Trong, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh province, expressed: With the contribution of Sun Group, Ba Den National Tourist Area has been thoroughly invested with many internationally renowned works such as the highest statue of Tay Bo Da Son Buddha on the mountain peak, the largest cable car station in the world, and a Buddhist exhibition centre applying the world's leading advanced technologies. Today, with the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue made of the world's top large sapphire stone, created in a special method never seen before in Vietnam, Sun Group has created a new symbol, a new stature for Tay Ninh tourism. Since the afternoon of January 27, Buddhist followers and international tourists had the opportunity to enjoy a special art performance to celebrate the Consecration Ceremony of the Maitreya Bodhisattva Statue at the square beneath the statue of the Tay Bo Da Son Buddha statue. On this occasion, the exhibition Great Peace - Great Prosperity is being held until March 2024, showcasing over 50 ancient statues, 6 precious artefacts, and 3 paintings revolving around the story of Di Lac Bo Dai Hoa Thuong (Maitreya), the pharmacists, and the set of statues symbolising the desires for Happiness, Prosperity and Peace. HCM CITY Data security and privacy play a pivotal role in the digital transformation of the finance and banking sector, according to experts. As the Government advances the national digital transformation agenda, the banking industry as a whole and individual lenders are speeding up the transformation of all their operations, they said. Nguyen Viet Hoa, head of community information, Vietnam Blockchain Union (part of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association), said the finance and banking industry has always been associated with the construction, management and operation of data systems going from basic means such as physical books and records to core banking systems storing billions of digital records every day. Throughout that evolution, data security has played a key role in protecting the entire system so that it can operate safely, transparently and effectively. Organisations inside and outside the finance-banking sector have been developing a plethora of solutions to minimise vulnerabilities and the risks of attacks that result in data breaches." He said data security solutions deployed by banks in Viet Nam could be divided into five common categories: fraud prevention, data risk control, network infrastructure security, phishing attack prevention, and preventing loss and unlawful interference of data. There are international standards that Vietnamese banks could adopt to improve risk control and information security, he said. "Nevertheless, more inputs from real-life situations are always needed to ensure that actual practices are updated and effective as technology advances and transforms all the time." Data privacy An equally important task is ensuring data privacy. Dr Huy Pham, founder of RMIT Fintech-Crypto Hub, said though Decree 13/2023/ND-CP (effective from July 1, 2023) has created a legal framework for personal data protection, its implementation in the finance and banking sector would take some time. To be able to fully comply with the regulations in Decree 13, financial institutions and banks need to strengthen their control over the processing and storage of personal data from the employee level up because they often interact and communicate directly with customers, possibly through their personal phones. So, serious violations of personal data protection can easily occur. "For example, a customer's personal information might be transmitted from one securities company to another via their respective employees without the customer's consent." Concurrently the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI and their applications in the finance and banking sector causes growing concern as to whether customers' personal information could be legally used in AI training. Will data subjects have full control over their personal information if financial institutions and banks apply AI in their systems? If these organisations unlawfully use customer data in AI training, how can the data subjects track such activities and potentially initiate a lawsuit? Data subjects could request that organisations not use or remove their personal information when training AI models, he said. A notable example is OpenAI's ChatGPT, which was briefly banned in Italy until the company provided solutions that enabled data subjects in Italy to allow or refuse the use of their personal data in AI training. But unlike Google and other search engines, generative AI models such as large language models could not easily fulfil such requests since they are often unable to retrieve or remove specific pieces of information on command, he pointed out. Moreover, he said, popular large language models are also not transparent they are essentially black boxes and users do not clearly know how the answers are formed. Therefore, the Government and relevant authorities need to provide specific instructions and regulations on the use of personal data for AI training in the finance and banking sector. At the same time they should encourage financial organisations and banks to use responsible and explainable AI models. VNS HA NOI In line with the 2024 plan, Indonesia was reportedly set to import approximately three million tonnes of rice, nearly matching the Philippines' planned import of Vietnamese rice, which will make Indonesia one of the world's largest rice importers and a key customer for the Vietnamese rice industry. In January, the Indonesian National Logistics Agency (Perusahaan Umum BULOG) initiated a tender to import 500,000 tonnes of rice to bolster the country's food reserves. By January 30, BULOG completed the bidding process, with Viet Nam as the winner of eight out of 17 packages, distributed among five companies. According to BULOG, three major Vietnamese companies secured two lots each including Loc Troi Group Joint Stock Company (LTG) winning lots 8 and 14, Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1) taking lots 15 and 16, and Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) obtained lots 3 and 9. The remaining successful bidders were Kien Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, clinching lot 12, and Phat Tai Food Limited Company securing lot 11. Notably, Viet Nam stood out as the only country with multiple companies participating and securing bids in substantial quantities (more than two lots). The sole Singaporean trading company R&S Trader PTE secured lots 10, 13, and 17. Viet Nam Customs General Department data revealed Indonesia surpassed China to become Viet Nam's second-largest rice export market with 1.16 million tonnes, totalling US$640 million, a significant 877-992 per cent increase compared to 2023. Industry experts said the recently concluded 500,000-tonne rice tender with Vietnamese companies winning approximately 2/3 of the quantity signalled a positive outlook for a successful harvest post-Lunar New Year. The latest data from the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) for January 2024 indicates that despite minor fluctuations, the country's rice export prices decreased by about $11/tonne compared to the end of 2023, with late January 2024 data seeing the export prices of standard 5% broken rice at $642/tonne. At this price, Viet Nam's 5% broken rice is currently around $13/tonne lower than the equivalent grade from Thailand (according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association - TREA, Thailand's standard 5% broken rice is priced at $655/tonne). In comparison to Pakistan, Viet Nam's 5% broken rice is approximately $4/tonne higher, with the current price in Pakistan at $638/tonne. Industry insiders said the current export prices of Vietnamese rice aren't high due to limited available stock, with transactions expected to resume at the end of February or early March. During this period, businesses focus on the domestic market and prepare for the Tet holiday, refraining from actively entering new contracts. Updates on domestic rice prices on February 1 in various locations in the Mekong Delta region reveal that rice prices have been maintaining elevated levels. Key figures include IR 504 rice at 9,000 9,200 VND/kg; Fragrant rice 8 around 9,600 9,700 VND/kg; OM 18 at 9,600 9,800 VND/kg; OM 5451 at 9,300 - 9,500 VND/kg; Nang Hoa 9 remaining stable at 9,400 9,600 VND/kg; and OM 380 rice fluctuating around 8,600 - 8,800 VND/kg. Regarding rice prices, a slight increase of 50-100 VND/kg compared to yesterday is noted. Currently, the price of IR 504 NL rice is at 12,500-12,600 VND/kg; while TP IR 504 rice is at 14,650-14,750 VND/kg. VNS HA NOI The number of new enterprises and those resuming operations this month reached 27,335, up 5.5 per cent year-on-year and more than 1.3 times the average figure over the 2018-23 period, statistics show. According to the Business Registration Management Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, 13,536 firms were established in January, a rise of 24.8 per cent from the same period last year, the highest ever recorded for the first month of each year. They added VN151.45 trillion (US$6.16 billion) to the national economy, a year-on-year increase of 52.8 per cent. Notably, the recovery pace of the average registered capital per enterprise has been maintained since November 2023 at VN11.2 billion, up 22.4 per cent year-on-year, the agency said. Strong recovery signs were seen in such fields as real estate, information and communications, processing and manufacturing, and agriculture-forestry-fishery. Experts said the figures reflect businesses increasing confidence in policies applied by the Government. However, up to 43,925 firms suspended operation in January, up 25.5 per cent, the highest ever for the first month, raising the total number of those withdrawing from the market this month to 53,888, up 22.8 per cent. Ha Manh Cuong, Director of Hamakyu Co, pointed to opportunities for businesses, including those generated by free trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). He suggested ministries, agencies and localities further support the business community to optimise such deals, while speeding up the signing of others that are under negotiation, in order to boost exports. Vu uc Giang, Chairman of the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association, forecast that the domestic garment-textile sector will grow 9.2 per cent to hit $44 billion this year. With advantages in population, the presence of many world-leading groups like Samsung, LG, Foxconn, Panasonic and Canon, and comprehensive strategic partnerships with the US, South Korea and Japan that are strong in semiconductors, Vietnam has favourable conditions to foster the industry this year, experts said. They suggested domestic firms pay more attention to raising their administrative capacity and product quality, and revamp their production and business models in anticipation of the wave of investments in high-tech. VNS HA NOI The Investment and Industrial Development Corporation (Becamex IDC or BCM) announced that its profit in 2023 reached 102 per cent of the annual target, marking the highest level in the past eight years. The construction and development giant reported that its consolidated revenue for Q4/2023 reached nearly VN5.17 trillion (US$211.8 million), marking a significant increase of 5.8 times compared to the same period in 2022. The business and real estate investment sector contributed VN4.67 trillion, accounting for 90 per cent of the total revenue. After deducting operating expenses, Becamex IDC recorded a post-tax profit of nearly VN2.05 trillion, which is more than 36 times higher than the same period in 2022. This achievement represents the highest quarterly profit in the company's history as an industrial real estate enterprise. For the whole year of 2023, Becamex IDC reported a total revenue of nearly VN8.2 trillion and a post-tax profit of over VN2.4 trillion, representing a 25 per cent and 43.5 per cent increase, respectively, compared to 2022. These figures mark the highest profit levels in the past eight years for Becamex IDC. The company achieved 85 per cent of its revenue target and 102 per cent of its profit target for the year. In mid-December 2023, the People's Committee of Binh Duong province approved the transfer of the New Urban Area Project (located in lots B8, B9, B10, B12, B13, B14, B15) within the Binh Duong Service-Industrial Complex - Urban Area, also known as the Tan Thanh Binh Duong Complex Residential and Commercial Area) in Hoa Phu Ward, Thu Dau Mot City, to Sycamore, a subsidiary of CapitaLand. The total investment for this project amounts to VN13.6 trillion. According to Becamex IDC, this transaction is expected to generate a revenue of $242 million (equivalent to over VN6 trillion) and a profit of VN2 trillion in 2023. By the end of 2023, Becamex IDC's total assets reached over VN53.18 trillion, representing a 10 per cent increase compared to the beginning of the year. Becamex IDC is the largest industrial park investor in Binh Duong province, holding over 30 per cent of the provincial market share and ranking third nationwide with a 3.6 per cent market share. The company currently operates 18 Becamex-VSIP industrial parks in 9 provinces and cities. In addition to industrial real estate, Becamex IDC is also involved in residential real estate with a land bank of 3,100 hectares in Binh Duong, of which nearly 1,000 hectares are available for commercial development. Furthermore, Becamex IDC invests in education and healthcare as part of its real estate development ecosystem. The company currently operates two hospitals and a university. VNS HCM CITY The Consulate General of Malaysia to HCM City and Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) in Viet Nam will participate in HCM Citys Nguyen Hue Flower Street festival 2024 from February 7 to 14. The festival is organised by the municipal People's Committee. In 2021, it began welcoming the participation of diplomatic missions in HCM City to showcase the unique festive traditions of other nations. This year, Tourism Malaysia in Viet Nam will present a booth with a strong traditional touch inspired by the Hari Raya festival and the Wau kite. Hari Raya marks the end of the Ramadan fasting month for the Muslim community in Malaysia, and is also a time for them to gather, socialise, and exchange well wishes. During this time, the image of Wau kites with their eye-catching patterns and colors is considered an indispensable feature of the festival. It takes artisans in Kelantan from two to three months working on hand-painted batik, one of Malaysia's signature materials, to carefully craft each Wau kite, from the bamboo frame to the intricate details. Therefore, the Wau kite is not just a traditional toy, but a symbol of Malaysia that is worthy of pride. Nor Hayati Zainuddin, director of Tourism Malaysia in Viet Nam, said the Malaysia booth at the festival will contribute to the festive atmosphere of the Vietnamese people. We hope to introduce to Vietnamese people a colourful and diverse Malaysia, not only from its natural scenery and people, but also from the unique traditional cultures of the Malaysians, she said. She expects to welcome more Vietnamese tourists to Malaysia in 2024. Tourism Malaysia recorded over 344,000 Vietnamese tourists to Malaysia last year, showing the great potential for tourism development of the two countries. In 2024, it aims to attract 400,000 Vietnamese tourists with a series of activities organised throughout the country, especially in the four key states of Melaka, Perlis, Perak and Kelantan. The 2024 Nguyen Hue Flower Street festival is themed Spring of Love Tet Reunion. Over the past two decades, the festival has become a familiar meeting place for the people in the city during Tet (Lunar New Year), contributing to maintaining the citys unique cultural identity and serving as a bridge for cultural exchange between Viet Nam and other countries around the world, including Malaysia. It contributes to strengthening long-term cooperation and sustainable tourism development between Viet Nam and Malaysia. VNS HCM CITY The annual Xuan Que Huong (Homeland Spring) programme, the biggest cultural event held for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, took place in HCM City on February 1-2. The festival left a strong impression on participants, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. The programme helps affirm the Party and State's policy that the OV community is an inseparable part of the nation, she said, adding it also encourages Vietnamese nationals to preserve traditional cultural traits while living abroad and contribute to national development. Various activities were organised during the 2024 programme, spotlighting the image of a dynamic and innovative HCM City. State President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse held several events, including incense and flower offerings to President Ho Chi Minh and President Ton uc Thang and a carp fish release ritual on Kitchen Gods Day (the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month). The leader also delivered Tet greetings to the OVs on February 2. The Deputy Minister said that currently, about 6 million Vietnamese people are living in 130 countries and territories, 80% of whom are in developed countries. To date, all major policies related to OVs have been specified and turned into particular projects, including a project to organise a day to honour the Vietnamese language abroad in the 2023-2030 period, and another to promote resources from OVs for national development. Recently, the Land Law (revised) has been approved by the National Assembly with many regulations providing favourable conditions for OVs in land-related issues, Hang noted. Along with bolstering Vietnamese associations and organisations abroad, support activities for OVs, especially those in areas suffering difficulties, natural disasters and war have been implemented in an active and timely manner. Many activities have been held annually for the Vietnamese community abroad, including visits for OVs to Truong Sa and DK1 platform, Viet Nam summer camp, and the Xuan Que Huong programme. The official said that this year, OV affairs will continue to be strengthened in a more comprehensive manner, aiming to show the sentiment and responsibility of the Party and State towards the Vietnamese community abroad, and encourage OVs to return to the homeland. VNS Releasing carp for hope Your browser does not support the audio element. On Kitchen Gods Day, the 23rd day of the lunar 12th month, Vietnamese people now release carp rather than nylon bags and other objects on altars as they used to do. The habit-changing has been made thanks to active persuasion by Keep Vietnam Clean, a social enterprise that has done good for the environment. H.E. Dr. Bader Almatrooshi, UAE Ambassador to Viet Nam, wrote to Viet Nam News on the occasion of International Day of Human Fraternity On December 21, 2020, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution co-sponsored by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt proclaiming February 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity, inviting all Member States and international organisations to observe the International Day of Human Fraternity annually. International Day of Human Fraternity was inspired by the global reaction to the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by two of the worlds great religious leaders, His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on February 4, 2019. The day is an annual celebration of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, tolerance and acceptance, and compassion and solidarity; it is also a call to put these values outlined in the Document on Human Fraternity into action, in order to build a more peaceful world. The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF) was established on August 15, 2019. It is a distinguished group of religious, cultural, and education leaders, coming from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. HCHF is an independent international committee instituted to promote human fraternity values in communities around the world and to fulfill the aspirations of the Document on Human Fraternity. While the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity works to advance values of human fraternity throughout the year, International Day of Human Fraternity aims to draw public awareness to human fraternity on the anniversary of the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity. International, regional, and local events are held on the UN-recognised international day, which serves as a time to reflect on how people of all backgrounds are members of the same human family and make valuable contributions to the world. Inspired by the meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis and Grand Imam Al-Tayeb, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of UAE allocated a plot of land on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi to build an Abrahamic Family House a concrete implementation and physical manifestation of the Document on Human Fraternity. The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is an independent global award, granted by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity and includes a financial prize of US$1 million. It is awarded annually on February 4, the International Day for Human Fraternity. The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity recognizes individuals, organizations, and other entities for their profound contributions to human fraternity. The winner(s) are honored at a ceremony convened in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The award was established in February 2019 to mark the historic meeting in Abu Dhabi between the head of the Catholic Church, His Holiness Pope Francis, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, His Eminence Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb, where the two great figures signed the Document on Human Fraternity. Pope Francis and Grand Imam Al-Tayeb were the first honorary recipients of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. The award is named in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late ruler of Abu Dhabi and founder of the United Arab Emirates, whose values of humility, humanitarianism, and respect epitomize the enduring ideals the award seeks to celebrate. On this special occasion, I would like to inspire all people to live the values of human fraternity. We believe the values of the Document on Human Fraternity are key to promoting peace on all levels: between individuals, organisations, nations, and even between humanity and the environment. As our increasingly fragmented world continues to suffer from extremism and intolerance, our innovative initiatives aim to put human fraternity values into action by inspiring leaders and empowering youth, women, and vulnerable communities, to pursue and realise a more peaceful future. VNS Josep Borrell Fontelles* At the start of 2024, Europeans are of course deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and by the conflict that has broken out again in the Middle East. However, we are not forgetting the broader picture: the centre of gravity of the worlds economy has shifted to the Indo-Pacific region, with close to 50 per cent of the worlds GDP and 60 per cent of the worlds population. Peace and stability in this region are crucial for Europe and the world. In recent years, the EU has worked steadily to improve its cooperation with the region, in particular by becoming in 2020 a strategic partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), launching its Indo-Pacific strategy in 2021, holding a successful EU-ASEAN Summit in 2022 and adopting the Samoa Agreement with Pacific countries in 2023. We will accelerate the path in 2024. The economic links between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region have reached an impressive level, unimaginable 40 years ago. Maritime routes in the region have become the arteries of the world: every day 2000 ships transport goods across the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Viet Nam) to Europe and back. However, the security environment is deteriorating. Major tensions are rising, from the South China Sea, to the Taiwan Strait, the Korean peninsula and the Red Sea. There is less trust among the main global and regional players; less respect for international law and multilateral agreements; force and coercion are on the rise. We are at risk of going back to a world where might makes right. The EU intends to counter this trend. Multilateral solutions and regional approaches are in our DNA and we will always defend international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the non-proliferation regime. To defend the rules-based world order, we want to cooperate more closely with our partners committed to multilateralism in the Indo-Pacific region. The EU maintains regular security and defence dialogues with China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and other nations. However, our cooperation increasingly extends beyond dialogue to concrete and operational activities. Under our Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, security cooperation is also becoming more and more a major component. We are participating with members of ASEAN in regional navy exercises and the navies of our Asian partners are cooperating with us in Operation Atalanta, near the Horn of Africa. These are good examples of what we can do together. To go further, we propose to use our member states advanced capabilities to become a smart security enabler, helping to build the capacities of our partners in the region on maritime security, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism and foreign information manipulation and interference. We need each other to help stabilise this world. The challenges we are facing do not allow us any other way than to cooperate closely to help avoid conflicts and ensure respect for international law. To protect freedom of navigation, EU member states are already increasing their deployments between the EU and the Indo-Pacific. The region can count on us as a reliable partner. On the economic side, the Russia Ukraine conflict has shown us the high cost of the EUs excessive dependency on Russian gas. We are therefore focusing on improving the EUs economic security by reducing this type of excessive dependency. However, this does not mean closing our borders. On the contrary, it should lead to developing our economic ties with many countries in the Indo-Pacific region, in order to de-risk our economy and diversify our supply chains. In this context, the EU has recently signed a free trade agreement with New Zealand and negotiations are ongoing with India, Indonesia and Thailand. We are engaging also with Japan, South Korea, Singapore and India to ensure stable and diversified supply chains in the field of digital technologies and have proposed to our Indo-Pacific partners to work together on the sustainable extraction and processing of critical raw materials, necessary for the green and digital transitions. The EU wants also to cooperate more actively with Indo-Pacific countries towards a green and sustainable future. The Green-Blue Alliance with the Pacific islands is helping to strengthen their climate resilience. Together with our G7 partners, we have also agreed Just Energy Transition Partnerships with South Africa, Indonesia and Viet Nam and the European Investment Bank is already investing 500 million to accelerate Viet Nams green transition in a way that benefits both people and the planet. In short, we are well aware of the crucial importance of the EUs engagement with the Indo-Pacific region. We are demonstrating it with a Pacific Day in the European Parliament on February 1, highlighting our burgeoning cooperation with our Pacific island partners. The following day, our third Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum brings together Foreign Ministers from the region and the EU. We will then hold our biennial EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting. In a world of geopolitical turbulence and great power rivalry, these three high-level meetings illustrate the strong and shared interest that the EU and the Indo-Pacific countries have to cooperate more closely in order to enhance their security, prosperity and resilience. *High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission BRUSSELS Belgium will soon have projects to support Viet Nam in Agent Orange/Dioxin contamination clean-up, President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D'Hose said when receiving Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Brussel, adding that Belgium will back the European Parliament (EP) on passing a resolution and taking actions to support Viet Nam in this regard. The Senate leader hailed the significance of foreign minister Son's working visit to Belgium from January 31 to February 1, which was the first Foreign Minister-level visit between the two countries in the past 12 years and in the context that the two countries have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership on Agriculture in 2023. At the reception, the Belgium official agreed the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Belgian Federal Parliament will soon sign a cooperation agreement, and welcomed the two legislatures cooperation at regional and global inter-parliamentary forums. Meanwhile, President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium Eliane Tillieux affirmed that the chamber's passing a resolution calling for support for AO victims is a strong message to the international community to support Viet Nam in overcoming the consequences of AO. She added that to implement the resolution, she will call on experienced Belgian businesses to participate in detoxification projects in Viet Nam. During the meetings with the Belgian legislative leaders, foreign minister affirmed that Viet Nam always hopes to strengthen friendship relations and cooperation with Belgium across the fields. He appreciated the attention of the Belgian parliament and the Belgium-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentary Group to promote the multi-faceted cooperation with the Vietnamese NA. He thanked the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium for being the first legislative body in the world to pass the resolution calling for support for AO victims, thereby drawing the international community's attention and support for tackling war consequences in Viet Nam. Son also urged the Belgian Federal Parliament to soon ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to maximise the potential of cooperation between the two countries in the field of investment; and push for the European Commission (EC)'s early removal of the yellow card on Viet Nam. Holding talks with Belgiums Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions Hadja Lahbib, the Vietnamese minister affirmed that Viet Nam always treasures relations with Belgium - an important partner in the EU, and wishes to further promote Viet Nam-Belgium relations, especially the strategic partnership on agriculture. Son appreciated Belgium's active role as the rotating President of the Council of the EU in the first six months of 2024, asking for Belgiums coordination to promote EU-Viet Nam relations, and affirmed Viet Nam's readiness to connect Belgium with ASEAN and Southeast Asian countries. He urged Belgium to early ratify the EVIPA and push for the early removal of the EC's yellow card on Viet Nam's aquatic goods to further facilitate Viet Nam-Belgium investment and trade ties. Lahbib affirmed that agriculture is a pillar in the two countries cooperation, adding that Belgium is considering building an agricultural cooperation programme between Viet Nam and Belgian regions. Belgium can support Viet Nam in developing circular agricultural models, smart agriculture, and responding to climate change, she said. The minister also called on the Vietnamese Government to create favourable conditions for Belgian businesses to expand investment and business in Viet Nam, especially in high-tech and energy transition industries. The two ministers agreed to continue promoting contacts and exchange of delegations between the two sides, especially senior leaders on State, Government and NA channels. Assessing economic cooperation as an important pillar in Viet Nam-Belgium relations, the two ministers welcomed businesses from both sides to promote cooperation in new fields such as high technology, semiconductor chips, and energy transition, hoping that the two countries will make good use of the opportunities that the EVFTA brings. The two ministers agreed to have cooperation projects to implement the Belgian lower house's resolution on supporting Viet Nam in overcoming war consequences, especially detoxifying areas affected by AO and supporting AO victims. The two sides also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, affirming to continue to coordinate closely and support each other at multilateral organisations and forums, especially the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and promote the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership framework. VNS HA NOI On the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) (February 3, 1930 - 2024), a delegation of the Party Central Committee, National Assembly (NA), State President, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee laid wreaths at and paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Ha Noi on Friday. The delegation included Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, NA Chairman Vuong inh Hue, and permanent member of the Party Central Committees Secretariat and Chairwoman of the Party Central Committees Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai. They were also joined by former Party General Secretary Nong uc Manh, former President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, former NA chairmen Nguyen Van An and Nguyen Sinh Hung, Politburo members, secretaries of the Party Central Committee, the Vice President, NA vice chairpersons, deputy PMs, along with many incumbent and former leaders of the Party, the State, ministries, sectors and central agencies. The delegation expressed their respect and gratitude to late President Ho Chi Minh, who founded, led and trained the Party the pioneering force of the working class, working people and people of Viet Nam. Later, the Party and State leaders laid wreaths at the monument to heroes and war martyrs on Bac Son street in Ha Noi. The same day, the delegations of the Central Military Commission - Ministry of National Defence, and of the Central Public Security Party Committee - Ministry of Public Security, among others, also came to pay homage to late President Ho Chi Minh and the heroes and martyrs. VNS HCM CITY Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong on Friday visited and inspected the combat readiness of HCM Citys police, fire prevention and fighting, and rescue forces as the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival is nearing. President Thuong took this occasion to extend his best new year wishes to all officers and soldiers of these forces. Visiting the police force, he asked the municipal Department of Public Security to well fulfil its top task of ensuring social security, safety and order in the city in all circumstances. Attention should be paid to improving the quality and effectiveness of the fight against crimes, especially new types of crime and frauds with sophisticated tricks, he stressed. Inspecting the combat readiness of the fire prevention and fighting, and rescue force, the State leader visited the Command Centre 114 where he was reported on how to operate the emergency information reception and processing system. He requested officers and soldiers to ensure high combat readiness and be present at the incident scenes in the shortest time to promptly handle and minimise damage to people and property. On the same day, the President visited Professor, Doctor Nguyen Chan Hung who is a reputable scientist, a leading medical expert, and former Chairman of the Viet Nam Cancer Association; and Peoples Artist Kim Cuong, a renowned and talented artist of the theatre industry of Viet Nam in general and HCM City in particular. VNS HA NOI General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 2 exchanged greetings on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year festival celebrated by people in both countries. In their well-wishing letters, the leaders expressed delight at the positive development trend and significant progress in the relations between the two Parties and the two countries across all fields following the Vietnamese Party chiefs historic visit to China in October 2022 immediately after the 20th National Congress of the CPC. They particularly valued the significance and diverse outcomes of the State-level visit to Viet Nam by the Chinese Party and State leader in December 2023, which included the issuance of a joint statement on continuing deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and building a Viet Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, and the signing of 36 cooperation agreements, demonstrating both sides' determination and laying a strategic orientation for the long-term development of the bilateral ties in the new period. Looking towards 2024, Party General Secretary Trong expressed his wish that all sectors, administrations at all levels, and localities of both countries will grasp and effectively implement the high-level agreements and common perceptions already reached, promoting the healthy, stable, and extensive development of the Viet Nam-China relationship in a substantive and efficient manner, for the development and interests of the two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. Xi Jinping, meanwhile, noted his hope that both sides will take the bilateral relations to new heights and promote high-quality exchanges and cooperation across channels, levels, and fields, thus providing further impetus for the modernisation causes of the nations and making greater contributions to the cause of peace and progress of humanity. The two leaders wished the Parties, States, and peoples of both countries peace, health and happiness in the year ahead, with Viet Nam and China obtaining greater prosperity and development. VNS HA NOI HCM City hopes Vietnamese people overseas will invest more money, build more companies, and develop more projects in Viet Nam and the city. HCM City Vice Chairman Vo Van Hoan made the remark at the meeting "Homeland Spring" with Vietnamese expatriates on Friday. In his speech, Hoan expressed his gratitude to overseas Vietnamese people who had played a significant role in the city's growth. Some had invested and set up major businesses in the city, others enriched the city's fiscal revenue with their remittances. He also said the city is working to move away from traditional labour-intensive industries and embrace greener technology-geared industries. The city will create a favourable environment for expatriates to make their contribution to the city's development. Phan Bich Thien, a Vietnamese woman living in Hungary, said many Vietnamese people abroad are specialists and experts who desire to use their expertise to help HCM City develop. One plan that Vietnamese expatriates in Hungary are eager to play a part in is transforming HCM City into an international financial hub. She also said Viet Nam had made a name in the world for its economic growth. However, economic aspects alone are not enough. The country must do more to promote its culture as well. The best approach in cultural promotion, she believes, is to set a few goals and accomplish them first, rather than pursuing multiple goals simultaneously. "I suggest celebrating a National Unity Day abroad, as the event will be a good opportunity for Vietnamese expatriates to come together and strengthen their ties," said Hoan. Peter Hong, Chairman of the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese, expressed his joy to witness the development of the country and the city. He said Vietnamese people overseas always desire to contribute to the city's growth. He hopes that HCM City will take measures to make it happen. For instance, the city could issue bonds to raise funds from Vietnamese expatriates to initiate large projects. Preserving Vietnamese language and culture among the Vietnamese community abroad is another subject many Vietnamese expatriates brought up at the meeting. Although they called for more programmes in cultural and language preservation, they also underlined the role of family in passing Vietnamese culture and language to the next generation. "My mom teaches me Vietnamese through songs and books. I wish everyone a Happy New Year," said Viet Ha, a eight-year-old in Australia. VNS Viet Nam to complete maps of landslide risk zones by 2025 HA NOI Maps indicating landslide-prone areas in 37 mountainous and midland areas will be completed by 2025 under an early-warning project managed by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Hoang uc Cuong, deputy head of the ministrys Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, has said. The maps would be on a scale of 1:50,000 in 37 provinces and 1:10,000 and larger in 150 high-risk areas. The project also targets completing by 2030 an early warning system for landslides and floods that can be shared among ministries and localities, he said. Early warning is not enough for minimising the impacts and risks caused by natural disasters, and early action is needed including regular checks of risk-prone areas, he said. Local authorities need to move out people living in those areas, he told the Vietnam News Agency. According to the Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, Viet Nam is one of the countries severely affected by natural disasters and climate change. Natural disasters routinely occur in all parts of the country, and are becoming more frequent and severe, he said. It is estimated that in the 10 years to 2022 over 220 people died or went missing every year due to natural disasters, which also caused losses of VN23 trillion, according to the administration. Flash floods and landslides, which occur frequently in mountainous provinces, wreak the most havoc to life and property. Between 2000 to 2022 there were 446 flash floods and landslides in which 1,129 people were killed or went missing. The number and frequency of riverbank and coastal landslides have also been on the rise. There are currently 2,358 vulnerable spots covering over 3,133 km, including 206 prone to severe landslides over 427km. Cuong said one of the causes of this problem is human destruction of natural landscapes for building roads or mining, which has changed the structure and reduced water drainage. Heavy rains that last many days and torrential downpours occur more and more frequently, which also triggers flash floods and landslides in many places, especially along roads, he said. It is forecast that there is a more than 95 per cent chance of the El Nino weather pattern continuing in the early part of this year. This decreases to 60-85 per cent in March-May. In recent years Viet Nam has gradually increased investment in technology to improve the effectiveness of natural disaster forecasting and warning. Thanks to international support, the Meteorological and Hydrological Administration receives and operates the Southeast Asia flash flood warning support system. Cuong said hydrometeorological agencies use modern technology for forecasting and assessing the safety level of dams, especially critical ones, to promptly respond to natural disasters. He said early warning against flash floods and landslides not only requires investment in technology and communication but also the engagement of the entire administrative system from the central to local levels. VNS HCM CITY President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse on Friday joined overseas Vietnamese (OV) in a traditional ritual of releasing carp at Nha Rong Wharf on the day for Ong Cong, Ong Tao (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods). In Vietnamese tradition, Land Genie and Kitchen Gods worshipping ritual is held on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, which falls on February 2 this year. It is also considered the start of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, the biggest and most important traditional holiday for Vietnamese. As the legend goes, Ong Cong (Land Genie) is the one in charge of land while Ong Tao (Kitchen Gods), consisting of two males and one female, are those who keep watch over the kitchen or domestic affairs of a family. They take note of a familys issues in a year and will ride carp back to the Heaven on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to report all the good and bad things concerning that family to the God of Heaven. This year, the ritual drew 100 OVs who are participating in the annual Xuan Que huong (Homeland Spring) programme 2024. In 2023, with the leadership of the Party and State as well as the consensus of the whole nation, including more than six million OVs, Viet Nam overcame difficulties and gained many important achievements, maintaining economic growth impetus, ensuring social welfare, firmly protecting national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and enhancing the countrys image, position and prestige on the world arena. Before conducting the carp release ritual, President Thuong, his spouse and the OVs offered incense and flowers in tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh and late President Ton uc Thang. The image of a carp swimming upstream and then leaping over the falls to turn into a dragon is a symbol of steadfastness in surmounting challenges to secure success. At the Nha Rong Wharf, President Thuong and his spouse welcomed the OVs returning home. Also on Friday, the State leader and his entourage spent a minute of silence in commemoration of late President Ho Chi Minh at the President Ho Chi Minh statue park on Nguyen Hue Street in District 1. VNS It is hard to find a more slandered figure in human history than Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Dictatorial, murderous, cynical, immoral. You name it, Lenin has been accused of it. This is done by just about every political current, from the conservative right wing to the liberals, the reformists, and the anarchists. Unfortunately, decades of Stalinist dictatorship in the U.S.S.R. contributed to this caricature. [Originally published at marxist.ca] None of this corresponds to who Lenin was. The founder of the most revolutionary party in history, a remarkable Marxist theoretician, and a leader of the worlds first victorious workers revolution, Lenins contribution to the communist movement is beyond measure. This is precisely why he is so hated by the ruling class today. A knowledge of the genuine ideas of Lenin is essential for anyone wishing to see a victorious communist revolution today. In 2024, the centenary of this great revolutionarys death, we will be making space in the pages of Communist Revolution [the paper of the IMT in Canada] for his writings, introducing our readers to the ideas that can change the world. Despite the slanders, the lies, and the caricatures, Leninism has stood the test of time. A fighting revolutionary party Lenins greatest contribution to the communist movement was his insistence on the need for a revolutionary party in order to succeed in overthrowing capitalism. This is what we, Communist Revolution, aim to build today. In 1900, Lenin founded the newspaper Iskra, around which the revolutionary party would be built. In the launching declaration, he said that we must unite and direct all our efforts towards the formation of a strong party which must struggle under the single banner of revolutionary Social-Democracy. (Revolutionary Social-Democracy was a term of the day for Marxism.) Such a Marxist organization cannot be improvised at the time of a revolution; it must be built in advance. In Where to Begin?, Lenin explains: [T]he building of a fighting organisation and the conduct of political agitation are essential under any drab, peaceful circumstances, in any period, no matter how marked by a declining revolutionary spirit; moreover, it is precisely in such periods and under such circumstances that work of this kind is particularly necessary, since it is too late to form the organisation in times of explosion and outbursts; the party must be in a state of readiness to launch activity at a moments notice. Lenins idea has been confirmed by over a hundred years of revolutions. The working class was created by capitalism. It is the class which, through sheer force of numbers and its place in production, has the potential to overthrow the capitalist system, and establish a society free from exploitation: a communist society. Countless times in history, it has risen in one country after another. However, history shows that a revolution cannot overthrow capitalism spontaneously. A revolutionary party is needed to achieve this, and it cannot be improvized in the heat of battle. Ten years before the Russian Revolution of 1917, Lenin stressed the importance of the very first years of the effort to build: Iskra fought for an organisation of professional revolutionaries It preserved it in face of the subsequent split in the Iskrist ranks and all the convulsions of the period of storm and stress; it preserved it throughout the Russian revolution [the defeated revolution of 1905]; it preserved it intact from 1901-02 to 1907. Only the creation of such a revolutionary party made the 1917 victory possible. The Bolsheviks, with 20 years experience of building the party, developing perspectives and tactics to win the workers to their cause, succeeded in bringing the working class to power. Our task is the same. Sooner or later, there will be revolutionary uprisings in Canada. A revolutionary Communist Party must exist in advance if we are to win. We are still a small force, but the work we do today is what can guarantee the victory of tomorrow. Marxist cadres The conditions in which the ideas of Marx and Lenin will find an enormous echo are being created before our eyes / Image: public domain The task of building the party cannot be left to chance. It wont happen spontaneously, or without professionalism, seriousness, and sacrifice. Lenin insisted on the creation of a fighting organization of professional revolutionaries, steeped in Marxist theory and ready to devote themselves entirely to the strugglewhat we today call Marxist cadres. In the early years of the Russian Marxist movement, a polemic raged between Lenin and the so-called economists. The latter believed that the role of communist activists was simply to accompany workers in their immediate day-to-day struggles. They fetishized the spontaneous, economic struggle of the workers, and minimized the importance of politics. They regarded the theoretical struggle with contempt. These tendencies are still very much present today. Many socialist and communist groups hold the study of Marxist theory in utter contempt. They claim its not our job to educate workers, and that theoretical questions dont really interest workers anyway. They dont realize that this attitude is incredibly condescending to the workers. Leninism is the antithesis of these repugnant prejudices. In his book What is to Be Done?, Lenin emphasized the need for Communists not simply to support workers in their struggles, but to work to broaden their horizons, and to link the immediate struggles to a broader struggle against capitalism. To do this, a study of Marxist theory and its application to class struggle is essential. Without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement, as Lenin famously said. The communist program is the result of generalizations drawn from the history of the workers struggle. Our perspectives are built on an understanding of the dynamics of the capitalist economy, of inter-imperialist conflicts, and of the history of class struggle in general. Without the foundation of Marxist theory and its rigorous study, we are nothing. It is the duty of every individual Communist to engage in a serious study of these ideas. That is how we will create a party of cadres capable of coordinating all the efforts of the working class for the seizure of power. Against this insistence on Marxist theory, we often hear this idea: why cant the left just unite? Cant we leave our small differences aside? The reality is that groups or organizations that unite by putting aside differences either do so based on the lowest common denominator, or fundamental disagreements resurface at every step and paralyze action. Lenin responded to this objection as follows: Before we can unite, and in order that we may unite, we must first of all draw firm and definite lines of demarcation. Otherwise, our unity will be purely fictitious, it will conceal the prevailing confusion and binder its radical elimination. While Leninists are always prepared to work with other tendencies in the movement, we do hold up our separate, communist ideas and identity, confident we can win over the youth and workers. Communists are under no illusions. In normal times, we are the minority. The ruling ideas are the ideas of the ruling class. To be a Communist is to be prepared to be a minority for a good part of your life. But capitalism constantly creates the conditions of crisis that lead workers to reject the system and seek an alternative. We are living in such a time right now. After an historic period of isolation, communists are now swimming with the current. Millions of young people in every country are opening up to Communism. The conditions in which the ideas of Marx and Lenin will find an enormous echo are being created before our eyes. If we each build ourselves as Marxist cadres, and unite in a single organization, the future is ours. Internationalism Socialism is international or it is nothing. Without the victory of the working class in at least some countries, it is impossible to build socialism. The experience of the U.S.S.R. has clearly shown this. Even in a territory covering a sixth of the planet, Stalins idea of socialism in one country turned out to be a fantasy. All his life, Lenin saw himself not as a Russian activist, but as a soldier of the world workers movement. The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party he was building was the Russian section of the Socialist International founded by Engels in 1889. Focusing on Russia, Lenin never took his eyes off the fact that the struggle in Russia was linked to the struggle of workers the world over. Lenin foresaw the possibility that the revolution would begin in Russia, but that to win, it would absolutely have to extend across the world. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Lenin, as an internationalist, found himself isolated. While the Bolsheviks had steeled themselves in the struggle against the Tsarist state and the Russian ruling class, other socialist parties across Europe had increasingly accustomed themselves to making deals and compromises with theirs. Class collaboration in peace time extended into war time, and in short order, the majority of the worlds socialists capitulated to national chauvinism. With the exception of Russia and Serbia, all the national sections of the Socialist International supported their own bourgeoisie in the war. Thus the Socialist International collapsed ignominiously. Lenin never took his eyes off the fact that the struggle in Russia was linked to the struggle of workers the world over / Image: public domain Lenin was among the small minority who resisted chauvinism, and called for the launch of a new International. In September 1915, this small group gathered in Zimmerwald, Switzerland, for a conference of European internationalists. In preparation for the conference, Lenin wrote: It is quite understandable that to bring about an international Marxist organisation, there must be a readiness to form independent Marxist parties in different countries. [] We do not, nor can we, know, what developments will take place in the international arena within the next few years. But there is one thing we know for certain, and of which we are unshakably convinced, namely, that our Party, in our country, among our proletariat, will work tirelessly in the above-mentioned direction, and by all its daily activities will build up the Russian section of the Marxist International. Although this Marxist International did not exist at the time, Lenin saw himself as a member of such an organization! The internationalist spirit runs like a thread in all of Lenins life and works. Two years after Zimmerwald, in 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power, changed their name to the Communist Party, and declared loudly that the world socialist revolution had begun. In March 1919, the Communist International was founded, and Communist parties sprang up in every country. This International made the bourgeoisie everywhere tremble. If there is one thing Stalinism has sullied, it is this proud tradition of internationalism. Stalin himself dissolved the Communist International in 1943 as a gesture of friendship with the Western imperialists. Todays remaining Communist parties have absorbed the nationalist prejudices of their bourgeoisie. Typical of this phenomenon is the British Communist Party, which shamefully stands for progressive patriotism. These parties are not united in a common internationalnot to mention the fact that many of them speak only sporadically of the struggle against capitalism. The activists gathered around Communist Revolution do not merely form a national organization. We are the members of the International Marxist Tendency in Canada. While the left everywhere cant see further than their nose, we proudly belong to a genuine international organization. Joining the ranks of Communist Revolution means first and foremost joining the ranks of an international communist organization of thousands of members. We fight in our respective countries with a program and ideas common to our comrades all over the world, born of decades of accumulated experience. This gives us all the confidence that we will succeed. Overcoming all obstacles It is impossible to do full justice to Leninism in this short article. There is no better way to learn about Lenin than by reading the countless texts he left behind on every conceivable subject. They are a precious legacy. This year, we plan to reissue texts of Lenin, which we hope will help educate hundreds of communists across Canada. If theres one thing that characterizes Leninism, it is an iron will to overcome all the obstacles before us, and an unshakeable confidence in the working class and youth. All his life, Lenin was the voice that shook up his comrades, urging them to redouble their energy to build the revolutionary party. In the midst of the 1905 revolution, he was outraged by the Bolsheviks passivity in the face of mass radicalization. In a letter to a comrade, he wrote: The people in Russia are legion; all we have to do is to recruit young people more widely and boldly, more boldly and widely, and again more widely and again more boldly, without fearing them. This is a time of war. The youththe students, and still more so the young workerswill decide the issue of the whole struggle. Get rid of all the old habits of immobility, of respect for rank, and so on. Form hundreds of circles of Vperyod-ists from among the youth and encourage them to work at full blast. [] We must, with desperate speed, unite all people with revolutionary initiative and set them to work. These lines are imbued with a sense of urgency about organizing youth and workers. Today, as then, we must be permeated with this feeling, and work hard to build a communist organization. No one will do it for us. The capitalist system is dragging us into the abyss. Never in generations have we seen such social malaise, such a rise in poverty, or such misery and inequality. But the crisis of capitalism is paving the way for a revolutionary periodeven here in Quebec and Canada. The victory of the revolution will depend on our ability to create a revolutionary communist party in time, as Lenin and the Bolsheviks did in the past. If this appeals to you, dont waitjoin the comrades of Communist Revolution today! HCM CITY State President Vo Van Thuong extended warm Tet (Lunar New Year) greetings to disadvantaged people and workers with difficulties while attending the Tet sum vay Xuan tri an (Tet reunion Spring gratitude) programme in HCM CIty's Thu uc City on February 2. The State leader said HCM City, an economic, cultural, educational and sci-tech hub of the country, has initiated an array of social welfare programmes to take care of disadvantaged people in the city and those residing in the nearby as well as remote and mountainous localities. Despite formidable challenges, the city has made concerted efforts to retain economic growth, helping ensure social welfare for impoverished people and those with difficult circumstances, he stressed. He described the Tet sum vay Xuan tri an annually held by trade unions at all levels as a practical programme to bring a warm Tet festival for all, asking the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and competent agencies continue to expand the programme in order to assure that Tet is always full of joy for everyone, especially poor workers and students, and people in difficulties. On the occasion, President Thuong presented hundreds of gifts to workers, families of policy beneficiaries and poor people in the city. VNS Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son meets with President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D'Hose. (Photo: VNA) Brussels Belgium will soon have projects to support Vietnam in Agent Orange/Dioxin contamination clean-up, President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D'Hose said when receiving Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Brussel, adding that Belgium will back the European Parliament (EP) on passing a resolution and taking actions to support Vietnam in this regard. The Senate leader hailed the significance of FM Son's working visit to Belgium from January 31 to February 1, which was the first Foreign Minister-level visit between the two countries in the past 12 years and in the context that the two countries have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership on Agriculture in 2023. At the reception, the Belgium official agreed the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Belgian Federal Parliament will soon sign a cooperation agreement, and welcomed the two legislatures cooperation at regional and global inter-parliamentary forums. Meanwhile, President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium Eliane Tillieux affirmed that the chamber's passing a resolution calling for support for AO victims is a strong message to the international community to support Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of AO. She added that to implement the resolution, she will call on experienced Belgian businesses to participate in detoxification projects in Vietnam. During the meetings with the Belgian legislative leaders, FM Son affirmed that Vietnam always hopes to strengthen friendship relations and cooperation with Belgium across the fields. He appreciated the attention of the Belgian parliament and the Belgium-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group to promote the multi-faceted cooperation with the Vietnamese NA. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son meets with President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium Eliane Tillieux. (Photo: VNA) He thanked the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium for being the first legislative body in the world to pass the resolution calling for support for AO victims, thereby drawing the international community's attention and support for tackling war consequences in Vietnam. Son also urged the Belgian Federal Parliament to soon ratify the EU -Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to maximise the potential of cooperation between the two countries in the field of investment; and push for the European Commission (EC)'s early removal of the yellow card on Vietnam. Holding talks with Belgiums Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions Hadja Lahbib, the Vietnamese minister affirmed that Vietnam always treasures relations with Belgium - an important partner in the EU, and wishes to further promote Vietnam - Belgium relations, especially the strategic partnership on agriculture. Son appreciated Belgium's active role as the rotating President of the Council of the EU in the first six months of 2024, asking for Belgiums coordination to promote EU-Vietnam relations, and affirmed Vietnams readiness to connect Belgium with ASEAN and Southeast Asian countries. He urged Belgium to early ratify the EVIPA and push for the early removal of the EC's yellow card on Vietnam's aquatic goods to further facilitate Vietnam-Belgium investment and trade ties. Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son holds talks with Belgiums Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions Hadja Lahbib. (Photo: VNA) Lahbib affirmed that agriculture is a pillar in the two countries cooperation, adding that Belgium is considering building an agricultural cooperation programme between Vietnam and Belgian regions. Belgium can support Vietnam in developing circular agricultural models, smart agriculture, and responding to climate change, she said. The minister also called on the Vietnamese Government to create favourable conditions for Belgian businesses to expand investment and business in Vietnam, especially in high-tech and energy transition industries. The two ministers agreed to continue promoting contacts and exchange of delegations between the two sides, especially senior leaders on State, Government and NA channels. Assessing economic cooperation as an important pillar in Vietnam - Belgium relations, the two ministers welcomed businesses from both sides to promote cooperation in new fields such as high technology, semiconductor chips, and energy transition, hoping that the two countries will make good use of the opportunities that the EVFTA brings. The two ministers agreed to have cooperation projects to implement the Belgian lower house's resolution on supporting Vietnam in overcoming war consequences, especially detoxifying areas affected by AO and supporting AO victims. The two sides also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, affirming to continue to coordinate closely and support each other at multilateral organisations and forums, especially the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and promote the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership framework. Foreign aid supports heart surgeries for AO/dioxin victims An aid from Taipeis Rotary Club was presented to the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA)s Ba Ria-Vung Tau province chapter on July 26. Texting campaign launched to support AO/dioxin victims A texting campaign was launched in Hanoi on July 30 to raise funds in support of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims. Social protection centre for AO/dioxin victims upgraded A ceremony was held on January 15 to mark the completion of a project to upgrade the Vietnam social protection centre for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Hanois suburban district of Thach That district. Demand fuelled for high-quality healthcare services, illustration photo/ Source: freepik.com Over a week ago, Dubai and Singapore-headquartered TVM Capital Healthcare announced the closing of a significant equity investment in Vietnamese eye care business Alina Vision, which currently operates two hospitals in Vietnam. Alina Vision was established by international development organisation The Fred Hollows Foundation in 2018. Over the past five years, Alina Vision has received financial backing, eye surgery training, and clinical support from the Fred Hollows Foundation and Japans Rohto Pharmaceutical. TVM Capital Healthcare is an emerging markets-focused healthcare private equity firm with a focus on specialised and tech-enabled healthcare services, digital health solutions and platforms, as well as manufacturing companies in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics. As an industry specialist growth capital investor, TVM Capital Healthcare not only provides Alina Vision the equity investment but also access to operational, clinical, training, and management resources. This will help Alina Vision to accelerate the growth plans while improving quality of care. Hoda Abou-Jamra, managing director of TVM Capital Healthcare in Southeast Asia, commented, This deal marks the most substantial investment by TVM Capital Healthcare in the region to date. This investment is testament to our impact investment strategy, which is to design, build, and scale promising healthcare solutions that address patients needs and fill market gaps, ultimately contributing to equal access to quality healthcare. In December, Singapore-based Sweef Capital also made an investment in USM Healthcare, a Vietnamese manufacturer of critical cardiovascular products. The deal follows Sweefs first investment in Vietnamese education technology company TEKY in May 2023. Sweef Capital focuses on investing equity and quasi-equity capital in growth-stage companies, primarily in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. Sweefs investment in USM was a pivotal step advancing the cause of accessible and affordable healthcare in Vietnam, it said. Also last month, Singaporean healthcare entity Thomson Medical Group announced the completion of the FV Hospital deal, marking Vietnams largest transaction to date and ranking among the top-tier healthcare acquisitions in Southeast Asia in 2023. This pivotal step will further propel Thomsons regional ambitions, expanding its networks scale and enhancing our value proposition. Vietnams healthcare sector has emerged as a beacon of resilience, attracting strong interest from global and regional investors, said Huong Trinh, partner at BDA Partners. In times of economic downturn, the healthcare sector is a resilient stronghold. Healthcare services are a fundamental necessity, unaffected by fluctuations in the broader economy. Regardless of economic challenges, people continue to require medical care and services, making the healthcare sector a pillar of stability for investors. Vietnams demographic shift is also fuelling the demand for higher-quality healthcare services, making it a fertile ground for investment, Trinh stressed. According to KPMG in Vietnam, the enthusiasm in the nations healthcare market is not one-sided. In fact, investors interest and enthusiasm to invest are welcomed by sellers and their intention to transact on the other side. Specifically, in addition to ongoing deals, some owners or investors of certain primary care clinics and speciality hospitals are also said to be in the market looking to do deals. Their motivations vary from case to case, and while some are in the market raising new capital to accelerate their growth plan, some others look to exit completely or carve out certain individual assets in their portfolio, the KPMG representative added. WHO weighs up AI risks and benefits for healthcare Generative artificial intelligence could transform healthcare through things like drug development and quicker diagnoses, but the World Health Organization warned Thursday of the potential pitfalls in rushing to embrace AI. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative aims to bring smiles and happiness to children battling cancer at K Hospital, Ho Chi Minh Oncology Hospital, and Hue Central Hospital. The event for paediatric cancer patients was held on the same day as the year-end lunch and a love bus trip for poor patients, and was hosted by K Hospital. It was attended by Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, director of K Hospital Le Van Quang, and representatives from K Hospital, the BFF, Roche Pharma Vietnam, and patients. Lennor Carrillo, general director of Roche Pharma Vietnam said, For over thirty years in Vietnam, we have had the esteemed honour of partnering with the BFF on a variety of significant projects that have made a real difference for patients and the community. Their commitment to aiding disadvantaged children resonates deeply with our own goal to enhance healthcare results. The CSR Fund was provided by donations from Roche employees through the Roche Children's Walk fund. As the new year draws near, it feels particularly meaningful to once again join forces with the BFF to support young cancer fighters. We aspire to bring joy and hope to these young warriors and their loved ones through our humble gestures of goodwill, Carrillo continued. The CSR fund was provided by donations from Roche employees through the Roche Children's Walk fund. The Roche Children's Walk is the companys largest annual employee engagement and philanthropic event. In 2023, Roche celebrated its 20th anniversary by organising multiple employee-driven projects that raised funds for underprivileged children both globally and in Vietnam. Roche's CSR drive not only reflects the company's dedication to improving healthcare outcomes but also highlights its commitment to giving back to the community. By organising such initiatives regularly, Roche aims to create a lasting positive impact on society. Urgent action needed on breast and cervical cancer Newly launched Asia Pacific Womens Cancer Coalition (APAC WCC) calls for a greater commitment to address the gaps to support countries in achieving their national targets for cancer prevention and control. AstraZeneca advances lung cancer portfolio AstraZeneca showcased its lung cancer portfolio and pipeline work at the 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) that was held in Singapore from September 9 to 12. The visiting HCM City delegation presents Vietnamese language textbooks to the Sapa Vietnamese language centre in the Czech Republic. (Photo: VNA) Prague The overseas Vietnamese (OV) community in the Czech Republic have been updated on a new resolution of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City. At a conference held by the Vietnamese Embassy and the HCM City Overseas Vietnamese Committee in Prague on February 1, Le Van Thu, the deputy head of the committee, introduced basic points of Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15, involving 44 mechanisms in seven areas. He highlighted 27 new policies that allow the southern economic hub to apply superior mechanisms and policies toward breakthrough development, enhancing its role as a growth pillar and driving force in the region and the nation. Thu also fielded queries on attracting diaspora capital back to the homeland, noting that remittances to the metropolis neared 10 billion USD in 2023, nearly tripling foreign direct investment value that year. Overseas Vietnamese have made significant contributions to the development of the nation, with immense untapped potential still awaiting exploration, he said. Nguyen Dieu Linh, the charge d'affaires of the embassy, emphasised the strength of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, who have deeply integrated into the host country while maintaining close bonds with their homeland. Many OVs and Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the European nation are eager to invest in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City. The diplomat said she is confident that Vietnamese intellectuals and entrepreneurs here will serve as a bridge for international financial institutions and corporations to invest in the city. HCM City aims to improve efficiency of Overseas Vietnamese affairs The Ho Chi Minh City Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs will continue to renovate itself to further enhance its operational efficiency, thus optimising OVs contributions to the construction and development of the city in the new period, heard a conference held in the city on March 9 to launch the committees tasks in 2023. Thailand strengthens cooperation with Cambodia against trans-border pollution, Illustrative image (Source: Thaipbsworld.com) Bangkok The Thai government is accelerating efforts to hold talks with its Cambodian counterpart to address transboundary air pollution, which is posing an increasing threat to the health of people in Thailand, as the dry season, is expected to be dryer and longer this year due to the El Nino phenomenon, gets underway. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Thai and Cambodian authorities are working together on this issue. MODIS satellite images, taken on January 30, showed 644 hotspots in Cambodia, while most of the hotspots in Thailand were detected in farm land. Thailands Central Weather Forecast Unit at the Meteorological Department said that the hotspots in Cambodia did not show any sign of reducing during a week of observation, as airborne pollution from Cambodia crosses the border into Thailand in Sa Kaeo and Prachin Buri provinces. It also warned of increased airborne pollution for another week, due to poor wind circulation. According to Thailands Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation, PM2.5 has exceeded the threshold level in 39 provinces, including Bangkok. In and around the capital, PM2.5 levels in the past 24 hours were between 41.8g/m and 90.9g/m against the safety threshold of 37.5g/m. Thailand backtracks on scope of discovered lithium deposits Thailand has backtracked on an announcement that it found millions of tonnes of lithium deposits last week, with the government downgrading the scope of its discovery. . , . , . , . . CEDAR FALLS Tax incentives may be adjusted on a planned College Hill building the city approved for construction in 2019. The City Council on Monday may set a Feb. 19 public hearing on a revised development agreement with Brent Dahlstroms CV Commercial during its 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall, 220 Clay St. The company plans to construct an L-shaped, 31,200-square-foot apartment and commercial building at 2119 College, 1003 W. 22nd, and 922 W. 22nd streets. The anticipated changes are to the projects completion date and the maximum amount of tax rebates, according to a council memo from Economic Development Coordinator Shane Graham. The resolution says the city will provide up to $717,087 in tax rebates over five years. The council approved an agreement July 19, 2021, to provide a maximum of $593,937 in rebates over five years. But the newly proposed agreement, obtained by The Courier, will supersede that previous arrangement and provide the assistance beginning June 1, 2028. The new agreement shows construction costs of about $6.25 million. The project had an estimated $5 million price tag in the 2021 agreement. The five-story development would have 32 apartments on floors two through five. There will be a mix of studio, two-bedroom and four-bedroom options. The commercial space will be on the ground floor with 47 parking spots on site. The latest rendering shows a brewery as a commercial tenant; however, Dahlstrom said no tenant had been selected when asked if thats a real possibility. Additional details would be shared about the agreement, signed by CV Commercials manager Ryan Kriener, at the Feb. 19 meeting. On top of the citys package of incentives, the new five-story development was awarded $605,910 in tax credits this summer through the Iowa Economic Development Authoritys workforce housing tax credits program, a news release states. Dahlstrom and developer Brian Wingert were the only ones with Cedar Falls projects known to have applied. A split council first approved a community-wide housing needs assessment necessary for an application it later backed and agreed to provide a local match of incentives at a minimum of $1,000 per unit as part of that IEDA program. The originally approved tax rebates were used to meet that requirement. Wingerts Cottage on Clay homes, 215 W. Ninth St., was not approved for credits through the state, he confirmed while noting plans to apply again for the project. L-shaped construction Dahlstroms site plan was approved in 2019 after more than a year and a half of debate on concerns largely about parking, according to Courier archives. Constructions not yet gotten underway. He previously told The Courier he absolutely plans to break ground this year whether or not the areas zoning a hot topic in recent months is overhauled to his liking. The newly proposed agreement stipulates completion by Dec. 31, 2025. His building, at 1003 W. 22nd St., would need to be knocked down to make way for the new development. Vacant lots sit at 2119 College St. and 922 W. 22nd St. The L-shaped building was the second of two projects on College Hill that Dahlstrom brought to the table and got a lot of attention. The other was another mixed use building at 917 W. 23rd St. named Urban Flats. Dahlstroms projects Its hard to keep up with the number of proposals, projects and buildings in Cedar Falls associated with the real estate mogul. Here are a few of them: Last month, Dahlstrom publicly introduced a proposal in which he would receive $5 million in city tax incentives for 43 single-family homes hed construct on the site of the current high school at 1015 Division St. He made a presentation to the Cedar Falls Board of Education, offering to buy the property for the new housing. A new school being constructed on West 27th Street will open in the fall. Dahlstroms Panther Builders is working through a land use and zoning application, which will be considered by the council Monday, for approximately 130 new homes on 54 acres north of Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School south of Greenhill Road. That undertaking, managed by company president Kevin Fittro, still requires a plat to move forward. CV Commercial also acquired the former Other Place restaurant building at 2214 College St. this summer. Zurys Taco Bar, the new tenant, plans to open later this month. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated a building at 2119 College St. had to be knocked down to make way for the proposed five-story complex. The structure has already been demolished. Whos running for president? See the latest rundown of major 2024 candidates Donald Trump Joe Biden Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Jill Stein Cornel West Whos dropped out? Dean Phillips DES MOINES A bill that would allow county attorneys and assistant county attorneys to apply for professional weapon permits is taking a step forward in the Iowa Legislature. With a professional permit, county attorneys would have the same authority as police officers, security guards, bank messengers, correctional officers and private investigators to carry a gun in most places where firearms are banned. House File 2083 would allow county attorneys or assistant county attorneys who are issued a permit to go armed anywhere in the state at all times, including on school grounds. The bill provides that permits issued to county attorneys and assistant county attorneys are valid for the duration of their employment as a prosecutor, unless otherwise canceled. Lawmakers have considered the proposal in recent years but failed to pass it. Jessica Reynolds, executive director of the Iowa County Attorneys Association, told lawmakers that while serving as Story County attorney, the brother of a defendant assaulted an assistant county attorney in the hallway of the courthouse. The Iowa Judicial Branch is registered as undecided on the bill. Members of the subcommittee advanced the bill, 2-1, for consideration by the full Senate Judiciary Committee. Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, voted no. I always, you know, philosophically question whether more guns actually keep us safer, James said. So I really wrestle with the unintended consequences of a bill that would make a major departure from current practice. I certainly want to make sure that we have a safe, you know, court spaces, and I would like to see something like an investment in more court security if this is really a concern, she said. Bill would require teaching about patriotic holidays Iowa schools would be required to teach students about a list of national holidays and conduct patriotic exercises under a bill House lawmakers advanced out of a subcommittee Thursday. House Study Bill 604 would require to schools observe and teach about the meaning and significance the following holidays on the day they fall or the nearest school day: The birthdays of Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln and George Washington Armed Forces Day Memorial Day Constitution Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Bill of Rights Day The rules would not apply to private schools. Education advocates told lawmakers the bill was an unnecessary mandate on school curriculum. Iowa State Education Association lobbyist Melissa Peterson said the rules written in the bill are also vague and unclear. The bill was advanced by two Republicans on a three-person House subcommittee. It is now eligible for a vote in the full Education Committee. Rep. Brooke Boden, a Republican from Indianola, said the Department of Education could provide clearer standards to schools if the bill becomes law. I think we need to make sure that we are teaching our children to respect America, and that they should know what each one of these holidays means. If we as a nation are willing to have these as holidays, we should understand them, we should understand them fully. Bill advances barring undocumented immigrants from receiving in-state tuition House Republican lawmakers Thursday advanced House File 2128 that would make undocumented immigrants ineligible for in-state tuition. Members of the House Judiciary committee voted 13-7, with Democrats and one Republican opposed, advancing the bill for debate and a vote by the full House. It would require that a person provide proof of U.S. citizenship or proof that they are lawfully present in the country to be considered for in-state tuition at Iowas public universities and community colleges. Democrats said the bill would deny education to a swath of Iowans who grew up and pay taxes in the state. According to estimates from the Migration Policy Institute, about 37,000 undocumented immigrants lived in Iowa as of 2019. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, created legal protections for some people born before 2007 who were brought into the U.S. illegally as children. Most undocumented graduating high school students today are not eligible for DACA, according to FWD.us, an immigration political advocacy organization. State Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, who chaired a subcommittee on the bill, said it was, in part, an answer to the rising rates of unlawful border crossings under President Joe Biden. Bill barring universal basic income programs in Iowa advances House Republican state lawmakers on Thursday also advanced legislation that would prohibit taxpayer-funded basic income programs in Iowa. The programs are designed to lift people out of poverty by providing them with a baseline and steady source of income. One such program is operating in central Iowa UpLift, a pilot project of Mid-Iowa Health Foundation in Des Moines using donations and public funds. Under that project, 110 low-income central Iowans were chosen to receive $500 per month for two years. The impact of that basic income on those participants will be studied. Lawmakers amended the legislation to address concerns of families who are receiving and relying on the money, allowing existing payments to continue until Jan. 1, 2025, or when the program is set to end, whichever is earlier. The Central Iowa program launched in May of last year, with payments scheduled to continue for two years. A final evaluation report will be completed in the spring of 2026. Bill sponsor Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, said universal basic income programs create an incentive for people to stay home and not work, go against free-market principles and come at a time when Iowas workforce has shrunk since the pandemic, leaving employers looking to fill jobs. We need to foster hand work and independence, not dependence on government through programs that arent sustainable, Holt said. One in seven Iowa working households dont earn enough to meet a basic-needs budget, according to Common Good Iowa. This bill is nothing but a roadblock to lifting up Iowans out of generational poverty, Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, said. The House Judiciary Committee voted, 13-6, to advance the bill to the full House. Iowa AG calls for defunding U.N. agency Iowa Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird and South Carolina Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson are calling on Congress to defund the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Major donors to the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency have suspended funding after allegations emerged that around 12 of its tens of thousands of Palestinian employees were suspected of involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel by Hamas, Reuters reported. For even a single taxpayer dollar to fund a corrupt organization that hires and harbors terrorists is despicable, Bird said in a statement. President Trump got it right when he stopped payments to UNRWA in 2018. Its the federal governments job to prosecute terrorists, not fund them. Were calling on Congress to take immediate action and defund UNRWA once and for all. The letter, signed by attorneys general from 26 states, called on congressional leadership to cut all funding to agency. Photos: Iowa State Historical Museum PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 001 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 002 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 003 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 004 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 005 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 006 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 007 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 008 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 009 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 010 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 011 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 012 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 013 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 014 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 015 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 016 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 017 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 018 PHOTOS: Iowa State Historical Museum - 019 Iowa State Historical Building Iowa State Historical Building Iowa State Historical Building Iowa State Historical Building Iowa State Historical Building Iowa State Historical Building David Young, PA The leader of the DUP has warned the UK government he will hold its feet to the fire on delivering on the deal to restore Stormont as he admitted he did not fully trust it. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said independent monitoring mechanisms built into the agreement meant there were means to ensure the UK government was doing what it has pledged to do. The DUP has given the green light for the recall of the Stormont Assembly on the back of the deal, with powersharing due to be restored in Northern Ireland on Saturday after two years in cold storage. On Thursday, two pieces of legislation contained in the agreement to resurrect devolution were fast-tracked through the UK's House of Commons. The DUP has agreed the package of measures with the UK government that Mr Donaldson says has effectively removed the so-called Irish Sea border for goods moving from Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland. The plan is set out in a command paper titled 'Safeguarding the Union'. There is undoubtedly a trust issue here, the DUP leader told BBC Radio Ulster on Friday. I will hold the governments feet to the fire. There are new mechanisms, Im not just relying on the UK government. It has been confirmed that the Assembly will meet on Saturday, as we come together to form an Executive and get Ministers back in office to take decisions to support workers, families and public services. I am determined to lead an Executive as a First Minister for all, and to Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) February 1, 2024 Theres a new independent monitoring panel to be established under this agreement, which will hold the governments feet to the fire as an independent body. I will be able to appoint people, professional people with knowledge of customs arrangements, with knowledge of trading arrangements, who will be able to ensure that what the government have promised to deliver is delivered. Mr Donaldson added: It (command paper) is a political declaration of what the government is doing and has, in some instances, already done and will do. Legal advice from John Larkin KC on DUP deal to be published on Friday morning Those who shared most anti-Protocol platforms with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, namely, Ben Habib, Baroness Hoey, Jim Allister and Jamie Bryson, commissioned legal advice, at their own expense, on the DUP Jim Allister (@JimAllister) February 1, 2024 In political transactions, there is a degree of guarantee and there is a degree of trust most transactions in life are like that. Do we completely 100 per cent trust the government? No, of course not. Thats why I have built mechanisms in here and safety nets in here to ensure that if the government dishonour their side, then we have measures that we can utilise to address that. When the Northern Ireland Assembly does reconvene at Parliament Buildings on Saturday, it will witness the historically significant moment of the appointment of its first nationalist first minister, Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill. The DUP will hold the position of deputy first minister an office that wields the same powers as the first minister. While Mr Donaldson has secured the backing of a majority of party colleagues to accept the deal, there are those within the DUP who remain deeply sceptical of the proposed agreement to restore powersharing. A public meeting at Moygashel Orange Hall, Belfast, after the agreement of a Government package that is set to deliver the restoration of powersharing in Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA) Parliamentary debate on the two motions on Thursday laid bare the divisions at the very top of the DUP, with senior party members Lord Dodds and Sammy Wilson voicing opposition to the proposals, albeit both stopped short of criticising their leader. Mr Donaldson is also facing opposition outside his party. Around 120 unionists and loyalists opposed to the deal gathered at a meeting in Moygashel Orange Hall in Co Tyrone on Thursday night. TUV leader Jim Allister told the meeting that Northern Ireland remained a colony because it had to accept economic laws made by the EU, while loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said so-called Irish Sea border remained. However, the DUP leader was given a significant boost on Friday when a high-profile Orange Order chief declared his personal support for the package. Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, grand secretary of the Orange Order Mervyn Gibson said while the deal was not perfect, it was a win for unionist determination and unity, and needs to be accepted as such. Thanks to the new deal negotiated by @J_Donaldson_MP goods staying inside the United Kingdom are no longer subject to EU checks. The @duponline has delivered for the people of Northern Ireland and has ensured our Constitutional position within the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/9TQccAcrri Queen's University DUA (@QUB_DUA) February 1, 2024 The UK government has faced questions in parliament from Brexiteer backbenchers who have expressed concern that the deal agreed with the DUP would place limits on the UKs ability to diverge from EU regulations. UK ministers have sought to reassure MPs that the measures will not affect the UKs capacity to diverge. The paper commits to replacing the Windsor Frameworks green lane process at Northern Ireland ports, which requires percentages of goods to be checked as they arrive from Britain, with a UK internal market system that will govern the movement of goods that remain within the UK. Checks would still be carried out but on a risk-based/intelligence-led model to combat illegality and disease, rather than routine stops of disembarking lorries. Businesses using the internal market system would also need to be signed up to a trusted trader scheme. Michelle ONeill is expected to become First Minister (Niall Carson/PA) The measure to reduce checks on British/Northern Ireland trade is part of a wide-ranging deal agreed between the DUP and the UK government that would bring about the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland after a two-year hiatus. The DUP has agreed to drop its two-year blockade of Stormont in exchange for the UK government measures aimed at addressing its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements that created economic barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The return of Stormont will see the UK Treasury release a 3.3 billion package to support under-pressure public services in Northern Ireland. The financial package, announced by the UK government before Christmas, includes money to settle the demands of striking public sector workers in the region this year. Despite the moves to restore the devolved institutions, industrial action continued on Thursday, with public transport workers and school support staff picketing in the latest day of strikes in Northern Ireland. February 2, marks the day on which 81 years ago the armies of Germany, Romania, Croatia, Hungary and Italy surrendered at Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad was the turning point in WW II. It forced Germany to withdraw substantial military forces from other areas of Europe to replace losses in Russia Interesting and revealing is this British made Wartime Newsreel from the archives of Associated Press: WtR After years of planning, Great Dane Brewing has opened in Japan, and Madison-area Great Dane locations are featuring specials through Sunday to celebrate. The commercial brewery and pub will distribute beer throughout Japan, according to Rob LoBreglio, brewmaster for Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co., which he co-founded in 1994. The production brewery, tasting room and restaurant is in Akiu Onsen, a tourist town in Sendai, about two hours north of Tokyo. LoBreglio, CEO and brewmaster for Great Dane Brewing in Japan, said his ties to Japan are deep and he's been planning the brewery there for almost 10 years. He opened the Japanese offshoot with several partners on Jan. 19. Flagship beer for Japan The Japanese brewerys first flagship beer, Great Lager, is a crisp, dry beer, a popular style in Japan, but features European and American hops, which deliver subtle floral and citrus notes. Great Dane has five Wisconsin locations, three in Madison, one in Fitchburg and one in Wausau. Eliot Butler, Great Dane's co-founder and president, is also an investor in the Japanese project. Ambassador of beer LoBreglio said in a press release that brewing in Japan gives him the opportunity to become an ambassador of beer. "Back when we started the Dane, we were able to introduce people to many new beer styles," he said. "Now, the American public is well-versed in beer, so that role isnt as necessary. In Japan, I can once again teach people about all the amazing beers the world has to offer." LoBreglio said that IPAs also have become popular in Japan, but they still don't account for much in the way of beer sales in Japan. Great Lager was designed to bridge two worlds, he said: It has a craft beer flavor, but with the drinkability of some of Japan's most popular pilsners. The Japanese brewery is in a former rice field. LoBreglio's longtime friend Shinji Muramoto, who's from Sapporo, Japan, serves as president and oversees the brewery's tasting room and restaurant. In Madison, Muramoto does Japanese food with an American twist; there, he's doing American food with a Japanese twist. While brewing beer is the top priority, the restaurant and tasting room serve a mix of Great Dane classics and new items. Celebrating at home All Madison-area Great Dane locations will have specials through Sunday to celebrate the grand opening of Great Dane Japan. A limited-time menu features Japanese bao, yakitori and miso grilled salmon. Matt Pace, Great Danes executive chef, said he crafted the menu with Muramoto in mind. Muramoto not only taught Pace a lot about being a chef, but he also inspired him to master more Asian cooking techniques and recipes. "I love creating traditional Asian dishes as well as others that have an American twist," Pace said in the release. "To be able to put together a special menu to celebrate the opening of Great Dane Japan was tons of fun and something Ive looked forward to since construction began in Sendai." The menu also features two new cocktails, the Grapefruit Chuhai and Kanpai Sendai. The local Great Danes have already sold out of 12-ounce cans of Great Lager they had available for people in Wisconsin. Focus on packaging In Wisconsin, the Great Dane is a brewpub. With the Japanese operation, LoBreglio said, his focus is more on packaging the beer. His goal is to brew and distribute Great Dane beer across Japan, introducing new styles to Japan's fledgling craft beer scene. Unlike Great Danes pubs in Wisconsin, the Japanese brewery can produce much more beer and is set up to can and package everything on site, using state-of-the-art equipment and tech. LoBreglio said that to draw a comparison, the Japanese enterprise is more similar to Wisconsin Brewing Co., Karben4 Brewing and New Glarus Brewing Co. "That's what we're going to try and do," he said in 2022. "We're going to be focusing less on restaurant operations. Definitely a distinctly different model." We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form TOKYO, Feb 03 (News On Japan) - The manga volume "Seito Shidou no Yuri Sensei" by Okano Kuko was released today, February 2nd. The story follows Yuri Takeo Sensei, a high school student guidance counselor known to her students as "Gori-sensei" due to her intimidating appearance. Despite her fearsome reputation, Yuri Sensei has her own network of information and subtly supports the romantic endeavors of her students, acting as a cupid behind the scenes. Whether it's a delinquent student who smokes cigarettes to catch the attention of the student council president or childhood friends who promised to marry each other when they were in kindergarten, the manga depicts various "Yuri-couples" and the watchful eye of Yuri Sensei. This volume also includes a special episode not published elsewhere. In addition to this work, Okano Kuko has been featured in other articles for her manga series. These include a new series launched on October 24, 2023, which tells the story of a delinquent girl and her peppy childhood friend, and a manga approved by Epoch Company, released on July 13, 2023, featuring a cool gyaru and a gloomy high school girl connected through Sylvanian Families. On November 15, 2022, she released a volume titled "Oshi Kimono," an anthology of stories about people who want to wear their "likes" and "heartthrobs." Another work, "Ojousama no Kindan Yorimichi Gohan," released on June 14, 2022, features a cool heiress who discovers the joy of snacking after school. Source: Natalie If it seems like everybody has a cough these days, youre not wrong. Respiratory illnesses that can cause you to whoop and hack your colds, flu, COVID, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and more are running rampant in the U.S. Activity spiked just before the holidays and remains high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), especially among a cluster of states in the South and West. If youve had a cough that you just cant shake, you may be wondering if its bronchitis or even pneumonia. Both share some similar symptoms, but they can require different treatments. Heres how to tell if you have bronchitis vs. pneumonia, plus the questions you should and shouldnt be asking your doctor. What is bronchitis? Bronchitis or whats officially called acute bronchitis often starts out as a cold or flu-like illness. You might experience congestion or feel run-down and achy, says Neil Kalsi, M.D., an assistant professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Family Medicine. But with bronchitis, the infection which is almost always caused by a virus evolves and the airways leading to the lungs get inflamed and filled with mucus. The result is a nagging cough that can persist for several weeks. Its that cough that doesnt go away. Its the cough that comes up when youre trying to laugh or talk to someone on the phone, says Kalsi, who adds that the cough can either be dry or come with some mucus and possibly even wheezing. But its a really, really annoying cough that makes it hard for people to go to work because they just cant talk to people. Other symptoms of bronchitis can include: Soreness in the chest Fatigue Body aches Sore throat How is it treated? Because bronchitis is usually caused by a virus typically the same viruses that cause colds and the flu antibiotics rarely help and, in fact, could cause more health issues. Instead, the common prescription for recovery is plenty of rest, fluids and even some honey. Multiple clinical trials have found that honey can help to improve the symptoms of a cough and does a better job than over-the-counter cough medicines. A summary of the research was published in 2020 in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. If youre going to spend the 10 bucks on a cough medicine, might as well buy some local honey instead, Kalsi says. According to the online travel agency Expedia, travelers in 2024 will check into rentals with pickleball courts, voyage to places where their favorite TV series are set, and visit destination dupes vacation spots that duplicate the features of well-traveled attractions but draw fewer crowds and offer more savings. Although the notion of alternatives isnt new, dupe mania is rooted in recent overtourism. People have been flocking to popular destinations in record numbers, which is driving an uptick in travelers who are seeking less crowded and less obvious alternatives to these popular vacation spots that still offer all the charm, says Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations. Nearly 60 percent of travelers surveyed by the market research firm Future Partners agreed with the finding that dupes will grow. Even more than the lower price, a dupe holds out the promise of a great experience, says Arnie Weissmann, the editor in chief of Travel Weekly, a travel business publication. Chief among the risks that can ruin a trip are your fellow travelers other travelers are competitors for the same resources youre looking for, from an upgraded room to a good table at a fine restaurant. Consider the following five destination dupes to help you make the most of spring break. Surfing at sunset is one way to spend spring break in the town of San Pancho. Greg Vaughn / Alamy Stock Photo Popular pick: Florida Dupe destination: Riviera Nayarit, Mexico From Pensacola to the Keys, Florida is a perennial spring break beach destination. Sun and sand lovers will find an alternative in Riviera Nayarit, the Pacific coast stretch of Mexicos state of Nayarit just north of well-known Puerto Vallarta. The beach town of Sayulita offers the bohemian appeal of Key West easy to navigate on foot and full of fishing charters and small hotels with the beachcombing access of the Florida Panhandle and surfing akin to New Smyrna Beach. Its more expensive to stay at a beachfront resort such as Amor Boutique Hotel compared with a town option such as El Pueblito Sayulita, but both are walking distance to the water where waves are gentle enough for beginners to take a swimming lesson. Travelers renting a car can explore even quieter beaches in the nearby towns of San Francisco (a.k.a. San Pancho) and Lo de Marcos. 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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 Zip Code Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A team from the British Consulting Office arrived in Zliten (170 km from Tripoli) on Friday to study the phenomenon of rising groundwater levels that has been affecting the town in recent days, leading to the displacement of residents in some areas Accolite Digital, a leading digital engineering, cloud, data & AI services provider and Bounteous, a digital innovation partner of the world's most ambitious brands, have announced their merger, creating a new end-to-end digital transformation services consultancy that partners with leading brands around the globe to co-innovate and drive exceptional client outcomes. The combined company will be headquartered out of Chicago with offices across North America, Europe, Asia and will be 5,000 people strong, with 3400+ in India and APAC, 1,200+ in North America, and 400+ in Europe. Post the merger, the company serves over 300 Fortune 1000 and high growth clients, solving their mission critical problems. With this merger, the company will be amongst the worlds leading digital transformation consultancies and look to scale to a billion dollar company in the coming years. Keith Schwartz will serve as CEO and Leela Kaza will serve as Co-CEO of the combined entity, where they will work together to further their mission of empowering businesses worldwide to compete more successfully in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Clients will benefit from a comprehensive range of AI & Data, Cloud, Customer Experience & Martech, Digital Commerce, and Product Engineering solutions. With an experienced, scaled and diverse team of experts across the globe, clients will have access to the right talent to deliver excellence, regardless of location. The new entity boasts an impressive roster of accreditations, certified teams, and awards across Adobe, Acquia, AWS, Azure, Google, Murex, Olo, Oracle, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Snowflake and more. Among their notable achievements, the new entity shines with its Adobe partnership, a Gold Solution and Specialized Partner who recently received its eighth specialization, and a distinguished collaboration with AWS, underscored by nearly 300 accreditations and a track record of empowering more than 50 AWS customers. The combined entity will serve top global companies helping to navigate their most complex challenges across industries like Banking, Financial, and Insurance; Consumer Goods and Retail; Healthcare; Logistics; Restaurant and Convenience; Telecommunications; Technology; and Travel & Hospitality. As customer demands become increasingly complex, businesses need a technology partner who can see the bigger picture and deliver solutions that help them win in their category, said Leela Kaza, Founder and CEO of Accolite. With the digital innovation mastery of Bounteous combined with Accolites digital engineering expertise and talent across North America, EMEA, and APAC, we are uniquely positioned to empower our clients to create extraordinary customer experiences that inspire genuine brand appreciation and long-term loyalty. This combination also fulfills our stated goal of becoming one of the top 10 privately held digital engineering firms in the world. This combination accelerates the realization of the vision Bounteous has been working toward since our founding: to become the world's preeminent digital innovation partner. Accolite shares our obsession with customer success and has an admirable track record of creating lasting value and impact for their clients, said Keith Schwartz, Co-Founder and CEO of Bounteous. Together, we are re-shaping the landscape of digital transformation and helping businesses adapt and succeed in the age of the connected customer. Both companies are backed by New Mountain Capital, a New York-based investment firm that emphasizes business building and growth. Prasad Chintamaneni, Managing Director at New Mountain Capital, said, This merger is a testament to the scale and quality of the work both Accolite and Bounteous have delivered to clients over the years. We see tremendous growth potential in the combination of these two companies, both of which bring impressive, blue-chip customer rosters, world-class digital consulting and engineering capabilities and a deep commitment to innovation. The technology, skills and global delivery capabilities represented here create a highly attractive digital transformation partner for C-suite leaders at the biggest brands in the world. Mumbaikars, prepare yourselves for a tropical experience, as CASA BACARDI brings you The House of Moods, arriving in Colaba on February 3 at the Radio Club Pier in Colaba. Its first edition in the city, the one-day House of Moods festival is a vibrant Caribbean-style celebration of culture, food, music, fashion, and of course, mixology. What does this Saturday have in store? Experiential events, outposts of your favorite brands, and a 6-hour musical takeover featuring hip hop and afrobeats sets from some of the citys hottest artists. Heres a full list of what you can expect to go down as you make your way to the House of Moods: Enjoy impeccable vibes by the sea with the beats of Choksi, OG Shez, Rae Mulla, and Tansane: Prepare for 6 hours of stellar music as the lineup of Choksi, OG Shez, Rae Mulla, and Tansane takes the stage through the evening, with curated Caribbean-inspired sets featuring an energetic blend of dancehall, afrobeats, hip hop, and more. Perfect the craft of your favorite cocktail at the mixology session: Learn how to mix up a storm behind the bar, as BACARDI Trade ambassador Ashitosh Narayan brings some mixes and tips on how to craft the perfect cocktail to enjoy or impress. Make your way to the bar for this masterclass to upgrade your cocktail IQ! Groove to your favorite beats at the dancehall workshop: If it moves you, its a mood! So get ready to unleash your mood with an arsenal of fresh moves on-ground at the dancehall workshop. Led by the incredible Jahnavi Saisuresh, join up with other enthusiasts for a session into tricks of the Jamaican dancehall style of movement, before taking it to the floor with your funky new flow! From swimwear to street styles, amp up your drip from the on-ground pop-ups: Level up your style quotient with the many moods of new gen fashion. From lit streetwear like Stamp Duty & Reside In Being, to beach attire by Papaya Swimwear, and accessories at Hyde Eyewear - there's something for every style and every mood! Take your tastebuds on an adventure: Grab some fuel to keep you going through the fiesta at the curated food stalls on ground. Featuring some of the citys favorite food joints like Nino Burgers, Pack A Pav, and Rocket Man Pizza, the festival will have all you need to delight your taste buds after you work up an appetite on the dance floor. In a resounding tribute to the Indian Air Force, #Fighter has emerged as a groundbreaking campaign, transcending digital boundaries to touch the hearts of millions. From the initiation of the #ThankYouFighter campaign to unprecedented on-ground innovations and media takeovers, here's how #Fighter dominated the collective consciousness: Brand Association #Fighter proudly collaborated with over 50 brands, including notable names such as Godrej Home Securities, Kotak PVR card, Bisleri, Croma, and Dr. Ortho Pain Relief to name a few. This extensive association reflects the trust and resonance that #Fighter has established with diverse audiences. #ThankYouFighter campaign When #ThankYouFighter took flight, a wave of gratitude swept across the nation. Over 10 lakh heartfelt digital messages poured in from every corner of the country, along with 2.5 lakh handwritten letters from more than 300 schools across 23 states. This is a testament to the deep appreciation for the Indian Air Force. Team #FIGHTER went beyond the virtual realm, personally delivering the nations gratitude to our esteemed air warriors at the Pune Air Base. #BeAFighter Campaign Viacom18 Studios has achieved groundbreaking success on Meta. The industry-first conversational chatbot under #Fighter recorded a remarkable 60% engagement rate, marking the largest Opt-In Campaign globally on the platform. This revolutionary tool has transformed the way we connect with our audience. Furthermore, the Fighter AR Filter made a resounding impact by shattering global records on Meta. Achieving an average AR time spend of 53 seconds, this breakthrough showcased not only technological innovation but also engaged users in an immersive and prolonged digital experience. It marked a significant milestone in augmented reality interactions, adding a new dimension to our campaign's success. IAF Band Collaboration A partnership that resonated in the skies and evoked goosebumps from netizens nationwide the #Fighter team collaborated with the Indian Air Force Band. Team #Fighter feels honored to have had the IAF Band perform their powerful rendition of #VandeMataram, uniting the nation in a shared spirit of patriotism Outdoor Activation #Fighter took innovation to new heights, quite literally! On-ground initiatives included eye-catching displays in Mumbai, like the Island Display at Juhu, anamorphic art installations in Sion, an active aircraft display at Carter Road and a jaw-dropping plane rotation in Mahim, showcasing the campaign's commitment to pushing boundaries in every dimension. Lingo Takeover Inspiring a linguistic revolution with a reach of over 5 million joining the wave, #Fighter brought aviation lingo to the forefront of internet discussions, turning it into a hot topic and showcasing the campaign's influence on popular culture. News Channels and Print #Fighter has made a significant impact in the news world, captivating audiences and dominating headlines. The campaign's influence has been nothing short of a storm, leaving an indelible mark on the media landscape. Adding to this triumph, in the Print leg of the campaign, #Fighter has championed every headline across the country. The campaign's innovative approach invited millions to scan QR codes, directing them to watch the thrilling trailer and engaging the nation in the inspiring story of valor and dedication. This Print element served as a dynamic extension, ensuring that #Fighter's narrative resonates widely across diverse media channels. As #Fighter continues to rise, it stands as a testament to the power of unity, innovation, and the profound impact of gratitude! The Interim Budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday (February 1, 2024), places significant emphasis on fostering the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) sector, with a particular focus on bolstering charging infrastructure across the nation. Recognising the pivotal role of EVs in achieving sustainable and cleaner transportation, the budget outlines a series of measures aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and addressing key challenges hindering their widespread deployment. In her speech, the Finance Minister said, Our Government will expand and strengthen the e-vehicle ecosystem by supporting manufacturing and charging infrastructure. Greater adoption of e-buses for public transport networks will be encouraged through payment security mechanism. Industry Speak Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder and CEO, Kinetic Green: The announcements on the interim budget for Viksit Bharat illustrate the Governments steadfast commitment to creating a developed India by 2047. The significant progress gained in all aspects of infrastructure physical, digital, and social over the last decade demonstrates our multifaceted economic management, which effortlessly aligns focus on infrastructure building with aggressive capital expenditure; with inclusive and people-centric development. The allocation of Rs 2.78 lakh crore to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is a clear indication of strides toward progress, particularly in fortifying the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. The Governments commitment to the expansion and fortification of the e-vehicle ecosystem, promote deployment of EVs for the masses, coupled with support for manufacturing and charging infrastructure, marks a pivotal moment. The Government remains resolute in its commitment to expanding and sustaining this ecosystem, fostering entrepreneurial opportunities for vendors engaged in the supply and installation of charging infrastructure. Simultaneously, it aims to create employment opportunities for the youth equipped with technical skills in the manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of these vehicles. The EV sector was expecting an announcement in the interim budget regarding the continuation of the Fame scheme for demand generation. We are hopeful to have this coming in the weeks ahead. We receive this budget with great enthusiasm, confidence and hope for the coming Amrit Kaal. Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations: With the Interim Union Budget 2024 announcement completed, Renault India embraces the transformative vision outlined by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, steering towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047. As a committed contributor to the nations progress, we applaud the inclusive approach reflected in initiatives like the Fasal Bima Yojana, benefiting 4 crore farmers, showcasing the Governments dedication to rural prosperity. Renault India enthusiastically supports the impetus on advancing the e-vehicle ecosystem, recognising its pivotal role in sustainable mobility. The promise of expanded manufacturing and charging infrastructure aligns seamlessly with the commitment to delivering innovative, eco-friendly solutions. Moreover, the emphasis on e-buses for public transport, echoes aspirations for fostering a greener, more sustainable future. Renault India stands poised to actively engage and collaborate in driving positive change and contributing to the realisation of a prosperous and sustainable India. Nikhil Rajpal, CEO, Hero Electronix (makers of Qubo): In the unveiling of the Interim Union Budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has strategically charted out a path not just for driving economic growth, but for a transformative era of inclusive prosperity. The strategic emphasis on empowering entrepreneurship with robust financial support is a game-changer. It paves the way for innovation-led development, mirroring our own ambition to be at the forefront of Viksit Bharat, and resonates deeply with our vision of building successful technology businesses out of India. This budget is not just a financial statement; its a blueprint for a resilient and self-reliant India, capturing the spirit of Sabka Prayas and our collective resilience through challenging times. As we at Hero Electronix (Qubo) stay buoyed by the Governments sustained support, we are more committed than ever to be instrumental in Indias journey. Its a journey not just towards economic success, but towards establishing India as a beacon of innovation and visionary leadership on the world stage. Pratik Kamdar, CEO & Co-Founder, Neuron Energy: The Interim Budget focused on key sectors and one of the promising ones is Electric Vehicles (EV). The initiatives will enhance and fortify the EV ecosystem by bolstering manufacturing and charging infrastructure. Additionally, the encouragement of greater adoption of e-buses for public transport networks through payment security mechanisms is a notable benefit. These investments not only pave the way for increased EV sales and adoption but also open doors for burgeoning job opportunities and entrepreneurial ventures within the sector. These efforts remain dedicated to driving Indias green mobility revolution forward. There is also an anticipated outcome in the form of economic empowerment which will equip the youth with valuable technical skills, ensuring a robust workforce for the manufacturing of EV chargers, and associated equipment. We look forward to the July budget where the focus will be on Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME II) scheme and much-anticipated FAME III scheme. Chetan Maini, Co-founder and Chairman, SUN Mobility: As a leading player in the EV energy services sector, SUN Mobility is particularly encouraged by the continued focus on green growth. I welcome the proposal to strengthen EV manufacturing and charging infrastructure. The announcement to promote e-buses is a progressive move towards electrifying the heavy vehicle segment. It shows the governments efforts towards encouraging wider adoption of EVs and fostering sustainable public transportation. Overall, this is a prudent Budget that outlines the governments dedication towards driving India at the forefront of sustainable revolution. We looked forward to positive announcements on the implementation of the Battery Swapping Policy, which was proposed in 2022. Announcements on further reforms like GST reduction on EV batteries and rationalization of inverted duty structure on EVs would have added further impetus to the countrys ambitious EV transition goals. Ranjita Ravi, Co-founder, Orxa Energies: The Interim Budget of 2024 has mentioned plans to accelerate the EV ecosystem through the expansion of charging and manufacturing infrastructure in the country. We at Orxa Energies firmly believe in Indias commitment towards growing electric mobility across the country and we look forward to collaborating with the government in achieving this aspiration. We are also delighted with the Honourable Finance Ministers mention of the governments intent to bolster deep tech for defence purposes. We are optimistic that such initiatives will accelerate our work in defence technologies and widen our footprint in these realms. Varun Goenka, Co-Founder & CEO, Chargeup: Chargeup acknowledges the Governments positive strides in the interim budget, marking a pivotal shift towards sustainable practices. As a prominent player in Indias electric vehicle landscape, we seamlessly align with the Governments focus on expanding the e-vehicle sector and reinforcing manufacturing and charging infrastructure. While we appreciate the commitment to fortify the e-vehicle sector, we emphasise the importance of addressing certain aspects left untouched. The introduction of a bio-manufacturing scheme resonates with our environmentally conscious approach; however, we advocate for a more comprehensive approach beyond subsidies for electric 2- and 3-wheelers. The government's emphasis on green energy, encompassing shore-wind energy and coal gasification, mirrors our dedication to cleaner technologies. Nevertheless, we urge a closer examination of challenges such as high GST rates and the lack of affordable financing for critical EV infrastructure, including Battery-as-a-Service facilities and charging stations. Despite our hopes for FAME-III subsidies extending coverage to EV buyers opting for vehicles without batteries, this aspect was not addressed. We eagerly anticipate a more holistic strategy that considers the diverse needs of the entire EV ecosystem. Looking ahead, Chargeup remains committed to collaborating with the government to pave the way for a greener and more resilient future for Indias e-vehicle ecosystem. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the last Budget before the country goes to the polls. Being the Interim Budget, there were no major announcements, however, there was still much cheer, with Agriculture, Infrastructure (including housing) and Green ecosystem as the key thrust areas. The Finance Minister also provided growth impetus for the EV sector, as well as for the start-up, Digital, AI, new-age technology sectors. During her Budget speech, Sitharaman stated, Digital India is key to formalising the Indian economy, thus emphasising the Governments commitment to put Digital on the fast track of growth. Sharing his insights, Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu, expressed his happiness that the governments budget priorities include simplifying processes through digital empowerment. He said, While we await the full budget, the interim one signals a commitment to nurturing strategic long-term investments and inclusive growth. The investment focus towards Infrastructure, Start-ups, Tourism, Women Empowerment, and Green Energy should stimulate consumption, boosting the economy and advertising expenditure. The budget also heralds a promising era for companies leveraging AI and market technology to drive a technology-driven economy. Razdan further noted that the focus on digital connectivity promises fresh avenues for innovation and expansion within the industry. The projected economic growth of 6-6.8% in the next fiscal year will continue to drive consumption and better advertising spending across diverse industries. However, the Industry was hoping for additional measures to boost rural consumption, and that could dampen advertising spends to an extent, he added. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the last Budget before the country goes to the polls. Being the Interim Budget, there were no major announcements, however, there was still much cheer, with Agriculture, Infrastructure (including housing) and Green ecosystem as the key thrust areas. The Finance Minister also provided growth impetus for the EV sector, as well as for the start-up, Digital, AI, new-age technology sectors. During her Budget speech, Sitharaman stated, Digital India is key to formalising the Indian economy, thus emphasising the Governments commitment to put Digital on the fast track of growth. Aditya V Agarwal, Director, Emami Group: No nation can grow if half of its population stays out of the economy and in India, 45-50% of the population are women. From this perspective, the Union Budget 2024 is a highly progressive and forward looking budget making development more inclusive for the women of this nation through focus on socio-economic schemes like lakhpati didi, extension of Ayushman Bharat cover to all Asha and Anganwadi workers, etc. Encouraging incentives and capex allocation to areas like agri-business, tourism, long-term financing in research & innovation, railways and infrastructure, housing etc are also great initiatives that will go a long way in benefitting the industry automatically and generating employment in turn. Overall, it is a very positive budget that is focussed on more comprehensive governance, development and performance to make the future of India more stronger. Harsha V Agarwal, Vice Chairman & MD, Emami Ltd: The Union Budget 2024 reaffirms the Governments commitment to a comprehensive and inclusive development of the country. There is a clear roadmap focused on supporting the key pillars of youth, poor, women and farmers for Indias transformation. The direction of this budget is towards strengthening the growth foundation for long term prosperity. Suchana Sarkar, CBO, Makani Creatives: The interim budget has paved a visionary path, calling upon the tech-savvy youth to lead Indias growth journey. With a focus on transformative technology and digital revolution, we are expecting a new lease of innovation from Digital India. This vision propels the marketing and advertising industry as well to fortify our excellence in integrating technology into our solutions and catering to the new India. Nikhil Mansukhani, Managing Director, MAN Industries: The budget aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat, that of creating a prosperous nation in harmony with mother nature. We see the emphasis on modern infrastructure, including metro rail network and NaMo Bharat, as a significant catalyst for urban and industrial transformation. It is commendable to see the government's strategy to triple capital expenditure, fostering robust economic growth and job creation. The 11.1 per cent increase in next years outlay to Rs 1,111,111 crore, constituting 3.4 per cent of the GDP, reflects a visionary approach. The focus on building infrastructure aligns seamlessly with the Governments vision for a resilient and prosperous India. Very importantly, the provision of viability gap funding for offshore wind energy, establishment of coal gasification and liquefaction capacity, and the phased mandatory blending of compressed biogas in CNG and PNG, are welcome steps towards Indias commitment to achieving net-zero by 2070. These will lead to reduced imports and boost self-reliance, a very welcome approach to our sustainability goals. The strategic economic railway corridor programs are bound to boost the energy, mineral, and cement corridors, ports connectivity, and enhanced and smoother traffic. These initiatives will undoubtedly propel infrastructural development and growth. Dheeraj Arora, Managing Director & CEO, HRIPL (Hygienic Research Institute Streax, Streax Professional & Vasmol): We are pleased to witness the significance laid on a harmonious blend of economic growth and sustainable development in the budget speech. The emphasis on embracing new age technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship as the foundation is commendable. The allocation of a one-lakh crore rupee corpus for research and innovation is expected to catalyze private sector participation, nurturing technological advancements. Moreover, the proposed interest-free loan of seventy-five thousand crore rupees for state governments, supporting milestone-linked reforms, is a positive stride towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat. The government's initiatives to enhance the rural economy, including allocations for schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee and Production Linked Incentive, are noteworthy and poised to propel the agricultural sector translating into improvement of Rural Consumption & in turn revival of consumer sector. We believe, this interim budget appears promising, and we eagerly await the unfolding of these measures in the months to come and for Final budget post-election. Madhavan Menon, Executive Chairman, Thomas Cook (India): The interim Budget presented by the Finance Minister has focussed on Tourism with a multipronged approach that we believe will create a multiplier effect across aviation, tourism and allied sectors, boosting growth and employment generation. We welcome the announcements on airport development and expansion: having already doubled to 149 airports in the last decade, the governments plans to boost air connectivity by the addition of 517 new routes across Tier 2-3 cities, carrying 1.3 crore passengers via the UDAN scheme, will play a critical role with vibrant hub and spoke air corridors to boost accessibility-affordability for Regional India. Implementation of major rail connectivity corridors via the PM Gati Shakti program together with port and metro/rapid transport expansion will serve to create valuable multi modal connectivity for Tourism. We welcome the special focus on Domestic Tourism which represents a vibrant growth driver via the governments plan of long-term interest free loans to States; development of iconic tourism centres by States along with marketing on global standards. What was noteworthy is the reference to Spiritual Tourism and projects for port connectivity, tourism infrastructure and amenities on islands including Lakshdweep aimed at development of Indias hidden gems and employment opportunities. Further, the strong capex outlay of Rs 11.11 lakh crore, a significant 4% of our GDP, will serve as a catalyst to the Countrys growth potential and job creation. Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel: The interim budget presented by Honble Finance Minister has maintained status-quo on direct and indirect taxes thus keeping its impact neutral. The government has set focus on the overall travel and tourism sector via infrastructure development, green energy, sustainability and looked at diverse initiatives for domestic tourism via a strategic approach for each segment - aviation, ports (waterways) and rail to strengthen regional connectivity to Tier 2 and 3 cities. We welcome the development on the rapid expansion of air connectivity with the addition of 517 new routes across Regional Indias tier 2 and 3 cities via the UDAN scheme this will play a key role in strengthening accessibility. The special focus on strengthening domestic tourism via implementation of rail connectivity corridors under the PM Gati Shakti initiative and upgrading 40,000 regular train boogies into high speed Vande Bharat trains will definitely strengthen surface transportation. The Governments plan on focus on spiritual tourism, development of iconic tourist spots and island destinations of India including Lakshadweep (projects for port connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and amenities) will generate employment thus boosting Indias economy. What is noteworthy, is the Governments mindful move to form a panel to tackle challenges of higher population/ over tourism, especially in destinations with sensitive ecosystems. Tune in to Zee Cafe and be part of the excitement, where beauty, diversity, and individual strength converge in a quest like no other as "Made in America" takes centre stage, starting February 2nd, on weekends at 7 PM. Join the captivating journey led by former Miss America Nina Davuluri as she mentors six young South Asian women vying for the prestigious crown in this exhilarating ten-week series. "Made in America" is a captivating reality series that follows the inspiring journey of six young South Asian women as they embark on a transformative ten-week experience guided by none other than former Miss America Nina Davuluri. In this empowering quest, these ambitious contestants undergo challenges, personal growth, and skill development to discover who possesses the qualities necessary to don the prestigious crown. As they navigate the trials and triumphs of the pageant world, "Made in America" showcases the contestants' beauty and grace but emphasizes the significance of cultural diversity and individual strength. Do join Nina Davuluri and witness the captivating journey of these extraordinary women as they strive to redefine beauty standards and make their mark in the world of pageantry as the glamour and determination unfold on your screens at Zee Cafe. Zee Cafe Presents the Exquisite World of Made in America from 2nd February on weekends at 7 PM only on Zee Cafe Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The number of hungry people in Sudan has doubled over the past year, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday, adding that it is already receiving reports of people dying from starvation The advertising creativity industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. This shift marks a new era of innovation and efficiency, fundamentally changing how advertisements are conceived, targeted, and optimized. The influence of AI extends across various facets of the creative process, from data-driven insights to personalized content creation, ushering in a wave of enhanced creativity, improved audience engagement, and heightened campaign effectiveness. AI enables advertisers to analyze vast amounts of data to gain valuable insights into consumer behavior, preferences, and trends. This data-driven approach helps in creating targeted and personalized advertising campaigns that resonate with specific audience segments. AI algorithms can analyze user data to deliver highly personalized and targeted advertisements. This level of personalization ensures that ads are more relevant to individual consumers, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion. AI-powered tools like natural language processing (NLP) and generative algorithms enable the automation of content creation. Advertisers can use AI to generate compelling copy, design graphics, and even create videos, streamlining the creative process and saving time. As we delve into the insights provided by industry experts, we uncover the evolving landscape where AI seamlessly intertwines with human creativity, propelling the advertising industry into uncharted territories. AI Unleashing Creativity: A Conversation with Industry Experts Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Innovation Officer, DENTSU CREATIVE India, emphasises that AIs transformative power lies in unlocking unparalleled insights. According to him, This is a new chapter in creative advertising, where AIs ideas make stories better. This shift enhances the relevance and effectiveness of advertising campaigns, allowing creatives to craft more compelling storytelling tailored to individual user behaviour and preferences. Vincent Kola, Creative Head, SoCheers, asserts that AIs impact on the advertising space is not just imminent, but is already unfolding rapidly. AI tools streamline processes and catalyse a wave of innovation, leading to novel genres and better campaigns in shorter timelines, he adds. The ease with which creatives now incorporate AI-powered tools into their workflows is indicative of a creative utopia, where efficiency and innovation converge to redefine advertising standards. Suchana Sarkar, CBO, Makani Creatives, acknowledges the mainstream integration of Generative AI into civilian lives, particularly through popular apps like Facetune and Canva, emphasising, The debate goes beyond use cases, touching on ethics, morality, and legalities. Ruchita Purohit, EVP, FCB Interface, says "AI is poised to enhance human efforts across various facets, including content generation and large scale personalization. Essentially, AI is not a fleeting trend; it represents a paradigm shift in how we create." AI and Machine Learning: Transforming the Creative Advertising Process Gurbaksh Singh underscores the role of AI and machine learning in enabling real-time optimisations, ensuring that creatives not only reach their audience, but genuinely connect with them, emphasising real-time optimisations enabled by AI and machine learning. He notes, This technological advancement revolutionizes the way brands interact with their audience, ushering in an age of unprecedented personalisation. Vincent Kola suggests that the possibilities offered by AI and Machine Learning are endless, with human ingenuity being the driving force behind their effective utilisation, anticipating a new wave in advertising, stating, AI is not just a productivity tool but a concept itself, leading to a higher level of functioning, innovation, and better campaigns. Ruchita Purohit take on Machine learning emphasises that "In the realm of digital marketing, platforms such as Google AdWords harness AI to empower businesses. Moreover, AI is not merely a tool for optimization but a catalyst for creative innovation. Through AI, we unlock the potential to not only reach but truly connect with our audience." Sarkar delves into the moral and ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in advertising, questioning whether creativity is a laborious process or a pursuit. Generative AIs Impact on Engagement: Strategies for Success Gurbaksh Singh sheds light on how Generative AI transforms ad campaigns by dynamically adapting visuals and tailoring messaging to resonate uniquely with users, highlighting Generative AIs transformative power, stating, Dynamically tailoring content resonates uniquely with users, boosting campaign effectiveness. Vincent Kola explores the various ways brands can leverage Generative AI, from creating personalized voice assistants to automating video content creation and using AI to predict user behaviour. The emphasis is on using AI not just as a productivity tool but as a concept that can drive new waves of creativity in advertising, exploring myriad ways brands can leverage Generative AI, noting, From creating personalised voice assistants to predicting user behavior, Generative AI enhances engagement. Ruchita Purohit stated "Generative AI could spice things up. An example with Max Life Insurance demonstrates dynamic endorsements where celebrities mention viewers' names, congratulating them on recent life milestones pulled from data. Generative AI can also introduce interactive elements, such as choose-your-own-adventure ads, providing a personalized and engaging experience for the audience." Approaching Generative AI: Key Considerations for Ad Agencies Gurbaksh Singh emphasises the importance of counterbalancing AI automation with human creativity to preserve brand authenticity, underscoring the importance of counterbalancing AI automation with human creativity, stating, Preserving brand authenticity and ethical data use remains paramount. Vincent Kola outlines key aspects, including knowledge, combinations of AI tools, human oversight, and compliance that ad agencies need to keep in mind when approaching Generative AI, outlining key aspects, noting, A knowledge-sharing culture, human oversight, and compliance are crucial when approaching Generative AI. Suchana Sarkar raises ethical concerns and the need for a nuanced understanding of AIs role in creative processes, raising a crucial concern about ethical implications, urging the industry to learn from legalities and the evolving impact of tech on society. Ruchita Purohit on Key Considerations for Ad Agencieson stated "Diving into the realm of Generative AI (GAI) opens up incredible avenues for us in advertising and marketing. Cultural sensitivity is paramount, and AI needs to grasp regional preferences, cultural festivals, and societal norms. AI should be viewed as a powerful tool designed to augment and enhance human capabilities, not replace them." Fortifying Learnings: Nurturing a Culture of Collaboration Gurbaksh Singh advocates fostering collaboration between creative minds and AI scientists, encouraging knowledge exchange, regular training, and an iterative approach to experimentation, emphasising on fostering collaboration. He says, Regular training and an iterative approach to experimentation fortify learnings and maximise AIs outcomes. Vincent Kola stresses on the importance of a knowledge-sharing culture and ongoing training to keep creative teams informed about the capabilities and limitations of Generative AI, stressing the importance of a knowledge-sharing culture. Ongoing training and dedicated resources for researching AI tools fortify learnings and leverage Generative AI effectively, he adds. Suchana Sarkar highlights the need for the industry to listen, learn, and engage continually to harness the full potential of Generative AI, underscoring the need for continuous learning, stating, Engaging with AI as a revolutionary innovation that inspires creativity, rather than a mere input-output function. Ruchita Purohit while talking about culture of collaboration framed "It's an intricate dance that demands a blend of patience, insight, and just the right touch of creativity. The real magic happens when we blend our creative instincts with AIs data-driven insights. Together, were an unstoppable force, combining the best of both worlds to crack the code of captivating advertising." In conclusion, as AI continues to redefine the landscape of advertising creativity, industry players must navigate these transformative waters with a blend of innovation, ethical considerations, and a commitment to preserving the authenticity of the creative process. The integration of AI into advertising not only enhances efficiency but also opens up new possibilities for creativity, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in the dynamic world of advertising. As we navigate the seas of AI-driven creativity in advertising, the future unfolds as a harmonious integration of technology and human ingenuity. The insights provided by industry experts paint a vivid picture of an industry evolving, not just in terms of efficiency but in the very essence of creative expression. The creative revolution powered by AI is not a replacement for human creativity, but a catalyst that propels us into a realm where the possibilities are endless. It is a journey where ethical considerations, collaboration, and continuous learning will be the compass guiding the industry towards new horizons of innovation and engagement. The tapestry of advertising creativity is being rewoven, with each algorithm and insight contributing to a narrative where human and machine coalesce to shape the future of storytelling. Gourav Rakshit, the Chief Operating Officer of Viacom18 Digital, has resigned from his position after nearly five years with the company. His departure comes in the wake of the merger between Voot, a video streaming app owned by Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, and JioCinema. This transition requires Voot users to migrate to the JioCinema platform, where Viacom18's original content, including popular shows like Bigg Boss, is now being premiered. Rakshit, who served as COO of Viacom Digital since May 2019, played a crucial role in the company. His extensive professional background includes leadership roles at Shaadi.com, Infosys Consulting, Planetasia, and Nestle. The opposition INDIA bloc on Friday decided to raise the issue of arrest of JMM leader Hemant Soren in both houses of Parliament. Sources said the decision was taken at a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, who met this morning in the chamber of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament House. This is the first time that opposition leaders have met to discuss their strategy in the Budget Session of Parliament that began on January 31. The opposition leaders have criticised the arrest of Soren by the Enforcement Directorate and delay in the formation of the new government in the state. Top Opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and TR Baalu, had earlier met at the residence of Kharge on the day Soren was arrested by the ED. They are alleging that Soren was forced to quit as chief minister and the new government formation was delayed. Soren was arrested on Wednesday night after resigning as the Jharkhand chief minister. A new retailer is preparing to open next week at Birminghams The Summit, which is continuing to add new stores after several additions last year. Workwear clothing store Carhartt is planning to open Feb. 8 at 240 Summit Blvd, Unit 104, according to the store. Established in 1889, Carhartt sells rugged products for workers on and off the job. The family-owned Michigan-based company has approximately 5,400 employees worldwide, selling jackets, coats, overalls and coveralls, dungarees, fire-resistant clothing and hunting apparel, among other items. Also opening is Laseraway at 133 Summit Blvd., a laser hair and tattoo removal boutique that also offers cool sculpting, facials and other services. Last week, Churro Station opened in the strip of shops that house Teaspoon, Taco Mama, and Real & Rosemary. It offers handcrafted churros with fillings and toppings, as well as a selection of drinks including coffee, hot chocolate, sparking water and soft drinks. Culinary Dropout has announced it will open its first Alabama location at The Summit on March 20. The restaurant, which offers a mix of comfort food and cocktails with live music, is now hiring. It occupies the lot formerly held by Romanos Macaroni Grill. California-based clothing retailer TravisMathew and upscale eyeglass retailer Warby Parker opened late last year. A federal jury today handed down a nearly $4.5 million verdict against the city of Birmingham and one of its police officers after finding that the officer used excessive force in the shooting of two people. Birmingham officer Aric Mitchell shot and killed 28-year-old Jamarcus Moore after a car chase in 2019, according to court records. The officer also shot and injured Samantha Hardin, who was riding in the car with Moore, the records state. Hardin and Moores sister filed a federal lawsuit in 2021, alleging the officer violated their civil rights. A report by state police said the officer fired his gun four times into their car. The jury awarded $2.85 million in punitive damages to Moores estate. Jurors awarded Hardin $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $100,000 in punitive damages. When officers do wrong, and when the city does wrong by not holding these officers accountable, the justice system has to step in, said attorney Johnathan Austin, who represented Hardin and Moore. This jury sent a clear message to the city of Birmingham and its police department, that they will not stand for this type of reckless and callous behavior that was demonstrated by this police officer as well as the police department. Rick Journey, spokesperson for Birmingham, said the city plans to appeal the verdict. Beyond that, the city does not discuss ongoing litigation. In June 2019, Moore was driving with Hardin from Fairfield to Ensley when they noticed a police officer following them with flashing lights, per the lawsuit. Moore sped away from the officer because he had a warrant out for his arrest and he wanted to be present for the coming birth of his daughter, the lawsuit says. When the chase reached Hueytown, the police cruiser plowed into the rear passenger side of his car, per the lawsuit. Officer Mitchell got out of his police car and started firing his gun into the closed drivers side window of the vehicle without warning, shooting Moore multiple times in the chest, the suit says. He also shot Hardin, which broke her leg. Another officer came up and told them to put their hands up, per the lawsuit Moore couldnt because he was incapacitated, so the officers pulled him out, put handcuffs on him and placed him face down on the ground. The coroner later pronounced him dead. In response to the lawsuit, the city said in court records that Mitchell was cleared of any wrongdoing in an internal investigation as well as by the Bessemer District Attorneys office and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The city also said in court records that officers followed police department policies and used only such force as was necessary to protect the public from the violent actions of Hardin and Moore. Police in their statements at the time said that someone fired shots from Moores car. Austin said that while a gun was found in the car, neither Moore nor Hardin posed harm to Officer Mitchell to justify the shooting. Fredric Fullerton and Samantha Chandler, attorneys for Birmingham and Officer Mitchell, declined to comment. After a four-day trial, the federal jury found that Officer Mitchell perceived that Mr. Moore posed an imminent threat of serious physical harm to the officers or others but also that the officer intentionally committed acts that violated Moore and Hardins constitutional protections from excessive or unreasonable force, according to the verdict forms. They also found that when Mitchell shot them, the officer acted with a design or purpose to inflict injury without reasonable justification and that the officers wrongful act, omission or negligence caused Moores death, the verdict states. The jury rejected Hardins assault and battery claims against the city and Mitchell, finding that Mitchell did not intend to shoot Hardin. Were happy, were definitely pleased with the verdict, said Richard Rice, another attorney representing Hardin and Moores sister. This family has been grieving over this situation. Joseph D. Bryant contributed to this report. Downtown Mobile restaurant Spot of Tea, closed for more three weeks amid a dispute between the owner and the Mobile County Health Department, will reopen Friday morning, owner Tony Moore said in a Facebook post late Thursday. The brief post was a simple teaser that made no reference to recent events. It read, in full: Open Tomorrow, Friday Feb 2nd Mardi Gras Hours ~ 8:00am 2:00pm ~ Under Same Management ~ Tony Moore ~ Proud Owner Since 1994 Spot of Tea has served breakfast and brunch at a prime location off the north side of Cathedral Square since 1994, with its 30th anniversary coming up in December 2024. On Jan. 5, the restaurant received an inspection rating of 60, a score that requires re-inspection within 48 hours. An attempted inspection on Jan. 9 was followed by a prolonged parking-lot standoff between Moore and an MCHD inspection team on Jan. 11, which ended with a citation for illegal operation. As that played out, Moore created a social media furor with an acrimonious series of Facebook posts (since deleted) accusing the MCHD of unfair treatment. By Jan. 17 he had announced that he couldnt reopen and that the business and the building were officially for sale. He later modified that, saying first that he hoped to reopen and later than he thought the business might reopen under new management. MCHD has made minimal comment, saying it does not report on active investigations or inspections. Mobile County Health Officer Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels has added that the department does not comment on personnel actions but that we do take all allegations, complaints and comments seriously. It appears, based on information provided by Moore, that an inspection early this week by the Alabama Department of Public Health provided a way forward. On Thursday he shared an email sent by the MCHD on behalf of Michaels, which he shared with AL.com: Mr. Moore, After review of Spot of Tea file and the most recent inspection performed by ADPH, the management has corrected numerous findings. Some of the additional findings can be corrected with attention to detail on providing hand drying towels at the handwashing sink and cleaning can opener and pans. The Spot of Tea must procure the services of a licensed Pest Control Operator to develop an integrated pest control plan for the facility. It cant be over emphasized that the presence of a competent and certified food manager, within 120 days, should be able with owner support to maintain and improve the sanitary practices in this facility. I recommend that the suspension be lifted once all unpaid fees in the sum of $410.00 (see attached.) are paid. Moore told AL.com later Thursday, prior to his Facebook post, that he was paying the bill, which comprised various inspection fees and the Jan. 11 fine, under protest. AL.com reached out to an MCHD for comment on the reopening announcement and will update the story with any comment provided. Alabama Symphony Orchestra musical director Carlos Izcaray remembers a defining moment during his tenure with the renowned ensemble. The orchestra collaborated with composer Dr. Brian Nabors to premiere his symphony, Letters from Birmingham. A composition dedicated to the city, the orchestral work was a musical journey through Birminghams history in four movements: Sloss( named after the steel industry that fueled the citys origins), Tuxedo Junction (a nod to the citys golden jazz era), March (a dedication to Birminghams civil rights history), and the finale, The Magic City (a celebration of the citys enduring spirit). The weeks of conversation and composition planted a seed for Izcaray and Nabors. The two musicians knew they wanted to work together again, and they wanted to curate an event for both professional musicians and the public. Little by little, the idea evolved. Nabors and Izcaray wanted to feature masterclasses in conducting and composition, as well as a lineup of workshops for fundraising and behind-the-scenes production. They also wanted the event to include historically Black colleges and universities from around the state. Now, Nabors and Izcarays vision has finally come to fruition. This weekend, UAB, the home of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, will host MOMENTUM-- a free two-day conference for early-career musicians, veteran musicians, and the public. Momentum will be the second consecutive free music conference at UAB. Last year, the university hosted MUSE, a two-day summit on music production, health, and business. The conference, which runs from Friday, February 2 to Saturday, February 3, will feature a series of panels and masterclasses from an array of industry professionals, as well as a lineup of free performances. After a welcome from Nabors and a keynote address from social justice organizer and film producer T. Marie King, Fridays sessions will include panel discussions on the future of classical music and roundtable discussions about music education. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra will perform in the Jemison Concert Hall at noon. The evening featured concert will be an HBCU celebration featuring four ensembles: the Miles College Choir, the Talladega College Drumline, the Oakwood University Sinfonietta, and the Alabama State University Trombone Choir and Horn Quartet. Saturdays schedule will begin with a presentation from Grammy-nominated ensemble Imani Winds and a series of workshops about the use of music technology, networking, and behind-the-scenes production. The day will end with a final performance from the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Imani Winds. [READ THE FULL MOMENTUM SCHEDULE HERE] Izcaray, who is now in his ninth season with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, hopes MOMENTUM will grow into a local resource. I want everyone to know that the music is universal, said Izcaray. Its a statement of humanity. Its a blessing, especially when you give a special focus to our community. Izcaray is also thrilled King will be a speaker at MOMENTUM, especially after her on-stage interview with Meshell Ndegeocello at last years MUSE conference. King, says Izcaray, has a passion and understanding for the symphony. She helps us have a vision for the future of the orchestra in the community, said Izcaray. Above all, Izcaray hopes MOMENTUM attendees, whether they are musicians or spectators, will recognize the Alabama Symphony Orchestras dedication to the community. We love where we are. We love our community, said Izcaray. Its something I want people to know-- the power of music and an orchestra to bring people together and to inspire. One person is in custody and a second person sought in the shooting death of a woman found slain on a dead-end street in Birmingham. Jayden Gildersleeve, a 21-year-old Midfield man, is charged with capital murder and first-degree kidnapping in the slaying of 43-year-old Genise Carter. Police are trying to identify a second person and released surveillance footage of him on Thursday night. Carters body was discovered at 8:21 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in the 1300 block of 18th Street North. Jayden Gildersleeve is charged with capital murder in the January 2024 killing of Genise Carter.(Jefferson County Jail) Officer Truman Fitzgerald said a city worker found the woman unresponsive. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced her dead on the scene at 9:24 a.m. Detectives did not initially see any obvious signs of foul play. However, the body was taken to the Jefferson County Coroners Office where an autopsy showed she had been shot. Gildersleeve was taken into custody Wednesday by Birmingham detectives, with help from the Crime Reduction Team, the City Wide Task Force, Community Safety Partnership officers and Jefferson Countys Star 1 helicopter. The arrest was made in the 200 Block of 3rd Avenue Southwest. The Jefferson County District Attorneys Office on Thursday issued the warrants against Gildersleeve. Police are investigating the discovery of a body found on a dead-end street in northern Birmingham.(Carol Robinson) Authorities have not said whether the suspect and the victim were acquainted. Gildersleeve is being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail. Anyone with information on the second person is asked to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Five of the six Alabama Republicans in the U.S. House voted against a $75 billion tax bill that that would expand the federal child tax-credit, with at least three citing concerns over allowing undocumented immigrants with U.S.-born kids access to the tax break. Carl votes against giving illegal immigrants free handouts, screamed a headline from a press release by U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile. Rep. Barry Moore opposes bipartisan tax deal with illegal immigrant loophole, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, stated in another press statement. U.S. Rep. Barry Moore of Enterprise and U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl of Mobile participate in a debate hosted by the Baldwin County GOP on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at the Daphne Civic Center in Daphne, Ala.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Moore and Carl are engaged in a primary battle ahead of the March 5 election in the highly-conservative 1st congressional district. The last thing we should be doing at a time when our borders are wide open is giving handouts to illegal immigrants, Carl said in a statement. While there are good things in this bill, I simply will not vote for anything to encourage or reward illegal immigration. Said Moore, This legislation works against taxpayers by increasing the deficit by $155 billion while we are $34 trillion in debt and providing a loophole for illegal immigrants to receive the child tax credit. Also voting against the measure, which won a 357-70 bipartisan vote in the House Wednesday, were Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Hayleyville; Mike Rogers, R-Saks; and Gary Palmer, R-Hoover. Voting in support were Republican Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, and Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., makes his way to a House Republican Conference meeting in Washington on Friday, May 14, 2021. (Photo by Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) I have consistently supported tax reform legislation reducing the burden on Alabama families and small businesses, said Palmer, who facing Republicans Ken McFeeters and Gerrick Wilkins during the March 5 primary. However, a bill that increases incentives to work less or not at all, and with no specific provisions preventing illegal aliens from receiving taxpayer dollars via an expanded child tax credit, could never earn my support. This type of legislation will entice even more people to break our immigration laws and enter the country illegally. Aderholt said the legislation lacked oversight to prevent (the tax credits) from landing in the pockets of 6.45 million undocumented immigrants who have entered the country since the 2020 election. Alabamians deserve better than to provide this taxpayer-funded benefit to those who have chosen to come to this country illegally, he said. Unrelated issues At least one expert on the matter says the legislation has no so-called loophole for undocumented immigrants and does nothing to change the requirement that families receiving the child tax credit must provide a Social Security number for their children, which was included in former President Donald Trumps tax cut legislation in 2017. Parents are not required to have a Social Security number, although they need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to claim a benefit for their children. The overall legislation is being credited for expanding the child tax credit and giving more money to low-income families. After many years of trying, Congressional Republicans succeeded in adding a (social security number) requirement for any child claim but still allowed ITINs for parents as part of the Trump tax cuts, said Joshua McCabe, director of social policy at the Niskanen Center, a libertarian think tank based in Washington, D.C. This was done under a Republican trifecta so it was as far as they could take it with a Republican majority. He added, Fast forward to today where many Republicans are frustrated about the border crisis and a failure to find compromise on immigration. McCabe said the 2017 changes were quite effective in reducing undocumented immigrants accessing federal tax breaks. He said there is no indication how adding additional requirements would affect the overall bill, but some hardline conservative shave doubled down on the issue over the past couple of weeks. My view is they are asking tax policy to solve immigration policy problems, which is ill-equipped to deal with and they need to find an immigration fix if theyre truly interested in addressing the crisis, McCabe said. Tornado victims Tornado damage near downtown Marbury, Ala., Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | news@al.com) Forty-seven Republicans and 23 Democrats voted against the bill. Among the GOP, 167 voted in support of it, while 188 Democrats were supportive in a vote that national news outlets are heralding as a rare moment of bipartisanship in a gridlocked Congress. Sewell, in a statement, said the child tax credit expansion which provides a boost for low-income families with more than one child would assist 16 million children in the U.S., and 280,000 in Alabama. The package also provides a boost to the low-income housing tax credit, ends double taxation on U.S. companies operating in Taiwan, allow businesses to write off more of their research and development expenses, and provide tax relief to natural disaster victims. Sewell said the legislation will help the victims of the Jan. 12, 2023, storms in Greene, Hale, Sumter, and Dallas counties. Representative Terri Sewell delivers a speech on the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma AL, United States on March 5, 2023. (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The Child Tax Credit is among the most effective anti-poverty programs in the nation and thanks to this compromise, it will again provide much needed assistance to Alabama families, Sewell said. While this legislation as a whole does not go as far as it could, it represents important progress in the fight against child poverty and provides critical tax relief to families in Selma and the Black Belt as they rebuild from last years tornado. Strong did not provide a statement. The legislation faces hurdles in the Senate, where some Republicans reportedly said they have concerns about handing a policy win over to the Biden Administration during a presidential campaign. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, according to NBC News, said that passing a bill that makes the president look good could also hamper the Congress ability to extend the 2017 tax cuts under Trump. Im looking forward to reviewing the bill thoroughly now that its heading to the Senate. First and foremost, it is critical to not rush this legislation, Republican U.S. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama said. Senator (Majority Leader Chuck) Schumer should send the bill to the Senate Finance Committee, where it should be subject to proper scrutiny, debate, and a formal mark-up. Alabamas other Republican Senator, Tommy Tuberville, did not respond to a request for comment. This story was updated at 7:13 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2024, to include a statement from U.S. Senator Katie Britt. American Airlines announced the layoff of hundreds of employees earlier this week as the airline seeks to reorganize and improve its customer service team. USA TODAY reports the carrier has plans to create a new customer service team that will be dedicated to providing more convenient, elevated support to customers and their travel needs. Unfortunately, this means some current positions will be eliminated, American Airlines told USA TODAY in a statement. Were working closely with impacted team members to support them through this transition including providing exclusive access to job openings throughout American Airlines, outplacement services and severance. Currently, passengers traveling on American Airlines have to reach out to separate customer service teams for different issues, but the airline says the new structure will consolidate that assistance into one team, according to USA TODAY. According to Bloomberg, the layoffs will eliminate 8.2% of its 8,000 customer service-related positions for a total of 656 employees, who are not represented by a union. 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) Amtrak believes the execution of a $178 million federal grant is proceeding well, and that a lengthy case before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board over the fate of passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans could be dismissed on or before May 1, a filing submitted Thursday states. Amtrak, in the joint filing with the parties involved in the case, stated that if a dismissal is not filed on or before May 1, a further joint status will be submitted. The filing with the STB was due on Thursday and was signed off by attorneys representing Amtrak, the Alabama State Port Authority, and the two freight operators along the Gulf Coast -- CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern. The six-page filing also illustrates the issues that still need to be addressed in Mobile. A train station must be completed before the resumption of Gulf Coast passenger rail service, and a land lease agreement needs approval from a supermajority of the Mobile City Council, the filing states. The filing does not specifically include any mention of a cost-sharing request with the City of Mobile for the operation of a twice-daily Amtrak service between Mobile and New Orleans. The route will include four stops in coastal Mississippi: Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis. A cost-sharing proposal could be a hurdle because it will need at least five of seven votes from the city council. At least two council members have publicly expressed doubts or concerns about the project or Amtrak service in general. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, following his State of the City address in January said the city was waiting on Amtrak to provide an operational cost estimate that would be expected of the city to support the twice-daily service. The filing indicates that Amtrak has provided a draft agreement of the land lease terms and is actively negotiating agreement terms with the City. The filing also requests the STB forgo a hearing tentatively scheduled for Feb. 14. The STB called for the hearing last month to provide an update into the settlement agreement that was reached among all parties involved in the case in November 2022, more than 14 months ago. The City of Mobile was also asked to participate in the hearing if they so choose. The agreement before the STB, among other things, calls for passenger rail service to be restored between the two cities for the first time since 2005. Highlights within the filing include: A train station in Mobile includes the installation of a 3,000-foot layover track at, or proximate to, the site of the former train station in downtown Mobile at the foot of Government Street at Water Street and near Cooper Riverside Park. Amtrak is set to fund the project separate from projects that are being supported by the $178 million federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant awarded by the Federal Railroad Administration toward the project in September. The Mobile project is subject to the FRAs review and approval under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. Amtrak is preparing a NEPA submission, and has obtained special authorization from the FRA to continue proceeding with the project while the environmental review is underway. The FRA has required that no ground-disturbing activities can take place until NEPA clearance is granted and the FRA has signed off on the final project design. No timetable was provided for that. Amtrak is understanding that a supermajority vote is needed on the final land use terms. The Port Authority, which up until late 2022 was opposed to the project , has agreed to facilitate discussions and provide support for all efforts Amtrak undertakes with local authorities to promptly reach and agreement to secure the property necessary for the train station. The CRISI grant, which Amtrak has now received in full, will be used to fund certain mutually-agreed-upon railroad infrastructure projects associated with the implementation of the Gulf Coast service. Amtrak received the CRISIS grant terms and conditions in December, and considers the grant agreement its highest priority and is optimistic that it can be completed within the next few months. Once a preliminary grant agreement is reached, all parties involved in the case must agree to various obligations contained within that agreement before it can be finalized. A dismissal of the case before the STB will not take place until funding for the agreed-upon infrastructure project is formally secured under an executed funding agreement. Before the settlement agreement was announced in November 2022, the STB had set a Dec. 7, 2022, date in which it was expected to determine the fate of the Gulf Coast project. The project represents the first time in the STBs 27-year history that the federal board is involved in determining the control of a U.S. rail line pitting Amtrak against freight operators. At the crux of the issue is whether a mandate established in 1971 should continue to require freight railroads to give passenger trains access to rail tracks in the U.S. During testimony in early 2022, experts said the Gulf Coast case could set a precedence for Amtraks operations throughout the country because it mostly operates on tracks owned by freight companies. < Lawmakers are seeking to toughen the consequences for making a false abduction claim following the 2023 hoax disappearance of Carlee Russell. Alabama Sen. April Weaver (R - Brierfield) and Rep. Mike Shaw (R-Hoover) on Thursday held a press conference to announce a bill that would make faking an abduction a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. They were joined by Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis and representatives from the Alabama Attorney Generals Office. Russell, 26, seemingly vanished Thursday, July 13, after calling 911, and a family member, to report seeing a child, about 3 or 4 years old only wearing a diaper, walking alone on I-459. The family member reported hearing a scream, and then only interstate noise through the open cell phone line. Russells disappearance sparked a massive search and widespread concern. Two days later, Russell showed up alone at her parents Hoover home. She was taken to UAB Hospital for evaluation. While in the hospital, Russell told Hoover police she escaped the clutches of a man and woman who abducted her. She did not speak with Hoover investigators again after that initial interview. She later admitted through her attorney that she had not been abducted. Read full coverage of the case here Like so many others around Alabama and the rest of the nation, I paused when news of the abduction and disappearance of Carlethia Russell was reported and I said a prayer for her safe return, Weaver said. The fact that such an incident could occur so close to home made it very disturbing and made an already disturbing event even more alarming. Like many others, I was outraged when I discovered the entire incident was an elaborately staged hoax, she said. It wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars and hundreds of human resource hours. Perhaps the biggest victims of Russells hoax, she said, were the dozens of volunteers who searched for Russell in record-breaking heat. Weaver said her outrage was compounded by Russell being charged only with two misdemeanor crimes - false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident for which a municipal judge found her guilty. She has appealed the verdicts to state court, with a trial set in March. There were no laws on the books to charge Russell with more serious crimes, Weaver said. Thats why she wants to take steps to discourage future, similar hoax abductions. The bills, one sponsored by Weaver in the state senate and the other by Shaw in the house of representatives, would require mandatory prison time and restitution for the full cost of resources spent by law enforcement agencies investigating a hoax abduction. Shaw said, he too, was initially concerned about how an abduction could happen in Hoover, which he described as one of the safest cities in the nation. I watched it become a national story, an international story and it made it look like our community was somewhere where somebody could disappear without a trace and they were using toddlers as bait, he said. Now we know thats not true, Shaw said. It was an elaborate hoax to get attention or something, and we know that our laws need updating to reflect its a serious crime, it hurts the fabric of our community. Hopefully, Shaw said, enhanced laws would prevent similar incidents in the future and make anybody whose thinking about hurting our community like this think twice about what theyll do. Shaw called it common sense legislation. Chief Derzis during a July 28, 2023, announced the misdemeanor charges against Russell and said he would be contacting legislators for enhancements to the existing laws. Six months later, here we are, Derzis said. Judging from the emails and phone calls our department received last July, individuals through the country called us and were appalled that Carlee was only being charged with a misdemeanor despite the panic and disruption of her actions, Derzis said. I felt the same way. Hoover officers, he said, worked more than 424 hours of overtime during the investigation. Thirty percent of the workforce was devoted at some point to case. Police deployed drones, tracking dogs and drove untold amounts of miles. The 911 Center had to call in additional personnel to field the more than 1,000 calls that came in regarding Russells disappearance. Multiple other agencies also joined in to assist. Derzis said his agency alone likely spent more than $50,000 during the 49-hour ordeal. Actions have consequences, Derzis said. This bill enhances those consequences. Consumer health company Haleon says it has agreed to sell its lip balm brand ChapStick to Suave Brands for $510 million, reports Bloomberg. Suave Brands is owned by Boston-based private equity firm Yellow Wood. According to Reuters, Haleon Chief Executive Brian McNamara said that while ChapStick was a great brand beloved by consumers, the lip care brand was not a core focus for the company. Selling the brand allows us to simplify our business and pay down debt more quickly, he said this week. According to a press release from Haleon, the sale is expected to close during the first quarter of 2024. Haleon owns several healthcare brands including Advil, Sensodyne, and Theraflu. The Yellow Wood equity firm team established the Suave Brands Company in 2023 to acquire the Suave brand from Unilever. Two professional fishermen who last March caught the first-ever great white shark off an Alabama beach have caught another, this time an estimated 12-foot, 1200-pound fish fishing on Navarre Beach in the Florida Panhandle. Blaine Kenny and Dylan Wier of Coastal Worldwide set up shop, so to speak, on Navarre Beach last Sunday. They were out to catch big fish, specifically sharks. To that end, Wiers line had a massive swordfish head as bait, while Kennys line had the head of an 80-pound yellowfin tuna. In the video posted to their YouTube channel, the fishermen said they were setting their lines for an 18-hour period. By 8 a.m. something -- something big -- was on Kennys line. Wier tried to find the fish with a drone they use for filming, but nothing appeared. But a few minutes into the fight, the fish jumped and Kenny could see it was a shark, raising the level of excitement in both mens voices. Kenny continued to fight to bring the fish in near shore. About 45 minutes into the battle, Kenny says hes starting to be able to bring in some decent line. Its a big, big winter time shark, Wier says. Theres only a few things it could be: Mako, giant tiger, white shark or the biggest dusky weve ever seen. Whatever it is, it doesnt matter. Weve got to stay locked in. Finally, the drone locates the shark and Wier can see its a white shark. And its not any white shark, thats a monster, he exclaims. As interested beachgoers look on, Kenny thinks hes lost the shark, looking dejected as he stares down at the stand. But several minutes later, he realizes the shark is still on the line -- and getting close to shore. That was terrifying, Kenny said of thinking the shark was gone. I was going to be heart broken. Finally, with the shark now on the sand in shallow water, the two men head out towards apex predator. This has been the day Blaine has been dreaming about since he dropped his first bait, Wier said. This things massive, dude. Oh my gosh, thats a great white, baby, Kenny replied. The shark had a deep gash directly behind its dorsal fin, which Wier speculated was likely from a boat strike. The hook was removed and the two men maneuvered the shark so it was pointed back out to deep water. Then Kenny gently pushed his prized catch back out into the Gulf. There you go, big momma, Wier said. Words cannot truly describe what this fish means right here, Kenny said. Last March, the two men led a group of family and friends on a land-based shark fishing trip and reeled in a juvenile great white off Orange Beach, believed to be the first ever caught off an Alabama beach. The Russell County Sheriffs Office say arrests are expected in an incident involving middle school students and gummies. Sheriff Heath Taylor told WRBL in Columbus, Ga., that up to four students had to be medically checked out from Russell County Middle School following the incident Thursday. Taylor anticipates as many as two juvenile arrests could come following an investigation. All of the individuals involved are juveniles, Taylor said, meaning very little information will be released. More than a dozen restaurants in Madison County scored 84 or below during county Health Department inspections in January, meaning they will get a repeat visit from a health inspector within 60 days. Among the infractions observed by inspectors were live roaches, gray fuzz on fruit and black and brown residue in an ice machine. Here are the lowest rated Madison County restaurants for January from highest score to lowest: The exterior of a Whataburger restaurant. (Whataburger) Whataburger 11701 S. Memorial Pkwy., Huntsville Score: 84 An inspector who visited the fast food chain on Jan. 24 observed the presence of live roaches in the establishment, according to the health department. Meanwhile, sanitizing solution used to clean dishes did not have the proper concentration. El OlmecaFacebook El Olmeca 6966 Hwy. 431, Hampton Cove Score: 83 El Olmeca did not have anyone on site who could prove they completed a food safety course when an inspector stopped by on Jan. 25. There was also nobody in charge when the inspector asked for that person. The inspector also found that no kitchen employees signed an employee health agreement. Crab cakes and green tomatoes at Another Broken Egg Cafe. Another Broken Egg Cafe 300 Pelham Ave., Suite A-1, Huntsville Score: 81 Gray fuzz found on several blackberries, the health inspector wrote following a Jan. 25 visit. Foods were also found to be kept at improper temperatures. There was also no chlorine solution during the sanitization cycle of the warewashing machine. CheckersFacebook Checkers Lad 2 Foods, Inc. 4000 University Dr., Huntsville Score: 80 No employees could prove they had certification from an approved safety course when an inspector whoed up on Jan. 24. There was also no toilet paper in the bathroom. Even on Christmas, most Waffle Houses are open. Photo By Terry Pluto / Cleveland.com Waffle House #2116 408 Pratt Ave., Huntsville Score: 79 When an inspector visited on Jan. 25, they found dirty cups and mugs were being stored with clean ones. The inspector also observed black residue in the ice chute of the ice machine. Pizza Hut sign. (Shutterstock image) Pizza Hut #36059 2417 N. Memorial Pkwy., Huntsville Score: 84 Pizza Hut lacked employees who passed an approved safety course during a Jan. 8 inspection. Pepperoni, ham and bacon were also kept at inappropriate temperatures. No approved food safety course Pepperoni ham bacon inappropriate temperatures. Mini Mart #2 4302 University Dr., Huntsville Score: 82 An inspector noticed residue in the ice machine on Jan. 10 Dirty dishes and bowls were stored with clean ones during a Jan. 8 inspection at a Huntsville Cracker Barrel Cracker Barrel 2001 Drake Ave. SW, Huntsville Score: 80 Dirty dishes and bowls were stored with clean ones during a Jan. 8 inspection. Gray fuzz was found on strawberries. There was also no one who took a certified food safety course. The Hideaway Bar and GrilleFacebook The Hideaway Bar and Grille 3228 Lodge Rd., Suite G, Huntsville Score: 79 There was buildup in the interior of the ice machine during a Jan. 9 inspection. Raw chicken left out to thaw for seven hours had a temperature of 69 degrees; the chicken was then thrown out. Dairy Queen Grill & Chill (Photo credit Dairy Queen) Dairy Queen Grill & Chill 214 Oakwood Ave. NE, Huntsville Score: 79 Black residue was found in the ice chute and soda nozzles during a Jan. 4 inspection. The inspector observed an employee touching ready to eat food with their bare hands. There was also no employees who took a certified food safety course. Waffle House #2295 11879 Hwy. 231/431, Meridianville Score: 78 This inspection on Jan. 23 was actually a follow-up inspection. The Waffle House had to close due to an emergency. There was no hot water in the building but the issue was fixed the same day. Chuy's in HuntsvillePaul Gattis Chuys 935 Bob Wallace Ave. SW, Huntsville Score: 76 Strawberries with gray fuzz were noticed during a Jan. 10 inspection. Chuys also stored dirty utensils with clean ones. Meanwhile, shredded cheese was not discarded after four hours. Fusion Foods LLC 1300 Meridian St. N, Unit D, Huntsville Score: 75 The inspector noticed black residue in the ice chute on Jan. 9. There was no hand soap or paper towels in the hand sink and the establishment did not have a food thermometer to check temperatures. Jaeger Schnitzel is the most popular item on the menu at Hildegard's German Cuisine in Huntsville. (Facebook photo courtesy Hildegard's German Cuisine) Hildegards 2357-C Whitesburg Dr. SE, Huntsville Score: 73 An employee was seen grabbing and preparing ready to eat food with their bare hands during a Jan. 4 inspection. Black residue was also in the ice chute of the ice machine. A dirty can opener blade was stored on the prep table. There was also no chlorine solution during the sanitizing cycle of the warewashing machine. The shrimp and grits at Commerce Kitchen in Huntsville, Ala., feature fresh Gulf shrimp and stone-ground Falls Mill grits with crispy bacon, spinach, tomato and a parmesan cream sauce.(Photo courtesy of Boyce Restaurant Concepts; used with permission) Commerce Kitchen 300 Franklin St., Huntsville Score: 72 During a Jan. 9 inspection, an inspector noticed black residue in the ice chute. An employee was preparing ready to eat food without gloves. Foods were also being kept at inappropriate temperatures. Church Street Purveyor in HuntsvilleChurch Street Purveyor/Facebook Church Street Purveyor 201 Jefferson St. Suite, Huntsville Score: 70 With a score of 70 after a Jan. 4 inspection, Church Street Purveyor had the lowest rating of any Madison County establishment in January. Black and brown residue was observed in the ice chute of the ice machine. Dirty utensils were stored with clean ones. Drinking glasses and utensils were being stored in the hand sink of the bar. The establishment could not show that employees signed health agreements. Decatur police are investigating an incident in which a man was struck and killed early Friday morning. According to the department, patrol officers and Decatur Fire and EMS responded to a crash at about 12:41 a.m. in the area of Alabama 20 and Linde Lane. Ralio Guarcas Domingo, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say foul play is not suspected. Birmingham police say an 11-year-old boy who ran away from home Thursday night has been found safe. The child was last seen about 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 1. Authorities said he ran away from the 700 block of Ozark Avenue in the Pratt City area. On Friday morning, police announced he had been found safe. The U.S. State Department has issued travel advisory for two popular tourist destinations with one tropical spot receiving the same warning as countries such as Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Colombia. Jamaica is under a level 3 alert and The Bahamas is at a level 2, according to state department notices issued at the end of January. Level 3 urges travelers to reconsider their visit; level 2 says people should exercise increased caution during their stay. READ MORE: US warning tourists to avoid popular travel destination after 18 murders this month Jamaica Jamaicas warning comes due to crime and issued with medical services, the alert noted. Violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies and homicides are common with sexual assaults, including at popular all-inclusive resorts, occurring frequently. Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence, the alert said, adding that for the last several years, Jamaica has one of the highest homicide rates in the Western Hemisphere. Exacerbating the problem is a lack of emergency services and hospital care throughout the country with response times and quality varying widely. Public hospitals are under-resourced, private ones require up-front payments and ambulance services, especially in rural areas, is not always staffed by trained personnel. Do not travel warnings cover a variety of Jamaica parishes, including all of Montego Bay on the inland side, Kingston, Morgan Bay and part of Negril. The Bahamas Crime is the main issue for travelers to The Bahamas. The majority of the issues are in New Providence, especially in the Over the Hill area of Nassau and Freeport on Grand Bahamas island. Gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate with 18 murders since the start of the year. Other crimes include burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Travelers should be especially vigilant in short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence, the state department warned. What should travelers do: The fight for power continues to rage at the police department in a small town north of Birmingham, where the mayor has suspended the police chief again. Its the third time in nine months that Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton has suspended Chief Wendell Major, stripping him of his law enforcement authority in the city of 6,000 people. In a tersely worded statement announcing the suspension today, the mayor accused the chief of professional misconduct. Newton alleged that Major had downgraded serious offenses, including homicides, and solicited outside work as an attorney. Both Major and Newton are lawyers. As Mayor, my number one priority is the safety and well-being of our community, Newton said in the statement. That responsibility entails ensuring the highest standards of ethical conduct and effective leadership within our police department. Unfortunately, Chief Majors recent actions have fallen far short of these expectations. Major told AL.com Thursday that he will appeal the suspension. Im not getting into a back and forth with the mayor about anything, he said. We are going to follow the law and stick with it like we always do. Major is suspended without pay. Newton announced this latest suspension just days after the Jefferson County Personnel Board notified the city that Majors previous suspension period had ended. Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Major (City of Tarrant)City of Tarrant The mayor accused Major of downgrading and closing serious cases to manipulate crime statistics to improve the citys violent crime numbers. As an example, Newton cited the overdose death of 2-year-old Ariyah Crawford last summer, a case in which it took four months for a suspect to be charged with reckless manslaughter. The case was a point of contention between Newton and Major. The mayor has pointed out that Crawfords mother wasnt arrested until after he suspended the chief for a second time and then an acting chief took over the investigation. In another case, Newton accused Major of downgrading murder and arson charges. The mayor said Birmingham police and the district attorney also took over that case. He is asserting that he knows how to police better than I do, Major told AL.com on Thursday. I wouldnt know his experience in it. All I put up is my resume as to my reputation and my experience in law enforcement. Newton also alleged that the chief attempted to get Tarrant police officers to solicit personal injury clients on behalf of a local law firm by giving the business cards to officers to pass out to the public. Newton said he will ask the city council for an investigation. While the council has previously overruled the mayor and returned the chief to work, Councilwoman and Mayor Pro-Tem Tracie Threadford said she welcomed an examination of the allegations. Before I pass any judgment I will wait until I see all the information of the investigation, Threadford told AL.com. Council members were previously united in supporting the chief, unanimously reversing the previous suspensions. Major is a popular figure whose supporters have attended council meetings demanding his reinstatement. Council members and citizens have previously roasted Newton, accusing him of creating a conspiracy to get rid of the police chief over a grudge. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin says Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway and leaders on the Jefferson County Commission are unfairly blocking the citys use of the county jail and the city is suing to resolve the issue. Woodfin, who complained that the county was initially attempting to overcharge the city, sued Pettway today and is asking a judge to order the county to sign required state forms and accept inmates from the city. Woodfin called the lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court a move of last resort. The City of Birmingham contends that Sheriff Pettway is required by Alabama laws and Rules of Court, to accept into custody at the Jefferson County Jail individuals arrested by Birmingham Police officers " city lawyers wrote in the suit. Birmingham for years has faced a lingering question surrounding its aging city jail and its challenged conditions. The county jail already housed people arrested on felony charges. Woodfin said the city reached an arrangement with the sheriff to house its inmates. For a brief period, people arrested for misdemeanor offenses in Birmingham were taken to the Jefferson County jail, rather than city jail. That started on Jan. 1 of this year. But the deal soured in less than two weeks when Pettway refused to house additional city inmates, said Woodfin. He said negotiations collapsed over how much the city would have to pay the county. David Agee, deputy chief for the Jefferson County sheriff, said Pettway is aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment about it. We cannot respond to pending litigation and it will be addressed in a court setting. Jimmie Stephens, president of the Jefferson County Commission, said it wasnt the countys role to take over Birminghams jail services. I do not feel it is the Jefferson County Commissions responsibility to bail that city of Birmingham out of a problem that they created for themselves, Stephens told AL.com this morning. Jefferson County put taxpayer dollars into our facility to make sure that it was up to date and was able to service the citizens of Jefferson County. The city of Birmingham did not do that. Stephens said he has met with Woodfin to discuss the jail issue, but the mayor failed to present a long term goal. He also said there are already about 850 inmates in the county jail that holds 1,053 people. If we were to take the city of Birminghams prisoners, we would be obligated to take the prisoners from all 32 municipalities, Stephens said. That would throw the jail directly into an overcrowding situation and cause an undue hardship on the citizens of Jefferson County to have to pay for a new facility. The mayor said talks with Pettway and the commission go back two years. He also said Stephens tried to gouge Birmingham by charging exorbitant rates compared to what other cities were charged. A breakdown between Woodin and the county came in 2023 when Stephens called for $110 per inmate per day at $3 million a year versus the previous $65 daily rate at $1.77 million annually. Woodfin called that rate unfair when other cities, such as Tarrant, pay the $65 rate. Regarding the rate Tarrant paid to use the county jail, Stephens called the mayors comparisons imbalanced because that arrangement was temporary - just six weeks - while that city worked on upgrades to its own jail. Just six inmates were housed during that time, he said. You can compare apples to oranges all day long. They are both fruit, but they dont taste anything alike, Stephens said. Still, a workaround was found in late December with Pettway accepting the inmates under the state statue. Woodin stressed that todays lawsuit was not a personal attack on Pettway. Woodfin offered his strongest criticism to the Jefferson County Commission leadership, which has authority over Pettways budget. Instead, Woodfin singled out Stephens, with whom he has clashed over price negotiations for housing city inmates. He said Stephens leads a group of commissioners with a political vendetta against the city. The five-member county commission has a three-member Republican majority and two Democrats from Birmingham. Pettway is also a Democrat. Partisan politics play a deep role in this, Woodfin said. We are victims of that. Cities do not have to operate jails, but counties do, under the state regulation. Charging misdemeanor offenses using state statutes rather than municipal codes puts defendants under the custody of the county instead of the city. Woodfins lawsuit asks a judge to order Pettway to follow the state law and accept Birminghams prisoners. The county is not reimbursed for prisoners charged through this process. Stephens, who objected to the partnership, said in late December that Pettway had assured him that he would not accept the citys inmates. Stephens at the time told AL.com that the county jail was already 85 percent full, and that adding misdemeanor city inmates would add to the burden. He has called the arrangement between Pettway and Woodfin a manipulation of the law that set a new and expensive precedent that could cost the county. Stephens today stands by his previous statements. So if the responsibility falls upon me, so be it, he said in an interview today. I am going to do what is in the best interest of all citizens of Jefferson County. This is a guest opinion For those of you who dont know me, my name is Bryan Brinyark, and I am currently the newest member of the Alabama Legislature. Kyle South, who previously held my seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, resigned on June 30th, 2023. The following week, Governor Ivey set the primary special election for September 26th and the primary run-off, which was necessary, for October 24th. As you can see, special elections move quickly. I had less than two months to stand up my campaign, raise money and show constituents what made me different from everyone else on the ballot. That last challenge differentiating myself from the others is easier said than done when republican candidates tend to be in total agreeance on the issues primary voters care most about. Leading up to the primary, four candidate forums were held in the district to give voters the opportunity to learn about the people vying for their support. From my perspective, they didnt learn much about any one of us by hearing our thoughts on education, economic development, or even national issues like the ongoing border crisis. If Im being honest, it was almost as if we were trying to out-republican one another and prove who was the most conservative out of the bunch. It was both exhausting and frustrating, and had it not been for my genuine beliefs on one specific issue, Im not sure if I would be the new Representative for House District 16. Like clockwork, gaming came up at one point or another at every candidate forum. Questions like, do I support the expansion of gaming in Alabama? Do I think the state needs a lottery supporting education? How will the revenue be spent? Why isnt the law being enforced? My responses raised a few eyebrows, both from my fellow candidates and those asking the questions. I will vote YES on gaming legislation in the House Chamber, but I will vote NO if it makes its way to the ballot on November 9th. My justification for this is simple: How can I expect my constituents to trust me in Montgomery if I cant trust them to decide on this issue for themselves? As elected officials, we have the responsibility to be a voice for our constituents, and based on the conversations I have had in my district, the people want to vote on this issue. On the campaign trail, I had numerous folks come up to me after townhalls and tell me that my stance on this issue is what earned their vote. Some said they wanted to play the lottery, and some said they wanted to see the revenue make a difference in our state. I have also seen polling that shows over 90% of republican voters want to see this constitutional amendment on the ballot. I made a commitment to do my part to pass this legislation. I do not gamble. I never have, and I do not ever plan to. I have moral objections to the issue, but at the end of the day, I was elected to represent my constituents, not myself. At my core, Im for freedom, and I believe our people deserve the freedom to choose on this issue. When this legislation is taken up by the House, I challenge my colleagues to set their personal beliefs aside and cast a vote that empowers the people to choose. Rep. Bryan Brinyark who was recently elected to replace Rep. Kyle South to represent House District 16 covering parts of Fayette, Tuscaloosa, and Jefferson counties is the newest member of the Alabama Legislature. A roundup of conversations we're having daily on the site. Subscribe to the Reckon Daily for stories centering marginalized communities and speaking to the under-covered issues of the moment. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday that up to 1,000 members of its national and state guards will be deployed to Texas to stop the invasion at the southern border in the latest development in the brewing fight over border security. DeSantis said the deployments are in addition to more than 90 officers from the Florida Highway Patrol, the state Department of Law Enforcement, and Fish and Wildlife stationed at the border. Republican governors in the last several weeks have come out in support of Abbotts actions to defy the federal government. That includes Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, according to the Hill. We are sending more support from both the Florida State Guard and up to one battalion of the Florida National Guard, DeSantis said in a social media post. Their mission will be to assist Texas in erecting barriers at the border to stop the invasion of illegal aliens. The Florida Republican said additional officers are standing by to deploy to Texas as Abbott sees fit. DeSantis cited Customs and Border Protection data, which showed that more than 300,000 migrants were found trying to illegally cross the border in December. This isnt the first time Florida has sent officers to the border. Since 2021, the state has provided law enforcement and military assistance to Texas. In May, DeSantis deployed more than 1,000 troops ahead of the end of Title 42, a policy which restricted immigration asylum during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press reported. Texas officials in the last several weeks have alluded to state secession, sparking calls for Biden to nationalize the states guard. Experts, however, say it is unlikely that Texas will leave the Union. The legality of seceding is problematic, Eric McDaniel, associate professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin, told The Texas Tribune. The Civil War played a very big role in establishing the power of the federal government and cementing that the federal government has the final say in these issues. In 1869 one of Texas many attempts in its history to secede Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase wrote for the court that when Texas entered the Union, she entered into an indissoluble relation. This is the latest in Abbotts and other Republican governors battle with the Biden Administration over U.S. immigration policy. Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Texas and Abbott to block what the agency called an unconstitutional immigration law that would make it legal for state judges to deport foreign-born people to Mexico despite their nationality. In December, migrants rights organizations filed a lawsuit stating that it was one of the most extreme bills in the country. Also in January, Texas said it would not comply with President Joe Bidens request to grant Border Patrol full access to the U.S.-Mexico border in the Shelby Park area of Eagle Pass, where a woman and her two children drowned in the Rio Grande. State Attorney General Ken Paxton denied responsibility for the familys death and said Texas will continue using its constitutional authority to defend her territory. If you had made a list of all the actions a president could take to destroy the United States of America, it would include almost everything Joe Biden has done since moving into the White House. Bidens success in wrecking this country is helped by a Republican party filled with too many RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) and not enough America First Patriots. Our republics Founding Fathers, all men of strong Christian faith who believed in Judeo-Christian values and limited government, would be aghast to see what has become of our country. Many political observers think 2024 is our last opportunity to save the republic. Bernie Marcus, Home Depot co-founder and a staunch Donald Trump supporter, said on Larry Kudlows Fox News Business program: But the truth of the matter is that if we dont change the government in this next 24 election, this country is dead. Ive never said that before. I dont see any way out. Will Donald Trump stop the Democrat party from spreading its socialist tentacles, or is America already like Dr. Malcolm Crowe? Image by Andrea Widburg using AI and public domain pictures. In the 1999 film The Sixth Sense, child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, is seriously injured after he and his wife (Olivia Williams) arrive home late in the evening. Several hours earlier, he had proudly received a prestigious award, but an ex-patient lurked in the darkness of their upscale Philadelphia house, waiting to viciously attack and shoot his former doctor. [Spoiler alert for the rare souls who havent seen the movie.] Following the assault, Malcolm goes back to his practice. He begins working closely with Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a young boy with mental health issues. Coles mother, Lynn (Toni Collette), is beside herself trying to help her young son and believes Malcolm is the boys only hope. However, the treatment requires much time, which means his homelife suffers. Finally, the boy confides why he is so distressed. With that confession he starts to improve, and Malcolm knows he urgently must salvage his marriage. But helping the child took a huge toll on Malcolms marriage. One night, he walks into his home to find his beloved wife asleep in the living room, where she had been watching their joyous wedding video. As the tape highlights the happy occasion, her hand slips open, and Malcolms wedding ring falls to the floor. Puzzled, Malcolm looks at his hand. Why isnt his wedding ring on his hand? Suddenly, Dr. Malcolm Crowe realizes the answer... He is already dead, but just didnt know it! That realization consistently led to a loud, collective gasp in theaters. As it turned out, when Cole whispered to the doctor, I see dead people, he was also trying to help Malcolm even more than Malcolm was trying to help him. Could the United States of America be Malcolm Crowe, murdered by a fraudulent 2020 election? Or will Donald Trump in November 2024 make it a Normandy-like election that saves our constitutional republic? Pundits and historians share that the average lifespan of an empire is 250 years. America celebrated her 247th birthday in July. In 1999, Alan Wolfe, currently a Boston University political scientist, authored One Nation, After All. After hundreds of interviews with Americans across the country, he concluded that the division at the turn of the last century was not strong enough to tear our nation apart. However, today, Wolfe feels very differently. In July 2023, Wolfe said: I really feel like we are becoming two different countries, if not that it has already happened. I dont like it, but I dont see what we have in common anymore. I really dont. The Democrat partys open southern border has allowed millions of able-bodied, unvetted young men into the United States. Is a terrorist attack coming? The porous border was the number one issue for New Hampshire primary votersand New Hampshire is quite a distance from the southern border. It was also top of mind for Iowas voters, another state far from Mexico. Lets assume 7 million unvetted illegal alien invaders have waltzed into our country since January 2021. If just one-quarter of 1 percent have malicious intent to do us harm, that would be 17,500 people, all of whom are scattered across the United States, with many receiving free housing, free medical, free education, free drivers licenses, free iPhones and, in some cases, free ballots. It is estimated that the United States government has so far spent more than a whopping $450 billion on these illegal invaders. Think what ONE person can do when they go on a murderous rampage at a school, shopping mall, or Las Vegas hotel, and then multiply that by the possibility of thousands of terrorists waiting to cause injury, death, and havoc from sea to shining sea. Is everyone waiting for a terrorist attack? FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in Congress on November 15 that many on the terrorist watch list have not been tracked down: The threats that come from the other side of the border are very much consuming all 56 of our field offices, not just in the border states. Is the UniParty waiting for a terrorist attack? Respected America First Patriot Dan Bongino keeps telling us with his frequent posts: Currently, we are two distinct nations under one flag, highlighted by what is happening in Texas. Donald Trump is the President of the United Red States of America. Joe Dementia Biden is President of the United Blue States of America. Trump believes in capitalism, the free market, and the Constitution, while Biden and his puppeteers promote socialism and everything that flows from it. This cant continue indefinitely. In November 2024, the party of Abraham Lincoln must take a strong majority in both Houses of Congress and gain the White House with Donald Trump. (Nikki Haley is just a stooge for the Uniparty). Otherwise, the republic that was fought for and won in 1776, 1812, and 1861 will not survive. As Gary Bauer of American Values wrote on November 1: If progressives ever get a working majority in Congress along with the White House, we will lose our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech and virtually every right we have. In ten months, Donald Trump gives us a final chance to save the United States of America from tyrannyunless the country is already like Dr. Malcolm Crowe. Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She can be reached at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com. Not surprisingly, our media have ignored the Rich story. As I sat at Starbucks, I showed twelve random people a recent news photograph of FBI Director Christopher Wray. Most were under thirty and primarily female. None could identify Wray by name or position. I blame our media for the absence of objective reporting, censoring information, and publishing propaganda without question, i.e., false war porn and casualty counts of Hamas. Small wonder, then, that so many people dont know about Seth Rich and his sad death, yet continuous trickles of new information make it increasingly clear that the FBI is hiding something. Most American Thinker readers are familiar with the fact that Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee employee, was murdered on D.C.s streets in 2016. Inconsistencies in reports about his death, combined with its timing vis-a-vis the Russia Hoax, have made it easy to believe that this was no mere street crime. Whats been most suspicious is the FBIs desperate efforts to keep secret information about its investigation into Richs death, and its the FBIs conduct that is the subject of this post. (For those new to this story, please read the earlier AT article, Who is Seth Rich? Who Murdered Him? And Whats The Deep State Hiding?) The FBI apparently obtained Richs laptop after his murder. However, the FBI has refused to comply with FOIA requests asking for it to release the laptops contents. This refusal continues even though a federal district court twice ordered it to do so. The first court order was on September 29, 2022 (Order and Opinion), and, more recently, on November 28, 2023 (Memorandum Opinion and Order). See Epoch Times, FBI Seeks Another Delay in Seth Rich Case as Plaintiff Urges Production Before 2024 Election. See the FBI response dated January 11, 2024 (Response to Nov 28, 2023, Memorandum and Opinion). Ive read the most recent filings in the FOIA case, Brian Huddleston vs. Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Department of Justice (PACER Case 4:20-cv-00447-ALM), and can share their contents here. Huddleston has tried to get information from Richs computer since 2017. The FBI initially claimed it had no responsive records but, little by little the FBI was forced to admit that it had thousands of pages of responsive documents[including] his [Richs] work laptop, a copy of his personal laptop contents. Image: Seth Rich by AI. In the past, the FBI has argued, among other things, that the information on the laptop was not an agency record, was personal, and or other creative exceptions to FOIA. At one point, the FBI said it would produce the contents and then estimated that it would take approximately sixty-six years to do so! In the latest round, the FBI gave a several-paragraph response requesting reconsideration. It then insisted that Huddlestons position is irrelevant to this FOIA case, an Orwellian-Alice in Wonderland wormhole. After all, as long as the FBI refuses to release the information, theres no way to know what is or is not relevant. The DOJ and FBI are playing games with the court. As Huddleston argued in his brief, After more than six years of delays and denials, it is time for the FBI to come clean. A Presidential election is fast approaching, and voters have the right to know (1) whether the FBI knowingly framed one of the frontrunners, i.e., former President Trump, and (2) whether the FBI is still trying to cover up its partisan political activities Ibid. If youre wondering why this matters, those looking at the governments continuing efforts to bury the case and the information connected with it believe that Richs laptop might expose that the DOJ, the FBI, the CIA, and other agencies were involved in creating the Russian Collusion narrative. The Russia Hoax disinformation operation began before the 2016 election and continued through the 2020 election. Special Counsel John Durham debunked this narrative during Attorney Michael Sussmans trial. The Russian Collusion narrative was created, paid for, and leaked to the media at the behest of Hillary Clintonaided by the FBI and CIA. Given the FBIs deliberately created information vacuum, its reasonable to ask whether Rich was murdered to conceal the actual source of the DNC server hack, which harmed Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. Did Rich remove these emails from the DNC server and deliver them to Julian Assange of Wikileaks, who subsequently published them? The FBI and others wove the DNC hack into the Russian narrative and blamed the Russians. If Rich was the source of the DNC leak, he could expose and destroy the Russian narrative. See the previous AT article and Tucker Carlsons short piece on Assange and Rich. Having worked for years as an investigator, my experience tells me that the FBI doth protest too much! With the FBIs outright lies and other egregious criminal violations, I no longer give the FBI any credibility. (See AT article.) The DOJ and the FBI played a game of cat and mouse by deep-sixing Hunters laptop before the 2020 election. Fifty-one retired intelligence officials signed a letter attesting that Hunters laptop had all the earmarkings of Russian disinformation. The media echoed this lie as well as President Biden. The DOJ recently admitted, on Jan 16, 2024, in court filings, that Hunter Bidens laptop content was genuine. The FBI and the others seem to be using the same MO to bury Richs computer as we approach the 2024 election cycle. With the DOJ, FBI, and CIA going full Stasi, it is getting increasingly easier to believe that Rich was assassinated (See AT article). In my professional opinion, the FBIs stonewalling of the release of Richs laptop warrants an immediate investigation that will follow the evidence wherever it leads. The DOJ and the FBI are incapable of doing such an investigation. I would encourage all who are outraged by this furtiveness from the FBI to contact the House Oversight Committees doing the impeachment inquiries of President Biden. Demand that the Committees seize Richs laptop and other related items from the FBI and do the complete and thorough investigation that is warranted. The contents will either prove that there is nothing thereor that there is something there. Whats important is that an investigation will shred the veil of secrecy these agencies use to shield what were increasingly recognizing as illegal and unconstitutional acts. Moreover, the media will be forced to report the Rich story. (Contacts for the House Judiciary Committee and House Oversight Committee are at the bottom of the page.) What the hell is on Seths computer? The right of the people to know far outweighs the DOJs and FBIs right to withhold this information from the voters before the 2024 election. We, the People, are incapable of holding our government and its agents accountable without an informed public. Ron Wright is a retired detective, having served thirty-five years with Riverside PD, Calif. Ron earned a BA in political science from Cal State University, Fullerton, and a Master of Administration from the University of California, Riverside. Facebook at Ron T. Cop. Donald Trump received fewer campaign donations in the final quarter of 2023 than Joe Biden. Trump's campaign reported donations of 19 million dollars to the electoral commission for the last three months of last year. Biden received 33 million dollars and Trump's only remaining intra-party rival Nikki Haley received 17 million dollars. Anticapitalists repeatedly claim that the rich have a decisive influence on politics and the outcome of elections, primarily through donations. This theory has always been wrong and the amount of donations will in all likelihood not be decisive for the election in 2024 either. If money alone bought political power, Donald Trump would never have become the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency in 2016. That honor would more likely have gone to Jeb Bush, who was able to raise far more in political donations. Even Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens, political scientists and two of the most prominent proponents of the thesis that U.S. politics is determined by the rich, concede that most of the big-money contributors -- and most Republican think-tankers and officeholders -- supported other candidates. And: Trumps positions went directly contrary to the views of wealthy donors and wealthy Americans generally. Furthermore, if money determined political outcomes, Trump would not have won the 2016 election. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would have, as Page and Gilens themselves recognize: The better-funded candidate sometimes loses, as Hillary Clinton herself did. Clinton and her allies, including her joint committees with the Democratic Party and the super PACs that supported her, raised more than $1.2 billion for the full cycle, according to the Federal Election Commission. Trump and his allies collected about $600 million. Moreover, not one CEO in the Fortune 100 donated to Trumps election campaign by September 2016. His victory did not stem from influence by the wealthy but more from grassroots opposition to wealthy coastal elites. If money alone could buy political power, then Joe Biden would also not have become president. Perhaps the White House would have gone to the wealthy entrepreneur Michael Bloomberg, who at the time of his application for the Democratic candidacy was the eighth richest man in the world, worth $61.9 billion according to Forbes. In all likelihood, Bloomberg spent more of his own money (and spent it quicker) on his election campaign than any other candidate in history, namely $1 billion in just over three months. This was revealed in the Federal Election Commission (FEC) report on campaign financing. Bloomberg financed his campaign himself and did not accept any donations. Bloomberg is by no means the only candidate whose wealth did not help him realize his political ambitions. In 2020, billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer put up $200 million of his own fortune and ended up without a single delegate. In the 2008 GOP primaries, Mitt Romney spent more than twice as much as John McCain -- much of which was his own money -- but he dropped out of the race in February and McCain went on to secure the Republican nomination. The Koch brothers have always been portrayed by critics of capitalism as among the most dangerous pro-capitalists on the planet, but David Koch learned just how hard it is to turn money into political power back in 1980, when he was one of the main supporters of the Libertarian Party and threw his hat into the ring as a candidate for vice president: he earned just 1 percent of the vote. In an op-ed in the New York Times in 2016, Bradley A. Smith, the former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, concluded that The Power of Political Money is Overrated: But while money is critical to inform the public and give all views a hearing, this election proves once again that money cant make voters like the views they hear. Jeb Bush is not the only lavishly funded candidate to drop out of the race The evil of money in politics is vastly overstated. In his book Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age, Larry M. Bartels criticizes inequality and the influence of the wealthy in the United States. He examined the estimated effect of unequal campaign spending in 16 U.S. presidential elections from 1952 to 2012, concluding that Republican candidates outspent their Democratic opponents in 13 of those elections. But in only two elections, namely that of Richard Nixon in 1968 and that of George W. Bush in 2000 does Bartels conclude that Republican candidates won close elections that they very likely would have lost had they been unable to outspend their Democratic opponents. Rainer Zitelmann is the author of the book In Defense of Capitalism -- one chapter of his book is about this topic. Image: Wikamedia Commons Will it be former president Trump versus President Biden in 2024? Or will it be former First Lady Michelle Obama versus former President Trump? These questions and the instability of our times make for much handwringing and prayer here in the early days of 2024. If you take a deep breath and break this down, it gets simpler. The election of 2024 sets Trumps Make America Great Again against Obamas Transform America mantra. If you want it down to bare bones, the election of 2024 pits Obama against Trump. Some of you might doubt me, citing the fact that Obama has already served eight years as POTUS and that the Constitution forbids him from a Putin-like endless rule. I might be tempted to ask you what other former President moved less than two miles from the White House to continue forcibly engraving his ego on American politics? Obama, like Putin, does not want to leave the stage. He is willing, however, to let surrogates or the right people do his bidding as long as he retains control. During President Trumps first term, it was obvious that outsider Trump was having difficulty getting the attention and cooperation of a federal workforce ideologically and sentimentally attached to the Great Community Organizer. Did Obama shed any tears over his successors difficulty? No, he made sure that the right people sabotaged Trumps every move. The federal workforce, aka the Swamp, slow-walked everything President Trump tried to do. I argue that Obama began his presidency during the last months of George W. Bushs administration and that he has been in some level of control ever since. I further argue that BHO has been calling the shots for President Biden since he took the oath in early 2021. If Biden is reelected, Obamas reign will eclipse that of FDR. If, however, former president Trump manages to do a Grover Cleveland in 2024, President Trump will return to the White House a different man. He will be changed, not in any sense that Obama would welcome, but refined into a lean, mean, swamp-busting machine. Painful as the election of 2020 was for all, the aftermath has given us a terrifying peek at what Obama means by transforming America. Pigs will fly before my vote for Trump will be meaningful because I live in deep blue Maryland. What I have seen of Biden/Obama leadership, however, will give me wings on Election Day to vote against them. What I have seen of Obamas vision for America terrifies me, and I admit I dont know all he means when he says he wants to transform America. I want none of it, and I will vote to make America great again! Ned Cosby, a prolific contributor to American Thinker, is a former pastor, veteran Coast Guard officer, and a retired career public high school teacher. His newest novel Outcry is a love story exposing the refusal of Christian leaders to report and discipline clergy who sexually abuse our young people. This work of fiction addresses crimes that are all too real. Cosby has also written Recollections from My Father's House, tracing his own odyssey from 1954 to the present. For more info, visit Ned Cosby. Image: Nicu Buculei Other than German homeschoolers, is there any group of illegally present foreign nationals Democrats won't vote to protect from deportation? Four immigration bills were presented in Congress and all were no-brainers to pass, but Democrats voted 'no,' on all of them. Among the millions of illegals in the U.S. there are the Social Security number thieves, identity thieves who steal others' Social Security benefits. What did Democrats do in Congress when a deportation bill came up on Thursday? But of course. They voted against deporting them. In past 24 hours, House Dems and the leader they all backed for Speaker @RepJeffries voted to EXEMPT illegals who drive drunk and steal social security benefits from deportation. And they voted NOT to apply criminal charges to illegals who flee BP. They are the invasion party. https://t.co/7fv5YY81tu Stephen Miller (@StephenM) February 1, 2024 In the same bill, they voted to keep illegals convicted of drunk driving exempt from deportation, too. According to the Daily Caller: Over one hundred Democrats voted against a bill intending to deport illegal migrants caught driving under the influence (DUI). The bill, titled Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act, passed the House with a 274-150 vote, with all voting against the legislation being Democrats, according to the roll call vote. Fifty-nine Democrats joined all 215 Republicans to vote in favor of the legislation. Some of the Democrats who voted in favor of the legislation include Reps. Henry Cuellar and Colin Allred of Texas, Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan Foyle, California Rep. Jimmy Panetta and New York Rep. Patrick Ryan. The bill makes driving while impaired grounds for barring a non-U.S. national from entry into the U.S. and for deportation, according to the legislations description. The individual must be convicted of the offense to be subjected to deportation. And still they voted against that --150 of them were against that, some saying it was because the bill included green card holders. Why, exactly, should non-citizens with no loyalty and no obligation to the U.S. and no regard for its laws in posession of coveted green card privileges be protected from deportation after this kind of disrespect? Give us your tired, your poor, and your absolutely plastered drunk drivers from Guatemala https://t.co/2McW85WhnV RichardRatBoy (@RichardRatBoy1) February 1, 2024 And more dangerously still, they voted against a measure to keep criminal charges from being filed against those who flee the Border Patrol -- you know, the million or so gotaways who know they'll be thrown back or jailed if they surrender to the Border Patrol the way most illegals are now doing under catch-and-release. These are the ones who lead the Border Patrol on high-speed chases with major crashes and casualty events. If those people aren't deportable (after serving long prison sentences) who should be? Worst of all, in yet another bill, a pair of them, Rep. Rashida Rlaib and Rep. Cory Bush, voted 'no' on a measure to keep participants in the October 7 attacks on innocent Israelis out of the country, our country. According to the Jerusalem Post: United States Congresswomen Cori Bush (D-MO) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) were the sole votes against a bill in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday that would bar entry to the United States by members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad, as well as officers of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and anyone who participated in the October 7 attacks but is not a member of a recognized terrorist group. Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) voted present. Representative Tlaib, who represents one of the most Democratic districts in Michigan and is the only Palestinian-American currently in Congress, said that the bill was redundant as entry to those who have participated in terrorism, such as the October 7 attacks or who are members of a recognized terrorist group, such as Hamas or Islamic Jihad, is already prohibited. This echoed statements by Democratic leaders, such as the House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, whose statement said the bill was largely duplicative of existing law. The unnecessary bill, Tlaib said, is just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe. Two Democrats is two Democrats too many. This is lunacy. They had a chance to make a stand against terrorism and they claimed 'redundancy' as if this is the sort of thing that matters to them. Tlaib even played the victim, not the person with the guilty conscience. Apparently, there is no one on their should-be-deported list, other than the hapless German homeschoolers, who were ordered to be sent back for the 'crime' of homeschooling their kids and have been fighting it in the courts ever since. It just goes to show how unfit they are from office and need to be voted out of it by this November. Image: Secret Name 101, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Colorados capital has joined the evergrowing list of cities that have become overwhelmed by the influx of migrants with over 38,000 asylum seekers arriving in Denver in the past year. The Mile-High City has struggled to accommodate the new arrivals who have inundated city shelters and hospitals, prompting state officials to enact a limit on how long migrants can stay in state-funded rooms starting Feb. 5. The city initially paused the discharge of migrant families from shelters on Nov. 17 to assist the increasing number of new arrivals. However, after seeing a dramatic uptick, the city is now housing 4,500 migrants and will resume discharging migrant families. Denvers Deputy Director of Communications Jose Salas told The Post the city will extend its previous length-of-stay policy for families from 37 days to 42 days. Protesters block roads around EU summit in Brussels Xinhua) 09:05, February 02, 2024 Tractors block a road during a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) BRUSSELS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Protesting farmers have blocked the roads with about 1,300 tractors around the European Union (EU) summit venue where the bloc's 27 leaders are gathered on Thursday, said the police. In response to a call from Europe's farming union, the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), the farmers gathered at 11 a.m. local time (1000 GMT) on Place du Luxembourg in Brussels, where the European Parliament is located. The site is a kilometer away from the Schuman roundabout, where a special EU summit is taking place. The protesters were understood to show their complaints about taxes, administrative overload, rising costs and cheap imports, and asked EU leaders for more help. "Europe's neo-liberal policies are overwhelmingly responsible for farmers' distress: free trade agreements (FTAs), market deregulation, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies which are distributed totally unfairly, administrative overload, fake solutions such as senseless support for digitization, GMOs and carbon markets, and a lack of overall vision for a transition to more sustainable models of agriculture, to name only some," ECVC said in a press release. ECVC demands an end to FTAs linked to agriculture as well as giving up negotiations between the EU and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, fair prices for farm produce amid rising production costs, a redistribution of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) money per active worker instead of by hectare to better support small and medium-sized farms during their transition towards agroecology and sustainability, and a simplification of red tape. Red tape imposed by the EU takes up to two full days to complete, which keeps farmers away from working on the fields, according to Belgian farmer unions FWA (Wallonian Federation for Agriculture) and UFW (Union of female farmers in Wallonia). The CAP also imposes a strict calendar, regardless of the weather and other circumstances. This leads to soil degradation and poorer harvest and proves unsustainable, the Belgian farmers' unions argue. They also ask for an indexation of the CAP budget, as it has been regularly cut off despite rising costs of living. Representatives of the ECVC are expected to meet in the afternoon with European Commissioner in charge of European Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and with the cabinet of Charles Michel, president of the European Council, to discuss their demands. The farmers were joined by more than 30 civil society organizations, and have received the support of Green member of the European Parliament Saskia Bricmont. "A fair income, a nourishing local agriculture, the end of unfair competition. For the return to working the land in a way that protects people and the planet. Environmentalists and farmers together to tackle social and climate challenges," Bricmont published on social media platform X, with photos of tractors in the streets of Brussels. Farmers in several other EU countries have taken to the streets as well. In France, protesting farmers blocked major roads around Paris earlier this week. Tractors block a road during a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) People take part in a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) People take part in a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) Police stand guard in front of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) Tractors block a road during a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) Tractors block a road during a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) People take part in a protest in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) One of the most perplexing things about todays leftists, who currently have a death grip on Western politics and culture, is the cognitive dissonance that sees them embrace ideas at complete variance with reality. Thats why its fascinating to read an interview with David Solway, a writer, philosopher, and teacher. The author of (most recently) Crossing the Jordan: On Judaism, Islam, and the West, offers insights about the Wests fatal love affair with Islam, the inevitable failures of socialism, or dangerous schisms within Judaism, you will learn something. One of Solways more interesting points is about the nature of memory, leftism, and modern culture. Yesterday, I wrote that MSN.coms AI algorithm has decided that the name of one of Americas greatest comic actors is an obscenity that must be redacted. The memory of the forbidden word must be erased, and anything that gets caught as that word swirls down historys drain is just collateral damage. In light of that, Solways response to the question from Mark Tapson (who conducted the interview) about Islams attack on memory was striking. MT: In Islams War on the Past, you warn that the barbaric iconoclasts of Islam are undertaking an initiative against the collective memory of the West. Why is this murder of the past, as you put it, of astronomical significance? DS: You recall what Orwell said in 1984: Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. Memory is the issue. In his extraordinary book The Open Past: Subjectivity and Remembering in the Talmud, Sergey Dolgopolski points out that the modern practice of memory is confined to providing datawhich can be easily falsifiedwhereas the rabbis viewed memory as furnishing insight into thinking about the past in such a way as to emulate the Divine, that is, in its human form, as a moral commitment to truth. This is what we might call Talmudic memory, using all the tools at our disposaltextual analysis, the intuition of spirit rather than ideological exigency, the conviction that understanding the past, both individual and historical, striving to remember it rather than using or abusing it for ulterior purposes, is instrumental in creating your personhood. Otherwise, you are simply a reified nothing. Extinction is the next step. Without personal memory, you are a mere cipher. In the absence of historical memory, a civilization has no identity, no ground on which to base and defend its existence. Ban books. Topple monuments. Censor information. Invent alternate realities. Fudge statistics. Provide data without context or meaning. Seize and destroy archeological artifacts. Perform what I called in my Education Lost a chronosectomyexcise the organ of memory, and you have won the war against a free and productive society. You have, in effect, conquered the Judeo-Christian West. Thats just one snippet of a wide-ranging question-and-answer conversation with an intelligent interrogator and a brilliant thinker. Along the way, Solway examines the psychology of ordinary Westernersnot the calculating socialists manipulating society but the regular peoplewho cheerfully embrace Islam notwithstanding its hostility to everything theyve been taught to value. He also looks at why some societies flourish and others failand yet Islam, despite attributes that should ensure its failure, continues to flourish over the centuries. The problem for the West is that as Western-style socialism both flows and inevitably ebbs, it will have removed all the bulwarks that can protect it from an ideology that is so completely totalitarian and violent that it relentlessly propels itself forward through space and time. Lastly, Solway, looking through the perspective of both religion and history, examines why it is that Jews (my People) are always their own worst enemies. In some ways, that was the most interesting part of the discussion for me, especially when he looked at the phenomenon of anti-Israel Jews who happily side with the people who seek to destroy them. All in all, Solway has much to offer those grappling with the incoherence of todays West, which offers nothing and has convinced ordinary people to embrace policies that will inevitably destroy them. Image: Amazon. There are two views of the Constitution and the Supreme Courts role in interpreting it. One view is that the Constitution means what it says and can be changed only through the documents explicit amendment process. The other view is that the Constitution means whatever the left wants it to say. That view means leftists on the Supreme Court, if theyre a majority, have a free hand to amend the Constitution unilaterally and to control both Congress and the White House. The latter view has been remarkably successful in remaking (and damaging) America. Sonia Sotomayor has always been a stalwart member of the leftist cadre, but now, with a Trump presidency possible, many leftists have decided that its time for her to go. Sotomayor made the news a few days ago when she admitted in an interview that she is struggling with those justices who believe that the Constitution, like any contract, must be interpreted, first, according to its explicit terms and, second, according to the signatories understanding and intentions. Well, thats not exactly what she said, but I think its what she meant: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Monday she feels daily frustration as conservative justices move the country to the ideological right. In an appearance at the University of California, Berkely School of Law, Sotomayor was asked how she copes with the consistently conservative rulings from the court. Every loss truly traumatizes me, but I get up the next morning, she said in response to the question, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. The crowd about 1,300 students applauded. In her remarks, she criticized her originalist colleagues whom she said have come up with new ways to interpret the Constitution, changing rulings that some of us believed were well established, the Chronicle reported. That last paragraph perfectly sums up the intellectual dishonesty of leftist justices. If one takes her literally, Sotomayor would have sided with Plessy v. Ferguson, the famous 1896 case that articulated the separate but equal doctrine, because it was well established rather than supporting 1954s Brown v. Board of Education, which ended that Supreme Court idea. Image: Sonia Sotomayor. YouTube screen grab. But, of course, thats not what Sotomayor meant at all. What she meant is that the Constitution means whatever I want it to mean. If I like what it says, Ill stick with it. If I dont, Ill stick with perverted analyses, whether already existing or soon to be written. Sotomayor is the perfect Democrat party Supreme Court justice. However, shes also an old (70 years) Supreme Court justice who has Type I diabetes. With the specter of Donald Trumps return hovering over the election and the memory of Ruth Bader Ginsburgs refusal to retire, which gave Trump the ability to fill her seat, theres a movement afoot to get Sotomayor off the Supreme Court before its too late. Writes Jonathan Turley: Some activists and journalists are beginning to nudge Sotomayor to leave the Court in order to be replaced by a younger jurist, much as was done to Justice Stephen Breyer in 2021 and 2022. On CNN, journalist Josh Barro bluntly wondered why Sotomayor remains on the bench when younger jurists could be brought on to guarantee a liberal vote for years to come. He indicated that many liberals are frustrated with her for not stepping down: I find it a little bit surprising, given what Justice Sotomayor describes there about the stakes of what is happening before the Supreme Court, that shes not retired. Shes 69 years old, shes been on the court for 15 years. [snip] Many clearly would like to see her lessen [a workload about which she complained] by following the pattern of former liberal colleague, Justice Breyer, who retired in 2022. Demand Justice, a liberal group that has pushed courtpacking as a solution to the Courts conservative majority, drove a billboard truck through the streets of Washington with slogans like Breyer, retire. Dont risk your legacy. If you were to ask me, I would say to Sotomayor, Dont listen to the naysayers. Stay on the bench. Ginsburg was way older than you are. Moreover, if Trump is elected, millions of Democrats across America will be praying for your good health and long life every single day, which can only be seen as a net positive. Id keep quiet about the fact that Democrats dont believe in the power of prayer. Around Christmas in Nigeria, Muslims killed 140 Christians in accordance with Allahs commandments in the Quran. You learn that Christians were the victims only in the sixth paragraph of this ABC report story. I recently read Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ali was a Muslim born in Somalia who moved to Kenya and then the Netherlands, where she became a member of Parliament. Ali ultimately came to the US to experience pure freedom, which is available nowhere else, according to her. It is a fascinating story and a good read. It is also a warning to be on guard against a deadly belief that Muslims are inherently peaceful. Individual Muslims may be peaceful, but their religion of Islam is not. A clear template connecting 9/11 to a perverted American policy today reveals how dishonestly the government, media, and our intellectuals have dealt with the beliefs of people who adhere to strict interpretations of Islamic laws. Our government suppressed the knowledge that a large number of Muslims celebrated in our streets after 9-11 with joy at the death of our countrymen. We have been too accepting of Muslims while rejecting our American customs and history. Too many Muslims in America dont want to assimilate into our culture but instead work to assimilate us. We can see what were facing by looking at Europe, racing ahead about ten years ahead of us at present. Muslims escalating influence in countries is based on the host countrys Muslim population percentage. When Muslims exceed 12% of a countrys population, Islam becomes no longer simply an influence on the host country but commences open war, first in heavily Muslim cities and then throughout the country. Muslims freely express their plans to instigate the creation of a Muslim Caliphate in place of the free and pluralistic institutions they emigrated to. Image: Mob violence against a church in Pakistan. YouTue screen grab. Tolerant Western countries lack the attitude necessary to confront these Muslim invaders aggressive demands. Our lack of action and resolve betray our weakness in the face of a religion that must inevitably subsume us or fail! Its no coincidence that, of late, media outlets that report on crime often redact the accuseds race or ethnicity. This isnt about stereotyping. Instead, its a deliberate attempt to remove your ability to think for yourself about whats happening on Americas streets. It even impairs your ability to protect yourself and your family by hiding threats from you. In Britain today, 18% of those in prison are Muslims, even as Muslims only make up a small but rapidly growing 5% of Britains population. In our own country, Muslims make up 9% of our prisoners but only 1% of our population. The discrepancy in both nations is striking. This is an important question to resolve. Are Muslims more likely to be career criminals than non-Muslims? Perhaps, but let me posit something different. Muslims dont respect our systems and country and bring their prejudices and proclivities with them. They are taught that Infidels are fair game. Similarly, many, many Arabs in Gaza and on the West Bank gleefully celebrated the massacre of 1400 innocents on October 7th. This is the reality of the institutional hatred that Muslims have for Christians and Jews. Our media regularly suppress this knowledge. Author Ali frequently said to herself, Oh Allah, please let it not be Muslims who did this whenever something terrible happened in Europe or America. But too often, her first fear proved to be true. Criminality, violence, backwardness, and misogyny under Islam are not just a misunderstanding. Such behavior is based on core beliefs. Islam guarantees its adherents a one-way ticket to Paradise should they strictly follow the Quran and Hadith. It was Mohamed Atta, the mastermind of the 9-11 attacks, who explained that the core of Islam required giving ones life to Allah. Islam believes it is in a perpetual state of war with Infidels. As it is written in the Quranwhen you meet the unbelievers, strike them in the neck. Ali also exposed Islam as a Static Tyranny. That is, you may not question the infallibility of Allahs law. Islam is in direct opposition to the concept of assimilation. This, coupled with the high birth rates of Muslims, is a strategy, not an accident. Our social support systems will ultimately ensure our own destruction if we dont understand what is happening and defend our society against Muslim assimilation of Western culture and its replacement with Sharia Law. Never forget or underestimate the reality that Islams goal is to create a worldwide Muslim Caliphate. Our irrational fear of confronting Muslims ultimate design is nothing more than national suicide. Author, Businessman, Thinker, and Strategist. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com Out-and-out Maoism has cropped up in Maine; on Wednesday, Alex Newman of The Newman Report revealed that a public school teacher had assigned her students a Declaration of Independence exercisebut dont get confused, because like all things left, the assignment was a corruption, and had nothing to do with the Judeo-Christian values of our founders. One of Samuel Adamss most famous quotes comes to mind: How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words! Instead, the teacher required the students to declare their independence from something problematic in their lives like their parents. From Newmans expose: The scandalous exercise, assigned by high-school social studies teacher Sara Hampton in Maines Gorham school district, asked students to declare their independence from things in life that may be stressing them out. Possible ideas suggested by Hampton included parents, government, racism, sexism, homophobia, inequality, any form of control/authority, and more. Now is your chance to officially declare yourself independent from something anything! read the assignment description. Think of something that is problematic for you in your life. Free yourself from whatever is causing you stress, making you unhappy, something with which you struggle, or is difficult for you to deal with. I wonder if Hamptons assignment came with a gift? Perhaps a cute little pocket-sized book, bound in bright red? Maybe a neckerchief or an armband? At first I thought how ironic it was that a teacher, who is also an authority figure, would be instructing her students to rebel from authority, but naturally, the Maine Maoist had that covered: The only institution students are not allowed to declare independence from, the assignment continues, is school. Becauseyep, you guessed itschool authorities, like this teacher, are working to liberate children from the oppression of their parents. I mean, this is straight out of The Communist Manifesto: Do you charge us [communists] with wanting to stop the exploitation of children by their parents? To this crime we plead guilty. But, you say, we destroy the most hallowed of relations, when we replace home education by social. The bourgeois clap-trap about the family and education, about the hallowed co-relation of parents and child, becomes all the more disgusting, the more, by the action of Modern Industry, all the family ties among the proletarians are torn asunder, and their children transformed into simple articles of commerce and instruments of labour [sic]. There are two things that underpin all communist cultural revolutions, and they are the indoctrination of the children, and the driving of a wedge between parent and child. We see it in the words of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the martyrdom of Pavel Pavlik Morozov, and the history of China in the 1960s and 1970sso it makes sense and its completely consistent with reality that Americas public school system is now ground zero. Just the other day, one of my boys asked me why studying history was so importanthe knows his momma well, and was trying to divert my attention from the low grade hed just received on a language testand among the many reasons I gave him, I underscored that ultimately, it gives us context for the present, and equips us with the knowledge we need to avoid the horrendous atrocities that have occurred routinely throughout the history of humanity. I relayed two quotes to him: Those who dont know the past are condemned to repeat it, credited to George Santayana, as well as famed columnist Sydney J. Harriss observation that History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done. Perhaps, had I been more prepared, I could have relayed the words of Yu Xiangzhen, a former member of the Red Guard, who now runs a blog to expose the Chinese democide: If our descendants do not know the truth they will make the same mistakes again, she wrote in the introduction to her series of online reflections. I want to use real experiences to prove that the Cultural Revolution was inhumane. This morning that same son asked what I was writing about, and it was as simple as reiterating our recent after-school conversation: People who dont know their (Maoist) history, either by willful ignorance or delusional denial, repeating it (Maoism.) Image generated by AI. As Joe Biden angrily screeched: If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, then you aint black! Independent thinking is not allowed, just servitude. Black Americans are not permitted to leave the Democrat reservation, but when they disobey theres hell to pay, and bigoted mudslinging attacks ensuetheyre denigrated with the Uncle Tom or race traitor moniker, and now, according to Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg, black Americans leaving the left are in a downward spiral and guilty of grifting. See here, from a NewsBusters report yesterday: The View Previews Black History Month: Downward Spiral of Black Republicans In anticipation of the start of Black History Month on Wednesday, ABCs The View decried the downward spiral of black Republicans and smeared ALL of them as grifters that would betray America and their race for power. They spoke with race baiter and author Clay Cane about his new anti-black Republican book: The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans from the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump. Teeing up her guest, Goldberg agreed that grifters was the right word for them. Cane, a liberal extremist, said he was so saddened at the direction black Republicans were going. Behar and Cane then attacked [Tim] Scotts recent engagement to a white woman. They mocked how their names rhymed and suggested he only decided to marry her because it was good optics for a shot at being vice president[.] Would they have attacked Tim Scott if he were a white man? No, of course not; theyre attacking him specifically because of the color of his skin. Call me crazy, but thats pretty bigoted. So by Behar and Goldbergs standard Blacks who support school choice because they dont want their children locked in failing schools so bad teachers can have job security, are in a downward spiral. Blacks who dont want illegals flooding into the country because the former is disproportionately affected, are in a downward spiral. Blacks who support more police because they too value safe cities and neighborhoods, are in a downward spiral. Blacks who want lower taxes and less regulation because theyre entrepreneurs and want to achieve the American dream, are in a downward spiral. Blacks who dont support abortion because they detest the anti-black eugenics ideology underpinning the agenda, are in a downward spiral. The entire premise of Black History Month is offensive, because it presupposes that black Americans are an other and relegates them to a place outside the rest of the citizenry; American history is black history, and black history is American history. Dedicating a separate month to celebrate black history as if these stories somehow dont have a place in the mainstream American historical record is manufacturing an unnecessary divide; yet they pretend President Trump is the racist causing disunion. Image from X. An interesting article by Mark Hendrickson raises the unpleasant likelihood of a Donald Trump defeat in this falls presidential election. The point that Mr. Hendrickson makes is that Trumps re-ascendance to the Oval Office is unlikely without the votes of the NeverTrumps. This is a contention that I have increasingly come to believe. Polls show Nikki Haley, a candidate sure not to be the Republican nominee, beating Joe Biden handily, while Biden is running neck and neck with or even ahead of Donald Trump. Joe Biden has been a disaster in nearly every way a man could in that high office. The thought of another Biden term, or Harris term, or Michelle Obama term, is nausea-inducing. Slo Mo Joe has been such an utter failure as president that he should be completely unelectable. But those polls are out there, and theyre scary. I am metaphorically reminded of a house whose septic tank continually backs up into all of the homes plumbing. As you can imagine, this is decidedly unpleasant at shower time, or when wishing to do the dishes. Several large plumbing companies have given their best shot at correcting the problem, to no avail. Finally, on a tip, an orange, rather vulgar plumber is called in. Despite showing a good bit of butt crack to the homeowners, he fixes the problem that the big guys couldnt handle. So the question for us is, what to do? Trump is going to be the Republican standard-bearer, even if he is (unlikely) incarcerated. His ego is far too large to step aside for a candidate seen as more likely to defeat the Democrat nominee, whoever that turns out to be. His resentment of the 2020 results is too enormous. I believe that this rock-and-a-hard-place conundrum has a satisfactory solution. Donald Trump needs to be open about his perceived shortcomings and convert them to attributes. He must find a way to talk about the things that the NeverTrumps complain about in such a way as to make himself more likable. He can convert NeverTrumps into MaybeTrumps and ultimately into WeLoveTrumps. He doesnt have to run on a butt-crack platform, but he can sufficiently make light of his heretofore unlikable qualities and turn NeverTrump frowns upside-down. Trumps ability to communicate with the masses is indisputable. So let him tell his rallies that he realizes he is often petulant and self-absorbed, but that those traits often seen as undesirable by many Republicans and conservatives are the very things that have made him a success in business and politics, and yes, as president. Let him make a concession to Ronald Reagans 11th commandment: speak not unkindly of other Republicans. Saying some nice things about some in his party who dont like, or even despise him, could also do no harm. No one is averse to hearing good things about himself. But let him continue to speak very unkindly of the Democrat-ProgressiveDeep State enemy. Trump is a master of many arts and deals. The art of this deal is to convince those in his party who are unwilling to vote for him that it is by far in their best interest to do so. They already know that this is the case on an intellectual level. His superior record as president compared to Joe Bidens is irrefutable. He needs to take it upon himself to become more likable to his doubters by turning his perceived shortcomings into Inside joke strengths. Will it be easy for him? Hardly. Can he do it? There is no doubt. Will he do it? He will if he wants to reoccupy the Oval Office. He needs to make it a top priority and work with advisers to make it happen. As in the case of the house with the plumbing problem, its better to deal with a bit of butt crack if it means clean water flowing from the pipes. And for our nation, its better to deal with and laugh along with Donald Trumps foibles if it means getting him back in the White House. The alternative is unacceptable. Confucius might not have said it, but I will. It is better to see some unpleasant backside display than to lie face-down in a house filled with raw sewage. Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession. He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Georgia. Image via Raw Pixel. The exact number is 98.4 percent. A few things should immediately jump out at anyone otherwise assessing this fascinating statistic. It isnt the percentage, which is unsurprising. It isnt even nearly unanimous support a single ideological bloc for one political party, nor is it surprising that faculty would even financially support Biden, despite his qualification for emergency removal under the 25th Amendment. And it isnt the groupthink sociology within Yale University, as an institution, that is remarkable. What is fascinating about this report is that an institution of higher education could be assembled, organized, operated, and governed with nearly completely monolithic political beliefs. That is, there is no actual diversity in the diversity that actually matters: thinking. But theres more. What kinds of signaling within the silent curriculum does this send to students (many who are, or will be, voters), who are subject to rewards and penalties from the same faculty, such as scholarships, grades, degrees, research stipends, and job placement recommendations? How does such an ideological concentration affect how law is interpreted, or even business and medicine? And moreover, how can students trust and have confidence in professors who display such poor judgment by financially feeding a single political party system? That may be the key takeaway from the data: that Yale faculty, not unlike nearly all university and college faculty (and administrators), perceive opportunity and allegiance through institutional terms. They reward and patronize the DNC corporation, regardless of who may be elevated from within it. This is also an important, inconvenient aspect of former president (and candidate) Donald J. Trump: he came into the political market through the GOP, but not from it, and not from within it, as an incumbent careerist. That is what he symbolizes as well: an element of institutional independence. Independence undermines both the DNC and the GOP. Conversely, Yale faculty will not likely support any candidate from other parties, regardless of his qualifications: independent, Constitutionalist, Libertarian, or even moderate Republicans. All are persona non grata, in the face of corporate allegiance to the financial and favor bank that is thought by Yales faculty to be the special qualification of the DNC. The DNC is their gravy train of endless grants, funding (and COVID bailouts), federal jobs, labor laws, regulations, agency growth, student loan guarantees, and an equally endless supply of fresh college recruits backed by mandated favoritism (even if judged unconstitutional by the SCOTUS), or the party most willing to support facultys intellectually distorting identitarian preferences. Indeed, even illegal migrants will be processed and financially supported in tuition and expenses by DNC policy, as part of their welcome package. When Yales faculty vote as a bloc for one political party that feeds their ideological trough, regardless of the partys national security competence, fiscal and monetary policy, enforcement of law and order, or national objectives such as space exploration (which China, Russia, and even India are pursuing at full throttle), then the only logical conclusion one can make is that Yales faculty are themselves corrupt, and corrupting to students. These are among the reasons why I ranked Yale Law School as the most corrupt law school in America. It is there that law is politics is solidified as formal progressive legal doctrine, and that doctrine is consolidated into one monolithic bloc of limited perception, ideological extremism, and institutional obedience. Ironically perhaps, it was Yale researcher Stanley Milgram who asserted the groupthink phenomenon (coined by Yale psychologist Irving Janis), from his experiments in obedience under conditions of authority symbols (doctors in white coats, for example). He also advanced the perhaps more unsettling behavioral trait that he called the Cyrano Effect, which explains how individuals will mimic and repeat words, concepts, ideas, and orders that originate from another person. Nothing could perhaps more accurately describe the effect on students, when their professors invite them into, and reward them by, joining the academic political herd. But the professors themselves are the Cyranoids who simply mimic what they hear and repeat what they receive as ideological instructions from political special interests and the state. This means that universities may not be autonomous learning centers, but are effective political base camps. Even at more traditionally conservative institutions such as the University of Chicago, the extreme progressive partisan solidarity is nearly as high, and growing, while the effects on young adults and the development of intellectual, cognitive, emotional, and perceptive judgment, is compromised in often subtle, insidious ways. They show up years and decades later with a handicap in thinking and a preference for the group, even, or perhaps especially, if the group runs off a cliff on behalf of beliefs. Comfort, safety, consensus, and ideological illusion characterize the sociology of the modern university like Yale, and perhaps in some ways mark the deterioration of Western, and American, independent character. Matthew G. Andersson is the author of the upcoming book Legally Blind. A former CEO, he has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, the National Academy of Sciences, and the 2001 Pulitzer Prize report by the Chicago Tribune. He received the Silver Anvil award from the Public Relations Society of America and has testified before the U.S. Senate. He attended the University of Chicago, Yale University, and studied with White House national security adviser W.W. Rostow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Image via Picryl. The Circle to Search feature that Google announced back in January has started to roll out to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. If you have either one of these devices, then you should be able to use it as a means for searching for more information about content on-screen. You can use it virtually anywhere. No matter what youre browsing or what youre doing on the phone. Once you circle something, Google will populate a box on-screen that surrounds the item or words you circled. The results of the search then pop up in a panel from the bottom of the screen. Advertisement Advertisement Circle to Search on Pixel 8 makes for easy and intuitive searching for everything Googles Circle to Search feature is intended to give users a quicker, more intuitive way to gather information about stuff. And it can be a super fast method for finding additional information about products. Say youre at the grocery store and you see an item you want to know more about. You can simply take a photo of the item, then open that photo and circle it to search for information. Super easy and relatively fast. To use the feature you do have to activate it but that doesnt take much effort. You can activate it in two ways. Either long press on the nav handle at the bottom if youre using gesture navigation, or long press on the home button if youre using the three-button navigation. This brings up the circle to search overlay where you can circle or tap the area you want to search. You can also draw a line over the area youre searching and that works too. Advertisement Additionally, its possible to add text to the search and potentially more precise results. If you circle to search for something and you dont get the results you were looking for, you can easily resize the box that pops up and drag it around to see if the results change too. You can use this feature to highlight text as well. To do this, activate circle to search and then tap on or draw a line over any text you want to highlight. Google also makes it possible to scroll around the page to look at something else by using two fingers to scroll around. This feature began rolling out to Pixel 8 devices on January 31. So theres a good chance you have access to it already. Google does like to roll things out in waves though so dont be too surprised if it isnt active on your device yet. As many of you know by now, HMD Global has no plans to launch new Nokia-branded smartphones. The company will shift to its own HMD-branded devices, and some of them have already been teased by HMD. That being said, according to a new report, we can expect to see three HMD smartphones during the first phase. Three HMD smartphones expected to launch during first phase This information comes from 91mobiles who got the info from industry sources who have been giving accurate leaks related to Nokia in the past. The source also mentioned that HMD Global does plan to continue selling Nokia-branded phones for the foreseeable future, but new ones wont be coming. HMD Global will also keep Nokia phone sales limited to offline stores, based on the provided info. Advertisement Advertisement The source is saying that one of those three phones will be quite affordable. No specific info was given about the other two, but we presume neither of them will belong in the premium level. Well see. The company is bringing some of its new phones to MWC 2024 Now, HMD Global is expected to announce its first HMD devices during MWC 2024 in Barcelona. Were not sure if all three devices mentioned here will launch, though, well have to wait and see. The company did start teasing its upcoming devices via its official website. If you take a look at the three images below, youll be able to see what were talking about. Smartphones that HMD is teasing remind us of old Nokia Lumia phones The device shown in the first image seems to be different-looking than the two shown in the other two photos. Whats interesting is that the phone(s) in the second and third images do remind us of some old Nokia Lumia phones with Windows Phone on them. Youll notice that these devices are quite colorful. The one in the first image seems to have flat sides, and a flat backplate, plus probably a flat display. The phone(s) in the other two images have flat top and bottom sides, while the left and right sides are heavily curved. The Mobile World Congress is taking place later this month, so well get all the necessary info there. HMD Global could release more teasers by then, though. A victim of sexual abuse as a child told his attacker in court you are not even half the man I have become as he was jailed for 15 years. Glenn Langrish, also known as Glenn Stephens, was sentenced for his crimes dating back to the 1980s, after being subject to an international manhunt for 12 years. At Hove Crown Court on Friday, the court heard that Langrish hired Stephen Lewsey, then aged 10, at a repair shop in Crawley and sexually abused him over three years at work. The 74-year-old later moved to Sweden, which sparked an international investigation by Sussex Police when Mr Lewsey, now 51, reported the abuse in 2011. Sussex Police said Langrish was tracked down by Interpol in 2016 in Sweden and by then had Swedish citizenship so could not be extradited to the UK. An international warrant for his arrest was issued and it was not until May 2023 Langrish was arrested in Poland and was brought back to the UK in July, the force said. Giving his victim impact statement at Hove Crown Court on Friday, Mr Lewsey said: Until I confided in my wife, I treated this as my dirty little secret. It has taken a long time to face you in court but now we have had our day and the jury have seen through your lies, I can now start to rebuild my life. Mr Lewsey, who was supported by his family in court, spoke of the emotional turmoil for him and his loved ones who had blamed themselves for the actions of Langrish. Victims of sexual offences are automatically granted lifetime anonymity, but Mr Lewsey waived this right, adding: I have no shame now, I realise it wasnt me, it was you that was wrong and hope more people come forward. I now know you are in a place where you cannot harm another young person, and for that I am grateful. Mr Lewsey also praised the work of Sussex Police for convincing him to carry on with the case and passed on information to officers leading to the international arrest warrant. Langrish, who previously lived in Vendelso, Sweden, was convicted after a trial of four counts of indecency with a child and four counts of indecent assault on a child. On sentencing, Judge Gary Lucie paid tribute to Mr Lewsey and his tenacity in the case. Langrish was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and a further three years on extended licence. In a statement after the sentencing, Sussex Police detective sergeant Becki Buckley said: Glenn Langrish thought he could hide in Sweden and not have to face justice for his appalling crimes. He hugely underestimated the determination of Sussex Police, our partner forces and national agencies and, just as importantly, the resolve of his brave victim. I cannot commend Stephen Lewsey enough for his courage in coming forward, supporting this investigation for such a long time and choosing to waive his anonymity to help other victims. How the Clapham alkali attack and manhunt for suspect Abdul Ezedi has unfolded The suspect in the south London alkali attack is on the run and being hunted by police. Abdul Ezedi, 35, who has significant injuries to the right side of his face, was last seen at Kings Cross tube station some 90 minutes after the attack in Lessar Avenue, Clapham. Heres a timeline of how events have unfolded so far: Wednesday 00.15am Ezedis vehicle is seen in Newcastle, where he had been living. 6.30am His vehicle is seen travelling into Tooting, south London. 4.30pm A further sighing of his car is confirmed in Croydon. 7pm He is then seen driving in Streatham. 7.25pm The attack on a 31-year-old woman, believed to be known to Ezedi, who was with her daughters, aged three and eight, takes place in Lessar Avenue. Ezedi makes off in his car which crashes nearby. He then leaves the vehicle and runs off. Police Commander Jon Savell giving an update to the media (PA Video) The Metropolitan Police was called to the scene, with 12 people, including five officers, injured. 7.33pm Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South tube station. 7.59pm He leaves that train at Kings Cross tube station. 8.42pm He is seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Road. He exits and turns right. He has significant injuries and is believed to have bought a bottle of water. Ezedi was seen in a Tesco Express shop (Metropolitan Police/PA) 9pm Ezedi enters Kings Cross tube station and boards a Victoria Line tube southbound. Thursday Around 9.30am Scotland Yard says the 31-year-old woman and three-year-old girl have potentially life-changing injuries. 1.35pm Ezedis identity is revealed and members of the public are warned to stay away from him. The Met said it is working with Northumbria Police as the wanted man may be trying to return to the North East. The public have been warned to stay away from Ezedi (Metropolitan Police/PA) 4pm There was a heightened police presence on Caledonian Road, as unmarked cars with blue sirens could be seen and police vehicles drove around the area. 6pm The image of Ezedi buying a bottle of water is released. Overnight Thursday to Friday Police carry out a total of five search warrants, at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle. Friday 3.36pm Police hold a press conference, giving a timeline of Ezedis movements, an update on the condition of the mother and her daughters and issuing new images of Ezedi at Kings Cross underground station. Commander Jon Savell makes a direct appeal to Ezedi to hand himself into police, so he can get the urgent medical treatment he needs. Darius Rucker, best known as the lead singer of Hootie & The Blowfish, has been arrested on minor drug charges. The three-time Grammy winner is fully co-operating with authorities, his lawyer Mark Puryear told the PA news agency. The 57-year-old was arrested in Williamson County, Tennessee, on two counts of simple possession/casual exchange of a controlled substance and one count of a violation of the states vehicle registration law. Singer/songwriter Darius Rucker (AP) Rucker was taken into custody by the Williamson County Sheriffs Office and booked on three misdemeanour charges. He was later released on bond and is no longer in custody, US outlets have reported. It is not known what led to Ruckers arrest or what the alleged controlled substance was. It comes months after Rucker was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after achieving success with the debut album by Hootie & The Blowfish in 1994, before becoming a country singing star, releasing his first album in 2008. During the ceremony he was joined by his three children, Caroline, Daniella and Jack, whom he mentioned in his speech. Theyre my heart, my soul, and everything I do, I do it for them, he said. Rucker also thanked Mark Bryan, Dean Felber and Jim Soni Sonefeld who formed Hootie & The Blowfish during their time as students at the University of South Carolina, and are set to return to the road with their Summer Camp With Trucks Tour this year. An armed robbery at the 76 gas station on Hegenberger Road in Oakland prompted the mother of one of the victims to offer a $10,000 reward in the case. Google Street View A Texas attorney is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information on a group of armed robbers who held up her 21-year-old son and his friends at a gas station near Oakland International Airport on Monday. Maxey Scherr said family and friends celebrated her sons 21st birthday in Sonoma and Napa over the weekend. Her son and four friends were on their way back to the Oakland airport in a rental car and stopped at about 2 p.m. to fill the tank at the 76 gas station on Hegenberger Road when the robbery occurred. The area is a magnet for crime, especially vehicle break-ins, according to police data. Police say thieves target tourists when they stop for food or gas along Hegenberger on their way to and from the airport. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A nearby In-N-Out the only one in the city and a pit stop for travelers recently announced it will close next month, citing concerns about crimes including vehicle break-ins and armed robberies. On Tuesday, the citys only Dennys, also located in that area, also announced it was closing, citing public safety issues. Scherr shared a video of the robbery on her law firms social media pages. The footage shows a four-door, dark gray sedan pull up to a pump on the other side of the pump where her sons rental a white Ford Expedition was parked. A passenger in the sedan exits and opens the trunk door of the SUV. Two other passengers exit and appear to unload items from the truck and toss them into the car. Scherr said the robbers were wearing ski masks. One of them who was armed with a gun hit her son with the weapon and took his bracelets and watch. The gunman also reached into her sons pockets and took his cellphone and wallet, Scherr said. Another robber took a wallet from one of their friends. The robbers also took their luggage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad None of the young men was injured, Scherr said. After the robbery, the gas station clerk told them to leave because robbers return every 30 minutes and would shoot them if they stayed, Scherr said. She said her son and his friends called police twice, and that they were told the response would take time. Instead of waiting, the young men drove to the police station and filed a report there. When they returned the Explorer to Thrifty Car Rental, an employee told them a vehicle is returned with damage from a robbery or burglary at least once a day, Scherr said. Its pretty disgusting if its true that this happens with Thrifty vehicles once a day, Scherr said in a phone interview. It puts a very bad light on Oakland. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Attempts to contact Thrifty Car Rental and the gas station for comment were unsuccessful. The attorney said she was disappointed because she feels tourists arent warned about area crime. It doesnt look to the naked eye like a bad neighborhood, she said. Scherr said her main objective was to hold the robbers accountable and speak up about the issue. I feel like this just cant be. This shouldnt be the way of life out there, she said. We shouldnt just accept that thats just how it should be. She added, I dont want anybody else to feel as I do as a mother, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Scherr noted that rewards are common in homicides and kidnappings, but she added, I dont think it should have to come to that. This was close enough. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thaos office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. She has said the safety of residents, businesses and visitors is a top priority, including on Hegenberger Road. The Oakland Police Department last year deployed two foot patrol officers, one on the thoroughfare and the other along nearby 90th Avenue. Their goal is to enhance security in shopping centers and gas stations. In addition to regular patrol and undercover operations, the department also keeps cameras in the area to monitor activities. A drill rapper who used his music to glorify so-called Islamic State (IS) killings was seriously contemplating making a bomb to use in a terror attack, a court has heard. Al-Arfat Hassan bought knives and chemicals online that he intended to use for an improvised explosive device. Hassan, 21, from Enfield, north London, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing chemicals for a terrorist purpose. One of his teenage fans, a 17-year-old from Leeds, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for failing to disclose his knowledge of Hassans terrorist activities. Both also pleaded guilty to possession of a so-called Islamic State video with demonstrations showing the gruesome killing of prisoners. The propaganda video provided detailed instructions on manufacturing explosives and killing people with knives. Both defendants were charged with preparation of terrorist acts (under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2000). Following two trials, at Leeds and Sheffield Crown Courts the first of which ended in a hung jury, and the second discontinued both defendants offered pleas to the alternative offences which were accepted by prosecutors. Sentencing the pair at the Old Bailey on Friday, the judge, Mr Justice Baker, said he was satisfied they had terrorist motivations. Jurors at Sheffield Crown Court heard last year that Hassan gained a strong online following of young Muslims under the name TS and the younger defendant became drawn to him through his music. Prosecutors said both had become heavily radicalised by late 2021 and supported an extreme Islamist ideology. Jurors were shown a video of Hassan in which he held a samurai sword and exchanged messages with another person stating he was prepared for martyrdom. The court heard one of the knives he bought was of the same type used to carry out an execution featured in the Islamic State instructional video he and the youth had viewed. Hassan also created drill music videos with lyrics referring to Alan Henning, a British man taken hostage and killed by Islamic State, and James Foley, a US journalist captured and killed in Syria. In relation to the 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, the jury was shown evidence that he bought a knife and exchanged almost daily extremist messages and graphics over a number of months with Hassan. Nick Price, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said: Al-Arfat Hassan claimed to be a provocative digital music creator, but the evidence was clear that he had a violent, extremist mindset and was taking active steps to prepare to commit terrorist acts. Hassan said he wanted to kill thousands, and he had a plan and location in mind. His collection of knives and items to create an explosive device showed these were not idle boasts. The youth in this case had a fixation with killing in the name of religion. He told the court that he had been supporting Al-Arfat Hassan through a difficult time when in fact he was enthusiastically encouraging him to carry out a bomb attack. Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees of the Mets Counter Terrorism Command, said: This case is a chilling example of two young people being radicalised, and accessing terrorist content online. Moves to transform the fire services amid reports of harassment and bullying have been announced by firefighters leaders. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) launched the next phase of its Equality Matters campaign, saying it was determined to lead the sectors transformation. A new video filmed with FBU activists has now gone out across social media, and the union has launched an online hub as well as providing posters in fire stations and control rooms across the UK next week. LAUNCHING TODAY | The Fire Brigades Union stands for equality for an inclusive fire and rescue service, open to everyone, which reflects the communities it serves. Equality Matters is our campaign to fight for that future. [1/3] pic.twitter.com/aF5mxGImmK Fire Brigades Union (@fbunational) February 2, 2024 The union is also drawing up its own set of standards for the fire and rescue sector. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: We stand for equality, for an inclusive fire and rescue service, open to everyone, which reflects the communities it serves. Firefighters have the right to work without fear of being abused or mistreated. This is a matter of principle, and it is a matter of basic health and safety in the workplace. Recent reports have underlined how widespread the problem of discrimination, harassment and bullying is in the fire service. They corroborate what FBU reps have known for some time that the problems go right to the top and that some fire service leaders have systematically failed to address the problem. This situation is the result of decades of failings by government and fire service leaders. As the only democratic and representative body for firefighters and control room staff, the Fire Brigades Union will take a leading role in transforming the fire and rescue service. Campaigners believe the miscarriage of justice for those convicted under joint enterprise is on the same scale as the Post Office Horizon scandal. The doctrine enshrined in English common law has allowed courts to prosecute people who were not the primary actor in a crime but played a role, such as a getaway driver in a bank robbery. But MPs warned something has gone profoundly wrong with the way the law has been used in recent decades and they have a proposed a reform to ensure only those who make a significant contribution to a crime can be prosecuted. Labour MP Kim Johnson, referring to Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association campaigners, told the Commons: In their own words, this is a miscarriage of justice on the same scale as the Post Office Horizon scandal. People are being sent to prison for crimes they did not commit. The Horizon scandal saw more than 700 Post Office branch managers around the UK prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their shops. Ms Johnson raised the Horizon comparison as she moved her Joint Enterprise (Significant Contribution) Bill, which the Government opposes, at second reading on Friday. The MP for Liverpool Riverside said: This is an incredibly difficult and sensitive topic because behind each of these joint enterprise cases there are victims of crime and their families, many of whom have lost loved ones in situations that most of us would find difficult to comprehend. And behind each of these joint enterprise miscarriages of justice there are people, loved ones, whole families whose lives have been torn apart by an unjust lifelong sentence, wrongly punished for the crime of another. Before 2016, a person could be found guilty by association if the court decided they could reasonably foresee the crime taking place, even if they themselves did not intend it. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that this aspect of joint enterprise had been misapplied, meaning that people could no longer be prosecuted for the possibility of foreseeing a crime taking place, but only if they intended to assist in committing it. Labour MP Kim Johnson addresses the House of Commons (PA) But Ms Johnson said the 2016 judgment is believed to have had little or no effect on the number of joint enterprise charges or convictions. She said her Bill seeks to return the law to its original intention, saying: Joint enterprise is currently wielded as a blunt instrument by the courts, allowing people who have not made a significant contribution to a murder to receive a mandatory life sentence. Lawyers and campaigners often refer to it as Russian roulette in terms of who is prosecuted or sentenced for life. My Bill seeks to enshrine in law that only where a person is proven to have significantly contributed to a crime can they be prosecuted under joint enterprise. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the injustice has gone on for a very, very long time, telling the debate: Many of the predominantly young people that are ensnared by joint enterprise often come from inner city black communities. Their families are devastated, often lack the media and political connections in order to mount an urgent and rapid legal case or campaign and (they) end up spending several years in prison for an offence they did not commit, and their lives are subsequently damaged severely. Conservative MP Philip Davies faced a shout of disgraceful from the Opposition benches after he said he opposed the Bill, adding in his 38-minute speech: In many regards, the law on joint enterprise doesnt actually go far enough. Justice minister Gareth Bacon said the cases involved tend to be extremely complex (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament) Justice minister Gareth Bacon raised concerns over the proposals as he outlined why the Government would oppose it. Mr Bacon said the cases tend to be extremely complex and involve a significant body of detailed evidence which needs to be considered in detail in order to truly understand what happened. The minister said the threshold for anyone to be prosecuted and found guilty under the joint enterprise principle is very high, explaining: They must intend to assist or encourage the commission of the crime and therefore must know of the existing fact necessary to make it criminal. If the crime requires the principal to have a particular intent then the secondary must intend to assist or encourage the principal to act with that intent. Mr Bacon said the 2016 Supreme Court judgment made a narrow change to the law, adding it has been widely misunderstood as meaning that all convictions under joint enterprise would now be found not guilty on appeal. Debate on the Bill was adjourned until June 21, with Ms Johnson saying of the minister: He did say not support today, so I am taking that positively and Im asking whether he would consider looking at reviewing that. A labourer who posed as a multimillionaire to lure teenage girls into sending him obscene photos before threatening them with violence has been jailed for nine years with a further four years on extended licence, according to the Metropolitan Police. Sadistic Jake Wright even bullied one of his victims into taking an overdose while on a video call after telling her she should take her own life. The 29-year-old groomed three teenage girls aged between 15 and 17 whom he met on Snapchat, lying that he was a wealthy playboy with 300 million in his bank account and access to a string of lavish homes. In reality he was a labourer doing odd jobs, living in Chingford, east London. Wright was jailed for causing sexual exploitation of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, paying for sexual services of a child, making indecent photographs of a child and threats to kill, at Snaresbrook Crown Court. A Met Police spokesman said the court ruled that Wright posed a high risk of harm to children and the general public. As well as the prison sentence, he was made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order which limits future use of the internet and contact with children. The judge also issued indefinite restraining orders preventing Wright from having future contact with any of the four victims and the defendant was also barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. The force spokesman added that forfeiture and destruction orders were issued for seized digital devices, decommissioned firearms and a swastika flag. Wright used screenshots of fake bank statements to give the impression that he had millions of pounds and was living the life of a wealthy playboy. But Wrights lies unravelled at the end of a police hunt that began in September 2022, when the family of a teenage girl he had groomed made a report to the Metropolitan Police. Four months earlier, he had contacted her on Snapchat, gradually gaining her trust until he offered her 12,000 for sexual photographs of herself, later getting her friend to feature in the images too. As his demands continued the victims eventually refused to take more photos, but he threatened them over video calls, sending photographs of him holding a gun, and lied that he had a brother with terrorist connections. He sent them horrifying videos of beheadings, and threatened to send the obscene images to their family and friends, which he subsequently did. The victims did not know who Wright was, but once detectives identified him they realised he was linked to two other cases, one in the West Midlands and one in the City of London. He had used the same tactics to target the victim in the Midlands in March 2022, but gave her the ultimatum of either coming to London to be raped by him; having the obscene images sent to her family and friends; or to kill herself. Wright contacted victims on Snapchat (Alamy/PA) This led to the harrowing video call in which she took an overdose and was lucky to survive. Detective Constable Samantha Thompson, the investigating officer, said: I would like to commend the victims in this harrowing case, who have been truly traumatised by Wright. The memory of these horrific crimes will remain with them and their families for the rest of their lives. I hope this sentencing will bring them some peace. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure sexual predators who make our streets unsafe for women and girls are brought to justice. If you have been a victim of a sexual offence, we would urge you to speak to police so that you can get the support you deserve. The City of London case in October 2022 involved a 17-year-old girl who was also groomed via Snapchat. Wright offered the girl 60,000 to meet him at a hotel and have sex with him, but he then refused to pay her. He was arrested days later and when police searched his home they found four decommissioned guns. Detective Chief Inspector Jo Lloyd from the Mets Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation team, said: Our priority is to safeguard children at risk and pursue offenders who orchestrate this abuse through grooming and/or direct contact abuse. Prevention is key and we know we cannot do this alone. We are working with education and schools officers to ensure schools, parents and children have the information available to identify any potential risks and support age appropriate conversations around keeping children safe. We want to continue to encourage parents and young people to take appropriate steps to remain safe online. The internet can be a great space for young people to play, socialise and learn, and offers wonderful opportunities. However, it can be used by offenders to prey on young people and commit serious offences. I want to urge parents to have conversations with their children about online safety, learn how their children use the internet and, if they notice any behavioural changes in their child, ask questions and explore if there is something worrying them. If you have any concerns about online child abuse we would urge you to call police on 101, or 999 in an emergency we have specially trained officers who will listen and investigate where needed. Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After 72 hours the poll closes and, each Friday, we'll publish and analyse the results, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. The UK government plans to phase out smoking among the younger generations by gradually implementing a lifetime ban. (Getty Images?) (Getty Images/Cavan Images RF) The UK government wants to curb smoking and vaping, particularly among young people, and is planning to phase the habit out completely. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced last year that he intends to raise the minimum smoking age from 18 every year, until children who turn 14 this year or younger will never be able too legally buy cigarettes in England. The plans are part of Sunak's ambition for a "smokefree generation". The proposed legislation will make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products, with the potential to phase out smoking in young people as soon as 2040. Yahoo UK asked our readers what they thought of the government's radical action on smoking, here are the results: Poll of the week - smoking Our poll from Monday at midday until midday Thursday asked: 'Do you agree with a complete ban on smoking for younger generations?' It received 10,567 votes and showed 67% of Yahoo readers agreed strongly with a complete ban on smoking for younger people. Some 27% of voters said they did not agree 'at all' with the ban, while just 6% did not lean either way. 67% of Yahoo readers agreed strongly with a complete ban on smoking Yahoo News UK readers were also asked: 'How strongly do you feel about preventing people smoking?' Poll of the Week - smoking 2 This poll received 5,355 votes with the most common vote being 10, indicating many readers felt strongly that people should be prevented from smoking. The average strength-of-feeling score on all the votes was 7.55. Many readers felt strongly that people should be prevented from smoking. The average strength-of-feeling score on all the votes was 7.55 The results from our main poll mirrored the results of a YouGov poll on the topic. In their poll 67% of the 3,500 adults from England who were polled backed the government's plans to phase out smoking, with just 14% opposing the measure. An official consultation on the government's proposed actions to implement a lifetime ban on smoking found that the large majority of responses supported it. Respondents also supported the proposed measures to tackle youth vaping, with strong support for a ban on the sale and supply of disposable vapes. The government is expected to implement this ban on disposable vapes at the end of 2024 or the start of 2025, as well as restrict the availability of fruity, sweet flavours and packaging that appeals to children. It comes after figures from the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) charity suggested that 7.6% of 11 to 17-year-olds now vape regularly or occasionally. Sunak said: "Children shouldn't be vaping, we don't want them to get addicted, we still don't understand the full long-term health impacts." Our original poll article can be found here. Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles Love Island: All Stars bombshell Casey OGorman has said he pushed back from a romantic connection with Georgia Harrison after she said she had seen his dead grandfather. It was revealed during Wednesdays episode that the pair had been romantically involved prior to the show when Casey entered the villa as a bombshell, alongside Joanna Chimonides. Upon his arrival Georgia said she had met Casey, who appeared in series nine of Love Island, a couple of times before the show. She later said: Me and Casey, we had a really, really good connection outside the villa. Nothing in the world could have prepared me for this reason #LoveIsland #AllStars pic.twitter.com/Hz2XN03Eak Love Island (@LoveIsland) February 1, 2024 I feel that he mugged me off a little bit and I was quite frankly heartbroken about it. So I dont know how to feel. During Thursdays instalment of the dating programme, Georgia denied she told Casey she had seen his dead grandfather after he revealed this was the reason behind their failed romance outside the villa. He said: Do you really want to know what did push me back? And I should have probably told you this earlier. You know me, Im not really that much of a spiritual person. He added: You mentioned my granddad and stuff like that and it really threw me off. Georgia explained she was meditating and Casey cut her off and said: No, I know, but you started to say that you saw my dead granddad. You were saying you saw my granddad and he wishes me well and I was like, this is just way too much for me. Georgia disagreed and said: No, I was saying that when I was meditating I got an experience where I felt others sensing things from the other side and that people are still around. I was just feeling really connected. Fortune favours the brave, and in this situation, youve got to be the bravest #LoveIsland #AllStars pic.twitter.com/FsR02jXMSE Love Island (@LoveIsland) February 1, 2024 She went on: I was just feeling so strongly that people are still around us and I was feeling really guided and I wanted to share that with you. Obviously maybe I shouldnt have. The episode also contained a recoupling in which Toby Aromolaran decided to recouple with Georgia Steel, having previously been in a pairing with Arabella Chi. Toby and Georgia S had found a connection in spin-off dating series Love Island Games but early in the All Stars series they decided to explore their other options after Toby expressed interest in Molly Smith. During Thursdays recoupling, the islander, who originally appeared in series seven, said he would like to couple up with Georgia S because shes beautiful, I love the way she carries herself and I feel I have her back as much as she has mine. My heads been back and forth constantly but I feel like theres a real opportunity here to test a real connection that would work on the outside, he added. The first ever All Stars series has brought back previous islanders to the villa in the hope they find love again. Love Island: All Stars continues on ITV2 and ITVX. A malaria vaccine which has been developed with the help of Oxford University scientists is up to 78% effective in the youngest children, new data suggests. Last year the R21/Matrix-M vaccine was recommended for use by the World Health Organisation (WHO). New data from a phase 3 trial in African children confirms the jab is effective and safe. Researchers immunised more than 4,800 young children in a trial in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania and found on average 78% efficacy in the five to 17-month age group over the first year. The experts say that so far no other vaccine has reported more than 55% effectiveness in the same age group. According to the findings, published in The Lancet, a booster dose at a year maintained good efficacy over the following six to 12 months. The overall efficacy was between 68% and 75% for children aged five to 36-months-old. So far, 25 million doses have been manufactured and made ready for roll-out by the Serum Institute of India (SII) in the next three to four months. Significantly increased immune responses to the vaccine, and slightly higher vaccine efficacy, were observed in five to 17-month-olds compared to 18 to 36-month-olds, supporting planned vaccine deployment initially from five months of age in African children. Malaria is the largest cause of death in young African children, with 600,000 dying every year. Two vaccines have recently achieved and completed WHO pre-qualification, and initial deployments are starting early this year. Professor Adrian Hill, chief investigator of the R21/Matrix-M phase 3 trial, said: The continued high efficacy of this new vaccine in field trials is very encouraging, and consistent with the high efficacy and excellent durability observed in a smaller four-year phase 2b trial. Audrey Duncanson, innovations transition manager at Wellcome, said: Malaria still remains a huge global health risk for nearly half of the worlds population, with the burden of this disease predominantly in African countries causing approximately 600,000 deaths in children under the age of five years. The results from this recent phase 3 trial of the malaria vaccine, R21, holds huge potential for a transformative impact on malaria in children. This is an important step towards getting a highly effective, safe, readily accessible affordable vaccine to protect children from malaria in African countries. Adar Poonawalla, chief executive of SSI, said: The Lancet study on R21/Matrix-M phase 3 trials marks a significant advancement in our battle against this global threat. We are dedicated to making this vaccine available, especially in Africa, where malaria poses a substantial threat to millions of lives, bringing us closer to a malaria-free world. The vaccine is cheap, costing between two US dollars (1.65) and four dollars (3.30) per dose. At least 28 countries in Africa plan to introduce a WHO-recommended malaria jab as part of their national immunisation programmes. Matrix-M adjuvant is manufactured by Novavax AB and provided to SII for formulation into the final vaccine drug product. An adjuvant is an ingredient used in some vaccines to enhance the bodys immune response, which helps them to work better. Love Island: All Stars presenter Maya Jama and radio stars Roman Kemp and Clara Amfo have been announced as hosts of the 2024 Brit Awards. Capital Breakfast host Kemp, 31, said he cried when he found out he would be presenting at the awards ceremony, taking place in March at the O2 in London. On Instagram he said: Genuinely still in shock but so excited Cried when I found out. And doing it alongside two absolute superstars. Jama, 29, wrote Hosting the Brits lets gooo, in a post to her Instagram story. introducing your BRITs hosting trio *cue drumroll* Clara Amfo, @MayaJama, and @romankemp don't miss #BRITs 2024, Sat 2 March on ITV1 and ITVX pic.twitter.com/f2tdxb3fhk BRIT Awards (@BRITs) February 1, 2024 Comedian Mo Gilligan helmed the annual prize ceremony in 2022 and 2023. He took over from fellow comic Jack Whitehall, who had hosted in 2018 and 2019. In November Gilligan announced on social media that he would be stepping down from the role. On Instagram, he said: Ive had the most incredible time working on The Brits but unfortunately as Ill be in the US for my first World Tour next spring, Im sorry to say that Ill be stepping down from hosting duties for 2024. British artist Raye and pop superstar Dua Lipa have been confirmed to perform during the ceremony. Raye, 26, real name Rachel Keen, made history as the most nominated artist in one year, earning seven nods including the coveted album of the year prize for her studio debut, My 21st Century Blues. The public can vote for their favourite artist in categories including best R&B act, pop act and dance act. The British Phonographic Industrys annual music awards will air on Saturday March 2 at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Questions are being asked about how a sex offender on the run after being suspected of carrying out a chemical attack was granted asylum in the UK despite his conviction. Police are hunting for Abdul Shokoor Ezedi after a girl and her mother were left with potentially life-changing injuries in the wake of the incident in London on Wednesday. Officers believe he had been living in Newcastle. The 35-year-old, who it is believed to be from Afghanistan, reportedly arrived in the UK in 2016 by travelling in a lorry. But is it understood his asylum claims were twice rejected by the Home Office. Ezedi avoided jail when he pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and exposure, instead being handed a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9 2018, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed. He is then understood to have challenged the Home Offices decision to refuse him asylum by successfully lodging an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), which is believed to have been granted by a judge in 2021 or 2022. Ezedi was apparently permitted to stay in the country after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity and was wholly committed to his new religion, The Daily Telegraph reported. Abdul Ezedi, the suspect in the Clapham alkaline substance attack (Met Police/PA) The Home Office can apply to the Upper Tribunal to appeal against such rulings. But it is so far unclear whether the department did apply to appeal and was unsuccessful in this case. Jacqueline McKenzie, partner and head of immigration and asylum law at law firm Leigh Day, said someones criminal past can be relevant but that if they are believed not to pose an ongoing threat to security they might be granted asylum. She told BBC Radio Fours Today programme: The Secretary of State can also look at crimes committed outside of the UK and inside of the UK, if the person poses a threat to society. And it seems clear and we dont know enough, but it seems clear that whoever made the decision to grant this man asylum felt that he didnt pose an ongoing threat to security and that may have been based on probation reports, all sorts of things, or expert evidence etc. So it is very, very difficult, because we just dont have enough information. It is not yet known which Christian denomination the person who reportedly assisted Ezedi was from. The Church of England said it was not currently aware of any links to its churches. A spokesperson said: This is clearly a shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by it. It is the role of the Home Office, and not the Church, to vet asylum seekers and judge the merits of their individual cases. According to Church of England guidance, clergy can act as their support, and help with things they cannot do if someones asylum claim is refused. Conversion to Christianity after a previous refusal can be the basis of a fresh claim, the guidance said. It states: Convincing evidence will be required, which could include: testimony from a church leader, other testimony confirming their faith or conversion, evidence of persecution of Christians / Christian converts in their home country. Ms McKenzie said she has dealt with cases where people have been absolutely genuine about their conversion to Christianity. But former immigration minister Robert Jenrick repeated his claim that the asylum system is broken. The last confirmed sighting of Abdul Ezedi was in Tesco on Caledonian Road, N1 at 8.48pm last night. If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should NOT be approached. If you have information as to his whereabouts call 0207 175 2784https://t.co/qQq1MXYXes Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 1, 2024 He told the Today programme: Im afraid we do see, regularly, cases of people making spurious claims to have converted to Christianity, aided and abetted by often well-meaning but naive vicars and priests, and this is just an example of how broken the system is. Ms McKenzie also said the timing of Ezedis claim is pretty important, due to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. She said: We know the Taliban came to power, we know that theyre very serious about their blasphemy laws, and that the death penalty is applicable for people who convert from Islam to Christianity or other religions. And this man, if he was able to convince the Secretary of State that his conversion was genuine, would have been offered protection because he would possibly face persecution back in Afghanistan under the Taliban. The Home Office said it would be inappropriate to comment on a suspects immigration status during a live police investigation. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is to sail this weekend to head the largest Nato exercise in Europe since the Cold War. The fleet flagship will leave Portsmouth Naval Base on Sunday evening to head more than 40 vessels taking part in Exercise Steadfast Defender which will take place off Norways Arctic coast in March. The deployment comes after armed forces minister James Heappey suggested that a British aircraft carrier could be sent to the Red Sea amid the continuing threat by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. This would mean either the Queen Elizabeth or its sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales, currently in port at Portsmouth Naval Base, being sent to the region to replace the USS Dwight D Eisenhower when it returns to America. Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (top right) berths alongside aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at Portsmouth Naval Base (Jonathan Brady/PA) For the Nato exercise, HMS Queen Elizabeth will lead a carrier strike of eight ships four of them British, including frigate HMS Somerset and two Tide-class tankers from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary supported by US, Spanish and Danish vessels. The carrier will be joined by its F-35B Lightning stealth fighters from 617 Dambusters Squadron at RAF Marham, submarine hunting and airborne early warning Merlin Mk2 helicopters from RNAS Culdrose, and battlefield Wildcat helicopters of 847 Naval Air Squadron from RNAS Yeovilton. The arrival of the aircraft will boost the numbers on board the carrier from the core 780 crew to a total of 1,350. Commodore James Blackmore, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, said: Steadfast Defender demonstrates the unity of the alliance, our commitment to it and that the UK continues to play a leading role in Nato. The exercise allows us to train with our neighbours in a truly challenging environment, especially at this time of year but that is why we have to operate up there. The weather cannot put us off. Before heading to the Arctic, the Carrier Strike Group will take part in the annual Joint Warrior exercise off northern Scotland before joining Exercise Nordic Response the maritime part of Steadfast Defender. Captain Will King, HMS Queen Elizabeths commanding officer, said: These are going to be 40-plus intense days for my ships company, theres a lot of excitement on board and people are ready to go. Many people focus on the kit and capability of HMS Queen Elizabeth but the human element is a key factor. For those out on the deck, conditions will be extremely harsh at times: strong winds, wind chill of minus 20 or more, heavy seas and a deck moving around, sleet, snow. Then add in darkness for operations at night. We do our utmost to protect our people out on deck, while maintaining operations. Leading Survival Engineering Technician Jack Rutherford, 23, from Fife, will be tasked with ensuring that survival equipment such as life rafts, life jackets and helmets are in full working order. He said: Operating in a cold weather environment makes things much more challenging. Our equipment is very good, designed for the changes in temperature and extremes you face. Tolls to drive on the Golden Gate Bridge could soon be increasing. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle North Bay motorists who use FasTrak transponders could soon spend up to $11.25 per vehicle to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, under new proposals to raise toll fees. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District, which oversees the namesake bridge and bus and ferry transit from the North Bay to San Francisco, is considering four increases to narrow a steep budget gap. Unlike BART, Caltrain or Muni, the Golden Gate district is the only transit agency in the Bay Area that depends on people driving their cars to pay for transit service. But, like those other agencies, the district projects a steep fiscal cliff once it runs out of federal and state subsidies that paid for operations during the pandemic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Car traffic on the iconic bridge has plateaued at about 85% of 2019 levels when more than 50,000 crossed the bridge on weekdays losing the agency up to $30 million annually in bridge toll revenue. Telework and hybrid work has dampened demand for bridge travel to San Francisco, and the district forecasts a $220 million deficit over the next five years. Commuters driving on the Golden Gate Bridge could soon be spending more to cross the iconic span. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle The Golden Gate district, last July, raised FasTrak bridge tolls to $8.75 per car as part of a plan approved in 2019 to raise tolls annually for five years. The toll fee was $7 per vehicle in 2018. The Golden Gate transportation board in March will consider adopting another five-year plan to gradually raise tolls through 2028. The first toll increases would take effect July 1, if board members sign off on any of the four plans. The first option, 50-cent annual increases, would make the district the most money and bring in $139 million over five years. This means tolls on July 1 would rise to $9.25 for FasTrak users, who pay the cheapest rate. By July 2028, these commuters would pay $11.25 to cross the Golden Gate Bridges toll gantries, while invoice drivers who pay the highest rate would pay $12.25 per vehicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The district is also considering annual toll increases of 40 cents ($10.75 toll for FasTrak users in 2028), 35 cents ($10.50) and 4% ($10.65). Neither of the four plans would fully cover the districts projected $220 million deficit. I was a little bit shaken by the fact that anything we do is only half of the shortfall, board member Barbara Pahre, who represents Napa County, said at a recent committee meeting. Its not just about tolls, its about cinching our belts a little bit. This might end up being the easy part. The Golden Gate district and the regions transit agencies plan to ask voters to pass a tax measure in 2026 that would subsidize transit service and could help further narrow the districts shortfall. A former attorney general for Northern Ireland has rejected the contention that a Government deal to restore Stormont has removed an Irish Sea border. John Larkin KC was commissioned by several vocal opponents of the agreement to assess the legal effect of the measures. Key among the questions he was asked was whether the plan set out in the Safeguarding The Union command paper would restore the 1800 Acts of Union; whether they removed a customs and regulatory border in the Irish Sea; and do they ensure zero checks and zero paperwork for GB goods destined for Northern Ireland. Mr Larkin argued that they achieved none of those objectives. However, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has rejected the findings of the legal opinion. He also rejected claims that the package altered domestic laws enabling the application of EU laws in Northern Ireland and he found that the region would continue to be treated as an EU territory when it came to certain trading rules. The legal opinion was commissioned by Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister, former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib, Baroness Kate Hoey and loyalist activist Jamie Bryson. Mr Allister and Mr Bryson were at Parliament Buildings at Stormont on Friday to give their reaction to Mr Larkins findings. The TUV leader said the opinion undermined the spin that has accompanied the Government deal which has convinced the DUP to return to devolution. We arrive at a situation where, despite all the spin, and all the hype, and all the pretence, and all the false claims about restoring our place within the United Kingdom, and the removal of the Irish Sea (border), when you apply the key legal analysis of this matter, then it doesnt stand up, he said. Mr Allister warned that the existing post-Brexit arrangements would attempt to deliver a united Ireland by stealth. Both men challenged DUP leader Sir Jeffrey to publish his own legal advice on the Government deal. Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson (left) and TUV leader Jim Allister stand outside Stormont (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Bryson was asked about the possibility of loyalist and unionist protests in opposition to the return of Stormont. It may well be the case that people take the opportunity to do that, and if they do, they should do it peacefully and lawfully, theres a significant strength of feeling, he said. But the important thing today is, here is our legal opinion, we have put our money where our mouth is, we can back up our legal opinion. Jeffrey Donaldson publish your legal opinion and lets see what you say. In response, Sir Jeffrey said: I fundamentally disagree with this. At the end of the day, an opinion is just that, it is an opinion. He added: We have brought about change that others talked about but havent delivered. Jim Allister, is that the best that he can do? DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (right) and deputy leader of the DUP Gavin Robinson speak to the media outside Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) What I have delivered is change. I stood on a platform with Jim Allister and he talked a lot, and he shouted a lot, but he has nothing to show for his actions. I have a lot to show for my actions. The DUP is unionism delivering for Northern Ireland. I will say this to Jim. The margin between the DUP and Sinn Fein in the Assembly election were the 66,000 votes that the TUV secured. What did Jim deliver with those votes? One single seat for unionism. What was the result of what he did? Mervyn Storey losing his seat in North Antrim. That was the difference that meant one less unionist minister in the executive tomorrow. Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard are among the mourners who have begun arriving for the funeral of former political lobbyist-turned-psychologist Derek Draper, the husband of TV presenter Kate Garraway, following his death last month. Draper fell seriously ill during the early part of the pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital before he was discharged. He died on January 3 aged 56 after suffering long-lasting symptoms from coronavirus. Ben Shephard outside the service (Jonathan Brady/PA) Reid and Shephard, who work alongside Garraway as a presenter on Good Morning Britain, wore black as they attended the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill, north-west London, on Friday. Garraway and Draper married at the church in September 2005. Garraway, 56, often provided health updates about her husband on the ITV morning programme and fronted two documentaries on the channel about how the familys life changed following his illness. The couple had two children, Darcey and Billy. Draper, a prominent figure in New Labour in the 1990 who was also an author, was admitted to hospital in December when he had a heart attack. Garraway announced her husbands death on Instagram, with a post saying: As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications. Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. Parts of the country will have no rail services on Friday because of the latest strike by train drivers in their long-running dispute over pay and conditions. Members of Aslef at Greater Anglia, c2c and LNER will walk out for 24 hours following similar action at other train operators earlier this week. Strikes will also be held on Saturday and next Monday against different companies, causing fresh travel chaos for passengers. Union members at all the English train operators involved in the dispute are also banning overtime until early next week, which is leading to cancellations. Passengers are being advised to check before they travel, with some areas having no trains and others only limited services and starting later and finishing earlier than usual. c2c will not run any services on Friday. Managing director Rob Mullen said: Im really disappointed that an agreement with Aself hasnt been reached. The impact of this ongoing action is significant for our customers and colleagues. Im hopeful that further meetings with the unions are productive and see progress made toward concluding this challenging time for the railway. LNER said it will run more than 30 services between London, Edinburgh and West Yorkshire, equivalent to around a fifth of its usual timetable. Greater Anglia said a very limited service will operate on Friday on only five of its main routes and, with the exception of the Stansted Express service, for a limited period. Apart from the Stansted Express, these services will start much later and will finish earlier than normal. We expect these services to be very busy and passengers are advised to plan ahead or consider travelling on alternative dates. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglias managing director, said: Unfortunately on February 2, no services will run at all on most Greater Anglia routes, with just an hourly service during normal operating hours on the Stansted Airport to London route and an hourly service for limited hours on the Norwich to London, Colchester to London and Southend Victoria to London routes, plus a few services between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street. On the days affected by action short of a strike, the vast majority of services will be running as normal, but there will be some alterations and cancellations across our network. An extensive engineering works programme will also take place on Saturday February 3 and Sunday February 4. This work is extremely important to help maintain the safe and reliable running of the railway and make it fit for the future. A rail replacement service will run while the work takes place. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by these service alterations and advise customers to plan ahead and check before they travel. The dispute remains unresolved after more than 18 months, with Aslef saying it has not met the Transport Secretary Mark Harper for over a year or the rail employers since last April. General secretary Mick Whelan said his members have not had a pay rise for almost five years, accusing the government of giving up trying to resolve the dispute. None of the companies affected by the current wave of strikes are using the new law aimed at ensuring a minimum level of services during industrial action set at 40% in the rail industry. Aslef said this proves the regulations are unworkable. A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson, said: Train companies are working through plans to manage the unnecessary disruption to our passengers caused by this damaging industrial action minimum service levels are one potential tool for that but they are not a silver bullet. In the meantime, we remain committed to resolving this dispute and our offer, which would take average driver salaries to 65,000 for a four-day week without overtime, remains on the table. The Transport Department has accused Aslefs leadership of refusing to allow its members to vote on a pay offer made last year. A spokesperson said: The Transport Secretary and Rail Minister have already facilitated talks that led to this fair and reasonable offer. With passenger revenues not having recovered since the pandemic, the taxpayer has had to prop up the railways with 12 billion in the last year alone. These strikes will not change the need for urgent workplace reforms that Aslef continue to block. Aslef counters that drivers have been reballoted a number of times since the dispute started and have always backed continuing with industrial action. Mr Whelan added: The members have voted to keep striking for a fair pay deal. What is it that Mr Harper does not understand? The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office confirmed that forthcoming charges will be brought against the 17-year-old TC Roberson student who was shot during a Feb. 9 Leceister home invasion and attempted robbery. ASHEVILLE Three months after an Arden man died from a gunshot wound in Mission Hospital on Nov. 29, newly-released documents from the North Carolina medical examiner reveal more details into what led to his death. Jeremy Greer, 41, was a passenger in a vehicle when a disagreement with someone else in the car escalated, and his fellow passenger shot him in the chest, according to his death investigation and autopsy reports obtained by the Citizen Times. Law enforcements preliminary investigation revealed that Greer had been living with his father in Ashe County for a month before his dad drove him to Boone on Nov. 27 or Nov. 28 to meet up with the person suspected of shooting him, who then drove Greer to Asheville. Greer was staying in the suspected shooters home, and on Nov. 29, Greer rode with the man and his girlfriend to pick up a roommate from work. Greer then asked to be dropped off at an empty retail store parking lot in South Asheville, according to the death investigation report. Initial reporting: Candler man charged with 2nd-degree murder in fatal West Buncombe shooting Christmas Eve shooting arrests: Updated: Asheville juvenile charged with murder, 2 others arrested in Christmas shooting The man told law enforcement that Greers behavior changed like a switch being flipped when he declined to drive to South Asheville, the report said. The suspected shooter told law enforcement he believed Greer had a gun in his backpack and when he saw Greer reach toward it during the argument, he shot Greer with his own handgun, thinking that Greer was going for his gun. The handgun is listed as a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol, according to an incident report obtained by the Citizen Times. (Law enforcement) did note that when Mr. Greers belongings were searched, no weapon was located, the report said. After he was shot, Greer got out of the vehicle and collapsed in the middle of the street, the report also said. The shooter stayed with Greer and called 911. Buncombe County Sheriffs deputies were dispatched to the scene on Cherry Tree Drive in Asheville around 10:22 p.m. Firefighters were the first to arrive, and established that Greer still had a pulse, the report said. Update on woman found in Nantahala: Autopsy: Woman found dead in Nantahala National Forest was shot, hands tied Greer coded, or lost pulses, while being loaded into the ambulance by EMS, according to the report. He was rushed to Mission Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Emergency Department. According to his autopsy report, Greer was shot at approximately 10:20 p.m. and died just over 30 minutes later, at 10:59 p.m. "Jeremy was a wonderful, kind, intelligent, funny person who would never harm anyone," his mother, Sheila Cope, told the Citizen Times. "I do not know this person that shot him, and I don't know why it happened. It's just devastated, completely devastated my life forever." Eric Jeron Wilson of Candler, 36, was arrested early in the morning on Nov. 30 charged with second-degree murder in Greers death. Wilson was originally held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility under no bond but is no longer listed on the jails online database. Wilson's attorney, Ted Besen, told the Citizen Times that his family posted his bond, which Besen believes was set at $200,000. Wilsons home address on Cherry Tree Drive, listed in his arrest report, matches the address that the sheriff's incident report says the homicide occurred. He has a court date of Feb. 7 in Buncombe County District Court. High-profile murder conviction upheld: N.C. Court of Appeals upholds convictions, life sentence for murder of Candace Pickens Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Autopsy reveals a disagreement escalated to an Asheville murder BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Belgium on Friday summoned the Israeli ambassador after a Belgian development agency building in Gaza City was bombed, ad said it planned to raised the issue of compensation. "Attacks on civilian infrastructure breach the principles of international humanitarian law. All parties must adhere to it", Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib posted on the social media platform X. The Belgian Ministry for Development Cooperation said it was not aware of any civilian casualties and that the building, which was shared with Handicap International, should have been empty at the time of the bombing. A ministry said the Israeli ambassador had promised an investigation. In a statement, the foreign ministry added: "Belgium will put the issue of compensation for the damaged infrastructure of projects financed by the EU and its Member States back on the agenda of a next European consultation." It was not clear when the building was bombed. The spokesperson said Belgium had found out about it on Thursday evening and suspected it had happened on Wednesday. The foreign ministry reiterated its call for a lasting humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a resumption of the peace process, and political negotiations that could lead to a two-state solution, "the only way out of this conflict". Belgium has previously criticised Israel's handling of the conflict. (Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Kevin Liffey) DOVER, Del. President Joe Biden will perform one of the most solemn duties of his office Friday in attending the dignified transfer of the three American soldiers killed in Jordan this week in a drone strike that the U.S. has attributed to Iranian-backed militant groups. They risked it all, and well never forget the sacrifice and service to our country that the dozens of service members who were wounded in recovery now, Biden said Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast on Capitol Hill. The three reserve soldiers were all from Georgia: Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, who was posthumously promoted to sergeant; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, who also was posthumously promoted to sergeant. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Sgt. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, Sgt. Kennedy Ladon Sanders. (U.S. Army Reserve Command) A dignified transfer is conducted for every U.S. service member who dies in a military operation abroad. During the event, a carry team from the fallen members military branch removed the service members flag-draped transfer cases from the aircraft that brought them back to the U.S. Their remains are then taken to a waiting van, which transports them to a mortuary facility to be prepared for their final resting places. A senior ranking officer of the Army will preside as service members carry the soldiers transfer cases. Biden and first lady Jill Biden met with the families of the three fallen soldiers Friday at the Center for Families of the Fallen at Dover Air Force Base. It is the second dignified transfer Biden has attended since he took office. He attended the transfer of the remains of 13 service members killed in a 2021 terrorist attack outside an airport in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was expected to attend Fridays event at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, as well. White House officials said this week that retaliation against the Iran-backed groups they say are responsible for Sunday's attack would be carried out at the time and place of the U.S. choosing and that it could last weeks. In addition to the three soldiers who were killed, more than 30 other service members were injured when an explosives-packed drone struck the base near a shelter where some troops were sleeping, according to two U.S. officials. Biden called the soldiers patriots in the highest sense" in a statement announcing their deaths. He said that their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation. Biden called Sanders' parents to deliver the news of her posthumous promotion. "That is the best news Ive heard today," Sanders' mother said in a video of the call shared by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Thank you so much. You dont know how much that means to us." During his call with Sanders' parents, Biden discussed his personal relationship with grief after he lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident and later after he lost his son Beau, who was also a veteran, to brain cancer. He told Sanders' parents that "the day will come" when they think of their daughter and "youll smile before you cry." "It takes a hell of a long time to get there," Biden said. "But I promise you, youll get there." The media has not always been allowed to witness dignified transfers. In 2009, the Defense Department changed its policy to allow media access if the family of the military member killed consented. In an interview this week, Shannon Slutman recalled how she decided to allow media coverage of her husbands dignified transfer in 2019, after an explosive hit his convoy in Afghanistan. Marine Forces Reserve Staff Sgt. Christopher Slutman died April 8, 2019, and was flown to the Dover Air Force base days later. Media coverage, she said, enabled her husband's former colleagues in the New York Fire Department to witness his return, along with other Marines he served with in his 14 years in the service. Slutman recalled that until she saw her husbands transfer case, she thought: Maybe they had the wrong information. Maybe he was coming home." Youre sitting there, and you can see the back of the plane. You see the casket sitting there, and I lost my stuff, she said. Slutman said she remembers more waiting after her husbands transfer. She said it was several days before his body was turned over to her and their three young daughters, now a Gold Star family. Slutman also described how the mortuary affairs team at Dover took impeccable care of her husband's body. When he was returned to me, and you saw the level of care that was given to him they are unbelievable. Gary Grumbach and Aaron Gilchrist reported from Dover and Megan Lebowitz from Washington. President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III attend the dignified transfer of the remains of Army Reserve Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders and Breonna Moffett at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, on February 2. - Joshua Roberts/Reuters For an American president, it is the gravest of responsibilities: witnessing the countrys war dead return home for what the military calls a dignified transfer. President Joe Biden attended his second as commander in chief on Friday, honoring the three American soldiers killed in a drone attack in Jordan last weekend as their remains arrive back on US soil. They risked it all, Biden said a day ahead of making the trip to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. No, the occasion isnt a ceremony, according to the militarys language. Nor are the flag-draped boxes that arrive to Dover coffins they are transfer cases loaded onto trucks for processing at the base mortuary, the largest in the country. The precise vocabulary, briefed to reporters who attend the transfers, is an extension of the mournful precision that unfolds nearly identically on the tarmac every time a US service member dies in service of the nation. Dictated by ritual, dignity and utmost attention to the needs and wishes of grieving families, the transfers are a searing reminder for a president of the consequences of his decisions and the weight of the job. They have become rarer as the US winds down the foreign wars that defined the first decades of the century. Biden witnessed the transfer Friday of Sgt. William Rivers, 46; and two Army specialists who were posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant: Kennedy Sanders, 24, and Breonna Moffett, 23. All are from Georgia. The US has yet to retaliate for the drone attack in Jordan that left the three Americans dead and more than 40 injured, though it has pinned blame on an umbrella group of Iran-backed militants in Iraq. A multiphase counterstrike is expected soon, officials have said. On Friday, however, Bidens attention was on the Americans lost and the families they left behind. His schedule allowed for more than an hour midday to meet with the families of the fallen Americans, alongside first lady Jill Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown. Biden met with each of the families at the Center for Families of the Fallen prior to attending the dignified transfer, according to the White House. In past meetings, families have shared memories of their loved ones or, as has sometimes been the case, exchanged tense words with the president in private. After, the president and those accompanying him move outside to the tarmac, where the military plane carrying the remains of their loved ones awaits. The families are brought onto the tarmac and positioned a few hundred feet from the plane. A bus shields them from view of the media. One by one, the cases are carried with practiced, solemn precision by teams of seven from the bay of the military cargo plane and onto waiting gray mortuary vans. The transfers occur in near silence; the hum of the planes auxiliary power pierced only by occasional sobs from family members watching nearby and an officers calls to present arms when cases emerge. Once the remains are transferred from the plane, they are driven to the base mortuary, prepared for burial and transferred onward. Presidents dont always attend the ritual, and media were allowed to document them only beginning in 2009. Having at least some of these transfers publicly documented, I felt, gave our country a clearer means to reckon with the costs of war, the pain of each loss, former President Barack Obama wrote in his memoir. Aides to presidents who have attended dignified transfers in the past describe their bosses as visibly affected by the experience on the flight home. Obama went to two dignified transfers at Dover; Trump went to four, once bringing with him actor Jon Voigt in a last-minute invite. Biden has attended three, including when he was vice president and as a senator for Delaware. He once claimed he was being blocked from attending dignified transfers at Dover by the Pentagon, describing times when he wanted to pay his respects but wasnt allowed. He attended his first as president in 2021, when 13 US service members were killed in a terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport gates in Afghanistan. When he was meeting privately with families of the Americans killed in Kabul, he was confronted with raw anger and emotions; some of the family members had wrestled beforehand with whether they wanted to meet the president at all. This week, when Biden spoke by telephone to the families of the three Americans killed in Jordan, he gauged their feelings about his attendance at Dover on Friday for their loved ones dignified transfer. All were supportive of him being there. In video taken by the family of Sanders of their call with Biden, the president said he was looking at a photo of the 24-year-old, who he said had a beautiful smile. Thank you, Mr. President, her mother, Oneida Oliver-Sanders, told Biden. She did light up every room she was in. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com LONDON Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Friday was cleared of a public order offense over a protest at an oil and gas conference in October. Thunberg was arrested Oct. 17 outside the InterContinental London Park Lane hotel after joining hundreds of protesters at an Oily Money Out demonstration organized by Fossil Free London and Greenpeace. Oil executives had been meeting inside the hotel on the first day of the Energy Intelligence Forum, formerly known as the Oil and Money conference. Thunberg appeared at Londons Westminster Magistrates Court this week alongside two Fossil Free London protesters and two Greenpeace protesters. All five defendants pleaded not guilty after being accused of breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 by failing to move their protest to a designated area. The judge in the London court ruled she had no case to answer, and also acquitted the other defendants. The prosecution evidence is insufficient for any reasonable court to properly convict and I exercise my discretion to acquit all five defendants, Judge John Law said to applause in the gallery, according to Reuters. The Met Police said in a statement at the time that it had imposed conditions on those protesting under Section 14 of the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption to the community, hotel and guests. The act allows the police to impose conditions on a public group in an effort to prevent issues such as significant impact on persons or serious disruption to the activities of an organisation by noise; serious disorder [and] serious damage to property. Thunberg was catapulted to fame in 2018 when her skolstrejk for klimatet (school strike for climate) movement gained traction around the world. A prominent campaigner, the 21-year-old has been arrested several times during climate protests across Europe over the past 12 months. Speaking in October last year after a Swedish court fined her for disobeying police at a protest, Thunberg reportedly said she was prepared to continue taking part in demonstrations even if it "leads to more sentences." Japanese brands have long been at the top of Thailands auto market. The Southeast Asian country is the regions largest car producer and exporter, helping it earn the Detroit of Asia moniker. And not only do carmakers like Toyota and Honda manufacture in Thailand, they dominate vehicle sales there, too. But now Chinese EV makers, amid a massive global expansion, are making inroads into Thailands car market. Its the latest country where Chinas cheap electric cars are challenging established automakers, many of which were slow to embrace the EV transition. BYD, Hozon Auto, and Great Wall Motor now collectively have 7.4% market share in Thailand, according to data released Thursday by Toyota Motors Thai subsidiary. China rising China has yet to break the top five brands, but its getting close. BYD sold 30,432 cars in Thailand last year, just 2,000 cars shy of fifth-place Mitsubishi. The Berkshire Hathawaybacked EV giant is still far behind No. 1 carmaker Toyota, which sold 265,949 cars in Thailand. (Isuzu, Honda, and U.S. carmaker Ford take second, third and fourth place, respectively.) Yet when it comes to EVs, BYD is leading the pack. Thailand registered 76,314 EVs in 2023, almost seven times as much as the previous year, according to data from Autolife Thailand. BYD accounted for some 40% of that, while Neta, an EV brand from Hozon, and the now-Chinese-owned MG Motor take second and third place, respectively. Chinese-owned brands make up close to 80% of Thailands EV market, compared with less than 1% for Japanese brands. Increasing EV demand EV sales in Thailand could double this year, Krisda Utamote, president of the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand, predicted in an interview with Bloomberg. He forecast that EV registrations could surpass 150,000, meaning that 20% of all registrations would be for electric cars. Government subsidies have contributed to this EV demand. The latest scheme, which starts this year, offers subsidies of up to 100,000 Thai baht ($2,836) per car and will run through 2027. The new package is less generous than previous offerings, which ran up to 150,000 Thai baht ($4,255) per car. Chinas EV brands are also entering Thailands auto manufacturing sector. In January, Great Wall Motor claimed to be the first Chinese automaker to start manufacturing electric vehicles in Thailand. The company hopes to start making batteries locally in March. BYD broke ground on its first Thai auto plant last March. The company hopes to start operations this year, and projects an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Consider the risks before you decide to drive without insurance in Wyoming. While it might seem like a shortcut to saving money, the gamble could end up costing you much more than the price of a policy, especially if you cause an accident. Driving without insurance in Wyoming could lead to fines, license suspension and even jail time, not to mention the out-of-pocket cost of any damage you cause behind the wheel. How much insurance is required in Wyoming? Auto liability insurance in Wyoming may provide vital financial protection if you are involved in an accident. As a result, Wyoming, like most other states, requires that resident drivers maintain these minimum limits of auto liability coverage: $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident Uninsured motorist coverage must be offered but can be declined in writing. A surety bond or $25,000 deposit with the state treasury will also satisfy the financial responsibility law. Note that though these limits will bring you into compliance with Wyoming law, these amounts may end up being inadequate to protect you financially in the event that you are deemed at fault in a serious accident. Insurance experts recommend carrying more than the legally required minimums to make sure that you are able to cover any damages you may be responsible for as opposed to having to pay for them out of pocket. Penalties for driving without insurance in Wyoming There are a series of penalties you may face if you are caught driving without insurance in Wyoming. These penalties may include fines, license suspension, insurance verification requirements and incarceration. For a first driving without insurance offense, you may be fined between $250 and $750. This fine will be increased for subsequent offenses to an amount somewhere between $500 and $1,500, depending upon the specific circumstances of the violation. If you cannot submit proof of insurance within seven days of being cited for driving without insurance, then you may have your license suspended. Youll likely also have to obtain an SR-22 certificate from your insurance company that verifies you carry the minimum required level of coverage. While a less common penalty, it is possible to be incarcerated for driving without insurance in Wyoming. Wyoming courts have the discretion to determine whether jail time is appropriate on top of the other fines and penalties. Getting into an accident without insurance in Wyoming If you are involved in an accident in Wyoming without auto insurance, regardless of fault, you may be cited for that violation and the penalties described above will be leveled. Wyoming is an at-fault state. This means the driver who causes an accident is required to utilize their insurance to pay the bills arising from the other drivers injuries or property damage caused by the accident. This is not the case in a no-fault state, where your own car insurance company may pay for your medical bills and possibly lost wages following an accident, no matter who was at fault. Additionally, if you are in an accident and uninsured in Wyoming, you could be personally responsible for all the costs associated with injury to another driver and his vehicle if you are determined to be at fault. Frequently asked questions Jordan Parker is a breaking news reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. He graduated from Sacramento State University in May 2022 with a degree in journalism. During his time there, he spent three years as a reporter and editor for the university's award-winning student newspaper, The State Hornet. He spent his senior year of college serving as The Hornet's first Black editor in chief, leading the organization to two Pacemaker awards and several other national honors from the Associated Collegiate Press. When he's not chasing down a story, he likes watching movies, traveling and trying new restaurants. He can be reached at Jordan.Parker@sfchronicle.com. SALINAS, Calif. A former criminal justice professor has pleaded guilty to intentionally setting fires behind firefighters who were battling the Dixie Fire, which broke out in 2021 and became the second-largest fire in California history. Gary Stephen Maynard, 49, of San Jose, California, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to three counts of arson on federal government property, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Sacramento. Maynard admitted to setting blazes behind firefighters who were battling the Dixie Fire, "effectively surrounding these firefighters," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Dixie Fire went on to burn through five North State counties, including Shasta, as it consumed 963,309 acres, destroyed 1,311 structures, and killed one person, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Dixie Fire itself was caused when Pacific Gas and Electric Company power lines came in contact with a nearby pine tree, igniting the blaze, according to Cal Fire. Tire tracks helped investigators in the case He taught at Santa Clara University and Sonoma State University, where Gary Maynard was listed as a lecturer in criminal justice studies specializing in criminal justice, cults, and deviant behavior. He is no longer with either school, according to The Associated Press. U.S. Forest Service agents began investigating Maynard on July 20 after the Cascade Fire was reported on the western slopes of Mount Shasta. An investigator found Maynard underneath his black Kia Soul which had its front wheels stuck in a ditch and its undercarriage centered on a boulder, according to court records cited by AP. A second fire erupted the next day on Mount Shasta, and investigators later found tire tracks similar to those made by the Kia, AP added. Investigators eventually placed a tracking device under Maynards car after he was stopped briefly by police on Aug. 3. Tracking his movements for hundreds of miles, investigators said Maynard traveled to the area where the Ranch and Conard Fires erupted in the Lassen National Forest, where the Dixie Fire was also burning at the time. Maynard's sentencing is set for May 9 by U.S. District Judge Daniel Calabretta. Maynard faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines for each of the fires he pleaded guilty to setting, officials said. However, a judge will have the final say over Maynard's prison time and fines. As part of his plea, Maynard also agreed Thursday to pay up to $500,000 in restitution to the federal government. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Ex-professor pleads guilty to arson spree as crews battled Dixie Fire After a series of violent assaults against five members of the Orthodox Jewish community in 2022, New Jersey man Dion Marsh has pleaded guilty in federal court, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced Thursday. On April 8, 2022, then 27-year-old Marsh carried out a series of violent assaults on members of the Orthodox Jewish Community in and around Lakewood, New Jersey. Marsh was charged with five counts of willfully causing bodily injury to five victims, and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to four of them. The violent crime spree included assault, carjacking and attempting to kill four people while driving both the stolen car and another vehicle as well as stabbing a man with a knife because they were Jewish, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. PHOTO: Dion Marsh in a police handout photo. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office) All five of Marsh's victims were wearing traditional garments worn by members of the Orthodox Jewish community. MORE: Nationwide swatting spree targeting Jewish institutions appears coordinated, coming from outside US: FBI "This defendant violently attacked five men, driving a car into four of them, stabbing one of them in the chest, and attempting to kill them, simply because they were visibly identifiable as Orthodox Jews," Sellinger said in the press release. Marsh's series of hate crimes on April 8, 2022, are detailed below. At 1:18 p.m., Marsh forced a visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man out of his car, assaulting and injuring him. Marsh took control of the man's car and drove away. At 5:20 p.m., Marsh was in Lakewood, New Jersey, driving a different car when he deliberately struck another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man with the vehicle, attempting to kill the victim. At 6:06 p.m., Marsh used that second vehicle to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man, attempting to kill the victim and causing him to suffer several broken bones. At 6:55 p.m., Marsh, once again driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, attempted to kill another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man who was walking in Lakewood by deliberately striking him with the vehicle. Marsh got out of the vehicle and stabbed the man in the chest with a knife, causing the victim to suffer a stab wound and other injuries. At 8:23 p.m., Marsh, still driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, used it to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man who was walking in nearby Jackson Township, New Jersey, attempting to kill the man and causing him to suffer several broken bones and internal injuries. Police arrested Marsh later that night at his home in Manchester, New Jersey, authorities announced, at the time. All of the victims survived the attacks but three were hospitalized at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center and one victim, who sustained serious injuries, was transferred to a rehabilitation facility after being treated at the medical center, according to police. MORE: US synagogues tighten security amid surge in antisemitic incidents Marsh was charged with four counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and was charged with one count of carjacking. The U.S. attorney said the four hate crimes violations charging Marsh with attempting to kill those victims each carry a statutory maximum term of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The hate crime violation charging Marsh with assaulting the other victim carries a statutory maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The carjacking charge carries a statutory maximum term of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. "This defendant is being held accountable for his series of depraved, antisemitic assaults against members of the Orthodox Jewish community," Assistant Attorney General Clarke said in the release. "Hate-filled acts of violence, intended to harm, intimidate and isolate communities, have no place in our society. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute perpetrators of antisemitic violence across our country." Marsh is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2024. New Jersey man pleads guilty to hate crimes after antisemitic attack spree originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Note: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence that may be offensive to readers. Officials say a Pennsylvania man who police say decapitated his father and held his head up in a video posted to YouTube while calling for the public execution of government employees knew what he was doing. Justin Mohn acted "with clear mind, aware of his actions and proud of his consequences," Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said at a press conference on Friday. "It was evident to us that he was of clear mind in his purpose and what he was doing," Schorn said. "That's an important fact to us in his prosecution." On Tuesday evening, authorities were called to the Levittown home of 32-year-old Mohn after his mother discovered the decapitated body of his father Michael Mohn in the bathroom of the first floor. Levittown is a suburb around 25 miles northeast of Philadelphia's center. Officers found the head wrapped in plastic inside a large pot, a machete and large kitchen knife in the bathtub, according to court documents. Justin Mohn faces charges of first-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and abuse of a corpse. In a grisly 14-minute video posted to YouTube on Tuesday evening, Justin Mohn held up his father's head in a plastic bag. In the video, titled Mohn's Militia Call to Arms for American Patriots," he called himself "the commander of America's national network of militia, also known as Mohn's militia," and called for "patriots across the USA" to publicly execute government employees for "betraying their country," Schorn said. His father, who worked for the federal government for 20 years, "is now in hell for eternity," Justin Mohn said in the video. Michael Mohn was a 68-year-old employee of the Army Corps of Engineers, Schorn said. Justin Mohn also doxed the home address of a federal judge and "put a bounty" on the heads of federal government employees. While he targeted employees of the federal governments, Schorn said, his threats did not apply to state government employees. The video posted online by Mohn racked up more than 5,000 views before YouTube removed it. "It's quite horrifying how many views we understand it had before it was taken down," Schorn said. Authorities said Justin Mohn fled the scene in his father's white Toyota Corolla to Fort Indiantown Gap, around 100 miles away, the site of a large National Guard Training Center. He drove the vehicle through the Center's barricades and climbed a barbed wire fence. Local police were able to track him by pinging his phone and arrested him "without incident," Schorn said. Upon his arrest, he told officers he went to the center in an attempt to convince the National Guard to take up arms against the federal government, Schorn said. "He also indicated that he wanted to speak to Governor Shapiro to join forces," she said, referring to Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. Justin Mohn was also armed with a 9mm handgun missing one round when he was arrested, Schorn said. Photo provided by the Bucks County District Attorneys Office shows Justin Mohn, 32, following his arrest in connection with the death of his father on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Pennsylvania police say Mohn decapitated his father and showed the head in a video uploaded to YouTube. More: Crypto's Nazi problem: With few rules to stop them, white supremacists fundraise for hate Mohn legally purchased gun one day before decapitation Justin Mohn legally purchased a firearm the day before his father's death, according to Schorn. He handed over a medical marijuana card so that he would be eligible to legally own a gun, a fact that Schorn said shows his "clear state of mind" in planning the crime. Schorn said Justin Mohn has "no history of diagnosed mental health issues." An autopsy of the elder Mohn found that he was shot in the head before he was decapitated, Schorn said. Middletown Township Police had two documented interactions with Justin Mohn, Chief Joseph Bartorilla said at the press conference. The first occurred in 2011, when police were called over an argument between the then 19-year-old and someone in his driveway. In 2019, Bartorilla said, Justin Mohn called police to report threats from an employee at the insurance company Progressive, where he previously worked at a Colorado Springs office. In 2017, he sued the insurance company for sex-based discrimination after his application for a copywriter job was denied, according to court documents. Progressive later placed him on a leave of absence after he kicked open a door, a decision that he claimed also constituted discrimination. More: Judge denies new trial for Murdaugh after jury tampering allegations Justin Mohn published books on Amazon, released albums Justin Mohn released two musical albums in 2017 and 2018 titled The Story of Humanity and Colorfunkinrado, according to his Facebook page, Justin Mohn -Music. His Amazon page, since taken down, identified him as the author of seven books, including one entitled "America's Coming Bloody Revolution." "His life story is unbelievable and there may not be enough words to describe him, but one may begin to understand his complexity and experiences through his art," the page stated. "He only wishes to bring positive change to the world." Court records show Justin Mohn sued the federal government twice in the last two years over student loans that he took out to earn a bachelors degree in agribusiness management from the Pennsylvania State University in 2014. In the first lawsuit, he "blames affirmative action laws as now costing him job opportunities as an overeducated white man," according to a court memo. Both claims were dismissed. U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania wrote in an opinion dismissing the second suit that the federal government is "immune" from Justin Mohn's claim of fraud against the government over his student loans. The first suit, the judge wrote, was dismissed on similar grounds. Justin Mohn is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 8 at 9:00 a.m. 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: Justin Mohn, who killed father and posted video, had 'clear mind' Kevin Mazur - Getty Images Justin Timberlake is reportedly unhappy about drama with Britney Spears "overshadowing" the release of his music. And by that we mean a source tells Page Six that he's "seething." But in case you missed said drama, quick recap: Justin dropped a song called "Selfish" and Britney fans responded by making her 2011 song of the same name top the charts. Britney then posted an extremely nice shoutout to Justin on Instagram, saying in part "I wanna apologize for some of the things I wrote about in my book" and "I am in love with Justin Timberlakes new song 'Selfish.'" Justin performed in New York City and seemingly started "Cry Me a River" by saying Id like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely fucking nobody. Justin Timberlake while performing in New York City last night: Id like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely f**king nobody. https://t.co/XTNsOoy6Od Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 1, 2024 Which brings us back to Page Six's insider, who says Justin is seething over the drama overshadowing his new music, and "had hoped the backlash [from Spears memoir] wouldve blown over by now so that he could focus on his new album, which hes very excited about, but every day is something new." This comes amid another source telling Us Weekly that Justin hasnt been letting the Britney fans get him down. He believes his music and performance will speak for itself and is looking forward to connecting with his fans from the stage again. AND yet another source saying that Justin is very much on a path forward and isnt getting sidetracked by the negativity." Kay! You Might Also Like A New Jersey man admitted to a series of violent hate crimes, for driving his car into a group of people and stabbing one because they were Jewish. Dion Marsh, 29, from Manchester, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in a federal court hearing in Trenton on Thursday to four counts of committing hate crimes and one of carjacking. He faces being sentenced to life in prison later this year. He was charged with willfully causing bodily injury to five victims, and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to four of them in 2022 in and around Lakewood, New Jersey, because they were Jewish, the United States Attorney's Office said in a statement. The case comes as tensions continue to run high across the U.S. due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, which has been linked to a rise in discrimination and violent crimes against both Jews and Muslims. This defendant violently attacked five men, driving a car into four of them, stabbing one of them in the chest, and attempting to kill them, simply because they were visibly identifiable as Orthodox Jews," U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said in the statement. Sellinger said his office would push for a sentence that "holds Marsh accountable for his brutal and hate-filled rampage." He continued: "The threat from hate-fueled violence is a sad reality across our state and our nation. That hate is not who we are." Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said Marsh had admitted to a "series of depraved, antisemitic assaults against members of the Orthodox Jewish community." Special Agent James E. Dennehy of the FBI said that while hating someone was not a crime, attacking them because of that hate is. "Personal beliefs dont give someone the right to attack and attempt to kill another human being because they may not ascribe to a similar religion or way of life," Dennehy said. At 1:18 p.m on April 8, 2022, Marsh forced a man dressed in traditional Jewish Orthodox dress out of his car, assaulting and harming him in the process, before driving away in the man's car. Later the same day at 5:20 p.m. and 6:06 p.m. Marsh struck two people in Orthodox Jewish dress while driving another car in Lakewood, in what the U.S. Attorney's Office called attempts to kill. The second victim suffered several broken bones. At 6:55 p.m. Marsh again attempted to strike and kill another man in Orthodox Jewish dress who was out walking in Lakewood this time driving the car he stole earlier before getting out of the car and stabbing him in the chest. A fourth victim, visibly identifiable as an Orthodox Jewish man, was struck in nearby Jackson Township with the same stolen car at 8:23 p.m., causing broken bones and internal injuries, in what authorities said was a fourth attempt to kill. Marsh will be sentenced on June 11. The hate crimes charging him with attempts to kill carry a sentence of up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Meta cofounder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Meta announced a 50-cent-per-share quarterly dividend on Thursday. Meta cofounder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who owns 350 million shares, stands to receive $700 million in yearly dividends. Zuckerberg is the world's fifth-richest person with a $142 billion fortune thanks to Meta's stock price gains. On Thursday, Meta announced its first-ever dividend and major shareholder Mark Zuckerberg is set to rake it in. Zuckerberg, who is Meta's cofounder and CEO, holds 350 million Meta shares or a 13% stake in Meta, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Since Meta announced a 50 cent-per-share dividend for Class A and B common stock, Zuckerberg stands to receive $175 million each quarter. The dividend is set to be paid out from March. The dividend payout amounts to $700 million a year in dividends alone for Zuckerberg on top of price gains in Meta's stock price, which soared nearly 200% in 2023. Zuckerberg is already the world's fifth-richest person with a $142 billion fortune, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He's been having a good 2024 so far, with his wealth soaring 11.2% on the back of a sustained rise in Meta shares, which rose further on Thursday after Meta reported earnings. Meta on Thursday reported fourth-quarter earnings that beat expectations. On a full-year basis, Meta's revenues rose 16% from a year ago and its profits ballooned by 69% over the same period to $39 billion. Meta's strong performance came after its "Year of Efficiency" in 2023, when it laid off thousands of employees. Meta's shares were 15.2% higher at $454.85 apiece in after-hours trade after closing 1.2% higher on Thursday. The stock is up 11.5% this year to date. Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. A spokesperson declined comment to Bloomberg. Read the original article on Business Insider The 2024 presidential race is barely underway and the last debate may have already happened. Republican front-runner Donald Trump declined to attend any of the five primary debates so far, indicating that he saw no point because of his large polling lead. And after the Iowa caucuses, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley vowed that she would not participate in another debate unless her opponents included Trump or President Biden, effectively ending all future such events. Haley placed a distant third in Iowa and soon lost by double digits to Trump in the New Hampshire primary -- but she has emerged as the main Trump challenger in the GOP after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his campaign. So far, though, like Trump's other rivals, she has failed to lure him on stage. On Saturday at a rally in South Carolina, Haley invited Trump to participate in a primary faceoff -- calling it the "ultimate mental competency test" for presidential candidates. "Let's see what happens. Let's let this election play out the way it's supposed to play out," she told the audience in South Carolina. That's unlikely to sway Trump: His campaign, and an increasing number of Republicans, have signaled that they expect he will cruise through the remainder of the primary and should be focusing on a likely general election rematch with Biden. If that's what happens, there may also be no debates during the general, which would be unprecedented in modern American presidential politics, experts said. In April 2022, the Republican National Committee voted unanimously to withdraw from the Commission on Presidential Debates -- a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that has sponsored and produced all presidential and vice-presidential debates since 1988. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel called the group "biased" and accused them of refusing to "enact simple and commonsense reforms" in an official statement following the party's withdrawal. (The commission did not respond to a request for comment for this story.) Without the GOP's cooperation with the CPD, it's unclear how the general election debates would be scheduled. PHOTO: Republican presidential hopeful and former President Donald Trump speaks during an Election Night Party in Nashua, N.H., Jan. 23, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images) Trump, for his part, said in December that he'd still do debates through the commission. "They're terrible. With that being said, I would do 20 debates, even if it was organized by them. I would do as many debates as they want," he told Hugh Hewitt then. The Biden campaign was more circumspect. The deputy campaign manager, Quentin Fulks, declined in December to commit to future debates. "The campaign is going to take a look at the schedule, and we can have those conversations. But as of right now, our focus remains on building a campaign and infrastructure," Fulks said. Do debates make a difference? The first televised debate between presidential candidates was between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, and general election debates became customary after the 1976 presidential election -- occurring every four years since Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford battled three times on national TV. While the lack of debates in 2024 would be historic, Dean Lacy, a professor of government and director of Dartmouth College's program in politics and law, said he isn't sold on just how much general election debates do to influence voters' political opinions. Lacy said that primary debates seem to have more impact on shaping voters' views of candidates. Because there is typically a wider field of candidates who often have overlapping policies, as members of the same political party, primary debates can offer some distinction between generally like-minded candidates. General election debates are different, Lacy feels. Though they are widely watched -- the first of two debates in 2020 between Biden and Trump was seen by at least 73 million people -- "I think it's hard to say whether debates make much difference," Lacy told ABC News. "And people who are watching them have probably made up their minds already, even if they tell us that they haven't," Lacy said. That assessment is likely to be even more true in the case of a rematch between Biden and Trump. In that case, Lacy said, "I think most of the effect will be not on switching the voter from Trump to Biden or Biden to Trump but from switching the voter from Biden or Trump to staying at home on Election Day." Still, Lacy warns that a general election absent of the customary presidential debates could depress voter turnout in other ways. "It may keep those swing voters from caring enough to go to the polls if the candidates don't care enough to debate," he said. PHOTO: President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University, Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Some presidential debates in recent election cycles have also been markedly different, in style and tone, from those in decades past: Lacy said they "no longer look presidential." For example, former President Trump hurled personal insults on stage in 2016 and 2020 and was quick to attack moderators on social media after debates -- making them "less respectful," in Lacy's view. He said the debates often also lack policy discussions that are detailed enough to capture the different positions for the public. "The debates tend to focus on issues but not in enough depth for the candidates' positions to become fully known to voters," he said. Lacy links this to a larger phenomenon. "I think that the candidates' decline in debating abilities, ability to tell the truth, in their political experience, is a cause of decline in public [trust] of political institutions," he said. "We see that in all kinds of metrics of decline of public trust." What voters think Thalia Floras, a lifelong Democrat-turned-undeclared voter from New Hampshire, said she wasn't "surprised" that Biden and Trump may not debate. "Both of those men have more to lose by debating than if they stay home and keep their mouth shut," she told ABC News. Floras said she isn't sure if Biden would come off as "sharp-witted" on stage, and she speculated that it would probably be for the best for Democrats if he didn't debate Trump. However, she said, the prospect of no general election debates was not good for the country. "It's unfortunate for the American people," she said. "This is not what is tradition and it's not what we expect." Marykate Tillinghast, a junior at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, shared this sentiment. She said that debates are "essential to democracy" and despite her lack of confidence in the quality of a Biden-Trump debate, she said it should happen. "I think that while a debate might end up being like a quarrel among siblings, it is essential for independent voters when casting their vote," she said. PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks during a 'Sunday Lunch' church event at the Brookland Baptist Banquet Center in Columbia, S.C., Jan. 28, 2024. (Tom Brenner/Reuters) Lauren Blois, a sophomore at Saint Anselm College, hopes the presidential candidates do duke it out in a debate. She said voters need to be informed before heading to the polls, and debates are important for that. "As a young, first-time voter, I want to hear what candidates think about certain issues that Americans are facing every day," she said. "I hope that the nominees of each party participate in a debate so every voter can cast an informed vote." There's one other wrinkle: A prominent third-party candidate, especially given some voters' professed unease about a Biden-Trump rematch, could create pressure for a general election debate, Lacy said -- something that hasn't happened since Ross Perot was on stage with Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush in 1992. Lacy insisted that he doesn't think a lack of debates this year spells the end of debates in future cycles. In four years, 2028 will likely bring new faces into the presidential race -- and those candidates will need to get on a stage and on TV to generate name-recognition. But he did express concern about what it signifies for the overall health of American democracy. "I think it is alarming when the major party candidates not only cannot agree on the issues of the conversation but they can't agree on how to have the conversation," he said. "I don't know what the next step is for democracy." In what Lacy said has already been "a weird election year," no general election debates would make it even weirder. ABC News' Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Hajah Bah, Libby Cathey, Fritz Farrow and MaryAlice Parks contributed to this report. There may be no more presidential debates in 2024, but will it make much difference? originally appeared on abcnews.go.com By Charlotte Van Campenhout and Christian Levaux BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Farmers blocked the Dutch-Belgian border and occupied roads in Greece on Friday, while a Polish union announced plans to shut border crossings with Ukraine as European protests over prices and red tape spread. Protests have erupted in several countries, exposing anger about low prices for produce, rising costs, cheap imports and constraints imposed by the EU's drive to fight climate change. While French farmers started lifting blockades after the government made further concessions, Belgian and Dutch farmers blocked motorway border crossings. A government traffic website showed that blockades on three key motorways remained in place on Friday evening. At one roadblock, Dutch pig farmer Johan Van Enckevort, 25, warned the European Union and Dutch politicians holding cabinet formation talks not to ignore farmers' needs. "We have very nice products here in the EU and we want to continue to make those products. But it has to be done in a fair way, in a decent way and not with so many rules. It just can't go on like this," he said. The frustration came to a head in Brussels this week, where farmers threw eggs and stones at the European Parliament and set off fireworks, demanding EU leaders at a nearby summit do more. "The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has gradually become a Common Ecological Policy, without any recognition for us food producers," Belgian farmers union ABS said in a statement. European Commission spokesperson for Trade and Agriculture Olof Gill said the Commission's support for the agricultural sector is a constant of the EU and that for the 2023-2027 period, more than 300 billion euros will be distributed to European farmers as part of the CAP. "Our support is commensurate with the contribution of European farmers to our food sovereignty," he said, adding that due to specific concerns raised by farmers, the Commission is assessing possible next steps. At the Belgian port of Zeebrugge - which handles car imports and some fresh produce from Britain and elsewhere - farmers on Friday evening started breaking up a blockade that began on Wednesday and has left 2,000 trucks backed up outside. Carmakers sending deliveries through Zeebrugge include Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai and Volvo. The port said it would now focus on bringing the trucks to the port or a temporary parking area at the Ostend airport. Polish farmers' union Solidarity on Friday announced a general strike starting on Feb. 9 with a blockade of border crossings between Poland and Ukraine. "Our patience has run out," it said, referring to the import of Ukrainian produce. Polish media reported that German farmers, supported by Polish farmers, were blocking parts of the border with Poland. Farmers have also set up blockades in the centre and north of Greece, calling for a permanent exemption on diesel taxes and faster compensation for flood-related losses. In Portugal, where tractors blocked at least three roads linking Portugal to Spain on Thursday, one road in the southern region of Alentejo near the border remained blocked on Friday and farmers staged slow marches in several places. Spanish farmers said earlier this week they would take to the streets in February in protest against European regulations and lack of government support. French farmers, meanwhile, were on Friday dismantling roadblocks at dozens of sites, including several highways leading into Paris, after receiving more government pledges. "The worst of the crisis is now behind us, but the issues we have to deal with now are ahead of us," French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau said on CNEWS TV. The French farmers said President Emmanuel Macron's government now needed to act fast on its pledges, which have included scrapping plans to reduce tax discounts on tractor diesel, an easing of pesticide regulations, a pause on new fallow land rules, and more safety checks on food imports. Guillaume Chantereau, 31, who grows cereals and raises chickens for eggs, said a lot of work was waiting for him at the farm, but he would be back if the government does not deliver. "For now, we ease off, but we will not give up. We are used to hearing nice speeches, and these are not always respected, so better watch out," he said. (Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout, Piotr Lipinski and Christian Levaux in Belgium, Noemi Olive in France, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk in Poland and Andrey Khalip and Patricia Rua in Portugal; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Varun H K, Jamie Freed, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Alexander Smith) A view of destruction in the towns of al-Karameh, al-Sudaniyeh and Al-Tawam, in Gaza, where their asphalt roads were destroyed by bulldozers and Israeli airstrikes, on Friday. (Khalil Alkahlut/Anadolu via Getty Images) (Anadolu via Getty Images) This week saw the most promising ceasefire initiative since November as the Israel-Hamas war prepares to enter its fourth month. Here are other major headlines from the conflict from this week: Ceasefire proposal The Hamas militant group said on Tuesday that its reviewing a new proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would involve the release of the roughly 130 remaining hostages captured from Israel on Oct. 7. The plan developed from talks in Paris over the weekend between Israel, the U.S., Egypt and Qatar. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel Defense Forces wont withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is eradicated. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages as part of a deal to permanently end the war in Gaza. At the same time, Reuters reports that about 70 U.S. cities, including Chicago and Seattle, have passed symbolic resolutions, with most calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, while some others have advocated more broadly for peace. Biden takes action against violent settlers President Biden issued an executive order on Thursday that imposes financial sanctions and visa bans against four Israeli settlers in the West Bank who have been accused of extremist settler violence against Palestinians, have forced their displacement and destroyed their property in the occupied territory, according to the order. These actions undermine the foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution and ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom, Biden said in the order, adding that such violent actions could contribute to wider destabilization in the Middle East. U.S., U.K. consider options for Palestinian statehood The State Department is reviewing policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state following the Israel-Hamas war, as first reported by Axios, citing two U.S. officials briefed on the matter. For decades, the U.S. has stressed that an independent Palestinian state should only be achieved through direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, according to Axios. But State Department spokesman Matt Miller said the establishment of a Palestinian state has been U.S. policy for quite some time. We are actively pursuing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with real security guarantees for Israel, because we do believe that is the best way to bring about lasting peace and security for Israel, for Palestinians and for the region," Miller told reporters on Wednesday. The U.K. is also considering an official recognition of Palestine as an independent state, but it wouldnt happen while Hamas remains in Gaza. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told reporters Thursday that the decision cant come at the start of the process, but it doesnt have to be the very end of the process. United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) funding controversy The head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday that halting funds to UNRWA would have catastrophic consequences for the Palestinian people in war-torn Gaza. The U.N. Palestinian refugee agency provides food, shelter and schools to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The U.S., U.K. and other western nations froze funding to the U.N. agency after Israel alleged last week that over a dozen UNRWA employees in Gaza took part in the Oct. 7 deadly attacks on Israel by Hamas militants. The U.N. has since fired several employees and is conducting an ongoing investigation into the allegations. The proposed Waterstreet condo development on Sausalitos Bridgeway Promenade would add 47 housing units to the Marin County city. Courtesy of Linda Fotsch A proposed condo complex in the heart of Sausalitos historic waterfront district is set to ignite a political and legal battle that could determine whether the Marin County city will preserve its historic status as a development no-go zone or open itself up to a new generation of housing production. This week, property owner Linda Fotsch submitted an application to redevelop a half-acre site at 605-613 Bridgeway, now home to four storefronts. The project, marketed as Waterstreet, would consist of 41 market-rate condos as well as six very low income affordable units, Fotsch said. The facades of the four existing retail spaces, part of the citys downtown historic district, would be preserved while five stories of new condos with wraparound balconies would step back from Bridgeway. Most of the half-acre complex would be built on a parking lot that lies behind the four buildings, which house a deli, an ice cream parlor and a wine bar. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fotsch, who owns the Real Napa wine tasting room at 611 Bridgeway, said the lack of residential density in the downtown makes local retailers and restaurants dependent on the tourists and day-trippers arriving by ferry, car or bike. While Bridgeway is full of visitors on summer weekends, trade dwindles during the winter rainy season, she said. Ive been a resident, business owner and property owner in Sausalito for over 30 years. Sausalito needs revitalization and Waterstreet will bring the needed housing to our downtown area, she said. People define community and communities influence a citys character. I think this development will bring a better balance between visitors and residents in Sausalito. The proposed Waterstreet condo development on Sausalitos Bridgeway Promenade would increase foot traffic to the areas restaurants and businesses, according to the projects developer. Courtesy of Linda Fotsch The proposal comes as Sausalito works to rezone portions of the city in order to meet the requirements of its state-certified housing element, the plan that every city in California must submit to accommodate its fair share of residential production. Sausalitos housing element requires the city to plan to accommodate 724 units by 2031 on various opportunity sites, including the parcels at 605-611 Bridgeway. But the Waterstreet project, and the broader implementation of the housing element, will face both legal and political obstacles. The condo development is in conflict with Ordinance 1022, a 1985 voter-approved Fair Traffic Initiative that broadly forbids development in much of the city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sausalito City Manager Chris Zapata wouldnt comment on the conflict between the state and local rules. There is a process and the city of Sausalito will review this project like all others to comply with state and local requirements, he said. Sausalito architect Michael Rex, who has been working in the city for more than 40 years, said the city would have to put an initiative on the ballot in order to overturn the 1985 ordinance and allow the development to go forward. He said the fight will likely end up in court. This is going to be the poster child for where the rubber hits the road between state mandates and public sentiment, said Rex. It could be a battle royale. And it could go on for years. Chris Elmerdorf, a law professor at UC Davis and expert on California housing law, said he hadnt studied the 1985 Sausalito ordinance but in a recent Redondo Beach case, the superior court held that a local voter-approved measure was preempted by state housing-element law. Rex said the homeowners on the hillside behind the Bridgeway site would oppose anything that blocks peoples views worth millions of dollars. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You think people downtown are going to sit back and watch their property values trashed? Rex said. This town has resisted development since the early 1960s. The proposal comes as the pro-housing legal advocacy group YIMBY Law has filed a lawsuit against the city arguing that Saulsalitos plan includes constraints on development that will get in the way of accommodating development. They cut a bunch of corners at the last minute to scare people away, said YIMBY Law attorney Keith Diggs. They were just trying to cover themselves with paper. Fotsch said she is optimistic that the shortage of housing in California and a flurry of state laws that make it harder to block residential development has changed the political calculus and that Sausalito decision makers will support a project that will help attract businesses that are more resident-focused. She said the public parking lot on Bridgeway will be retained while a second level lot on Princess Street will be available for Waterstreet residents. The design of the building would not replicate historic facades but will complement them with a compatible aesthetic. Building materials would consist of medium gray textured cement and stucco finishes, black window frames, and natural wood tones. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fotsch said as much of the existing facades will be retained as possible, but that the interiors have been remodeled extensively enough that they dont retain any historic fabric. While preservation laws would only apply to the facade, Rex predicted that residents will fight to save the entire structure at 605 Bridgeway, previously home to the Marin Fruit Co. WASHINGTON The United States launched attacks Friday against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian forces and Iran-backed militants, its first retaliatory strikes for the killing of three American soldiers in Jordan last weekend, U.S. officials said. U.S. military forces struck targets at seven facilities tied to attacks on U.S. personnel in the region, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. U.S. Central Command said the facilities included command and control operations, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, and drone storage sites. Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing, President Joe Biden said in a statement. The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond. The military action is a significant escalation in Washingtons bid to deter the growing threat from Iran-backed groups across the Middle East a step fraught with risk abroad and at home, as Biden seeks to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling into a wider conflict while working to secure his re-election. The Biden administration had made clear that the U.S. would take military action after the drone attack by Iran-backed militants at a remote U.S. base in Jordan, in which more than 40 others were wounded. Biden attended the dignified return of the three slain U.S. soldiers at Dover Air Force Base earlier Friday. Syrian state television reported that the strikes killed and wounded people, but it did not specify an exact number of casualties. Kirby said the U.S. did not know how many militants were killed or wounded, but said the targets were selected to avoid civilian casualties. The targets were based on a clear, irrefutable evidence they were connected to attacks on U.S personnel in the region, he said. The U.S. conducted the strikes knowing that the facilities are used by Iranian-backed militia personnel and Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps, Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II told reporters. We made these strikes tonight with an idea that there would likely be casualties associated with people inside those facilities, he said. The U.S. used more than 125 munitions on the strikes, Sims said. He said all of them were precision munitions. The Iraqi army condemned the U.S. airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraqi border areas, calling the air assault a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a threat that will drag Iraq and the region into unforeseen consequences. Yahya Rasool Abdullah, a spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, asserted that the strikes come at a time when Iraq is striving to ensure the stability of the region. Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, told reporters that the U.S. informed the Iraqi government about the strikes before they were launched. Before the strikes, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had promised a multitier response and officials told NBC News that Biden settled on a plan expected to unfold over multiple days, possibly weeks. Biden seeks to deter widening conflict Even as Biden and his deputies vowed to retaliate, they have added the caveat that Washington does not seek a war with Iran or a wider conflict in the region, a sentiment that was reiterated in the presidents statement on Friday. Their calibrated statements appeared to indicate that it was unlikely the reprisal strikes would hit targets inside Iran itself. President Joe Biden at the White House on Oct. 25, 2023. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images file) We will continue to work to avoid a wider conflict in a region, but we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our interests and our people, Austin told reporters at a Pentagon news conference Thursday. Austin repeated much of that statement on Friday after the strikes, adding in part that the president and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces. Iran has denied involvement in the drone attack and said that it, too, does not seek a direct confrontation with the U.S. After previous attacks by Tehran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria that wounded but did not kill some American troops, Biden ordered airstrikes that targeted the militants weapons depots and other sites. But the pace of rocket and drone attacks dramatically increased after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. There have been more than 160 attacks on U.S. forces by Iran-backed groups since Oct. 7, according to the Pentagon. Meanwhile, Houthi forces in Yemen have attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with drones and missiles, vowing to continue until Israel halts its military campaign in Gaza. U.S. Navy warships have shot down dozens of the Houthi drones and missiles, but some have hit commercial vessels, prompting a slew of major shipping companies to shift cargo onto other, longer routes. In recent weeks, the U.S. military also carried out strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, hitting launch sites and command centers. Its unclear if the Biden administration will choose to go after Iranian ships suspected of assisting the Houthis to find targets with electronic intelligence. The last time the U.S. military targeted an Iranian ship was in 1988, when the Navy launched retaliatory attacks in the Persian Gulf after an American vessel was hit by a mine planted by Iran. Tehran has denied direct involvement in the Jordan incident but has warned that it will respond to any threat from the U.S. We will not start any war, but if anyone wants to bully us, they will receive a strong response, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a televised speech Friday. We hear threats coming from American officials, we tell them that they have already tested us and we now know one another, no threat will be left unanswered, the chief of Irans Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, said Wednesday. By David Shepardson and Hyunjoo Jin WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -U.S. safety regulators on Friday upgraded their probe into Tesla vehicles over power steering loss to the status of an engineering analysis - a required step before the agency could demand a recall. Tesla shares, which dropped more than 25% in January alone, fell more than 3% on Friday. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the investigation covered about 334,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from the 2023 model year. The agency's upgraded probe follows a Reuters investigation that found tens of thousands of owners had experienced premature failures of suspension or steering parts since 2016, citing Tesla documents and interviews with customers and former employees. The Tesla documents showed that the automaker sought to blame drivers for frequent failures of suspension and steering parts it has long known were defective. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on the NHTSA's upgraded probe. NHTSA, which had opened a preliminary evaluation in July into loss of steering control reports in 280,000 Tesla Model 3 and Y vehicles after 12 drivers reported problems, said it had now identified a total of 2,388 complaints. Some Tesla owners reported an inability to turn the steering wheel while others reported an increase in required effort. NHTSA said it is aware of over 50 vehicles allegedly towed as a result of the condition. It remained unclear exactly what parts might need recalling or replacing to prevent the steering outages. Tesla has addressed some other issues with remote software fixes. The automaker could face a much more expensive recall if NHTSA requires repairs or replacements of physical parts. Michael Brooks, executive director at the consumer advocacy group Center for Auto Safety, noted the agency had identified steering rack part numbers, suggesting it was examining possible hardware defects. The high failure rates of the new models suggest that "there is a significant issue here," Brooks said. The agency usually upgrades safety probes into an engineering analysis, he said, as a way to pressure an automaker that is resisting a voluntary recall. CRASH INSPECTION The agency said it had linked one crash to the investigation in which a driver could not complete a right-hand turn at an intersection and struck a vehicle. Tesla and NHTSA jointly inspected the vehicle. Some Tesla drivers told Reuters for its December report that they had experienced steering outages that nearly caused accidents. "It was pretty terrifying," said Jamie Minshall, who said he nearly went into a ditch after he felt the steering wheel on his 2023 Model Y jerk to the right. "It tried to kill me." Some drivers told NHTSA that the steering issues continued until the power-steering rack was replaced. NHTSA said the probe will examine the conditions leading to and resulting from the steering rack failures. It can cost customers more than $2,000 to get a steering rack replaced for an out-of-warranty vehicle, according to customers' invoices reviewed by Reuters. Tesla has had nine recalls in the United States for steering and suspension issues since 2018, NHTSA records show. Most affected a relatively small number of vehicles. The largest, in 2018, involved replacing steering-rack bolts on more than 70,000 Model S vehicles because of the risk that corrosion could cause a loss of power steering. NHTSA's move comes on the same day Tesla said it was recalling 2.2 million electric vehicles - nearly every one it has sold in the United States - because small font sizes on warning lights increased the risk of a crash. No crashes or injuries have been reported. Tesla began releasing an over-the-air software update on Jan. 23, free of charge, to fix the issue. The software update will increase the font size of the visual warning indicators for the brake, park and antilock brake system (ABS). Just two months ago, Tesla recalled 2.03 million vehicles in the United States to install new safeguards in its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system. Consumer Reports has said that the new Tesla safeguards are insufficient. NHTSA is currently reviewing whether the Autopilot recall is sufficient, Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman told Reuters. Tesla has been under scrutiny for its autonomous driving aid that is intended to enable cars to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within their lane. (Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco, Shivani Tanna and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza, Shinjini Ganguli, Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Porter, David Ljunggren and Nick Zieminski) By Krisztina Than BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Pressure is mounting on Hungary to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO after Budapest finally joined other European Union states in agreeing on new aid to Ukraine. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he "went to the wall" for his country before agreeing to the EU deal worth 50 billion euros ($54 billion) at a summit in Brussels on Thursday after weeks of resistance. Hungary had been the only one of the 27 EU member states not to back the deal at a December summit. It is also the only NATO country that has not yet ratified Stockholm's membership application, a process that requires the backing of all members. Orban, who has better ties with Russia than other EU states and most NATO members, says his government backs Sweden joining the alliance. Now he faces pressure from abroad to accelerate the process. Opposition lawmakers have called an extraordinary session of parliament for Monday to put Sweden's NATO accession on the agenda. But lawmakers in Orban's governing Fidesz party told Reuters on Thursday they would "wait" with a final vote until a meeting of Orban and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Orban's press chief did not respond to a Reuters query on Friday on when the meeting might take place. Orban has a commanding majority in parliament which he has often used to ram through legislation, in some cases overnight, with his ruling party's lawmakers rubber-stamping policy changes. Pressure rose on Orban to speed up the Swedish ratification process after senior U.S. lawmakers said they wanted Hungary to immediately approve Sweden's accession, suggesting Budapest risks permanent damage to its relationship with Washington if it does not act. "TO THE WALL" Hungary has not overtly made any demands of NATO as it drags its feet on approving Sweden's accession. Agreement on the EU aid for Ukraine finally came quickly on Thursday after the long resistance by Hungary, which has refused to send weapons to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion and whose relations with Ukraine have been marred by tension over the treatment of 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine. Orban has been a vocal critic of the EU's financial and military support for Kyiv and has maintained ties with the Kremlin throughout the war. "I went to the wall," Orban said in a radio broadcast. "If this deal had not been reached and Hungary had continued to use its right of veto then 26 member states would have agreed to send the money to Ukraine ... and would have taken away the funds earmarked for Hungary and sent that to Ukraine as well -- why would that have been good?". Under EU practices, it is not possible for money allotted to a member state in the EU budget, or in what is known as the recovery fund, to be taken away and given to a country outside the EU. After freeing up access to some tranches of EU funds in December to Hungary, the EU executive, the European Commission, is still withholding some 20 billion euros from Budapest over widespread accusations that Orban has damaged democracy at home during his 13 years in power. His government rejects these allegations. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Timothy Heritage) Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley insisted on Thursday that she won't actually have to win in her home state in order to achieve victory there -- after two huge losses in the first two states to vote in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Speaking with reporters after a campaign event in South Carolina, Haley was asked what winning looks like for her in the state's Republican primary on Feb. 24. "I think making sure it's a competitive race, making sure that it looks close. If we do that -- that'll head us on into Michigan and Super Tuesday and that's what we're looking at," she said. Asked if she would stay in the race with a second-place finish, she asserted that she's "not going anywhere." "This is about just closing that gap," she said. Her campaign was not, she said, "an anti-Trump movement." "At the end of the day, I'm doing this because the party that comes out with a new generational leader is the party that's gonna win," she said. "I'm doing this because I don't want my kids to live like this." Haley has emerged as the last remaining major alternative to former President Donald Trump in the GOP's nominating race after rival Ron DeSantis ended his campaign in January in the wake of a distant second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during her New Hampshire presidential primary election night rally, in Concord, N.H., Jan. 23, 2024. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) Haley came in third in Iowa, just behind DeSantis, but quickly celebrated a stronger showing in the New Hampshire primary where she trailed Trump by roughly 11 points. She has argued, as she did again on Thursday, that her strategy is to lose by less and less to Trump and then, at some point around Super Tuesday in March, when many states vote at once, begin to overtake him. "We went from 2% to 20% in Iowa. Then we went, we got 43% [in] New Hampshire. But you know what the tall tale of that is? Donald Trump didn't get 43% of the vote. That should scare you," Haley told voters in Columbia, South Carolina, on Thursday. She currently trails Trump by about 31 points in the polling in South Carolina, according to 538. While her support has recently increased, so has Trump's. Trump has targeted her for not leaving the race after her initial defeats in the first two states to vote in the race. "Who the hell was the imposter that went up on the stage before and like claimed a victory? She did very poorly," Trump said on primary night in New Hampshire. "She's doing like a speech like she won," Trump said then. "She didn't win. She lost." Nikki Haley argues she won't have to win in South Carolina to still claim a victory originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Texas Gov. Greg Abbott displays a signed border security bill on June 08, 2023 in Austin Credit - Brandon BellGetty Images This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. First up, a necessary fact check before we go any further: Texas cannot just up and quit the United States. Even so, here we go Again. It was 15 years ago that Texas Gov. Rick Perry had heads snapping across the country for pushing the idea that his state could secede. We were a republic. We were a stand-alone nation. And one of the deals was, we can leave any time we want, Perry wrongly told tech visitors in Austin back in 2009. So we're kind of thinking about that again." His vague comments were initially met with laughter, as if he must have been joking. A few months later, fewer were laughing when Perry tossed an off-handed dog whistle for Tea Party-styled activists when asked about secession. If Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what may come out of that? But Texas is a very unique place and were a pretty independent lot to boot, he told my then-Associated Press colleague Kelley Shannon. Again, to be clear, theres no basis in this notion that Texas could ditch its ties to the United States on a whim. Yet the myth has endured and Perrys successor, Greg Abbott, has not only picked up that break-away pluck in recent weeks, hes escalated it to the point of belligerence. The federal government has broken the compact between the United States and Texas, Abbott said as he invoked a novel theory that Texas is currently under invasion and thus has the right to self-defense, even if that means defying federal authority. That statement was the latest volley in a fight that had already reached the U.S. Supreme Court, after Texas blocked federal officials from cutting razor wire installed along the border so they could reach migrants, some in need of medical aid. Abbott also ordered local officials to step up their work to police migrants crossing into Texasa move that is as provocative as it is likely beyond the scope of his power. Last year, the state legislature established what is basically a state-level deportation system outside the federal system meant to vet those seeking to emigrate as refugees. More From TIME To be sure, that federal system is under a crush of migrants. Border apprehensions topped 2 million in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 alike. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported more than 142,000 individuals during the most recent fiscal year. Almost 18,000 of those were familiessurpassing the 14,400 whom President Donald Trump deported in his last fiscal year in office. It was a far cry from how Candidate Joe Biden sought the White House with pledges of pausing deportations while working with Congress to handle an estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally. Abbotts posture is doing a lot more than just causing headaches in the White House. It is resonating powerfully with the GOPs far-right faction, while sending scholars and historians alike scrambling to disprove his wrong depictions of Texas and American history, only to come back to the real world with a tinge of regret for even humoring it. Abbotts allies have fallen over themselves to join in on the standoff. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday offered to send her state National Guard troops as backup. The United States of America is in a time of invasion, Noem said. The invasion is coming over our southern border. The 50 states have a common enemy, and that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels. They are waging war against our nation, and these cartels are perpetuating violence in each of our states, even right here in South Dakota. Every GOP Governor except Vermonts Phil Scott concurred to varying degrees of intensity. Altogether, 25 Republican-led states have signaled support for what Abbott is trying to provoke. So, too, has Trump. And, in the echo chamber of conservative media, you can practically hear the clanging pitchforks readying for the revolution and unspooling even more razor wire. If all of this spikes your blood pressure, its entirely justifiable. The rhetoric harkens directly back to Civil War-era division. Americas deadliest war should have settled the question of whether states could defy federal law, be it in defense of slavery or stricter border laws. Yet, in Texas, that is viewed less as history than hype. Defying Washington is a merit badge of its own in the South. During the Civil Rights era, governors used their opposition to integration to become celebrities and launch national campaigns. Schoolhouse steps became the must-have photograph for Southerners who wanted to prove they were tough in defense of white voters power. These days, Abbott and his imitators are looking to leverage the cause to promote their own national brands inside a party that, in recent years, has been defined by a hostility toward any capitulation toward immigrants rights. In last years exit polls, 83% of Republicans said immigrants hurt the country. When asked their most important issue in those midterms, 73% of GOP voters cited immigrationbesting abortion by a 3-to-1 margin. Its against the backdrop that local law enforcement near the Texas border blocked their federal counterparts from the U.S. Border Patrol from reaching parts of the border. The Supreme Court, halfheartedly stepped in with a 5-4 ruling to say that federal officials could remove the razor wire that Abbott had ordered installed. Abbott declined to heed it. Democrats said Abbott was illegally ignoring the Court and Republicans, just as predictably, cheered him on. Nonetheless, the Constitution is pretty clear on the questions in play here. Washington sets the policies about immigration and the feds are tasked with implementing them. While states can pitch in, they cannot replace Washingtons judgment. And, given the impasse over immigration legislation that is embedded in Washington, that often means Presidents get to dictate the agenda and hope their successors keep some form of what they installed in place. Yet Abbott sees little downside to this fight and is clearly betting Biden will find a way to biff it, especially if he were to heed calls to send the National Guard to dislodge Abbotts roving force. This is the number-one issue in America, Abbott said on Monday. Americans want a secure border. If Joe Biden federalizes our National Guard, that would be the biggest political blunder that you can make, and thats why I think he will not do it. All of this, of course, is playing out against a backdrop of Abbott signing off on billions of dollars in state spending with little to show for it. Thousands of Texas National Guard members and local law enforcement have blanketed the southern border but it is not stemminglet alone stoppingthe migrants who are heading north in search of asylum. Critics have called the approach cruel if not criminal. For his part, Abbott says he would have officials shoot border crossers if he thought he could protect the officers from prosecution by the feds. All of it feeds Abbotts standing inside a GOP that still hews toward Trumps hostility but could be in need of a new face for the effort in the coming years. Thats why Abbott is tryingas Perry did more than a decade earlier, priming the pump for White House runs in 2012 and 2016to cast himself as the new face of a tough border. For someone talking so openly about seceding from the country, Abbott also is putting in place component parts of his profile to lead it. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter. Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Authorities in Norway issued several landslide and avalanche warnings for the southern part of the country Friday as it continued to get hammered by bad weather that officials said also might close roads in the north at short notice. Flights to and from the airport in the Arctic city of Tromsoe resumed Friday after some 200 passengers had to sleep there due to the gale-force winds and snow from Norways most powerful storm since 1992. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute said strong winds still were blowing over northern Norway. It warned that southern Norway was forecast to get up to 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain within 24 hours. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate issued its highest-level avalanche warning for most of southern and central Norway for the coming days. Police in southeastern Norway reported several accidents because of icy surfaces, included a school bus that skidded off the road. No one was injured. The storm, named Ingunn by Norwegian meteorologists, arrived Wednesday and brought gusts of up to 180 kilometers per hour (112 mph) in some places on Thursday. Strong wind, rain and snow ripped off roofs, canceled flights and left thousands without power. Norwegian Meteorological Institute meteorologist Eldbjrg Moxnes told Norwegian news agency NTB on Friday that while the extreme weather Ingunn brought was over, it will still not be a calm weekend on the weather front. Strong winds and rain are also expected in neighboring Sweden and Denmark over the weekend. Washington The Supreme Court said Friday it will not stop the U.S. Military Academy in West Point from considering race in its admissions process while a legal fight over its policies plays out before a federal appellate court. In an unsigned order, the court said the case's "record before this Court is underdeveloped, and this order should not be construed as expressing any view on the merits of the constitutional question." The challenge to West Point's admissions policies was brought by the group Students for Fair Admissions, which was behind the cases that led the Supreme Court to end race-conscious admissions programs at public and private colleges in June. Acting on a footnote in the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which said the decision did not apply to the nation's service academies, Students for Fair Admissions sued West Point in September on behalf of two of its members who are applying to the academy. The group said the two applicants one a high-school senior applying for the first time, and the other a college freshman applying for the second time are "fully qualified but White." Students for Fair Admissions had unsuccessfully urged the Supreme Court to grant its request for emergency relief by Jan. 31, which is West Point's application deadline. West Point's admissions A view of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, on May 2, 2019. / Credit: Seth Wenig / AP Admission to West Point is highly selective, and the academy receives more than 13,000 applications each year for a class of 1,200 cadets. The school said that it is a "vital pipeline" to senior leadership in the armed forces, and its graduates comprise one-third of general officers in the Army, which is those above the rank of colonel. To be considered for admissions, an applicant must satisfy several conditions, including passing a fitness test and medical examination, and receiving a nomination. West Point "considers race and ethnicity flexibly as a plus factor in an individualized, holistic assessment of African American, Hispanic and Native American" applicants in three limited circumstances during the admissions process, it said in court papers. The Biden administration said that West Point considers race and ethnicity as one factor in these stages of its admissions process "only to further the Army's distinct interest in developing a diverse officer corps to meet its national-security mission." But Students for Fair Admissions argued West Point unconstitutionally uses race to make certain admissions decisions and awards preferences to Black, Hispanic and Native American applicants. Because Students for Fair Admissions' two members are applying to West Point now, it asked a federal district court in White Plains, New York, to temporarily bar the school from taking race into consideration during the admissions process. The court declined to block West Point's use of race, and on Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit denied Students for Fair Admissions' request for an injunction while it appeals on Monday. Students for Fair Admissions asked the Supreme Court to intervene, urging it to prohibit West Point from using race as a factor in admissions decisions while litigation continues. "Every year this case languishes in discovery, trial, or appeals, West Point will label and sort thousands more applicants based on their skin color including the class of 2028, which West Point will start choosing in earnest once the application deadline closes on January 31," the group told the Supreme Court in its request for emergency relief. "Should these young Americans bear the burden of West Point's unchecked racial discrimination? Or should West Point bear the burden of temporarily complying with the Constitution's command of racial equality?" The group argued that "no applicant who is denied admission to West Point goes through a race-neutral process," and said the school's use of race has no "sunset date" for its use of race. Additionally, Students for Fair Admissions said courts cannot resolve whether the limited consideration of race in West Point's admissions is necessary to achieve a diverse officer corps that the nation's military strength and readiness depends on. But the Justice Department, which is representing West Point in the dispute, called Students for Fair Admissions' request for an injunction "extraordinary," and said such an order would require the service academy to "jettison admissions procedures that the Army has deemed a military imperative for generations." In a filing to the Supreme Court urging the justices to reject the group's request, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar also indicated the urgency sought by Students for Fair Action was unnecessary, as West Point will continue evaluating applications through May 2024. "SFFA seeks an injunction against policies that military leaders have long deemed essential to ensuring the effectiveness of the nation's military," Prelogar wrote. "SFFA acknowledges that the impact of an injunction on the Army cannot be known, but declares that if events prove it mistaken, the injunction can be reversed. That leap now, look later approach is no way to handle the composition of the nation's military forces." The Biden administration also argued that the anti-affirmative action group doesn't dispute that a diverse officer corps furthers compelling national-security interests. "SFFA provides no sound reason to second-guess the Army's longstanding military judgment that limited consideration of race in West Point's admissions is essential to achieving those interests," Prelogar argued. "Instead, SFFA stakes its case on a misguided effort to subject the Army to constraints this court articulated in the very different context of civilian college admissions." Iran responds to U.S. retaliation threats after soldiers killed in Jordan Prosecutors release new video of Jennifer Crumbley's arrest Bear cubs native to Alaska found on Florida road WARREN, Mich. President Biden sought to lean into his strengths during a Thursday trip to Michigan, even as the discontent among the states large Arab American population over his handling of the situation in Gaza loomed over the visit. Biden met with Black community leaders and chatted with patrons at They Say, a Black-owned restaurant, and spoke at a United Auto Workers (UAW) hall on the heels of the organizations endorsement of his reelection bid during his visit to the Detroit area. Biden won by 14 percentage points among union members in the 2020 election, while he won 87 percent of Black voters. Both groups will be critical to his success in November as he faces a likely reelection match-up with former President Trump. But the tensions Biden is facing with Arab American voters in Michigan lurked just on the periphery of his visit. Bidens itinerary did not take him into Dearborn, where Arab Americans make up a majority of the population, nor did it include any meetings with Arab American leaders. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), one of the most outspoken critics of the war in Gaza and who represents a nearby district, did not accompany Biden on the trip. Community members gathered Wednesday night in nearby Dearborn to protest Bidens visit. And demonstrators congregated near the union hall in Warren waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs that read Abandon Biden, according to the Detroit Free Press. The publicly available White House schedule for Thursdays trip was vague, referring only to stops in the metropolitan Detroit area. Asked about the lack of specificity or if there was a reason for it, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters she was not aware of any particular concerns. I do want to say, more broadly, that the president has met with Americans with varying opinions about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, she said aboard Air Force One. Officials at the White House are also in regular contact with Muslim and Arab American leaders in Michigan and across the country. Jean-Pierre said senior Biden administration officials will travel to Michigan in the coming days to hear directly from community leaders on a range of issues that are important to them and their families, including the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Biden has been grappling with frustration among Arab Americans and other voters who have been outraged by his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Hamas, a militant group that controls Gaza, killed more than 1,000 Israelis in terrorist attacks last October. In its subsequent military campaign, Israeli forces have killed thousands of Palestinians in Gaza. Hospitals and refugee sites have been hit in shelling, and residents there have lacked access to water, medicine and other basic necessities. Biden has steadfastly supported Israels right to respond to the Hamas attacks and has rebuffed calls for a cease-fire, instead pushing for humanitarian pauses to allow supplies into Gaza and for the release of hostages and urging Israel to minimize the impact on civilians. Protesters have followed Biden wherever he has traveled, disrupting unrelated events to call for a cease-fire and condemn his handling of the situation in Gaza. Roughly a dozen demonstrators interrupted a Biden address in Virginia focused on abortion last month, a group disrupted his speech at a Black church in South Carolina, and others shouted him down during a UAW endorsement event in Washington, D.C. Biden won 64 percent of the Muslim vote in 2020, and Trump won 35 percent, according to exit polling by The Associated Press. But Bidens support among Arab American voters plunged to just 17 percent in October, just after the war started, with 25 percent in a poll conducted by the Arab American Institute saying they werent sure who they would vote for if the election were held then. Some activists in Michigan reportedly declined to meet last week with Bidens campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, when she visited the state. Michigan is a crucial swing state, one Biden carried in 2020 by 154,000 votes against Trump. But recent polling out of the state has shown him trailing Trump narrowly. A Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday showed Trump ahead there by 5 percentage points. Biden on Thursday sought to seize on the momentum from the UAW endorsement, which was made at an event in Washington, D.C., last week. To me its a basic, basic thing, and I mean this sincerely. Wall Street didnt build the middle class. Labor built the middle class, and the middle class built the country, Biden said, boasting that the U.S. had the strongest economy in the whole damn world. Biden was accompanied by UAW President Shawn Fain, Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), whom he described as the best governor in the country. Were going to fight like hell, and were going to ensure Joe Biden is the next president, Fain told a crowd of roughly 100 UAW members. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Molleen Barnes, superintendent and principal of the Sunol Glen School, holds a Pride flag during a school board meeting in September during which trustees voted 2-1 to ban displaying the rainbow banner on campus. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle The superintendent of a one-school Alameda County district thats been in turmoil since a controversial decision to ban the Pride flag last year will retire in June, a decision attributed largely to the chaos. Molleen Barnes has served as superintendent and principal of Sunol Glen School in rural Alameda County for 16 years. She announced her retirement in a letter to the school community on Wednesday that was published in Inform Sunol, an online newsletter. In an interview Thursday, Barnes, 60, said shed been thinking about retiring in a year or two but that the politicization of her school board and the months of community clashes that have centered around the K-8 school, which serves 270 children, had prompted her to move up the plan. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its bittersweet, she said of her coming departure. The stress, she said, had become overwhelming and unhealthy. But I feel so blessed to have been here for almost half of my career. Its been my home away from home. I love this place. Sunol Glen School Superintendent Molleen Barnes hugs a supporter at a school board meeting in September. The board voted that night to ban the display of Pride flags on campus. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Barnes departure comes at a particularly challenging time for the school district, in which two of the three board members both of whom voted last September to ban the display of Pride flags at the Sunol Glen School may be facing recalls in the coming months. The board will decide who replaces Barnes, but it wasnt immediately clear how long that process would take and, therefore, who will be on the board when a new superintendent is hired. Parent Matthew Sylvester said Barnes departure would be a crushing loss for the school and the community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its so hard, and so sad, said Sylvester, whose child started at Sunol Glen last year. She just has a presence and an aura around her. People respect her. I would venture to guess that she knows every childs name at that school. The climate at Sunol Glen and in the surrounding community shifted dramatically last year, after a contentious election resulted in a conservative-leaning school board. Sunol Glen School Superintendent Molleen Barnes and Ryan Jergensen, chair of the school board, talk to Alameda County Sheriff deputies during a rowdy board meeting last year. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Over several months, new board member Linda Hurley raised the topics of book bans and a policy that would require outing transgender and nonbinary students to their parents issues that drew concern from some parents. The decision to ban the Pride flag on campus resulted in community-wide fallout that involved even people not directly associated with the school. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A group of parents has launched a drive to recall the board chair Ryan Jergensen and Hurley, the two members who voted for the flag ban. The group has until Feb. 20 to collect 246 valid signatures. Then a date for a recall election would be set, potentially in the spring. Im saddened that the governance failures of this board and the toxic environment thats been created as a result of this board has reached down and removed an administrator, an educator and a leader in the community, said Ted Romo, the third school board member who is not facing recall. It forced a result that is in the end bad for the school and the district. Jergensen said Thursday that his focus for replacing Barnes will be on a smooth transition. My kids are in the school I want a good superintendent, I want a good-performing school. I dont hope for more disruption, Jergensen said. Molleen Barnes, superintendent and principal of the Sunol Glen School, speaks during a school board meeting in Sunol on Sept. 12, 2023. Barnes has announced her retirement at the end of the school year following turmoil created over a decision to remove Pride flags from the school and the politicization caused by that. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Ive always thought (Barnes) was great, he added. I put my kids in the school because I thought she was an excellent educator. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rumors had swirled around Barnes possible departure as early as September, when parents and staff worried she would be forced out by the board after speaking out against the Pride flag ban. At one point during the emotional meeting where the flag ban vote took place, Barnes held a Pride banner in front of her and talked board members through what each of the colors represented. Across California, though largely in conservative and rural pockets, right-wing Christians have been taking over school boards and in some places driving out superintendents. Political divisions have in some cases made replacing administrators a special challenge, said Alysse Castro, Alameda County superintendent of schools. She said Barnes is the second superintendent in Alameda County whose departure appears to be pretty directly related to politics. Last year, the Newark school board also pushed out its superintendent. Between the increasing politicization of school district boards and simply the exhaustion and challenges of leading schools through the COVID area, we are definitely seeing statewide turnover in the superintendents, Castro said. Castro said Barnes was widely known and respected. She is like a grandma to the community and to the kids, Castro said, referencing a title Barnes bestowed upon herself in her retirement letter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Barnes said it would be tough to leave her school, and especially under the current circumstances, where she does indeed know all the kids names and also hired all but four of the 35 staff members. Former President Trump is set to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) later this month, the group announced Friday. Trump was added to the list of confirmed speakers for the event slated for Feb. 21-24 in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C. CPAC is not neutral on Donald Trump. Were all in, said CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp, announcing the former presidents addition to the lineup on Steve Bannons War Room. Donald Trump is going to break the records and come to CPAC for his fourteenth appearance next month. Others set to address the conservative confab include Vivek Ramaswamy, who suspended his presidential bid and endorsed Trump last month, as well as Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who has been floated by some a possible vice president pick for Trump. Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan (R) are also among the dozens of scheduled speakers. Jason Miller, a longtime adviser to Trump, reposted the CPAC announcement about the former presidents appearance. The Hill has reached out to Trumps team for more information. Trump has regularly addressed the conservative conference going back to 2011 before he entered electoral politics. The annual event draws top activists, elected officials and other figures in the GOP, and this years conference in Washington comes months ahead of Election Day. Its unclear if Trumps last remaining rival for the GOP nomination, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, was invited to this years conference. Haley is campaigning in South Carolina, the next major state to hold a GOP contest, in an effort to cut into Trumps large lead in polls. The Hill has reached out to CPAC and Haleys campaign. CPAC enthusiastically endorsed Trumps presidential bid last month. The former president won last months Iowa caucuses by 30 points and the New Hampshire primary by 11 points, cementing his status as the GOP front-runner even as he campaigns amid various ongoing legal battles, including multiple criminal indictments. As conditions at the border, the economy and culture dramatically worsen every day, one person has again clearly won the hearts and minds of conservatives for his tireless commitment to Make America Great Again, CPAC said in a statement last month. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Hes still at the helm, for now, but Ukraine's top general is facing an uncertain fate just as his country faces a perilous moment in its fight against Russia. Widespread media reports that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is about to fire his military leader swirled to a crescendo this week. And while Army Cmdr. Valerii Zaluzhnyi remains in his post, the speculation about an apparent rift between the two primarily based on anonymous accounts of a private conversation has exposed possible cracks in the countrys leadership. Denials from Ukrainian officials have done little to quiet suggestions that the popular commander will soon be dismissed, all while Kyiv confronts a painful shortage of supplies and soldiers, as well as doubts over sustained allied support. The saga could also dent domestic confidence as the war approaches the two-year mark with morale increasingly strained on the battlefield and among the public, analysts told NBC News. When there are speculations on such a sensitive topic, people want clarity, said Mykola Bielieskov, a military analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies, a government research group. And if there are major changes in the countrys military command, then they want official confirmation and an explanation of why, Bielieskov said. Citizens clearly understand that the survival of the country and themselves depends on the relations between the highest civilian and military officials, he said. That is why there is such excitement and anticipation. Stalemate? Rumors about Zaluzhnyis future have come in waves since Ukraines much-vaunted counteroffensive, launched last summer under the generals command, failed to achieve any major breakthroughs. They reached new heights last November when Zaluzhnyi suggested the situation on the battlefield had reached a stalemate a sobering assessment that did not sit well with Zelenskyy, who tried to downplay it. Since then, Zelenskyys allies have publicly chided Zaluzhnyi for his leadership and what they say is the lack of a clear plan for how to win the war. More recently the two men, by far the countrys most popular war-time leaders, have also aired their differences about the need for a mass mobilization of civilians to sustain the fight. In recent days Ukrainian and foreign media have reported about Zaluzhnyis future. The Financial Times, citing multiple unnamed sources, reported that Zelenskyy asked the general to vacate his post and offered him a new role, but that Zaluzhnyi refused. NBC News could not independently verify the reports, and multiple Ukrainian officials declined to comment. Zelenskyys spokesperson, Sergii Nykyforov, strongly denied "the dismissal of Zaluznnyi" to Ukrainian media, while the defense ministry said No, its not true, in a social media post on Monday without referencing the general by name. Ukraine's President Zelenskiy and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces Zaluzhnyi pose for a picture in Dnipro (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / via Reuters) Zaluzhnyi spoke out in an essay published by CNN on Thursday that it said was written before "the expected announcement of his dismissal." In it he talks about his aims for 2024 and lists what he sees as the problems facing Ukraine, including a reduction in military support from key allies and Russias ability to evade sanctions to build more weapons. He also points to Moscows significant advantage in being able to recruit as many people as it wants, as opposed to what the general calls the inability of state institutions in Ukraine to improve the manpower levels of our armed forces without the use of unpopular measures a thinly veiled stab at Zelenskyys government. It remains to be seen how such a dramatic shake-up of Kyivs military command, if one is coming, would be seen by its Western allies at such a delicate moment in the relationship. On Thursday, Ukraine received a major boost from its European partners in the form of a $54 billion financial aid package to keep the countrys war-ravaged economy afloat. But new U.S. aid remains held up in Congress with Zelenskyy fighting to keep the worlds focus from shifting entirely to the crisis in the Middle East as Russian forces push forward in a new offensive in Ukraines northeast. Throughout the war, Ukraine has worked hard to display determination and cohesion, with Zelenskyy publicly cracking down on corruption and firing close allies suspected of any wrongdoing, but Zaluzhnyis dismissal would be like hitting the bulls eye of national unity, former president Petro Poroshenko told NBC News. Unity has been and will continue to be possible only around the Armed Forces, Poroshenko said in a written comment sent by his spokesperson on Whatsapp. And Valerii Zaluzhnyi has become their personification. In Moscow, they will be choking with joy. It will not make Ukraine stronger, and its consequences will be extremely negative, added Poroshenko, a bitter rival of Zelenskyy who lost to him in the 2019 election and may still harbor political ambitions. The Kremlin has certainly been keeping a close eye, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying Wednesday the saga shows Kyiv has a lot of problems and things are not going well there. The rumors are certainly damaging, said Christopher Tuck, an expert in conflict and security at Kings College London. Any indication that there is dissension at the highest levels of decision-making risks signaling that the Ukrainian government is uncertain about the progress and direction of the war. This is clearly unhelpful at a time when the government needs to project confidence. And it helps to sustain Russian hopes that they can wear down Ukraines political will to continue fighting, Tuck said. Rumors about Zaluzhnyis looming dismissal have already led to talk of possible replacements in the Ukrainian press. The names of ground forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi and spy chief Kyrylo Budanov have topped most lists, but its not clear if either man would welcome the responsibility of stepping in for a general widely respected by the public. Zaluzhnyi, 50, is a career soldier, and took charge of Ukraines armed forces in 2021, seven months before the full-scale invasion by Moscow. Ukrainians credit him for holding Russians back around the capital, Kyiv, in the early months of the war, and for Ukraines two major counteroffensive campaigns in 2022, which saw large swathes of territory liberated in the east and south. And while his leadership during last summers counteroffensive did not yield significant breakthroughs, his approval remains high. Image: 10th Mountain Assault Brigade 'Edelweiss' Operates Near Kupiansk Frontline (Vlada Liberova / Getty Images) The general, who does not often speak in public, is highly respected in the military and among ordinary Ukrainians. A poll conducted in December by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed 88% of Ukrainians have trust in Zaluzhnyi, higher than the 62% for Zelenskyy. The general has yet to show any public ambition of his own, but his popularity has fueled rumors he could challenge Zelenskyy when a presidential election, originally scheduled for this year but postponed under martial law, does next take place. Its hardly surprising then that the speculation about his dismissal has permeated daily public life in Ukraine. The rumors are widely discussed on TV newscasts, social media and the streets. As soon as you open the media, you immediately see speculations on this topic, or when you just go to the grocery store, and everyone is discussing the potential dismissal of Zaluzhnyi, then you find out about it one way or another whether you want it or not, Kyiv resident Ihor Medvid told NBC News. The hype around the rumors has been irritating, Medvid said, and he thinks the whole story is artificially inflated by the media. But if Zaluzhnyi is indeed fired, Medvid said Ukraine will carry on regardless, even though the morale on the frontlines could suffer. I understand how much trust the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have in Zaluzhnyi, said Medvid, who is a partner in a consulting company in the capital. But I think that considering the extent to which our military knows how to take a hit, I think that all they will need to continue the fight, even in the case of Zaluzhnyis dismissal, is to give them more weapons and ammunition, which Ukraine is asking for. Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade (left), representing the District Attorney's office, talks with Attorney Scott Grubman, who is defending Ken Chesebro, and other attorneys after Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee heard motions from attorneys representing Ken Chesebro and Sidney Powell in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. MARIETTA, Ga. A year before Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis hired Nathan Wade to lead the election fraud case against former President Donald Trump, the relatively unknown private attorney was embroiled in another high-profile case investigating suspicious deaths in an Atlanta-area jail. Now, as Willis has confirmed she has had a romantic "personal relationship" with Wade, his work on the jail deaths case is also being placed under a microscope including by a defense lawyer seeking to have them both kicked off the Trump prosecution. Accusations that Wade mishandled the jail-deaths investigation in 2020 are adding to questions about Williss judgment in hiring him for the sensitive assignment of investigating the former president and alleged co-defendants in their alleged effort to overturn Georgias presidential election that year. Ms. Willis is relying on him being appointed in Cobb County as part of his credentials for why she hired him and why he was qualified, said Ashleigh Merchant, a prominent Atlanta defense lawyer. More: Fani Willis admits to relationship with prosecutor. What does that mean for the Trump case? So I think it's important to see what happened in Cobb, Merchant, who is representing one of Trumps co-defendants in the election fraud case, Michael Roman, told USA TODAY. I think it's relevant to what's going on now because it does reflect on her decision to hire him. Merchant spoke Thursday, a day before Willis and Wade both admitted the affair but maintained that they did nothing wrong. Both said in a 167-page court filing that the affair began after Willis appointed Wade as special prosecutor in November 2021, and there are no legal or ethical reasons for them to step away from the case. She was unavailable for comment immediately after Willis's defiant court filing. More: A highly anticipated booking photo. A notorious jail. The Donald Trump arrest recapped Now, as part of her effort to get the Trump case dismissed, Merchant is seeking documentation from Cobb County to determine if there was potential corruption and cronyism involving Willis, Wade and a third person, the former No. 2 at the Sheriff's Department, Sonya Allen. Wade did not respond to a request for comment. Willis and Allen, the former Sheriffs department official who now works for Willis as a top aide also did not respond to requests for comment sent to the Fulton County DAs office. Last month, however, Willis strongly defended Wade's qualifications and her decision to hire him back in November 2021 for the Trump investigation, which was then nine months old. Jail crisis scrutiny has to stop Wade was hired by the Cobb County Sheriffs Department in June 2020, after more than a year and a half of brutally critical media coverage about the deaths of predominantly Black inmates, including one who begged repeatedly to be sent to the hospital for nearly eight hours while struggling to breathe. It has to stop! then-Deputy Chief Allen said about the constant attack and scrutiny by the media and civil rights advocates in a June 14, 2020, previously undisclosed email to the departments rank and file, a copy of which was obtained by USA TODAY. Allen wrote that she retained Wades law firm to review cases "that have involved alleged excessive use of force, deadly force, discrimination or neglect ... with a fine-tooth comb. This is not a witch-hunt, Allen told her colleagues, who patrol Cobb County, conduct investigations and oversee the county jail complex and Adult Detention Center, it's a desire to clear the name of this agency and its men and women and of course to give the public the peace of mind they deserve. My brainchild When Wade finished his investigation later that year, he released no formal public report about what led to the deaths at the notoriously dangerous lock-up. Asked about his findings for a local TV news investigation, Wade conceded that he created no documents, communications, or records memorializing, reflecting evidence, or relating to the work, according to the news station, 11Alive. I have obviously my brainchild, whats going on in my mind about it. Thats what I have, Wade told a lawyer for 11Alive who was trying to obtain Sheriffs Department internal records about the probe through public records act requests. That outcome was condemned by local criminal justice reform activists and defense attorneys, some of whom said Wades investigation helped the Sheriffs Department use the pretense of an ongoing investigation to deny public access to potentially embarrassing records. 'Total disregard of his duty One of those defense lawyers, Cindi Yeager, now questions why Willis would hire Wade to oversee one of the most consequential public interest investigations in recent history into whether Trump and some of his White House and campaign aides, including his lawyer Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tried to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia that Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Based on the complete lack of following the necessary protocol for conducting a proper investigation, I would question anyone who would consider utilizing Mr. Wades services for this type of investigation, especially one that involves such complicated issues as in the Trump election prosecution, Yeager said Thursday. To say he kept no written notes, no record of interviews conducted, no record of reports he reviewed, amounts to a total disregard of his duty, said Yeager, who is now the co-chief assistant District Attorney in Cobb County. A bombshell allegation and trips to California wine country Romans defense attorney Merchant garnered international headlines on Jan. 8 when she filed a bombshell court motion alleging that Willis was having an an improper, clandestine personal relationship with Wade that should result in both of them and the entire DAs office being disqualified from prosecuting the case and to dismiss the whole case on that basis. Whats more, Merchant alleged, Wade was using some of the more than $650,000 he made as chief special prosecutor in the Trump case to take Willis on romantic vacations to California wine country, Florida and Caribbean cruises. Since then, Trump himself and a third co-defendant have joined in Merchants motion. In an affidavit filed Friday along with Willis's motion, Wade confirmed that the two did travel together. But he said both used their own money and that Willis received no money or other form of financial benefit from the money he's been paid for the case. Jailhouse deaths and a controversial investigation The presiding judge in the case, Scott McAfee, has given Willis until Feb. 2 to respond. He has also set a Feb. 15 court date for a hearing on the motion to disqualify. As part of her effort to have the election fraud case tossed, Merchant recently filed three requests seeking information about Wades handling of the jail investigation in Cobb, a suburban enclave just north of Fulton County, which includes Atlanta. More: Georgia DA Fani Willis rejects idea that Trump prosecution could amount to election interference Those requests, which Merchant shared with USA TODAY, seek any and all documentation, emails, meeting notes, letters and other information regarding Wades probe into potential problems and wrongdoing at the jail. To that end, Merchant is focusing particularly on how aggressively Wade and his law firm investigated four jailhouse deaths in 2019 and 2020, including Kevil Wingo, a 37-year-old father of three who unsuccessfully begged for medical attention because he couldnt breathe. An 11Alive investigation uncovered and aired videotape of Wingo thrashing about in his cell. After refusing to check his vitals, the jail nurse in charge put Wingo in a padded cell to mute his screams for help, 11Alive reported. He died 59 minutes later from a perforated ulcer. Wades pricey pro bono probe Merchants records request also seeks to determine how much money Wade and others at his law firm were paid for the investigation. Invoices show that Wade billed at $550 an hour for his services, despite an Oct. 8, 2020 affidavit also obtained by USA TODAY, in which Sonya Allen of the Sheriff's department said Wade and his law firm had offered to do the investigation pro bono, or for free, as a public service to the community. On Friday, Wade confirmed in his affidavit in the Trump case that he was paid $550 an hour to conduct "an external independent accountability assessment and review" in the Cobb jail case. Merchant has also filed public records act requests with the Fulton County DAs office for information she says she needs to prepare for the Feb. 15 hearing. On Tuesday, she subpoenaed both Willis and Wade to testify at that hearing, contending that the DAs office is intentionally withholding the information she seeks. A Fulton County DAs office official, in an interview Wednesday, said the office is complying with Merchants request. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing investigations, also declined to comment on Willis relationship with Wade and with Allen, who now works for Willis as head of the Fulton County DAs Anti-Corruption Division, and whether their performance in the Cobb jail investigation undermines her confidence in them. The Fulton County DAs office says the unit was established to evaluate issues of government corruption and law enforcement misconduct to include elected officials, election tampering, sheriff deputies, and police officers. Wade's boss in jail probe joins Fani Willis office Last month, Willis defended her selection of Wade for the Trump investigation, saying he is not only a great friend but an experienced lawyer with the impeccable credentials needed to be a special prosecutor overseeing the sprawling racketeering case and she contrasted attacks on Wade with the fact that the white lawyers Willis has hired for this case havent been publicly scrutinized. "The Black man I chose has been a judge more than 10 years, run a private practice more than 20, represented businesses in civil litigation I aint done yall, Willis said in a Sunday morning sermon Jan. 14 at the Big Bethel A.M.E Church in Atlanta. Served as a prosecutor, a criminal defense lawyer, special assistant attorney general. Willis also referenced Wades jail investigation, noting that an elected Republican Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren had hired him for that job. "How come ... the same Black man I hired was acceptable when a Republican in another county hired him and paid him twice the rate? Willis asked. Why is the white male Republican's judgement good enough, but the black female Democrat's not?" While Willis admitted being a flawed human being who makes mistakes, she did not address specifically whether she and Wade have been involved romantically. Willis also has had nothing but praise for former Deputy Sheriff Allen, who she hired soon after taking office. At the time, Wade was helping Willis staff her team, according to three people familiar with his work for her. Merchant, the Trump case defense lawyer, is also seeking information about Allens role in the Cobb County Jail probe and in hiring and overseeing Wades work on it. I think it's relevant to what's going on now because it does reflect on (Williss) decision to hire him, how she chose him and also the fact that Sonya Allen... is integral to him getting this contract in Fulton County, Merchant said of the Trump investigation. She cited witness interviews that I conducted in the Trump case for why she believes Allen helped Wade get the assignment. Clark Cunningham, a professor of law and ethics at Georgia State University College of Law, told USA TODAY that "Ashleigh Merchant is barking up a lot of trees and using all of her resourcefulness in her defense of her client, but that her efforts are justified because of Wades key role in the jail probe. The fact that he apparently had no written records of his investigation and produced no written report it seems to me if I were in a position of retaining a lawyer for something of such importance as this current case that it would certainly give me pause, Cunningham said Thursday. Investigating Donald Trump The Fulton County DA official downplayed Allens prior lack of prosecutorial experience, saying Willis hired her to help oversee the offices many investigations into corruption in its own Sheriffs Department and jail system. But by the end of her first month on the job, Willis also was clearly focusing on the elected officials, election tampering element of the anti-corruption unit that unit that Allen was now overseeing. A few weeks later, Willis sent a letter to top Georgia officials, informing them that she had launched a criminal investigation into possible interference in the state's 2020 general election including Trumps now-infamous call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find 11,780 votes, or just enough for him to win the key swing state. And on Nov. 1 of that year, Willis hired Wade to be the lawyer who would lead that investigation. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Already under fire, GA Trump prosecutor Nathan Wade faces new questions Lawyers for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis formally acknowledged in a court filing that she had a romantic relationship with lawyer Nathan Wade, whom she appointed to lead the Georgia prosecution of Donald Trump, but they vigorously pushed back against allegations of financial conflicts and the contention she should be disqualified from the case. In an affidavit by Wade submitted Friday with Willis' court filing both obtained by CBS News Wade stated, "In 2022, District Attorney Willis and I developed a personal relationship in addition to our professional association and friendship. I have no financial interest in the outcome of the 2020 election interference case or in the conviction of any defendant. No funds paid to me in compensation for my role as Special Prosecutor have been shared with or provided to District Attorney Willis." In the filing, Willis' attorneys responded to the allegations by saying, "This is not an example of zealous advocacy, nor is it a good faith effort to develop a record on a disputed legal issueit is a ticket to the circus." And the filing condemns the "incredibly inappropriate efforts to intrude into opposing counsel's personal life with little to no evidentiary value." File: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis at a news conference on Aug. 14, 2023 in Atlanta. Special prosecutor Nathan Wade stands next to her. / Credit: Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images Willis' response comes after one of Trump's co-defendants in the Georgia election conspiracy case leveled allegations against her earlier this month. Michael Roman, a former Republican National Committee staffer and Trump campaign official, alleged that Willis had an improper relationship with Wade, paid him more than $650,000 for his work and then benefited financially from the relationship when Wade allegedly took her on Caribbean cruises and trips to Miami and Napa Valley, California. Trump co-defendant argued Willis should be disqualified from prosecuting Georgia Trump case Ashleigh Merchant, Roman's lawyer, argued in the motion that Willis and her entire office should be disqualified from prosecuting the case and that all of the charges against Roman should be dropped. The filing provided no supporting evidence of the claims. However, a separate filing in Wade's divorce case from his estranged wife, Jocelyn Wade, who also alleged that he and Willis had been romantically involved, included credit card receipts from her husband's business account that seemed to show he had paid for the trips. Willis had not commented directly on the allegations, although at a speech in January at a historically Black church, in which she defended Nathan Wade, she made oblique references to herself as "flawed" and "imperfect." "Zero chance" Willis will step aside from Trump case, source says Roman's motion has plunged Willis' case into turmoil, with Republicans in the Georgia State Legislature voting last week to create a special panel to investigate Willis's conduct while calls mounted for her to step aside in order to remove any taint from the case. A source close to Willis tells CBS News that "there is zero chance that will happen." Instead, on Friday, the DA's office filed a response to the Roman motion that argued that Willis' relationship with Nathan Wade has no bearing on the case or her ability to prosecute it. The filing asserts that the relationship between Willis and Wade developed long after he was hired to lead the Trump prosecution. Wade and his wife separated in August 2021. A source close to Willis said Willis and Wade began seeing each other "around early to mid-2022." Wade was hired in November of 2021. That is a crucial distinction in light of the suggestion that she hired Wade because of their intimate relationship. His hiring for the position has drawn criticism because he has little prior experience prosecuting complex felony cases. In Wade's affidavit, Willis' team sought to bolster Wade's credentials by adding a timeline of his career and pointing out that he has tried felonies in both state and federal court and has taught judicial training classes to new judges in Georgia. Merchant has alleged that the relationship had already started when Willis tapped Wade, though she has so far provided no evidence to support that claim. Willis paid for some of the trips with Wade, according to affidavit The DA's office also asserts that Willis and Wade alternated paying for their joint personal travel, with Willis paying for some trips as well as meals and other incidentals. Wade's affidavit contains receipts for a flight to Miami from November 2022 for the two of them that Wade says were paid for by Willis. "They are two middle-aged lawyers each with a substantial income," said a source familiar with the arrangement. "The boy wines and dines the nice girl wasn't where their headspace was," said the source. Roman's lawyer contends that Willis' relationship with Wade and their financial entanglements created a conflict of interest that requires her to be removed from the case. Willis argued in her reply that the relationship with Wade poses no conflict of interest under Georgia law because it does not give either Willis or Wade a vested interest financial or otherwise in the outcome of the prosecution. Nor does it impinge on Roman's constitutional or due process rights or those of any of the other Trump co-defendants, the filing argues. Some legal scholars think that based on currently known facts, the relationship should not derail the case. "Merchant's argument fails to show how Fani Willis would benefit financially from a conviction, which is the key question when determining whether disqualification is necessary," said Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University College of Law. "Nor does Merchant argue that but for Nathan Wade's involvement, these charges would not have come out of the grand jury. So the case is thin, as of now," Kreis added. In their filing, the DA's attorneys accuse the defense of trying to conflate media attention with personal financial gain and failing to take into account the negative attention Willis has received, such as "ongoing personal security threats, racial slurs, sexual invective, and attacks." The filing includes an exhibit highlighting some of the threats sent to Willis. One vulgar handwritten message curses her with a racist sexual slur, calls her "a sellout" and tells her to "watch that family!!!" Another cuts and pastes her face next to a noose and a smiley face. Judge Scott McAfee, who is presiding over the Trump election interference case, scheduled an evidentiary hearing for Feb. 15 to consider Roman's motion. On Wednesday, Merchant issued subpoenas to a dozen witnesses, including Willis and Wade, whom she says she intends to call to testify at the hearing. It's not clear whether Willis and Wade will challenge the subpoenas or whether Judge McAfee will require them to testify. Trump co-defendant Michael Roman contends DA's office not being candid or transparent Roman responded to the Willis filing, contending that the DA's office was not being candid or transparent. "If they had nothing to hide in the first place because they did nothing wrong, then why did they intentionally not tell anyone about it until they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar?" his motion reads. Willis' office says that a hearing on this matter isn't necessary because the law has not been broken. Roman's team says it has the right to cross examine Wade regarding what he stated in his affidavit regarding the timeframe of the romantic relationship between Wade and Willis, as well as his assertion that he never cohabitated with Willis. Willis and Wade received a reprieve on one front Tuesday: Wade and his estranged wife settled their divorce case at least on a temporary basis. That means that for now, neither the D.A. nor her deputy will have to testify in that case. The development also cuts off a line of litigation that could have brought forth more embarrassing revelations, as the divorce case has already done. Willis wanted to gather all the facts before responding to Roman's motion It has been more than three weeks since Roman and his lawyer filed the bombshell motion. The radio silence from Willis and her team created a void that was filled with brutal media coverage and a drumbeat of officials, mostly Republicans but some Democrats, too calling for more investigations or for Willis' resignation. Sources tell CBS News that Willis wanted to gather all of the facts before responding, arguing the worst thing they could do would be to put out information that would then be contradicted. "We needed to get all of our ducks in a row," said one source. Also contributing to the delay were divisions between some of the lawyers and the more public relations-minded members of Willis' team, according to a source close to Willis. The lawyers have been reluctant to disclose any more information than they need to prevail in their legal arguments. The more facts they put out, the more legal wrangling there will be over the veracity of those facts. Others on the team recognize that they are dealing with a media spectacle, and the absence of any response to the allegations of an improper relationship is feeding the frenzied coverage. It was Willis in the end who insisted on an accounting of the relationship in the filing, according to a source close to her. Those close to Willis say she was badly rattled in the aftermath of the revelations, distraught to see her private life aired and chagrined to be criticized after a career with so many accolades. But since then, they say, she has steadied and is primed to fight it out in court and eventually in the public arena, if necessary. "Fani is going to stick it out," says a source familiar with her state of mind. Jared Eggleston contributed to this report. Saturday Sessions: Billy Strings and Chris Thile perform "I've Been All Around This World" Iran responds to U.S. retaliation threats after soldiers killed in Jordan U.S. strikes Iraq and Syria after deadly drone attack in Jordan TORONTO (AP) The Winnipeg Jets acquired Sean Monahan in a trade Friday with the Montreal Canadiens, giving one of the top Stanley Cup contenders in the Western Conference more depth at center for a potential playoff run. Winnipeg sent its 2024 first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in 2027 to Montreal for the pending free agent. The trade comes two days since the NHL-leading rival Vancouver Canucks acquired center Elias Lindholm from Calgary. The teams that were in the race for Lindholm shifted to Sean, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said in French on a video call with reporters. "So, it accelerated things. Acquiring Monahan gives the Jets an elite one-two punch down the middle, after Mark Scheifele. With captain Adam Lowry and Vladislav Namestnikov already on the roster, the Jets look to have the centers to compete with anyone in the NHL. It fills an important need because the Jets have struggled since Scheifele suffered an lower-body injury. After being atop the league in mid-January, they've lost four of six games without Schefiele, whose return date is unknown. Enter Monahan, a 29-year-old veteran of 760 regular-season and playoff games over 11 seasons in the league with Calgary and Montreal. He has 35 points in 49 games this season with the rebuilding Canadiens. Hughes insisted Monahan's injury history did not factor into the timing of the move as much as Lindholm going to the Canucks. You try to understand the market, Hughes said. You try to understand who is or may be interested in the services of, in this case, Sean Monahan, what the upside would be, and you measure that against the risk of any player -- not specifically Sean Monahan. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was expected to speak about the trade later Friday. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl A Whole Foods is planned at the City Center shopping mall in San Franciscos Anza Vista neighborhood. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle San Franciscos Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a Whole Foods for a long-vacant shopping center space in the Anza Vista neighborhood, a milestone for a project that has struggled for years to get off the ground. The Whole Foods is planned to go on the third floor of the City Center mall at Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue. Anchored by a Target, the shopping center has a few smaller tenants like Bank of America, Chipotle and an F45 gym, but it is dotted with numerous vacancies. The grocery store would move into a space formerly occupied by Best Buy, which closed in 2017. The storefront has been empty since. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The shopping center sits across the street from a Trader Joes and the shuttered Lucky Penny diner, which was approved to become 100 units of housing in 2018, after four years of work, but has been stalled due to rising construction costs. Whole Foods has been working to open in the shopping center since 2019, when the grocery company signed a 20-year lease for the space. In 2020, the Planning Commission voted to approve the project without environmental review using a common-sense exemption based on an analysis of the stores location. But United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, a labor union, and two of its members filed an appeal of the project, citing concerns over air quality impacts due to increased traffic to the area, and many union members who spoke about the project at public hearings said that Amazon-owned Whole Foods, a nonunion company, has no place in San Francisco. Despite widespread neighborhood support for the project, the Board of Supervisors granted the labor unions appeal, sending the project back for further environmental review. That review, discussed at Thursdays meeting, found that there would be no significant air quality impacts due to traffic. At the hearing on Thursday, only two people commented on the project representatives from the building and construction unions, both of whom expressed support. Whole Foods has agreed to use union labor for the building of the project. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Even with the Planning Commissions approval, the project can be appealed again to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. If no appeal is filed within 30 days, the project can move forward to the building permit review process. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenias trade turnover with fellow EEU member states in 2023 grew 39% compared to 2022 and comprised around $7,8 billion dollars, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the EEU meeting in Kazakhstan. Exports grew 40,8% and imports grew 37,5%. At this stage we should view the strengthening of industrial cooperative, creation of new business ties, establishment of transnational digital services trade and data exchange among the priorities of the EEU, Pashinyan said in his remarks. Armenia holds the EEU presidency for 2024. PM Pashinyan on February 2 arrived in Kazakhstan to chair the EEU prime ministerial meeting. On February 1, 2024, BAE Systems announced the delivery of the initial production representative test vehicle (PRTV) of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm Cannon (ACV-30) 8x8 amphibious armored vehicle to the US Marine Corps. This development is viewed as an important addition to the Marine Corps capabilities, aimed at enhancing direct fire support for dismounted Marines. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link The ACV-30 features a Kongsberg-manufactured stabilized, 30mm Remotely controlled Turret System, designed to eliminate the space constraints associated with legacy turreted cannon systems. (Picture source: BAE Systems) Mark Brinkman, the program director for the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle at BAE Systems, stated that the ACV-30 will be the most powerful direct-fire support vehicle within the Marine Corps ground combat element since the phase-out of tanks. The ACV-30, equipped with a 30mm Remote Turret System manufactured by Kongsberg, is expected to achieve its initial operational capability by the third quarter of FY26. This milestone is aimed at ensuring that at least one unit possesses sufficient vehicles, spare parts, and training for overseas deployment. Currently, the Marine Corps relies on the AAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicle, a vehicle that has been in service since 1971. It is expected that the ACV family of vehicles will eventually replace the AAV. Within the ACV family, the ACV-30 is the third variant, with BAE Systems serving as the prime contractor since its selection in 2018. This variant features a Kongsberg-manufactured stabilized, 30mm Remote Turret System, designed to optimize troop capacity and payload while ensuring crew protection by eliminating the space constraints associated with legacy turreted cannon systems. This weight reduction is expected to enhance mobility, enabling US Marines to more effectively engage targets compared to existing systems. The ACV family of vehicles has been designed to meet the actual and future operational needs of the US Marine Corps, particularly in enhancing ocean swim capabilities, survivability, and technical capabilities, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. To support this effort, the Marine Corps has allocated a budget of $557.5 million in their FY-24 budget request to procure an additional 80 ACVs, with expectations of exceeding 100 vehicles in FY-25. BAE Systems has already transitioned into full-rate production for two previous ACV variants: the ACV Personnel (ACV-P) and ACV Command and Control (ACV-C) versions. Additionally, the company is actively engaged in the design and development of the ACV Recovery (ACV-R) variant, which is intended to provide essential field support, maintenance, and recovery services to the ACV family of vehicles. The ACV is a family of 8x8 armored vehicles that includes a personnel variant, command and control variant, recovery variant, and 30-mm gun variant. The ACV Program Office is currently focusing its procurement efforts on the personnel variant, a modern-generation, eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier with a combat-loaded gross vehicle weight of approximately 32,000 kg. The primary weapon on the ACV is a single-mount Remote Weapon Station (RWS) equipped with either an Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher or an M2 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun. Developed based on the design of the SuperAV 8x8 amphibious armored vehicle by Italian company IVECO Defence Vehicles, the ACV incorporates a high-hardness monocoque steel hull, designed to protect the crew from small arms fire, artillery shell splinters, landmines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Add-on armor kits are available for additional protection. The BAE/Iveco version of the SuperAV submitted to the Marines accommodates a crew of three with 11 embarked Marines. The vehicle is fully amphibious and can reach a maximum speed of 11 km/h in the water, thanks to two propellers mounted at the rear of the hull. The charged atmosphere saw the Congress and other Opposition MPs staging a walkout amidst slogans of "shame shame" from the Treasury Benches New Delhi: A tumultuous scene unfolded in the Rajya Sabha on Friday as the Treasury Benches, spearheaded by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, vehemently sought an apology from the Congress for what they deemed a "divisive" statement made by Lok Sabha MP D.K. Suresh. The statement hinted at a call for a separate South India in response to perceived fiscal injustice. The charged atmosphere saw the Congress and other Opposition MPs staging a walkout amidst slogans of "shame shame" from the Treasury Benches. Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attempted to raise the issue of the delay in government formation in Jharkhand, but the Union ministers dismissed it as a "diversionary tactic" to shift attention from the contentious statement made by Congress MP. Kharge asserted that the MP had clarified on TV that he did not make the reported statement and suggested the matter be reviewed by the privileges committee of Lok Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, during the Zero Hour, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the statement made by Congress member. He demanded that the matter be referred to the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha. Opposition MPs, including the Congress and DMK, were on their feet during Joshi's statement, and they later staged a brief walkout. Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed members that the Upper House was aware of the Lok Sabha MP's remarks. Dhankhar emphasised that such issues could not be taken lightly and suggested that the matter be subjected to "exemplary consequences." He instructed Piyush Goyal to present details of the Lok Sabha MP's purported remarks before the House. Leader of the House Piyush Goyal condemned the "very unfortunate" remarks made by the Congress MP, labelling them as against the Constitution and the sovereignty and integrity of the country. He stated that the divisive thinking of the Congress was reflected in such statements. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, addressing the walkout staged by Congress and other Opposition parties, accused the Congress of favouring corruption. She contended that the walkout was a diversionary tactic and criticised the Congress for not outrightly condemning the statement. Demanding an apology from the Congress over its MP's remarks, Piyush Goyal asserted that the country would not tolerate such a divisive approach. He called on the Congress president to clarify the party's association with the statement and questioned whether the party aimed to divide the country into north and south. Congress Lok Sabha MP D.K. Suresh, representing Bangalore Rural, had asserted that injustice was meted out to southern states in the allocation of share in tax collection, with the tax money being distributed to North India. The BJP vehemently condemned Suresh's statement, asserting that he had no right to remain an MP and accused him of openly advocating the breaking of India, violating his oath to protect the country's unity and sovereignty. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, for maintaining a "conspicuous silence" over Suresh's "shameful" and "unconstitutional" comments. by Steve Suwannarat Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar took office yesterday, two days after being sworn in at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur. Hope for more "interventionism" from the ruler in the nation's turbulent political life. He wants to make his term a time of greater interventionism, including in the economic sphere. Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) - On February 1, the new king took office in Malaysia, the 17th since independence, the result of the particular alternating succession system in force in the country. A succession awaited in the hope that greater interventionism by the sovereign in the turbulent Malaysian political life can guarantee not only national unity and mediation action, but also act to avoid the risk of fractures between the various ethnic and religious components resulting from the actions of the parties policies. Ruler of the southern state of Johor, one of the eleven (in addition to two federal territories) into which Malaysia is divided and which has a federal structure, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar took the oath of office on 30 January in the National Palace in the capital Kuala Lumpur, accepting a role five-year term divided on rotation between nine ruling families, in a unique system in the world. The 65-year-old Sultan Ibrahim succeeds Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, king of Pahang who had already shown his desire to make the monarchical institution more involved in the political and social life of the country, on the basis of prerogatives granted but little used so far. The nation requires cohesion, integrity and ability to emerge from a long period of tensions at various levels: parliamentary, government, conflict between social, ethnic and religious personalities resulting from its variety and diversity but above all from the exploitation that some groups make of different identities present in the population, exacerbating them. Billionaire with many economic interests, passionate collector of luxury cars and motorcycles, known for his frankness and decisive personality, the new king has long signaled skepticism towards political management. Before taking office, there were signs of his intention expressed in an interview with the Singaporean newspaper Straits Times that he wanted to make his mandate a time of greater interventionism and to ask that the state oil company Petroliam Nasional and the Anti-Corruption Agency respond directly to the reigning sovereign. Resolutions that will have to take into account the strong susceptibilities at play, but which are a significant signal in the context of a society that has been experiencing tensions and political upheavals for years after the defeat in 2018 of Barisan Nasional, the coalition that had governed the country since independence. Faced with this situation, many had asked to guarantee greater power to an institution above the parties which, for example, exploits the possibility of appointing a head of government who it believes has a certain majority in Parliament. A prerogative already exercised by his predecessor in moments of particular crisis. It is no coincidence that the need to bring the country back to stability, an essential condition for guaranteeing Malaysia's progress and international role, was underlined by Al-Sultan Abdullah at the end of his mandate. by Vladimir Rozanskij Turkmenistan wants to make up for the shortage of school books by switching to online libraries. But this contrasts with the very poor quality of the online network, which is also due to the tight police control to prevent the dissemination of undesirable material. Ashgabat (AsiaNews) - In some regions of Turkmenistan, starting from the great velayat of Mari, there has been a notable lack of school literature for some years now, and a ministerial directive has been issued to overcome this problem by moving to digital libraries, in Country in the world where the internet connection is by far the slowest and most faulty. Families and students have to spend almost more time downloading the few texts they can obtain than even reading and studying them. The Turkmen internet network remains under strict state control, to avoid the spread of politically, culturally and socially undesirable materials, and digital education remains a mirage for all school levels up to university. In Ashgabat schools in January the police carried out extensive checks and searches, with the collaboration of school principals, to check the mobile phones in the children's backpacks. The confiscated smartphones together with cigarettes and unclear substances were then subjected to meticulous investigations in the police stations, to highlight the "inadequate contents", especially those relating to politics and pornography. If VPN programs are found in the phones, with which one can access social networks not approved by state bodies, the police summon the parents to question them about their "dedication to the country and the president". These families are often reported in the register of "unreliable" people who are barred from any employment in state offices. These investigations are followed by continuous restrictions on internet access, and according to official data, over 122 thousand international domains are blocked in Turkmenistan. The main social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, X-Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber are completely unreachable in the country. In such a context it is certainly not easy not only to access, but also to offer electronic libraries or digital education programs to users, which would require compliance with international standards in the sector. On the other hand, the crisis in paper publishing pushes upper-class students in particular to expand their use of digital materials as much as possible, and teachers try to stimulate them by threatening bad grades to those who cannot find the necessary manuals and books . One of the strictest restrictions on the use of the internet occurred at the beginning of this year, after a large commercial campaign spread via the internet, sparking many comments, especially on TikTok. Access was completely blocked for a few days, and its restoration is taking place particularly slowly. The most widespread portal with the approval of the authorities is Tmcars.Info, dedicated above all to the car market, which is now trying to extend to other sectors such as real estate rentals and sales, job searches, the pet market and agricultural work , and finally also to school literature. According to official data, in Turkmenistan there are 230 public state libraries with 11 million volumes, and in 2018 the then president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov-senior ordered their digitization, which still appears to be at a very little advanced stage. The only books easily accessible, on paper and on the internet, are the books of the Arkadag "father of the country", and now also of the junior president. In addition to the "medieval" internet, lately the country's main telephone operator Altyn Asyr has also been working more and more intermittently, making it problematic even to call and send text messages. The company is making new numbers available with the prefix 71, but users say that the quality of the internet has thus worsened further, to the detriment not only of students, but of all the activities and relationships of Turkmen society. Delhi has deployed a dozen warships to the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to show that it is "proactive", experts say, while not participating in the US-led task force against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Since the start of the year, the Indian Navy has reported an increase in piracy incidents, towards which it has taken an aggressive approach. But Delhis number one rival is still Beijing. New Delhi (AsiaNews) India has deployed ten warships in the Arabian Sea and two frontline ships in the Gulf of Aden to counter the rising threat of piracy. This is Indias largest deployment in the region, according to Indian officials, only partly due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, where a US-led task force is operating but without Indian participation. According to a report by the Indian Navy, at least 17 attempts were made to seize ships since 1 December and more than 250 boats have been searched by Indian forces. This week alone, the latter freed three fishing vessels, two Iranian and one Sri Lankan, captured by Somali pirates. Some observers believe that the shift of international naval forces from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea has left a security vacuum in waters that have long been targeted by China along with the South China Sea. Beijing needs them to expand its trade and secure alternative routes for its energy supply. On Tuesday, the Royal Navys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office reported the presence of two groups of pirates operating in the Indian Ocean, one south of the island of Socotra, a territory that is part of Yemen. Both groups could include "a mothership and a number of small crafts," UMKTO said, advising ships to "transit with caution" and report suspicious activity. India has some experience in countering piracy, and has adopted an aggressive strategy to deal with it. Its anti-piracy operations began in 2008 with more than 100 ships deployed so far. We are going after them (pirates). We want to tell them that this (the Indian Ocean Region) is not the place for them to indulge in piracy, said recently Navy Chief of Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar. At a press conference, Admiral Kumar confirmed a rise in attacks at sea since the start of this year. However, a peak of incidents in the Indian Ocean was reached in 2011 with 237, mainly by Somali pirates. Only at the start of 2023 was the region finally declared safe thanks to international patrols and reconnaissance. About 13 per cent of India's trade takes the Gulf of Aden route and hundreds of Indians are employed on merchant ships. Further east, about 60 per cent of Indian cargo vessels use shipping lanes in the South China Sea. Here, India is not yet able to project its maritime power against China, and needs international support. The recent decision by the Biden administration to sell drones to India as well as other equipment worth almost US$ 4 billion could have the dual purpose of supporting Delhis anti-piracy operations, as well as boosting the alliance between Western and Asian powers to counter Chinas footprint in the Indo-Pacific region. On 24 January, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, and the United States completed annual joint naval exercises, called Sea Dragon. All of these countries, except for South Korea, are members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly known as the Quad, a forum viewed as a response to Chinas assertiveness. India also deployed three guided missile destroyers and reconnaissance aircraft to the vast Indian Ocean amid disruptions in global shipping due to attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea since November. This waterway handles about 12 per cent of global trade. This allows India to be proactive, said Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, who retired in 2021 as head of Indias southern naval command. We are not doing it only out of altruism. Unless you are a maritime power you can never aspire to be a global power, he explained. India has widely publicised its naval operations, showing willingness to take on greater responsibility for the region's maritime security and counter its Chinese rival. It is a message to China that, look, we can deploy such a large force here. This is our backyard. Though we dont own it, but we are probably the most capable and responsible resident naval power, Chawla added. Several experts agreed with these observations. The Chinese are looking for more and more naval bases in the extended Indian Ocean, said Lt. Gen. D. S. Hooda, a former Indian military officer and now a strategic expert. Seeing that, India doesnt have any other option but to keep building up its own. Last year, alarm bells were set off in Delhi after several Chinese ships called at ports in the Maldives (whose new government wants to expel Indian troops currently deployed there) and Sri Lanka. As a result, the Indian government increased the part of its defence budget (US$ 72.6 billion) dedicated to the Navy, from 14 per cent to 19 per cent. The head of the Navy also announced that India's first aircraft carrier could be operational as early as mid-2024. INDIAN MANDALA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO INDIA. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY FRIDAY, CLICK HERE. Today's news: Hindu worshippers started to pray inside the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi; Indonesian President Jokowi dismisses rumours of discontent among his ministers; Korean President Yoon's popularity falls due to the affair over his wife's Dior bag; Azerbaijan tries to take over more Armenian churches. MALAYSIA Over 130 migrants from Myanmar escaped from a detention center in Malaysia, which does not recognize refugee status. During the escape, a man died after being hit by a car. Most of the migrants who escaped from the center are ethnic Rohingya, the local authorities who are searching for the fugitives said. INDONESIA Indonesian President Joko Widodo has rejected rumors of discontent among members of the government and denied reports that the finance minister was on the verge of resigning. Criticism of Jokowi has increased recently for his continued interference in the electoral campaign preceding the February 14 vote. The president has in fact often appeared with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who chose Jokowi's son as deputy. INDIA Hindu worshipers have started praying inside Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque after a local court gave them the green light. The mosque is one of several Muslim places of worship that right-wing groups, supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have claimed for decades. After the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple, a mosque in New Delhi was also razed to the ground without warning. SOUTH KOREA South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating fell to 29%, the lowest level in recent months, after a video was released showing his wife and first lady Kim Keon-hee being greeted by an American pastor a Dior bag worth around 2,200 dollars, an issue that the Democratic Party is insisting on in view of the April elections, putting the president's People Power Party in difficulty which is seeking a majority in Parliament. ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN Armenia's rights guarantor, Arman Tatoyan, denounces that Azerbaijan is attempting to take over other Armenian churches, that of Gosavank, the Polos-Petros basilica in Aparyan and the church of St. Astatsatsin in Akhtal, claiming that they are of Christian monuments of the ancient Turkish sultanate of Azerbaijan, where the Armenians later settled. RUSSIA - ASIA The great shortage of labor force due to the war in Ukraine is pushing Russian companies to invite labor migrants from India, Pakistan and North Korea through specialized agencies, especially for the chemical and agricultural industries, given that workers also from Central Asia are pressured in every way to enlist in the special operation. ISRAEL US President Joe Biden announced sanctions against four extremist Israeli settlers who committed violence in the West Bank, after a series of first-of-their-kind visa restrictions were announced in December. The situation in the West Bank in particular the high levels of extremist settler violence, the forced displacement of people and villages, and the destruction of property has reached intolerable levels and constitutes a serious threat to peace, security and stability, he said. Biden said. by Shafique Khokhar The US State Department gave prestigious award for Jacobs commitment to religious freedoms and human rights in Pakistan. For Judge Nasira Iqbal, this is a remarkable achievement for all Pakistanis, as human rights defenders like Peter Jacob work hard to promote social cohesion and equality of rights for all. Lahore (AsiaNews) The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) organised an event to celebrate Peter Jacob's contribution to the struggle for human rights and religious freedom in Pakistan, after he received the prestigious International Religious Freedom Award from the US Department of State on the 25th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act. The event was held in Lahore with several participants speaking about the many aspects of Peter Jacob's work promoting and protecting religious freedoms and human rights in Pakistan. Among were journalist and educator Wajahat Masood; Judge Nasira Iqbal; Clara Strandhoj, head of the Lahore Office of the British High Commission; Karl Rogers, public diplomacy officer at the US consulate in Lahore; Arif Saeed, honorary consul of Germany; as well as human rights lawyers Tanveer Jahan, Saroop Ijaz, Allama Saddiq Azhar, Samson Salamat, and Rana Zulqurnain. Peter Jacob is executive director of the CSJ, and has spent more than 35 years fighting for the rights of Pakistan's marginalised religious minorities, to ensure that their rights are respected, especially since they are constitutionally guaranteed. The meeting began with a Christian girl singing a psalm, followed by a Kafi[*] by Sufi poet Shah Hussain, to promote the values of peace and respect. Religion has been used as a divider among citizens, but also as a weapon to score political points against opponents, Jacob said in his address. Researchers need to study the intersection of the right to religious freedom with other rights related to freedom of association, expression and assembly in Pakistan." Speaking with humility and gratitude, he went on to say: I am happy to receive the religious freedom award on behalf of hundreds of religious, social, and human rights defenders. May our collective efforts lead to meaningful and positive changes in our beloved country. The well-known journalist and educator Wajahat Masood also spoke. We, as citizens, refuse to accept the concept of majority and minority based on religion, he said. The constitution is a social contract between the state and its citizens, he added, and we believe in a country where equality of status, dignity, rights, and opportunities for all citizens without any discrimination is ensured by the constitution. US Consulate officer Karl Roger paid tribute to Peter Jacob for his commitment over the years to human rights in general and to religious freedom in particular. Efforts need to be made to ensure that the religious freedom of any individual or community is not undermined, he said. This is needed to prevent acts of discrimination, intolerance, and violence. Judge Nasira Iqbal also expressed gratitude for Jacob's commitment and congratulated him on his well-deserved recognition, calling it a remarkable achievement for all Pakistanis, as human rights defenders like Peter Jacob work hard to promote social cohesion and equality of rights for all. [*] Kafi is a traditional form of Sufi music originally from South Asias Punjab and Sindh regions. Franciss message for World Mission Day 2024, which will be celebrated on 20 October, is centred on the Gospel call to "Go and invite everyone to the banquet. While the world offers consumerism, selfish comfort, the accumulation of wealth and individualism, the Gospel calls everyone to the divine banquet, marked by joy. In the post-Covid period, the invitation is to rediscover the Eucharist to reawaken the missionary spirit. Vatican City (AsiaNews) The Vatican Press Office today released Pope Franciss message for World Mission Day 2024, which will be celebrated on Sunday, 20 October. In it, the pontiff urges every baptised person, according to their own condition of life, to be ready to set out anew, each according to our state in life, to inaugurate a new missionary movement, as at the dawn of Christianity!" With this in mind, We continue to pray and we thank God for the new and numerous missionary vocations for the task of evangelization to the ends of the earth. [. . .] Let us not forget that every Christian is called to take part in this universal mission by offering his or her own witness to the Gospel in every context. The message, dated 25 January, the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, is titled Go and invite everyone to the banquet (Mt 22:9), inspired by the Gospel parable of the wedding banquet, a passage that for Francis highlights some important aspects of evangelisation, starting with the verbs Go and invite. For the Holy Father, the mission is a tireless going out to all men and women, in order to invite them to encounter God and enter into communion with him. [. . .] God, great in love and rich in mercy, constantly sets out to encounter all men and women, and to call them to the happiness of his kingdom, even in the face of their indifference or refusal. The Church, for her part, in fidelity to the mission she has received from the Lord, will continue to go to the ends of the earth, to set out over and over again, without ever growing weary or losing heart in the face of difficulties and obstacles. I take this opportunity to thank all those missionaries who, in response to Christs call, have left everything behind to go far from their homeland and bring the Good News to places where people have not yet received it, or received it only recently. Dear friends, your generous dedication is a tangible expression of your commitment to the mission ad gentes that Jesus entrusted to his disciples: Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). Taking up an idea that he has often stressed since he wrote the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Francis explains that, Todays drama in the Church is that Jesus keeps knocking on the door, but from within, so that we will let him out! Often, we end up being an imprisoning Church which does not let the Lord out, which keeps him as its own, whereas the Lord came for mission and wants us to be missionaries. The mission is not ours as such, but is an invitation that we are called to carry on. It must have the same style of the One who is being preached without pressuring, coercing or proselytizing, but with closeness, compassion and tenderness, thus reflecting Gods own way of being and acting. In the parable, the king asks the servants to deliver an invitation to a banquet for his son's wedding. Francis explains it from an eschatological perspective. It is an image of ultimate salvation in the Kingdom of God, fulfilled even now by the coming of Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God, who has given us life in abundance. We know that among the first Christians, [the] missionary zeal had a powerful eschatological dimension. They sensed the urgency of the preaching of the Gospel. Today too it is important to maintain this perspective, since it helps us to evangelize with the joy of those who know that the Lord is near and with the hope of those who are pressing forward towards the goal. While the world sets before us the various banquets of consumerism, selfish comfort, the accumulation of wealth and individualism, the Gospel calls everyone to the divine banquet, marked by joy, sharing, justice and fraternity in communion with God and with others. Such fullness of life is already anticipated in the banquet of the Eucharist, for The Eucharistic renewal that many local Churches are laudably promoting in the post-Covid era will also be essential for reviving the missionary spirit in each member of the faithful. In this year devoted to prayer in preparation for the Jubilee of 2025, I wish to encourage all to deepen their commitment above all to take part in the celebration of Mass and to pray for the Churchs mission of evangelization. In ending his message, Francis emphasises how the king's message in the parable is addressed to everyone. Today, in a world torn apart by divisions and conflicts, Christs Gospel remains the gentle yet firm voice that calls individuals to encounter one another, to recognize that they are brothers and sisters, and to rejoice in harmony amid diversity. Christs missionary disciples have always had a heartfelt concern for all persons, whatever their social or even moral status. And the mission for everyone requires everyones commitment. For the pope, We need to continue our journey towards a fully synodal and missionary Church in the service of the Gospel. Synodality is essentially missionary and, vice versa, mission is always synodal. To this end, the pontiff urges all the dioceses of the world to turn to the services of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reminding everyone that the collections of World Mission Day in all the local Churches are entirely destined to the universal fund of solidarity that the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith then distributes in the Popes name for the needs of all the Churchs missions. Tesla CEO Elon Musk in London on Nov. 2, 2023. The company agreed to a $1.5 million settlement with 25 California counties that sued over improper disposal of hazardous waste. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press Tesla has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a case accusing the company of improperly storing and discarding toxic waste from its electric vehicle manufacturing and servicing. The district attorneys from every Bay Area county except Napa joined 17 other California district attorneys to bring the suit, filed Tuesday in San Joaquin County Superior Court. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Thursday afternoon that Tesla had agreed to settle. Prosecutors alleged Tesla violated several state regulations surrounding the storage, disposal and management of hazardous waste. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Specifically, Tesla was accused of failing to determine whether its waste was hazardous, disposing hazardous waste into transfer stations or landfills not permitted to handle it and not properly labeling containers holding hazardous waste, among other violations. The complaint identified 101 current and former California facilities including 32 in the Bay Area where Tesla allegedly generated hazardous waste. That included used lubricating oils, brake cleaner, used batteries, antifreeze and more, according to the complaint. At Teslas factory in Fremont, prosecutors allege, the company also generated welding spatter paste, cups of vehicle paint and used wipes contaminated with vehicle primer. The San Francisco District Attorneys Offices Environmental Division began investigating Teslas hazardous waste in 2018, Jenkins said in a statement. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on the settlement. In its 2023 annual report, released last week, the company had disclosed to shareholders that several district attorneys had conducted an investigation into its waste-handling practices. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tesla has implemented various remedial measures, including conducting training and audits, and enhancements to its site waste management programs, and settlement discussions are ongoing, Tesla wrote. While the outcome of this matter cannot be determined at this time, it is not currently expected to have a material adverse impact on our business. The year prior to the investigation starting, workers at Teslas Fremont factory publicly accused the company of failing to provide proper hazardous waste training, leading several employees to suffer medical issues, including nosebleeds and eye damage. At the time, the company called the allegations false and accused the United Auto Workers union of trying to coerce employees into unionizing. Also in 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency performed inspections at Tesla facilities and found the company was not properly managing its hazardous waste. Tesla reached a settlement with the EPA where it agreed to pay $31,000 in penalties and an additional $55,000 on emergency response equipment for the Fremont Fire Department. At the time, the company issued a statement saying it had made great strides in its environmental program and its ongoing compliance since the 2017 inspections. In 2018, undercover investigators with the district attorneys office discovered Tesla was still illegally disposing hazardous waste, according to Jenkins. The discovery sparked investigations of Tesla facilities across the state with similar results, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jenkins said Tesla complied with the investigation and voluntarily agreed to begin screening its waste for hazardous material before disposing of it in landfills, even before the district attorneys filed suit. The lawsuit sought civil penalties, as well as a permanent injunction requiring Tesla to begin following state regulations. As part of its settlement with the 25 district attorneys, Tesla will pay $1.3 million in civil penalties and another $200,000 to cover the cost of the investigation. The company has also agreed to properly train employees about hazardous waste and hire a third-party company to conduct annual compliance audits for the next five years. While electric vehicles may benefit the environment, the manufacturing and servicing of these vehicles still generates many harmful waste streams, Jenkins said in a statement. Todays settlement against Tesla, Inc. serves to provide a cleaner environment for citizens throughout the state by preventing the contamination of our precious natural resources when hazardous waste is mismanaged and unlawfully disposed. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close GTA Online is more than alive and kicking. Developer Rockstar Games is making sure their live service juggernaut is always fresh with weekly content. In February, Simeon is dishing out triple rewards for those willing to acquire new cars for his clientele. Photo: Rockstar Games SUV The Weekly Challenge concerning Simeon's Export Requests will have you obtain two Export Request vehicles, which will conveniently nab you $100,000 in GTA currency.During other missions from Simeon you will have to boost some more cars, tripling your GTA$ and RP rewards. To start these activities, you must go to the Premium Deluxe Motorsport showroom in Downtown Los Santos or reach Simeon from your not-iPhone.Rockstar Games celebrates the Year of the Dragon in GTA Online by rewarding players with cosmetic items like the Wooden Dragon Mask, Red Lunar New Year Dress, and Black Lunar New Year Tee.Regarding Auto Shop Client Jobs, once a client leaves their car at your garage door, you have to fulfill their car customizing needs. Once you deliver the goods, you get twice the GTA$ and RP. The same applies to the Exotic Exports missions through February 7 if you properly deliver them to the docks.The Salvage Yard has more robbery missions available, involving the Benefactor LM87 (Super), Invetero Coquette BlackFin (Muscle), and Bravado Greenwood (Muscle). The first model is inspired by the Sauber-Mercedes C9, and the Coquette is a mix between the 1956-1957 Chevrolet Corvette and the 1961-1962 Chevrolet Corvette. Lastly, the Bravado Greenwood is a hybrid between the 1977-1978 Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury.For even more cash, head on over to the Community Series for more triple rewards. The best venues recommended by Rockstar are the Shortcuts in the city by martinsquare, Maze Deathmatch by ZYAPOTEKA, [Yo] Rainbow Pistols by Yooo11, Smells Like Vice City by Quantum_Krew, {ALEE} AQUARIUM by aleeenur, - Down Under Mining - by ElusiveCaesar, and NEON Pipeline by REDSTAR-94.If that isn't enough action for one day, try the Vespucci Job (Remix). It's an adrenaline-filled blockbuster action sequence where you need to collect checkpoints while speeding away from police Interceptors. Double rewards are being offered all week long.New rides are available at the Premium Deluxe Motorsport showroom, all at 30% off until February 7. You will find the Coil Raiden (Sports), Overflod Imorgon, (Sports) Vulcar Nebula Turbo (Sports Classic), Bravado Verlierer (Sports) and Pegassi Infernus (Super).The Luxury Autos showroom in Rockford Hills isn't something you'd want to shy away from, either. Amazing-looking arrivals like the Karin Vivanite () and Grotti Turismo Omaggio (Super) are ready to be plucked.Finally, for those subscribed to GTA+ , don't forget to claim your Free Albany Cavalcade XL (SUV), Rockstar Atomic Logo Sweater, New Year's Jacket and Pants, Western and MC Jacket, Pants, and, of course, your monthly GTA $500,000 bonus. Katie Price has been working in showbiz for decades, and while her experience has never been particularly smooth, it pales in comparison to the rough patch she's going through right now. Bankrupt and forced to pay back amounting debts, she's just had half of her car collection repossessed. Some readers might remember Katie Price from back in the late '90s and early 2000s when she used to go by Jordan and had become the most famous glamour model in the UK. Having started as a Page 3 girl for a local tabloid, she was able to parlay the exposure into a lucrative career in the spotlight.Over the years, Price also became a reality star, a businesswoman, and somewhat of a car collector with a soft spot for Barbie-inspired custom vehicles . Her most famous Barbie car to date is the 2001 Suzuki Vitara customized by Robbie Orlando from Valet Magic, which she's been trying to sell for years and repeatedly fails to, presumably because she's asking too much and overplaying her "I'm famous" hand.The last time it was up for sale, the Barbie Suzuki had a price tag of 66,000, which is approximately $84,200 at the current exchange rate solely because it was associated with her.The Barbie Suzuki and four other vehicles from Price's collection, parked neatly outside her refurbished West Sussex mansion, are now gone. A report in the local media says that Price was visited by bailiffs over an outstanding payment of 250,000 ($319,000) that she was ordered to pay to her ex-husband, Alex Reid, four years ago after he accused her of leaking private information about him.Photos obtained by the publication show eight cars parked outside the mansion before the bailiffs came, with only three remaining after the official visit. The Barbie Suzuki and Price's current daily driver, a black Range Rover, were among the haul.Price has been having financial problems for years, as well as mounting legal issues, including several driving bans that sometimes overlapped. She has declared bankruptcy several times and is still facing foreclosure on the mansion, so the repossession of five of her cars is strangely enough the least of her problems right now.In a strange "the rich are not like us" turn last year when she was still dealing with all the problems above, Price was telling her social media fans and followers that she was planning on building an all-pink fleet of vehicles, starting with a Bentley she'd customize herself. Prior to that, she'd visited supercar collector Lisa Marie Brown to work together on a pink Ferrari.As this was happening, Price was banned from driving , so she not only had no money for any of this but literally no use, either. The first month of the new year is already over, and we can now really start thinking about how we're going to spend our next few months. If in the case of some of you the list of activities includes spending hours putting together small plastic bricks in incredible forms, then LEGO has you covered. AMG 2024 cars in LEGO Speed Champions Photo: LEGO 2024 cars in LEGO Technic Photo: LEGO 2024 cars in LEGO Icons Photo: LEGO It was just a couple of days ago when we got news of the Danish toy company preparing a full year of goodies in celebration of its 25th anniversary of the tie-up with the Star Wars universe. Starting March 1, fans of both of these iconic names of our world will be treated to a new interpretation of the Millennium Falcon, the Invisible Hand, Tantive IV, and, of course, R2-D2.From the same date LEGO will unleash into the world new toys for automotive fans as well. This time we're dealing with new plastic recreations showing some of the most coveted vehicles ever made, coming from BMW, McLaren, and Mercedes-LEGO's release at the end of this week covers new sets in some of its most important collections, including Speed Champions, Technic, and Icons, and are meant for either adults or kids.We thought it would be best to have a closer look at what's on the table a month from now, as there's a big chance at least one of these new products will be right up your alley. You can check all the novelties below, broken down based on the collections they're part of.Ever since 2015 the world of car enthusiasts has been enjoying plastic replicas of real cars from the Speed Champions collection. Created with licensing from the planet's most powerful brands, these toys (I know, for some of you they're not quite toys, but you'll forgive us if we keep calling them that) are true masterpieces of the genre.The first new 2024 Speed Champions addition is the 2023 McLaren Formula 1 Race Car. Meant for kids aged nine and above, it's a build that requires 245 pieces to be assembled in just the right order.When complete, the thing stands at just 1.5 inches (4 cm) high, seven inches (19 cm) long, and 2.5 inches (7 cm) wide. It comes in black-and-papaya livery and is packed full of design details mimicking the ones on the real car.LEGO will be selling this one for $26.99 and promises the version introduced in 2022 remains on the table as well.The second product launched in the series for the new year is actually a set. It comprises the BMW M4 GT3 and BMW M Hybrid V8, and has a total of 676 plastic pieces.Meant for kids over nine years of age, the cars come complete with two LEGO minifigure drivers and "authentic details highlighting the iconic German car maker's style and high performance."The price for this set is set at $44.99.The LEGO Technic range is much older than Speed Champions, as it was born all the way back in 1977. It is centered around the same plastic bricks as all the other toys coming from the Danes, only they come with many functioning parts.The new year for Technic is ushered in by two versions of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance (one for adults and a pullback for kids), the car the AMG-Petronas Formula 1 team used in the 2023 season of the racing series. And it couldn't have come at a better time, given how AMG's star driver, Lewis Hamilton, just announced he is leaving the crew for Ferrari The adult version of the toy is a 1:8 scale version of the real world racer, and is offered complete with a working V6 engine (meaning its pistons move), an opening wing, individual suspension, and functional steering.Before you get to enjoy all of that, you'll have to pay $219.99 for a set that includes 1,642 dismantled plastic bricks. The pull-back version is much cheaper (and much simpler), as it goes for $26.99.The LEGO Icons range was introduced in the early 2000s as a means to draw more people to the brand. For that, it relies on some of the world's most famous vehicles, aircraft, buildings, and even people.For 2024 the Danes have just a single new set on the table (at least for now), made of a McLaren MP4/4 and a figure of one of the most impressive F1 drivers that ever were, Ayrton Senna.A total of 693 plastic pieces are used to form the set, which can be had for a total of $79.99.As said, all of the above toys will become available on the LEGO store and in shops on March 1. They all can be pre-ordered even now, if you plan on beating your friends to the punch. On February 10 almost one and a half billion people will be celebrating the start of the Year of the Dragon. Supposedly it's the start of several months of power, success and prosperity for those who celebrate it, and perhaps for some of the rest of us as well. SUV The start of a new Chinese year has always been a reason for celebration, and not only for the people who observe such things. Given China's power and prestige on the international stage, even companies that don't technically have anything to do with it try to take advantage of such moments.It was earlier in February when we got wind of the first Chinese year-related product in the automotive industry coming our way. The Italians from Vespa are responsible for it, as they announced a special version of the 946 meant to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.An exciting product in itself, the Vespa 946 Dragon is not exactly something many of us can enjoy, either because we're not into scooters, or because we don't like dragons tattooed on things, or simply because we're not really fans of Chinese culture of traditions. But all of us, no matter where we stand, can clearly appreciate a luxury vehicle meant to honor the Lunar New Year and crafted around the same central idea.Sorry, not a single vehicle, but four of them. And not just any vehicles, but ones wearing the badge of British luxury brand Rolls-Royce.With just a week left until the Dragon year gets here, the Brits showed the world three unique versions of the Phantom Extended and one of the Cullinan. They have been specifically made for "clients residing around the world" (but also for the Rolls-Royce Private Office Shanghai) and are filled to the teeth with dragon motifs.To address the elephant in the room, we'll tell you that as usual when it comes to bespoke Rolls-Royce cars, the mechanical bits, for both the Phantoms and the Cullinan, remain unmodified, down to the 6.75-liter V12 engines that power them both. But each of these four particular models is styled radically different than what you normally get from the factory floor.We'll start with the exterior, where the Brits designed fascia panels wearing artistic reinterpretations of the dragon. On top of that, the paint jobs are unique: for the luxuryRolls opted for a duotone approach in Cherry Red with Crystal finish over Selby Grey with a Crystal finish, while the Phantoms come in two-tone Silver and Cherry Red or Black with a Crystal finish.It's inside where Rolls-Royce went nuts with the depiction of the dragon. We get them, in eye-popping red (but with touches of white, yellow, and brown), on the front passenger panels, on the headrests, and even on the roofs.That's right, for these four unique vehicles Rolls opted to arrange its infamous bespoke starlight headliner in the shape of the dragon. It's the first time ever such a thing has been designed, and the work is impressive to say the least.The company's people used no less than 677 individual fiber optic stars, which they fitted above the passenger's heads in such a way as to form an "abstract dragon motif." An additional 677 lights surround this center dragon.But the wonders and powerful numbers don't stop there. The dragons on the headrests, for instance, have been made by putting together no less than 5,499 stitches, requiring 20 hours from the life of the single person who worked on this (just as long as it took to design the headliner dragon).Worth noting is the fact that, regardless of what dragon we're talking about, they are all facing right on all four builds. That's a subtle nod to the cardinal point east, the the place from where the Sun rises.The Chinese zodiac calendar is represented inside three of the vehicles in stainless steel inlaid in the rear piano black picnic tables. The designers also included the names of the animals the Chinese usually identify with different years, in Chinese caligraphy. The dragon, obviously, is highlighted in gold.The cherry on the cake is the carbon fiber veil gallery inserted in the front fascia of the dashboard. Finally, on the floors there are lambswool carpets.Rolls-Royce says the design on each of the four cars was executed by a single artist, and it took over two weeks to complete each of the vehicles.The company does not say for whom these builds were made, nor are we given any details on how much the finished products end up costing. Just to give you an idea of where to start, it's enough to say the Phantom is selling from close to half a million dollars, while the Cullinan will set you back at least $400,000. 2 February 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more In a pivotal move to strengthen ties between the European Union (EU) and Central Asia, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank have announced a substantial investment of 1.5 billion euros in strategic transport infrastructure facilities for the region. This initiative, revealed during the Global Gateway transport investment forum in Brussels, is set to create a transformative transport corridor connecting Europe and Central Asia within 15 days. The ambitious plan, outlined by Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, aligns with the broader EU strategy to bridge investment gaps globally, emphasizing smart, clean, and secure connections across digital, energy, and transport sectors. Regarding this topic, Rauf Agamirzayev, an expert in the field, gave his comments to Azernews and highlighted the significance of this initiative. He noted the European Investment Bank's proposed 1.5 billion euro investment in Central Asian transport infrastructure, acknowledging the potential for increased cargo flow. The European Investment Bank of the European Commission is proposing an initial investment package worth 1.5 billion euros for the transport infrastructure of the Central Asian countries within the framework of the Global Gateway project, which will help diversify the trans-Caspian transport route and transfer more cargo. Currently, only Central Asian countries are planned in this investment project, but we know that all this flow is coming to Azerbaijan, he noted. The expert mentioned Azerbaijan's significant strides in transport infrastructure, emphasizing the ongoing completion of the east-west corridor highway and railway modernization. The expert underscores Azerbaijan's efforts in diversification, including the construction of the Horadiz Agbend railway project and the Horadiz Jabrayil Agbend highway in liberated lands, reducing risks associated with the Middle Corridor. We know that during these years, Azerbaijan has made serious investments in transport infrastructure, the highway is being completed along the east-west corridor of the country, and the railway is being modernized. Switching to alternating current is provided up to half of the route. These works continue from Ujar to Baku. Also, work is being done in the direction of diversification, and the construction of the Horadiz Agbend railway project and the Horadiz Jabrayil Agbend highway in the liberated lands will minimize the risks of the Middle Corridor and make it possible to attract more cargo flow to itself. In Azerbaijan, the second phase of Alat port is also planned for this year. The work done in the territory of Georgia is also important in this sense, but still many works are expected to be completed this year, expert noted. Agamirzayev outlines the importance of synchronization and integration of general processes in the region. He points out the need for increased cargo ships in both the Caspian and Black Sea basins, emphasizing the role of these factors in influencing the overall flow. Additionally, he anticipates the second phase of Alat port in Azerbaijan, planned for the current year, further enhancing the transport infrastructure. The missing elements that will ensure the exit of this corridor in different directions of the mentioned countries, I think that increasing the number of additional cargo ships both in the Caspian basin and in the Black Sea basin are issues of synchronization and integration of general processes, which will affect the overall flow, he said, while informing about potential challenges. The expert delved into the varying capabilities of different countries involved in the project. While countries like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are actively progressing, Agamirzayev noted Georgia's ongoing efforts, emphasizing the need for completion to match the cargo flow potential. He anticipated infrastructure projects meeting the demand for increased loads and mentioned the forthcoming foundation laying of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port Project, which is expected to have a capacity of one million TEU containers and 100 million tons of cargo. The first-stage implementation of the aforementioned projects will rely on the capacities of various nations. While Georgia is not yet at the same level as its potential for cargo flow, other nations, like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, are actively working on numerous projects. However, if all of the work is completed we can get up to 10 million tons at firstI believe that this amount may be considerably higher. We will also see the completion of infrastructure projects within the scope of new projects that are following the increased load, which will fulfill the need for this increased load. The Anaklia Deep Sea Port Project is anticipated to break ground in March or April of this year. We are discussing a port that can handle one million TEU containers carrying one hundred million tons of goods, he noted. In conclusion, the strategic investments and collaborative efforts outlined in the Global Gateway project signify a crucial step towards transforming the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor into a cutting-edge, efficient route that fosters economic connectivity between Europe and Central Asia. The expert insights of Rauf Agamirzayev provide valuable perspectives on the ongoing developments, underscoring the potential impact on the region's transport infrastructure and trade dynamics. --- Nigar Hasanova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SNova_000 Follow us on Twitter @ AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 20:45 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more There are only five days left until the extraordinary elections in Azerbaijan. The election to be held on February 7 by the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, is distinguished by its particular historical feature. It is no coincidence that these elections will also be organised in the Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur regions, which were liberated from the 30-year Armenian occupation. At present, the processes leading to the elections are being watched with great interest. At the same time, special conditions have been created for every citizen of Azerbaijan to participate in elections both in the country and abroad. Moreover, the processes related to the elections are being watched with interest by citizens of foreign countries. In this regard, Azernews learned the opinions of several foreign experts regarding the upcoming elections. According to David Parry, a former BBC correspondent and British author, the extraordinary presidential elections to be held in independent and sovereign Azerbaijan are a complete reality today. He said with regret that the information about such an event in Azerbaijan in the British media today does not reflect the truth. "It amazes me that honest news reporting appears increasingly rare on our British TV screens. Nowadays, the overtly theatrical device of employing a young, black interviewer as the obvious voice of objectivity when questioning Azerbaijani motives has become a ridiculous norm. However, the carefully scripted and overtly biased questions quickly reveal political manipulation behind the scenes for those with ears to hear. As such, my general reaction to these extraordinary presidential elections is directly opposed to that of the mainstream British media," he said. Parry also called the upcoming elections the unity of the Azerbaijani people. He noted that despite the pro-Armenian and biased positions of some Western politicians, the elections in Azerbaijan are not only held democratically but also create ample conditions for ethnic Armenians to participate in the elections. "Indeed, they seem to have been called because Azerbaijan is now united for the first time, having regained control over Garabagh and the seven surrounding regions, while Azerbaijanis (including those of Armenian ancestry) are eligible to vote. Each factor is an indication that Azerbaijan is taking an additional step towards Western-style democracy. This is a move that can only be applauded by any fair-minded person across the globe," the journalist added. The journalist also touched on the biased and anti-Azerbaijani positions of politicians in Europe. He especially emphasised the biased position of PACE politicians against Azerbaijan and said that many of them coincide with the views of pro-Armenian France. "For a number of reasons, ideological, historical, and otherwise, Western powers tend to be sceptical that the concept of democracy in contemporary Azerbaijan is the same as our own understanding of this complex term. Overall, this is a hypocritical position if one bears in mind the recent inhumane attitudes exhibited towards those living through the moral betrayal of Ukraine and the total catastrophe of Gaza by British and EU diplomats. Anyway, after speaking with my colleague Neil Watson, it is increasingly clear that the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe (PACE) observers have not been invited to Azerbaijan because PACE has unarguably made anti-Azerbaijani statements. An unhelpful development possibly stirred by depressingly self-serving French interests. In all its meaning, Azerbaijan has now been suspended from the current PACE session, which further obscures notions of comparative democracy. Taken together, the Western powers need a little more heart as well as patience in their judgements of multilayered historical processes," he underlined. The British journalist also evaluated the most worthy candidate to become president among the political rivals in Azerbaijan. For this, he characterised the important events of Azerbaijan in the last few years, from hosting global events to building an army, as well as its leadership in foreign policy. "If I had a criticism of Azerbaijan, it would tend to revolve around its (occasionally) overarching focus on regional affairs at the expense of global events. What is more, I would be concerned about the fact that there is only one real candidate in the forthcoming elections due to his being the leader of Victorious Azerbaijan. Twin factors giving a number of false impressions to those who do not really know Azerbaijan, as well as metaphorical ammunition to the enemies of this plucky Republic. Either way, I tend to see an evolving openness to other nations and topics on a planetary level over the last 5 years, along with a genuine sensitivity to differing ethnicities and their unique cultures. All of which bodes extremely well for the future," the expert added. --- Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews Deputy Editor-in-Chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 February 2024 17:41 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more Today, the next block train, which departed from Xian, China, arrived at the Port of Baku, Azernews reports, citing the Baku International Sea Trade Port. The block train, consisting of 55 40-foot containers, was delivered to the Port of Baku by the "Sunkar" feeder ship (container carrier) from Kazakhstans Port of Aktau. Currently, the operation of the unloading of these cargoes and loading them onto the wagons is being carried out in the Port of Baku, and the process is expected to be completed in the next few hours. Passenger cars, parts of heavy tonnage machinery, and other non-food products are transported in this block train, which is supposed to transit from Azerbaijan. The cargoes will be delivered to Georgias Port of Poti. During this year, 100 blocks of trains that will be sent from Chinas Xian station alone will be delivered to the final destination through the Port of Baku. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 13:00 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more Representatives of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) visited Vienna to expand relations between the business circles of Azerbaijan and Austria, especially SMEs, review possible cooperation opportunities, and exchange information and experience on business support tools in this country. Azernews reports that the visit was organised to expand relations between Azerbaijani and Austrian businessmen, reviewing opportunities for cooperation, mutual information, and the exchange of experience on support tools provided to SMEs. Within the framework of the trip, which took place with the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Austria, meetings were held in various institutions of Austria that support business. In the meeting between the managing director of the Austrian Business Agency, Rene Tritscher, and the chairman of the Board of Directors of SMBDA, Orkhan Mammadov, mutual information was provided about the business support mechanisms of both countries, and discussions were held on the development of cooperation between businessmen, the use of existing potential in this field, and the support that both institutions can provide to the process. Among the issues discussed at the meeting were the signing of a cooperation document for the expansion of B2B relations, as well as the systematic exchange of information and experience between agencies and the organisation of mutual business missions in various areas of business. At the meeting with the vice president of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Economy, Philip Gadi, businessmen exchanged views on relations in the fields of business and trade, investment opportunities, joint initiatives of SMBDA, and the chamber for further expansion of business cooperation. At the meeting with Florian Frauscher, head of the department of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy of Austria, ideas were exchanged on the possibilities of cooperation between our countries in the field of business and support for the implementation of joint initiatives with the participation of businessmen. At the meeting with the representatives of the Austria-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, it was emphasised that the chamber contributed to the expansion of relations between the businessmen of both countries. The plans of the chamber for the development of economic and trade relations between our countries and the support of SMBDA for the development of cooperation between business circles were discussed. Within the framework of the visit, a meeting was held between SMBDA representatives and Azerbaijani businessmen at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Austria. At the meeting, views were exchanged on the activity of Azerbaijani businessmen working in Austria, investment between the two countries, the development of trade relations, and opportunities for cooperation. During the visit, SMBDA representatives also visited the GalerieGunes carpet store of the Azerbaijani entrepreneur in the city of Vienna and the Meixner Vermessung company. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 15:19 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Like other states in the world, Azerbaijan constantly keeps banks under control, as this sector normally holds a very significant place in the economy of any country. Figuratively speaking, banks are the beating heart of the economy, and if they lag behind the innovations that have evolved in the world or fail to work properly, the economy will decline in time. Azerbaijan also closely monitors what is happening in the banking sector all over the world and applies innovations. One of these innovations is the brokerage service within banks, which Azerbaijan intends to apply to this year. The governor of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, Taleh Kazimov, spoke about it in his last press conference, noting that the CBA intends to involve local banks in brokerage services and saying that this step will create conditions for the further expansion of the capital market because Azerbaijani banks have a wide branch network. But what is a brokerage service, and how will it affect the Azerbaijani economy? In a comment to Azernews on the issue, economist Natig Jafarly noted that this is a widespread practice in the world. By acting as brokers, the branches of banks connect potential investors with those who want to invest. He emphasised that, actually, the banking system in Azerbaijan does not work according to the new and modern rules. It only takes deposits and gives loans. However, looking at the world in the last 20-25 years, we see that banks have already turned into financial institutions and big investment centres. They also act as self-investment funds. The strategy of the central bank and the steps taken by it serve to establish a new banking model in Azerbaijan. This is the right way and the right direction. Taking into account the large infrastructure of banks across the country, the brokerage services to be created there can help ordinary citizens enter the securities market as well, which is expected to be created in the future, the expert said. Natig Jafarly pointed out that certain work is already being done in connection with securities. It is said that there will even be new privatisation programs. It can act as an intermediary for citizens to gain access to stocks. And he added that, most importantly, banks can play a role in turning the investment centre into an investment fund. For example, there are people who have certain ideas and good business plans. Rather than lending to such individuals, investment banks and funds may become their partners. A bank can invest with them, as we see in Western countries. This practice has long existed in Western countries. It seems to me that the steps taken by the central bank are in this direction and in the right direction. This can also lead to the creation and strengthening of the securities market in the country. They can also act as a bridge between ideas and their implementation. This, in turn, is quite an interesting direction and can play an important role in the transition of Azerbaijan to a diversified economy, economist Natig Jafarly concluded. --- Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz In what is considered one of the biggest legal losses in U.S. history, Elon Musk lost the $56 billion package awarded to him more than five years ago by Teslas board of directors in a suit filed by a former heavy metal drummer who owned just nine shares of Tesla stock. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press 2023 Elon Musk saw a record-breaking $56 billion compensation package slip away this week due to a legal challenge from an unexpected opponent a former heavy metal drummer who owned just nine shares of Tesla stock. In what is considered one of the biggest legal losses in U.S. history, a Delaware judge on Tuesday, Jan. 30, ruled that Musk, owner of the San Francisco social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is not entitled to the significant package awarded to him more than five years ago by Teslas board of directors. The plaintiff in the case was Richard Tornetta, the former drummer of the Philadelphia thrash band Dawn of Correction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Attorneys representing Tornetta claimed that Musk unilaterally dictated the compensation terms and influenced the negotiations. They also argued that shareholder approval was based on a proxy statement with incomplete and misleading information. The ruling marked Musks first major setback in a series of lawsuits, ranging from accusations of defamation to violating securities laws. The defense argued that the pay plan was fair and approved by shareholders. It added that Musk owned less than one-third of the company when the lawsuit was filed in 2018, limiting his influence. Tornetta, who transitioned from drumming at CBGB in New York to posting gadget videos online, did not comment on the ruling. Eric Talley, a corporate law professor at Columbia Law School, told Reuters that individuals like Tornetta often act as a face for law firms representing shareholders. The law firms typically take the case on a contingency basis, and investors like Tornetta benefit by retrieving the company billions paid to Musk. Advertisement Article continues below this ad His name is now etched in the annals of corporate law, Talley said of the drummer. My students will be reading Tornetta v. Musk for the next 10 years. Musks representatives declined to comment on the ruling, but Musk reacted on X by offering unsolicited business advice. 2 February 2024 17:30 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more Today, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with the President of the Chamber of Deputies Marketa Pekarova Adamova, Azernews reports. According to the information provided by the Foreign Ministry, during the meeting, the importance of mutual visits between the two countries, continuous political dialogue, as well as inter-parliamentary cooperation was emphasized and bilateral economic relations, especially energy, green economy, tourism, agriculture, education, mutual investment and the existence of prospects for cooperation in other directions was emphasized. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized the measures taken by Azerbaijan on environmental protection, transition to renewable energy sources, the hosting of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), and the importance of our country's international obligations in this field. At the same time, referring to the transport potential of our country and the development prospects of the Middle Corridor, it was emphasized that the corridor is one of the important international transport routes passing through Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of the EU and its member states, and the application of double standards and an unfair approach to Azerbaijan do not contribute to the establishment of sustainable peace in the region. He also said that the initiative of a minority group regarding the adoption of an anti-Azerbaijani decision in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the non-ratification of the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation does not serve the dialogue. The minister stressed that for the first time in 30 years, real conditions for peace have been created between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and military assistance to Armenia under any name by the EU and some of its member states or distraction from the peace process by patronizing Armenia will harm the establishment of sustainable peace in the South Caucasus region. During the meeting, the two countries exchanged views on other current issues and topics of mutual interest. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 10:15 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani Parliament) Speaker Sahiba Gafarova sharply criticized France's behavior towards Azerbaijan at a meeting with a delegation headed by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Marketa Pekarova Adamova, Azernews reports. The Parliament Speaker noted that France does not want to establish peace in the South Caucasus and supplies Armenia with weapons. She said that this is an approach that does not serve peace but contributes to fomenting a new conflict. Milli Majlis Speaker emphasized that even though Azerbaijan was a victim of the occupation policy, it was Azerbaijan that proposed Armenia to sign a peace agreement based on the five principles of international law. However, even though three years have passed since the end of the conflict, Armenia is still avoiding the signing of the peace agreement, delaying the fulfillment of the undertaken obligations. Sahiba Ghafarova noted that Azerbaijan respects the territorial integrity of all countries, as well as demands a respectful attitude towards its territorial integrity and sovereignty. She emphasized that Armenia's territorial claims to Azerbaijan are reflected in the Constitution and other legislative acts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 09:39 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed decree No. 1080-VIQD dated December 26, 2023, on amendments to some laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan in connection with the implementation of the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Combating Legalization of Criminally Acquired Property and Financing of Terrorism" and "On Targeted Financial Sanctions" and amendments to some decrees in this regard, Azernews reports. According to the Decree, the powers of the relevant executive authority stipulated in the fourth part of Article 40 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan, "On Notariate," shall be implemented by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the fourth part of Article 40 of this Law, "body (institution)" means the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The powers of the relevant executive authority provided in the second sentence of the third paragraph of Article 37.1 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan, "On Banks," are implemented by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The second sentence of the third paragraph of Article 37.1 of the Law "On Banks" means the State Security Service of the Azerbaijan Republic. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan is entrusted to solve the issues arising from the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 1080-VIQD of December 26, 2023, on amendments to certain laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan in connection with the implementation of the Laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism" and "On Targeted Financial Sanctions.". The following changes were made in the Decree of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, "On application of the Law of the Azerbaijan Republic, "On Notary" No. 261 dated January 18, 2000 (Collection of Legislation of the Azerbaijan Republic, 2000, No. 1, Article 40 (Volume I): In paragraph 3.1, after the word "of the law," the words "in part four of Article 40 and" were added. At the end of paragraph 3.15, the semicolon has been replaced by a semicolon, and paragraph 3.16 has been added as follows: "3.16. In Part 4 of Article 40 of this Law, "body (institution)" means the State Security Service of the Azerbaijan Republic.". The following amendments were made to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 42, "On application of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Banks," dated March 26, 2004 (Collection of Legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2004, No. 3, Article 143 (Volume I): In paragraphs 3.11, after the words "in Article 10.2.6," the words "in the second sentence of the third paragraph of Article 37.1" were added. Paragraphs 3.1-2 are added to read as follows: "3.1-2. In the second sentence of the third paragraph of Article 37.1 of this Law, "body (institution)" means the State Security Service of the Azerbaijan Republic". --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 11:18 (UTC+04:00) A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on February 02. The new edition includes several interesting articles, such as "PACE blackmails Azerbaijan under guise of human rights"; "Baku expects Yerevan to uphold peace, not in words but in deeds"; "ANCA much frustrated as Canada okays arms sales to Turkiye"; "Teymur Rajabov ranks 25th in FIDE ranking" etc. AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az. 2 February 2024 12:18 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more During a briefing, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller refused to comment on a provocative question about the presidential elections in Azerbaijan, particularly the so-called OSCE report, Azernews reports. "I just don't have any comments on the internal elections in Azerbaijan," the spokesman replied. The journalist tried to continue the discussion, but Miller moved the conversation to another topic. Earlier, the OSCE prepared an initial report on the presidential elections in Azerbaijan, which noted some problems regarding the election conditions. At the same time, on February 7, the OSCE PA will hold its tenth election observation in Azerbaijan (since 1995). On December 7, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed a decree on holding extraordinary presidential elections in the country on February 7, 2024. Azerbaijan registered 7 candidates to participate in the extraordinary presidential election. It should be noted that, in connection with the holding of elections in Azerbaijan, the Armenian diaspora and lobbyists have launched active anti-Azerbaijan propaganda, especially in Western countries. Going the extra mile, those lobby organisations and institutions try to impede the upcoming grandiose event - the extraordinary presidential elections to be held in Azerbaijan on February 7 - by committing a number of provocations. It should be recalled that a few days ago, a group of Armenian separatists organised a similar provocative meeting in Tbilisi, the capital of neighbouring Georgia. At the same time, Armenian lobbyists invited thousands of their supporters in several European cities to join their planned actions. However, the plan failed due to the fact that very few people participated in the protests. Even in a country like France, where Armenian lobbying is the most widespread, less than 50 people participated in the action. Today, Armenian lobbying is one of the main threats to the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus. Their influence on Western politicians and organisations through bribery, threats, etc. is one of the most widespread activities of recent times. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 14:21 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more The Italian publication La Ragione wrote about Azerbaijan's hosting of the 29th (COP29) session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Azernews reports that the article talks about the importance of holding COP29 in Azerbaijan at the end of the year and international expectations. The article states that the selection of Baku to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is the result of international discussions on the prospects of global energy diplomacy. Azerbaijan is a country that occupies a special place in the global energy reality due to the production and sale of hydrocarbons, as well as the perspectives of sustainable energy planning. It is noted that Azerbaijan aims to become a country with a clean environment and sustainable energy growth by 2030. Azerbaijan, which joined the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2030. Holding COP29 in Baku this year means global support for Azerbaijan's green energy policy. It was emphasised that 2024 was declared the Green World Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan by the decree of President Ilham Aliyev. It should be noted that the debates and discussions of experts, activists, and international representatives who will come together at COP29 will allow Azerbaijan to further enrich its path to the diversification of the economy in order to eliminate dependence on hydrocarbon exports in the future. Azerbaijan wants to increase the competitiveness of production through the experience gained in the field of energy and new sustainable technologies. The country also intends to deepen the opportunities for the development of modern industry by strengthening its scientific, technological, educational, and academic potential. The article mentions that Azerbaijan plans to double its gas exports to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor by 2027, and it is planned to export renewable energy from our country to the Old Continent via the Black Sea. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 16:46 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more In accordance with the Election Code, a polling station was established at the embassy of our country in the People's Republic of China in connection with the extraordinary presidential elections scheduled for February 7 in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing secki-2024.az. The members, secretaries, and chairman of the precinct election commission were elected. Azerbaijani citizens living in China or on a long-term foreign mission will be able to vote at the polling station established in the embassy from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time on February 7. Citizens of Azerbaijan who have reached the age of 18 and have the right to vote will be able to participate in elections with a valid passport or ID card of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Precinct Election Commission is fully prepared for the organisation of presidential elections in accordance with the requirements of the legislation. All necessary work has been done to educate our citizens who have consular registration in China about the presidential elections. Thus, our citizens who are registered at the consulate have been informed about their participation in the elections. In addition, the announcement was posted on the embassy's official website, and social network accounts, as well as in the groups of our compatriots in the "Wechat" messenger program. In addition to our citizens living in this country, voters with the suffrage right who will be in Beijing on that day for various reasons will be able to vote in the station created at the Azerbaijani Embassy in China. It should be noted that 49 polling stations were established in 37 countries in order to ensure the voting rights of Azerbaijani citizens living outside the country or on long-term foreign missions in the extraordinary presidential elections. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 17:45 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC (ASCO) and Baku Shipyard LLC have signed an agreement on the construction of new ships that will serve oil and gas production in the sea. A total of 7 new ships will be built, 3 of which will be passenger ships and 4 will be diving ships, Azernews reports. Following the Strategic Development Plan of Shipping covering the years 2022-2030, adopted by the Supervisory Board of ASCO, attention is paid to improving the quality of marine transport services provided in the oil and gas industry, including the renewal of the fleet. In the information released by the ASCO, it is stated that with the support of SOCAR, important steps were taken before, various types of ships intended for offshore oil and gas production were purchased and successfully put into operation. As a continuation of the successful cooperation with SOCAR, it was decided to build a total of 7 new ships, including 3 passenger ships and 4 diving ships. According to the agreement, the construction of these ships will be carried out at the Baku Shipyard. Today, a ceremony was held to sign the relevant contract between the Chairman of the Board of ASCO Rauf Valiyev and the Chairman of the Board of Baku Shipyard Elshad Nuriyev on the construction of 4 of those ships. According to the contract, Baku Shipyard will build and deliver 3 50-passenger capacity boats and 1 diving vessel with a hybrid engine designed to work at a depth of 60 meters, according to ASCO's order, within 18-24 months. It was stated at the signing ceremony that the ships to be built per the requirements of international standards will have wide technical capabilities and will play an important role in further improving the quality of sea transport services in the field of oil and gas production of Azerbaijan. It was also emphasized at the event that the passenger ships to be built were designed by a leading design company. The construction of the diving vessel will be carried out based on the project presented by "ASCO Engineering" LLC, and this ship will be the first diving vessel with a hybrid engine floating in the Caspian Sea. This ship, which will be built per the environmental policy of ASCO, as well as the requirements of the International Maritime Organization and a number of other classification societies regarding the reduction of emissions, will also make an important contribution to the "Year of Solidarity for the Green World" announced by President Ilham Aliyev. It was added that in addition to the representatives of ASCO, Baku Shipyard, SOCAR, two excellent students of the 4th year of the Azerbaijan State Maritime Academy studying shipbuilding and ship repair engineering took part in the contract signing ceremony. Before the event, ASCO chairman Rauf Valiyev received the students and talked with them about the projects implemented in our country in the field of shipping and the upcoming goals. At the meeting, the chairman gave recommendations to the future specialists to master their specialties well and wished them success. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 18:40 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungong, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, has visited the city of Aghdam, Azernews reports, citing the Department of Press and Public Relations of Milli Majlis. Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union was accompanied by MP, co-chairman of the European Union-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Javanshir Feyziev, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN Office in Geneva and other international organizations Galib Israfilov and other officials. The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, who arrived in Aghdam, was informed about the atrocities committed by the Armenian armed forces in Aghdam, the destruction of Azerbaijani cultural, historical, and religious monuments, and construction works carried out by the Azerbaijani state after the city was liberated from occupation. The guests saw the remains of the buildings of the city of Aghdam destroyed by Armenians, including the Aghdam Drama Theater, and witnessed Armenian barbarity in Martyrs Alley. It was reported that Armenian vandals, who destroyed everything in Aghdam, destroyed graves here as well. Then Martin Chungong familiarized with the construction works carried out within the framework of the general plan of Aghdam city, including the tombs of Garabagh Khans, residential building - "Imarat" complex, as well as the repair works carried out in the Juma Mosque of Aghdam city. The guest was informed that Aghdam, which was turned into "Hiroshima of Caucasus" by the Armenian occupants, will be fully restored in the coming years, will become one of the most beautiful cities of the region, and the safe return of the people who were separated from their homeland for 30 years will be ensured. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2024 22:55 (UTC+04:00) The Oracle Advisory Group will hold observations in Azerbaijan's Garabagh for the first time, Vlada Galan from the Oracle Advisory Group said at a press conference in Shusha city, Azernews reports. She noted that, in total, the group will be observing the election in Azerbaijan for the fifth time. We have five experienced employees in Azerbaijan. A survey has already been conducted among 3,000 voters, Galan added. On December 7, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree calling for an extraordinary presidential election in the country on February 7, 2024. On December 19, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Singapore, China eye enhancing business ties Xinhua) 09:46, February 02, 2024 SINGAPORE, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- About 200 Singaporean and Chinese business leaders and policymakers gathered Thursday in the city-state to exchange ideas and explore business opportunities between the two complementary economies. The second Meeting of the Singapore-China Business Council and Singapore-China Economic Partnership Conference was jointly held by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). "China has constantly been a significant market for Singapore even though the global economic growth is expected to slow down. Singapore companies remain optimistic about the Chinese market," said SBF Chairman Lim Ming Yan. Lim encouraged SBF members to enhance their network with Chinese counterparts and explore new areas of collaboration. China's high-level opening-up and modernization will continue to present new development opportunities to Singapore and the world, said Ren Hongbin, Chairman of CCPIT. Noting that Chinese and Singaporean enterprises have achieved fruitful results in infrastructure, financial technology, legal service and third-party market cooperation, Ren invited Singaporean enterprises to participate in Chinese exhibitions, including the second China International Supply Chain Expo, to embrace more opportunities. Singaporean and Chinese business entities signed three MOUs at the conference to enhance business ties, improve intellectual property protection, and support business mediation and arbitration. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Fresh pastries like flaky croissants and coffee are on the menu at Maison Benoit, a new Parisian-style bakery in Danville. Mariana Swedelson Danville had a new French bakery and Roman-style pizzeria, but new restaurants and returning spots made for some exciting openings around the East Bay in January. There are also a variety of new coffee shops pouring warm drinks to help stave off the cold during the strings of chilly, rainy weather. Click here for a list of notable new restaurants that opened in December in the East Bay Parisian treats arrive in Danville French bakery Maison Benoit is now open in Danville with classic pastries like croissants, pain au chocolat, meringue tarts, baguettes and more. Parisian-style sandwiches with ham and comte cheese and coffee are also on the menu. Owner Benoit Vialle, a former Microsoft and Sothebys employee who grew up in France, brought in a head baker from Paris and a pastry chef from Marseille to create the bakerys treats. The Mercury News first reported the opening. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 402 Railroad Ave. Danville. instagram.com/maisonbenoit.us Plant-based burger favorite makes a comeback Top burger restaurant Malibus made its return at a new location in Uptown Oakland. The vegan shop is now located at the former location of the Lumpia Company, where it has resumed preparing its Tasha Grande a house take on the Big Mac and other burgers made with Impossible brand plant-based meat. Malibus originally closed its Piedmont Avenue location in December due to its space being too costly and large to operate. Eater SF reported the reopening. 372 24th St., Oakland. malibusburgers.com An Impossible Burger topped with vegan American cheese and caramelized onions from Malibu's Burgers, an all-vegan restaurant in Oakland. Janelle Bitker/The Chronicle New sandwich shop serves old favorites Old-school deli sandwiches are the specialty at Roses Sandwich Shop in Alameda. The new casual spot on the corner of Webster and Lincoln offers classic sandwiches like chicken salad, BLT, and an Italian sandwich filled with a stack of freshly sliced salami, mortadella, ham and swiss cheese, pickles and pepperoncini. Banh mi are served and come with barbecue pork or chicken atop pickled carrots, jalapeno slices, cilantro and a dab of liverwurst spread. The shop has plenty of tables with window views. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1552 Webster Ave. Alameda. The barbecue chicken Vietnamese sandwich at Rose's Sandwich Shop in Alameda. Mario Cortez/The Chronicle Berkeleys waterfront gets a new restaurant New restaurant Marina Seafood Dockside Patio is now serving fresh oysters, crab and burgers at the Berkeley Marina, East Bay Nosh reports. The small restaurant features a bar pouring wines and draft beers along with classic cocktails like old fashioneds, margaritas and a few riffs on martinis. 235 University Ave., Suite B. Berkeley. Marinadocksidepatio.com Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rasa Caffe owner Rasa Mott, pictured in 2014, prepares a drink at this former location in Berkeley. Mott's coffee shop is now in downtown Oakland, at the foot of the Tribune Tower. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle Popular cafe returns to Oakland As anticipated, Oakland-born Rasa Caffe made a return to the town after a decade of pouring drinks in Berkeley. The shop took over the space at the foot of downtowns Tribune Tower, formerly occupied by Modern Coffee. Rasa will continue making its popular rose lattes and rasa coffee, with a hint of green cardamom and nutmeg. 411 13th St., Oakland. rasacaffe.com Pakistani-style tea shop opens Tea and coffee house Elaichi Co. opened inside a modern space near the UC Berkeley campus. The new shop takes inspiration from Pakistani tea shops, with chai brewed in large pots, but also offers espresso drinks and baked goods like cardamom buns and pound cakes. East Bay Nosh reported the opening. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 2161 Allston Way, Suitcase C. Berkeley. elaichico.com New chai-focused tea shop Elaichi Co. is now open in Berkeley. Provided by Zainab Joyo/Elaichi Co. Cookies and more arrive in Alameda New dessert shop Treats by Mrs. T is now offering cookies and brown butter brownies in Alameda. Stop by for a cookie or order treats by the dozen from options that include the thick mint, a powdered sugar-covered chocolate cookie with a hint of mint, red velvet cookie sandwiches with buttercream frosting in the middle, or a mix of sea salt chocolate and brown butter cookies. The shop shares a space with a florist, which makes the location a one-stop shop for anyone looking to buy someone a present. 1311 Park St. Alameda. treatsbymrst.com Advertisement Article continues below this ad New pizzeria opens in Danville Roman-style pizza is the main draw at Danvilles new Romana Pizzeria, the East Bay Times reports. The restaurant rests its dough for 72 hours before its worked into pies like the Calabrese, with sausages and goat cheese, or others topped with eggplant and feta. Caesar and arugula salads, chicken wings and garlic knots also appear on the menu. 251 Hartz Ave., Danville. romanapizzerias.com Long lines at boba chains Bay Area launch Popular boba chain The Alley opened its first Bay Area location in January, drawing long lines. Like other similar shops, the menu includes milk tea, smoothies and brown sugar tapioca drinks. Coffee and brewed tea drinks are also available. The Alley operates U.S. locations in Southern California, Hawaii, New York and Texas. KRON reported the shops launch drew long lines, with buzz around promotional merch featuring characters from hit anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. The limited edition items ran out 30 minutes after opening. 2315 Telegraph Ave. Berkeley. the-alley.us New Yemeni-style cafe arrives Milyar Cafe is the latest Yemeni-style coffee shop to enter the Bay Areas multicultural coffee scene. Expect the spiced coffee drinks and Middle Eastern pastries drizzled with honey that are customary at this style of shop. Milyar also closes at 10 p.m., keeping the drinks flowing well past other shops closing times. East Bay Nosh reported the opening. 3300 Adeline St. Berkeley. Indian vegetarian dishes arrive in Pleasanton New Indian restaurant Madras Idli Kadai is now offering south Indian vegetarian dishes like sambar vada, spiced lentils, dosa with onion and masala and fluffy idli. Yelp users reported the opening. 4275 Rosewood Dr., Unit 120. Pleasanton. madrasidlikadai.com 1 February 2024 16:36 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Armenian Public Television that Armenia today must settle its relations with the declaration of independence, Azernews reports. "Where is the point, where is the moment when we should transform from a non-state nation into a state nation? That moment is the constitutional referendum. Our only tool is talking to the people," the minister said. It is worth noting that the preamble of Armenia's constitution refers to Armenia's Declaration of Independence, the basis of which is the "joint decision" of the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR and the "Supreme Council" of the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh" of December 1, 1989 on "reunification." This means that the policy of occupation and territorial claims to Azerbaijan is now enshrined in Armenia at the legislative level. Thus, it turns out that the signing of the peace treaty and the submission of its text for ratification contradict the Basic Law of the country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Meanwhile on N. Oregon Coast - They're Filming a Flick in Pacific City Published 1/31/24 at 6:47 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Pacific City, Oregon) Someone, somewhere in the Pacific City area, is filming a new movie, something called Alma and the Wolf. (Photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection) That's most of what we know at the moment. It's all very secret and maybe a little intriguing. The Oregon coast is not wanting for movies to be filmed out here, but it's still rare enough that it's a big deal. Who's starring? What's Alma and the Wolf about? And is it a sequel to the 2022 film The Lion and the Wolf? We almost have answers. There are rumors floating around about who's starring, and so far no one has actually seen that person on the north Oregon coast. We're not going to lend the rumors any credence right now, but there are some tidbits we can (mostly) confirm. We do know the film is being shot in and around Pacific City but mostly up at Camp Meriweather a tad closer to Cape Lookout. That has been confirmed by the Tillamook Coast Visitors Association. They also tell us the movie crew will be there for most of February. One thing that has been confirmed for awhile: Portland casting company Adam & the Backgrounds had been posting on local social media for casting calls asking for various types of people, including a greater call for folks in the background while on the local beaches. Somebody you know from the north Oregon coast may be famous someday soon. What else we know from local Oregon coast officials: it's clear there's a lot of secrecy here. While the TCVA has been helping with logistics for the crew (catering, storage, lodging, etc), the name of the production company is not known by them at this time. We also know so many basics are being kept hush-hush, including the question about the film being related to the so-so The Lion and the Wolf, or even what the story might be about. It is reportedly a small studio production but it is well funded. Our source at the TCVA said They're great to work with. Checking various social media posts, we have been able to discover a few other tiny things: the most important being that a vehicle was on set with a sheriff's logo for Spiral Creek. That locale does not appear to have been part of the Lion and the Wolf movie, but it doesn't negate the possibility a sequel is set somewhere else. In fact, that movie was about a 20-year-old girl who heads to the Canadian wilderness and her uncle's cabin on a remote island in the forest. It's there she bumps into and raises a lion cub and a baby wolf. That story was set inland, and this movie is clearly set in a beach town and coastal area. This could mean it's a completely different flick, or it's a sequel about her coming to a beach burgh and bringing the wolf. We also know they've been filming some scenes at night, with a massive glow coming from neighborhoods hosting all that lighting gear. Also filmed around Pacific City area in recent years were segments of the spectacular Netflix series The OA, shot at Tierra Del Mar. According to the TCVA, Sam Elliot was here not too long ago having dinner in Pacific City while filming an episode of 1883. The last major film production on the Oregon coast took place in 2021 or so when 65 and Adam Driver came to the Coos Bay area. Crews dumped millions of dollars into the local economy, including well over $1 million in employee payroll. The big plus there was seeing giant dinosaurs wander around our south coast, including areas like Whaleshead Beach. 65 Sci-Fi Flick on Streaming: Parts Filmed on S. Oregon Coast - Review Hotels in Pacific City - Where to eat - Pacific City Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Historic Oregon Coast Glass Float Exhibit and ID Your Float Day Published 1/29/24 at 5:25 a.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Lincoln City, Oregon) There are going to be rarities in the world of fishing glass floats coming to Lincoln City soon. The central Oregon coast town will be whooping it up for Antique & Collectibles Week, which also features loads of antique-like floats dropped in the sand. However, the North Lincoln County Historical Museum will be hosting an exhibit of the real thing: those now almost-ancient glass floats and the famed Float ID Day on February 24. In conjunction with the festival of cool, old stuff, the museum will bring in Dr. Nicklis Simpson, DMD, a renowned expert in glass floats used for fishing. He and other experts hang out from noon to 3 p.m. at the museum for Float ID Day, where you are encouraged to bring in your own beach find. They will help identify from when and where the float is from, and learn some history on your keepsake. The museum is at 4907 SW HWY 101, Lincoln City, and the event is free. Lincoln City Readies Great, Big Citywide Antique Week to Take Over Central Oregon Coast - Lincoln City's Antique 'n Collectibles Week February 17 - 24 Also happening at the museum is the famed glass float ball collection of Jim Watson, who was one of the worlds leading collectors of Japanese glass fishing floats, especially on the Oregon. It starts on February 17 and goes for the rest of the year. Watson passed away in 2022, but he traveled throughout the world meeting fishermen, artisans, and collectors, seeking out the most unique pieces he could find. He taught many people about the history and beauty of these unparalleled working objects. The museum, largely due to him, has one of the biggest collections around. He contributed much to the area. Courtesy North Lincoln County History Museum With the aim of continuing his mission, the James L. Watson Fishing Float Foundation donated the last remaining pieces from Jims personal collection to museum in 2023, the museum said in a press release. This exhibit will show a selection of his rarest pieces, which have not been seen for over twenty years. This new exhibit, in honor of Jim Watsons legacy, will be available to see in the main hall at there through 2024. There will be a selection of floats, photo slide shows on the museum's iPad kiosk, historical information about the floats, and clips from a presentation he gave at the museum in 2000. The opening reception will take place on February 17th, from 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Look for personnel playing the full video of his presentation, starting at 2 p.m. (Total running time: 1 hour 34 min). MORE HISTORIC PHOTOS BELOW Hotels in Lincoln City - Where to eat - Lincoln City Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Road Near Newport Buckles, Crews Now Work on Oregon Coast Highway That's Still Shifting Published 2/01/24 at 7:45 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Newport, Oregon) Not even two weeks ago this was a normal, stunning Oregon coast drive. The road between Newport and Depoe Bay the portion of Highway 101 right around Beverly Beach gave way to lots of the usual, gorgeous views. (Photo courtesy ODOT) Now, the road is just...well...giving way. Recent rainstorms caused loose soil beneath the road and it recently buckled severely about milepost 133. One social media post showed a nasty crack across the road and a sudden dip, which was hard to see if you were heading north. That caused vehicles to actually catch air a little and hit the lower section rather hard. If you were coming north, it was also easy to cause damage going over that cracked road. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been working on it for the last two days now, but it's still a shifting road requiring a much lower speed limit. ODOT said recent heavy rainfall all along the Oregon coast created this sunken grade, with crews now on the scene between milepost 133 and 134. They are working against nature, however, as the road keeps moving on them as rain continues to saturate the ground. The area is currently covered in gravel, which requires crews to constantly keep redoing the road to keep it drivable. The speed will be lowered by 20 mph, making the speed limit through this area 35 mph instead of 55 mph, ODOT said. The Beverly Beach area between those mile markers is hit the hardest, ODOT said. As a temporary solution, weve applied gravel to the impacted section of the road to make it more stable, ODOT said. Since the ground is still moving, we need to wait for drier conditions before we continue to repair the road. This speed reduction is essential for the safety of drivers and work crews. However, the road keeps changing faster than repairs can be made. When traveling through this part of the Oregon coast, ODOT said you should stay alert and be vigilant for any changes in road conditions. Exercise Caution: Watch for work crews and navigate the area carefully, ODOT said. Above all, stick to that 35 mph speed limit. This area is prone to such landslides and shifts. In 2008, a winter storm took out six or more feet of cliff and road in some places around Beverly Beach, which caused ODOT to eventually move the road a bit farther inland and build another bridge eventually. For further information on landslides, see ODOT's Unstoppable Slopes, Landslides, Debris Flows, and Rockfall Hotels in Newport - Where to eat - Newport Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Washington / Oregon Coast Astronomy Fun: Groundhog Day, 'Da Vinci Glow' Published 2/01/24 at 5:49 a.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Oregon Coast) February is about to get a little ethereal in the skies above the Oregon coast and Washington coast, starting with the astronomical significance of a simple and rather silly day tomorrow: Groundhog Day. (Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection: a planetary conjunction at Manzanita) Jim Todd, astronomy expert with Portland's OMSI, said Friday, February 2 is Groundhog Day, a seemingly silly and popular holiday that is also an event that marks movement in the skies above us and of the Earth itself. It is near the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, and its midpoint is a seasonal marker reminding us that spring will return once more, he said. Groundhog Day comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that says if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on that day and glimpses its own shadow because the sun is out, that means we're in for six more weeks of winter and the little furry beastie goes back down to hide in his den. If it's cloudy out and the wee critter doesn't see its shadow, then spring should come early. You'll get more scientific accuracy with the time travel idea behind the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. Above Manzanita - Oregon Coast Beach Connection There are no groundhogs on the Oregon or Washington coast, but the Oregon Zoo in Portland gets into it with Filbert the Beaver. In terms of astronomy, the day is one of eight major seasonal subdivisions each year. They include the March and September equinoxes, the June and December solstices, and the intervening four cross-quarter days, Todd said. Aside from Groundhog Day, the other three cross-quarter days are May Day (May 1), Lammas (August 1), and Halloween (October 31). Todd said this marking within the calendar year and our trip around the sun got its start with the Celts who called it Imbolc or lambs milk as lambing season had just begun by February 2. At one point, the Celts also referred to it as Brigantia, named after their female deity of light. This reminded them that the Sun was halfway on its journey to the spring equinox. Later on, the Christians called it Candlemas, after all the candles that were lit in churches that day to honor the Christ Child. When the Germans began immigrating to the U.S. and Pennsylvania in the 1880s, the Candlemas holiday and the use of badgers to suss out the spring came with them. However, there were no badgers here so groundhogs were used instead. There are no meteor showers coming up in the skies above the Washington or Oregon coast, but a very slim, new crescent moon pops up early in the month. Then, around the middle of the month, look for Earthshine to illuminate the darker side of the moon, seen in the southwest just after sunset. Sometimes called Da Vinci's Glow, this is the sunlight reflected back onto the moon from the Earth's polar ice caps and clouds. Around then you'll also get to see Jupiter shining just above the crescent moon. On Thursday, February 22, there will be a bright conjunction of Venus and Mars. On that morning, they'll be separated by only .6 of a degree. It should make quite the bright blob in the southeast skies over places like Westport, Seaside, Bandon or Pacific City. Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Comet above Bandon. Photo courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts for more More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Washington Coast State Parks Hiring - 300 Sought for Entire State's Parks Published 1/28/24 at 5:25 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Olympia, Washington) Washington State Parks (WSP) is looking for a lot of seasonal help this summer, to the tune of some 300 people it's hoping to hire. Some of that is on the Washington coast, from the southern end up through the Olympic Peninsula beaches. (Above: Fort Columbia, courtesy WSP) WSP is looking for park aides and senior park aides from April through September, where folks can be working on the Pacific Ocean beaches or in the myriad of other terrains, such as the infamous scablands, shrub steppe, the high desert, the islands of Puget Sound or old-growth forests. Park aides enjoy a variety of duties, WSP said. They register campers, maintain trails, clean campgrounds and maintain facilities. They also staff park offices, assist visitors and help with interpretive and educational programs. Park aides work in one large park or cover an area with several small parks. Each senior park aide leads a team of park aides. See the link for Washington State's government jobs and the park aide search. As of this writing, there are some 77 jobs listed for the entire state. WSP spokesman Meryl Lassen told Oregon Coast Beach Connection there are numerous jobs along the Washington coast. Grayland Beach, courtesy WSP We are also hiring at the South and North Beach parks Grayland / Twin Harbors / Westport / Bottle Beach and Pacific Beach / Pacific Pines, she said. Some of the positions in those areas spend time at more than one park. Among the benefits of these seasonal jobs are paid sick leave and vacation time. Retirees also sometimes hop onto these opportunities and slightly less-than-full-time positions are available at times. Other benefits, WSP said, involve the wildlife. That includes whales even spotting orcas on a regular basis. Some areas at the top of the Washington coast are also taking applications, Lassen told Oregon Coast Beach Connection Bogachiel and Sequim Bay are among them. The closest parks to the Oregon Coast are Cape Disappointment and Fort Columbia, and we do have several staff who live in Astoria and work at the parks, she said. Some park aides are just at Cape Disappointment, and others cover both parks or mostly spend their time at Fort Columbia. WSP said some park aides span generations. The opportunities are ideal for recent high school and college graduates, retired workers looking for an encore, military veterans transitioning to civilian employment and mid-careerists taking time to reinvent themselves. According to WSP: Applications are open now through August. Park aides earn $16.90 to $20.33 an hour, and senior park aides earn $19.40 to $23.40 an hour, depending on qualifications and experience. More information and online applications can be accessed at Parks Aide Jobs. Staff testimony and other details are available in this video. Park aides have the chance to grow with the agency, and many have gone on to success as rangers, customer service and human resources managers, environmental planners and more. Former park aides also have found work in the outdoor industry, for nonprofits or with other public lands agencies. Most park aides appreciate the flexibility of seasonal outdoor work and the mix of public interaction and physical labor. WASHINGTON COAST MORE PHOTOS BELOW McKenzie Head fortification / WSP Cape Disappointment Interpretive Center / WSP Fort Columbia / WSP More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal . The author of this post is Sherman Criner The North Carolina State Fair, one of the state's most time-honored traditions, is only a few weeks away. The historic State Fair is set to be held at the Raleigh state fairgrounds from October 12-22, according to the Department of Agriculture.The N.C. State Fair, which began as a small Agricultural Society gathering in 1853, has transformed into one of the state's most cherished annual traditions. Maintaining this agricultural heritage has not always been easy, however. Even the state's own Agricultural Commissioner, Steve Troxler, has remarked how the Fair isbut thatFortunately, the state's efforts to produce a revenue-generating celebration of North Carolina's agricultural history appear to be working. From about 1970 to 2020, the N.C. State Fair was profitable, drawing crowds of approximately one million visitors per year. During this streak of profitability, the Fair generated anywhere from $5.7-$11.5 million annually from ticket sales, ultimately netting an annual profit in the $1.5-$2 million range.Despite this relative string of good economic fortune for the Fair's operators, the COVID-19 pandemic proved too great a hurdle to overcome, resulting in the 2020 Fair's cancellation. This cancellation ultimately cost the state $9.2 million in lost revenue and stands as the first such suspension of activities since World War II. Since the Fair restarted in 2021, North Carolinians have flocked back to the fairgrounds in droves, illustrated by the 960,172 attendees at the 2022 Fair.The N.C. State Fair, which functions as an enterprise fund, needs this massive revenue stream and continued attendance growth because state appropriations do not support it. As part of this arrangement, the state government enters into contracts with private entertainment companies like Power American Midways, which, since 2004, has agreed to put on the fair each year. This means the fair is facilitated yearly by a joint effort of public and private entities, much like the state's utilities and transportation services.For the fair's 2023 edition, both its public and private backers hope to witness a continuance of its resounding post-pandemic comeback. As usual, the fair will have an assortment of events, highlighted by giant pumpkin displays, thrilling amusement rides, nightly firework shows, and a crash course in North Carolinian cuisine.remarks Heather Overton, the Agricultural Department's Assistant Director for Public Affairs. Overton says the fair isas it continues to rebuild itself after the pandemic.For more information about the fair and its schedule, you can check out the official N.C. State Fair website here 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? Mario Cortez joined The Chronicle Food & Wine team in 2022. He is originally from San Diego, where he contributed to local and online publications. He last worked at the Eureka Times-Standard, where he was sports editor and a staff reporter. Cortez was also a regular writer for Eater San Diego. He likes analog photography, playing soccer and, naturally, great food. He can be reached at mario.cortez@sfchronicle.com. Community Health Development Partners has announced plans to open a $20 million ASC in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Community Health focuses on creating healthcare ecosystems in rural and underserved communities. The Lake Havasu Community Health Center is expected to open in the fall and create over 100 new jobs in the Lake Havasu City area, according to a Feb. 1 press release. The 17,063-square-foot ASC will feature four operating rooms, two procedure rooms, a catheterization lab and 14 pre- and post-recovery beds. About 27,717 square feet of adjacent space will also be transformed into a medical office building. Along with surgery services, CHC will offer access to free health and wellness programming and referral services in conjunction with the Community Health Development Foundation, CHDPs nonprofit partner. Health offerings will include routine screenings, wellness classes, health education and meeting space for a patient advisory board. Community Health opened its flagship ASC in Elko, Nev., at the beginning of 2023 and has another Nevada facility scheduled to open in 2024. Dallas-based Unifeye Vision Partners entered into a strategic alliance with Spencer Eye Center. Based in Ventura County, Calif., Spencer Eye Center includes the Spencer Eye Surgery and Laser Center in Camarillo, Calif., a freestanding ASC, according to a Feb. 1 news release from Unifeye. Led by Greg Spencer, MD, Spencer Eye Center provides services including cataract surgery and glaucoma management. Unifeye Vision Partners network of ophthalmologists and optometrists includes 156 providers, 70 clinic locations and 17 ASCs, the release said. Wisconsin recently became the 14th state to authorize dental therapists to treat patients, and several other states could soon do the same. Dental therapists are mid-level providers permitted to provide certain services such as filling cavities and pulling teeth, but are not allowed to do more complex procedures. They must graduate from an accredited training program and work under the supervision of a dentist. Although dental therapists have been treating patients in more than 50 other countries for more than a century, the U.S. began adding dental therapists in 2005, according to The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry. States began allowing dental therapists as a way to expand care and fill workforce shortages. They are also considered cost-effective roles, with reimbursement for their services being found to exceed the cost of employment. For example, a 2014 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that two dental therapists in Alaska who served 1,352 patients resulted in $216,000 more in reimbursement compared to their cost of employment. In addition to Alaska, other states that allow dental therapy are Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, according to the American Dental Therapy Association. Other states began considering the authorization of dental therapists last year, including New York and Massachusetts. Although dental therapy is seen as a solution for several issues in the dental industry, some states have experienced challenges supporting this new role. In Oregon, licensing barriers have made it difficult for more dental therapists to practice in the state. Once the state's two pilot training programs end within the next few months, the state will have no other accredited training programs. Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., began developing a training program but needs $1 million in funding before it can move forward. Colorado's authorization of dental therapists went into effect in May 2023, but a lack of training and resources could hinder the state's ability to bring in enough of these practitioners. No schools in the state currently offer dental therapy degrees and the state does not offer a licensing exam. Trainees must receive their education in states with dental therapy programs, which only include Alaska, Minnesota and Washington. Colleen Lampron, president of AFL Enterprises, a public health contracting company, told The Colorado Sun it is unclear whether the state has enough funding to launch its own programs because current programs are already underfunded. The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry urged Congress and HHS in 2022 to increase funding for dental therapy training programs and create scholarship and loan repayment programs. "Dental therapists can play an important role in serving vulnerable and underserved populations, especially for those living in rural and other geographic areas that have a shortage of dental healthcare providers," the federal advisory committee said in its report. "Therefore, growing a dental therapy workforce supports the increase [in] access to care and [helps] improve the oral health of all Americans." A Wisconsin independent physician network has reached out to Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System hoping to purchase some of its hospital properties in Wisconsin. Eau Claire, Wis.-based OakLeaf Medical Network, the largest independent physician network in the state, has 26 clinics that operate across 15 counties in Northwestern and Western Wisconsin, according to a Feb. 1 network news release. The network reached out to HSHS on Jan. 31 hoping to begin negotiations to purchase some of its hospital properties that are slated for closure with the intent of creating an independent community hospital, Kyle Dettbarn, MD, chair of the board of directors for the network, said in the release. The network said it is working to keep HSHS open in the short term and expand the number of hospital beds in the other hospitals in the region. "We are optimistic that we can work together to preserve these critical hospital beds and services quickly," he said. HSHS recently shared closure plans for Chippewa Falls, Wis.-based St. Joseph's Hospital along with Eau Claire, Wis.-based Sacred Heart Hospital and multiple regional health centers the health system operates with Green Bay, Wis.-based Prevea Health. The two hospitals were expected to close on or before April 21, with the health centers closing on or before June 30, according to a Jan. 22 joint HSHS and Prevea Health release shared with Becker's. News of the potential purchase comes as Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addressed the HSHS and Prevea Health closures with annoyance, noting that the state had not received a warning regarding the closures, the La Crosse Tribune reported Feb. 1. "I'm a little frustrated in that we didn't get any heads up on that, nor did their employees. We can't be happy about what's going on here as part of the state. In Eau Claire and the area north, people aren't getting the services they need," Mr. Evers said during a Jan. 31 visit to La Crosse, Wis.-based Western Technical College, the publication reported. The Evers administration is also checking in on how the state can provide aid to both the healthcare workers and areas affected by the closures. The administration plans to use its new healthcare task force to pinpoint solutions for the state's ongoing healthcare marketplace struggles. Along with concerns over a growing healthcare workforce shortage, Mr. Evers pointed to the state's failure to pass Medicaid expansion plans as a contributing factor for the ongoing healthcare issues. Richard Helmers, MD, regional vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin, also expressed thoughts and sympathies to patients and staff affected by the closure announcements. "Though we are exceptionally busy at all of our locations, we are actively working to identify opportunities to safely increase our ability to serve more patients," Dr. Helmers said in a statement shared with Becker's. "We are committed to continuing to provide safe, high-quality care to those who need us, and we look forward to collaborating with others in the community to support everyone through these changes to our regional healthcare landscape." The HSHS spokesperson also told Becker's the health system is committed to providing information and resources to patients to help with the care transition, including supporting their employees as well. Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings is required to inform potential buyers that its Upland, Pa.-based Crozer Health is for sale under a recent agreement approval, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Feb. 1. The agreement, approved by Court of Common Pleas Judge Cheryl Austin, gave Prospect 20 days, or until Feb. 21, to place Crozer on the market. A spokesperson for Prospect also confirmed with Becker's that the timing reported was accurate. The pool of potential buyers has also been limited under the agreement to only nonprofits, with a litigation pause for nine months over Prospect's 2022 closure of Crozer's Delaware County (Pa.) Memorial Hospital, the publication reported. "We are pleased the Court has issued the order and we look forward to continuing to serve the community as this process moves forward," a spokesperson for Prospect Medical said in a statement shared with Becker's. Ms. Austin rejected the initial agreement in December, but has since approved a reworked version that gives Prospect a shorter time frame to get Crozer on the market, the publication reported. A written agreement had previously been reached in October between Prospect, the Foundation for Delaware County and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, which paused active litigation and gave Prospect a 270-day window to sell Crozer. Prospect acquired Crozer-Keystone Health System in 2016, which was rebranded to Crozer Health in 2020. Crozer has four hospitals: Upland-based Crozer-Chester Medical Center; Drexel Hill, Pa.-based Delaware County Memorial Hospital; Springfield (Pa.) Hospital; and Ridley Park, Pa.-based Taylor Hospital. The health system also comprises ambulatory surgery centers, clinics and physician offices. The Foundation for Delaware County, which is Crozer-Keystone's legal successor, told The Philadelphia Inquirer it's happy to see the attorney general limited Prospect's sale to nonprofit buyers. "There are no more hurdles remaining in the way of Prospect issuing a request for proposals seeking reputable nonprofit suitors that can work with the excellent staff there to rebuild a desperately needed health system," the foundation told the publication. University of Chicago Medical Center has laid off about 180 employees, or less than 2% of its roughly 13,000-person workforce. The organization, which is part of the University of Chicago Medicine, an academic medical health system based on the campus of the University of Chicago, announced the layoffs on Feb. 1. "As a leading health system and the South Side's only academic medical center, we are proud of our role in caring for patients with complex, serious illnesses," the University of Chicago Medical Center said in a statement shared with Becker's. "We also face the same challenges as many other health systems across the country. After careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to separate about 180 employees from the University of Chicago Medical Center." University of Chicago Medical Center said the majority of affected positions are not direct patient facing, but no further information was provided regarding the specific positions affected. Those affected were notified Feb. 1 and are being provided a severance package, the statement said. "This decision was not made lightly or easily but is necessary to position us to deliver on our mission and enhance the quality of care that we provide," the University of Chicago Medical Center added. "We continue to review further ways to operate more efficiently." Bradley Bond has officially stepped into the role of CFO at Cleveland-based University Hospitals, succeeding Michael Szubski, who retired after more than 15 years in the job. University Hospitals announced in May that Mr. Szubski planned to retire in January. He joined UH in 2003 and became CFO in 2008. His last day was Jan. 31, a health system spokesperson told Becker's. Health system CEO Cliff Megerian, MD, in a LinkedIn post lauded Mr. Szubski's accomplishments, which include helping grow University Hospitals' revenues from $1 billion to approximately $6 billion as well as making key acquisitions, including the integration of Concord Township, Ohio- based Lake Health. Other accomplishments included negotiating a deal with Medical Mutual of Ohio to add UH Cleveland Medical Center to its coverage plan and spearheading an EHR transition to Epic. Dr. Megerian also noted Mr. Szubski's work in "helping UH financially navigate the pandemic and the economic tsunami that followed by leading numerous initiatives that assisted UH in preserving our legacy of compassionately caring for Clevelanders and securing reaffirmations of its 'A' credit ratings with a stable outlook during one of the most financially challenging times for the industry." "Mike has served as a fantastic mentor, developing a deep bench of talent who will assume leadership of the finance organization this month," Dr. Megerian said in the post. That bench includes Mr. Bond, who most recently served as University Hospitals' vice president of treasury, community medical centers, UH medical practices and UH ventures finance. Mr. Bond told Becker's in November that he is eager to take the reins during what he considers the most challenging healthcare environment he has seen in his more than 20 years with the system. "Being in a position to help lead the organization through this and prosper down the road is what I'm most excited about," he said. Dr. Megerian said in a Feb. 5 news release share with Becker's that he's delighted to welcome Mr. Bond to UH's executive leadership team. "His exceptional blend of technical expertise and deep institutional knowledge makes him the ideal leader for this crucial role as chief financial officer of one of Ohios largest healthcare organizations, employers and economic contributors," Dr. Megerian said. "Brads appointment is also a testament to our commitment to cultivating leaders from within our organization, showcasing the remarkable bench strength that drives our success." After Mass General Brigham pulled physicians out of two Steward hospital campuses in late January, the Somerville, Mass.-based system might send them back once surgical equipment is restocked, a spokesperson confirmed with Becker's. On Jan. 26, Mass General said its physicians will no longer perform elective and emergency procedures or surgical cases at Steward Health Care's Holy Family Hospital campuses in Haverhill and Methuen, Mass. However, the system tentatively plans to reinstall the employees and resume procedures in mid-February. "After hearing that certain surgical equipment may not be available, we made the decision to reschedule orthopedic and [gastrointestinal] procedures at Holy Family Hospital for the weeks of Jan. 29 and Feb. 5," Tom Sequist, MD, chief medical officer of Mass General Brigham, said in a statement shared with Becker's. Dr. Sequist added that his system is in daily contact with Holy Family Hospital and will inform patients once Mass General Brigham determines it is safe to resume procedures. Patients affected by the rescheduled surgeries are being redirected to a nearby Mass General or community hospital. When Mass General pulled its physicians, which Dr. Sequist said is a "small number," Steward told Becker's it disagreed with the decision. "The fact that one of the largest healthcare providers in Massachusetts rescinded their care underscores the fact that Steward hospitals do not receive the support they need, nor the recognition of the quality care they provide," a Steward spokesperson said, adding that health disparities could be worsened. Steward, a Dallas-based system with 33 hospitals, was $50 million behind on rent at the end of 2023. It is looking to sell Holy Family Hospital and three other hospitals in Massachusetts, but the state's governor said Steward is "not going to be bailed out." Becker's has reached out to Steward for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available. Nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Mass., have filed more than 600 complaints regarding staffing levels and patient safety since July alleging the administration is in "blatant violation" of a contract that ended the longest nurse strike in state history. The Massachusetts Nurse Association laid out the grievances in a Jan. 30 news release and shared seven of the complaints raised to The Joint Commission, CMS, the state Department of Public Health's licensure and certification division, and the state Board of Registration in Nursing with Becker's. In December 2021, nurses voted to ratify a new contract and end a 301-day strike. As part of the contract, the hospital's owner, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, agreed to update staffing practices. Per the new rules, nurses were limited to no more than four patient assignments on the cardiac postsurgical unit and no more than five patients on the behavioral health unit. The system also agreed to improvements in resource nurse assignment across multiple units. But the ratios have not improved, according to the union, which said staffing levels have dropped and patient loads have increased since the hospital installed a new chief nursing officer, Denise Kvapil, MSN, BSN, on Dec. 1. Since January, nurses have filed 102 reports detailing their concerns. They allege that most nights, only four or five nurses staff the emergency department, although their contract calls for at least 12. They claim that four nurses have been left to care for more than 100 patients in the emergency department; by national standards, their collective capacity would be 20 patients. Due to inadequate ratios, nurses say they have been unable to watch patients who need to be monitored, including those at risk of stroke, heart failure and suicide. In multiple documented instances, there has been no triage nurse on staff, though the hospital is a designated stroke center. Tenet's practices have been "devastating by design," according to the union. The hospital once had more than 800 nurses but now staffs approximately 500, leaving 250 roles vacant. And although the system spent $5 million per week on travel labor during the strike, leadership allegedly told nurses contract help is no longer in the budget. The union alleges that Tenet will not hold regular meetings between nurses and management. In January, 27 nurses filed a complaint with the Board of Registration in Nursing alleging nursing administration had allowed inappropriate care conditions that "placed patients at risk." Subsequently, three ED nurses involved with the complaint were terminated and six nurses on other units including the co-chair of the bargaining unit were suspended without pay, the union said. The union has filed a charge of unfair labor practice against Tenet, seeking injunctive relief to reverse the terminations and suspensions. It is also preparing an official complaint against alleged retaliatory terminations under the state's whistleblower law, according to the release. Tenet has not returned Becker's requests for comment via email and voicemail. This story will be updated if more information becomes available. Feb. 1 was a busy day for two of the nation's largest for-profit health systems. Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare closed the sale of three hospitals and an agreement to sell four more while Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare completed its purchase of a bankrupt Texas hospital. Tenet completed the sale of three South Carolina hospitals to Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health in a $2.4 billion deal. The deal was first announced in November. As part of the deal, Tenet's Conifer Health Solutions subsidiary will enter into a new and expanded 15-year contract to provide revenue cycle management services for the three hospitals and related operations. The hospitals changing hands in that deal are Mount Pleasant, S.C.-based East Cooper Medical Center, Hilton Head (S.C.) Hospital and Hardeeville, S.C.-based Coastal Carolina Hospital. Tenet also reached a definitive agreement to sell four hospitals in Southern California and their associated outpatient locations to Orange, Calif.-based UCI Health for $975 million. The deal is expected to close this spring and involves Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center and Placentia-Linda Hospital. HCA subsidiary Medical City Healthcare in Dallas is now a 20-hospital system after completing its purchase of Trinity Regional Hospital Sachse (Texas), which filed for bankruptcy in 2023. A bankruptcy judge approved the sale of the 3-year-old hospital to HCA in November after an auction. Trinity Regional Hospital Sachse's owner listed assets of $50 million to $100 million and liabilities of $100 million to $500 million on the bankruptcy petition. The hospital was renamed Medical City Sachse and will operate as a campus of Medical City Plano (Texas), with "all current employees" transitioning to Medical City Healthcare. Inside the Upside Foods cultivated chicken production facility in Emeryville. The companys product is no longer available at San Franciscos Bar Crenn. Cayce Clifford/Special to The Chronicle Staff work at the Upside Foods facility in Emeryville. The companys cultivated chicken is no longer available at San Franciscos Bar Crenn. Cayce Clifford/Special to The Chronicle San Franciscos only restaurant offering chicken meat made from cells cultivated in a bioreactor will no longer serve the item. Berkeleys Upside Foods announced the end of its monthly dinners at Bar Crenn, from acclaimed S.F. chef Dominique Crenn, featuring its cultivated chicken, sometimes referred to as lab-grown meat. Instead the company will launch traveling events with chef Crenn and others. An Upside Foods representative did not share dates and venues for these events. Bar Crenn hosted its final dinner featuring Upsides cultivated chicken on Jan. 6. The Chronicle contacted Crenn for comment on the changes but did not hear back in time for publication. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Upside Foods and Alameda company Good Meat, which also produces cultivated chicken, both received regulatory approvals from the FDA and USDA in March 2023, allowing them to serve their products to consumers. But Upsides products recently came under scrutiny after Bloomberg published a piece in which former unidentified employees cast doubt on the quality of the companys chicken. These sources told Bloomberg that Upside is just growing meat described as skin-type cells with higher cholesterol and lead content than real chicken, and that the bioreactors used to produce cultivated cells were a contamination nightmare because they were too complex to clean. An Upside spokesperson said the bioreactors mentioned in the Bloomberg article were never used to produce chicken offered at Bar Crenn. The company refuted the articles claims in a letter from CEO Uma Valeti, saying it did not provide context for the companys first product, and has since demonstrated it can scale up its production technology to safely make its consumer products. We are proud to have partnered with Chef Dominique Crenn to make history, from the first-ever U.S. sale of cultivated meat to a series of UPSIDE dinners at Bar Crenn that delighted consumers with a delicious taste of the future, a company statement reads. The cultivated meat industry, and other meat alternatives like plant-based and mycelium products, has marketed itself as a solution to resource-intensive factory farming. To make cultivated meat, real animal cells are kept at a temperature that promotes growth and are fed a mix of nutrients. But the process is costly and energy intensive, too. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While hospitals and health systems have seen improvements in nurse turnover and recruitment since the height of the pandemic, many continue to have a particularly hard time staffing medical-surgical units. At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, around 90% of agency dollars are being spent on nurses to work in med-surg, the hospital's chief nursing officer, Deana Sievert, DNP, RN, recently told Becker's. Many health systems across the U.S. are experiencing a similar situation. A history of stigma attached to med-surg the units that typically account for most of a hospital's beds is driving this challenge. Often, it's considered a steppingstone to other specialties, rather than its own. It's also thought of as more strenuous than other specialties, given med-surg nursing requires a broad range of knowledge to care for patients who may have very different conditions and needs. Shifting the narrative Putting a more positive light on the specialty's reputation requires a shift within the nursing field itself, leaders say. "We have got to partner with our academic partners because over the years, there has been a stigma that has been secured by faculty," Dr. Sievert said. "Nursing students coming out are saying to us, 'Listen, my faculty told me don't take a job in med-surg. You can't take care of patients very well there because they give you too many.' I think we've got to definitely work with our academic partners [to change that]." Med-surg nurses typically manage five to seven patients at a time, higher than the typical patient load nurses in areas such as the ICU may care for. To make med-surg more attractive, hospitals are working on giving nurses additional support so they can focus less on tasks that take them away from their patients. For example, some hospitals are leaning more heavily on patient care assistants to better support med-surg nurses with non-nursing tasks. Investing in virtual nursing and technology is another way health systems are working to change the perception of med-surg nursing. Tommye Austin, PhD, RN, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare, previously told Becker's the system is exploring how robots and technology can be integrated with vital sign machines and other equipment to mitigate the burden of repetitive tasks. "If I'm a registered nurse working in a med-surg unit, I should be able to expect that I don't have to double document vital signs," she said. "I don't have to double document IV drips and things of that nature. I think there are certain things organizations should put in place so that the work environment is a lot easier." At OSU, leaders are considering whether med-surg unit staffing can be improved with money currently being used on agency nurses. "You can generally employ one and a half nurses for the cost of an agency nurse, and sometimes even two," Dr. Sievert said. The hospital is in the middle of an analysis to see whether a shift to a sole RN model where nurses could expect a standard patient load of three patients, with an occasional flex up to four or five, would be comparable to the current model, which involves a lot of agency nurses and patient care assistants. "Is there a different way to spend our dollars and can we do it wiser to really recruit our own team?" she said. There are many factors that contribute to how much surgeons make each year, including cost of living and practice setting. Neurosurgery is the highest paying physician specialty in the U.S., according to Doximity's "2023 Physician Compensation Report," which lists the average neurosurgeon salary at $788,313. Two neurosurgeons recently spoke with Becker's about whether they feel fairly compensated and the factors affecting compensation in their field. Editor's note: These responses were lightly edited for clarity and length. Question: Do you feel like you are fairly compensated as a surgeon? Why or why not? Armond Levy, MD. St. Louis Neurosurgery: I do not feel fairly compensated as a surgeon. Practice overhead and cost of living are rising, reimbursement is decreasing and the hassles of insurance, various credentialing forms and worsening malpractice exposure render the daily joys of medical/surgical practice less and less net-positive. Wilson Ray, MD. Professor of Neurosurgery, Executive Vice Chair of Neurological Surgery and Chief of Spine Surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine: In terms of compensation, I believe it is relatively fair considering the responsibilities and the complexity of the services provided. Surgeon compensation reflects not only the years of rigorous training and education required but also the ongoing commitment to innovation and best practices. However, it's important to recognize that compensation varies widely depending on geographic location, practice and/or employment type and the healthcare system's structure. The landscape is changing as surgeons recognize the value they provide to a hospital via ancillary services and facility fees along with providing call coverage. The fair market value for the aggregate of what surgeons provide to the hospital/facility is going to increase and the subsequent expectation of salary will also likely increase. While private equity funding can support the growth of practices and enhance efficiency, some surgeons see potential drawbacks, including negative influence on research and conflict between partners. Three surgeons recently spoke with Becker's about the pros and cons of private equity in the spine and orthopedic surgery industries. Editor's note: These responses were lightly edited for clarity and length. Question: What are the pros and cons of private equity in the spine and/or orthopedic industries? Jonathan Clabeaux, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (Tacoma, Wash.): Private equity investment in the spine and orthopedic industries can have both advantages and disadvantages. It's important to note that the impact of private equity can vary based on specific circumstances, individual companies and market conditions. Private equity investors may bring in experienced professionals with strong operational expertise. This can lead to improved efficiency, streamlined processes and better management practices, ultimately enhancing the overall performance of the group. Private equity can play an active role in maintaining the private practice and helping physicians avoid hospital system employment. The overhead costs for private groups have skyrocketed over the past few years and private equity could mitigate some of those costs. Downside: Private equity investors often have a relatively short investment horizon, typically around three to seven years. This short-term focus may lead to decisions that prioritize immediate financial gains over long-term sustainability of the practice. Physicians may also lose control of their practice in a private equity situation. John Loeser, MD. Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington (Seattle): This a difficult issue without a clear-cut solution at the present time. There is no question that the source of funding can influence the types of studies done, their reliability and the conclusions that people draw from them. This is particularly true in the spinal surgery/low back pain area. Unfortunately, there is very little funding from impartial government or professional agencies. This means that the device manufacturers are the sources of money, and they attract the people who use the devices, many of whom have biases based upon their source of funds or political beliefs. Then the agencies that fund such surgeries try to minimize expenses by not approving new technology. There are also questions of what outcomes are meaningful, and to whom. Like most of American medicine, the intrusion of unbridled capitalism has been a disaster and has led to our inability to base our decisions on reliable data. This is not a new problem, as it has existed since the dawn of modern medicine. Until we rationalize healthcare in this country, I do not think that we can clarify meaningful research strategies. In general, those who undertake clinical studies all-to-often fail to recognize the role of non-specific treatment effects, including placebos. Michael McKee, MD. Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine (Phoenix): In my department, I have both hospital-employed and private practice physicians. Some of the latter are in groups that have been backed or financed by private equity. In my opinion, there are some definite advantages to private equity for orthopedic practices. This includes the ability to expand a practice by taking advantage of the economies of scale, promoting innovation, standardizing processes and procedures [and] eliminating costly and inefficient variability or outliers. [There is also] a focus on modern patient-related outcomes and the ability of the surgeons involved to increase their equity in the practice. However, there are some drawbacks to private equity. This would include a potential loss of control of the practice (depending on the contract signed), a focus on the "bottom line" rather than patient care and the curtailing of treatment of patients who are not "profitable," particularly those with multiple medical comorbidities, complex orthopedic problems, revision cases, infection, etc. Certainly, there are some groups of patients that have been clearly shown in the orthopedic literature to have costs which far exceed any potential reimbursement. They tend to gravitate away from private practice groups (especially those backed by private equity) toward public institutions (safety net hospitals). Lastly, in many situations the private equity contract can favor established "partners" in a group by offering attractive equity buyouts often at the expense of the junior members of the group, creating significant conflict. Obviously, private equity, in general, is not conducive with the running of a publicly funded institution such as our department, but having private practice groups as partners in a "balanced" faculty in a university department has become a mainstay of many universities in 2024. As part of Iowa City-based University of Iowa's takeover of Mercy Iowa City, the system will assume more than 1,000 of Mercy's contracts with vendors, suppliers and more, according to a Feb. 1 report from The Gazette. While UI will take over 1,006 of Mercy's contracts, including those with equipment manufacturer Smith & Nephew, healthcare asset manager Renovo Solutions, and MidAmerican Energy, it will not take on agreements with Iowa City-based Steindler Orthopedic Clinic, with which Mercy collaborated for 70 years. "The university has already determined that it will not seek assignment of the Steindler executory contracts," read a motion Mercy filed last week with the bankruptcy court seeking approval to reject its ongoing agreements with Steindler. "(Mercy) will not need the Steindler-related executory contracts identified in this motion following the closing date since (Mercys) operations will effectively cease." "Following the closing, the Steindler-related executory contracts that are not assumed and assigned to the university will only serve to potentially burden the (Mercy) estates." Mercy has requested that Steindler assert "rejection damages" claims by March 1, according to the report. In September, Steindler was connected to 13 Mercy contracts. When the university won the bid to purchase Mercy for $28 million, Steindler objected to its contracts being assigned to UI. Steindler was concerned about agreements tied to its new $525.6 million orthopedic ASC in North Liberty, Iowa. Before Mercy's purchase, Steindler revealed a new contract with the system to collaborate on developing the 36 acres of land Steindler owns in North Liberty. With the new agreement, Steindler included restrictions barring Mercy from assigning the agreement to any "third party" without Steindlers consent. In excluding Steindler from UI contracts, Mercy is giving the system what it asked for, according to the report. Though Steindler will continue to operate on the former Mercy Iowa City campus for the time being, by keeping its control in North Liberty, Steindler can continue talking with potential collaborators about future projects on the site. In court documents, Steindler laid out why it was opposed to UI taking over its contracts. "Mercy should not be allowed to use the bankruptcy filing to attempt to dictate to Steindler that other entities may have an opportunity to interject themselves into Steindlers ambulatory surgical centers development and operation," the system wrote. "This is of particular importance because in June of 2022, Steindler was approached by Mercy and its representatives, who provided Steindler with UIHC Requirements and Mitigating Alternatives and stipulated that UIHCs offer to acquire Mercy would fail if Steindler would not alter the North Liberty Ambulatory Surgery Center Agreements, including modifying the restrictive covenants in the North Liberty Ambulatory Surgery agreements and agreeing to grant 51 percent ownership of Steindlers North Liberty ASC to UIHC." The cast of the highly-anticipated television adaptation of a book based on the disappearance of Jean McConville during the Troubles has been revealed. Based on the acclaimed novel, Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by writer Patrick Radden Keefe, the series will follow the abduction and murder of the west Belfast mother-of 10 by the IRA through the eyes of two sisters, Dolours Price and Marian Price. Belfast-born actress Lola Petticrew will play Dolours, while Dublin-born Hazel Doupe will play Marian. Anthony Boyle will also star in the series as IRA man and hunger striker Brendan Hughes, while London-based actor Josh Finan will play Gerry Adams. Award-winning actress Maxine Peake, who was recently seen in ITVs Anne, based on the Hillsborough disaster, has been cast as the adult Dolours Price. Petticrew, who uses they/them pronouns, is best known to audiences as Izzy Brannick, the daughter of James Nesbitts DCI Tom Brannick in BBCs drama Bloodlands. They also had a supporting role in journalism drama She Said in 2022 and they are set to star in A24s new film Tuesday alongside Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus later this year. The official description of the series reads: Spanning four decades, Say Nothing explores the tumultuous period in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. The series launches with the shocking disappearance of Jean McConville, a single mother of 10 who was abducted from her home in 1972 and never seen alive again. But McConville was only one of many others who became known collectively as The Disappeared. It said the story is told through the eyes of various IRA members, including sisters Dolours and Marian Price young women who transformed into magnetic symbols of radical politics. It adds that others include "Brendan Hughes a tight-lipped but conflicted military strategist, and Gerry Adams a savvy political operator who would go on to negotiate peace but ultimately deny his involvement with the IRA. "Say Nothing unpacks the extremes some people will go to within a civil rights movement as they pursue their ideals, the mystery surrounding The Disappeared, the cost of silence, and the way society mends or doesnt after a long and bloody conflict. Despite its Northern Ireland setting, the majority of filming for the series took place in England, with only some scenes filmed in Belfast. Its production was also criticised by the McConville family, who are reported to have been unhappy with the books adaptation. Say Nothing, the book, won the 2019 Orwell Prize for political writing while it was recently highlighted as a favourite book of pop star Dua Lipa and chat show host Seth Meyers. Say Nothing is being produced by FX for Disney and will consist of nine episodes. It will air later this year on Disney+ in the UK. Friends treated for Hodgkin Lymphoma sharing story to raise awareness of the main symptoms Abbie with her mum and dad at end of chemo in hospital. Abbie Price and Rebecca McKee celebrating the end of chemotherapy for Rebecca Two young friends have described how they were diagnosed with the same cancer just months apart. Abbie Price from Crumlin, Co Antrim, was 21 when in December 2022 she was told she had Hodgkin Lymphoma. The following March, 21-year-old Rebecca McKee from Belfast was given the same news. Neither realised that the symptoms they experienced could point to cancer. Both are sharing their story for World Cancer Day this Sunday to raise awareness of symptoms in teenagers and young people and encourage support for the Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity that supported them. Every year around 75 people in Northern Ireland aged 13-24 are diagnosed with cancer. But just 17% of 13 to 24-year-olds know all five of the main warning signs lumps, bumps and swellings; unexplained tiredness; mole changes; persistent pain and significant weight change. Abbie Price lost her hair due to chemo treatment Abbie, now 22, said she was so shocked to be diagnosed, adding: It had never occurred to me the lump I had could be cancer. That first time I went into the hospital for treatment I did get a wee bit emotional, but I just had to get on with it. I went every two weeks for chemotherapy and was always the youngest there, most of the people there were a lot older. It made me feel like I wasnt meant to be there, and it felt lonely. But my mum and dad would come along to keep me company, and Kerrie was there every week too, chatting away to me. Both Abbie and Rebecca were treated at Antrim Area Hospital and supported by clinical nurse specialist Kerrie. Her role is funded by the part-funded by the Teenage Cancer Trust, and she is one of five part-funded nurses working across five local hospitals who focus on helping young people with cancer. Abbie added: Kerrie was so helpful to have around and explained everything that was going to happen and since then shes been there for anything Ive needed. She was easy to speak to and no questions were too small. Abbie with her mum and dad at end of chemo in hospital. Three months into her treatment, Abbie heard that Rebecca had also been diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. Abbie added: Growing up I knew Rebecca through mutual friends, and it was a real coincidence that we both had the same cancer so close together. Part of me started thinking I hope we get to do this together because it would be nice to have someone to talk to and understand what each other is going through. Abbie in hospital wearing a mask. Rebecca noticed something wasnt quite right after finding a lump in her neck, but when it appeared to have gone away, she wasnt too concerned. However, when it came back two months later, and she started getting headaches and blurred vision she went to A&E. Rebecca explained: I had a scan, and it was then that they found a 6cm x 4cm tumour, right next to my heart. I was so shocked it was completely out of the blue. Rebecca said: Abbie was well into her treatment when I was diagnosed. I remember that she said to me that at the start of treatment that its mayhem and you dont feel positive but that after a few weeks it would change. When Abbie finished her treatment on June 2 last year, she rang the end of treatment bell and Rebecca came along to watch. She added: Rebecca and I got a lot closer during treatment and we have kept in touch since. Weve talked about having a night out to celebrate and I joined a walk Rebecca organised to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. Dr Louise Soanes, chief nurse at Teenage Cancer Trust, urged anyone with symptoms to get checked out. Its normal to feel nervous before speaking to a doctor or a nurse if you dont feel that you can make the first step on your own, it can be a good idea to speak to someone you trust first, she said. A pensioner with multiple sclerosis jailed for collecting information for dissident republican terrorists is not entitled to any reduced sentence because of her deteriorating health, the Court of Appeal ruled today. Senior judges rejected claims that the four-year prison term imposed on Fionnghuale Perry was manifestly excessive. Dismissing her appeal, Lord Justice McCloskey said: The scourge of terrorist offending continues to demand condign punishment in the unsettled and challenging post-conflict world of Northern Ireland. The 67-year-old west Belfast woman has already lost a legal battle to have her conviction overturned. Police discovered notes stored inside a perfume box in a bedroom at her Waterville Street home back in 2018. Seven cigarette papers containing written information about a previous recovery of weapons and explosives were located. The notes related to interviews carried out following seizures from Kevin Barry Nolans home in Ballymurphy, west Belfast in 2015. Nolan was later convicted and jailed for storing Semtex, guns and bullets. Prosecutors said the papers in Perrys house were from a debriefing about the seized weapons to find out what went wrong and how police came to find them. She claimed the documents were for legitimate political and journalistic purposes as part of her role as a commentator and activist. But following a non-jury trial last year, she was found guilty of collecting or making a record of information likely to be of use to terrorists. Defence lawyers argued that Perrys already poor health may have declined further due to the stress of the case. The Court of Appeal heard she has been assessed as suffering from chronic anxiety and depression, severe lethargy and a rapidly evolving multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosed after criminal proceedings commenced. It was contended that a suspended sentence should have been considered due to her exceptional circumstances. Medical reports described Perry as seriously debilitated, with a marked deterioration in her physical appearance and mental health. In prison she receives personal assistance and adaptations have been made to her cell because of her condition. However, all grounds of challenge based on the state of Perrys health, the sentencing regime and human rights legislation were rejected. Lord Justice McCloskey cited case law that a serious medical condition will not automatically entitle an offender to a lesser sentence. He cited findings that Perry had been involved in sinister activity and her previous convictions in the mid 1970s for hijacking a motor vehicle and membership of a proscribed organisation. The appellants culpability was on any showing at an elevated level, the judge said. The proposition that the appellant fell to be punished by a sentence designed to deter her and others from committing offences of this kind is, in our view, incontestable. Jamariae Speed works on a class assignment in an Algebra II class at Mission High School in San Francisco. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle 2019 Whether to offer Algebra I to eighth graders has been a point of contention for years within the San Francisco school district. In 2014, the Board of Education voted to not offer Algebra I until high school to delay the tracking of students into different academic levels and to boost the enrollment of Black, Latino and low-income students in higher-level math classes. Despite these good intentions, however, the change has had little to no impact on improving pass rates, proficiency or enrollment in higher math classes by underrepresented students, according to a Stanford University study. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Many parents have been clamoring for the district to reinstate eighth-grade algebra because it allows students to take calculus by the time they are seniors without having to double up on math classes or go outside the district. Parents with the means can send their kids to private classes for algebra, giving them a leg up on families who cant afford such a luxury. Proposition G, placed on the March 5 ballot by the Board of Supervisors, would make it city policy to encourage San Francisco Unified School District to offer Algebra 1 to students by their eighth-grade year and to support the School Districts development of its math curriculum for students at all grade levels. The measure is advisory, so even if it passes, it cant compel the school district to take action. However, the public referendum along with years of debate, protests, petitions and a lawsuit appears to have already nudged the district to move forward with three proposals for how to restore the teaching of algebra to eighth-graders. A policy is expected to be finalized by the Board of Education on Feb. 13. Two of the school districts proposals for reinstating eighth-grade algebra would offer classes before the regular school day or during the summer. A third option would force students to double up on math classes. Supervisors Joel Engardio, Myrna Melgar and Asha Safai, who support Prop. G, all told the editorial board these plans are insufficient. We agree and would like to see a less onerous path to algebra for students. San Francisco public schools are hemorrhaging students. Many of those who leave the district do so in middle school; sixth-grade enrollment in the districts non-charter schools fell from 3,723 in 2016-17 to 3,418 in 2022-23, according to state Department of Education data. Stemming this decline demands a better response to the needs of parents. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This editorial board isnt a fan of cluttering the ballot with nonbinding measures. Discussions over education policy should ideally be happening with the Board of Education. Nevertheless, teaching algebra to eighth graders is a worthwhile pursuit to enhance public education and to potentially staunch declining district enrollment. Given the capriciousness with which the school board has governed in recent years, we agree with supporters of the measure that sending a public message is necessary in this case. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has told the Policing Board that he has sought independent legal advice on how best to expedite disclosure requirements in relation to outstanding legacy inquests. Unless amended by the High Court all legacy inquests will stop on May 1. At the end of last year, a legal challenge to the controversial Troubles Act ended without judgement after eight days of legal arguments. Mr Justice Colton reserved his verdict but promised to give priority to making a decision, which is expected later this month. The challenge had been brought by a number of loved ones of victims, as well as a survivor of a gun attack. The act, which became law in September last year, will end future civil litigation and inquests into deaths which occurred during the Troubles. There were 53 inquests included in the original five-year plan to deal with legacy, more having since been added by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland Brenda King. However, depending on the High Court ruling, if those inquests are not heard by May of this year, they will fall to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). The ICRIR will have a 250m budget and a staff of several hundred and will be led by retired judge, Sir Declan Morgan. Policing Board member and Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly asked the Chief Constable, Are the police expediting disclosure to inquests, as youll know this is an ongoing sage, there is a cut-off date in May and people are very worried?. Mr Boutcher said: We have a hard stop on those inquests as of May 1, unless amended. Because of the amount of work that is required for a number of those inquests, they will not be concluded I fear, by the May date, that is a reality that coroners, legal teams for families and families themselves are alive to. The first thing we are seeking to do is expedite the delivery of material to each of those ongoing inquests in a way that would allow them to be completed. We have a discussion next week to come up with any fixes to assist these families ... but the timescale is not ours, it has been forced upon us and forced upon those coroners carrying out inquests. Eight inquests will be complete as the deaths occurred after 1998 and therefore will not be impacted by the legacy legislation and will still go ahead after the May cut-off date. A decision to erect new 60,000 gates which will close off a previously open space in south Belfast at night, caused a row among Belfast City councillors. This week at the full meeting of Belfast City Council at City Hall, Sinn Fein, the DUP and Alliance faced off against the SDLP and the Greens over a ratified decision to close Crescent Park at night, as soon as new deluxe gates were erected. Belfast Council will spend 35,000 on the new gates with the other 25K coming from private donors. At the full council, an SDLP proposal to halt a committee decision, made in a secret session, to erect the gates fell. A vote resulted in eight votes in favour from the SDLP and the Greens, and 48 against from all the other parties in the chamber. SDLP councillor Gary McKeown said: The decision to spend 60,000 of rate payers money on ornate gates at Crescent Park is apparently to increase security, despite the fact the surrounding fence is only about four feet high, and very easy to climb. I have grave concerns about how the process around this was reached, not least to hold it in closed session despite the fact that the previous committee discussion was held in public in January last year, and the finances around it were already in the public domain. I would also note that while papers refer to consultation with key groups, elected representatives for the Botanic area were not consulted, nor were members of the public. This comes at a time when in my view, there are much more pressing parks issues in my area that need to be attended to. Alliance councillor Micky Murray said one local resident was terrified for her life every single night. She lived behind shutters because she didnt want other people knowing she was there, he said. She showed me CCTV evidence of people out her back trying to break into the house. Since that developers came in to develop a hotel next door, and restore beautiful historic buildings back to what they were. They have done so much work to the local park. Green councillor Anthony Flynn added that the decision was a reversal of council policy on 24 hour opening of park space. He made a proposal to spend up to 20,000 on a swift tower at Crescent Park. The swift is on the red list for birds, and Crescent Park is home to the largest swift colony in Northern Ireland. A vote on his proposal resulted in two votes in favour from the Greens, and 53 against from all the other parties in the chamber. Alliance councillor Michael Long asked about the competence of the Green Party proposal, and said: We have absolutely no idea what the details of this would be. I am all for having things like this, I would just need to know a little more about it before I start voting for it. Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran Beattie quipped after the vote: I just made a quick google there on swift bird boxes, and they are not actually 20,000. I see they are for 45, if the members want to do a whip-round. To echoes of laughter around the chamber, councillor Flynn replied: Thats why I use the words up to and want a feasibility study. The tower is not 45, dont be stupid. DUP leader Sir Jeffery Donaldson has said he will hold the Governments feet to the fire on the issue (Niall Carson/PA) The leader of the DUP has warned the Government he will hold its feet to the fire on delivering on the deal to restore Stormont as he admitted he did not fully trust it. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said independent monitoring mechanisms built into the agreement meant there were means to ensure the Government was doing what it has pledged to do. The DUP has given the green light for the recall of the Stormont Assembly on the back of the deal, with powersharing due to be restored in Northern Ireland on Saturday after two years in cold storage. On Thursday, two pieces of legislation contained in the agreement to resurrect devolution were fast-tracked through the House of Commons. The DUP has agreed the package of measures with the Government that Sir Jeffrey says has effectively removed the so-called Irish Sea border for goods moving from Great Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland. The plan is set out in a command paper titled Safeguarding the Union. There is undoubtedly a trust issue here, the DUP leader told BBC Radio Ulster on Friday. I will hold the Governments feet to the fire, there are new mechanisms. Im not just relying on the UK Government. 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 Theres a new independent monitoring panel to be established under this agreement, which will hold the Governments feet to the fire as an independent body. I will be able to appoint people, professional people with knowledge of customs arrangements, with knowledge of trading arrangements, who will be able to ensure that what the Government have promised to deliver is delivered. Sir Jeffrey added: It (command paper) is a political declaration of what the Government is doing and has, in some instances, already done and will do. 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 political transactions, there is a degree of guarantee and there is a degree of trust most transactions in life are like that. Do we completely 100% trust the Government? No, of course not. Thats why I have built mechanisms in here and safety nets in here to ensure that if the Government dishonour their side, then we have measures that we can utilise to address that. When the Northern Ireland Assembly does reconvene at Parliament Buildings on Saturday it will witness the historically significant moment of the appointment of its first nationalist First Minister, Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill. The DUP will hold the position of deputy First Minister an office that wields the same powers as the First Minister. Party leaders are meeting at Stormont Castle on Friday afternoon for preparatory discussions ahead of the return of devolution. While Sir Jeffrey has secured the backing of a majority of party colleagues to accept the deal, there are those within the DUP who remain deeply sceptical of the proposed agreement to restore powersharing. A public meeting at Moygashel Orange Hall, Belfast, after the agreement of a Government package that is set to deliver the restoration of powersharing in Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA) Parliamentary debate on the two motions on Thursday laid bare the divisions at the very top of the DUP, with senior party members Lord Dodds and Sammy Wilson voicing opposition to the proposals, albeit both stopped short of criticising their leader. Sir Jeffrey is also facing opposition outside his party. Around 120 unionists and loyalists opposed to the deal gathered at a meeting in Moygashel Orange Hall in Co Tyrone on Thursday night. TUV leader Jim Allister told the meeting that Northern Ireland remained a colony because it had to accept economic laws made by the EU while loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said the Irish Sea trading border remained. However, the DUP leader was given a significant boost on Friday when a high-profile Orange Order chief declared his personal support for the package. Grand Secretary of the Orange Order Mervyn Gibson, writing in the Belfast Telegraph, said while the deal was not perfect, it was a win for unionist determination and unity, and needs to be accepted as such. On Friday a former attorney general for Northern Ireland rejected the contention that a Government deal to restore Stormont had removed an Irish Sea border. John Larkin KC was commissioned by several vocal opponents of the agreement to assess the legal effect of the measures. The legal opinion was commissioned Mr Allister, Mr Bryson, former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib and Baroness Kate Hoey. 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 The Government has faced questions in Parliament from Brexiteer backbenchers who have expressed concern that the deal agreed with the DUP would place limits on the UKs ability to diverge from EU regulations. Ministers have sought to reassure MPs that the measures will not affect the UKs capacity to diverge. The paper commits to replacing the Windsor Frameworks green lane process at Northern Ireland ports, which requires percentages of goods to be checked as they arrive from Great Britain, with a UK internal market system that will govern the movement of goods that remain within the United Kingdom. Checks would still be carried out but on a risk-based/intelligence-led model to combat illegality and disease, rather than routine stops of disembarking lorries. Businesses using the internal market system would also need to be signed up to a trusted trader scheme. Michelle ONeill is expected to become First Minister (Niall Carson/PA) The measure to reduce checks on GB/NI trade is part of a wide-ranging deal agreed between the DUP and the Government that would bring about the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland after a two-year hiatus. The DUP has agreed to drop its two-year blockade of Stormont in exchange for the Government measures aimed at addressing its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements that created economic barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The return of Stormont will see the Treasury release a 3.3 billion package to support under-pressure public services in Northern Ireland. The financial package, announced by the Government before Christmas, includes money to settle the demands of striking public sector workers in the region this year. Despite the moves to restore the devolved institutions, industrial action continued on Thursday, with public transport workers and school support staff picketing in the latest day of strikes in Northern Ireland. Preparations for the 2024 Twelfth of July celebrations are already underway as the 18 host venues met in Co Armagh last month. However, the locations for this years parades have yet to be revealed by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland (GOLI). It comes as the 36th annual memorial parade and service of remembrance to mark the 1988 murder of UDR soldiers Frederick Starrett and James Cummings will take place on Saturday February 24 in Belfast. The parade will commence at 10.20am from Pottinger Street in east Belfast before the return parade begins at Royal Avenue at 12pm. Around 800 participants are expected to take part in what is considered the first major parade of the year. The GOLIs annual Twelfth Conference took place on January 20 in Lurgans Brownlow House, where PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton provided an insight into the policing operations at the annual parades. In an editorial in Februarys Orange Standard the official newspaper of the GOLI it said attendees welcomed the insight from Mr Singleton and raised various local issues. It added that the Assistant Chief Constable was eager to see engagement at a local level improve and have a collaborative approach to addressing the issues faced by organisers and the PSNI alike. Each of the speakers were happy to take questions from those present which proved useful, particularly when it came to trying to address specific areas of concern, continued the editorial. Two Brethren from Bangor District LOL No 18, who hosted a Twelfth demonstration in 2023, joined the event as part of a question and answer session. They shared their experiences, speaking of the challenges faced and also the successes they enjoyed. The event culminated in several group discussions around each venues plans for the 2024 Twelfth as well as the challenges faced by organisers and provided the opportunity to collaborate on finding potential solutions to the challenges. Last year, plans to shorten Belfasts Twelfth of July parade were abandoned after members expressed their anger at the proposals. It was reported that the order was considering cutting the distance and axing the gathering in the field at Barnett Demesne, on the outskirts of the city. Those recommendations stemmed from an internal report commissioned into the 2022 Twelfth which described it as probably the worst for decades. It is understood the decision to stick to the traditional route was agreed in November after the order considered feedback from members strongly opposed to plans to shorten it. There was said to be overwhelming support in favour of retaining the longer route. At 10 miles, Belfasts Twelfth route is one of the longest. It leaves Carlisle Circus in the north of the city at 10am, passing through the city centre and arriving at Barnett Demesne at around lunchtime. It then retraces its steps back to north Belfast in the late afternoon. Had the plans been accepted, it would have turned down Elmwood Avenue in the south of the city and finished at 2pm. If adopted, the 2024 route would have been shortened by six miles. Police recruitment is to resume in April Police have said they are aware of social media posts suggesting roads leading to Stormont on Saturday will be blocked by marches protesting the return of the DUP to the Executive. On Friday, social media posts and messages on WhatsApp began circulating purporting to encourage those in the loyalist community to block all gates into Stormont Estate and Castle ahead of the meeting of the Executive. In a message seen by the Belfast Telegraph, the operation is named Stop Jeffrey Donaldson and asks those involved to block the entrances of Stormont. Parliament Buildings at Stormont Estate, Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) Liam McBurney It also encourages those who object to the DUPs deal with the Government in order to restore power-sharing to show their opposition and anger. The message also called the DUPs deal this dirty deal. In a statement, a police spokesperson said: Police are aware of these uncorroborated social media posts suggesting roads could be blocked. Police will continue to monitor tensions surrounding the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and work with communities and partners to fulfil our statutory obligations. The plans come after police previously down-played WhatsApp messages which appeared to suggest several roads would be blocked by those in opposition to the deal. Police also called the reports of blocked roads, which did not occur, uncorroborated. Union official says pressure has to be maintained as return of Stormont doesnt mean problems facing public sector workers over Strikes brought buses and trains to a standstill yesterday as workers in Derry insisted public services need a long-term plan for massive investment. Picket lines were mounted at Pennyburn bus yard, Foyle Street Bus Station and the North West Transport Hub. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Damien Doherty, Ulsterbus Unite branch secretary, said the pressure has to be maintained, adding people were being a bit presumptuous over the return of power-sharing. He said: Stormont isnt back yet, so as it stands we are still in the same position and were looking at Chris Heaton-Harris, who is holding the funds for our pay offer. Until somebody moves to release the funds so we can get around the table with Translink to get wage negotiations up and running properly, were still in the same position of having to continue with action. He questioned whether money will be set aside to deal with public sector pay increases before the rest of the Secretary of States funding package is carved up between Stormont departments. He added: If the money for the wages is tied in with the rest of the 3.3bn, then we could be facing another month or more by the time they get ministers in place and decide on budgets. We want a resolution to the wages issue as soon as possible. Workers are willing to take further strike action if there is no movement in the pay impasse, he insisted. Damien Doherty from Unite on strike in Derrys Foyle Street (Picture by Martin McKeown) However, he was keen for an agreement to be reached to the satisfaction of strikers, and would be disappointed if there was a need for public sector workers to stage more walkouts. There is always the hope this will be the last strike, as is always the case, but with the recent developments I would hope that something is done, but I certainly wouldnt be confident, he said. There needs to be a long-term plan. Right across the public sector we need a sustained commitment to investment in public services. At the end of the day, public services affect everybody in society youre talking about healthcare, education, transport and infrastructure, so it is an investment in society. It is key to everyone in this part of the world. We need a massive commitment to investment in public services. Unlawfully-at-large prisoner Shane Frane has been arrested in the Republic of Ireland The 36-year-old was arrested on Thursday February 1 on an extradition warrant sought by Police Service of Northern Ireland for being unlawfully at large from prison from 17th January. He was convicted of the manslaughter of Constable Philippa Reynolds. Ms Reynolds (27) died following a road traffic collision in February 2013 when a Toyota Landcruiser crashed into her unmarked police car in the Waterside area of Londonderry. Ms Reynolds was a back-seat passenger in the police car which was hit and the PSNI believe she was killed instantly by the impact of the stolen vehicle. Frane appeared before Dublin Extradition Court today, Friday February 2, where he has been remanded into custody pending extradition proceedings. Sergeant Davey from the International Policing Unit said: This case demonstrates the close working of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service to pursue fugitives from this jurisdiction. It also highlights our close working with An Garda Siochana Extradition Unit in tracking down wanted persons and bringing offenders to justice. Our message is clear to anyone who has left Northern Ireland to avoid the consequences of their actions. We will use all powers available to have you arrested and returned to Northern Ireland. Frane had been serving an indeterminate prison term for the death of Ms Reynolds. Despite a minimum six-year tariff expiring in 2019, Parole Commissioners repeatedly determined that he must remain behind bars. Mourners were told of the warm, inclusive and charming personality which was adored by many during the funeral service of Walter Love on Friday afternoon. The much-loved broadcaster and journalist passed away at the age of 88 last week in a nursing home following a short illness. With a broadcasting career spanning 77 years, Jazz Club with Walter Love aired its final show in 2023. He also hosted Radio Ulsters Day By Day and Love in the Afternoon, and presented Sunday programme Love Forty. He was the dearly beloved husband of the late Mary and much loved brother of Daphne, Dick and the late Hugh and Brian Love. The funeral service at St Columbas Parish Church, Kings Road, Belfast was conducted by the Reverend Chancellor John R. Auchmuty and the organ was played by Walters good friend Dr Joe McKee. His brother Dick paid tribute to him during the service and remembered fondly of the time when he first became aware of Walters love of radio, when the presence of wires, crystal sets and tape recorders took over their front room. He would sometimes record our siblings, he said. And I enjoyed Walters wide range of jazz. Walter had a passion for travel and for many years would spend Christmas with his sister Daphne on Vancouver Island in Canada and spend New Year in Sydney, Australia. Everywhere he went Walter made friends and loved the warm weather and developing his passion for painting, said Dick, adding that one of his most treasured possessions is a watercolour that was painted by Walter of the Mourne Mountains in Co Down. It was of the southern end of the mountains near Hilltown; it really illustrated Walters love of painting and his love of the Mournes. In his later years, Walter lived in County Down and became President of the Lecale and Downe Historical Society and was a keen member of Inch Art Group and worshipped at Inch Parish Church just outside Downpatrick. Dick said: He loved where he lived and loved the people of that area. Walter was a warm, inclusive and charming big brother, he added. He always presented a calm and serene image. Mr Love was inducted into the Phonographic Performance Ireland Radio Awards Hall of Fame in 2014 for recognition of his skill and passion. He started out as a freelance contributor to BBC radio in the 1950s, before landing a job as a studio manager in London. He then spent a decade as a TV newsreader in Belfast before joining Radio Ulster in 1978. In 1997, he was awarded an MBE for his services to broadcasting. Long-term friend and former colleague, Don Anderson, also paid tribute to the veteran broadcaster during the funeral service. How do you begin to expose the life of Walter, who lived such a long life, and lived it so well? he said. One of the ways I can start is to mention this year 2024 which marks a century of broadcasting for Northern Ireland. It all began 1924 from a studio in Linenhall not far from where the BBC stands today, he added. Of those 100 years, Walter was around professionally for over 70 years and that is quite remarkable. Don told mourners that when he joined the BBC in 1968 Walter had already made a big name for himself and that much of his on-air exposure was intimately linked with the Troubles in Northern Ireland. His programme was important to Northern Ireland as it was going through this bad period, he said. Broadcasting had to reflect somewhat normal life at the time and Walter was able to do that, and he did it so superbly well. Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey has said he has "mixed feelings and emotions" but is "pleased" to see Michelle O'Neill go forward as First Minister as he stands down from his role and elected politics on Saturday. Party leaders and officials will meet on Friday to discuss the key issues for an incoming Stormont executive after two years since its' collapse. Speaking to the BBC on Friday morning, Mr Maskey said there's "a range of mixed feelings and mixed emotions but there's a job in hand to be done yet. "I've very pleased that my last act as speaker and last acts of public office is to oversee the election of a new Speaker and the establishment of the institutions once again." For the first time, Sinn Fein - Mr Maskey's party - will nominate a first minister because it won the most seats in the assembly election in May 2022. Mr Maskey said of Michelle O'Neill: "On a personal level I'll be very pleased to see that, I've worked with Michelle a number of years ago and I also worked with her father. I believe she'll follow in his footsteps, a very hard worker and a great representative for the community." "It's eminently possible" for Michelle to be a first minister for all, he said. "Michelle is very well able and capable of representing unionists." He added: "A number of the MLAs [in Stormont] are very capable of working together." In his role, Mr Maskey me then-Prince Charles and said he had "no difficulty on a personal level" doing so. "Whatever my feelings would be, you're in public office - you have to rise to those occasions and I think if we all do that, we'll all go a lot further and do so a lot more quickly than we have in the past." On advice for the next Speaker, he said: "Each Speaker will bring their own characteristics and integrity. You are very conscious that you have to make a very wide range of decisions on an ongoing basis." Acting impartially is central to the role, he said. "Speakers have to set aside their own political aspirations and views," he said. "If you build a good relationship with the whips, your job will get a lot easier." Mr Maskey has been a member at Stormont since 1998, representing the West and South Belfast constituencies. In a letter to parties on Thursday, he said it had been an "honour" to represent communities. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson challenges Jim Allister: "Is that the best he can do?" DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he "fundamentally disagreed" with a legal opinion from former Northern Ireland attorney general John Larkin which rejected the contention his deal to restore Stormont has removed an Irish Sea border. Sir Jeffrey also attacked TUV leader Jim Allister, who was one of the critics of the deal, who commissioned the legal opinion. Former attorney general Mr Larkin KC rejected the contention that a Government deal to restore Stormont has removed an Irish Sea border. Mr Larkin was commissioned by Mr Allister, Jamie Bryson, Baroness Kate Hoey and Ben Habib to assess the legal effect of the measures. Key among the questions he was asked was whether the plan set out in the Safeguarding The Union command paper would restore the 1800 Acts of Union; whether they removed a customs and regulatory border in the Irish Sea; and do they ensure "zero checks and zero paperwork" for GB goods destined for Northern Ireland. Mr Larkin argued that they achieved none of those objectives. Speaking outside Stormont Castle on Friday, Sir Jeffrey said he fundamentally disagreed with his legal opinion. At the end of the day, an opinion is just that, it is an opinion, he said. Sir Jeffrey added: We have brought about change that others talked about but haven't delivered. Jim Allister, is that the best that he can do? What I have delivered is change. I stood on a platform with Jim Allister and he talked a lot, and he shouted a lot, but he has nothing to show for his actions. I have a lot to show for my actions. The DUP is unionism delivering for Northern Ireland. I will say this to Jim. The margin between the DUP and Sinn Fein in the Assembly election were the 66,000 votes that the TUV secured. What did Jim deliver with those votes? One single seat for unionism. What was the result of what he did? Mervyn Storey losing his seat in North Antrim. That was the difference that meant one less unionist minister in the executive tomorrow. Sir Jeffrey strikes a bargain: What is in the DUP's new deal? Responding to Sir Jeffrey, Mr Allister said: Let me remind Mr Angry, TUV transfers put eight DUP MLAs over quota. Mervyn Storey lost his seat because the DUP couldnt get its vote out and dropped to one and a half quotas - not my fault, theirs. Sir Jeffrey would also not be drawn on who his party will nominate for the role of deputy first minister when the Northern Ireland Assembly meets on Saturday. "We will come to decisions about ministerial appointments and all the other matters tomorrow at the first meeting of the Assembly, he stated. The DUP leader added that the issue of a financial offer to protect public services in Northern Ireland was "unfinished business". "We had a really good discussion around the table with the other parties, he said. We agreed with the other parties that this is a priority, you will hear more about that in the coming days. "There is agreement about what we need to get from the Government. "You will not have to wait long to see the new executive in action, making those priorities clear to the Treasury and pressing them for additional funding which is required." He added: "The finance piece is unfinished business which we intend to finish." Bob Egelko has been a reporter since June 1970. He spent 30 years with the Associated Press, covering news, politics and occasionally sports in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento, and legal affairs in San Francisco from 1984 onward. He worked for the San Francisco Examiner for five months in 2000, then joined The Chronicle in November 2000. His beat includes state and federal courts in California, the Supreme Court and the State Bar. He has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and is a member of the bar. Coverage has included the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the appointment of Rose Bird to the state Supreme Court and her removal by the voters, the death penalty in California and the battles over gay rights and same-sex marriage. He can be reached at begelko@sfchronicle.com. US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base on Friday to honour the three American service members killed in a drone attack in Jordan. The solemn ritual, called a dignified transfer, has become relatively uncommon in recent years as the US has withdrawn from conflicts abroad. The Bidens arrived at the base on Friday to witness the transfer of the remains of the troops killed in Sundays attack. Defence secretary Lloyd Austin and General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined the Bidens for the transfer in Dover. Sgt Kennedy Sanders, Sgt William Jerome Rivers and Sgt Breonna Moffett (Shawn Sanders and US Army/AP) The Bidens met the families privately before the ceremony. The service members killed on Sunday were all from Georgia, Sgt William Jerome Rivers, 46, Sgt Kennedy Sanders, 24, and Sgt Breonna Moffett, 23. Sanders and Moffett were posthumously promoted to sergeant rank. The deaths were the first US fatalities blamed on Iran-backed militia groups, who for months have been intensifying their attacks on American forces in the region following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October. Separately, two Navy Seals died in a January mission to board an unflagged ship that was carrying illicit Iranian-made weapons to Yemen. These service members embodied the very best of our nation, unwavering in their bravery. Unflinching in their duty. Unbending in their commitment to our country, risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism, Mr Biden said earlier this week. It is a fight we will not cease. It is the second dignified transfer Joe Biden has attended as president (Alex Brandon/AP) At Thursdays National Prayer Breakfast at the Capitol, Mr Biden acknowledged the service members by name, again vowing to never forget their sacrifice to the nation. They risked it all, the president said. Friday is the second dignified transfer Mr Biden has attended as president. In August 2021, he took part in the ritual for the 13 service members killed during the suicide bombing in Kabul. The US government said this week that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the group Kataib Hezbollah, had planned, resourced and facilitated the overnight drone attack. More than 40 troops were also injured in the Sunday at Tower 22, a secretive US military desert outpost whose location allows US forces to infiltrate and quietly leave Syria. Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic is seeking an urgent session of the UN Security Council (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Serbia will seek an urgent UN Security Council meeting to discuss the escalation of tensions with its former province of Kosovo, the countrys president said on Friday. The move comes after Kosovos government decided to ban the use of the Serbian dinar and introduce the euro in areas where minority Serbs live. Kosovos government has banned banks and other financial institutions in the Serb-populated areas from using the dinar in local transactions. Kosovos central bank issued the new rules last summer. Most of Kosovo uses the euro, even though the country is not part of the European Union. But parts of Kosovos north, populated mostly by ethnic Serbs, continue to use the dinar and many there rely on the government of Serbia for financial support, often delivered in dinars in cash. In an address to the nation on Friday, Serbian populist president Aleksandar Vucic said Kosovos ban of the dinar is intended to ethnically cleanse the Serbs from Kosovo, describing it as a criminal strike against the Serbs. Serbia will ignore the currency rule, he said, and find a way so that Kosovo Serbs continue to receive their pensions and salaries from Serbia. People are scared, they are waiting in lines to get their money, Mr Vucic said. On Monday, we will continue delivering the money through an authorised and licensed carrier. Serbs represent about 4% of Kosovos 1.7 million people. Serbian forces fought a 1998-99 war with ethnic Albanian separatists in what was then the province of Kosovo. About 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died until a 78-day Nato bombing campaign pushed Serbian forces out. Kosovo eventually declared independence in 2008, but the government in Belgrade does not recognise its neighbour as a separate country. The EU and the United States have called on Kosovo to postpone the currency measure. The measure has sparked concern among Western powers, fearing more tension in Kosovos relations with Serbia. I believe that the Western partners will keep their word and try to fight for the elementary rights of the Serbian population in Kosovo, said Mr Vucic, who has maintained warm relations with Vladimir Putins Russia. Serbia will send a formal request for the urgent Security Council session on Monday, Mr Vucic added. The EU-facilitated normalisation talks between Belgrade and Pristina have failed to make progress, especially following a shootout last September between masked Serb gunmen and Kosovo police that left four people dead and ratcheted up tensions. Both Serbia and Kosovo have said they want to join the EU, but the blocs officials have warned that their refusal to compromise in the talks is jeopardising their chances for membership. The United Nations top court said on Friday it has jurisdiction to rule on a request by Ukraine for a declaration that Kyiv is not responsible for genocide, but not on other aspects of Ukraines case. Russia and Ukraine have at various times accused each other of committing genocide. Ukraine filed its case at the International Court of Justice nearly two years ago, alleging that Moscow used trumped-up claims of genocide to justify its invasion. Kyiv filed the case in March 2022, just days after Russia launched the invasion. 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 But the court said it could not rule on that issue. Instead, it will rule on whether Ukraine violated the convention, as Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed to justify the invasion. A final, legally binding decision is likely still years away. In the present case, even if the Russian Federation had, in bad faith, alleged that Ukraine committed genocide and taken certain measures against it under such a pretext, which the respondent (Ukraine) contends, this would not in itself constitute a violation of obligations under the genocide convention, the courts president, Joan E Donoghue said. The court said it did not have jurisdiction to rule on whether Russias invasion violated the 1948 genocide convention and whether Moscows recognition of two breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine also amounted to a breach of the convention. Despite those setbacks, Ukraine hailed the ruling as a victory that will allow the case to continue. The leader of Ukraines legal team, Anton Korynevych, told reporters: It is important that the court will decide on the issue that Ukraine is not responsible for some mythical genocide, which the Russian Federation falsely alleged that Ukraine has committed. He also welcomed the fact that a preliminary order by the court that Russia immediately halt its invasion remains in place, even though Moscow has flouted it. Russian officials left the court without commenting. Moscow argued last year that the court should throw out the case before even considering the merits of Kyivs claims, but the 16-judge panel will now go ahead. At hearings in September, the leader of Moscows legal team, Gennady Kuzmin, called Ukraines case hopelessly flawed and at odds with the longstanding jurisprudence of this court. Ukraines agent Anton Korynevych, ambassador-at-large of the Ukraine foreign ministry, awaits the ruling (Peter Dejong/AP) In order for the court to have jurisdiction, Ukraine had to establish that it has a dispute with Russia over the genocide convention. A member of Moscows legal team, Sienho Yee, told judges in September that Russia had not used the genocide convention to justify its military actions in Ukraine, saying they are based on the right to self-determination and its inherent right to self-defence. At the same hearings, Ukraine said the court has jurisdiction and criticised Moscow for openly flouting an interim order by the court to halt its invasion. The court ordered Russia to stop military operations in Ukraine while the legal proceedings went forward during the wars early weeks, in March 2022. Russias defiance is also an attack on this courts authority. Every missile that Russia fires at our cities, it fires in defiance of this court, the leader of Ukraines legal team, Anton Korynevych, told the 16-judge panel. Russias agent Gennady Kuzmin, ambassador-at-large of the Russian foreign ministry ,at the International Court of Justice (Peter Dejong/AP) Judges at the court rebuked Russia for its invasion on Wednesday, as they ruled in another case between the two countries linked to attacks in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and discrimination in annexed Crimea. Ukraines case is based on the 1948 Genocide Convention, which both Kyiv and Moscow have ratified. The convention includes a provision that nations which have a dispute based on its provisions can take that dispute to the world court. Russia denies that there is a dispute, a position Ukraine rejects. The convention and the Hague-based court came under intense scrutiny in recent weeks when South Africa filed a case accusing Israel of genocide in its devastating military operation in Gaza in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks. In a preliminary ruling that did not address the merits of South Africas case, the court last week ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. One of Indonesias three presidential candidates, Ganjar Pranowo (top), interacts with a supporter during a campaign rally at the Gelora Delta Sidoarjo stadium in Sidoarjo regency, East Java, Indonesia, Jan. 21, 2024. Indonesias Ganjar Pranowo readily accepts the hospitality of his constituents, Anies Baswedan charms with his eloquence in town halls across the archipelago, and Prabowo Subianto highlights his achievements as the nations defense minister. It may be hard to believe the three men are presidential candidates in this months election, because their campaigns lack the invective, mudslinging and sectarian rhetoric that marked the last two contests, in 2014 and 2019. Indonesia appears to be moving past the politics of fear and division, when candidates and voters clashed over religious and ethnic identities, analysts said. One reason for the change is the fragmentation and weakening of the conservative Islamic groups that once backed Prabowo, who was incumbent Joko Jokowi Widodos challenger in the 2014 and 2019 presidential contests, analysts and voters said. Another reason is public fatigue over the polarization that previous campaigns caused in society. A political analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said that Indonesians appear to have learned from the negative consequences of the previous elections, which harmed social unity and trust. People have realized that identity-based campaigning is no longer relevant or electorally beneficial, analyst Arya Fernandes told BenarNews. So now they are looking for more creative ways to campaign. During the previous two elections, some of Jokowis supporters accused Prabowo of being backed by extremist groups with ties to terrorism. And some of Prabowos supporters claimed Jokowi was ethnically Chinese and an anti-Muslim communist. Indonesian presidential candidate and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto breaks into dance in front of his supporters at a campaign event in Majalengka City, West Java, in a photograph the minister posted on his Instagram account on Jan. 21, 2024. [Via Instagram/Prabowo] This year, Indonesians have said they welcomed the more moderate and inclusive tone of the campaign leading up to the Feb. 14 vote. Ravita Nityasari, 36. a housewife in Jakarta, said the previous presidential elections were too extreme and emotionally draining. Back then, friends and relatives became enemies. There were harsh words on social media. But now its not like that. At least it doesnt break families apart, she said. Candidates Anies, Ganjar and Prabowo are trying to appeal to a wider and more diverse audience. Prabowo has focused on letting the electorate know how he has improved the countrys defense and security sectors as defense minister. He also highlighted his commitment to protecting the sovereignty and dignity of Indonesia. The former military strongman has this time opted for some catchy campaigning, including dancing, which has become sort of his trademark. He also uses cartoons that depict him as a chubby and happy character. And, of course, cat photos he posts on social media are always a hit. Anies, a former governor of Jakarta who is known for his charisma and eloquence, has emphasized his governing skills by citing his record managing the metropolis of more than 10 million people innovatively. He has preferred to communicate his message via more intimate town hall meetings with voters, rather than up on stage yelling into a mike to a crowd of thousands in a jamboree-like atmosphere. And Ganjar, who was a Central Java governor for two terms, has gone all out to show hes a man of the people. He connects with ordinary folk by sleeping at their homes, and cracks jokes and posts puns on social media. Listya Pratiwi, 37, a private employee, said the campaign methods were more innovative and engaging, compared to previous years when politicians relied on popular music concerts to attract voters. Now they are more focused on dialogues with the people. I think this is something fresh, she said. Three-way race eases political divide Meanwhile, Indonesias conservative Islamic groups are less united than they were in 2019 and 2014, because the government has banned some of them and as they have shifted loyalties to different parties, analysts said. Ujang Komarudin of Al Azhar Indonesia University said these groups have different interests. They were united in [the] 2017 [Jakarta gubernatorial election], united in 2019 with Prabowo, but now they are divided, he told BenarNews. The conservative groups have been suppressed by the government, so they arent as strong as before and therefore are losing their popularity and attractiveness. The 2017 election for Jakartas governor was one of the most divisive and contentious in Indonesias history. Hard-line Islamic groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to demanded the arrest of then Jakarta Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, The groups accused him of blasphemy and wanted to have him removed from office. A month after losing the election, Ahok was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to two years in prison. Meanwhile, the government banned HTI and FPI in 2017 and 2020, respectively, accusing their members of undermining the countrys pluralistic and democratic values. Yon Machmudi, a University of Indonesia expert on Middle East and Islamic studies, said the three-way race has eased the political divide. In 2019, it was a head-to-head between two pairs, so there was a strong polarization, he told BenarNews. Indonesian presidential candidate Anies Baswedan (center) poses for pictures with students after a public dialogue during his campaign rally at Bina Bangsa University in Serang, Banten province, Indonesia, Dec. 21, 20230. [Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP] A conservative group called 212, which staged the massive protest against Ahok, is now split, with some supporting Prabowo and some Anies. On the other hand, the Islamic parties also realize that identity politics will not help them, as the candidates seek broader support nationally, Yon said. Mardani Ali Sera, spokesman for Anies campaign, said the candidates main goal is justice and prosperity for all. All religions, social groups and strains of society deserve attention, protection and empowerment, he told BenarNews. Chicco Hakim, spokesman for Ganjars campaign, said it was a breath of fresh air that this years election focused more on ideas. Identity politics will always exist in political contests, because people tend to support those who share their identity, similarity, belief. But now the candidates platforms are more important, he told BenarNews. Viva Yoga, spokesman for Prabowos campaign, agreed. People know that identity politics is harmful, and young people dont fall for it, so its not dominant, he told BenarNews. Its still there, but its no longer too appealing. Police escort two captured Rohingya into a van after more than 100 escaped from an immigration detention center in Perak state, Malaysia, Feb. 2, 2024. Malaysian immigration officials on Friday reported separating Rohingya from other detainees after 131 refugees in custody broke out of detention this week and one was struck and killed by a car. Authorities also closed the Bidor detention center in the northern state of Perak, from where the group escaped on Thursday night. Those remaining in the center were transferred to other centers, Ruslin Jusoh, immigration director-general, told reporters on Friday. Of those who fled, 115 were Rohingya, he said, adding the Myanmar Muslim minority members can sometimes get combative in groups. Amid a riot on Thursday, the refugees fled by breaking down barbed wire fencing. They threw stones at unarmed immigration personnel at the security barriers, officials said. There is a tendency for them to act aggressively when there are too many of them, Ruslin said, adding that some detainees had tried to escape earlier as well. He didnt say what sparked the riot, merely noting that officials were investigating. Meanwhile, seven of the escapees were rearrested Friday evening, police said, after 300 personnel from various agencies were deployed to find them. Ruslin also said security would be tightened at all 12 immigration detention centers in Peninsular Malaysia. Thursdays incident was the second of its kind in two years. In 2022, six Rohingya including two children were killed by vehicles as they tried to cross a highway following their escape from a Penang detention center. More than 500 Rohingya who had been detained for two years had broken out after a pre-dawn riot. A Malaysian security guard is stationed at the entrance of an immigration detention center in Bidor, Perak state, where dozens of detainees escaped, Feb. 2, 2024. [Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters] One rights activist said detainees who were categorized as illegal or undocumented were actually refugees who escaped persecution and discrimination in their home country of Myanmar. However, Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which means the government does not recognize the Rohingya as refugees. Still, activist Mahi Ramakrishnan urged the government to work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). If the UNHCR is allowed access to immigration detention camps, they would have done a refugee status determination process and registered them, Mahi told BenarNews. Instead, we hold them without any legal recourse and no one even knows if they are being deported to Myanmar. Mahi said she and other activists expected a breakout because detainees at these centers are treated like criminals. She urged the government to adopt a system that allows safe passage for asylum seekers. More than 50% of the 180,000 refugees in Malaysia are Rohingya. And in Peninsular Malaysia, 2,675 of 13,000 immigration detainees are Rohingya. At the center where Thursdays escape occurred, 297 of the 566 detainees were Rohingya. Another activist, Adrian Pereira, said refugees and asylum seekers should not be put in detention centers. What caused them to break out? This is a question, said Adrian, from the North-South Initiative, an NGO that focuses on migrant, labor and refugee issues, to BenarNews. Malaysian detention centers have a very rotten history of being in a very bad condition. That needs to be investigated to find out the root cause. Prison officers surround former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak during his appearance at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex, April 17, 2023. Malaysias Pardons Board said Friday it cut in half the 12-year prison sentence of former Prime Minister Najib Razak who is incarcerated for corruption, a move analysts said could raise doubts about the sincerity of the Anwar Ibrahim governments anti-graft campaign. Najib, whose sentence would end Aug. 23, 2028, under the decision, also saw the board drastically reduce the fine the court imposed on him after he was found guilty in July 2020 of illegally receiving 42 million ringgit (U.S. $9.4 million) in a 1MDB-linked case. After considering opinions and advice, the 61st Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya Federal Territories Pardon Board Meeting has decided on the punishment for Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, the boards statement said, adding his sentence was reduced by 50%. The Pardons Board lowered his fine to 50 million ringgit ($10.5 million) from 210 million ringgit ($44 million). The boards statement did not explain the rationale behind granting what amounts to a partial royal pardon, but noted that the former prime minister would be required to serve another year in prison if he fails to pay the fine. But it didnt specify when Najib had to pay the fine either. It also did not refer to the possibility of parole, which would allow Najib to end his incarceration earlier than in August 2028. Najib could become eligible for release next year according to Malaysias Prisons Act, which allows prisoners to seek parole after completing half of their sentences. This means the 70-year-old politician would be able to apply for parole of his revised six-year term by the end of 2025. The parole process might itself take some time, but given how fast his pardon process went, it would be no surprise, criminal lawyer Goh Cia Yee told BenarNews. The Pardons Board decided on Najibs pardon application on Monday during King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shahs last days on the throne. The king has the discretion to allow or disallow a pardon application. The Kuala Lumpur High Court in 2020 convicted Najib of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, and three counts of money laundering for illegally receiving money from SRC International, a unit of the looted sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. In an interview on Friday, Anwar said he respected the boards decision, noting that it is beyond the purview of the prime minister or the government. The king, as the constitutional monarch, consults the attorney general, the prime minister and many [others]. All considerations have been taken into account by the then-king, Anwar told Al-Jazeera Arabic. Whatever one feels, of course it is very political, some support, some dont. But they cannot ignore the fact that you must respect the rights of everyone convicted to appeal to the pardons board. Najib, who is a senior leader of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), became the first former or current prime minister of Malaysia to be incarcerated. The countrys highest court had in August 2022 upheld his conviction from two years earlier and ordered he be sent to prison. Meanwhile, UMNO decided to support its old foe, Anwars Pakatan Harapan alliance, in a federal coalition government in November 2022 after the general election failed to produce a clear winner. Najib remains on trial in separate cases directly linked to 1MDB, a state fund he set up to spur the economy, including one connected with 2.3 billion ringgit (U.S. $487 million) that allegedly went missing from 1MDB and into the ex-PMs accounts. Investigators estimate that more than $4.5 billion was plundered from 1MDB, or 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, through fraudulent shell companies to corrupt government and bank officials and their associates. Anwar, who for years opposed Najibs UMNO government, had been sentenced to prison in 2015 on sodomy charges and received a royal pardon in 2018. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (center, left) shakes hand with King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah during the national banquet to mark the end of his reign under Malaysias rotating monarchy system, Jan. 27, 2024. [Handout Prime Ministers Office] Najib defense attorney Shafee Abdullah previously said a pardon petition was submitted in September 2022. Reacting to Fridays announcement, Najibs daughter, Nooryana Najwa Najib, expressed disappointment. She said she appreciated the boards decision to halve the sentence, but insisted he should have been given a full pardon. We maintain our stance and are confident that he is not guilty, she wrote in an Instagram post. Najib has spent 16 months in prison after beginning his initial 12-year prison term on Aug. 23, 2022, following the Federal Courts dismissal of his final appeal in the SRC International case. Graft Syaza Shukri, an associate professor of political science at the International Islamic University Malaysia, said the Pardons Boards decision took her by surprise. I really thought Najibs court case was and the people had spoken [to punish those guilty of corruption], so to allow any kind of pardon doesnt really make sense, she told BenarNews. She said people will point to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also from UMNO, and who walked free from a corruption case in September 2023. The Kuala Lumpur High Court granted Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on 47 graft charges in connection with the alleged misuse of funds linked to his charitable organization. This will appear as a compromise to keep the unity government together and that this government is not serious on fighting corruption as it claims, Syaza said. While the move does not necessarily translate to more votes for the opposition Perikatan Nasional [coalition], it definitely reduces support for the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition, Syaza said. Irene Khan, United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of opinion and expression, speaks to reporters following her 10-day fact-finding trip, Mandaluyong city, Metro Manila, Feb. 2, 2024. A United Nations official on Friday called on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take a stronger stand on violence against rights workers and journalists, noting four media workers have been killed since he took office in 2022. During a news conference in Metro Manila, Irene Khan, the U.N. special rapporteur for freedom of opinion and expression, also called for the government to abolish its task force to end communist conflict. The killing of journalists is the most egregious form of censorship and the Philippines remains a dangerous country for journalists, Khan told reporters, citing 81 cases of journalist killings that remain unresolved to date. Violence against journalists and human rights defenders, as we all know, was particularly high during the [Rodrigo] Duterte administration. However, the past 18 months show that the trend remains disturbing with four journalists killed since a new administration took office, Khan said, referring to Marcos immediate predecessor. Khan was referring to Rey Blanco, a radio broadcaster stabbed to death in Negros Oriental in the central Philippines; Percival Percy Lapid Mabasa, a radio broadcaster fatally shot on his way home in Metro Manila; Cresenciano Bunduquin, who was shot in the province of Oriental Mindoro; and radio anchor Juan Jumalon, who was shot during a live broadcast on Facebook. I have been told by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that they have prosecuted three cases and are investigating the fourth. And the DOJ has also taken some other measures to strengthen investigation and prosecution, Khan said. Khan has been in the Philippines since Jan. 24 and has met with a jailed reporter and rights activists, among others. The U.N. official cited the need to strengthen Administrative Order 35 signed in 2012. It led to the formation of an inter-agency organization focused on extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave violations of the right to life, liberty and security of persons. [This is] because impunity of killings still remains a major problem. We must not forget accountability and justice for victims of the past, Khan said. Red-tagging, media freedom While Khan said the Marcos administration appears to be more amiable toward journalists, it must do more to improve media freedom in the country because of the damage caused by the administration of Duterte. The ex-president was openly hostile to the media, especially those who criticized his bloody war on drugs. He once said that journalists were not exempted from assassination if they were corrupt or took bribes. Under his government, the countrys largest television station, ABS-CBN, was forced to shut down and Maria Ressa, chief executive of Rappler, a critical online news portal that closely followed his drug war, was harassed in court. The damage caused by the previous administration has reduced media pluralism and public trust in independent journalism because of the viral disinformation and troll campaigns, Khan said. Irene Khan, United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of opinion and expression, speaks with reporters in Metro Manila, Feb. 2, 2024. [Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews] Khan said the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) anti-insurgency group was outdated and therefore should be abolished. NTF-ELCAC was established six years ago in a different context. It is outdated. It does not take into account the ongoing prospects of peace negotiations, I therefore recommend the task force should be abolished, Khan said. The government has refused to disband the group, which activists have denounced for red-tagging of perceived enemies. Red-tagging refers to baselessly accusing someone of being a communist sympathizer. Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano issued a statement challenging Khans recommendation. The fact remains that the Communists are not yet finished. There are still 11 weakened guerilla fronts across the country with some 1,500 armed regulars seeking to overthrow our democracy and the duly constituted government and wreaking havoc and terrorism in the countryside, he said in the statement. If the issue is red-tagging, the NTF-ELCAC does not encourage nor support red-tagging. We wish to underscore once again the Marcos Administration has not issued any law, rule or policy instrument that implements red-tagging or even uses the word. Jailed journalist Khan also highlighted the case of Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a young journalist from Tacloban in central Philippines who was jailed in 2020 after a military raid on alleged safe houses for communist terrorist groups. Cumpio supporters denied the allegations. The U.N. official said she visited Cumpio and two detained colleagues Marielle Domequil and Alexander Abinguna. Justice delayed is justice denied. Terrorism charges have been brought against them. I hope the government authorities will look into this case, review the case and dismiss the charges, or bring them to trial rapidly, Khan said. To leave young people like them in prison sends a terrible message to the youth of this country. Former Gov. Jerry Brown, left, and current Gov. Gavin Newsom have asked the California Supreme Court to remove a tax measure from the states ballot. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Former Gov. Jerry Brown has joined his successor in asking the California Supreme Court to remove a November ballot measure that would require voter approval for all new state or local taxes or fees, saying it would tie the Legislatures hands and weaken the states ability to fight climate change. The court has agreed to consider disqualifying the business-sponsored initiative from the November ballot, an action it last took in 2018 by barring an initiative that sought to divide California into three states. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislatures Democratic majority contend the current proposal would so drastically weaken the powers of the states elected leaders that it would amount to a revision of the California Constitution, which would require two-thirds legislative approval before being submitted to the voters. Brown agreed in a court filing Wednesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The proposed ballot measure would deprive the Legislature of its power to tax by requiring a majority of voters to approve any tax increase, David Goodwin, a lawyer for the former governor, told the court. And by requiring every tax increase to identify the programs on which the money would be spent, he said, the initiative would make it much harder to raise funds for general state needs or emergencies. Brown served as governor from 1975 to 1983 and again from 2011 to 2019. During the latter terms he supported renewal of Californias cap and trade program, which required companies to buy permits to be allowed to emit planet-warming greenhouse gasses into the air. Business groups contended the permit fee was actually a tax requiring two-thirds legislative approval, but state courts rejected that argument in 2017 a ruling that the proposed initiative would repeal, Brown told the state Supreme Court. The ballot measure would largely eliminate the ability of state agencies to regulate environmental pollution by imposing charges or cap-and-trade requirements on polluters and would remove the power of the Legislature to enforce state climate change policy, the former governor said. He noted that cap-and-trade funds have been used to restore wetlands and watersheds, fund light rail and the states bullet train and promote zero-emission motor vehicles. The initiative would also reclassify any state or local regulatory action with financial effects, like an increase in licensing fees, as a tax requiring approval from state or local lawmakers. Another provision would cancel any tax or fee imposed by a state or local government since the start of 2022 unless it was approved within 12 months by voters or lawmakers cited in the ballot measure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That would invalidate 131 local government actions from 2022 and 2023, and others enacted in 2024, unless the voters approved them, said Brown, who also served as Oaklands mayor from 1999 to 2007. One of them, he said, was a library tax that Oaklands voters approved in June 2022. Under the initiative, he said, Oakland would be forced to stop collecting money on behalf of the libraries unless Oakland holds another election in which the voters re-approve the library tax. In the meantime, library funding would be interrupted, libraries would close, and one of the most important civic services provided to the children of Oakland would be disrupted if not eliminated. Sponsors of the ballot measure have labeled it the Taxpayer Protection Act. One sponsor, Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said Brown is contradicting the policies he endorsed as governor. "The Taxpayer Protection Act is based on a guiding principle from Jerry Brown's term as governor that no new taxes will be imposed without a vote of the people," Coupal said in a statement Thursday. "He believed that Californians should be given the final decision on how they are taxed, and that's exactly what the Taxpayer Protection Act does." In a court filing Oct. 30, attorney Thomas Hiltachk, the official proponent of the initiative, said it merely requires our elected representatives to approve the fees proposed by the unelected bureaucrats in the States administrative agencies. That is the hallmark of our representative democracy, not a revision of it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Airplanes and ships from U.S. and Japanese navies stage a joint drill in the Philippine Sea, Jan. 31, 2024. Two American aircraft carrier groups and a Japanese helicopter carrier ship held joint drills this week in the Philippine Sea, the U.S. 7th Fleet said. The maneuvers took place in the waterway east of the Philippines amid regional tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan and Philippine-Chinese tensions in the South China Sea. U.S. Navys carrier strike groups led by the flagships USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise are conducting a multi-large deck event in accordance with international law in international waters, the fleet said in a press release. The exercise provided the two maritime forces with an opportunity to engage in joint operations to include enhanced maritime communication operations, air warfare operations and cross-deck flight operations to strengthen maritime integrated-at-sea operations and combat readiness, it added. The drills began on Monday and were to conclude on Thursday, according to a statement by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Besides the two aircraft carriers, the U.S. Navy also dispatched nine other warships to join the event. During the exercise, ships and aircraft from the allied forces conduct air defense drills, sea surveillance, cross-deck exercises and tactical maneuvers to advance unique high-end warfighting capability, the 7th Fleet said, adding that coordinated maritime engagements and operations in the Philippine Sea are part of the U.S. Navys routine presence in the Indo-Pacific. The Carl Vinson and Theodore Roosevelt carrier groups are currently deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. The last time two U.S. aircraft carriers jointly participated in a similar exercise was in November with the Carl Vinson and the Ronald Reagan. U.S. and Japans maritime forces plan to hold more large-deck exercises this year. In November, the U.S. and the Philippines, close military allies that have a decades-old mutual defense pact, launched joint air and sea patrols off the Philippines. Manila is also negotiating with Tokyo on a deal that would give their militaries reciprocal access to each others territories for training and exchanges. Radio Free Asia (RFA), a news service affiliated with BenarNews, produced this report. Korean marines hold the beach at Had Yao in Chon Buri province, southeast of Bangkok, while taking part with fellow Thai and U.S. troops in an amphibious landing drill in Cobra Gold, March 3, 2023. The United States will stage annual, large-scale military drills in Thailand at the end of February, the two allied nations announced Friday, with more than 10,000 troops from 30 countries slated to participate. As part of the maneuvers, the U.S. and Thai navies will salvage a U.S.-made Thai navy ship that sank in the Gulf of Thailand in December 2022, leaving 34 crewmen dead or unaccounted for. The objective of the exercise for 2024 is to enhance the relations of all participating nations, to enhance the forces capability and interoperability in conducting missions under the joint-combined environment and adapt to various kinds of threats and crises, said Gen. Thitichai Tiantong, the Royal Thai Armed Forces chief of joint staff. The Cobra Gold war games will be held Feb. 27 to March 10. They will be the 43rd iteration of the worlds longest-running international military training program and one of the Indo-Pacific regions largest combined military exercises. Troops from the seven main participants the U.S., Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan will join combat rehearsals that will include amphibious landings, strategic parachute jumps, ground and air live-fire and cyber warfare. China will not take part in combat drills but will join civic action missions with India. U.S. Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicles secure the Had Yao beach head during the multinational amphibious landing drill in Chon Buri province, southeast of Bangkok, Feb. 28, 2020. [Pimuk Rakkanam/RFA] Light salvage operation Thailand and the United States will also work together on the light salvage of the HTMS Sukhothai , which capsized and sank off Prachuap Khiri Khan province in stormy seas, officials from the two host countries said Friday. Twenty-nine crewmen died while five remain undiscovered, according to the Royal Thai Navy. This salvage, which will be executed as part of Cobra Gold 2024, will hopefully bring some comfort and closure to the families of all the brave sailors and marines who were lost, U.S. ambassador Robert F. Godec, told a joint news conference at a Thai military headquarters on Friday. The chief of Royal Thai Navy, meanwhile, denied local reports that the U.S. had forced it to give up a contract with a Chinese-linked company to fully salvage the corvette from the 50 meters-deep seafloor. The U.S. Navys offer came properly and it has nothing to do with any Chinese company, commander of the Royal Thai Fleet, Adm. Chatchai Tongsaard, said at the same conference. He added that the delay was due to the Thai Navy miscalculating its ability to perform the salvage on its own. The light salvage operation will include a search for the deceased, a damage survey, the retrieval of undamaged components and the destruction of damaged weapons. The ship is likely to be discarded, he said. Amphibious landing rehearsals Premiered in 1982, this years Cobra Gold exercise will feature greater arrays of sophisticated military hardware as it follows its format of a two-year cycle. The U.S. will not deploy any carrier strike groups, according to Col. Kurt Leffler, the Chief of Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group said. The focus instead will be on the amphibious landing rehearsals, he said. U.S. envoy Godec stressed the importance of the Indo-Pacific region, where up to 60% of the worlds maritime trade transits Cobra Gold maintains our shared readiness to secure the global commons, which is particularly relevant with piracy on the rise in key shipping routes around the world, he said. Protecting Indo-Pacific maritime trade routes ensures the free flow of goods and services, which keeps transportation costs low, enabling Thai and American businesses to thrive and prosper and benefiting consumers through lower prices. The war games were scaled down in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe that year. Myanmar, where the military junta staged a coup against a civilian government in 2021, was not invited to observe the drills in 2022 due to limited seats, according to the Thai military. It was unclear whether it took part in Cobra Gold 2021, which was partly held virtually. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. High near 40F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%.. Tonight Variable clouds with snow showers. Low 28F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. San Francisco Mayor London Breeds reelection campaign reported Wednesday that she raised about $406,800 in 2023. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle San Francisco mayoral candidate Daniel Lurie raised more money in just three months than Mayor London Breed did all year, but he also spent the most. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Supervisor Ahsha Safai raised about $333,200 last year for his mayoral bid. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Mayor London Breed has a fundraising edge over her two most prominent reelection challengers, but one of them is already giving her a run for her money. Breeds campaign reported Wednesday that she raised about $406,800 in 2023 to support her bid for another term this year. Including money Breed raised in previous years, she had pulled in about $657,000 toward her reelection through Dec. 31. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Daniel Lurie, a nonprofit founder and Levi Strauss heir who is running against Breed in the November election, raised more money in three months than Breed did all year. Luries campaign disclosed that he received about $518,700 from the announcement of his candidacy in September to the end of the year. Luries candidacy has also generated much more in political action committee donations than Breeds has. But Lurie has also spent the most money of the three main candidates in the race. While the mayor ended the year with about $426,200 in the bank after deducting expenses, Lurie had about $148,300 in cash on hand after his spending was taken into account. Breeds other top challenger, Supervisor Ahsha Safai, raised about $333,200 in 2023 after formally declaring his candidacy in May. He ended the year with about $168,400 in the bank. The fundraising reports, detailed in filings with the citys Ethics Commission, show the financial side of the race heating up as Breed enters a difficult fight to keep her job. Polls show she is unpopular, and voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the city amid the persistence of open-air drug dealing, frequent property crimes, an exodus of major retailers and a generally struggling downtown economy. Breed has been trying to convince voters she is making progress on those and other issues, but her opponents say she should have improved conditions in the city much sooner. Maggie Muir, a spokesperson for Breeds reelection bid, said in a statement that the mayor is on track to raise the amount needed to run a strong campaign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mayor Breed is the only candidate running with experience and a proven record of bold leadership, Muir said. Because of her work, the City is turning the corner, making progress on public safety, breaking up the fentanyl markets, and revitalizing our downtown. Luries campaign, meanwhile, said it was humbled by the number of attendees packing campaign events and seeing the stream of contributions coming from all corners of San Francisco. Were seeing this growing momentum because Daniel is the only candidate running to replace City Hall insiders with new ideas and accountable leadership, Lurie campaign manager Trishala Vinnakota said in a statement. Safais campaign projected confidence about its fundraising numbers in a statement from adviser Derek Jansen, who said the candidate had raised money from every corner of San Francisco and people from every background working people like nurses, educators, firefighters, janitors, small business owners who are all frustrated with failure of this mayor. Ahsha doesnt have any billionaires bankrolling his campaign like Mayor Breed or Daniel Lurie, Jansen said. The strength of our grassroots fundraising underscore the citys desire for change, while affirming that regular, working people trust Ahsha to deliver for them. People will decide this election, not money. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Luries campaign announced this week that a recent poll it commissioned showed Lurie beating Breed in a hypothetical two-way matchup by 18 points, though 26% of voters were undecided. The survey of 600 likely voters conducted in January by David Binder Research found that Breed would currently receive the most first-choice votes under the citys ranked-choice voting system, and Lurie would get the second most. But the poll found that Lurie would lead in second-choice votes, giving him a possible path to victory if those numbers bear out. The poll further found that 41% of voters have ruled out backing Breed in the election. While the race hasnt received much publicly available polling attention so far, the results are consistent with an earlier poll from last year that found that 40% of voters already planned to back one of Breeds opponents. In addition to the money being raised directly by the mayoral campaigns, donors are also contributing to outside fundraising efforts intended to boost Breeds and Luries candidacies. A pro-Lurie political committee called Believe in SF has raised about $3.3 million to support his candidacy. The amount includes a $1 million donation from Luries mother, billionaire businesswoman Mimi Haas. Meanwhile, a pro-Breed political committee called Forward Action SF has reported raising about $265,000, including a $200,000 contribution from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A second Breed-aligned committee, the Fight for San Franciscos Future, is backing two of the measures she placed on the March ballot, Propositions E and F. That committee raised $354,000 through Dec. 31, of which $250,000 came from crypto billionaire Chris Larsen. Lurie has formed his own committee to campaign for Prop. E, which would expand the power of city police and restrict the policy-setting Police Commission. Luries Prop. E committee had raised $525,000 as of Jan. 20. Supervisors Connie Chan and Dean Preston are facing competition from prominent challengers. Chans challenger Marjan Philhour, a former adviser to Breed who ran against Chan four years ago, has raised $262,000 between her supervisor campaign and her campaign for a seat on Democratic County Central Committee. Prestons challenger Bilal Mahmood, a former state Assembly candidate, has raised about $200,000. He has not filed disclosures for his supervisor campaign. Meanwhile, moderate advocacy group Grow SF has raised $72,000 for a political action committee to unseat Chan and more than $300,000 for a committee to oust Preston. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Another competitive supervisor race is the open seat in District Nine, which covers the Mission, Portola and Bernal Heights neighborhoods. Among several candidates, three clear fundraising front-runners have emerged: Former California Senate candidate and democratic socialist Jackie Fielder is on top with over $123,000 raised. Moderate slate candidate Trevor Chandler is close behind after raising $88,000 for his supervisor campaign and $22,000 for the DCCC, totaling about $110,000, while Mission community leader Roberto Hernandez trails with just over $100,000. In District Seven, Supervisor Myrna Melgar is neck and neck with her opponent, small business owner Matt Boschetto, in fundraising. Melgar has raised nearly $72,000, while Boschetto has raised $66,000. District Seven includes West Portal, St. Francis Wood and the Inner Sunset. Theres no clear front-runner in the race to replace Supervisor Aaron Peskin on the board in District Three, representing North Beach, Chinatown and the Financial District. Former city commissioner Sharon Lai has raised $86,000, nonprofit head Danny Sauter has raised $74,000, and deputy city attorney Moe Jamil has raised $71,000. You are the owner of this article. Extreme weather is nothing to take lightly, and thanks to climate change, it's likely we'll experience it at an increased frequency and intensity. When it comes to preserving a cornerstone of democracy, PEN America is at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. Kasey Meehan, the Freedom to Read program's director at PEN America, appeared on the Eagle Reels vodcast to discuss the latest movement to ban books and Berkshire Countys own case involving the most banned book in America. As the program's director, Meehan is at the helm of PEN America's efforts to ensure that students have unrestricted access to literature. PEN Americas latest list of banned books shows an escalation of book bans and censorship in classrooms and school libraries across the United States. In that report, Meehan and her colleagues wrote: These efforts to chill speech are part of the ongoing nationwide Ed Scare a campaign to foment anxiety and anger with the goal of suppressing free expression in public education. Dalton Delan, The Eagle columnist and host of Eagle Reels, interviewed Meehan for the latest episode of Eagle Reels. (App users, having trouble viewing the video? View this story on BerkshireEagle.com.) Dalton Delan: Recently, Heather Bellow, The Eagles investigative reporter, reported on an incident in which the police were called to the WEB DuBois Middle School in Great Barrington, because an eighth grade class was using "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe, an illustrated memoir, which I'm told is the most banned book in America. Can you tell us about this? About Eagle Reels The Eagle Reels vodcast is hosted by Dalton Delan, a columnist with The Berkshire Eagle. Dalton takes us beyond the news Berkshire County in interviews with key experts and thought leaders. Kasey Meehan: "Gender Queer," as you said, is one of the most frequently banned books across public schools over the last two and a half years. In terms of the case itself, unfortunately, it's not the first time we've seen this happen, if you can believe that or not. And what I would love to point to is the continued escalation of where this book-banning movement is going all the way up to including your sheriff's office or your police department. It's an alarming case. Again, we just see continued efforts to restrict books like "Gender Queer" that include representation of LGBTQ+ characters, as well as other books with different and similar themes that are really being targeted under this movement. Dalton Delan: Sex. Gender. Quote, unquote, "inappropriate" material is the most likely to be called into question in schools. Is this an overreaction? Or are community standards relevant at times? Kasey Meehan: Community standards are, of course, relevant. What's happening in this current wave is a much more coordinated, well-resourced campaign to remove certain types of books. And again, these books are overwhelmingly books that feature LGBTQ+ identities, or books that include characters of color, as well as books that do talk about sex and sexuality. But you know, [these books] do so in a way that is appropriate, that is intentionally designed, curated, brought into schools with young people in mind. And you mentioned some of the language here that's being used, what's appropriate. We've heard books being labeled as obscene and pornographic. And oftentimes, these terms are being conflated to what actually is happening. And when we look at the full scope of the book banning movement, overwhelmingly, 75 percent of these books that are being challenged and banned from schools are young adult books, middle grade books, picture books. So these are books that, again, were intentionally designed, curated with young people in mind. So they do not meet any sort of colloquial or legal definition of some of these more provocative terms that we see being tossed around. Dalton Delan: Kasey, have you ever seen cases in which the age or grade is a real question? Do you think that any of this material is actually getting into elementary school or a level in which perhaps there's a valid question about what is the appropriate age to talk about these sorts of issues? Kasey Meehan: Those questions are valid questions. And there has always been a place for parents with students in a grade or school to have those kinds of conversations with their educator directly or with their librarian or with their district administrators. So, questions around age appropriateness, that's something that we all continue to grapple with. But, you know, for PEN America, what's important here is again, that this is a really coordinated movement that is looking to restrict certain types of books. It really pulls away the professional expertise that we have always looked towards in our educators and librarians who are trained and well adjudicated to make decisions around what is and is not developmentally appropriate for students and to engage with parents or others who may have questions about what is and is not age or developmentally appropriate. Dalton Delan: When you say a "coordinated movement, and, of course, we live in America where conspiracy theory is the lifeblood of the nation we're still debating the Zapruder tapes but when you say that, is that a loose term? Is there literally, or are there political groups that are at the center of a movement that perhaps has purpose beyond exactly what it is supposedly doing? Kasey Meehan: More so than even political groups, we are watching extremists in this moment either extreme politicians or advocacy groups that have a very clear agenda to be removing certain types of books from schools. And again, often there's lots of rhetoric being tossed around. So, often, we hear this as rhetoric under [the] parental rights movement, where parents are looking for a stronger, more engaged say in what is happening in public schools. And again, that's all fine and well, parents do have an important voice in their public school and their kids' public schooling and their schooling in general. But again, what we see happening is the way in which [we have] localized advocacy groups meet legislation that's being passed across states, often by Republican-led legislators or governor's offices, that is just continuing to see certain types of books removed from access for students. So, in that sense, it's quite coordinated. We have been able to track different types of advocacy groups across the country that are having an outsized influence in school district-level decision-making, as well as the introduction of this legislation that is also building on the movement that really started locally to impose, again, legislation that is prohibiting certain types of books from being in classrooms and school libraries. Dalton Delan: When you were talking about that and Republican-led state legislatures, I'm thinking particularly that an example would be perhaps Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott. It almost appears that anti-abortion movements and "parental rights" and school [book] bannings seem to go together. Is that true? Is this all part of a sort of cultural conservative effort? Kasey Meehan: There are many ways that a heightened cultural, a heightened conservative movement, as you said, is playing out. And certainly the way in which it is playing out across public schools is absolutely true. And, you know, oftentimes we point to [much] of this starting out right after the pandemic, when there were lots of debates about whether schools should be open or closed, whether we should be encouraging vaccinations in schools [or] not. What happened there around the conflicts that we saw playing out about public schools during the pandemic has really continued to manifest themselves one way of which is around book bans and the books that should or should not be available for students in schools. But I think you're also right, that it's connected often. We track groups like Moms for Liberty, we certainly are following legislation out of Gov. Abbott's office, as well as Gov. DeSantis (Florida) and Gov. Reynolds in Iowa. There are similarities across much of the legislation that's being proposed and implemented from these Republican-held states. ... Over the last two and a half years, PEN America has recorded nearly 6,000 instances of book bans. So this is quite at scale, where we're seeing legislation have really enormous disastrous effects on removing certain types of books. And it's not just the removing of books, we are putting librarians and educators at the crosshairs, and there's legislation that's enacted that threatens criminalization of librarians who are deemed as giving away material that somebody may deem as inappropriate or obscene. In Florida, there's language around educators that may lose their certification. So it's really quite heightened. So while we often point to the books [that are banned] because we can quantify it, there's something almost deeper and a bit more insidious playing out that comes from legislation, that comes from a heightened atmosphere of fear and intimidation around what the role of educators is, what the role of librarians is, and how public schools are really designed to educate a pluralistic society. Dalton Delan: Kasey, the next big category, when I think of banned or adulterated books, concerns race. The classic, Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn," it uses perhaps just of its time, perhaps for actual purpose the N-word 219 times. I think virtually all school texts of that book now, if used at all, replace the word with "slave." Is this somehow helpful to keep the book in use? Or is this [a] whitewash in history in some way that damages us because perhaps even the worst parts of history should be learned? Quote "So while we often point to the books [that are banned] because we can quantify it, there's something almost deeper and a bit more insidious playing out that comes from legislation, that comes from a heightened atmosphere of fear and intimidation around what the role of educators is, what the role of librarians is, and how public schools are really designed to educate a pluralistic society." Kasey Meehan, program director of Freedom to Read at PEN America Kasey Meehan: It's a really hard question. PEN America takes a really principled position when we come to this, around that we don't want to see works that are edited or removed. Our executive director [Suzanne Nossell], in relation to the recent Roald Dahl revisions, said something really strong around that we might cheer specific edits, but shouldn't that [force you to] consider how the power to rewrite books might be used in the hands [of] those who do not share the values and sensibilities that you have? So that's the real risk. ... And with "Huckleberry Finn," what's interesting, of course, is that the United States has lots of episodic moments of book-banning. And "Huckleberry Finn" is one of those books that has been challenged at different points in time for different reasons. Contemporarily, we see a challenge for the use of some language that we would consider dated at this point and not appropriate for people to necessarily be saying in the classroom space. ... When we talk about this current book-banning movement, there are many books that are being banned that also include characters of color and [that] are talking about race and racism in ways that perhaps are less dated and more kind of relevant to a contemporary, young person's understanding of the world around. So The Hate U Give [by Angie Thomas] is a great example of a book that is often challenged and banned. And it looks at police violence in the way a young black person is receiving news and navigating a moment like that, which we all know, to be playing out sort of in real time and something that young people are exposed to. ... Thinking about race is not "next," it's quite current in the way in which the book-banning movement, again with the conflation of legislation like Stop WOKE in Florida, as it's colloquially called, or other pieces of legislation that are prohibiting divisive concepts, conversations and content in classroom. Once again, we see the way in which content and books on characters of color or books that are talking about race and racism are and continue to be challenged and banned. Quote What's at threat here is that we are seeing a very narrow group of individuals and actors have an outsized influence on this system that we all share and contribute to. Kasey Meehan, program director of Freedom to Read at PEN America Dalton Delan: ... We've talked about Dahl and Twain. But the list is quite incredible. Dr. Seuss, Agatha Christie, Ian Fleming, Ursula K. Le Guin we could go on and on. My question is the following: In the terrible choice between three things banning a book or adulterating the work of a dead author who can't say anymore, which seems somehow wrong to me as a writer, or perhaps prefacing such books so that we provide context where does PEN America come out on this? I guess, to me, the worst sin is the adulteration. Kasey Meehan: Our principle approach, in this moment, has really been against the banning, the removing of books from access. For me and others on the team, our guiding star is do students have access? And if not, what is that about? And that is a real threat to students' understanding of themselves, of the world around them. So, certainly I might put banning at the top of the list of things that we do not stand for. And I think there are opportunities, and perhaps this is where maybe it's a little bit, you know, more gray and book- and context-specific and market-specific and there's lots of different types of books. It could be a classic that's been adapted for young people, and maybe that takes a different kind of frame than your traditional classic text. So, understanding there's all this nuance that plays into there. I certainly think contextualizing is super helpful. And the way in which books with some language that currently may be dated could also be used to educate when it's delivered with the right context and content from a librarian or an educator or parent or whomever. So I think that's an important note to consider, too. I don't know how I would rank all three. Dalton Delan: Kasey, we're at the beginning of a new year. PEN America reports that in the last school year, there was a 33 percent rise in book-banning. Is this trend continuing? Is there any countervailing wind? What do you see occurring? Kasey Meehan: ... The tea leaves from the first half of the school year do suggest that we are still seeing a mounting rise of book bans. ... Many pieces of legislation were enacted last year. So this school year is the first time we're seeing how districts are responding to legislation more broadly. And just [recently], we saw a school district in Florida remove 600 books out of compliance to this legislation. There's another district in Florida that has a list of over 1,000 books that they have pulled and now are going through review to meet this legislation. So, the role of legislation is going to ramp up the number of books. So rather than having individuals or groups challenge 10, 20, 100 books, now we're seeing a complete removal and suspension of classroom libraries, of school libraries, of thousands of books that are going under review, in order to make sure that they meet compliance [with legislation]. So, in some ways, the playing field keeps changing. And we do see the way in which it's ramping up. But I do want to give some light here. And that is wherever we see book-banning, more and more, we see very coordinated, countering efforts to keep books on shelves to oppose book-banning and to really defend the freedom to read. So there are advocacy groups popping up all over student-led, parent-led, librarian-led. Retired librarians are always such an incredible voice that understands what the process is for how books end up on shelves, and what it means to be restricting books based on narrow ideological preferences. So there's just an incredible group of and a growing group of individuals who are really in groups that are pushing back and saying [that] students deserve these books in classrooms. And to remove them, because of this viewpoint discrimination, is quite harmful and goes against the very essence of our democracy and the intent of our educational system. Dalton Delan: It's almost "Fahrenheit 451"-like criminalization of librarians, for example a group of people that perhaps we have tropes and myths about that are simply the most gentle and so forth. And now, we're creating this image that these are people endangering our children. Is this beginning to play out? Are people leaving that field? Is this going to have a deleterious impact on people literally going into this work? Kasey Meehan: Of course, unfortunately. How could it not? Already, these are two professions that individuals and advocacy groups in education have pointed to [as having] falling rates. There are already educator shortages. And there are already not enough librarians. And we already know that with funding constraints that many schools, districts, states do not even have a public school library in every school across their public districts. So, there are already constraints on these professions. And this is just yet another added constraint. And we certainly are hearing, unfortunately, too many cases of librarians who are stepping away, of educators who are switching fields or are moving into different states even to best navigate what is happening to them in their profession, their field. Dalton Delan: Kasey, finally, who should either decide or let's just say even have a place at the table? Teachers and librarians? School boards? Parents? Politicians? Do you have a feeling about this? Or is there a best way for us to navigate as a society the interests now of groups outside of the schools themselves in something that we would have thought previously was the internal work of pedagogy? Kasey Meehan: My gut says, "All of us." Right? Like, we all have a contributing role here. And the counter-effect of what actually is happening is a very vocal minority that is having an outsized influence on schools. But certainly teachers, parents, school boards, politicians who are thinking about funding and curricula and standards. We all have a role to play in upholding our public school system and advancing a public school system that truly serves our pluralistic society. And I think that's really what's at threat here is that we are seeing a very narrow group of individuals and actors have an outsized influence on this system that we all share and contribute to. Stay up to date on Berkshires news with Berkshires in Brief, our free daily newsletter NORTH ADAMS A big question has faced Berkshire Health Systems ever since it announced its intention to reopen North Adams Regional Hospital: Will it find enough workers to run the facility? If the response to a job fair held on the hospital campus Thursday is any indication, the newly reborn hospital will have the help it needs. By 4 p.m., more than 100 applicants had visited and 22 job offers for the 47 available positions had been made on the spot, according to Berkshire Health System spokesman Mike Leary. This worked out better than our wildest expectations, and were appreciative of the North Country community coming out and supporting the new North Adams Regional Hospital, he said. Work is progressing on a $2.85 million renovation meant to prepare the building to open with 18 inpatient beds. A recent change in federal guidelines will make it possible to reopen the facility with up to as many as 25 inpatient beds. While the state Department of Public Health has approved a determination of need for NARH, the hospital still must obtain a license as well as federal designation as a critical access hospital from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Once those hurdles are cleared, it could reopen as soon as March. Shelly Sweet, the director of talent acquisition for BHS, knew something was up when a line had formed outside the Clark House ahead of the 11 a.m start time. Within 90 minutes, the open house had welcomed 60 potential applicants into the conference room and formally filled 12 positions. We've been getting some interviews with hiring managers. And then from there, we're kind of doing a soft verbal offer, and we'll do the formal offers tomorrow," Sweet said. "So it's really good. Leary said positions requiring degrees and certifications nursing positions and physical therapists, for example would take longer to fill, as they require more due diligence. Some applicants said the positions open at NARH would help them kick-start a new career in health care, or grow their existing health care careers with new roles and learning opportunities. Others said they hoped to have a job closer to home in Northern Berkshire, rather than current jobs in Pittsfield or as far away as Northampton. Andrea Lewis, of Adams, for example, was interested in a certified nursing position at the hospital. In her mind, the advantages include a job closer to home she now works in Pittsfield and additional opportunity to grow her career. Another BHS manager, Jill Payson, had filled three positions in access services the department that welcomes and registers patients by 12:30 p.m. She also said shed met with a number of workers at the North Adams Walgreens pharmacy who just learned that their store will be closing Feb. 22. I was not sure what to expect, Payson said of the turnout. But when I came in, there was a line at the door. Friends Avery McGovern, a Hoosac Valley High School student from Adams, and Danika Dodge, of Florida, who attends McCann Technical School, came to the job fair hoping for roles in the nutrition and food service department. When it turned out North Adams had already filled those jobs, they were instead offered similar roles at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, and walked out of the Clark House with job offers. As of 12:30 p.m., Sweet said the majority of applicants had been Northern Berkshire residents. If they're in the area that you know, this is where they want to be," Sweet said. "This is their community. This is their home, so a lot of people here are from Northern Berkshire. North Adams Regional Hospital closed on March 28, 2014, when its parent company, Northern Berkshire Healthcare, went bankrupt. The closing left more than 500 people out of work. Berkshire Health Systems subsequently purchased its assets and reopened the campus as Berkshire Health North. Over time, BHS restored levels of care ranging from 24-hour emergency services to outpatient procedures. For Kaitlyn Ryan, a 21-year-old Pittsfield resident and recent graduate of Berkshire Community Colleges nursing program, the rebirth of NARH is a chance to be part of building something new. Shes worked at Berkshire Medical Center as part of her education and is interested in starting her career in a smaller setting. They were very helpful. Everyone was very nice, Ryan said of the experience. I was actually able to get a tour of the [hospital] floor so that was very helpful. I got to compare it to BMC. I like the idea of us all going into it together the teamwork of it all to rebuild it and restart it, she added. WEST STOCKBRIDGE By the time his cannabis plants begin to flower later this year, Jon Piasecki plans to have in place a system that will spare his neighbors at least mostly from the powerful stench many endured last fall. Piasecki, co-owner and proprietor of Wiseacre Farm, this week unveiled a $250,000 eight-point odor mitigation action plan, starting by regrading a hill to create a bowl with trees and a 75-foot wall to help block odors. At Monday nights hybrid Select Board meeting, he acknowledged the smell of the flowering cannabis plants was stronger than anticipated when he initially came before the board for approval last year. We didnt know the intensity it would be [during the first cultivation season]," he told the Select Board members. There is a problem. I get it; cannabis smells bad, [people] dont like it. I am not required to eliminate it, but I am required to mitigate it, he said. I am going to use very expensive, state-of-the-art technology to mitigate that cannabis odor. Im assured by our Byers Scientific specialists that we can, in a meaningful way, improve the odor condition for the people who are bothered by it during the time period it happens. The cannabis farm on Baker Street is in the towns manufacturing and marijuana overlay district, near a 500-acre wildlife refuge. Piasecki said it employs 39 people including 10 town residents with a $25 hourly wage plus a performance bonus and a daily meal the largest commercial development that has happened in West Stockbridge in decades and likely one of the largest employers in town with a yearly payroll of about $315,000. But after its first cultivation season last year, Piasecki was targeted with a barrage of complaints by some residents of the town, and neighboring Richmond. In response, he committed to presenting an odor control system as part of his annual report to the Select Board. Piasecki cited the special permit and host community agreement among the approvals granted by the town and required by the states Cannabis Control Commission. That agreement clearly states that both the town and Wiseacre acknowledge that natural outdoor growing of any agricultural product including cannabis, does from time to time create some natural odors, he said. During public comment, several local residents spoke in support of the operation, pointed out that West Stockbridge and Richmond are both right-to-farm communities, subject to odors from chicken and pig farms. Maya Copeland of West Stockbridge noted that there are plenty of other smells people complain about. Wiseacre Farm has fulfilled its obligations to the town, resident Curt Wilton said. He noted year-round wastewater treatment plant odors when sitting on his porch, as well as the unpleasant, burnt coffee beans roasted a half mile away. A majority of town and state residents voted to legalize marijuana, resident Wayne Cooper noted. At a glance Heres a summary of the odor-reduction plan for the Wiseacre Farm marijuana cultivation facility at 42 Baker St., West Stockbridge: This year: Additional air impedance screening Plant 200 additional fall-flowering clematis Install atomization system recommended by Byers Scientific to mitigate odor via an enzyme-based odor neutralizer Utilize industrial agricultural fan to increase airflow and direct more air through atomization system Install on-site weather station per Byers Scientific recommendation to provide real-time meteorological data Byers Scientific will study airflows and sample air during flowering stage Report and recommendations from Byers Scientific based on air sampling data and analysis 2025 and beyond: Continued study and recommendations from Byers Scientific Adjust or add to odor control system as recommended by Byers Scientific Source: Wiseacre Farm annual report to the West Stockbridge Select Board But Richmond resident Jane Mayer of Dean Hill Road voiced concern over air emanating from Wiseacre Farm that is polluted and compromised by a foul, noxious, uncontrollable odor into the summer and into the fall. The plan should not further pollute our air, our health and our environment. She urged the Select Board to reject any proposed odor-mitigation plan "that sprays enzymes into the air and blows it around with hydraulic, turbocharged fans. Piasecki acknowledged current growing pains in the cannabis industry. Wiseacre could pay the town a $90,000 community impact fee this year based on 3 percent of gross revenue, if current sales projections pan out, he said, whether we have to or not and we dont have to, it turns out, but were going to. He explained that, to his surprise, summer heat can at times create a thermal, driving skunky, sulfur-based odors from the marijuana plants into a neighborhood on Dean Hill Road. A quiet, environmentally safe, five-bladed fan will be installed for occasional use to push up to 20 acres of air downward into a giant swamp, he said, especially during high-humidity, low-wind weather. The odor-abatement plan also includes testing to register the presence of airborne odors, a weather station, an enzyme-based odor neutralizer, and creation of a whats app group to convey odor complaints directly to Piasecki to adjust the fan for assisted air movement in real time. I actually do want to be a good neighbor, a good contributor to our town and our business, he said, while continuing the 3 percent community impact fee. Were going to figure out a way that I can make it as good as I can, because I want the best facility in the country, he stressed. I cant eliminate it [the odor] but I want to do the right thing. I love this town, the people are fantastic, I love cannabis, it helps people who need work, but I havent made any money yet. A year from now, he predicted, in all likelihood, well be having the same discussion, a number of people will still be angry, but therell be fewer. With cannabis, its stigmatized, people forever will be against it, theres nothing you can do. "But youll have a state-of-the-art system thats been installed and can be adapted, and we will provide every single thing possible to mitigate this smell. I cant make it go away, but Ill do everything I can to mitigate it, Im willing to put my money on the line. At a glance . . . Heres a summary of the odor-reduction plan for the Wiseacre Farm marijuana cultivation facility at 42 Baker Street, West Stockbridge: This year: Additional air impedance screening Plant 200 additional fall-flowering clematis Install atomization system recommended by Byers Scientific to mitigate odor via an enzyme-based odor neutralizer Utilize industrial agricultural fan to increase airflow and direct more air through atomization system Install on-site weather station per Byers Scientific recommendation to provide real-time meteorological data Byers Scientific will study airflows and sample air during flowering stage Report and recommendations from Byers Scientific based on air sampling data and analysis 2025 and beyond: Continued study and recommendations from Byers Scientific Adjust or add to odor control system as recommended by Byers Scientific Source: Wiseacre Farm annual report to the West Stockbridge Select Board San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins informed members of the Board of Supervisors on Friday that her office is launching a criminal investigation into the finances of SF Safe, a nonprofit that was found to have misused San Francisco Police Department funds. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2023 The San Francisco District Attorneys Office is investigating the finances of a crime-prevention nonprofit embroiled in an expanding scandal that began when the city found it misspent Police Department funds, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told members of the Board of Supervisors on Friday. The office is investigating potential criminal wrongdoing in connection with San Francisco SAFEs finances, according to a letter from Jenkins office, signed by White Collar Crime Division Chief Matthew McCarthy, sent to four supervisors obtained by the Chronicle. In the letter, Jenkins advised Supervisors Aaron Peskin, Connie Chan, Catherine Stefani and Dean Preston, of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, to delay for 30-45 days planned hearings on SF Safe, as it could potentially hinder the investigation. Peskin said Friday he is consulting with the city attorney, noting that the district attorney is not authorized to issue legal counsel to the board of supervisors. The Police Commission whose members received a similar letter scheduled a hearing on SF Safe for Wednesday, Feb. 7, while the supervisors Audit and Oversight Committee hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As you are aware, the San Francisco Police Department was a major funding source for SF SAFE, Jenkins offices letter said. Therefore, the District Attorneys Office is the lead investigative agency in this matter and will take responsibility for any criminal cases arising therefrom our public integrity task force which is tasked with investigating and prosecuting cases involving the misuse of public funds. Since January, SF Safe has been under heavy scrutiny after the city controller found that it spent nearly $80,000 in grant money from the San Francisco Police Department on ineligible or excessive expenses, including a Lake Tahoe trip, luxury gift boxes and limo service. The Police Department reimbursed SF Safe for the expenses. The controllers report reviewed $910,000 paid by the department over a nine-month period. SF Safe fired its director, Kyra Worthy, last week after its board found evidence of a forged check and referred the case to police. The Latino Task Force and the Castro Community on Patrol have said that they are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars by SF Safe, and tech billionaire Chris Larsen said he would investigate what happened to $1.8 million he gave the nonprofit. The Chronicle later learned that when Worthy was head of the nonprofit For Richmond in 2017 a Chevron-backed community organization the West Contra Costa Unified School District terminated its contract with the nonprofit and demanded it return $234,000 after allegedly submitting false or unsupported invoices. And this week, the Chronicle obtained a notice informing SF Safe that it owed $445,000 in rent for its offices in the Mission and was given three days to pay. SF Safe also had several contracts with city departments including the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the Department of Children, Youth and their Families. Mayor London Breed said Friday that the city attorney and controller are also looking into SF Safes contracts. Kyra Worthy, the former SF Safe executive director, speaks at a January 2023 press conference. She was fired last week after the nonprofits board found evidence of a forged check. SF Gov TV Worthy did not respond to a text or phone call seeking comment on Friday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the letter to the supervisors, Jenkins office requested that when hearings do occur, they should be conducted at a time and in a manner that is careful not to publicly reveal investigative actions or non-public facts prior to the conclusion of our criminal investigation. The letter asks that the board focus on the contracting and provision of funds by the City and or SFPD and to avoid inquiries into the ultimate use or disposition of those funds. The letter said the District Attorneys Office would be particularly concerned about public testimony regarding investigative efforts or testimony by non-city employees. Peskin, who initially called for board hearings into SF Safe and its relationship with SFPD, called the letter sloppy. Of course public hearings (or civil cases, for that matter) can proceed during a criminal investigation, Peskin said. Also, is she going to investigate her own offices potential involvement? I think she should ask Attorney General Bonta to take this. Peskin noted that Jenkins was a featured guest with police Chief Bill Scott at a Soulful Sunday Brunch Black History Month event held a year ago at the groups Mission offices. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jenkins spokesperson Randy Quezada confirmed Jenkins delivered remarks at the event, one of 10 public Black History Month celebrations she attended last year. Jenkins was not paid for her attendance or receive any gifts in connection to the event, he said. In a written statement, Jenkins said it was ludicrous to believe that my participation in a public event sponsored by SF SAFE, last year, would impact my offices ability to investigate and potentially prosecute any criminal wrongdoing, now. The assertion is patently absurd. If evidence is discovered in the course of the investigation of criminal wrongdoing by anyone affiliated with SF SAFE or any other entity, we will prosecute the individual (s) just as we would in any other case, she said. Officials at the citys Police Commission confirmed they received a letter from the district attorney Friday and pushed back on the request to delay hearings. The DAs letter is legally unsound and appears to be an illegitimate attempt to silence public discourse about the SF Safe scandal. Nothing prevents us from holding a public hearing on an issue that is also separately being criminally investigated, police Commissioner Max Carter-Oberstone told the Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In fact, every week at Police Commission meetings, Chief Scott answers questions about crimes that are actively being investigated, Carter-Oberstone said. If members of SFPD or the Controllers Office dont want to answer specific questions because the DA has asked them not to, they are free to make that choice. But the commission can and should ask the important questions that need to be asked about who knows what and when. His colleague, Commissioner Kevin Benedicto, also pushed back, saying he did not believe the commission should postpone its hearing. The City Charter gives the Commission oversight authority over SFPD, and we have a responsibility to the public to exercise that authority, he said. I am confident we can do so while respecting and in no way obstructing the parallel criminal investigation. Police spokesperson Evan Sernoffsky told the Chronicle, We cant comment on a criminal investigation. Breed told the Chronicle Friday that she has known Worthy on a professional level for years but wouldnt necessarily say that shes a friend. Breed said she respected Worthys work in the past and was extremely disappointed by the allegations against her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Where did this idea originate? Is this something my parents, spouse, or mentor wants me to do, or is this a genuine desire within me? A career in ministry is a special role, and most people who enter the ministry do so because they feel called to it, whether by hearing the voice of the Lord or by slowly realizing, over time, that this is where God has been steering them. Ministry careers can be difficult and draining. There is also much responsibility, for you are doing the Lords work and representing Jesus. Its not a good idea to enter the ministry cavalierly, or because you think it will have a financial benefit. God gifts those he calls into ministry with the skills they need. If he is not calling you, you wont have the needed gifts to do the job right, and you will likely be dissatisfied or frustrated or both. 2. What Are My Spiritual Gifts? The Bible tells us that God gives the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in each of us in different ways through what are called spiritual gifts. These are meant to build up the common good and work together so that Gods church is strong and fruitful. As the apostle Paul, in his first letter to the early church in Corinth, explains, To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines (1 Corinthians 12:8-11). Later, in Romans 12:6-8, he says, We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Consider what gift God has given to you. You might have more than one gift. There are quizzes you can take online that can help you determine your gift, but you should also pray about it as you work to discern your gifts, as well as ask others to give you an honest assessment. You might deeply admire the gift of teaching, but maybe youre not gifted in this way. Or perhaps you want desperately to have the gift of healing, but an honest assessment reveals you actually have the gift of wisdom or knowledge. Knowing your spiritual gifts will help you determine your career path within the ministry. Related article: A Comprehensive Spiritual Gifts List to Discover Your Gifts and Calling Photo credit: Getty Images/People Images BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. Mayor London Breed speaks Friday during a convening of Black 2 San Francisco, an initiative led by the citys Human Rights Commission. The program will bring historically Black colleges and universities to the city for educational sessions this summer. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle San Francisco is partnering with historically Black colleges and universities to bring educational programs to the city this summer as local leaders seek to attract a permanent satellite campus to help revitalize downtown. The schools, known as HBCUs, will use existing student housing from the University of San Francisco and classroom space from San Francisco State University for the summer programs. Topics will include science, math, environmental justice and journalism. A 20-student financial tech accelerator program and eight-student program with the Department of Police Accountability are also planned. UCSF will also work with Black colleges and universities on mental health mentoring, training and internships. The list of schools involved hasnt been finalized, but the city is in talks with Charles R. Drew University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Morris Brown College, Tuskegee University and the University of the District of Columbia. Some college representatives attended an event Friday at the War Memorial Performing Arts Center that was focused on the effort, with city departments and Bay Area tech companies also in attendance to tout the citys powerhouse economy and educational opportunities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The citys Human Rights Commission, which focuses on anti-discrimination efforts and racial equity, is leading the effort, called Black 2 San Francisco. After many years of planning, and months of seeding and working to create meaningful partnerships, all the stakeholders are together to explore how we can connect San Francisco to the incredible talent that has historically been cultivated and supported by HBCUs, said Sheryl Davis, executive director of the commission, in a statement. Dr. Sheryl Davis, executive director of San Franciscos Human Rights Commission, speaks Tuesday during a convening of Black 2 San Francisco, an initiative under Mayor London Breed that will host sessions by historically Black colleges and universities in the city this summer. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle City officials hope bringing a permanent campus to downtown would help inject new energy and residents to the area, which has been hit hard by remote work. More than a third of the citys office space is vacant, a record high. However, there are no HBCUs west of Texas, and San Francisco real estate costs remain some of the highest in the country, even after receding during the pandemic. In San Francisco, we are working to build partnerships that strengthen our leadership as a center of education, innovation and opportunity, Mayor London Breed said in a statement. By bringing HBCUs to our City, we can not only create a connection to empower our next generation of leaders, but we can also contribute to the revitalization of our City. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Separately, the University of California and UC Berkeley are in talks with the city about a potential new campus. Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, a book by Carole Boston Weatherford, is displayed Friday with other books in a room next to the Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater at the War Memorial Veterans Building during a convening of Black 2 San Francisco, an initiative under Mayor London Breed that will host sessions by historically Black colleges and universities in the city this summer. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle San Francisco has a fraught history when it comes to its Black community. A government redevelopment plan in the 1960s bulldozed swaths of the historically Black Fillmore and Western Addition district, where Breed grew up. The citys Black population dwindled from almost 11% of residents in 1990 to around 5.7% today, according to census data. Breeds budget cuts last year removed funding for the citys controversial plan to study reparations for Black residents who were victims of racist policies. Meanwhile, a separate state effort on potential reparations is moving forward. Advocates from the private and public sectors touted the citys progressive values and diversity which helped it attract a Black Nurses conference moving out of Florida in July and tech dominance at Fridays event, urging HBCUs to come to San Francisco. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A representative from LinkedIn said investing and expanding in the region was a chance for future students to shape the next frontier of technology. If weve learned one thing over the last three years, its that abiding by centuries-old medical ethics, like asking questions, is what White Supremacists and domestic terrorists do. Via the soon-to-be-memory-holed American Medical Association webpage on informed consent: Informed consent to medical treatment is fundamental in both ethics and law. Patients have the right to receive information and ask questions about recommended treatments so that they can make well-considered decisions about care. Successful communication in the patient-physician relationship fosters trust and supports shared decision making. The process of informed consent occurs when communication between a patient and physician results in the patients authorization or agreement to undergo a specific medical intervention. That was then. This is now, when respecting the Science requires that you shut your filthy masked mouth and do whatever corporate media news actors and Public Health technocrats tell you to do. Via Federal Register: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations to implement a provision of the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act). This final rule allows an exception from the requirement to obtain informed consent when a clinical investigation poses no more than minimal risk to the human subject and includes appropriate safeguards to protect the rights, safety, and welfare of human subjects. The final rule permits an institutional review board (IRB) to waive or alter certain informed consent elements or to waive the requirement to obtain informed consent, under limited conditions, for certain FDA-regulated minimal risk clinical investigations. Branch COVIDians surely dont care about any of this, as they gave up long ago exercising their former right to be fully informed of medical experimentation risks anyway. In fact, they brag about their ignorance and apathy and doglike obedience as if they are virtues. Listen to the New York NAACP lady explain: We must take the vaccine. Now, I'm going to tell you a personal story off script. So, today right after this I am going to have an infusion, and I'm going to have an infusion because I want to make sure that the cancer that was in my body does not return. I'm not asking what's in the infusion, I'm not looking up all of the ingredients in the infusion, I am sticking out my arm and I am taking the infusion, and that's what we have to do. [seal-like clapping from the masked retards behind her] At this point, I have extremely limited compassion for these people, victims though they are of a mass propaganda machine. Perhaps its the social Darwinist in me that my more benevolent half tries to box out of my consciousness. Maybe, if they have no survival instincts left whatsoever, reckless medical experimentation is what they deserve. Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. -H. L. Mencken I am now inclined to encourage them to sign up for as many medical experiments as possible, read none of the fine print, and Trust the Science as they waltz into hell. Ben Bartee, author of Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile, is an independent Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff Substack. Also, keep tabs via Twitter. For hip Armageddon Prose t-shirts, hats, etc., peruse the merch store. Support always welcome via insta-tip jar. Residents crowd around a screen as they line up to speak during public comment regarding rezoning parts of San Francisco to accommodate more housing during a Planning Commission meeting at City Hall on Thursday. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle San Franciscos state-mandated plan to raise height limits to encourage housing production along transit corridors from the Sunset to the Richmond to the Marina came under withering criticism as the Planning Commission held an informational hearing on the proposed upzoning. While Thursdays hearing was the first in many that will take place at the commission, as well as the Board of Supervisors, over the next nine months, residents expressed alarm that the upzoning is occurring as quickly as it is. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In its state-mandated housing element plan, San Francisco is on the hook to accommodate 82,000 new units by 2031. While earlier upzonings have focused on adding housing in the eastern half of the city areas such as the Mission, SoMa, Dogpatch and Upper Market Street this time city planners are focused on western and northern neighborhoods that have seen little or no housing added. In all, the area being rezoned makes up about 50% of the citys land, but those areas have seen just 10% of the citys housing development over the past 20 years, mostly because the majority of the area is not zoned for high-density projects. This includes areas along Lombard Street in the Marina; 19th Avenue; Taravel, Irving, Judah and Sloat in the Sunset; and Balboa, Clement and Geary in the Richmond. It also includes blocks just off those corridors. In many areas heights would be increased from 28 to 65 or 85 feet; some larger sites on busy intersections would allow towers as high as 140 or 300 feet. While city planners have hosted 62 workshops and informational sessions across the city, many residents at the Thursday hearing said they had just learned the extent of the plans. Cow Hollow Neighborhood Association President Lori Brooke said very very few people in San Francisco were even aware what was going on. Telegraph Hill Dwellers President Stan Hayes said the plan would change the San Francisco we all love, leaving the city fundamentally damaged if the rezoning were to pass. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Calvin Welch, a San Francisco resident and member of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood council, speaks against upcoming zoning amendments during a San Francisco Planning Commission meeting Thursday. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle While demolition of existing residential units would be protected by the rezoning, longtime Haight-Ashbury activist Calvin Welch expressed concern that the rezoning would fuel the demolition of single-story retailers that anchor the citys commercial strips. Every food service, every grocery store, every hardware store on Haight Street would be subject to demolition and high-density development with no commitment to replace the businesses, Welch said. They are all single-story buildings that dont have housing above the economic impact on Haight-Ashbury would be severe. As has been the case in recent years, the pro- and anti-development camps seemed to be split along generational lines Thursday. Homeowner retirees in wealthy neighborhoods such as the Marina, Telegraph Hill and St. Francis Wood railed against a denser city of tall buildings. Meanwhile, younger renters agonized over the fact that the areas housing scarcity means that their generation wont be able to raise families in the city. Housing Action Coalition organizer Jake Price suggested that the rezoning should have included large opportunity sites we are currently selling short. He cited City Center property at Masonic and Geary and the Safeway by Ocean Beach in the Richmond as parcels that could be zoned for more height. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said any property within a five- or 10-minute walk from a frequent service bus line, like the 38R-Geary Rapid, should be at least 65 feet. I want more families to be able to live in the neighborhood I grew up in, said resident Stephen Dodson. Almost every one of my friends have been priced out of San Francisco. I am here for them as well. Handouts for the informational presentation on rezoning parts were distributed during a Planning Commission meeting Thursday. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Potrero Hill resident Kate Bloomberg said that residential development in her neighborhood and the adjacent Dogpatch and Potrero areas has been a boon to longtime residents. Its lively. Its vibrant. Its wonderful, she said. Its bringing life back to the city. In addition to homeowners, the coalition opposing the rezoning includes progressive groups like the Race & Equity in all Planning coalition, or REP-SF, made up of housing justice organizations from across the city. David Woo of SOMA Pilipinas, a member of REP-SF, called the rezoning a plan to redevelop our communities through market deregulation and developer giveaways. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This upzoning proposal does not provide anything our communities need it only benefits for-profit, market driven interests, he said. We need to protect and stabilize tenants and small businesses across the city not displace them. While she said he supports increased density and heights, Planning Commissioner Sue Diamond said the concerns about how taller buildings would impact the citys unique atmosphere are being raised by people who live in those neighborhoods, and their experiences living in those neighborhoods warrant further examination. I think we need to focus on what makes those neighborhood commercial corridors thrive, Diamond said. We need to make sure what makes the neighborhoods so special doesnt get lost with the construction of eight-story buildings. Theresa Imperial, another of the citys planning commissioners, said that she had accepted that we are not going to please everyone at this point but that the city should be focused on making sure the small businesses that make the city special are not bulldozed or chased away for an uncertain future of speculative mid-rises that may or may not ever be built. She pointed to the rezoning of SoMa as a cautionary tale: speculation following that upzoning led to the displacement of small businesses and demolition of active buildings that had pumped vitality to the enclave, Nearly six years later SoMas alleys and avenues are riddled with boarded up buildings, the sidewalks are bereft of activity, yet only a tiny fraction of the ambitious office and housing developments that were promised have materialized. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The South of Market was popular for its nightlife, and many of those bars and clubs have already closed at this point because of the SoMa plan, Imperial said. Longtime Commissioner Kathrin Moore warned against reactive upzoning and said she would like to see the changes phased by neighborhood in an organized fashion that carefully considered the impact of the changes. If you take the body of the city as a whole and consider this surgery, (the rezoning) would be considered invasive surgery, she said The question of the deadline is also a point of contention. While the state law gives municipalities until 2026 to complete the rezoning, San Francisco set an earlier deadline in an agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which last year conducted an investigation into the citys notoriously difficult and lengthy housing approval and permitting practices. Principal Planner Lisa Chen, who presented the rezoning plan at the meeting Thursday, said the concept would continue to evolve before it is back at the commission in three weeks. China's annual sci-tech expenditure up 6.4 pct in past 6 years Xinhua) 09:55, February 02, 2024 BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's fiscal expenditure on science and technology development has increased by 6.4 percent annually on average over the past six years, according to the Ministry of Finance. From 2018 to 2023, the country's sci-tech expenditure has grown from 832.7 billion yuan (about 117.2 billion U.S. dollars) to nearly 1.06 trillion yuan, Vice Minister of Finance Wang Dongwei told a press conference on Thursday. While ensuring strong fiscal expenditure, financial departments have been actively supporting innovation through tax incentives, government procurement, asset management, as well as fiscal and financial policy tools, Wang said. The vice minister added that more effective measures will be adopted to promote the building of a modern industrial system led by sci-tech innovation, as well as develop new productive forces. Pilot reforms will be advanced to stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of scientific researchers, Wang said, adding that in terms of the use of funds, efforts will be made to deepen the reform of the allocation and use mechanism of science and technology funds. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) As of Thursday, the Weather Prediction Center forecasts a moderate risk of flash flooding in Santa Barbara and Oxnard on Sunday, and a slight risk in the Bay Area and Central Coast. Baron Lynx Weather The first in a series of atmospheric river storms caused flooding and landslides throughout coastal California on Wednesday and Thursday, but it may have just been a preview of whats to come from the second storm. For now, the risk of scattered thunderstorms and rain showers throughout the Bay Area persists Friday and Saturday. While the storm earlier this week was associated with an atmospheric river, a narrow plume of moisture in the sky, this second atmospheric river will be more extreme due to its slow-moving nature. A south-to-north orientation of the moisture plume will cause the storm to take direct aim at south-southwest facing regions for a long duration. Areas between Santa Cruz County and Los Angeles could experience moderate to heavy rain for 24 to 48 consecutive hours, long enough to cause widespread flooding and landslides. Tahoe travel: How to avoid highway chaos as biggest storm of season hits Sierra Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sundays atmospheric river is expected to take aim at Central and Southern California and continue through Tuesday. Baron Lynx Weather The subtropical moisture will encounter cold air when it reaches the Sierra Nevada, a recipe for heavy snow. Several feet of snow are expected in the Southern Sierra, easily the biggest snowstorm so far this winter. A large swell is also expected at the coast, with breaking waves possibly approaching 30 feet. Wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph are also possible between San Francisco and San Diego. Heres what you need to know about the approaching storm. Significant rainfall for many There is high confidence that many areas along the California coast, between Monterey Bay and San Diego Bay, will experience a high-impact rainfall event from Sunday through Tuesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Weather Prediction Center forecasts a slight risk of flash flooding in the Bay Area and Central Coast on Sunday, and a moderate risk in Santa Barbara. By Monday the moderate risk stretches to Los Angeles, while a slight risk continues on the Central Coast. There is a strong signal for another plume of high moisture to move onshore over a multi-day period supporting heavy rain to the central and southern stretch of the Golden Coast and points inland, the Weather Prediction Center wrote in a discussion Thursday. While its too early to forecast exact rainfall amounts, parts of the Transverse Ranges within Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Kern counties will likely receive 10 or more inches through Tuesday night. The upcoming event may be similar or stronger than the Jan. 9, 2023 storm, which prompted evacuation warnings in Santa Barbara. Heavy rainfall is nearly guaranteed between San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles, but weather models are struggling with the storms details north of Santa Cruz toward the Bay Area. Anywhere from an inch to 4 inches of rain is possible in San Francisco and Oakland, with higher amounts in the Santa Cruz Mountains. How much rain continues beyond Tuesday is also unknown. If the atmosphere is unstable, downpours and thunderstorms are possible Wednesday and Thursday. Additional rainfall rates on top of saturated soils would put further stress on watersheds, possibly leading to more landslides. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Snow impacts So far this winter, the southern Sierra Nevada has been in a snow drought with most storms hitting farther north, but this time is expected to be different. Regardless of the exact evolution of the storm, the Central and Southern Sierra will be pummeled with heavy snow for several days and up to 5 feet of snow. Yosemite Valley will even see heavy snow, with the freezing line below 3,000 feet at the start of the storm. While the coast gets battered with heavy rain, whiteout conditions are expected in the Sierra Nevada on Sunday and Monday, possibly continuing through Tuesday. Baron Lynx Weather The snow will be a welcome sign at Mammoth Mountain, where so far this winter just 9 feet of snow has accumulated, well behind the pace of its 33-foot average. For travelers, the snow will pose a serious threat, with whiteout conditions possible Sunday afternoon through at least Monday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Initial forecast snow amounts range from 2 to 3 feet in the northern Sierra, including around Lake Tahoe level. Freezing temperatures in the Santa Lucia and Diablo ranges and Mayacama Mountains on Sunday could support a few inches of snow at the highest elevations, before transitioning to rain Monday. Wind and waves The least certain part of the storm is the wind and wave aspect, which depends on the evolution of the low-pressure system. In the northern hemisphere, wind flows counterclockwise around low-pressure systems, with the strongest winds to the south and east of the storm. If the low-pressure system tracks just off the Bay Area, gusts of 60 to 70 mph could rival the double-eyed March 2023 windstorm. Weather models predict strong winds Sunday on the Central Coast, perhaps gusting up to 70 mph near Big Sur by the afternoon. Baron Lynx Weather A more likely scenario is a weaker low-pressure system farther south that brings a swath of 35 to 55 mph gusts from San Francisco to San Diego. Stronger gusts would occur at higher elevations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ryanair has said it flew more passengers in January, but revealed it had to cancel more than 950 flights due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Dublin-based budget airline said it had 12.2 million customers last month, an increase of 3 per cent on the 11.8 million people it flew during the same month last year. Advertisement It ran about 71,000 flights during January, but was forced to cancel flights as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The firms load factor an important measure for airlines of how well they are filling the seats on their planes dipped from 91 per cent to 89 per cent year-on-year. Ryanair said the load factor reduced because of the removal of its flights from some pirate online travel agents in December. Websites including Booking.com, Kiwi and Kayak decided to take Ryanair off their website, a decision which the airline previously said it welcomed, having complained the sites sold its flights without permission. Advertisement Advertisement However, it flagged that the move would impact upon ticket revenues as it is forced to slash fares to fill seats, leading it to cut its full-year profit outlook. Meanwhile, rival low-cost airline Wizz Air revealed it flew 4.7 million passengers during January, a jump of 14.2 per cent year-on-year. Its load factor dropped from 86 per cent to 82 per cent, which it said was a result of an increase in one-way traffic and as it also responded to conflict in the Middle East. The airlines CO2 emissions soared by nearly a quarter year-on-year in January, outpacing the rise in passenger numbers. However, it said it continues to report the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger per kilometre among rival airlines, at about 52 grams on average over the past year, describing itself as Europes greenest low-cost airline. The firm previously announced that it will restart flights to Tel Aviv in Israel from the beginning of March, from locations including London, Rome, and Budapest. The leader of the DUP has warned the UK government he will hold its feet to the fire on delivering on the deal to restore Stormont as he admitted he did not fully trust it. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said independent monitoring mechanisms built into the agreement meant there were means to ensure the UK government was doing what it has pledged to do. Advertisement The DUP has given the green light for the recall of the Stormont Assembly on the back of the deal, with powersharing due to be restored in Northern Ireland on Saturday after two years in cold storage. Advertisement On Thursday, two pieces of legislation contained in the agreement to resurrect devolution were fast-tracked through the UK's House of Commons. The DUP has agreed the package of measures with the UK government that Mr Donaldson says has effectively removed the so-called Irish Sea border for goods moving from Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland. Advertisement The plan is set out in a command paper titled 'Safeguarding the Union'. There is undoubtedly a trust issue here, the DUP leader told BBC Radio Ulster on Friday. Advertisement I will hold the governments feet to the fire. There are new mechanisms, Im not just relying on the UK government. It has been confirmed that the Assembly will meet on Saturday, as we come together to form an Executive and get Ministers back in office to take decisions to support workers, families and public services. I am determined to lead an Executive as a First Minister for all, and to Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) February 1, 2024 Advertisement Theres a new independent monitoring panel to be established under this agreement, which will hold the governments feet to the fire as an independent body. I will be able to appoint people, professional people with knowledge of customs arrangements, with knowledge of trading arrangements, who will be able to ensure that what the government have promised to deliver is delivered. Advertisement Mr Donaldson added: It (command paper) is a political declaration of what the government is doing and has, in some instances, already done and will do. Legal advice from John Larkin KC on DUP deal to be published on Friday morning Those who shared most anti-Protocol platforms with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, namely, Ben Habib, Baroness Hoey, Jim Allister and Jamie Bryson, commissioned legal advice, at their own expense, on the DUP Advertisement Jim Allister (@JimAllister) February 1, 2024 In political transactions, there is a degree of guarantee and there is a degree of trust most transactions in life are like that. Do we completely 100 per cent trust the government? No, of course not. Thats why I have built mechanisms in here and safety nets in here to ensure that if the government dishonour their side, then we have measures that we can utilise to address that. When the Northern Ireland Assembly does reconvene at Parliament Buildings on Saturday, it will witness the historically significant moment of the appointment of its first nationalist first minister, Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill. The DUP will hold the position of deputy first minister an office that wields the same powers as the first minister. While Mr Donaldson has secured the backing of a majority of party colleagues to accept the deal, there are those within the DUP who remain deeply sceptical of the proposed agreement to restore powersharing. A public meeting at Moygashel Orange Hall, Belfast, after the agreement of a Government package that is set to deliver the restoration of powersharing in Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA) Parliamentary debate on the two motions on Thursday laid bare the divisions at the very top of the DUP, with senior party members Lord Dodds and Sammy Wilson voicing opposition to the proposals, albeit both stopped short of criticising their leader. Advertisement Mr Donaldson is also facing opposition outside his party. Around 120 unionists and loyalists opposed to the deal gathered at a meeting in Moygashel Orange Hall in Co Tyrone on Thursday night. TUV leader Jim Allister told the meeting that Northern Ireland remained a colony because it had to accept economic laws made by the EU, while loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said so-called Irish Sea border remained. However, the DUP leader was given a significant boost on Friday when a high-profile Orange Order chief declared his personal support for the package. Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, grand secretary of the Orange Order Mervyn Gibson said while the deal was not perfect, it was a win for unionist determination and unity, and needs to be accepted as such. Thanks to the new deal negotiated by @J_Donaldson_MP goods staying inside the United Kingdom are no longer subject to EU checks. The @duponline has delivered for the people of Northern Ireland and has ensured our Constitutional position within the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/9TQccAcrri Queen's University DUA (@QUB_DUA) February 1, 2024 The UK government has faced questions in parliament from Brexiteer backbenchers who have expressed concern that the deal agreed with the DUP would place limits on the UKs ability to diverge from EU regulations. Advertisement UK ministers have sought to reassure MPs that the measures will not affect the UKs capacity to diverge. The paper commits to replacing the Windsor Frameworks green lane process at Northern Ireland ports, which requires percentages of goods to be checked as they arrive from Britain, with a UK internal market system that will govern the movement of goods that remain within the UK. Checks would still be carried out but on a risk-based/intelligence-led model to combat illegality and disease, rather than routine stops of disembarking lorries. Businesses using the internal market system would also need to be signed up to a trusted trader scheme. Michelle ONeill is expected to become First Minister (Niall Carson/PA) The measure to reduce checks on British/Northern Ireland trade is part of a wide-ranging deal agreed between the DUP and the UK government that would bring about the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland after a two-year hiatus. The DUP has agreed to drop its two-year blockade of Stormont in exchange for the UK government measures aimed at addressing its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements that created economic barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The return of Stormont will see the UK Treasury release a 3.3 billion package to support under-pressure public services in Northern Ireland. Advertisement The financial package, announced by the UK government before Christmas, includes money to settle the demands of striking public sector workers in the region this year. Despite the moves to restore the devolved institutions, industrial action continued on Thursday, with public transport workers and school support staff picketing in the latest day of strikes in Northern Ireland. The Taoiseach said he has some difficulties with the new rules that will allow for smooth post-Brexit trade between Northern Ireland and Britain, but that they do not cross any red lines. Leo Varadkar also said the command paper, titled Safeguarding The Union, contains negative language. Advertisement The document, published on Wednesday, contains details of the agreement between the UK government and the DUP which paved the way for the party to end its boycott of the power-sharing institutions in the North. The measures remove checks on goods travelling from Great Britain that are to stay in Northern Ireland. Advertisement The Northern Ireland Assembly is due to meet on Saturday. Speaking in Dublin on Friday, Mr Varadkar said: I think its really good news that the Assembly and the Executive will be back up and running on Saturday. Fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong between now and then. Advertisement I really look forward to working with the new First Minister and the new Deputy First Minister, and the new Executive, on issues of common interest. Advertisement Ive read the command paper, I would have some difficulties with some aspects of it. I dont like the negative language about the all-Ireland economy and I think it very much puts the British government in the place of being advocates of the Union, whereas in the past theyd signed up to rigorous impartiality. But none of those things crossed any red lines in my view. When Brexit happened, we set out our objectives. One was to make sure the Good Friday Agreement was respected, it has been, and there was to be no hard border between north and south, and that our position in the European Union and the single market wouldnt be diminished, and none of those red lines are crossed. Advertisement If this is the price, if this is what has to be accepted in order to allow power-sharing to resume, I think thats worth it. There is opposition from nationalists and unionists, but I think the majority of both communities will accept this. Mr Varadkar said that after reading the document, there were no red flags raised about its details. Advertisement Advertisement He said that while there are no changes to the Windsor Framework, there are some changes to how it is going to operate. The Fine Gael leader said he spoke to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen about the agreement when he travelled to Brussels on Wednesday and that the EU Commission will study its contents. Anything that results in seamless trade, whether its north-south or between Northern Ireland and Britain, Im all for, he added. Ive never wanted any of these barriers in the first place one of the reasons why I wasnt in favour of Brexit. I spoke to President von der Leyen about this Wednesday and I know [British foreign secretary] Lord Cameron spoke to Maros Sefcovic, the Tanaiste had some calls too. So, the Commission is studying what was agreed between the UK government and the DUP so far no red flags have been raised, so far no particular concerns arise. Im fairly confident that it is totally consistent with whats been agreed previously in the Withdrawal Agreement and with the Framework, but it is the European Commission who has to make that assessment, not us as the Irish Government. From a background steeped in republicanism, Michelle ONeill has risen to the cusp of making history as Northern Irelands first nationalist first minister. When MLAs gather at Stormont on Saturday, 47-year-old Ms ONeill will finally be nominated to the position she became entitled to by leading Sinn Fein to victory in the 2022 Assembly elections. Advertisement Her ascent has been delayed by the DUPs boycott of the powersharing institutions. Since the collapse of Stormont, Ms ONeill has been the face of her partys long campaign to have the Assembly restored, repeatedly promoted as a first minister for all. When she appeared with party leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Great Hall of Stormont this week, after the DUP agreed to end the political impasse, the two women were quick to point out the huge political significance of the moment, stating that their ultimate strategy of Irish unity is within touching distance. Advertisement Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle ONeill (Sinn Fein/PA) Advertisement Ms ONeill and Ms McDonald have forged a formidable partnership. Ms McDonald leads Sinn Feins electoral charge in the Republic, while Ms ONeill has grown in prominence as the Stormont leader. Together, their public appearances are often cheerful and personable, a departure from the men in grey suits image of politics in past years. Also, both women come from a generation of republicanism which had no direct role in IRA activities, unlike previous leaders such as Martin McGuinness. While the symbolism of having a republican first minister at Stormont will not go unnoticed, the political reality is that the first and deputy first minster posts hold equal authority. It is often cited in Northern Ireland that one cannot send a letter without the signature of the other. Advertisement Michelle ONeill and Arlene Foster led the Stormont response to the Covid pandemic (Mark Marlow/PA) Ms ONeill knows this better than most, having previously served as deputy first minister alongside the DUPs Arlene Foster and Paul Givan when they occupied the office of first minister. During that time, however, Stormonts overwhelming priority was dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisement When devolved government returns to Northern Ireland on Saturday, Ms ONeill and her new team of ministerial colleagues will be tasked with dealing with a budget crisis and crumbling public services. Advertisement Born Michelle Doris on January 10th, 1977, in Fermoy, Co Cork, Ms ONeill was raised in the village of Clonoe in rural Co Tyrone in a family of prominent republicans. Her father, Brendan Doris, was a former IRA prisoner who later became a Sinn Fein councillor in Dungannon. Her uncle, Paul Doris, was the president of Noraid, a republican fundraising group. She had her daughter Saoirse at the age of 16 and her own mother gave up work so she could continue her education. Advertisement In a 2021 interview, Ms ONeill spoke about the difficulties of being a teenage mother from a Catholic background. She said: Certainly I had some very, very negative experiences when I was pregnant. The school that I went to werent particularly supportive at times. Certainly not all of them, but some in the school. I went to a Catholic grammar. You were nearly made to feel girls like you cant be at school, that kind of a thing. She had her second child, Ryan, five years later. Last year she became a grandmother. Her political career began when she replaced her father on Dungannon Borough Council in 2005, later becoming the first woman to hold the post of mayor in the borough. Advertisement Martin McGuinness with Michelle ONeill (Liam McBurney/PA) She was first elected to the Stormont Assembly in 2007, alongside party veterans Mr McGuinness and Francie Molloy, as representatives for Mid Ulster. Mr Molloy, now the areas MP, said of her: She is not one of these people who rushes into commentary on things, she would be a good listener and sit back and observe and take account of things, so she would not be a reactionary sort of person. She would certainly be more on the lines of consideration and looking at all the effects of it and looking at the good points of people as well as the issues. Ms ONeill soon became Sinn Feins Stormont spokesperson for health and sat on the education committee. Her rapid rise within the party continued when she was appointed agriculture minister in 2011. In 2015, she took on her more high profile role of health minister, where one of her first actions was to lift the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood. By the time Sinn Fein collapsed powersharing institutions in 2017, in protest at the DUPs handling of the bungled green energy scheme, then deputy first minister Mr McGuinness was in poor health and Ms ONeill had been identified as his replacement. Advertisement Following Mr McGuinnesss death later that year, she became Sinn Feins Stormont leader and the following year was elected as vice president. She then led her partys team in the talks process which led to the restoration of Stormont in 2020. In January of that year, Ms ONeill became Stormonts deputy first minister, just months before the Covid pandemic struck. The powersharing executive was to be in place for just two years before the DUP collapsed it again in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. In 2022, Sinn Fein, with Ms ONeill at the forefront, made history when it became the biggest party in Northern Ireland during the Assembly elections for the first time, a result repeated in the 2023 council elections. Michelle ONeill was one of a number of Sinn Fein leaders criticised for attending the funeral of Bobby Storey (Liam McBurney/PA) However, Ms ONeill has also faced criticism in the past for her attendance at events commemorating IRA members. In 2020, she faced calls to resign as deputy first minister after attending the funeral of republican Bobby Storey in Belfast in 2020 at a time when strict limits on such events were in place due to the pandemic. In 2022, ONeill said in an interview there was no alternative to the IRAs armed campaign during the Troubles. Advertisement She said: I dont think any Irish person ever woke up one morning and thought that conflict was a good idea, but the war came to Ireland. I think at the time there was no alternative, but now, thankfully, we have an alternative to conflict and thats the Good Friday Agreement. Michelle ONeill at the coronation of Britain's King Charles III (Phil Noble/PA) However, Ms ONeill has also broken new ground for republicans through her attendance at the funeral of Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and the coronation of the King Charles in 2023. She said: We live in changing times, and it was the respectful thing to do, to show respect and to be here for all those people at home [to whom] I had said I would be a first minister for all. Attendance here is about honouring that and fulfilling my promise. A primary school has apologised to parents after a guest speaker at a school Mass criticised divorce, used the term gender benders, and questioned the choice of a non-binary artist to represent Ireland in Eurovision. The principal of Gaelscoil Ui Riada in Cork, and the chairman of its board of management, have now requested a meeting with Bishop Fintan Gavin to discuss the incident, which prompted a number of people to walk out in protest. Advertisement The comments caused a lot of upset and ruined what was an otherwise lovely event, one parent told the Irish Examiner. Another Mass-goer said: It was supposed to be a Mass celebrating grandparents and the connection with their grandchildren, and this speaker's opening gambit was to tell the children to 'tear a chodladh [go to sleep] it was so dismissive. Advertisement And then the content of the talk, in this context, was most inappropriate. It has caused hurt and division. Students of the school, which is under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Cork and Ross, attended the special Mass at St Josephs Church in Wilton on Tuesday. Advertisement Towards the end of the ceremony, celebrant and parish priest Fr Michael OLeary invited the guest speaker to address the congregation from the altar. It is understood that he expected the speaker to talk about intergenerational faith issues. Fr O'Leary declined to comment to the Irish Examiner on Thursday. However, parents said the man embarked on a near-20-minute address, during which he said society is falling apart and that some people have used divorce to manage chaos in their lives. He criticised homosexuality and was highly critical of Ireland's choice of Bambie Thug for Eurovision, using the phrase gender benders in his talk. In an email to parents later, school principal Breanndan O Greilligh and board of management chairman Seamus O Rinn apologised. A spokesperson for the diocese confirmed that following a request from the board of management, Bishop Fintan Gavin will meet representatives of the board "at the earliest possible opportunity in the coming days". Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has given his support to a rise in the cap on passenger numbers at Dublin Airport, but said it needed to be done through the planning process. Describing Dublin Airport as the main gateway to Ireland, Mr Varadkar said any changes to capacity must be done in the right way. Advertisement Speaking in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said that issues concerning noise and sustainability need to be addressed. While the Fine Gael leader backed the proposal for the 32-million passenger cap at the airport to be raised, he also said there is an obligation on the aviation industry to use aircrafts which emit less noise. Dublin Airport has submitted an application to Fingal County Council to expand its capacity to 40 million passengers per annum (Damien Storan/PA) Advertisement Dublin Airport has submitted an application to Fingal County Council to expand its capacity to 40 million passengers per annum. Green Party politicians have questioned the proposals, including Minister for Children Roderic OGorman, leading to a potential split in Cabinet. Advertisement This week Ryanair boss Michael OLeary described Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan an idiot and incompetent. In a statement on Friday, Ryanair called for the Green minister to resign. Advertisement Mr Varadkar said he disagreed with Mr OLearys view. Hes a colleague in Government. Ive worked very closely with him now for nearly four years and the Greens are making an impact in Government. I think this is a better Government because the Green Party is part of it, Mr Varadkar said. The issue of the cap is a planning matter ultimately, to be decided by the relevant authorities. Advertisement Im a former minister for transport and Dublin Airport is very near my constituency. I have a very strong view on this I think it is very important that we invest our regional airports, Knock, Shannon, Cork. We have been doing that as a Government, but we shouldnt forget that Dublin is the main gateway to Ireland. Advertisement Were an island nation, we need aviation and if we dont raise the cap, we will be turning away people, tourists, visitors, businesses and driving up air fares and I dont think that would be in our interest. Advertisement I would like to see it raised but it needs to be done in the right way, it needs to be done through the planning process. We need to focus around genuine issues like noise and around sustainability. He added: There are genuine concerns, for example, which I would know from my constituents, around noise, around flights happening at certain times. There has to be an obligation on the aviation industry to step up to the mark when it comes to moving towards aircrafts that are less noisy, like the newer ones, and also moving towards the use of sustainable aviation fuels. Speaking at the same event, Mr OGorman said that his own submission to Fingal County Council focused on the impact of noise. To clarify my own submission on that, what I focused on was quite a local issue which is the issue of noise generated from Dublin Airport and its impact that its having, he said. So what my position was that, in terms of the work that the AA are doing, any review of planning guidelines has to look at the noise zones around Dublin Airport and particularly look at seeing how we can better compensate, how we can better support individuals, in terms of noise insulation. Advertisement That was the focus of my own submission on the review to Fingal in the last few days. He added: I think we need a strong focus on the development of our regional airports. I think we have seen very significant growth in Dublin Airport over the last number of years. I think one of the key themes of this Government has been the idea of better, more balanced economic growth. I think part of that has to be ensuring that airports around the country like Knock, like Shannon, are supported to develop and allow greater development in those parts of the country. Minister for Housing Darragh OBrien said the Planning Act precludes him from giving an opinion on the current planning application. Ultimately, it would be a planning decision made at planning authority level, he said. I know the importance of the airport. I know the airport are good neighbours, and work on that principle, that they are good neighbours with the adjacent communities. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is to rule on Friday on whether it has jurisdiction to hear a case filed by Ukraine in the days after Russias invasion accusing Moscow of breaching the genocide convention. In the highly-charged case, Kyiv claims that Russia breached the landmark 1948 convention by using trumped-up claims of genocide in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as a pretext for attacking Ukraine nearly two years ago. Ukraine also accuses Moscow of planning acts of genocide. Advertisement Moscow rejects the allegations and argued last year that the court should throw out the case before even considering the merits of Kyivs claims. At hearings in September, the leader of Moscows legal team, Gennady Kuzmin, called Ukraines case hopelessly flawed and at odds with the longstanding jurisprudence of this court. Advertisement Advertisement In order for the court to have jurisdiction, Ukraine has to establish that it has a dispute with Russia over the genocide convention. A member of Moscows legal team, Sienho Yee, told judges in September that Russia had not used the genocide convention to justify its military actions in Ukraine, saying they are based on the right to self-determination and its inherent right to self-defence. At the same hearings, Ukraine insisted the court has jurisdiction and slammed Moscow for openly flouting an interim order by the court to halt its invasion. Advertisement The court ordered Russia to stop military operations in Ukraine while the legal proceedings went forward during the wars early weeks, in March 2022. Russias defiance is also an attack on this courts authority. Every missile that Russia fires at our cities, it fires in defiance of this court, the leader of Ukraines legal team, Anton Korynevych, told the 16-judge panel. Judges at the court rebuked Russia for its invasion on Wednesday as they ruled in another case between the two countries linked to attacks in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and discrimination in annexed Crimea. If judges rule that they have jurisdiction in the genocide case, it will move in coming months to discussions of the merits of Ukraines arguments. Advertisement Advertisement A final, legally binding decision is likely still years away. Ukraines case is based on the 1948 Genocide Convention, which both Kyiv and Moscow have ratified. The convention includes a provision that nations which have a dispute based on its provisions can take that dispute to the world court. Russia denies that there is a dispute, a position Ukraine rejects. The convention and the Hague-based court came under intense scrutiny in recent weeks when South Africa filed a case accusing Israel of genocide in its devastating military operation in Gaza in the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas attacks. Advertisement In a preliminary ruling that did not address the merits of South Africas case, the court last week ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. A Ukrainian intelligence official said that the country has repeatedly asked Russia to hand over the bodies of scores of prisoners of war who Moscow claimed were killed in the downing of a Russian military transport plane by Ukrainian forces. Andrii Yusov, the spokesman for Ukraines military intelligence, said in televised remarks late on Thursday that Kyiv has urged Moscow to hand over the bodies of those who died in the January 24th crash, but it has refused to do so. Advertisement He reaffirmed Ukraines call for an international probe into the crash that would determine whether the cargo plane carried weapons or passengers along with the crew. Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations over the crash, with Moscow accusing Kyiv of killing its own men and Ukraine dismissing Moscows assertions as rampant Russian propaganda. Advertisement A Russian investigator checks out the scene of the transport plane crash (Russian Investigative Committee via AP) Advertisement Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied that its forces downed the Il-76, and Russias claim that the crash killed Ukrainian POWs could not be independently verified. Ukrainian officials emphasised that Moscow did not ask for any specific stretch of airspace to be kept safe for a certain length of time, as it has for past prisoner exchanges. Russian president Vladimir Putins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told the state RIA Novosti news agency on Friday that the Kremlin had not received a Ukrainian request to hand over the bodies. Mr Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would not just welcome but would insist on an international inquiry into the planes downing that he described as a crime by Ukraine. Advertisement Mr Yusov said in televised remarks that some of Ukrainian POWs who were meant to be part of a prisoner exchange on the day of the plane crash were swapped on Wednesday when about 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home. Russias investigative committee, the main state criminal investigation agency, said on Thursday that its probe into the crash found that the Il-76 military transport plane was brought down by the US-made Patriot air defence system, which Western allies have supplied to Kyiv. Advertisement Russian officials claimed there were 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew members and three Russian servicemen. All were reported killed when the plane hit the ground and exploded in a giant fireball in the Belgorod region near Ukraine. Advertisement The investigative committee said investigators have found over 670 body fragments and identified all the crash victims. The committee said that it also has recovered 116 fragments of two missiles that were fired from a Patriot system from near the village of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. It showed a video that purported to show some missile fragments lying in the snow with visible markings ostensibly proving their origin. Russia, meanwhile, has continued to pummel Ukraine with long-range strikes, with the 930-mile front line remaining largely static as the conflict approaches the two-year mark. Advertisement Ukraines air force said it intercepted 11 out of 24 Iranian Shahed drones that Russia fired overnight, adding that seven drones did not reach their targets and were lost on the way. In Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiys hometown, a drone attack damaged an energy infrastructure facility leaving 100,000 recipients without electricity and left 113 coal miners stranded underground, according to the mayor, Oleksandr Vilkul. He said all the miners were brought to safety after the electrical supply was partially restored. A storm fueled by an atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy rainfall to California, with the highest totals in Southern California along the Transverse Ranges. Baron Lynx Weather Even as Californians are drying out from this weeks rain, another storm looms in the weekend forecast, with the biggest impacts expected in Southern California. While theres uncertainty among weather models, the consensus is showing at least a good 24-hour period of pretty steady, moderate to heavy rain with few, if any, breaks in between, said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Los Angeles office, during a briefing Thursday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The downpours bring heightened risk for life-threatening floods, according to officials, and damaging landslides especially to communities in Santa Barbara County, where debris flows wreaked havoc in January 2023. Tahoe travelers: How to avoid highway chaos as biggest storm of season hits Sierra This is pretty significant and pretty much on the upper end of the messaging that we will ever have for any kind of storm, Kittell said. The heaviest rain is expected on Sunday and Monday, with the highest rainfall projections for southern portions of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, Kittell said. These areas are expected to generally receive 3 to 6 inches of rain, with the foothills and mountains logging 6 inches up to a foot of rain. The storm will be fueled by an atmospheric river, an elongated band of water vapor stretching from the subtropics toward California. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thats a big driver for some of the heavy storm totals that are possible, said Jonathan Rutz, an atmospheric scientist with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, part of UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Another contributor is the orientation of the Transverse Ranges, mountains running from west to east that will effectively draw out moisture from the atmospheric river moving from the south. Some weather models project even more rain, though such outcomes are much less likely. The latest weather model runs have trended down from earlier numbers that were in the stratosphere, said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain during a briefing Friday morning. But predicted rainfall amounts are still expected to have serious impacts. With this storm, the biggest issue is how much rain were going to get in three- to six-hour blocks of time, Kittell said. This map shows an excessive rainfall outlook from the Weather Prediction Center, with areas shown in red indicating a greater than 40% chance for flash flooding. Its pretty rare for them to issue a moderate risk this far out, Kittell said, pointing to the outlook as an indication of how significant the event could be. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Coming on the heels of this weeks rain, soils wont be able to absorb rainwater as effectively, amplifying the risk of flooding. This does have the potential to rival, even exceed, the flooding from the more potent storms that we had (in) our previous 2022-2023 storm season, Kittell said, referring to Southern California. The back-to-back nature of the storms also amps up risks for other hazards. With soils dampened by earlier rains, a second storm can be more prone to initiate landslides, said Matt Thomas, a research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Landslide Hazards Program. January 2023 brought heavy rainfall to Montecito, threatening dangerous mudslides on hills already sodden by downpours. Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images Past wildfire activity also raises landslide potential. In the years after a fire, severely burned slopes that have lost vegetation are more prone to landslides because roots help to hold the ground together, Thomas explained. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In January of 2023, the Santa Barbara area saw thousands of landslides that initiated within the footprint of what was the 2017 Thomas Fire, Thomas said. These relatively small landslides mobilized into debris flows, slurries of rocks, mud and water that run downhill. The landslides occurred exactly five years after mudslides devastated Montecito in Santa Barbara County in 2018, killing 23. This aerial photo shows mud flow and damage to homes in Montecito in January 2018. Matt Udkow/Santa Barbara County Fire Department Vegetation is still regrowing on the hills in Santa Barbara, Thomas said. In general, landslides often occur where they have in the past, where soil and rock has been disturbed. If a sufficiently large storm does come around, those landslides would be initiating from some of the same types of areas that they initiated in 2023, Thomas said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Officials are preparing. The County Office of Emergency Management is in contact with local cities, County Public Works department, and many others to ensure that infrastructure is prepared for whats to come, said Jackie Ruiz, a spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, by email. Now is also the time to prepare, Ruiz emphasized. US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base on Friday to honour the three American service members killed in a drone attack in Jordan. The solemn ritual, called a dignified transfer, has become relatively uncommon in recent years as the US has withdrawn from conflicts abroad. Advertisement The Bidens arrived at the base on Friday to witness the transfer of the remains of the troops killed in Sundays attack. Defence secretary Lloyd Austin and General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined the Bidens for the transfer in Dover. Sgt Kennedy Sanders, Sgt William Jerome Rivers and Sgt Breonna Moffett (Shawn Sanders and US Army/AP) Advertisement The Bidens met the families privately before the ceremony. The service members killed on Sunday were all from Georgia, Sgt William Jerome Rivers, 46, Sgt Kennedy Sanders, 24, and Sgt Breonna Moffett, 23. Sanders and Moffett were posthumously promoted to sergeant rank. Advertisement The deaths were the first US fatalities blamed on Iran-backed militia groups, who for months have been intensifying their attacks on American forces in the region following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October. Separately, two Navy Seals died in a January mission to board an unflagged ship that was carrying illicit Iranian-made weapons to Yemen. Advertisement These service members embodied the very best of our nation, unwavering in their bravery. Unflinching in their duty. Unbending in their commitment to our country, risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism, Mr Biden said earlier this week. It is a fight we will not cease. It is the second dignified transfer Joe Biden has attended as president (Alex Brandon/AP) Advertisement At Thursdays National Prayer Breakfast at the Capitol, Mr Biden acknowledged the service members by name, again vowing to never forget their sacrifice to the nation. They risked it all, the president said. Friday is the second dignified transfer Mr Biden has attended as president. In August 2021, he took part in the ritual for the 13 service members killed during the suicide bombing in Kabul. Advertisement The US government said this week that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the group Kataib Hezbollah, had planned, resourced and facilitated the overnight drone attack. Advertisement More than 40 troops were also injured in the Sunday at Tower 22, a secretive US military desert outpost whose location allows US forces to infiltrate and quietly leave Syria. A district judge in England has thrown out a public order charge against climate campaigner Greta Thunberg after police attempted to impose unlawful conditions during an environment protest. The 21-year-old, from Sweden, was arrested during a demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair, London, on October 17th as oil executives met inside for a conference. Advertisement Miss Thunberg pleaded not guilty to breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 alongside two Fossil Free London (FFL) protesters and two Greenpeace activists. At Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday, District Judge John Law said conditions imposed on protesters were so unclear that it is unlawful which meant anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence. Punxsutawney Phils winter weather forecast will be announced sometime after sunrise on Friday in Pennsylvania, the scene of the countrys largest and most well-known Groundhog Day celebration. The annual event in Gobblers Knob is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phils handlers, members of a club with roots in the late 19th century, reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow ushering in six more weeks of winter weather or has not, presaging early springlike weather. Advertisement About 10,000 people have made their way in recent years to Punxsutawney, where festivities begin in the dead of night and culminate in the midwinter forecast. Phil predicts more winter far more often than he sees an early spring, not a bad bet for February and March in western Pennsylvania. A US federal agency examined his record last year and put his accuracy rate at about 40 per cent. Advertisement The tradition of celebrating the midpoint between the shortest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox goes back many centuries in European farm life. Advertisement There are more than a dozen active groundhog clubs in Pennsylvania, some dating back to the 1930s, and weather-predicting groundhogs have appeared in at least 28 US states and Canadian provinces. The 1993 film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, fuelled interest in Punxsutawney Phil and inspired informal observations far and wide. When he is not making his annual prognostication, Phil lives in a customised space beside the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, with a window where library patrons can check out his burrow. In 2009, library workers said Phil had somehow managed to escape three times, climbing into the library ceiling and dropping into offices about 15 metres away. He was not injured. Police in the UK are continuing their search on Friday for the suspect in the alkaline substance attack which left a girl and her mother with potentially life-changing injuries. Abdul Ezedi (35), from the Newcastle area, who was described by London's Metropolitan Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron as having significant injuries to the right side of his face, was last seen at a supermarket in north London on Thursday evening. Advertisement The sighting came a day after an attack on a 31-year-old woman, believed to be known to Ezedi, who was with her daughters, aged three and eight. They remain in hospital in a stable condition. Advertisement It is understood that Ezedi was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018. It is also understood that he was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Police released an image of the last-known sighting of Abdul Shokoor Ezedi which places him on Caledonian Road, in Islington, at 8.48pm on Thursday. There had been a heightened police presence in the area, including unmarked cars with blue sirens and police vans. Advertisement Mr Cameron said: The image is taken from the Tesco store, where Ezedi is believed to have purchased a bottle of water. He left the shop and turned right. Advertisement The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive. Police attend the scene in Lessar Avenue, south London (James Weech/PA) If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should not be approached. Advertisement A manhunt is under way for the dangerous suspect after he also allegedly threw the younger child to the ground in the attack in Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, at about 7.25pm. In his attempt to drive away from the scene, the attacker crashed into a stationary vehicle and made off on foot. Earlier, Mr Cameron said the force was working in collaboration with Northumbria Police as Ezedi could be going back to Newcastle. Advertisement Superintendent Gabriel Cameron spoke to reporters at the scene on Thursday (PA) Ezedi is believed to have travelled down from Newcastle on the day of the attack, but detectives are unsure what led to the incident. Mr Cameron said Ezedi may have been known to police previously. He said: At this stage I believe he may have been known to police, but hes not a local resident from London as far as Im aware. Hes come down from Newcastle. Advertisement Mr Cameron added that it was a horrific crime against a vulnerable female. The suspect is believed to have used a corrosive alkaline substance, but the officer said he did not know if it was a household product that was used. Three members of the public who came to the aid of the family, two in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns. The force said five officers who responded to the incident were also treated and have now left hospital. One witness to the attack, bus driver Shannon Christi, told the PA news agency she was affected by the substance while trying to help the woman and two children outside her home. She said: I heard a bang and I heard someone saying help. I run outside and as I run outside Ive seen this guy throwing a child on the floor. He picked her up and threw her again. So at that point, I ran in and I grabbed her and took her into my block. Police at the scene in Lessar Avenue on Wednesday (James Weech/PA) Ms Christi said the three-year-old girl was crying and did not give her name, while the older child stood outside her block of flats and was also in tears. Advertisement She added: Ive then seen her mum walking up the road again saying I cant see, I cant see. I shouted for my partner, and he had run down the road trying to chase the man. Ms Christi said she went to wash her own arms and face after staff at the Clapham South Belvedere Hotel took the child inside. She continued: Ive done that, but my lips were still tingling, kept burning, kept tingling, so I sat in the ambulance for a bit and then they took me to hospital. It all happened so fast. As well as the 11 people taken to hospital, a man in his 50s, who also helped, declined hospital treatment for minor injuries, police said. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the incident as a ghastly attack. A three-year-old child was reportedly thrown to the floor twice in the incident (James Weech/PA) He told the BBC: Fortunately, attacks using acid and chemicals are exceedingly rare. We did have a spate of them two or three years ago, you might remember. Its not something weve seen much of at all recently, Im pleased to say. UK home secretary James Cleverly described the attack as appalling, adding: My thoughts are with them (the victims) and the brave members of the public and police who intervened. Advertisement I urge the public to support the Metropolitan Polices appeal and to come forward if they have any information. Police in England and Wales recorded 472 violent and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, the latest available figures from the Office for National Statistics show. There were 525 recorded in the previous 12-month period. A sex offender hunted over a chemical attack which left a girl and her mother with potentially life-changing injuries was granted asylum to stay in the UK despite his conviction. Abdul Ezedi (35), from the Newcastle area, described by police as having significant injuries to the right side of his face, is still on the run, having last been seen at a supermarket in north London on Wednesday evening. Advertisement The sighting came just over an hour after an attack on a 31-year-old woman, believed to be known to Ezedi, who was with her daughters, aged three and eight. All three remain in hospital. Advertisement It is understood Ezedi, who is believed to be from Afghanistan, was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018 and given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court. The UK's Crown Prosecution Service confirmed he was sentenced on January 9th of that year after pleading guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure. Advertisement Ezedi was put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. Advertisement He was granted asylum after two failed attempts, having reportedly travelled to the UK on a lorry in 2016, it is believed. Ezedi was allowed to stay in the country after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity and was wholly committed to his new religion, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported. Advertisement Abdul Ezedi An asylum seeker can claim asylum in the UK on the basis of religious persecution in their native country. It is not yet known which Christian denomination the person who reportedly assisted Ezedi was from. The Church of England said it is currently not aware of any links to its churches, with a spokesperson adding that it is the role of the Home Office, and not the Church, to vet asylum seekers and judge the merits of their individual cases. Advertisement In November 2021, Iraqi-born Emad Al Swealmeen (32) died from a blast and subsequent fire after his homemade bomb detonated in a taxi outside Liverpool Womens Hospital. He went to considerable lengths to stay in the UK, including converting to Christianity to support his failed asylum claim. London police have released an image of Ezedis last-known sighting, placing him in a Tesco Express shop on Caledonian Road, north London, at 8.48pm on Wednesday. Advertisement Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: The image is taken from the Tesco store, where Ezedi is believed to have purchased a bottle of water. He left the shop and turned right. The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive. The last confirmed sighting of Abdul Ezedi was in Tesco on Caledonian Road, N1 at 8.48pm last night. If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should NOT be approached. If you have information as to his whereabouts call 0207 175 2784https://t.co/qQq1MXYXes Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 1, 2024 If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should not be approached. There had been a heightened police presence in the area on Thursday, including unmarked cars with blue sirens and police vans. A manhunt is under way for the dangerous suspect after the attack in Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, at about 7.25pm. He also allegedly threw the younger child to the ground. In his attempt to drive away from the scene, the attacker crashed into a stationary vehicle and made off on foot. Ezedi is believed to have used a corrosive alkaline substance but it is not known if it was a household product that was used. Advertisement Police at the scene in Lessar Avenue near Clapham Common, south London (James Weech/PA) Products such as bleach and oven cleaner are alkaline substances. Three members of the public who came to the aid of the family, two in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns. The force said five officers who responded to the incident were also treated and have now left hospital. One witness to the attack, bus driver Shannon Christi, told the PA news agency she was affected by the substance while trying to help the woman and two children outside her home. She told of seeing a man throwing a child on the floor, before hearing the mother saying: I cant see, I cant see. As well as the 11 people taken to hospital, a man in his 50s, who also helped, declined hospital treatment for minor injuries, police said. Scotland Yard is working in collaboration with officers in Northumbria as Ezedi, who may have been known to police, could be going back to Newcastle. Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said the incident had led to potentially life-changing injuries Ezedi is believed to have travelled down from the North East on the day of the attack, but detectives are unsure what led to the incident. Bilal Khan, owner of Billys Garage in Byker, said the wanted man had been persistent when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Advertisement Mr Khan said: He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesnt let things go easily. Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house. British home secretary James Cleverly, who described the attack as appalling, said: My thoughts are with them [the victims] and the brave members of the public and police who intervened. I urge the public to support the Metropolitan Polices appeal and to come forward if they have any information. A ship carrying thousands of animals that has been stranded at sea for almost a month has finally docked in Australia, where welfare concerns mean some of the livestock is expected to be offloaded. About 16,500 sheep and cattle have been stowed on the MV Bahijah since January 5th, when it sailed for the Middle East from the western Australian port of Fremantle before it was ordered by the government, two weeks into its journey, to turnaround due to the ongoing Yemen Houthi rebels attacks in the Red Sea. Advertisement Since Monday, the vessel had been sitting off the west Australian coast as concerns grew for the welfare of the animals on board. It finally docked at Fremantle on Thursday, 25 days after it had set off from the same port. The MV Bahijah ship carrying sheep and cattle has been allowed to dock after being stranded at sea (Channel 10 via AP) Advertisement Authorities are now rushing to form contingency plans for how to safely offload and quarantine at least some of the livestock with heatwave conditions in the region adding to the challenge. Advertisement On Wednesday, authorities sent two veterinarians onto the vessel to inspect the animals, but they found no significant health or welfare issues among the livestock. That provides additional confidence that the livestock are in good condition and have appropriate care and supervision, said Beth Cookson, Australias chief veterinary officer. It also confirmed that there were no signs of exotic disease present in the livestock on board the vessel. Advertisement The reprieve for the animals may be short-lived as authorities are currently assessing an application to re-export the livestock. It will likely see them at sea for another month as the MV Bahijah avoids the Red Sea by sailing around Africa to access the Suez Canal ports, adding thousands of miles and more than a week to the trip. The MV Bahijah sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands and is carrying livestock for Israeli-based export company Bassem Dabbah, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard are among the mourners who have begun arriving for the funeral of former political lobbyist-turned-psychologist Derek Draper, the husband of TV presenter Kate Garraway, following his death last month. Draper fell seriously ill during the early part of the pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital before he was discharged. Advertisement He died on January 3rd, aged 56, after suffering long-lasting symptoms from Covid. Ben Shephard outside the service (Jonathan Brady/PA) Reid and Shephard, who work alongside Garraway as a presenter on Good Morning Britain, wore black as they attended the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill, north-west London, on Friday. Advertisement Garraway and Draper married at the church in September 2005. Garraway (56) often provided health updates about her husband on the ITV morning programme and fronted two documentaries on the channel about how the familys life changed following his illness. Advertisement The couple had two children, Darcey and Billy. Advertisement Draper, a prominent figure in New Labour in the 1990, who was also an author, was admitted to hospital in December when he had a heart attack. Advertisement Garraway announced her husbands death on Instagram, with a post saying: As some of you may know, he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications. Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days, and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. The US military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds force on Friday, in the opening salvo of retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan last weekend, officials told The Associated Press. President Joe Biden and other top US leaders had been warning for days that America would strike back at the militias, and they made it clear it would not be just one hit but a tiered response over time. Advertisement This afternoon, at my direction, US military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack US forces, Mr Biden said in a statement. Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing. Advertisement The strikes by manned and unmanned aircraft hit more than 85 targets, including command and control headquarters, intelligence centres, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities Advertisement CENTCOM Statement on U.S. Strikes in Iraq and Syria At 4:00 p.m. (EST) Feb. 02, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. U.S. military forces pic.twitter.com/HeLMFDx9zY U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 2, 2024 Advertisement US Central Command said the strikes used more than 125 precision munitions, and they were delivered by numerous aircraft, including long-range bombers flown from the United States. One official said B-1 bombers were used. Two Iraqi militia officials said three houses used as headquarters were targeted in al-Qaim, Iraq, including a weapons storage area. An operations headquarters of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias, in Akashat, Iraq, and weapons stores were targeted. The assault came came just hours after Mr Biden and top defence leaders joined grieving families as the remains of the three Army Reserve soldiers were returned to the US at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. It was unclear what the next steps will be, or whether the days of US warnings have sent militia members into hiding, making it more difficult to detect and strike them. Advertisement Advertisement But it was evident that the recent statement released by Kataeb Hezbollah, one of the main Iran-backed militias, saying it was suspending attacks on American troops, had no impact on the administrations plans. The US strikes appeared to stop short of directly targeting Iran or senior leaders of the Revolutionary Guard Quds force within its borders. Iran has denied it was behind the Jordan attack. Earlier Friday, Irans hardline president Ebrahim Raisi reiterated promises by Tehran to potentially retaliate for any US strikes targeting its interests. Advertisement We will not start a war, but if a country, if a cruel force wants to bully us, the Islamic Republic of Iran will give a strong response, Mr Raisi said. In a statement this week, Kataib Hezbollah announced the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government. But Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the other major Iran-backed groups, vowed Friday to continue military operations against US troops. The US has blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad coalition of Iran-backed militias, for the deadly attack in Jordan, but has not yet narrowed it down to a specific group. Kataeb Hezbollah is, however, a top suspect. Advertisement Some of the militias have been a threat to US bases for years, but the groups intensified their assaults in the wake of Israels war with Hamas following the October 7 attack on Israel. The war has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza and spilled across four other countries now. Iran-backed militia groups throughout the region have used the conflict to justify striking Israeli or US interests, including threatening civilian commercial ships and US warships with drones or missiles in almost daily exchanges. On Thursday defense secretary Lloyd Austin said that this is a dangerous moment in the Middle East, adding we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our interests and our people. And we will respond when we choose, where we choose and how we choose. At this point, its time to take away even more capability than weve taken in the past, Mr Austin said. As of Tuesday, Iran-backed militia groups had launched 166 attacks on US military installations since October 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, according to a US military official. The last attack was on January 29 at at al-Asad airbase in Iraq, and there were no injuries or damage. Advertisement The US, meanwhile, has bolstered defences at the base in Jordan that was attacked by the ran-backed militants on Sunday, according to a US official. The Israeli military said its Arrow defence system intercepted a missile that approached the country from the Red Sea, raising suspicion it was launched by Yemens Houthi rebels. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility. A US official also said the military had taken additional self-defence strikes inside Yemen on Friday against Houthi military targets deemed an imminent threat. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said that British and American forces conducted three strikes in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah, a Houthi stronghold. While previous US responses in Iraq and Syria have been more limited, the attack on Tower 22, as the Jordan outpost is known, and the deaths of the three service members has crossed a line, the official said. That drone attack, which also injured more than 40 service members, largely Army National Guard, was the first to result in US combat deaths from the Iran-backed militias since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. Tower 22 houses about 350 US troops and sits near the demilitarised zone on the border between Jordan and Syria. The Iraqi border is only six miles away. Chinese equities have been a value trap for an eternity. The Shanghai Composite index has halved since 2007 even in nominal terms. Xis erratic political assaults on Chinas wealth producers have been calamitous. Debt-deflation has done the rest. The market has decoupled drastically from US, Japanese, and European equities. But the catalysts for a short-term rebound are coming into view. Beijing wants a truce with Washington, and with global capital. The US Federal Reserve will be cutting rates within months, allowing the PBOC to loosen without risking capital outflows and a repeat of Chinas currency crisis in 2015. Chinas sharemarket has been flailing over the past three years. Credit: Getty Chinas reversion to stimulus-as-usual can fuel an equity boom, but it does nothing to lift the country out of a structural dead-end. Societe Generale says it will take a TARP-style programme comparable to the US Treasurys emergency measures in 2008 to clear property losses in the banking system. The state will have to swallow the bad debts one way or another, and the longer it delays, the worse it will be. But that alone is not enough either. Former premier Wen Jiabao famously described Chinas economy in 2007 as unstable, unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable. It is in even worse trouble now. The demise of China Evergrande is the latest titan to fall. A study by Capital Economics found that all the key indicators of economic deformity are as bad today as they were 15 years ago, and must be tackled in far less auspicious circumstances: the debt ratio has doubled to 300 per cent of GDP; the world is less willing to tolerate predatory Chinese mercantilism; the demographic dividend has been spent. The workforce contracted by 6.6 million in 2023, and will shed 7.9 million on average each year through to 2030. Loading The regime has backed away from tough love reform every time it hits trouble, launching fresh bursts of infrastructure spending by Pavlovian reflex. Investment was 43 per cent of GDP in 2023, higher than it was when Wen Jiabao deemed it a dangerous addiction. No major country in modern history has been close to this. It is a formula for grotesque over-capacity. The state sectors share of fixed investment has risen from 32 per cent to 39 per cent over the last decade as the state companies gobble up credit and misuse it for Party patronage or ideological objectives. Real estate and construction are still taking 46 per cent of the pie, just as they did in 2007. Cement output per capita remains three times higher than in most societies. Chinas economy is facing a painful adjustment. Credit: Bloomberg The incremental capital output rate (ICOR), measuring how much investment is needed to generate each extra unit of GDP, was two in the 1990s, three in the early 2000s, and is now nine. Government credit policy has lost all traction. The proclaimed switch to a mature consumer-driven economy never happened. Xi Jinping talks of high-quality development and self-sufficiency, but 57 per cent of Chinas manufacturing activity was dependent on foreign demand last year, close to where it was in 2007. The upshot is that China is still due for a painful structural adjustment. The hangover from years of imbalanced growth will probably be costly and long-lasting, knocking China off the path of rapid income convergence. We think the countrys trend growth rate will be just 2 per cent by the end of this decade, said Capital Economics. This failure to grasp the nettle has large global consequences. The true current account surplus (including exports from bonded trade zones) is back to the most extreme levels of the post-WTO accession boom as a share of world GDP. The regime has backed away from tough love reform every time it hits trouble, launching fresh bursts of infrastructure spending by Pavlovian reflex. It was such levels that led to the seminal China Shock paper concluding that Chinas entry into the international trading system had compressed manufacturing wages in the US through labour arbitrage, caused the loss of 2 million US jobs, and pauperised blue collar workers (Trumps base). We may now be in the midst of another China trade shock, possibly on a comparable scale to the first one, said Capital Economics. China has stellar success stories solar panels, EVs, batteries but these perpetuate the pathologies of extreme excess capacity and dependency on foreign markets. They do not lift China out of the middle income trap. They push it further into the trap. Loading Some of us have been arguing for a decade that China mania was a naive extrapolation of untenable past growth rates, and that the country would not displace the US as the worlds economic superpower by mid-century as long as the Party clung to Leninist control and allocation of credit. The failure is now beyond doubt. That said, the stock market is not the economy, ever, anywhere. The Tokyo bourse saw torrid boomlets all through its post-bubble deflation and its two lost decades. If the Chinese Communist Party wants to use all levers of state control to engineer a stock market rally this year, there will be a rally. February 1, 2024: The United States has taken an active interest in defending Ukraine from the Russian invasion. Even before that the Americans had a similar interest in defending Taiwan from Chinese aggression. That led to the Americans using their experience with the massive use of explosive UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), also known as drones, in Ukraine to develop a new defense strategy for Taiwan. Recently China has been holding military exercises in waters surrounding Taiwan and this is seen as practice for a rapid blockade of Taiwan. Taiwan has a small navy consisting of four destroyers, 22 frigates, three corvettes, 37 patrol boats, some armed with an anti-ship missile and four submarines. The U.S. Navy always has two or three carrier task forces in the Western Pacific. Each Task force is based on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) plus three or four escort ships and an unseen nuclear attack submarine (SSN) which periodically sends a communications float to surface to send and receive encrypted messages about the status of the SSN and any useful information recently obtained. Incoming information has to do with any new orders for the SSN and when the next communications float should be sent to the surface. SSNs are equipped with passive (listen only) sensors that enable them to track activity on the surface. These sensors can differentiate between warships and commercial ships and even identify warships by type. While SSNs are largely invulnerable to attack if they move slowly and keep quiet, the carrier task forces have several types of Chinese ballistic and cruise missiles aimed at them. If China attacked Taiwan, they want to avoid war with the United States if possible because a prolonged US naval blockade of China would destroy the Chinese Communist Party, and possibly China. While Chinese naval and air forces are a major presence in the West Pacific, the US Navy could intercept almost all Chinese sea trade from well beyond Chinese naval and air range. A war would halt that trade, and this would hurt China more than the rest of the world. Taiwan is well aware of this and knows that disruption of seaborne trade is something China wants to avoid because even a few months of blockade would cause massive Chinese economic and internal political problems. While China is still a communist dictatorship, the government is not as all-powerful as it once was and fears widespread violence if there are widespread and intense economic problems. Any Chinese attack on Taiwan would have to win quickly so the Chinese could declare a ceasefire and demand that the United States negotiate. To avoid that fate Taiwan has developed tactics that employ thousands of small, armed with explosives, UAVs attacking the Chinese fleet closing in on Taiwan. These UAVs would navigate autonomously until they encounter the Chinese warships and then switch to an attack guidance system. China is seeking ways to disrupt such attacks, but the Taiwanese are always developing new countermeasures for that. For example, Taiwan initially discovered that the manufacturer of the small UAVs it needed was Chinese and that meant Taiwan had to find another supplier for the UAVs. That was done but it takes time for that supplier to increase production to deliver the large number of UAVs needed for the armed swarm. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. The green-capped rooster-emblazoned bottle will be as iconic to this generation as the Tabasco was to the last. This story is part of the February 3 edition of Good Weekend See all stories . I once went to a fancy-dress party dressed as a Kikkoman soy sauce bottle. I wore black, topped the look off with a jaunty red cap, and poured soy sauce over everyones food all night. The theme was to come as something you love, so of course I immediately thought of fermented soybean sauce. The familiar brand in the iconic little pear-shaped bottle is like part of my extended family: taken for granted, doing its thing, always welcome. Photo: Simon Letch But how much of the connection we feel to various food products and dispensers is testament to the ingenuity of its design? Kenji Ekuan, who designed the dispenser for Kikkoman in 1961, always said, Design is a source of life enhancement. I actually buy one-litre bottles of my preferred brand, Yamasa, and decant into the Kikkoman. Not just for the genius of the two-way, non-drip pourer, but for that enduring sense of continuity and connection. Fugitive developer Jean Nassif may face further criminal action over potential fraud and violation of directors duties, according to an explosive report into his failed property empire by administrators of his development company Toplace. In a report to creditors, dated February 1, the same day Nassif celebrated his 56th birthday, the administrators also identified millions of dollars of company money which Nassif used to buy land in Lebanon, loan money to his brother and invest in Nigerian warehouses. Jean Nassifs Toplace empire has been placed into administration. Credit: Janie Barrett and Supplied The administrators Suelen McCallum and Antony Resnick from the dVT Group said they had received formal demands to produce documents from various authorities including the Independent Commission Against Corruption, NSW Fair Trading, NSW Police and the Australian Taxation Office. Nassif is believed to be at the centre of an ICAC inquiry over allegations made in NSW parliament by Liberal MP Ray Williams that senior party officials had taken bribes to install pro-Nassif councillors on Hills Shire Council. The worlds largest airline operator, American Airlines, is launching a direct service between Brisbane and Dallas Fort Worth, set to take to the skies in October 2024. The route is the airlines second Australian service. It will be the longest non-stop flight in its network and the longest non-stop flight from Brisbane available on any airline. American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is the worlds largest carrier. Credit: iStock American Airlines vice-president of international operations Jose Freig said the airline was excited to strengthen its Asia-Pacific footprint in partnership with Qantas. With this new route, our customers in Brisbane will have access to our largest US hub, from where they can connect to explore unexplored and much-loved destinations from around the world, from sunny Miami, to the deep south in Sao Paulo and beyond, he said. A 14-year-old boy was out on bail at the time it is alleged he and other teens in a stolen car ploughed into two cyclists on a road in Melbournes bayside suburbs. The two cyclists Glenn Gibson, 51, and a 72-year-old man from Bentleigh East were allegedly run down in separate incidents on January 23, with footage of the crashes uploaded to social media, according to police. A Holden Astra, which police allege was stolen from Preston, was found in Black Rock after the incidents. The 14-year-old and two other teens aged 16 and 13 were charged on Friday, following charges against two 16-year-olds on Wednesday and Thursday. While 25-year-old Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang member Darcy Dickson was jailed on Friday for selling drugs on the streets of Northbridge, he made it clear to the court that he had no intention of renouncing his membership to the notorious group that prosecutors say helped land him his conviction. Dickson sat before Perth District Court judge Charlotte Wallace on Friday for the second time in less than a year as she delivered yet another sentence to the plasterer and construction worker for drug offences. Darcy Dickson, a member of the Rebels, was sentenced on Friday. Credit: TikTok Dickson was sentenced by Wallace in May last year for possessing cannabis with the intention of selling it and was given the opportunity to serve his sentence within the community under an eight-month conditional suspended sentence order. But within days or weeks Wallace said the gang member was back selling prohibited substances, this time MDMA in Northbridge. The tribunal overseeing developer Nigel Satterleys bid to revive his trouble-plagued Perth Hills housing estate has scolded the property mogul over the prolonged row as protesters take their campaign to the city centre. The 33-year bid to establish a sprawling suburban-style town site north of Mundaring was dealt another blow in December when the states peak planning body knocked back the latest iteration over bushfire risk concerns. Save Perth Hills protesters in the Supreme Court gardens on Friday ahead of the SAT hearing. It was the latest in a series of hurdles for the developer, whose pursuit has been stymied by opposition from local councils and the states planning authorities, as well as an unrelenting campaign to save Perth Hills. But Satterley Property Group lawyer Alex McGlue made it clear the developer had no intention of abandoning that pursuit in the State Administrative Tribunal on Friday. Opposition Leader Peter Duttons $900 million proposed Frankston rail upgrade has derailed on its first day, with Victorian Labor rejecting it out of hand and the state opposition stopping short of backing it. Dutton appeared in the heart of the Dunkley electorate on Friday, ahead of a byelection there, where he announced that if his party won the next federal election he would commit to a 50-50 partnership with a future Victorian state government that is willing to deliver this project. Opposition leader Peter Dutton was flanked by federal colleagues in Frankston on Friday. Credit: Eamon Gallagher Hours later the Allan governments leader in the lower house, Mary-Anne Thomas, described Duttons pledge as a sham commitment and hollow promise. The answer is no, she said. Were proud to be working with partners on this important project for Aboriginal elders in South Australia, Federal Minister for Housing Julie Collins (pictured above) said. This is exactly what the Albanese labour government will achieve through our new historic investments in housing including the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and $2bn Social Housing Accelerator. February 1, 2024: After an absence of five years, it appears piracy has returned to Somalia. This time the pirates had a difficult time of it because of all the foreign warships in the area dealing with Shia rebels in nearby Yemen who are attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea with UAVs and missiles provided by the rebels Iranian patrons. The Shia rebels use Iranian UAVs equipped with reconnaissance capability to locate targets off the coast and accurately fire missiles at ships passing through the narrow, 26 kilometers wide, Bab-el-Mandeb straits off southwestern Yemen. This forces ships, almost all of which are trying to use the Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal, to take the longer and more expensive and time consuming route around the southern tip of Africa. Some ships avoid or ignore the missiles and continue north to the Suez Canal. These ships discovered they faced another threat and the Yemen rebels sent armed men in small boats to board these large cargo ships and force the crews to take them to towns on the nearby Somali coast known to be pirate friendly in the past. The warships off the Yemen coast have been more aggressive to deal with this, often launching a helicopter with armed men to land on the captured and deal with the pirates. Sometimes the pirates are warned and leave the hijacked ship before the helicopter arrives. Worldwide, attacks on cargo ships, and an occasional tanker, are still a problem. In 2023 there were 120 attacks on ships compared to 115 in 2022. In 2023 105 ships were boarded, four ships were hijacked and two were fired on. When ships are boarded, there are attempts to kidnap crew members and hold them for ransom. In 2022 two crewmen were taken hostage while 14 were kidnapped. In 2023 there were 41 hostages and 73 kidnapped. The hostages are used for taking control of the ship and moving it to a different location. Pirates rarely have any knowledge or experience operating these ships. Kidnapped crew are taken ashore and held until a ransom is paid. In December 2023 a large cargo ship was hijacked and taken to Somalia. This was the first hijacking since 2017. Normally, not of the boardings and hijackings take place off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. There were also incidents or threats of attempts in the Singapore Straits, the Malacca Straits, and the Indonesian archipelago. As recently as 2018 piracy was still a problem off the Somali coast, just not the kind that creates headlines in the international mass media. The pirates adapted and in 2017 there were nine pirate attacks off the Somali coast, up from two in 2016. This was notable because worldwide pirate activity hit a 22 year low 188 attacks in 2017 and most of it was far away from Somalia in places like the west coast of Africa and Southeast Asia. Those 188 attacks created damage worth $7 billion, with 80 percent of it absorbed by the ships and their owners. Higher insurance rates and operating costs were the major additional costs. That is an issue off Somalia where higher insurance costs are still a problem and getting worse because of the ineffectiveness of defending warships this time. Back in 2011 there were 327 attacks off the Somali coast. The solution was an international anti-piracy effort that continues. But shipping companies still have to pay higher insurance rates for their ships that operate in the danger zone extending far out into the Indian Ocean. At the end of 2017 the maritime insurance companies had real reason to be worried. In November 2017, for the first time since 2014, the international anti-piracy patrol arrested six Somali pirates who were caught firing on and trying to board ships off the Somali coast. The accused Somalis were then sent to the nearby Seychelles Islands for incarceration and prosecution. In 2010 the EU (European Union) made a deal with the tiny, 85,000 people, nation of Seychelles Islands, which are 1,500 kilometers east of Somalia, to prosecute pirates captured by the anti-piracy patrol off Somalia. The European nations that bring in pirates for prosecution agreed to pick up the expenses, as well as imprison convicted pirates back in Europe. The Seychelles had to spend half a million dollars, and several months, to build a jail for up to 40 pirates who were being tried. Seychelles has an economy dependent on fishing and tourists and doesn't have much crime, so it never needed many jail cells. The EU contract, and a small American military presence to maintain UAVs and other American military aircraft operating from the main Seychelles airport, helped the local economy as did the near total absence of Somali pirates that had been common in Seychelles coastal waters until 2012. For a while Somali pirates operated off the Seychelles, sometimes attacking local fishing boats, and that hurt the local economy. The certainty of being prosecuted if caught proved to be a major deterrent but the pirates are still there, just in smaller numbers and most of them eager to avoid any encounters with the anti-piracy patrol. Instead, the pirates prey on fishing boats and small coastal freighters. The trick is to pick a target lucrative enough to make it worthwhile yet minor enough to avoid or delay attracting the anti-piracy patrol. The acquisition of Matrix is an important step in this direction as it is strategically relevant, possesses a good complementary customer base, operationally strong, and above all, a leader in its own sphere," GEL Vice Chairman and Managing Director Sivaramakrishnan Ganapathi said Readymade garment manufacturer and exporter Gokaldas Exports (GEL) on Friday said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the apparel business of Matrix Clothing for an enterprise value of Rs 489 crore. Through this deal, GEL will get access to the knit apparel business segments, a mutually exclusive global customer base, greater access to European and the UK markets, geographical diversification and low-cost capacity expansion potential in the future, according to a statement. GEL inked a pact with Matrix Clothing Pvt Ltd (MCPL) to acquire 100 per cent of the equity share capital of Matrix Design & Industries for an enterprise value of Rs 489 crore, out of which Rs 247.5 crore is being paid by way of preferential allotment of shares of Gokaldas Exports through a share swap, the company said in the statement. Matrix Clothing Group is a manufacturer of high-quality knitwear apparel for renowned brands with major geographical exposure to Europe, the UK, and North America. The group operates out of Gurugram, Haryana, and has five manufacturing facilities (four in Gurugram and one in Ranchi, Jharkhand). "We have always believed in continuously adding production capacity at strategic locations enhancing our value proposition to our valued customers. The acquisition of Matrix is an important step in this direction as it is strategically relevant, possesses a good complementary customer base, operationally strong, and above all, a leader in its own sphere," GEL Vice Chairman and Managing Director Sivaramakrishnan Ganapathi said. Meanwhile, GEL reported a 25 per cent decline in consolidated profit after tax at Rs 30.4 crore during the quarter ending December 31, 2023, compared to Rs 40.6 crore in the year-ago period. Its revenue grew by 6 per cent during the quarter under review at Rs 559.8 crore as against Rs 528.1 crore in the same period of the last year. Port operators like JSW Infrastructure benefitted from increased cargo movement in and out of the country in the quarter, amid buoyant commercial activity and festive-period demand India's No.2 private port operator JSW Infrastructure reported a more-than-two-fold surge in third-quarter profit on Friday, boosted by a rise in cargo volumes and higher tariffs. The company's consolidated net profit rose to Rs 251 crore (about $30 million) in the October-December quarter, from Rs 115 crore a year ago, sending the shares up by 4%. Port operators like JSW Infrastructure benefitted from increased cargo movement in and out of the country in the quarter, amid buoyant commercial activity and festive-period demand. Higher transit costs, passed onto customers as tariff hikes, also helped. Global freight rates recovered 7% sequentially in November after October's slump, according to brokerage Jefferies. JSW Infrastructure's revenue from operations climbed 18% to Rs 940 crore in the December quarter. Cargo volumes handled by the company rose 17% to 28.10 million tons, helped by higher capacity utilisation at its iron ore and coal terminals at Paradip and Mangalore. Addition of new ports and facilities boosted its cargo handling capacity to 170 million tons per annum (MTPA), more than half of its 2030 target of 300 MTPA. Investments by the JSW Group company in ports and logistics may bring "healthy" returns, brokerage Kotak Securities had said earlier, as it seeks to take on larger rival Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone. The Adani Group's ports arm posted a bigger third-quarter profit on Thursday. US-India Business Council (USIBC) President, Ambassador Atul Keshap, reflecting on the sentiment among members of the USIBC, highlighted India's growing stature as a "pillar of stability" in an uncertain world. He underscored the mutual recognition that both the United States and India are leading global job creation and prosperity. "India is viewed increasingly as a pillar of stability in a very uncertain world. If you look at macroeconomic growth, the United States and India are creating the jobs and the prosperity for the entire planet right now. And that was not always the case. So our two democracies are leading the entire world," the USIBC President noted. Praising the vision outlined in India's Budget 2024, particularly highlighting the ambitious goal of installing 10 million rooftop solar panel electricity generators. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Keshap expressed admiration for India's leadership in this endeavour, comparing it to the successful Jal Jeevan mission and emphasising the transformative impact on the lives of average Indians. "Solar panels on rooftops is a science fiction fantasy, but making it a reality is really inspiring," he said. "I think the vision of 10 million rooftop solar panel electricity generators is utterly magnificent. India's leadership on the 10 million rooftop solar panels is truly amazing. It's like the Jal Jeevan mission, which is one of the most impressive things I've seen any government perform anywhere on this planet in the last 10 years. Piped drinking water was a dream when I was a little child in India," he said. The prominent US diplomat also lauded the budget's focus on environmental initiatives, citing the rooftop solar panel project as a significant step towards sustainable energy. He underscored the importance of addressing airborne particulate emissions and promoting the health and welfare of humanity. "I believe that human beings ought to be responsible stewards of this planet. I think that we ought to focus on things like airborne particulate emissions. And I think we ought to focus on the health and welfare of all of humanity." The diplomat also commended the government's increased allocation of funds to healthcare, emphasising the positive impact on the lives of citizens. Specifically, he acknowledged the provision of emergency hospitalisation funding and the extensive reach of food subsidies to 800 million people through the Aadhaar card and digital banking. "I also love the fact that the union government is putting more and more money into health care, including this availability of emergency hospitalisation funding, also the 800 million people who receive food subsidies through the Aadhaar card and their digital banking," he also said. Highlighting the broader context, Keshap characterised the budget as "confident, very sober, and very pro-growth," signaling optimism about India's economic growth. He commended the government's commitment to consistent policy, providing a positive signal to investors regarding the stability of the economic environment. "It sends a very strong signal to investors about the constancy of government policy." Addressing the technological aspects of the budget, Keshap noted its alignment with the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ISET). He pointed out the allocation of a USD 12 billion fund to support the development of deep tech and future tech sectors, emphasising the government's focus on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and semiconductors. "So first, for instance, there's a USD 12 billion fund to help develop these so-called sunrise sectors of deep tech and future tech. And there's a lot of money as well on semiconductors. I think the government of India is showing great focus on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other ISET sectors," the US diplomat added. Reflecting on the sentiment among members of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), Keshap highlighted India's growing stature as a pillar of stability in an uncertain world. He underscored the mutual recognition that both the United States and India are leading global job creation and prosperity. "India is viewed increasingly as a pillar of stability in a very uncertain world. If you look at macroeconomic growth, the United States and India are creating the jobs and the prosperity for the entire planet right now. And that was not always the case. So our two democracies are leading the entire world," the USIBC President noted. Keshap also shared that the American investment community acknowledges India's efforts in recent years to enhance the ease of doing business and the speed of business transactions. "I think that people in the American investment community recognise that in the past few years, the government of India has taken substantial efforts on the macroeconomic level to improve the ease of doing business and the speed of doing business in India," he said. He pointed to key reforms, such as the GST tax and measures to boost investor confidence, as significant contributors to India's attractiveness for foreign investment. "If you look at the GST tax, which was an enormous innovation to create a streamlined national market, if you look at the tax bills that have been passed to enhance investor confidence, especially about retrospective taxation," Keshap said. The diplomat further said that as India continues to implement reforms to enhance its business environment and competitiveness, more investors will view the country as an appealing destination for investment. Overall, the sentiment among investors and corporates in the US reflects a recognition of India's strides towards becoming more investor-friendly. "India has taken great strides to become more user-friendly toward investors. It still has some reforms to do, and I think that this budget shows the government's focus. As those reforms happen, to facilitate business to make it competitive with other countries, including the United States, Mexico, and other big, big destinations for investment, I think you'll see more and more investors take a very sober and serious look at India," he noted. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her Interim Budget speech for FY 2024-25 on Thursday. TVS Motor gained 1.62% to Rs 2,029.25 after the 2-wheeler maker reported monthly sales of 339,513 units in January 2024, registering a growth of 23% as against 275,115 units sold in January 2023. Motorcycle registered sales of 155,611 units in January 2024, rising 29% from 121,042 units sold in January 2023. Scooter sales of the company reported 132,290 units in January 2024 as compared to the sale of 106,537 units in January 2023, recording a growth of 24%. In the electric vehicle segment, the company sold 16,276 units in January 2024, up 34% from 12,169 units sold in January 2023. The company's total exports rose by 22% to 69,343 units in January 2024 as against 57,024 units in January 2023. Two-wheeler exports increased 28% to 61,704 units in January 2024 from 48,239 units sold in the similar period last year. The firm stated that dispatches during the month were partially affected due to the constraints in the availability of the containers. In the three-wheeler segment, sales of the company reduced by 17.51% to 9,576 units in January 2024 from 10,405 units in January 2023. TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally. It has four manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh in India and Karawang in Indonesia. TVS Motor's group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Its subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. The company has recorded 59.11% growth in net profit to Rs 478.75 crore in Q3 FY24 from Rs 300.89 crore in Q3 FY23. During the quarter, the companys operating revenue grew by 25.38% to Rs 10113.94 crore as against Rs 8066.13 crore in Q2 of last year. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content Total two-wheelers sales grew by 25% to 329,937units in January 2024 from 264,710 units sold in January 2023. Domestic two-wheeler sales climbed 24% to 268,233units in January 2024 as against 216,471 units sold in the same period a year ago. By Masaki Kondo, Hideyuki Sano and Yasutaka Tamura Japans retail investors are pouring money into Indian stocks amid bets the nation will be the next China. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel Total assets of India equity-focused investment trusts in Japan grew 11%, or 237 billion ($1.6 billion), in January, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Factoring in the gains of Indian stocks on the yen basis last month, the figures suggest inflows of about 140 billion into India equity funds, while Japanese stock funds had almost no net inflows. The investment into Indian equities extended the countrys lead over its peers as Japans favorite emerging stock market, partly thanks to tax-free investment accounts that started this year. Holdings of Indias stocks rose more than those of any other developing economy last year, according to Bloomberg analysis of government data that factor in net purchases and asset prices. In contrast, flows into Chinese shares dropped the most among 14 emerging markets that are covered by Japans data on international investment positions. The figures include positions of institutional and retail investors. The shift in money from Japan, the worlds biggest creditor, comes as China grapples with the collapse of a property bubble and deflation the economic malaise that Japan suffered for decades. Indian stocks are attracting interest as a theme for economic growth, as the next China, said Daiju Aoki, regional chief investment officer at UBS SuMi Trust Wealth Management Co. in Tokyo. Client interest is more about India as a whole rather than individual companies. Indias Nifty 50 Index was almost flat in local currency terms last month but was up 4.2% in yen, due to the Japanese currencys decline. The Shanghai Composite Index and the Hang Seng Index fell 3.5% and 5.7% respectively for yen-based investors. Economists forecast Indias year-on-year economic growth will average more than 6% at least until the second quarter of 2025, while Chinas is expected to remain below 5% during this period. Demographics also favor India with its population projected to increase 17% by 2050 compared with a decline of 7.9% in that in China, according to a report from the United Nations. Popular Tamil actor Vijay stepped into the world of politics on Friday, announcing the launch of his political party, "Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam." On the initiative, the actor remarked that politics was not yet another vocation but "holy public service." The 49-year-old actor issued an official statement saying that his newly-floated party would be contesting the 2026 assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. However, Vijay is certainly not the first in the film industry to foray into the world of politics. In the past, many celebrities have tried to channelise their on-screen charisma to political appeal in a bid to turn their fans into voters. While some emerged victorious in their electoral pursuits, some chose to permanently exit the arena, citing that it's not everyone's cup of tea. Here's a list of popular celebrities who launched political parties: 1) NT Rama Rao, the former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, is among the most popular celebrities to have launched a successful political career. The award-winning actor, producer, and director launched the 'Telugu Desam Party' on 29 March 1982. At present, the party, headed by former state CM N Chandrababu Naidu, is the main opposition in Andhra Pradesh. 2) Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran or MGR is another highly successful south Indian film personality in the world of politics. He began his political journey with the Congress party and later joined the 'Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam' in 1953. However, he was expelled from the DMK following the death of its founder C N Annadurai in 1969. Three years later, he founded the 'All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam'. He served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu thrice during his political career. 3)One of the most popular actor-directors in Karnataka, Upendra Rao, floated his political party 'Uttama Prajaakeeya Party' in September 2018. The party contested the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections across all the constituencies in Karnataka but did not win any. Notably, the UPP is Rao's second bid to politics. In 2017, he launched the 'Karnataka Pragnyavanta Janata Paksha' but later quit it due to differences with the party leaders. 4)Tamil actor Vijaykanth, who passed away at the age of 71 last month, founded 'Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam' (DMDK) in 2006. He served as an MLA twice, representing the Virudhachalam and Rishivandiyam constituencies in Tamil Nadu. 5)Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan, who began his political career in 1996, launched his own party, JanaSena, in March 2014. 6)Notably, Pawan Kalyan is the younger brother of noted cinema star K Chiranjeevi, who is a former politician himself. Chiranjeevi floated 'Praja Rajyam Party' (PRP) in Andhra Pradesh on August 26, 2008. With not much luck in the field, he eventually merged his PRP with Congress. During his political stint, he was appointed as a union minister and a Rajya Sabha Member. However, the Tollywood star has stayed away from politics since the end of his RS membership in 2018. 7)In 2018, noted actor Kamal Hassan launched his party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam' in Tamil Nadu. Currently, at the helm of his party's affairs, Hassan plans to contest from the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming elections. 8)Film icon Dev Anand is also among the list of stars to have launched a political party. In September 1979, he floated the 'National Party of India' (NPI) to teach "a lesson to politicians" but dissolved the party in merely a few months. 9)Actor-politician R Sarathkumar has been active in politics from 1994 but established his own party- 'All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi' (AISMK)- in 2007. Prior to floating his own party, the Tamil actor was earlier associated with the DMK and the AIADMK. 10)Among the top of his league, megastar Rajnikanth also had a brief stint between 2017 and 2021. In 2017, he launched 'Rajini Makkal Mandram', a group that could have had its anticipated launch in December 2020. However, it was dissolved on December 20 that year as Rajnikanth junked his plans to enter politics, citing poor health. India and Maldives will hold the second core group meeting in the national capital over the presence of Indian military personnel in the island nation, sources said. The first meeting of the High-Level Core Group between the Maldives and India was held in Male on January 14. India and the Maldives "agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel" from the island nation, the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said following the first core group meeting. "During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation. Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development cooperation," the Maldives' Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release earlier. "Both sides expressed willingness to intensify cooperation and agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel," it also said. "It was agreed that the second meeting of the High-Level Core Group will be held at a mutually convenient time," it added. On January 14, Ministry of External Affairs also said that India and the Maldives discussed finding a mutually workable solution to continue the operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of the Maldives. India and Maldives also discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation and expediting the implementation of ongoing projects. It is pertinent to note that the removal of Indian troops in the Maldives was the main campaign of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's party. Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives. On the second day of assuming office, Muizzu officially requested the Indian government withdra its military personnel from the Maldives. In December last year, President Muizzu claimed that, after dialogue with the Indian government, an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel. Saregama India Ltd. News Summary Saregama Live and Gully Gangs Divine Time India Tour is set to kick off on March 1st, promising an electrifying experience for fans across six vibrant cities. The tour drops with DIVINEs homecity Mumbai, followed by Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Pune. ExxonMobil is proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of Mobil 1 motor oil to the global marketplace. In 2024, ExxonMobil will commemorate its 50-year history of the Mobil 1 brand with a series of initiatives across partnerships, motorsports, and virtual reality, each of which will highlight the brands legacy and whats to come. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201592966/en/ Beginning as the first full synthetic automotive motor oil and later expanding into a line of Mobil 1 branded oils, the Mobil 1 brand has been at the forefront of engine protection for gas-powered and more recently, hybrid and electric cars delivering unmatched quality and performance for the past five decades. Today, Mobil 1 is the worlds leading synthetic motor oil brand with an unwavering commitment to innovation, collaboration and customers. With this iconic brand, ExxonMobil is excited to continue shaping the future of engine protection and performance. One of the central components driving the celebration of Mobil 1 in this milestone year is a short film to encapsulate the brands journey. ExxonMobil has partnered with former Formula 1 racer and McLaren driver David Coulthard for the video to guide audiences in an immersive journey through the Mobil 1 brands evolution, influential collaborations and technological achievements. Throughout the 2024 motorsports season, the Mobil 1 brand will celebrate its legacy with a series of specially designed liveries and other highlights of the Mobil 1 brands extensive racing history. ExxonMobil takes great pride in the Mobil 1 brand's legacy as a revolutionary synthetic motor oil, said Laura Bustard, Mobil 1 Global Brand Manager. From its inception 50 years ago, Mobil 1 motor oil has consistently set the standard for quality and performance and will continue to improve and excel for the next 50 years. Anyone with any knowledge of the automotive space or racing knows how iconic this brand has been and will be. The Mobil 1 brands journey through the last 50 years is a testament to ExxonMobils ability to push boundaries and their commitment to performance and sustainability. Mobil 1 has become the trusted choice of leading automakers, professional racers, and millions of drivers worldwide. The Mobil 1 brand's advanced oil formulations provide unparalleled protection against engine wear, extending engine life and reducing maintenance costs for consumers. ExxonMobil recognizes that the Mobil 1 brand's success is not just a product of superior technology but a result of close collaboration with leading automakers, racing teams, and industry experts. These collaborations have allowed Mobil 1 to continually evolve and set new industry standards. The Mobil 1 brand remains dedicated to maintaining and growing meaningful relationships, said Robert Shearer, Director of Global Sponsorships. As we move forward into the future, we are excited to see a continuation of the collaborative innovation and intelligence that stems from our work with automakers, racing teams and other great partners. Track to road technology is seen with each improvement to Mobil 1 motor oil. About Mobil 1 The world's leading synthetic motor oil brand, Mobil 1 features anti wear technology that provides performance beyond our conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to meet or exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or even some of the most extreme conditions. Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and help extend engine life. For more information, visit www.mobil1.com and follow @Mobil1 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. About ExxonMobil ExxonMobil, one of the largest publicly traded international energy and petrochemical companies, creates solutions that improve quality of life and meet societys evolving needs. The corporations primary businesses Upstream, Product Solutions and Low Carbon Solutions provide products that enable modern life, including energy, chemicals, lubricants, and lower emissions technologies. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading portfolio of resources, and is one of the largest integrated fuels, lubricants, and chemical companies in the world. ExxonMobil also owns and operates the largest CO2 pipeline network in the United States. In 2021, ExxonMobil announced Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emission-reduction plans for 2030 for operated assets, compared to 2016 levels. The plans are to achieve a 20-30% reduction in corporate-wide greenhouse gas intensity; a 40-50% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity of upstream operations; a 70-80% reduction in corporate-wide methane intensity; and a 60-70% reduction in corporate-wide flaring intensity. With advancements in technology and the support of clear and consistent government policies, ExxonMobil aims to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its operated assets by 2050. To learn more, visit exxonmobil.com and ExxonMobils Advancing Climate Solutions. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and X. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201592966/en/ Key Highlights Debt Reduction The consolidated debt of Nava saw a significant reduction by 93% compared to Dec 22 with MCL, the Zambian Subsidiary having practically repaid the entire long-term debt. The company is poised to be debt-free by the end of fiscal year. Starting Dec 22, MCL repaid long-term debt of INR 2962.1 Cr (US$ 356.4 Million) up to the end of January 2024 leaving only INR 224.3 Cr (US$ 27.0 Million) to be cleared before March 2024 to become long-term debt-free. Nava Limited has achieved a long-term debt-free status at standalone level during the quarter. Free cash flows and stable financial growth across the group thereafter show promising opportunities for growth and corporate actions. Nava at consolidated level achieved highest-ever quarterly profit of INR 465.0 Cr during the third quarter and a remarkable profit of INR 1001.0 Cr for 9-months period ended 31 Dec 2023. Energy division has exhibited robust operating performance despite weak quarter for the business. Mining division has bettered its sales and profitability with improved coal sales. Particulars (in INR Crore) Q3 FY24 Q3 FY23 YoY% 9MFY24 9MFY23 YoY% Total Revenue# 995.0 1,020.8 (2.5%) 3,003.4 2,938.6 2.2% EBITDA# 475.2 540.2 (12.0%) 1,446.5 1,501.4 (3.7%) EBITDA Margin % 47.8% 52.9% (516 bps) 48.2% 51.1% (290 bps) PBT including exceptional items 464.1 352.6 31.6% 1,104.3 967.0 14.2% PAT 465.0 362.8 28.2% 1,001.0 880.2 13.7% Consolidated profit increased by an impressive 28.2% to Rs. 465.0 crore during the quarter compared to Dec 2022, with the profit for the 9-month period reaching Rs. 1001 Cr Energy division revenue registered a growth of 13.7% compared to the corresponding quarter, attributed to improved operational parameters of NBEILs 150 MW power plant Mining division witnessed revenue growth of 31.2%, driven by improved sales quantities and enhanced profitability MCLs power plant operated at an impressive PLF of 96.7% compared to 99.9% for Dec 2022, contributing to overall financial performance MCL aims to become debt-free by the end of the financial year, with a debt outstanding of US$ 27.0 Mn to be paid NBEILs power plant operated at a healthy PLF of 62.9% during the quarter compared to 7.4% in Dec 2022, supported by the availability of bilateral contracts NBEIL reduced its debt by INR 38.4 Cr during the quarter, resulting in significant savings on finance costs Particulars (in INR Crore) Q3 FY24 Q3 FY23 YoY% 9MFY24 9MFY23 YoY% Total Revenue# 335.8 346.6 (3.1%) 1,129.4 1208.5 (6.5%) EBITDA# 70.7 44.3 59.6% 229.6 335.0 (31.5%) EBITDA Margin % 21.1% 12.8% 827 bps 20.3% 27.7% (739 bps) PBT 62.0 33.2 86.9% 200.0 301.7 (33.7%) PAT 45.1 23.8 89.2% 149.3 254.1 (41.2%) Standalone profit increased by 89% compared to Dec 2022 and by 70% quarter-on-quarter despite a slight dip in revenue The FAP unit at Odisha operations resumed production in January 2024 Energy segment achieved 11.2% revenue growth compared to the corresponding quarter, driven by operational excellence in the 150 MW power plants in Odisha and availability of bilateral contracts The exploration of the Mn Ore mine in Ivory Coast is progressing onto the final phase of geotechnical studies, enabling Nava Limited's backward integration and commitment to global expansion. The Company completed the Avocado tree plantation in 205 hectares as on date with 70,000+ trees, with promising plant growth, reinforcing the company's commitment to sustainable development. Debt Position as on 31st Dec 2023 (INR Crore) The debt position reveals that majority of the consolidated debt is associated with Zambian Operations which does not have any recourse to Nava Limited or its other subsidiaries. Compared to Dec 2022, the consolidated long-term debt has come down substantially by 87% to Rs. 761.3 crore from Rs. 3,356 crore . Particulars Long-term Debt 31.12.2023 31.12.2022 Standalone 13.0 153.5 Consolidated 761.3* 3,355.5 February 1, 2024: The U.S. Navy has sent more crewless ships to sea. Recent fleet exercises in the Pacific featured the use of four new USVs (Unmanned Surface Vessels) for what the navy calls Ghost Fleet Overload. During the exercises the four USVs travelled 82,000 kilometers. This meant to test the accuracy, reliability, and durability of the USVs navigation systems. A shore-based facility and another aboard a destroyer at sea controlled and monitored the USVs. The navy is monitoring three aspects of the UAVS to see what changes or improvements are needed. First, the autonomous systems on the vessels are monitored. Then there are the command-and-control communications links, and finally how the hull, mechanical and engineering systems operate. It was discovered that the USVs could operate for about two weeks at a time without human intervention to troubleshoot in one of the three system categories. As a precaution some civilian mariners were aboard each USV to shut down any system that malfunctioned. These onboard personnel had to shut down autonomous systems on these USVs 13 times as a precaution and for safety reasons. Only six of those shutdowns were about how well the autonomous systems were controlling the ship. The other shutdowns because of rough seas or suspicion that one off the hip systems was about to malfunction. These shutdowns occurred about once every five or six weeks. The navy is also working on how to carry about repairs while the USVs are at sea. Meanwhile, since 2023 the Navy has wanted its Persian Gulf allies to cooperate in using more USVs to increase security in the Gulf, especially the entrance at the Strait of Hormuz. There is certainly a need for more security because in 2023 Iran used commandos landed by helicopter to seize two oil tankers and hold them hostage off the Iranian coast. The larcenous Iranians have also been known to hijack USVs. To better monitor Iranian mischief, the Americans have already deployed fifty USVs in the Gulf and want its Gulf allies to add more of their own. The American USVs are unarmed models like the DriX and Saildrone. Both have long endurance and lots of sensors. The Americans have been developing new USVs and putting them to work in the Gulf for over a decade. For example, in 2009 the U.S. Navy developed a new USV from scratch as a USV, rather than the previous method that used existing small boats adapting to be operated under remote control or autonomously. An example of this was the flat-bottomed AMN 1 which operates in shallow coastal waters and rivers. The navy developed navigation software for tricky situations, like using a laser-based lidar that could detect a bridge as something it can go under, and not an obstacle to be avoided or go around. AMN 1 was equipped with most of the equipment that current USVs have been successful with. Over a decade ago USVs like the Israeli Protector and the American Spartan Scout were being used to patrol coastal and port areas like the Gaza coast, waters around the Lebanese border and the Iraqi coast. These USVs were basically 48-ton, 11-meter speed boats equipped with radar, GPS and video cameras, and armed with remotely controlled 12.7mm machine-guns that had night vision and a laser rangefinder. There is also a public address system to give orders to boats that should not be there. These USVs were used for over a decade. They can be controlled from an operator ashore, or in a nearby ship, usually out to the horizon or at least 10-20 kilometers distant. They can stay out 8-48 hours at a time, depending on how much high-speed movement is used. The one big shortcoming is that they are built for speed, not rough seas. When the weather turns bad, and the waves get higher, they have to be brought in. Spartan Scout was particularly useful when it got its first tryout in the Persian Gulf during late 2003. There were lots of small boats moving about, some of them up to no good. An Arab linguist on the mothership was able to interrogate suspicious boats the Spartan Scout ran down. The civilian sailors were somewhat taken aback when they were interrogated by this Arab speaking boat that had no one aboard. The Spartan Scout was developed primarily to work with some naval vessels that operated mainly along coasts, but soon every ship now wanted one or more of them, just for port security, and especially in areas like the Persian Gulf. With all that in mind it seems like a good idea to use more USVs in the Gulf. Not all the Gulf Arabs are eager to do this and would rather invest in more manned warships. Iranians consider such warships targets for their attacks. The Americans point out that the USVs operate 24/7 and in all sorts of bad weather. They transmit video and radar data back to a land or sea based control center, providing wide coverage of who is doing what throughout the Gulf. The Iranians consider this harassment while the Arabs and their Western allies consider that reaction a sign that all those USVs are getting the job done. Yesterday, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, recognized the most innovative new optics and photonics products with the industry-focused Prism Awards. The gala evening, held during SPIE Photonics West, also marked the Prism Awards 16th anniversary. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201882344/en/ SPIE announces the winning products and companies at its 16th annual Prism Awards. (Graphic: Business Wire) Each year, the SPIE Prism Awards reflect the rapidly growing trajectory of photonics products and photonics-enabled solutions. This year, the annual ceremony honored a range of established and emerging companies applying groundbreaking and creative solutions to critical problems in areas such as augmented and virtual reality, sensors, lasers, quantum technology, and biomedical optics solutions. Award presenters included Metas Leo Baldwin, Ansys Sanjay Gangadhara, NISTs Marla Dowell, Orbis Diagnostics Cather Simpson, and Constantin Haefner of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology. Finalists and winners were selected by a panel of international judges who leveraged their knowledge and acumen from across the technology commercialization and funding sectors. The distinguished judges' roster included the FDA's Zane Arp, Nextcorps Luminates Damon Diehl, AXA XLs Simi George, BOS Photonics Bo Gu, Coherents Qiongying Hu, Photon Funds Zhenlin Li, Teledyne Princeton Instruments' Jason McClure, Technology Scotlands Alison McLeod, Notal Visions Nishant Mohan, ICFOs RobertSewell, Orbis Diagnostics Cather Simpson, CERES Technology Advisors Linda Smith, TOPTICAs Mark A. Tolbert, and Nanovation SARLs Ferechteh Teherani. "Were always excited to showcase the wealth of innovative optics- and photonics-based technologies during the SPIE Prism Awards," said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. "By creating products powered by photonics and bringing those products to market, all these companies the finalists as well as tonights winners are impacting our lives in truly transformative ways. And, with the addition of the Catalyst Award, we are also recognizing companies in our community doing tremendous engagement and outreach work that improves our society through their diversity and sustainability programs. I am delighted to be here tonight to congratulate all of our participants in person." Below is the complete list of the 2024 SPIE Prism Award categories, the winners, and their winning products: AR VR MR: Porotech, DPT (DynamicPixelTuning ) (DynamicPixelTuning ) Autonomy: ANELLO Photonics, SiPhOG (Silicon Photonics Optical Gyroscope) Biomedical: JenLab GmbH, MPTcompact: Multiphoton Tomograph with Femtosecond Fiber Laser Cameras and Imaging: Thorlabs, Inc., Prelude Functional Imaging Microscope Functional Imaging Microscope Lasers: EKSPLA, FemtoLux 30 Quantum Tech: Qunnect, QU-APC: Auto Polarization Compensator Sensors: Scantinel Photonics GmbH, Scantinel X-One Software: Frenel Imaging, TPiCore Test and Measurement: Persistence Data Mining, Inc., Soilytics This year, in addition to the regular slate of application-focused awards, SPIE is showcasing the inaugural SPIE Catalyst Award. This new recognition honors for-profit companies with specific social or environmentally focused programs that have had significant positive impact, either within their workplace, on society at large, or on the environment. The winner of the first-ever SPIE Catalyst Award is Intel Corporation with their innovative and inclusive Semiconductor Workforce Development programs: Quick Start, the semiconductor-technician-training program, and the Returnships career-returning program. About SPIE SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, SPIE has contributed more than $24 million to the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. www.spie.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201882344/en/ 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 by Austin Bay February 1, 2024 In 2004, ignorant media crucified then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for stating a historical truth about warfare. Here's Rumsfeld's very pertinent quote: "You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time." In 2024, immediate crises demonstrate Rumsfeld's wisdom -- which is a reminder and a warning. In late January, Britain's Royal Navy demonstrated a navy goes to war with whatever it has -- even when what it has can't quite accomplish the mission. According to the Daily Telegraph, the HMS Diamond, a destroyer, was part of an allied flotilla conducting operations to stop Yemen's Houthi rebels from attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea. However, the British warship didn't have "the capability to fire at land targets" -- meaning it didn't have land attack missiles aboard, the weapon of choice to strike Houthi drone and missile launch sites located away from the coast. HMS Diamond wasn't useless and it isn't useless. It is a Type 45 air defense destroyer. It has a 4.5-inch gun (artillery) and anti-air/anti-missile missiles, which it used to shoot down Houthi drones targeting ships at sea. One source says HMS Diamond will be retrofitted with a strike missile sometime in late 2024. But right now, at this moment, in a threatened sea zone, HMS Diamond can't conduct a deep strike offensive mission, like U.S destroyers in the area armed with land attack missiles. You go to war with the navy you have. If American air and naval power were unleashed, the Houthis would disappear -- especially if the air component includes U.S. Air Force heavy bombers. They leave large, deep craters. However, Iranian proxies, and for that matter, Iran, are sideshows. Given the armed forces America has, is America ready for a war with China in the Pacific Ocean? I think not, and so do many Navy, Marine, Army and Air Force officers. The war in Ukraine demonstrates that nations must be able to quickly replace ammunition stockpiles and destroyed weapons. Unfortunately, America's Cold War-era industrial base no longer exists. In December 2023, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said America must once again become a "global leader in shipbuilding." He wants to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry and merchant fleet -- because the U.S. must have both if it wants to remain a naval power. But right now, the Navy is short of warships, the so-called hull deficit. This shortage will take years to fix. Building large warships takes a long time. Carriers can take a decade or more. Guided missile destroyers can take six to seven years. As it is, China has built forces designed to counter U.S. carrier battle groups. The People's Liberation Army Navy has the world's largest battle fleet. The PLAN is built to fight a "home game" within air and missile support distance of the Chinese mainland. China's deployment of "carrier killer" anti-ship ballistic missiles is designed to convince the Pentagon it will lose a supercarrier to long-range weapons, so carrier battle groups will stay out of range. The strategy is called anti-access/area denial (A2AD). While the carriers remain east of Hawaii, China seizes Taiwan. What do we do now? In 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies released a study that recommended fortifying U.S. and allied bases (like Guam) and a "... shift to smaller, more survivable ships." I've been advocating that for years -- buy small, fast strike warships that can be built quickly. In 2022, I wrote a column about a boat Forbes mentioned in a December 2020 article: the H96, designed by Texas-based engineer and technologist George Hamilton. Hamilton's warship combines long range with high "dash speed." The long range makes it ideal for dispersed operations in the Pacific. It can "fight forward" in China's front yard, has the speed to survive and the firepower to contribute to the Navy's Distributed Maritime Operations concept of concentrating fires from dispersed platforms. The ship can carry a variety of weapons -- strike and anti-air missiles, anti-sub torpedoes, drones. No need to retrofit. Who will build it? Hamilton intends to build the ship himself -- in a new boatyard in Texas. February 2, 2024: Iran-backed Iraqi militias continue to attack American troops in Iraq. On January 28 an Iran-backed Iraqi militia used a UAV armed with explosives to kill three American soldiers at their Tower 22 base across the border in Jordan. Other recent inside Iraq attacks involved ballistic missiles as well as the usual unguided rockets and occasional gunfire. The primary base for American troops in Iraq is the Ain al-Assad air base, which the Americans have equipped with anti-missile and anti-aircraft systems. These intercept most missiles and rockets fired at the base but occasionally one gets through and causes some injuries. So far injuries have been minor. These attacks have become more frequent since Gaza-based Hamas made a massive surprise attack on Israel last year. That attack was only a partial success because the Israeli quickly counterattacked and are now seeking to eliminate the Hamas presence in Gaza. Hamas momentary victory encouraged other groups to attack American troops in the region. The Ain al-Assad air base is in Anbar Province, which consists of most of western Iraq and mostly desert. American troops have been at the airbase since 2003. Now Iran wants the Americans out of Iraq so that Iran has a better chance to take control of the country. Iran justifies its attacks on Iraqis and Americans because Iran claims Israel seeks more power in Iraq. That is absurd but normal for Iranian propaganda. There are few Israelis in Iraq, all of whom work with the Kurds in northern Iraq as technical and military advisors. Iraq continues to resist Iranian efforts to dominate local politics and much else. Iraqi efforts to reduce corruption played a part in convincing a growing number of formerly pro-Iran Iraqis to change their minds about backing Iran. The current Iranian government has been an economic, diplomatic, and military disaster for everyone in the area, not just Iranians. Few Iraqis want to emulate Iran, and this now includes Iraqi members of pro-Iran militias. Initially Iran encouraged and maintained pro-Iran attitudes in Iraq by supplying Iraqi militiamen with weapons and regular cash payments. Increasing economic problems inside Iran reduced the money available to pay the Iraqi militiamen enough to keep them loyal to Iran. The longer the Iraqi militiamen went unpaid, the less willing they were to serve Iranian interests. How much is left is questionable, but certainly enough that some militias are currently attacking American troops and bases at Iranian orders. Iraqis were also put off by the brutality Iran used to suppress the hijab protests that began in 2017 and intensified in 2022 when Iranian lifestyle police killed a young woman for not covering her hair. After most women were simply not wearing hijabs to cover their hair, Iran insisted that foreign women, even those allowed into the country to help Iran with economic projects, cover their hair. Meanwhile there were too many Iranian women refusing to cover their hair for the Iranian government to arrest or otherwise punish. The Iranian government has not given up on enforcing the use of hijabs and is seeking ways to force women to comply. A proposed new law would criminalize failure of women to wear hijabs, but the government is unsure what impact trying to enforce such a law would have. Most women and many men oppose the hijab restrictions and consider these laws another reason to overthrow the religious dictatorship that has misruled Iran for decades. Iraqis see this Iranian obsession over the hijab as odd and scary because this is the sort of thing Iran would try to impose on Iraqis if it could. Iraq and Iran were long known as much less fanatic about this sort of thing than, say, the Saudis. That is changing in Saudi Arabia, as it already has in Iraq and, until recently, Iran. Currently Iran is seen as the most fanatically religious nation in the region. Before that Saudi Arabia held the title for decades. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) will team with Hollywood Basic Crafts to begin negotiating their Motion Picture Pension and Health Plan proposals with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in March. Why is this important for animation? After the pension and health care plan negotiations are resolved, IATSE will begin negotiating its Basic Agreement and Area Standards Agreement with the AMPTP. This is significant for animation workers because The Animation Guild will only start working on its new contract after the IATSE negotiations have concluded. What key issues will the two unions address in these first negotiations? As was the case in last years DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA negotiations, residuals from streaming revenues will be a significant focus of the talks. Unlike agreements secured by the WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA, residuals are not paid directly to crew members but serve as a funding mechanism for the shared Motion Picture Pension and Health Plans. Other priorities mentioned by the unions include boosting retirement accrual rates and fighting off any cuts to health coverage. Why are these negotiations being handled now? The Motion Picture Pension and Health Plans coffers are low because funds were used to support out-of-work union members during the industry shutdown caused by last years WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Ensuring that residuals from streaming revenues continue to support the Pension and Health plans is vital. In a release, IATSE VP Michael Miller explained: Our benefit plans remain at the forefront of members minds. Though the plans took a hit financially due to work stoppages prolonged by the employers in 2023 as well as the pandemic work stoppage in 2020, the trustees of the plan knew funds spent to ensure continuity of workers health and retirement benefits was money well spent. Its important for our unions to be on the same page as we collaboratively negotiate for the plans not only because sustainable benefits are a shared priority of our memberships but also because recent hardships have brought behind-the-scenes crews together in historic fashion. Is it significant that the two unions are negotiating together? Typically, IATSE negotiates its terms first and independently, although both unions have observed each others negotiations in the past. This year will mark the first time the two have negotiated jointly since 1988. What is Hollywood Basic Crafts? The Hollywood Basic Crafts is a union comprised of Teamsters Local 399, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 40, Laborers International Union of North America Local 724, United Association Plumbers Local 78 and Operating Plasterers & Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) Local 755. Job titles covered by the union include drivers, electricians, catering, laborers, cement masons, plumbers, and more. What happens if the negotiations fail? Speaking at a union leaders panel on labor innovation and technology at CES last month (video below), IATSE international president Matthew Loeb said that another strike is possible if this years negotiations stall: Netflixs Orion and the Dark releases globally tomorrow, and reviews are pouring in for the latest animated feature produced by Dreamworks Animation. The film turns on Orion an average elementary school kid apart from the fact that hes afraid of just about everything, especially the dark. The young mans phobias become especially inconvenient when the literal embodiment of his worst fears, an anthropomorphized version of darkness, removes him from the comfort of his bedroom to prove there is nothing to fear about the night. Based on the book of the same name by Emma Yarlett, Orion and the Dark is written by Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and directed by Sean Charmatz (story artist, Spongebob Squarepants; head of story, The Angry Birds Movie 2). Dreamworks Animation established the look of the film in house, but the animation was outsourced to Mikros Animation in India with Paris-based Jungler assisting on a couple of key sequences. Early reviews for Orion look good, with many critics praising the films 2d aesthetic and the respect it shows for young audiences. According to the majority of critiques, the film doesnt shy away from mature themes, which should be appreciated by kids and adults alike. Heres what the critics are saying about Orion and the Dark. Luke Y. Thompson at AV Club thinks older kids will enjoy the film but that its themes may be a bit too mature for some younger viewers: The notion of an animated feature for children written by Charlie Kaufman, the anxiety-riddled scribe of metaphysical nesting-doll movies like Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, sounds about as unlikely as a G-rated Disney movie directed by David Lynch, or Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor composing a Pixar score. Yet those things did happen, to acclaim aplenty, and now, so has this. Orion And The Dark may look almost nothing like any Charlie Kaufman film to date, but it bears his personality. While that might be a bit much for the youngest kids, for 11-year-olds like those depicted in this story, it may strike a chord simply by refusing to underestimate their intelligence. Kate Stables at Total Film agrees to an extent but thinks there is enough in the film for audiences of all ages to find something endearing: Despite its 3d cgi good looks, the film has an indie, handmade feel, which sits well with Kaufmans twisty, slightly meta tale. Small kids might struggle with the films sudden changes of storyteller, but its smart explorations of fear and feelings are clear-cut, wrapped snugly in a rollicking adventure that sets misunderstood Dark against his cheerily annoying nemesis Light (a breezy Ike Barnholtz). Sprinkled with winking gags about film (Werner Herzog pops up, as does that Poltergeist cupboard that still haunts your dreams), this is a clever, all-ages charmer. In his four-star review for Empire, John Nugent is similarly pleased with the films indie spirit: [T]o its bones, this is a Kaufman joint, and while it has an unusual sweetness theres a straightforwardly wholesome father-daughter relationship it is full of existential dread, big ideas, and a strong resistance to anything too neat, too Hollywood. That a major studio has allowed someone like him into the safe enclave of kiddie films should be celebrated; children need to be exposed to more of his dark materials. Frank Schecks The Hollywood Reporter review is glowing in its regard for Orion and the Dark, although it does parrot the frustrating opinion that all animation should be aimed at kids: The best animated movies are entertaining enough for kids while providing rewarding diversions for older viewers. This Netflix premiere from Dreamworks Animation hits just that sweet spot. Hilariously and movingly tapping into typical childhood anxieties, its infused with ample wit of both the visual and verbal variety for adults, the latter courtesy of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) in his return to feature-length animation, nine years after Anomalisa. Much like the streamers recent Nimona, Orion and the Dark proves the sort of sophisticated animated project that outshines many recent big-screen toons. Tessa Smith at Mamas Geeky sums up her review writing: With the first month of 2024 nearly behind us, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the exciting streaming animation releases coming our way in February. Orion and the Dark Platform: Netflix Release Date: February 2 Dreamworks Animations latest was first announced at Annecy in June, where we spoke with director Sean Charmatz, production designer Tim Lamb, and art director Christine Bian. Orion and the Dark is adapted by screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) from Emma Yarletts 2014 childrens book of the same name. The film turns on Orion, a young man afraid of just about everything, including and especially the dark. So, things get tough for the boy when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit. The films animation, lighting, and vfx are all stunning, and were excited to see how audiences respond to this outside-the-box kids and family feature. The Tigers Apprentice Platform: Paramount+ Release Date: February 2 Previously slated for a theatrical release, Paramount shifted The Tigers Apprentice to its streaming platform late last year. Another adaptation, this time from a book by Laurence Yep, The Tigers Apprentice follows a Chinese-American boy who discovers that he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians. Under the tutelage of a shape-shifting tiger named Mr. Hu, the boy must reunite the estranged Zodiac animal warriors to fight the evil forces threatening the world. The film is directed by long-time Dreamworks vet and Shrek the Third co-director Raman Hui and co-directed by Paul Watling (head of story Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Yong Duk Jhun (head of layout Vivo) from a screenplay by David Magee (Life of Pi) and Christopher Yost (Thor: Ragnarok). Salted Fish: Season 2 Platform: Bilibili Release Date: February 15 We missed Salted Fish season one when it was first released, but thankfully, all 18 episodes of the wonderfully insane show are free to stream on Bilibili, so we were able to catch up quickly and are excited to see whats in store with season two. The off-the-wall series tells the story of a preserved fish called Mr. Salted Fish, who lives at a seafood restaurant on an island and makes a living by working multiple part-time jobs. Mr. Salted Fish is uniquely bad at dealing with almost anything in a commonsense way, creating all kinds of crazy situations. That said, hes a deeply sympathetic character, and watching him make friends on the island is a treat. Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy Platform: Prime Video Release Date: February 23 Prime Video kicked off 2024 with the highly anticipated January release of Vivienne Medranos Hazbin Hotel, and the platform is back in February with another interest-piquing adult animation debut in The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy. The show is written, showrun, and executive produced by Cirocco Dunlap, a writer on Netflixs Russian Doll, and animated by Titmouse. In the show, Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak aliens, best friends, and intergalactically renowned surgeons attempt to tackle anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and deep-space STIs. The series soft color palette and throwback animation give it a retro-futuristic vibe that should appeal to older audiences, while its very modern themes should help it feel fresh. Iwaju Platform: Disney+ Release Date: February 28 Iwaju is an original sci-fi animated kids and family series set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria. The show proposes the coming-of-age story of Tola, a young girl from a wealthy island, and her best friend Kole, a self-taught tech expert. Together, the duo discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. The series is helmed by pan-African outfit Kugali and directed by Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, who wrote alongside Halima Hudson. Iwajus release will be accompanied by Iwaju: A Day Ahead, a documentary special filmed across three continents that shares the story of the Kugali founders. Pakistan extends T&T implementation deadline 02 February 2024 The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched the Track and Trace System (TTS) that was to be rolled out across the cement, sugar, fertiliser, beverages, tobacco, POL products and steel sectors from 1 July 2021 in Pakistan to enhance tax revenue, reduce counterfeiting and preventing the smuggling of illicit goods through the implementation of a robust, and has extended the deadline for cement manufacturers to fully implement the TTS to 30 April 2024. According to a local report, the last date to implement the TTS in the cement sector was 31 December 2023, but the cement sector could not comply with this deadline. The system was implemented at one production line of each manufacturing company, but the system was installed at only some production lines. Recently, the cement industry met with the FBR chairman at the FBR headquarters to review progress on the TTS. The industry conveyed its reservations over the issues in the smooth implementation of the system at all cement plants. The industry sought more time for full-fledged implementation of the system. Therefore, a new deadline of 30 April 2024 has been given to the cement units. According to sources, cement bags will only be permitted to leave a production site, factory, or manufacturing plant if tax stamps/unique identification markings are applied from 30 April 2024. With assistance from its Licensee Authentix Inc, US, and consortium partners AJCL Private Ltd and MITAS Corporation of South Africa, the FBR has been striving to implement the T&T solution in the cement sector since 1 July 2021. Published under MBABANE Dont panic! The Ministry of Health has assured the nation that the stomach bug experienced by some emaSwati is not cholera. Calvin Dlamini, the Health Promotion Officer in the Ministry of Health, said they were fully prepared, should a case of cholera be reported locally. As of now, Eswatini is cholera-free. In fact, no case has been reported in the country in a period of 12 months. Some emaSwati have been complaining about experiencing stomach cramps, some of which led them to the toilet. Those who called this publication said they were concerned that the ministry may be downplaying the seriousness of the disease and implored government to do more in terms of ensuring that people were safe. Diarrhoea Many people are suffering from a stomach ache, what if it is cholera? Is government doing enough to prevent the spread of the disease into our country? Lets hope patients who visit hospitals due to diarrhoea cases are tested, one caller said. Dlamini said the ministry was currently on alert stage since it had discovered that cholera was a serious threat, as it had killed hundreds of people in some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that kills within hours if left untreated. Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia are facing an unprecedented surge of cholera cases. Zambia saw a 71. 2 per cent jump in cases and 175 per cent increase in deaths in a week. Dlamini said the characteristics of cholera stool was an opaque white liquid that was not malodorous and often described as having a white rice appearance. He said the stool volume during cholera was more than that of any other infectious diarrhoea. He said due to a large volume of diarrhoea, patients suffering from such disease had frequent and often uncontrolled bowel movements. Cholera is a contagious disease. Someone who is infected does not feel any pain but has an uncontrollable running stomach. That patient can visit the toilet after every 30 minutes. At that stage, patients lose weight within a short space of time due to dehydration, brought about by the high loss of water in the body, said Dlamini. Dlamini indicated that untreated cholera could lead to a sunken fontanelle in babies and sleepy eyes in old people. Regarding survival chances for those failing to treat cholera on time, the health promotion officer said that person would survive for only two to three days. He said people died due to loss of too much body fluid. In terms of controlling dehydration, the health promotion officer advised patients to drink a lot of water or take the Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). To those who have frequent running stomachs, they must rush to hospital to avoid unnecessary deaths. We also plead with people to always drink clean water, build proper toilets, wash their hands to curb cholera outbreak, he said. Furthermore, Dlamini stated that the ministry procured medication and had put some personnel in place in readiness for cholera outbreak. Role He also stated that the ministry would be engaging other government sectors, communities and schools in working together on how the disease could be curbed. He said everyone had a role to play in dealing with the disease. Researchers have estimated that 1.3 million to 4 million cholera cases are reported each year, while 21 000 to 143 000 deaths are recorded worldwide. Cholera is said to be caused by eating or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called vibrio cholerae. It is also caused by ice made from municipal water, food and drinks sold by street vendors, vegetables grown with water containing human waste, raw or uncooked fish and seafood caught in water that is polluted with sewage. MANZINI After a night of drinking in Matsapha, a 32-year-old man jumped to his death at Lusushwana River. The male, who is from Hilltop, a township about five kilometres from the Mbabane central business district (CBD), was said to have visited an acquaintance in Matsapha in the company of a friend. It was said the pals, who formed a quartet, spent the night at one of the pubs near Lusushwana. According to Sandile Vilakati, who was visiting Matsapha with the deceased, they had a great time on the night preceding the incident. He said they were all in a jovial mood and they did not visualise their fun ending in tragedy, as it did. Vilakati said at around 7:30am yesterday, the deceased started telling them that they had to vacate the recreational facility, which they had lodged at overnight. Requested He said while they requested that they extend their stay there by a few more hours, the deceased insisted and they obliged. Along the way, Vilakati said they were walking in sets of two pairs, with the deceased and another walking ahead. He said while they were walking along the sidewalk of the bridge, the deceased was about five metres ahead of them and he looked back and rhetorically asked if they knew that he could jump over the bridge. We shouted that he should not do that and he mimicked jumping before laughing it off. He repeated the question and this time, he jumped over the steel embankment into the river, he said. Distance It is worth noting that the distance from where the deceased jumped and the river is about five metres. The depth of the river yesterday was about three metres, based on the yardstick used by the divers when they retrieved the body. Vilakati estimated that his friend jumped over the bridge at around 8:30am. He said as the deceased plunged into the river, he (deceased) started swimming for about 15 minutes. At some point, he said, the deceased swam to the river bank; however, instead of exiting the flooded river, he swam back towards the centre. He said the deceased swam back into the river to retrieve his sneaker which was floating at the centre of the river. After retrieving his sneaker, the deceased was said to have swam towards the river bank; however, about two metres from a place of safety, he started to drown. Vilakati, who was visibly shaken by the incident, said that was the last they saw of him. Meanwhile, the incident attracted many people, who were seen watching the flooded river from the crest of the bridge. Some vehicles were parked along the road reserve near the bridge. Suspicions from some of the eyewitnesses were that the deceased drowned due to exhaustion. The eyewitnesses claimed that the deceased had been playful while still swimming in the river. In video footage which was captured by one of the witnesses, people were heard telling him that he would drown and die if he did not exit the river. Just after that call instructing him to exit the river, the deceased drowned. It was said while this was happening; some witnesses contacted the Eswatini National Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services (ENFRES) and the police. Statements The ENFRES personnel and the police were found at the scene, with the latter recording statements, while the former tried to locate the body of the deceased. For about two hours, the ENFRES personnel tried to locate the body up until divers from the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) arrived at the scene, just before noon. The divers spent about five minutes inside the river, before retrieving the body. The deceaseds body was retrieved with his clothes and bag intact save for the shoes. The lead diver, Bongani Dlamini, said the 32-year-old was the ninth person to drown since the rainy season started last year August. Dlamini appealed to the public to always be cautious when near rivers and more so, when they were flooded. Confirmed On the other hand, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that the 32-year-old died after drowning at Lusushwana River. Recently, the police in their second quarter report for this financial year reported that between July 1 and September 30, 2022, nine people drowned in different incidents around the country. The police reported that notable causes of drowning included risking crossing and swimming in flooded rivers and canals, unguarded children going on swimming excursions and negligent nannies and parents who expose children to water filled containers. Elizabeth Barksdale, director of Human Resources at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), recently received certification from the Society of Human Resources Management, making her one of three directors to hold that distinction in the Technical College System of Georgia. The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) partnered with the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) to offer selected Human Resources professionals from among TCSGs 22 technical colleges a chance to obtain or enhance their professional certifications. Eight Human Resources professionals who were not certified obtained their SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP); Barksdale, who already possessed SHRM-CP certification, earned the SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Barksdale said. This was the first time that TCSG has provided this opportunity, Barksdale said. TCSGs goal is to ensure that all TCSG Human Resources professionals have the competencies needed for their roles by providing them with the opportunity to gain certification. Barksdale started virtual training for the new certification in January, 2023 and met once or twice weekly for instruction. She passed the SHRM-SCP exam in December, she said. I studied throughout the year, Barksdale said. I feel extremely accomplished after passing one of the highest and most notable Human Resources certifications. I like to set personal goals for myself and usually find myself starting something new every few years to advance my career. Accomplishing her SHRM-SCP has been a catalyst for Barksdale to volunteer as president-elect for 2024 for the Greater Rome SHRM chapter, she said. Barksdale said she has more than 12 years of Human Resources and operational support experience through the military, technology industry and higher education. She is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, completing combat tours Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, where she served aboard an aircraft carrier and later on shore. Barksdale holds a masters degree in Human Resource Management, a bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and an associate degree in Business Administration. She joined GNTC in January 2020 as assistant director of Human Resources and became director in August 2020. Barksdale said she received a one-year SHRM national membership for free as part of the process. She was also listed on the global directory on the SHRM website upon certification. SHRM is the worlds largest Human Resources membership organization. Barksdale characterized SHRM-SCP as an advanced certification for a seasoned professional who is performing at the strategic level. Professionals maintain certification by earning 60 professional development credits of continued learning in person or webinars, projects and SHRM conferences within a three-year cycle or by retaking the certification, she said. Southern Adventist University announces Mark Janzen, PhD, associate professor at Lipscomb University and its Lanier Center for Biblical Archaeology in Nashville, will present From Miracles to Mt. Sinai: Recent Research on the Route of the Exodus on Monday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Lynn Wood Hall Chapel on campus.Officials said, "As the most celebrated and referenced event in the Hebrew Bible, Israels famous departure from Egypt is one of historys most famous narratives.The drama of the so-called 'Red Sea Crossing,' the miracles along the way and the theophany at Mt. Sinai have captured the imagination of readers from all walks of life for millennia."Dr. Janzen received his doctorate in history from the University of Memphis in Tennessee. He has worked in Egypt for more than 15 years, and his primary research interests are Egyptian epigraphy and archaeology, New Kingdom military history and the Israelite exodus. Editor of Five Views on the Exodus: Historicity, Chronology, and Theological Implications, Dr. Janzen has written articles and essays on a wide range of topics relating to the intersection of ancient history, archaeology and biblical studies. In addition to his teaching duties, he is co-host for the podcast OnScript3/4The Biblical World as well as deputy director of the Karnak Great Hypostyle Hall project in Luxor, Egypt.This free Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum lecture is open to the public. Visit southern.edu/southernevents for livestream options and additional information. A man who authorities say was shot while trying to carry out a home invasion in Athens, Ala., has been arrested in Chattanooga. Members of the Chattanooga Police Department's Fugitive Unit witnessed the suspect, Jakey Conner, enter a home in the 1900 block of South Orchard Knob Avenue. On Thursday at approximately 12:10 p.m., the Chattanooga Police, along with the U.S. Marshals and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, apprehended the fugitive.Members of the Chattanooga Police Department's Fugitive Unit witnessed the suspect, Jakey Conner, enter a home in the 1900 block of South Orchard Knob Avenue.Police initiated contact with Conner, who initially refused to exit the home. After two hours of negotiations, the suspect exited the residence without resistance and was taken into custody. He is pending extradition to Alabama. Authorities said on Jan. 19, Conner and another man attempted a home-invasion-style robbery in Athens. Conner was subsequently shot during the attempt and injured. While being treated for his injuries, he escaped and came to Chattanooga. His charges in Alabama include shooting into an occupied dwelling and burglary in the first degree. A Tennessee Board of Regents search advisory committee has selected three finalists for the next president of Cleveland State Community College. They will participate in open forums with the campus community and the public Feb. 13-15, the next step in the selection process.The finalists are:Dr. Robert R. Brandon, vice president of academic and student services at Southwest Virginia Community College since 2018 and previously dean of the Division of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education at Cleveland State Community College.He holds a doctor of philosophy degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a master of arts in English from East Tennessee State University, and a bachelor of arts in English from Virginia Intermont College.Dr. Jason S. Goodner, vice chancellor for academics/chief academic officer at Arkansas State University-Beebe since 2019 and previously ASU-Beebes dean of arts and humanities. He holds a doctor of education degree in adult and career education from Valdosta State University, a master of science in social services administration from Georgia Southwestern State University, a bachelor of science in applied sociology from Georgia Southern University, and an associate of science in Middle School Education from Darton State College.Dr. Andrew W. White, senior director of the Fast Forward program at Belmont University since 2022 and previously dean of the business and technology division at Volunteer State Community College. He holds a doctor of education degree in education leadership from The Rossier School at the University of Southern California, a master of science in public administration from Central Michigan University, and a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Tennessee.The finalists resumes and other information about the search process are posted on the presidential search page of the Tennessee Board of Regents' website at https://www.tbr.edu/hr/executivesearches/president-cleveland-state-community-college.The finalists will participate in open forums with faculty, staff, students and the public who wish to attend Feb. 13, 14 and 15. The forums are each scheduled for 10 a.m. in the theater of the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center on the main campus at 3535 Adkisson Dr. in Cleveland, with the schedule below, and will also be live-streamed via Zoom teleconferencing, at these links:Feb. 13, Dr. Brandon: https://mycs-cc.zoom.us/j/91436360490?pwd=QWJ0anFTWVhaS0YwQ1BBY1VJanY1UT09;Feb. 14, Dr. Goodner: https://mycs-cc.zoom.us/j/94839955313?pwd=aFlHbmJxbnNtLzY3Vkd4eUZzUDZGQT09; andFeb. 15, Dr. White: https://mycs-cc.zoom.us/j/91601612730?pwd=eG1ySVFxU0VPRm9ydmZwS3lrU2ZSUT09.After the forums, TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings will gather input and feedback from the public and campus community, and conduct final interviews to select one candidate for nomination to the Board of Regents. Input and comments on the candidates may be submitted through an online survey that will be added to the search webpage above. The Board will appoint the next president, during a meeting to be scheduled later.The next president will succeed former President Ty Stone and interim President Ray Brooks. The Board of Regents approved criteria for the next president last July. The position was posted, and a 19-member Search Advisory Committee was appointed in October, including three members of the Board of Regents as well as representatives of the Colleges students, faculty, staff and alumni, and civic and business leaders from the community. Chaired by Regent Danni B. Varlan, the committee spent subsequent weeks reviewing applicants and nominees to selecting the finalists.The president is the chief executive officer of the college, which opened in 1967 as one of the original three Tennessee public community colleges. Cleveland State Community College primarily serves Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk counties in southeast Tennessee. In addition to its main campus in Cleveland, it offers classes at its Monroe County Center in Vonore and the McMinn Higher Education Center in Athens. Here's the reason why one of King Charles' former staffers is convinced the monarch will abdicate the throne in 10 years. King Charles III hasnt been the monarch for that long but the end of his reign is already being discussed by someone who used to work for him. The former royal family employee believes the king and Queen Camilla (formerly known as Camilla Parker Bowles) wont be on the throne for more than a decade. Heres the reason why the ex-aide says King Charles will abdicate in 10 years. Reason King Charles ex-staffer thinks he has a 10-year plan to abdicate King Charles III wearing the Imperial state crown after his coronation waves from the Buckingham Palace balcony | STEFAN ROUSSEAU/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Ever since the Queen of Denmark abdicated at the end of 2023 to make way for her son to become king, many have wondered if royals in other countries would follow suit. Well, at least one former royal employee thinks the House of Windsor will. Paul Burrell began working in the royal household when he was 18 years old and served as Queen Elizabeth IIs personal footman. In 1987, he was moved to the household of then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Speaking on behalf of Slingo Burrell opined that what happened in Denmark will happen in the U.K. saying: I think [King Charles and Queen Camilla] have given this job 10 years. I think this is a 10-year plan. Since the beginning, I have thought that the king is buying Williams time and in 10 years the king will be in his mid-80s. I dont think he will want to continue being king when crowned heads of Europe have found that they can hand over to their heirs and see them become monarch and enjoy it. King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their coronation | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Burrell acknowledged that the late Queen Elizabeth probably never dreamed of abdicating but times are different now and so is King Charles. The queen would never have done that because she came from a different generation, Burrell explained. But the king will know exactly what to do and take a page out of Prince Philips book and say Ive done enough and want to do things he wants to do. I think the country will embrace a new, young king and queen and it will complete the circle that [Princess] Dianas son will be king. I believe [Charles] will follow suit of the Queen of Denmark. He would want to see his son crowned, who wouldnt want to see their son reach the pinnacle of their career? I think King Charles has a different approach than his mother, I think he will work hard for 10 years and then say its time for retirement and watch his son blossom. King Charles will lean on his sister, Princess Anne, a lot throughout the rest of his reign Princess Anne and King Charles attend The Braemar Gathering 2023 | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Burrell added that he believes Prince William and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) will embark on another royal tour before 2024 concludes as the king and Camilla arent very fond of long trips at their age. And if the king needs help with anything else during his reign, he can always rely on his sister Princess Anne. In the autumn if Kates health is well enough, I foresee a royal tour because the king and queen dont like long-haul travel, Burrell said. So I see a tour to Canada or Australia for William and Kate. And Princess Anne is always there. She is the best queen we never had. She has an incredible work ethic and is a great credit to the royal family. The king will lean a lot on his sister as well as his son in the coming months. This is the vision: to produce the raw material Methanol at the edge of the field or on the farm using renewable energies. In addition to wind or sun, water and CO2 would be needed to produce the raw materials for the green methanol process: Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2), which react catalytically to form methanol. This is made possible by a new catalyst developed in Rostock. A process based on this completely dispenses with fossil raw materials. And it is highly selective, i.e. it produces virtually no by-products. Supply of the starting materials for the production of methanol: carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2). In the E4MeWi project, these substances come from sustainable sources. LIKAT/nordlicht The catalyst is based on manganese, as Gordon Neitzel from the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) explains: "The metal atom forms the catalytic center. It is fixed and protected by a kind of scaffold, the so-called ligand." As part of his doctorate, Gordon Neitzel optimized the molecular structure of this ligand and put the finishing touches to the catalyst complex, so to speak. The results were published in the journal CHEMCATCHEM. Climate-neutral Management with E4MeWi The work is part of the E4MeWi research network. The abbreviation stands for Energie-Effiziente Erneuerbare Energien basierte Methanol-Wirtschaft (Energy-Efficient Renewable Energy-based Methanol Economy). The joint project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy for three years with two million euros. The project partners are also CreativeQuantum GmbH in Berlin, Ineratec GmbH in Karlsruhe, Ruhr University Bochum and the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park. "A climate-neutral economy, as the Federal Republic of Germany is aiming for by 2045, also needs basic chemicals," Gordon Neitzel continues. Methanol is needed for plastics and resins, for example, which are used everywhere from the furniture to the automotive industry. Methanol production, currently 110 million tons per year worldwide, traditionally runs on natural gas - at high pressures of around 50 to 100 bar and temperatures between 200 and 300C, depending on the process. With every tonne of methanol, the huge plants emit one and a half tons of carbon dioxide. This has no future. Reduced Pressure and Temperature Requirements The E4MeWi project aims to provide an alternative to the conventional process. Its core element is the catalyst, which allows H2 and CO to react in a dissolved state to produce methanol. The carbon monoxide is first extracted from CO2. The manganese catalyst used for this was originally developed at LIKAT in the research group led by Dr. Kathrin Junge and Prof. Dr. Matthias Beller. It enables a completely new process that halves the pressure and temperature required for methanol production. In addition, the process does not require fossil raw materials, which makes the catalyst a key element of a future CO2- and climate-neutral circular economy. Especially as methanol, produced in a green way, is also well suited as a chemical storage medium for hydrogen, one of the hopes of the energy transition. Methanol Plants in Container Size The E4MeWi project participants envision a container-sized plant that uses local resources for sustainable value creation virtually at the edge of the field, on the farm or on the farmyard: Wind and solar energy, CO2 emissions from point sources and from biogas, plastic waste or wood waste. CO2 and water are initially combined to produce synthesis gas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which is converted into methanol using the new catalyst. Gordon Neitzel has significantly optimized the well-known manganese catalyst by developing new structures for the ligand that protectively surrounds the catalytically active center. "Without this shell, carbon monoxide would attack the manganese atom in the center of the catalyst and destroy the complex compound." This work has now doubled the reaction speed in methanol production. ABB Robotics and METTLER TOLEDO have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to offer an innovative solution that seamlessly integrates ABBs robots with LabX, METTLER TOLEDOs laboratory instrument management software. The combined solution will enable greater levels of efficient and high-quality automated laboratory workflows across a range of industries, making research, testing, and quality control more flexible, while accelerating time-to-market and addressing critical labor shortages. ABB Robotics In combining METTLER TOLEDO laboratory equipment with ABBs collaborative robots (cobots), communicated through the LabX platform, we will support operations and enable the highest traceability, productivity, and data management in the industry, said Jose Manuel Collados, Manager of ABB Service Robotics. By unlocking new possibilities in lab automation, our collaboration with METTLER TOLEDO will create efficiencies and unlock resources in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food and beverage, semiconductors, and battery industries. Laboratory automation, working alongside lab technicians, can perform an increasingly sophisticated range of tasks faster, more consistently and with fewer errors than human workers. Yet, the uptake of automation in laboratories is challenged by a gap in the skills needed to handle automation technology and the complexity in setting up highly sensitive workflows. With the collaboration, METTLER TOLEDOs LabX software will seamlessly integrate into ABBs OmniCore robot controllers, enabling LabX to orchestrate robotic lab workflows. By combining the flexibility, ease-of-use and precision of ABB robots with the secure data capture, method control and instrument management of LabX, customers can increase lab productivity, reduce system complexity, fulfill data quality, and safety and regulatory requirements. This also relieves scientists and lab technicians of mundane, repetitive tasks; eliminating common errors; and optimizing productivity providing lab professionals additional time to pursue higher-value activities, such as data analytics. "Great innovation starts at the bench, especially when you are able to minimize process times and human error while also supporting the generation of high-quality data and information," says Stefan Heiniger, Head of Laboratory Division for METTLER TOLEDO. "METTLER TOLEDO and ABB will provide a powerful, intuitive, and standardized toolset that meets the need of laboratories of all sizes and types that will deliver new levels of automation, speed, and insights, while also reducing costs." China sets example for international human rights development 09:56, February 02, 2024 By He Yin ( People's Daily In an embroidery workshop in Shibing county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou province, people are making Miao embroidery products. By promoting industry to alleviate poverty, the local government has helped artisans find jobs and increase their income. (People's Daily Online/Mo Guibin) On January 26, local time, the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group was held in Geneva, Switzerland, during which China's report for the fourth UPR was unanimously adopted. It fully indicated the international community's recognition of China's unremitting efforts and historic achievements in promoting and safeguarding human rights. The UPR serves as a crucial platform for countries to engage in equitable and candid discussions on human rights matters within the framework of the UN, fostering constructive dialogue and collaboration. China attached great importance to this round of the UPR. The delegation of the Chinese government had a constructive dialogue with representatives of other countries in an open and candid manner. During the UPR, China has won international acclaim for its achievements in the cause of human rights. More than 120 countries fully acknowledged China's great achievements in promoting and protecting human rights, highly evaluated the human rights concepts and practices with Chinese characteristics, and appreciated the significant contributions China has made to the global cause of human rights through its development and progress. China is the only major country that has formulated and implemented four consecutive national human rights action plans. China adheres to a systematic approach to planning for human rights development, and has made historic accomplishments in the cause of human rights. China applies a people-centered development philosophy, regards the rights to subsistence and development as its primary and basic human rights, ensures and improves people's livelihoods through development, ensures the fruits of development are shared by the people, and strives for the comprehensive and coordinated development of economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights. It has significantly improved its capability in ensuring human rights. Citizens pick grapefruits in a demonstration agricultural park in Zhangye, northwest China's Gansu province. Local authorities, by combining featured agriculture with sightseeing, have helped farmers increase their income. (People's Daily Online/Yang Xiao) Since joining the third round of the UPR in 2018, the country has made tangible achievements in the promotion and protection of human rights. China has secured a complete victory in the battle against extreme poverty, and explored whole-process people's democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. It has formulated new laws to safeguard various rights of the people, including the Civil Code, the law on personal information protection, and the law on barrier-free living environment. During this round of the UPR, many representatives from developing countries said that China's path to human rights is in line with China's national conditions and meets the aspirations of its people. China has found a human rights development path that echoes the trend of the times and suits its national conditions, setting an example for the development of the international cause of human rights, and providing a new choice for other countries, especially those in the Global South, to independently explore the path of human rights development. For a long time, some Western countries, under the so-called "one-size-fits-all human rights" and "human rights over sovereignty" banners, have been forcibly promoting Western conceptions and systems of democracy and human rights on others, meddling in the internal affairs of other countries. This has led to frequent military conflicts, prolonged social unrest, and the displacement of many from their homes in a number of countries. There is no one-size-fits-all path or model of human rights development in the world. People of all countries have the right to and should independently explore their own human rights development that is in line with their own realities. China has advocated respect for the diversity of world civilizations, implemented the Global Civilization Initiative, strengthened exchanges and mutual learning, and encouraged and respected countries in choosing their own path to human rights development, so that people of all countries are ensured of human rights fairly through their own modernization drives. A staff member of Beijing's metro helps a passenger in a wheelchair get on the train. (People's Daily Online/Chen Xiaogen) China has been actively promoting the high-quality development of its own human rights cause while engaging in extensive exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights, making contributions to global human rights governance. Since the third round of the UPR, China has joined human rights treaties such as the Marrakesh Treaty and actively participated in the UPR. As Chinese President Xi Jinping noted, China stands for safeguarding human rights with security, promoting human rights with development, and advancing human rights with cooperation, which has exerted profound influence. The 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council adopted again the resolution on "the contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights" submitted by China. In October 2023, a draft resolution on promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities, of which China is the major initiator, was adopted with consensus for the first time by the UN Human Rights Council. It demonstrated China's contributions to promoting global human rights progress. During this round of the UPR, China announced 30 new initiatives to safeguard human rights, which cover such fields as enhancing people's well-being, strengthening legal safeguards for human rights, promoting international cooperation in human rights and supporting the work of the UN human rights mechanisms. Representatives from multiple countries expressed their anticipation for China to play a leading role in global human rights governance and uphold international fairness and justice. While advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through the Chinese path to modernization, China will always hold high the banner of peaceful development and win-win cooperation, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, create new opportunities for the world with its own development, steer global human rights governance toward greater fairness, justice, equity and inclusiveness, and jointly write a new chapter of the world human rights cause with other countries. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Du Mingming) MBABANE Swazi Bet (Pty) Ltd, trading as EBet, has been accused of failure to disburse winnings to punters amounting to over E4 million. This is according to Nonjabuliso Maziya, who is one of the directors of the betting company. Maziya is involved in a battle with South African operators of the EBet licence, Ioannis Calivitis and Willem Delport, as well as some Maziya family members, over the directorship of the company. Nonjabuliso made this allegation when she and the operators of the licence appeared before the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Jane Mkhonta. Both parties had filed their own appeal before the minister, after the Chairperson of the Gaming Control Board, Simo Simelane, issued his ruling. Simelane ruled, among other things, that two persons be appointed as co-holders of the betting licence, with Nonjabuliso and Tamama Maziya being given first preference. The two failed to work together as co-holders of the licence. Nonjabuliso submitted during the appeal that the gaming Board was supposed to investigate complaints filed by members of the public on unpaid winnings. She argued to the Gaming Control Board that Tamama had not stated what prejudice she would suffer by producing the bank statements, audited financials and a report on the alleged unpaid winnings amounting to over E4 million. Nonjabuliso told the minister that there was no shred of evidence of how much had been invested in EBet. It is on record that they are refusing to file their bank statements, audited financials for the past two years and a report explaining the unpaid winnings. Further, it is on record that the Gaming Board has requested these documents for the past two years. The Gaming Board does not know how much levies EBet is supposed to pay government, because they are refusing with the bank statements. EBet is deliberately frustrating the regulator of the gaming industry, yet they want a renewal of the licence, Nonjabuliso submitted. She stated that she was the only one eligible to hold the licence of Swazi Bet (Pty) Ltd, in accordance with Section 38(2) of the Act. She said the reason she was the only one with the relevant documents was because she was the rightful holder of the licence, in accordance with the Act. Statements She argued that the other parties should at least file the bank statements, audited financials and report on the unpaid winnings. The Gaming Board needs to interrogate the unpaid winnings complaints amounting to over E4 million and they need to see the bank statements in order to see if the correct levies are being paid to the government. During a meeting on December 14, 2023, according to Nonjabuliso, the Gaming Board stated that it had a letter from Sibusiso B. Shongwe and Associates, wherein he undertook to furnish the Board with all documents in accordance with Section 23 of the Act. It is important to state that nothing was filed. Instead, Mr Shongwe, on December 14, 2023 tried to explain to the Board why he did not file anything and proposed that two licences be issued on grounds of morals, which is in contravention with the Act, Nonjabuliso mentioned. She said the Gaming Board was exercising its authority in investigating the complaints of unpaid winnings, in terms of the Act. She told the minister that the explanations by the other parties did not help the Board to investigate the matter. Nonjabuliso submitted that as a public body, the Gaming Control Board should always be accountable, open and accessible to the public and uphold integrity. She said the Gaming Control Board was supposed to investigate the complaints of the punters. She submitted that the requirements for renewing the licence must be met in accordance with the statute. Further, we submit that even if the matters are subject of litigation, that does not stop the other parties from giving the Gaming Board bank statements and audited financials. The background of the matter is that the original holder of the betting licence, the late Mduduzi Maziya, incorporated the company Swazi Bet (Pty) Ltd. The company was granted a bookmarkers (sports betting) licence by the Gaming Control Board. The company did not commence trading during the lifetime of Mduduzi, who passed on in 2020. Demise Soon after his demise, his son Mxolisi Maziya, operationalised the company to trade and was registered as the responsible person for the purposes of licensing and attending to all the trading requirements of the company licence. Mxolisi also passed on, and that is when a squabble on who should now take over as the principal officer ensued. Sibusiso Shongwe of Sibusiso B. Shongwe and Associates represented Calivitis, Delport and the Maziya family in the matter. Mlungisi Khumalo of Khumalo Attorneys appeared for Nonjabuliso. This 29-year-old woman has a 32-year-old husband, Alex, who just won an insane amount of money, but he did so in a way that she feels is unethical. He got the money through gambling online and playing poker, as well as slots. Alex used to only spend one night a week on his little online hobby, but its grown out of control. Alex has been so into it that he was able to win so much money, and hes going to be spending $60,000 of his winnings on taking her on the honeymoon of her dreams. Hes excitedly planned a trip to the Maldives, which includes a first-class flight, an overwater bungalow with a private pool, and a sunset yacht cruise, costing about $60,000, she explained. I could never afford this. Im finding myself torn. On one hand, the idea of this dream vacation is incredibly exciting. On the other hand, I feel uneasy about the source of the funding. Alex has promised to be more responsible with gambling in the future and has a track record of keeping his word. Hes never had issues with addiction or breaking promises. While she is so excited to go on this lavish and amazing trip, her excitement is being overshadowed by her feelings of dread about how Alex is able to afford this. Her uneasiness about how he can pay for it all is making her feel less and less excited as the days go by. Specifically, its bothering her that since Alex is so invested in gambling, it may make their future together uncertain. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Kristie Higgs | Christian Legal Centre Kristie Higgs, a school worker dismissed for Facebook posts expressing her religious beliefs about sex education, has won the right to appeal her case to the Court of Appeal. Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing ruled that all of Higgs's appeal grounds have "arguable prospects of success," raising important questions about employee rights and religious expression. "Even if they were not, this appeal raises at least three important questions about the dismissal of an employee for the expression of her beliefs," Laing stated. The case centers around two Facebook posts Higgs shared in 2018 criticizing government plans for mandatory sex education in schools and expressing concerns about books promoting transgender ideology. Higgs was investigated and subsequently dismissed for "gross misconduct," despite the posts being made on her personal account and outside of work hours. Higgs's initial appeal was dismissed in 2020, and subsequent challenges faced delays due to recusals from panel members. Now, with the Court of Appeal approving her appeal on all grounds, Higgs hopes for "full justice." She maintains that her dismissal was based on her Christian beliefs and her right to express them freely. "From the beginning, despite the many attempts by the school to suggest otherwise, this has always been about my Christian beliefs and me being discriminated against for expressing them in my own time," she said. "I was, and still am, appalled by the sexual ideology that was being introduced to my son's Church of England primary school. What has happened since in schools with extreme RSE and transgender ideology shows that I was right to be concerned as a parent." The Christian Legal Centre, supporting Higgs, emphasizes the case's significance for Christian freedoms and the right of employees to voice dissent against LGBT+ ideology without fear of job loss. The Court of Appeal hearing is expected to take place this year, potentially setting a precedent for religious expression and employee rights within the workplace. A growing number of federal prosecutions and convictions of pro-life activists is prompting a new legal debate that their attorneys hope will go to the Supreme Court. This week, six pro-life activists were convicted of federal crimes in Nashville for demonstrating outside a clinic in early 2021. In the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the Justice Department increased prosecution of pro-life protestors outside of abortion clinics. Those cases included both peaceful protestors and those who were obstructing clinic entrances, which is a violation of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. More than a dozen protestors have now been convicted of federal crimes in the last year, and face sentences of more than 10 years. Eight more face trial in Michigan in April. Those criminal prosecutions were rare before 2021, with one or two cases annually for the past decade. The six activists convicted in Tennessee this week argued they demonstrated peacefully, saying they were singing hymns and praying in a medical pavilion hallway outside the clinic. A police officer testified at the trial that the protestors were peaceful, according to The Tennessean, but they refused to leave. They were convicted of obstructing access to reproductive health services. Some activists stated goals are to physically block women from having abortions by obstructing entrances, while others hope that their peaceful presence outside a clinic would convince those seeking abortions to make a different choice. The FACE Act doesnt clearly distinguish between types of activism outside clinics: It covers those who attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere with anyone at a place providing reproductive health services. The protestors face longer prison sentences than in the past because prosecutors have added a civil rights conspiracy charge to the most recent batch of cases, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence. This conspiracy to violate civil rights [charge]its a new strategy the DOJ is using, Calvin Zastrow, one of the pro-life protestors in Tennessee who is a Christian, told CT shortly after his conviction this week. He faces an 11-year sentence, but unlike defendants in other FACE cases, he and others in his case were not immediately taken into custody. Zastrow has participated in many demonstrations at clinics over the years and said charges were usually just trespassing or disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct. He argues that abortion is the violent act: We are the peacemakers. Former federal prosecutor Ed Mechmann, in a blog post on the pro-life protestors convictions, described the civil rights conspiracy charge as a prosecutors best friend because it allows prosecutors to charge a wide range of peopleeven those who may not have participatedwith conspiracy. This creates a huge disadvantage for minimal participants, he said. You may have thought that you were agreeing to something peaceful, but youre still legally responsible if one of your cohorts committed an act of violence. In August and September 2023, eight protestors were convicted of civil rights conspiracy and FACE violations for an incident at a DC abortion clinic in 2020. Some members of the group forcefully entered the clinic and blockaded it, and prosecutors said the forceful entry caused a nurse to stumble back and sprain her ankle. Their sentencing is in May, and they have been incarcerated since their convictions. One of the eight convicted in DC, Jonathan Darnel, faces the same maximum sentence of 11 years, though he remained outside the clinic and livestreamed the incident. FACE was designed to break up pro-life civil disobedience, said Darnel in a text message with CT soon before his incarceration. And it succeeded in doing that. In June 2023, a Franciscan friar was sentenced to six months in prison for obstructing the entrance to an abortion clinic. Though he has protested at clinics in the past, this was his first FACE conviction. Pro-life attorneys have criticized the Department of Justice for one-sided prosecution of FACE, when pregnancy centers in 24 states have been vandalized or set on fire. Perhaps in response, in 2023 the DOJ filed FACE Act and civil rights charges against four individuals in Florida for a 2022 attack on a pregnancy center. Those pro-choice defendants, like the pro-life protestors, face more than 10 years in prison because of the civil rights conspiracy charges. The jury trial for that case is currently slated for March. Attorneys for the pro-life defendants plan to appeal to higher federal courts but must do so after sentencing. They want to challenge the use of the civil rights conspiracy charge as well as the validity of FACE prosecutions post-Dobbs. National pro-life groups are watching these cases too, though clinic blockades are not a strategy they engage in. We will watch this through the appeals court and possibly to the Supreme Court, Steven Aden, chief legal officer and general counsel at Americans United for Life, told CT. Our legal team is considering filing a brief on their behalf. Aden thinks that federal courts might not have jurisdiction to enforce FACE after Dobbs. Federal criminal law constitutionally only exists to enforce federal interests, he said. Consequently, every federal prosecution has to have a federal hooka constitutional right thats been violated, such as the right to vote, or the violation of a federal statute. You have neither here. You have no federal constitutional right to abortion after Dobbs, and there is no federal statute that grants a woman a right to abortion. Mechmann, the former prosecutor, argued that for the convicted DC protestors case, at least, abortion is legal by statute in DC, a federal district. Access to a clinic is also guaranteed under federal law. So anyone who blockades an abortion clinic denies a person of a right secured by the laws of the United States, he wrote. The Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs, which held that there is no right to abortion in the US Constitution, is entirely beside the point. In the DC protestors case, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly issued a 10-page opinion that addressed the inclusion of the civil rights conspiracy charge, saying it protected federal rights established by the FACE Act. She said Dobbs did not have any impact on the case. One protestor who pleaded guilty to participating in the DC clinic blockade was sentenced to 10 months in prison. Mechmann estimates that those without previous convictions will get sentences of less than a year to potentially two years. But many participating in these blockades have a previous record for these types of actions. The protestors believe it is nonviolent direct action akin to the civil rights movement. These groups call these tactics rescues, which originated with Operation Rescues sit-ins at abortion clinics in the 1980s. Operation Rescue participants had to pledge nonviolence, but more extreme pro-life activists violence toward abortion providers, including the killing of an abortion provider in 1993, led to the passage of the FACE Act the following year. You can only hold a gun or a cross, and weve chosen to take up a cross, an Operation Rescue staffer, Rev. Jim Pinto, said in 1993, condemning the violence against abortion providers. Clinic blockades declined after passage of the FACE Act, and local buffer zone laws also prevent activists from congregating near clinic entrances. Most pro-life activists outside clinics now focus on praying instead of blocking women from entering, but the number of activists at abortion clinics has been growing during the last few years. One currently in detention for the DC incident is Joan Bell, 74, who has been arrested at clinics many times over the years and is considered one of the originators of this type of rescue activism. Her son, Emiliano Bell, attended the federal trial of the Tennessee protestors this week. Even though she was in jail more than 200 times in her lifetime, I was a child and it didnt really hit me, he said. This last convictionwhen I heard she might get 10 to 11 [years]it was really hard. The message that international religious freedom advocates have been sharing all alongthat prioritizing religious freedom is crucial for human flourishing and national stabilityis increasingly catching on, with this years International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit reflecting the growth of their global, interfaith movement over the past five years. The summit, held this week in Washington, DC, has been a key part of mounting momentum around bringing more attention to religious persecution around the world, with sessions this year addressing crises from Nigeria to Nicaragua. In so many of the global crises around the world, theres a religious freedom dimension, said Jeremy Barker, director of the Middle East Action Team for the Religious Freedom Institute, who has seen greater recognition for the IRF cause over the past five years. Its not marginal but mainstream. Last year marked the 25th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act, which required the US State Department to make religious freedom an essential aspect of its foreign policy focus, and the United States has continued to see public victories for the cause. Former president Donald Trump nominated an IRF ambassador within six months, something his predecessors took many more months to do, and elevated the position of the IRF office within the State Department. The Trump administration also put on the initial two IRF summits as government-hosted ministerials, followed by other nations including Poland, the United Kingdom, and Czechia. (The ongoing US summit is now organized by civil society.) Former IRF ambassador Sam Brownback also oversaw the launch of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, a global focus group which now includes 37 member nations. At this years summit, the current US IRF ambassador, Rashad Hussain, said he makes sure IRF officials are represented in State Department foreign policy meetings to highlight how religious freedom is an imperative for national security. Countries and societies that protect their religious freedom are more likely to be safe and prosperous, and countries that do not protect religious freedom are less likely to be stable, Hussain said. It is an essential part of our foreign policy, and we see evidence for that all around the world. The movement has also made strides on the global stage, with leaders in other nations stepping up to host religious freedom roundtables modeled after the longrunning US model, with support from the recently created IRF Secretariat. The issues are beginning to be recognized as a bit more mainstream, Barker said. Certainly from the administration sidesenior people from the State Department, from USAIDare looking at democracy promotion, countering violent extremism and see religious freedom as having something to say in those spaces. Meanwhile, deteriorating religious freedom conditions can be observed around the world. In its 2024 World Watch List, Open Doors reported that over 365 million Christians live in countries experiencing high levels of persecution or discrimination. The organization found that all 50 nations scored high enough to register very high persecution levels, according to Open Doors metricsonly the fourth time that has happened since 1993, the first year of the report. There are sobering examples of the persecution of religious minorities worldwide. Religiously motivated genocides have been recognized by the United States in China against Uyghur Muslims and in Burma against Rohingya Muslims. The 2023 annual report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted dismal conditions for religious minorities in many countries, including the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan and Hindu nationalisms rise in India leading to discriminatory laws, mob and vigilante violence, and destruction of mosques and churches. At the summit, Brownback said religious freedom is essential to the flourishing of human rights: And boy, do we need some flourishing. The great global human rights project has suffered decline in the last 20 years at the hand of expanding authoritarian regimes and sophisticated technology. The summit kicked off with an advocacy day Monday where attendees from various faiths flocked to Capitol Hill for meetings with lawmakers. Over Tuesday and Wednesday, more than 70 speakers discussed worsening situations of religious freedom in Nigeria, India, Ukraine, the Middle East, Latin America, and elsewhere. They also discussed how military conflicts have exacerbated religious repression, from Russias military invasion of Ukraine to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Breakout sessions looked at religious minorities in the Middle East, the use of technology by repressive regimes, and the Israel-Hamas war, with one private session showing raw footage from the October 7 terrorist attack. The annual event strives to be bipartisan, featuring politicians from both sides of the aisle who called on the United States to do more to flex its powers to pressure bad actors. This should not be a partisan issue, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said of Chinas brutalization of Uyghur Muslims, who have suffered torture, re-education, forced labor, and imprisonment in internment camps. He also decried reports of organ harvesting of Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former Democratic National Committee chair and member of the Appropriations Committee in the House, said that shes made an effort to prioritize robust funding for US-led and international efforts to promote religious freedom for all, including those who dont practice any faith. In my time in Congress, Ive seen immense progress in our governments efforts to hold repressive regimes accountable and provide justice for the downtrodden, she said. Former vice president Mike Pence argued that the United States should pressure oppressive regimes through existing trade agreements, at one point singling out Nicaragua. The time has come for the United States to make it clear to Nicaragua that we will not tolerate action against, suppression of, church leaders and religious leaders in Nicaragua without consequence, he said at the summit. Since 2004, Nicaragua has had a free trade agreement with the United States. The Nicaraguan government has cracked down on Catholics and evangelicals since 2018, closing ministries, imprisoning church leaders, and deporting Catholic clergy. A priest who had been imprisoned under Daniel Ortegas regime spoke from behind a screen about the persecution. We are the most powerful economy on earth, Pence said. And we ought to make it clear to Nicaragua that you will begin to respect the religious liberty of people of every faith or our relationship will change. Pence also called for the United States to impose economic pressure on China due to the ongoing US-recognized genocide of Uyghur Muslims in the countrys Xinjiang region. Another panel spotlighted the double persecution women face: Lou Ann Sabatier, a veteran communications consultant and cofounder of the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Womens Alliance, noted that persecution comes not only from government or non-state actors but also from communities and families, making the oppression unseen. Women in minority religions experience persecution from their network of close relationships in the domestic sphere, panelists noted: Theyre forced into marriages, physically abused to force conversions, subjected to sexual violence and rape, and cut off from family support if they seek to convert. Open Doors 2023 report on gender noted that sexual abuse may be the most common way to persecute Christian women and girls around the world. Every attendee or speaker Christianity Today interviewed mentioned the deteriorating conditions in Nigeria, where 50,000 Christians have died over the last 14 years due to the rise of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province, and Fulani extremists, according to a Nigerian civil rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law. Open Doors also agreed that the deadliest country for Christians over the last year was Nigeria. Over 4,100 Christians were killed in the West African nation last year, representing over 80 percent of Christians killed globally. Open Doors report is considered to lean on the conservative side in its estimates of the number of Christians killed for their faith. No one knows the real number, but its really high and its higher than the official numbers, Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, told CT. You know, people go in after these attacks, and theyll find people for days in the bushes. Either they run out from their homes or run out in the night or are shot and slashed. So the count is higher. Its a slow-moving genocide. King has advocated for Christian victims of persecution since 2003. His upcoming book, The Whisper, is a devotional focused on what persecuted Christians and martyrs can teach the church. We tend to think of [the persecuted] as our very poor cousins. But thats not it at all, said King. Theyre family. But they are our very wealthy relations, and theyre way ahead of us. King said the testimonies of persecuted Christians have taught him what it means to be a Christian. Our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church, they have their doctorates in suffering, he said. They went to seminaries called torture, imprisonment, endurance. These are the most effective seminaries in the world to make you go deep with God. Last August, a Myanmar Air Force fighter jet dropped two bombs on the village of Ramthlo in Myanmars Chin State. One bomb hit the spacious Ramthlo Baptist Church, blowing a gaping hole through its roof and covering the wooden pews with dust and debris. The other bomb damaged nearby houses, injuring seven people. The bombings were originally reported by Khit Thit Media, one of the few independent news outlets in the country, and the nonprofit Myanmar Witness recently verified the attack using geolocation and digital data collection. The investigation confirmed claims that churches in Myanmars majority-Christian Chin State have faced extensive damage amid the current civil war. This January, Myanmar Witness (a project of the UK-based Centre for Information Resilience) published a report analyzing 10 claims of physical damage to Chin churches between March and August 2023, most of which involved airstrikes. All of the incidents occurred in areas under martial law. The Myanmar military has destroyed at least 107 religious buildings, including 67 churches, in Chin State since the military coup began nearly three years ago, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization. Elsewhere in the country, the destruction of houses of worship, including Buddhist temples and churches, is also growing. In mid-January, junta soldiers burned down a 129-year-old Catholic church in Sagaing Region. While the Myanmar Witness report did not comment on whether the military is deliberately targeting churches, Chin Christians and rights activists believe it is. They claim the government sees churches as a symbol of Christian identity, a sanctuary for the resistance, and a haven for the displaced. The military pilots feel so free to attack churches because we have practiced a religion different from theirs, said a Chin Christian scholar who asked not to be named due to security concerns. There is a long history of religious persecution against us. Ethnic minorities in Myanmar, including the Chin, have long fought with the military junta, desiring increased autonomy for their communities. At the same time, Buddhist nationalism is deeply ingrained in the country; former Burmese prime minister U Nu famously touted the idea that to be a Burmese is to be a Buddhist in 1961. This ideology resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the Muslim Rohingya people, killing thousands and forcing 700,000 to flee to Bangladesh. Buddhists make up 88 percent of the population, while 6 percent of Myanmar is Christian and 4 percent is Muslim. Although Myanmar started to open up and become increasingly democratic in 2010, in 2021, the military overthrew the elected government, setting off an ongoing war that pitted the well-funded Myanmar military against the Peoples Defense Force (civilian militias) and ethnic armed groups. Yet since late October, the tide seems to be turning as three ethnic armed groups have started to gain control of towns in the countrys north, west, and southeast, stretching the militarys capacity. The Myanmar Witness report conducted five in-depth case studies (four Baptist and one Presbyterian church) to assess damage to churches in Chin State. Some of the cases included claims of multiple churches in the same town being bombed by airstrikes, damaging windows, roofs, and sanctuaries. Others included claims that government troops ransacked and looted churches following the air attacks. It concluded that the attacks in all five case studies could be verified, indicating a wider impact on the cultural and religious landscape of Chin State. The examples analyzed in this report reflect the degradation of Myanmars built environment, including sites with special protections under international law during armed conflict, the report read. The group also analyzed data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which collects information on violent conflicts around the world, and found 28 reports of damage to churches in Chin State between 2021 and 2023. It also found that while in 20212022 churches were reportedly mostly damaged by arson and artillery attacks, in 2023, airstrikes were allegedly involved in most of the cases: The Myanmar Air Force (MAF) maintains overwhelming air superiority across Myanmar, supporting the claim that the Myanmar military is responsible for the alleged airstrikes. Airstrikes were pretty rare in Burma until about 2012, and they were mostly focused on the Kachin [ethnic group] but then after the coup they have gone everywhere in Burma, said Dave Eubank, director of the Christian humanitarian service movement Free Burma Rangers. Eubank, who has worked extensively in the largely Christian state of Karenni, noted that their churches have also been targeted. Just about every church Ive seen in Karenni State has been either destroyed, burned, or hit by small arms, fire, airstrikes, and mortars, he said. Over 100 churches up here [have] been destroyed since the coup, its systematic destruction. He noted that before the coup, attacks on churches were episodic and depended on the military commander. Now, the churches are deliberately attacked, bombed, and destroyed. Another factor as to why the military targets churches is that houses of worship are seen as providing shelter or assistance to resistance groups, Salai Mang Hre Lian of the Chin Human Rights Organization told the Associated Press. [The attacks] 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, he said. David Moe, a lecturer of Southeast Asian studies at Yale University, said the fighting in Chin State is so intense because after the coup, the Chin were one of the first groups to resist the junta. Church buildings have become a target because they symbolize Christian identity, which bristles against Buddhist nationalism, said Moe, who grew up in Chin State. Also, the church has become a place to house refugees or internally displaced people, Moe said. The military is trying to stop people [from] joining the resistance and is trying to cause them to fear ordinary church people. He said the military fears refugees would be more open to Christianity, which they consider to be Western. Chin Christians are now among the millions displaced by the war, said the Chin scholar. Many live in camps on the border of Chin State as well as in Mizoram in northeast India. The military can destroy the church as the building, but the military cannot destroy the body of Christ, Moe said. Christians gather together at private houses like the early church didquietly trying their best to worship. They might use Zoom or gather in the jungle. Eubank sees a similar story playing out in Karenni State. While the deliberate targeting of churches aims to deter people from participating in the resistance by causing fear, chaos, and confusion, there is hope and life among the persecuted and displaced believers. Christians dont give up, Eubank said. We just had a church service [in a Karenni refugee camp] yesterday. The first thing they do is build a church, which is also the school during the week, and theyre praying all the time. Theres going to be a wedding today among our team leaders here in a displaced community. They dont give up praising Jesus. Home News Mike Bickle confesses to consensual sexual contact with 2nd woman in IHOPKC investigation report Embattled International House of Prayer Kansas City founder Mike Bickle has confessed to engaging in "consensual sexual contact" with a woman connected to the 24/7 prayer ministry in addition to a previously confessed relationship with a primary Jane Doe who alleged she was his kept woman for several years, according to an independent investigation report released to the public Wednesday. In her review of the allegations presented in a 7-page document, independent investigator and attorney Rosalee McNamara concluded that based on interviews she conducted with "numerous individuals as they were available," Bickle likely engaged in sexual misconduct. "Based on all the credible evidence, including his own acknowledgements of contact with the two Jane Does over twenty years ago, it is more likely than not that MB engaged in inappropriate behavior including sexual contact and clergy misconduct, in an abuse of power for a person in a position of trust and leadership," McNamara wrote. "As previously stated, after these allegations emerged, in December 2023 IHOPKC announced it was 'immediately, formally, and permanently' separating from MB." 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 While McNamara did not interview Bickle for the report, she noted that he responded to questions via his attorney, and in his response to her, he confessed to the "consensual sexual contact." "MB also admitted to inappropriate contact on three occasions with an individual connected with IHOP around 2002 to 2003. He described the contact as 'consensual sexual contact that involved her touching me but not me touching her,'" McNamara noted. "He said they both agreed it was wrong and the conduct stopped. MB's account and the account of the individual are very similar, including that it occurred in 2002 to 2003, and I find the individual's account credible." Bickle confessed last December to engaging in "inappropriate behavior" but not "the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting" after a group of former IHOPKC leaders known as the advocate group leveled abuse allegations against him spanning several decades. "With a very heavy heart I want to express how deeply grieved I am that my past sins have led to so much pain, confusion, and division in the body of Christ in this hour. I sadly admit that 20+ years ago, I sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior my moral failures were real," Bickle said in a statement published on his Facebook page while adding, "I am not admitting to the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting." Bickle's confession came after a woman, identified as Jane Doe by The Roys Report, alleged that for approximately three years, from 1996 to 1999, before he found IHOPKC, 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 just 19 and he was 42, then made her a kept woman for several years as he established his now popular ministry. IHOPKC leaders previously noted that they identified five of some eight women who the advocate group alleged are Bickle's victims and found the evidence thin. Three of the alleged victims called the allegations "lies.'" One of the alleged victims refused to communicate with the attorney for the ministry. Only the primary Jane Doe, whom attorney Boz Tchividjian currently represents, was found credible. Serving as an IHOPKC spokesperson, Eric Volz, managing director of the crisis management organization David House Agency, said in a video Wednesday that the ministry formally separated from Bickle on Dec. 22 after learning of the allegations from the second woman with whom Bickle admitted to having sexual contact. "To be clear, this Jane Doe came directly to IHOPKC leadership and she was immediately referred to Ms. McNamara," Volz said. "Regardless of today's findings or any outside pressure, Gen. [Kurt] Fuller and the leadership here have been paying attention and are fully committed to making sure this never happens again. They are working tirelessly to implement organizational changes and improvements that have become evident during this crisis." While she was able to interview many of the Jane Does presented by the advocate group as victims, McNamara said the primary Jane Doe did not submit to an interview. The primary Jane Doe and the advocate group refused to participate in the investigation, doubting its independence and questioning the law firm's past representation of organizations dealing with sexual abuse allegations. In her report, McNamara said that there were no restrictions placed on her during the investigation and that "no entity or individual has attempted to limit or sway the investigation, its outcome, or this Report in any way." One of several women mischaracterized as Jane Doe victims of Bickle defended him as an "eccentric" man who has a childlike innocence. "These allegations are just simply NOT TRUE!! Is Mike perfect? No, he is not Jesus, he is 100% human, but he is one of the purest if not the purest man I've ever gotten to know. He has his quirks, and like many men and women throughout history who have accomplished great things, he's a little eccentric. But, he has never touched me sexually, I have never even felt him ever look at me lustfully," one of the women was quoted as saying in the report. "He has always been respectful and has never asked me for anything. I have found him actually to have a childlike innocence that many people might misinterpret for something else because we live in such a pornified society. I feel like I have been victimized NOT by Mike but by [others who have used my name without my permission] or knowledge to attack what I know to be a good man, and in doing so are wounding SO many people all over the globe, starting with my children who have grown up with Mike in their lives as the benevolent father of the House." McNamara found the women she interviewed who say they were mischaracterized as Bickle's Jane Doe victims to be "very credible, assertive, and cooperative in the interviews." "Although they indicated they did not like discussing personal circumstances in some cases traumatic personal circumstances unrelated to MB or IHOP that may have explained why they were among those identified as 'Jane Does,' they were very forthcoming to me about the circumstances they had to deal with in their personal lives. "They clearly were not happy about hearsay and rumors suggesting that they were victims or in any way subject to abuse or inappropriate treatment (whether sexual, physical, emotional, spiritual, clergy/member/ churchgoer, or any other form of abuse or mistreatment by MB or others connected with IHOP)." One Jane Doe stated there was a rumor circulating about Bickle driving his car into her garage. However, she said it was her driving Bickle's car. Both her and other members of the ministry have frequently borrowed the prayer ministry founder's car because he usually spends 12 or more hours a day in the prayer room. "She reported that on at least one of those occasions she and a man to whom MB also loaned his car exchanged keys because the man was borrowing MB's car regularly at that time. She and other witnesses reported that it was well known that MB frequently lent his car to people, both men and women, when they needed transportation, and that since he is in the prayer room about twelve hours a day and lives close, he often did not use it for twelve or more hours at a time and others used it during those times and sometimes overnight," McNamara said. "There is credible written evidence that MB offered for another non-family male coming to town to borrow his car." In her disclosure last December, the primary Jane Doe alleged that one Sunday after service, Bickle told her in front of his wife, Diane, that he had dreamt about her and prophesied that she was his Esther, and he was like David from the Bible. "He gives me the biggest word of my life," she told The Roys Report. "It was, 'You're not just an Esther, you are going to lead thousands of Esthers.'" After he delivered that powerful word to her, Jane Doe alleged Bickle called her a few weeks later from Asia with another word from God, but this time, she said he sounded drunk. "He begins to tell me that the Lord has spoken to him and that Diane is going to die and that we're going to get married," she said. "As he's talking to me, I'm thinking, 'Is he drunk?' And he did start talking about the alcohol that was in the fridge that he had been drinking." Bickle confessed to telling her that his wife was going to die in McNamara's report and noted that he regrets doing so. "MB and his wife each stated that she is the one who told him on several occasions that she believed she would die young. He said he shared this comment with (the primary) Jane Doe and regrets doing so. He stated that he did not tell anyone his wife was going to die and he would be with them or married to them," McNamara wrote. Some witnesses described Bickle as "quirky" and suggested that some of his actions could have been misconstrued. "One witness who said MB was 'quirky' said he sometimes called female members of the close-knit MB team' my girls;' tousled men's and women's hair; and bumped shoulders with men, and that based on observation these things were done in a playful manner and not with ill intent or intent for it to lead to anything inappropriate. By some, hair tousling or a touching on the back was sometimes seen as odd or not appreciated," McNamara wrote. It was further noted that some witnesses interviewed for the report questioned the allegations of the primary Jane Doe. "Observations by some are that the 'primary Jane Doe's' account of occurrences involving MB has not been consistent and has 'grown' over time," McNamara said. "These observations include those from people close to her in whom she confided and shared her dreams of prominent positions she would hold." In his Wednesday video, Volz said that IHOPKC has "opened a line of communication to the advocate group to entertain the idea of a commission of mutually agreed upon, well-respected outside leaders in the body of Christ." "This commission will serve as independent overseers to evaluate this matter and provide direction on the proper subsequent actions," Volz said. "This commission will also receive any new information that comes to light. The talks are preliminary, but things look promising." With the completion of the McNamara investigation, Volz announced Thursday that his time providing crisis management services to IHOPKC has come to a close. Home News 28-year-old book blogger with chronic fatigue gets euthanized An autistic 28-year-old Dutch book blogger has died as a result of assisted suicide at her home in the Netherlands, following years of chronic pain and fatigue. Lauren Hoeve, who went by the X handle @dutchlauren and suffered from Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, underwent assisted suicide last Saturday, reportedly with her parents and a good friend beside her. "This will be my last tweet," she tweeted on the day of her death. "Thanks for the love, everyone. I'm going to rest a bit more and be with my loved ones." 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 Her final tweet, which received over 11,000 likes, included a meme with the caption "me getting euthanized" and showed a child wearing sunglasses giving a thumbs up to a doctor. ME is a disabling illness that often prevents people from doing their usual activities and may confine them to bed. The illness is most common in people between 40 and 60 years old but has been known to impact children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About nine out of 10 people with ME/CFS have not been diagnosed, the CDC added. On her blog, Hoeve posted an entry three days before the procedure, saying, "I think I'm going back to what it was like before I was born: no existence, no consciousness. Ultimate peace." "I would like to thank everyone who has been there for me during my illness and especially in the time before I announced my euthanasia wish," she wrote, as rendered by Google translate. "Whether it was by having a nice chat with me on social media, by occasionally asking how things are going, by having deep conversations about suffering and death, or by sending nice animal videos when you couldn't find the words." In a post on the day of her death, Hoeve offered various pieces of life advice, considering the most important of her recommendations to be to "look for the bright spots." In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia, following nearly three decades of debate and despite protests from Christian groups. The 2001 law had several restrictions, was limited to patients suffering from constant and incurable pain and patients determined to have a sound mind. According to a report by DutchNews published in April 2023, over 8,700 people died by euthanasia in the Netherlands in 2022, a 14% increase from the year before. Last month, the Royal Dutch Society for the Promotion of Medicine created updated guidelines in which they lifted the age limit for patients seeking to die by ceasing to eat and drink. "People increasingly need control over their own end of life. They have various options for this, including consciously stopping eating and drinking," claimed the society. "Every competent person can choose and implement this themselves. Good guidance from healthcare providers is important." Wesley J. Smith, author and chair and senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism, wrote last November that the Netherlands "illustrates the peril" of what happens when a country legalizes euthanasia for any circumstance. "Dutch doctors have gone from legally killing the terminally ill to the chronically ill, to people with disabilities, to the frail elderly, to the depressed and mentally ill," wrote Smith. "Before the legalization of euthanasia, I'm confident that few Dutch would have supported allowing doctors to kill healthy geriatric patients any more than (I hope) Americans would. But after decades of euthanasia normalization, only 10 percent think it would be wrong. See what I mean about euthanasia poisoning a nation's soul?" Home News Biden beating Trump, losing to Haley in latest Quinnipiac poll President Joe Biden leads former president and likely challenger Donald Trump in a new Quinnipiac University poll, while the Democrat incumbent trails Republican candidate Nikki Haley. In findings announced Wednesday, Quinnipiac University researchers reported that Biden leads Trump 50% to 44% in a hypothetical election between the two 2020 election opponents. The survey was based on responses from over 1,650 U.S. adults who were questioned between Jan. 25 and Jan. 29. The data has a margin error of +/- 2.4 percentage points. Of those surveyed, 696 identified as Republican or Republican-leaning, while 693 identified as Democrat or Democrat-leaning. 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 Researchers noted that the difference between Trump and Biden was an increase from numbers they reported in December when Biden had 47% support versus Trump's 46%, which the pollsters had labeled "too close to call." When put one vs. one against Haley, Biden loses to the former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, with Haley securing 47% support while the current president received 42%. However, when the pollsters included multiple third-party options, Haley lost to Biden, with the incumbent earning 36%, Haley receiving 29%, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. securing 21%, independent candidate Cornel West getting 3% and Green Party candidate Jill Stein bringing in 2%. "In a head-to-head matchup against Biden, Haley outperforms Trump, thanks to independents. Add third-party candidates to the mix, and her numbers slip in part because of her weakness among Republicans," states Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy. While the Quinnipiac results show Biden clearly defeating Trump, other polls have indicated that the Republican primary frontrunner would defeat the man who beat him in the 2020 election. For example, a USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll released last month found that Trump held a slight lead over Biden: 39% supported the former president, 37% supported Biden and 17% said they would vote third party. The polling also found that Trump leads Biden among voters younger than 35 (37% to 33%) and leads with Hispanic voters (39% to 34%), while 20% of black and Hispanic voters said they will vote third party. "Although Trump hasn't grown support among black voters, he has closed the deficit because third-party voters come off of Biden's support among blacks," said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk's Political Research Center, as quoted by USA Today. "A young voter or a person of color voting 'third party' is a vote away from President Biden, and a vote away from President Biden is a vote for Donald Trump." In recent weeks, Trump won both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary election, prompting multiple Republican opponents to suspend their campaigns and endorse the former president. Following her defeat in New Hampshire, Haley told supporters that the GOP presidential nomination race was "far from over" and that there were "dozens of states left to go." "With Donald Trump, you have one bout of chaos after another. This court case, that controversy, this tweet, that senior moment. You can't fix Joe Biden's chaos with Republican chaos," she said. "Most Americans do not want a rematch between Biden and Trump. The first party to retire its 80-year-old candidate is going to win this election." Home News Catholic clergy, scholars demand Pope Francis withdraw declaration authorizing gay couple blessings More than 90 Catholic clergymen, scholars and lay people are calling on Pope Francis to withdraw a controversial Vatican document authorizing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples. In a letter published Friday, Catholic pastors, clergy, scholars, professors and doctors urged all Cardinals and Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church to forbid the application of Fiducia Supplicans in their dioceses and asked Francis to withdraw the document. Issued by the Vaticans Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith on Dec. 18, Fiducia Supplicans allows priests to bless-same sex couples while stressing that one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation. While the Vatican has defended the document, many conservative Catholics insist it runs afoul of Catholic Church teaching on marriage and sexuality. In Fridays letter, the signatories wrote that despite its explicit reaffirmation of the traditional doctrine of the Church on Marriage, it turns out that the pastoral practice that the document allows is in direct opposition to it. 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 Expressing concern that the document has been very favorably received by those few episcopates and prelates that for decades have been openly advocating a change in the doctrine on sexual morality, the signatories concluded it is evident that the practical message that this new declaration transmits is much more in line with the program and ideas of those who want to change the doctrine, than with the doctrine itself that the document claims to keep intact. The document effectively attempts to introduce a separation between doctrine and liturgy on the one hand, and pastoral practice on the other. But this is impossible: in fact, pastoral care, like all action, always presupposes a theory and, therefore, if pastoral care performs something that does not correspond to the doctrine, what is actually being proposed is a different doctrine, the letter added. According to the letter, The fact is that a priest is imparting a blessing on two people who present themselves as a couple, in the sexual sense, and precisely a couple defined by its objectively sinful relationship. Therefore regardless of the intentions and interpretations of the document, or the explanations the priest may try to give this action will be the visible and tangible sign of a different doctrine, which contradicts traditional doctrine. Warning that the faithful will not even be aware of the subtle theoretical justifications introduced by the Declaration, the signatories predicted that the message that is effectively launched, and that the people of God, and the entire world, will inevitably register and are already registering is that: The Catholic Church has finally evolved, and now accepts homosexual unions, and, more generally, extramatiral unions. It is definitely not justifiable, especially for a cardinal or bishop, to remain silent, since the scandal that has already occurred is serious and public, and if it is not stopped, it is bound to be more and more amplified, the letter declared. The threat does not become smaller but more serious, since the error comes from the Roman See, and is destined to scandalize all the faithful, and above all the little ones, the simple faithful who have no way of orienting and defending themselves in this confusion. The signatories pointed to two passages from Scripture when making the case that bishops and cardinals had the opportunity to speak out forcefully against Fiducia Supplicans. They included a quote from the Sermon on the Mount declaring that whoever offends one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him if a donkeys millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. The other Bible passage cited in the letter, taken from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel, proclaims that If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn, so that the people are not warned, and when the sword comes he kills of one of them, he will perish because of him, but I will ask the watchman to account for his blood. Toward the end of the letter, the signatories implored the bishops to follow the brave example of so many brother bishops around the world by forbidding blessings of same-sex couples in their dioceses and asked the pope to withdraw Fiducia Supplicans, which they characterized as in contradiction with both Scripture and the universal and uninterrupted Tradition of the Church. In this difficult moment, a clear word of truth would be the best example of your faithful and courageous dedication to the people of God entrusted to you, a sign of fidelity to the true mission of the Papacy and at the same time the best help for the pope himself, an eloquent fraternal correction, which he urgently needs in this last and most critical period of his pontificate and probably of his life, they concluded. The signatories told the cardinals and bishops that if you act promptly, there is still some hope that he may rescue his pontificate and his own person from a stain that could otherwise weigh on him indelibly, not only in history, but in eternity. A total of 92 individuals signed onto the letter ahead of its initial publication. Notable signatories include former head of the American College of Pediatricians Dr. Michelle Cretella and Regis Martin, a professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville who previously called on Francis to resign over Fiducia Supplicans. Those hoping to sign onto the letter still have time to do so. The end of the letter invites qualified individuals to provide their name, qualifications, position, and location by Feb. 15 in an email to filialappeal@gmail.com. An updated list of signatories will be released on Feb. 17. Home News Christian parents say daughter removed from their care after refusing to affirm gender identity Montana's Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said officials followed state policy in a case concerning Christian parents who claim they lost custody of their daughter after they refused to allow her to undergo experimental trans medicalization. The parents, Todd and Krista Kolstad, said they opposed allowing doctors to take their 14-year-old daughter down such a path, in part, because of their "values, morals, and ... religious beliefs." The state of Montana's Child and Family Services took the teen into their care last month. On Tuesday, Gianforte told The National Desk that he had asked Lieutenant Gov. Kirsten Juras, who's also an attorney and a conservative mother, to review the details of the case. The Republican governor also referenced his signing of Senate Bill 99 in April 2023, which prohibits body-altering surgeries for minors suffering from gender dysphoria and prevents these procedures from being funded with taxpayer dollars. 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 "Consulting with the director of DPHHS [Department of Public Health and Human Services] and personally examining the case documents, Lieutenant Governor Juras has concluded that DPHHS and the court have followed state policy and law in their handling of this tragic case," Gianforte said. According to the girl's stepmother, the teenager, whom she identified by the pseudonym "Jennifer" to protect her identity, has always suffered from mental health issues and a desire for attention, TND reported. According to Reduxx, Jennifer expressed a desire to end her life in August 2023 while at school. The teenager also told Child and Family Services that she had consumed toilet bowl cleaner and painkillers in a suicide attempt; however, the emergency room reportedly did not find any toxic substances in her body. While at the hospital, the staff reportedly called the teenage girl "Leo" and identified her as male despite the Kolstads' request that the staff call their daughter by her birth name. "We were very clear to the emergency room staff as well as [CFS] that this goes against our values, morals, and our religious beliefs," Jennifer's stepmother told Reduxx. "They told me to call their lawyer if I have an issue, as they will do what the patient tells them." The teenager's stepmother claimed that the hospital placed Jennifer on suicide watch and had an aide sitting outside her door. According to Krista, she overheard the aide talking to Jennifer one day about identifying as non-binary and undergoing surgery. Another aide assigned to Jennifer allegedly scolded the stepmother for not respecting her daughter's desire to be called Leo. After communicating with CFS, the parents agreed that their daughter would benefit from specialized residential care for treatment. Krista claimed that CFS began discussing sending Jennifer to a place in Wyoming instead of one of the available facilities in Montana. "And at that point, because we were already in such a state from the hospital disrespecting us and our wishes, we immediately looked up Wyoming's laws on transitioning minors," Krista said. "It looked to us like kids could go ahead and have procedures done and have hormones without parental consent." After the parents refused to approve their daughter's transfer to a Wyoming-based facility, CFS allegedly came to the family's home with police to take Jennifer away. The reason CFS reportedly gave for removing Jennifer from the Kolstads' home is because they were "unable or refusing to provide medical care." While the couple was not allowed to see their daughter during her relocation, Reduxx reported that the teenager allegedly told her friends that she was leaving because she was "crazy and trying to kill herself." "I feel this was a lapse in judgement by [CFS], a violation of HIPAA, and a miscarriage to Jennifer, as she is only 14," Krista said. "What if, when she is 17, this incident is behind her and she is in a good place mentally? This is a very small town and they have just let her brand herself as the 'crazy kid' who tried to kill themselves." In September 2023, Jennifer returned to Montana, and she was placed in a CFS youth facility under "temporary legal custody." Then, this month, the court ordered that the CFS custody remain permanent. The girl is now living with her biological mother in Canada, who, according to statements Reduxx obtained from a counselor, Jennifer and her sister have described as abusive. According to the Kolstads, they have "little to no contact with Jennifer." While a judge ordered the parents not to discuss the case, according to Reduxx, the parents said they will keep defying that order. "We will continue to tell our story, even though we are currently in contempt of court, and try to keep other families from going through this," Krista said. "Our greatest fear is that our daughter is now going to become a victim of this system and eventually take her own life." MBABANE This is a very serious Cabinet matter. The aforementioned comments were made by the Ministry of Education and Training Under Secretary (US) Schools Manager, Lungelo Nhlengetfwa, following a startling revelation by a Career Guidance teacher of one of the schools in the capital city, who reported that most learners were affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This was during the tour of schools by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Prince Simelane, yesterday. The school will not be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Nhlengetfwa, who was left puzzled by the report, said the matter was beyond the Ministry of Education and Trainings control. He said they needed to first file reports in Cabinet, after which, the matter would be taken over by the Deputy Prime Ministers (DPM) Office. The DPM will then report the matter to the prime minister (PM), for his intervention, he said. The US stated that the matter required immediate attention from the DPMs Office, to decide on a solution. The Career Guidance teacher said they were facing challenges with children of police officers, who formed a majority of the schools enrolment. The teacher mentioned that the police officers worked in shifts, which exposed their children to negative influences, as they were left alone for prolonged periods of time. Intercourse These children, she said, engaged in sexual intercourse and, at times, while one officer was on duty, their colleague would use the opportunity to engage in sexual intercourse with the others child. She said as a Career Guidance teacher, she came across learners who contracted STIs and revealed that they (learners) had sexual intercourse with their parents roommates. She mentioned that when there was no food, a roommate would request sexual favours to offer the child something to eat. She pleaded with the minister to do something about this. When the teacher was asked why she had not reported the matter, she said she was barred by the confidentiality clause from reporting the issue to the head teacher or anyone else. Another concern raised by the teacher was that of drugs and alcohol abuse in the school, adding that children of police officers were the worst culprits. These children sleep together in the lounge and it becomes chaotic, as both boys and girls share the same bed, she explained. She appealed for assistance from the ministers team, adding that both primary and high school pupils were affected by these issues and needed help. The teacher said another contributing factor was hunger, as the pupils came to school on empty stomachs. The Career Guidance office is no longer coping, especially regarding the issue of drugs and alcohol, she added. The teacher said there were close-by places, where the learners sourced the drugs, during short breaks and lunchtime. Most of the time, the teacher said, they found themselves teaching drunk children. Again, she was asked if she had reported the matter, and the teacher stated they were not allowed to report it, as they were guided by the confidentiality clause. She mentioned that they normally dealt with the cases internally and provided assistance to the children in treating the STIs and also providing counselling. We do not report to the police, because we act as guardians, she said. She said they realised that there was a criminal element involved, but they did not report such issues. As Career Guidance teachers, she said, they were only allowed to clean their house. However, she said they engaged the parents on some critical cases. She said most of the parents were male and were reluctant to act on the issues, even after being told about them. Guiding She said in most cases, they found themselves helping the children and guiding them. Pressed further on what they then did when the child continued to go through the same challenges, she said they then suggested ways of moving them to safer places. Meanwhile, Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Lindiwe Mbingo said the matter was huge and they had recorded everything. Mbingo said they would definitely follow-up on it, as it needed urgent attention. Home News Hungarian official touts country's quest to 'implement the social teachings of the Bible' WASHINGTON A top Hungarian government official is touting his country's quest to "implement the social teachings of the Bible" at home as he visits the United States to discuss the nation's efforts to address religious persecution abroad. Tristan Azbej, the Hungarian Secretary of State for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and the Hungary Helps Program, appeared at a dinner kicking off the fourth annual International Religious Freedom Summit on Monday. The dinner was co-hosted by the Embassy of Hungary. In an interview with The Christian Post Tuesday, Azbej discussed the significance of religious freedom in Hungary and how helping victims of religious persecution has become part of the country's "national code." 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 a great honor that we were asked to host the opening reception," he said. "I also dare to presume that it is also a sign of recognition of what Hungary is doing for the persecuted Christians and other vulnerable communities all around the world through our aid program, the Hungary Helps Program." The Hungary Helps Program was established in 2017 as the "first-ever governmental department dedicated to serve persecuted Christians." The department that he now leads was first created to address the fact that there are "more than 360 million people in the world who suffer discrimination, persecution, [and] terror attacks because of their faith in Christ." "Ever since we have started the Hungary Helps Program, we have engaged in 330 faith-based humanitarian projects all around the world in more than 50 countries and we have reached approximately 2 million people who are ... members of vulnerable faith communities," Azbej added. "We started to work together with Christians, but only supporting Christians would not be Christian at all." Azbej said the Hungary Helps program has also extended help to persecuted Yezidis in Iraq, Rohingya Muslims who fled Myanmar and Jews in Yemen. He cited the humanitarian effort as evidence that "a government can directly engage in the persecuted church with faith-based actors," describing "Christian and other faith-based entities" as "the most trustworthy humanitarian partners who are the closest to the most vulnerable communities." "Unfortunately, most of the Western governments are reluctant for such direct engagement," he lamented. "They claim that working together with faith communities is against the principles of impartiality in humanitarian assistance. We think that this is a complete misunderstanding of the humanitarian principles. And on the contrary, we think that working together with these faith-based organizations [is] the only way to reach the most vulnerable and those communities who are left behind." The Hungary Helps Program has established a "scholarship program over the years for Christians from conflict zones in vulnerable faith communities to come to Hungary and to study at Hungarian universities." The scholarship program awards 100 scholarships annually to enable Christian youth living in areas of the world hostile to Christianity to receive "a higher education degree with the objective for them to return to their communities of origin." Azbej sees the scholarship program as a way to "educate the leaders of the new generations of these communities to support their long-term future and their future in their ancestral homelands." While the Hungary Helps Program started as a project run exclusively by the Hungarian government, Azbej told CP that "many private companies joined our efforts" and "made donations to the persecuted Christians." According to Azbej, "Hungarian churches, civil society, [and] even municipalities joined our program." Azbej characterized Hungary Helps' "mission to support persecuted Christians and others" as "not only a governmental program anymore" but also "a national vocation for us Hungarians." The Hungarian official identified the Hungary Helps Program as one of several examples of how the country is "trying to implement and represent the social teachings of the Bible." "As part of that, we support and we protect family and life," he asserted. "This shows in the very unique and very strong family policies of the Hungarian government." Azbej insisted that while the "Hungarian government is pro-life," the country seeks to "implement that idea not through restrictive measures but through [a] very strong family support policy." One policy embraced in Hungary enables women to have their personal income taxes waived for life once they give birth to four children. "Our goal is that no financial burden should keep Hungarian families from having children, and one other pro-life policy that we have is that all the different and wide range of family allowances are distributed and awarded not at the birth of the child but from the conception, during pregnancy," he maintained. Azbej contends that the policies enacted by the Hungarian government have already yielded positive results, specifically by raising the fertility rate from 1.2 children per woman to 1.6 children per woman. While the Hungarian government remains short of its targeted fertility rate of 2.0 children per woman, Azbej sees other promising developments in the country as a direct result of the "very strong family policies of the Hungarian government." Expressing gratitude that "Hungarian families choose to have their babies and keep their babies," Azbej claimed there's been a 30% drop in abortions and a 50% increase in marriages that have materialized following the adoption of the new policies. Additional "Judeo-Christian and Christian-inspired policies" in Hungary include the amendment of the country's constitution to clarify that marriage is a union of one man and one woman as well as defining families as consisting of a husband, wife and children. Acknowledging that Hungary's policies have "infuriated the LGBTQ lobby and therefore they criticize us," Azbej defended them nonetheless: "For us, the results such as the increase in childbirth and the increase in marriage is encouragement for us to face all that criticism" and stand by them. Azbej pointed to history as the reason why Hungary has adopted combatting persecution of Christians and other religious minorities as its "national code." He recalled how "not so long ago, in the 20th century, Hungary and Hungarians experienced anti-religious oppression by two totalitarian regimes: the Nazis who have murdered 600,000 Jews in Hungary tragically with the collaboration of the state at that time and then 40 years of Communist oppression" that "treated religious citizens as second-rate citizens." "So, therefore, for Hungary, there's a national code to stand up for those who are persecuted for their faith," he concluded. "The Hungarian Constitution recognizes Christianity as the key factor that contributed to the preservation of the Hungarian nation for 1,000 years and it recognizes Christianity at many parts. This Hungarian Constitution was adopted in 2011 to replace the illegitimate Communist National Constitution, and it gives clear reference to the importance of Christianity in Hungarian history." Azbej stressed that while Christian influence looms large in Hungary, the country still hopes to serve as a beacon of religious freedom: "The most important Christian biblical value that we represent is human dignity coming from the religious idea that man was created by God in the likeness of God." "Part of this human dignity is human freedom, so therefore even [though] we recognize Christianity at a very high level, it is also enshrined in the Constitution that we value, and we protect religious freedom of all regardless of one's faith or belief." Home News Is equality under the law in mortal peril? One of the most common sayings in the English language is "the straw that broke the camel's back," signifying the gradual accumulation of heavy burden until finally, one additional blade of straw collapses the camel to his knees, no longer able to successfully bear the burden. We in America have been forced to witness continued assaults by the U.S. Justice Department on blind justice and equal treatment before the law in our country. When the nation's chief law enforcement arm, the U.S. Justice Department, is so egregiously discriminatory in its application of law enforcement, it breaks down the people's confidence in Lady Justice. Such a loss of confidence, when it dies, tends to happen with accelerating speed, and once that confidence is lost, it is very, very difficult to restore. 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 Increasing numbers of Americans, witnessing the shameful bias of the Biden Justice Department and its disgraceful Attorney General Merrick Garland, have lost basic trust that they will receive equal treatment under the law (by the way, we should give Sen. Mitch McConnell some kind of 'Medal for Freedom' for blocking Merrick Garland from being appointed to the Supreme Court by President Barack Obama). If the history of our great nation is written fairly and objectively, Merrick Garland will go down as the most disgraceful attorney general in American history. The FBI admits that 70% of the threats of violence concerning abortion since the overturning of Roe v. Wade have been committed by pro-abortion perpetrators against pro-life personnel and clinics, but there have been hardly any prosecutions. Now we have the spectacle of six defendants convicted in Nashville under the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act) signed by President Clinton in 1994. Seven of 11 defendants charged in connection with blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic in Tennessee in 2021 were charged in 2022 with conspiracy and subject to a jail sentence of up to 10.5 years in jail and a $460,000 fine. The other four were charged with misdemeanors that carry a punishment of one year in prison and a $10,000 fine. And while these federal convictions in Nashville stunned observers with their harshness, violent demonstrations denouncing Israel have joined the even more violent "black lives matter" protests of the recent past in having few, if any, charges ever filed. The lack of prosecution of the people demonstrating in front of U.S. Supreme Court justices' residences in the recent past has further added to the painful sense of prejudice against conservatives. This outrageous double standard is illustrated by the hypocrisy of the preening statement of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Henry C. Levantis, who said, "the jury's verdict today is a victory for the rule of law and a reminder that we cannot pick and choose which laws we follow." What bilge! There is also the dangerous hypocrisy of law enforcement, which consciously and continuously picks and chooses which laws it will enforce and which laws it will ignore. Increasing numbers of Americans have little or no confidence left that our federal government is administering, or even attempting to administer blind and equal justice. I fear that ever-increasing numbers of my fellow citizens perceive that the Lady Justice of the federal government is no longer blind but, in fact, entirely disrobed and disgraced. The Thomas Moore Society's attorney, Steve Crampton, defending the Nashville "conspirators," correctly characterized the demonstrations: "This was a peaceful demonstration by entirely peaceful citizens followed with prayer, hymn singing and worship oriented toward persuading expectant mothers, not to abort their babies." I hope all Americans recognize the perilous danger we face. I fear that one egregious act by the Biden Administration and his feckless attorney general will be the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back," and large segments of the population will abandon their trust in blind justice and the rule of law will have atrophied. The refusal of the Biden administration to even minimally enforce immigration law has contributed greatly to this mass erosion of the public's confidence in the rule of law. Most Americans have lived most of their lives in a country and a culture that has been dominated by the rule of law. As a consequence, too many of us take the rule of law for granted, and we do not realize how precious it is and what a gaping hole is left in society when it is lost. I fear that the loss of the rule of law and the accompanying chaos will be far more devastating than it would be for other countries because of our unique history. We are not a nation built on "blood and soil" but on the body of ideas enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. If we lose our common allegiance to, and belief in, these ideas, which have glued us together in the belief that "all men are created equal," we will desceand into ethnic tribalism, which would be a terrible and painful epitaph for a once great nation. Let us all pledge to work and pray together to prevent this epitaph from being written. God bless America! Home News Judge freezes accounts of pastor who sold worthless cryptocurrency to Christians A judge in Denver, Colorado, ordered the financial accounts of a pastor and his wife frozen after they sold $3.2 million in a worthless cryptocurrency to their Christian followers, then pocketed $1.3 million for their personal use, characterizing their actions as unmitigated greed." The online pastor, Eligio "Eli" Regalado, and his wife, Kaitlyn, who lead Victorious Grace Church, are facing civil fraud charges related to their cryptocurrency. This case is a sad case for me. Its one of the more egregious cases I have seen where someone in the name of faith, the name of God, preyed upon his congregants and he did so in the name of the Lord, Denver District Court Judge David Goldberg said Monday, according to The Denver Post. 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 After a two-hour hearing on the case, Golberg ruled that the couple, their companies, and church shouldn't have access to their alleged ill-gotten gains and shouldnt sell their cryptocurrency or other investments in the state. Colorado Securities Commissioner Tung Chan recently charged the Denver couple along with INDXcoin, LLC, Kingdom Wealth Exchange LLC, and other parties with selling $3.2 million worth of a cryptocurrency the Regalados created called "INDXcoin" to hundreds of Christians while claiming God said the investment would make them wealthy. They are accused of violations of the anti-fraud, licensing and registration provisions of the Colorado Securities Act, the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies said in a release. According to the complaint filed by the Colorado Attorney General's Office, Regalado is a pastor "who preaches through the Victorious Grace Church" and used his "connections in the evangelical Christian community to specifically target members of other churches." The complaint 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. And even after authorities shut down INDXcoin and Kingdom Wealth Exchange, Regalado insisted to investors that God had everything under control while he was busy splurging their money on personal expenses. The red flags were their expenses for personal purposes, Ioana Dobra, a fraud investigator with the Colorado Division of Securities, said about an audit of the couples bank accounts. Jewelry purchases, vacations, airline tickets, clothing, and home remodeling. In a recent response to the charges, Regalado insisted that he was simply following what he believed to be Gods voice. "There's been $1.3 million that's been taken out of, I think it was, a total of $3.4 million. But out of that $1.3, half a million dollars went to the IRS, and a few hundred thousand went to a home remodel that the Lord told us to do," he said. "We sold a cryptocurrency with no clear exit. We did. We took God at His word and sold a cryptocurrency with no clear exit. And so, the prosecutors have to take that and say, 'These people willingly sold a cryptocurrency with no clear exit.' What we're praying for and 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." Home News Pakistani Christian brothers abducted, tortured, forcibly converted to Islam Two Christian brothers from Pakistan were forcibly converted to Islam after being abducted and brutally tortured by Muslim men, according to the United Kingdom-based Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement. Azam and Nadeem Masih are Christian brothers from Sialkot districts Kharota Syedan area in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The brothers were reportedly abducted on Jan. 22 by two Muslim men, Qaseem Shah and Sunny Shah, according to CLAAS-UK, which focuses on the plight of Christians in Pakistan, in a statement the group sent to The Christian Post. 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 Azam Masih, in his formal police complaint filed at Kotli Loharan Police Station, detailed the incident. He alleges that he was taken to Sunny Shahs residence, where both assailants assaulted him with iron rods, aiming to force a conversion to Islam under death threats. Nadeem Masih allegedly faced similar brutality. Their conversion, as per Azam Masihs statement, was a coerced act to save their lives. After they converted, they were released but threatened with death if they spoke of the incident. The brothers received medical treatment in Sialkots civil hospital, CLAAS-UK said, adding that the police have taken both accused Muslim men into custody, a rare instance of legal action in such cases in Pakistan. This violent incident has caused fear and outrage in the local Christian community, with the brothers presently in hiding, seeking justice. CLAAS-UK Director Nasir Saeed emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, highlighting the significance of the police complaint, which contradicted government claims that forced conversions are mere NGO propaganda. Saeed urged the Pakistani government to treat this case with the seriousness it deserves, fearing government negligence or local influence might pressure the victims into a settlement. He called for this case to be a catalyst for legislative change to prevent forced conversions in the Muslim-majority nation. The Christian minority in Pakistan endures significant persecution. While Christian victims of religious persecution rarely receive justice, rapid prosecution often follows when a Pakistani Christian is falsely accused of blasphemy. Christians, who make up about 1.5% of Pakistans population, have faced violence over blasphemy accusations. In August last year, for example, over 80 Christian homes and several churches were attacked in Jaranwala, Punjab, following allegations of Quran desecration. Rights groups criticize Pakistans blasphemy laws for misuse. Since 1987, over 2,000 people have been accused, with at least 88 killed on such allegations, as per the Centre for Social Justice. Recent legislative changes in Pakistan have raised concerns among Christian and civil society groups. The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act 2023 increases punishment for blasphemy offenses, while the National Commission for Minorities Bill 2023 is seen as inadequate in safeguarding minority rights. Home News Pastor convicted for holding Psalm 139 sign near abortion clinic in UK A Christian preacher has been found guilty of breaching an abortion clinic buffer zone after holding up a sign showing a Bible verse. Stephen Green was prosecuted by the Ealing Council after he held the sign outside an abortion clinic run by MSI Reproductive Choices, formerly Marie Stopes. The sign carried the words "Psalm 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." 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 abortion clinic is subject to a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that bans any "act of disapproval" of abortion, including praying and reading from the Bible, within the parameters of the buffer zone. He was found guilty of breaching the PSPO at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in west London on Friday. Handing down judgment, District Judge Kathryn Verghis said that although Green's protest had been "peaceful," his actions "were not proportionate." "The extract of the Psalm mentioning 'my mother's womb' ... was an act of protest of abortion. There were less controversial verses you could have chosen to display. I can come to no other conclusion that [the verse] was an act of disapproval [of abortion services] ... an act prohibited [by the PSPO]," she said. The judge imposed a one-year conditional discharge, a victim surcharge of 26 and a costs order of 2,400. Green, who is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), plans to appeal the conviction and said he would "rather go to prison" than pay the costs imposed by the court. "As a Christian I should be able to preach freely all over the land. Psalm 139 is about how we all belong to God from conception," he said. "Buffer zones and this conviction is a direct attack on the Bible and free speech, which is being licenced by the state. I have no choice but to continue to defend myself and fight for justice," he said." Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: "Psalm 139 is one of the most well known and beautiful passages in the Bible which points to the hope and comfort of each person being wonderfully made and looked after by God. "Hearing a judge say that verses from Psalm 139 are an 'act of protest' and to be punished is devastating. "The effect of the PSPO is to create an area where Bible versed and prayer are outlawed. "We will stand with Mr Green as he seeks justice in this case." This article was originally published by Christian Today. Home News Teen pleads guilty to murder of Pastor Autura Eason-Williams, widower vows to never forgive him A 16-year-old with just an eighth-grade education has pleaded guilty to the daylight murder of prominent United Methodist Church pastor, the Rev. Autura Eason-Williams, and her widower vowed in court on Thursday that he will never forgive him for the crime. The teenager, Miguel Andrade, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 28 years in prison, but family members of the late pastor who was killed during a carjacking at her home didn't think his punishment was sufficient. I hate you to my f---ing gut, the pastors widower, Darrell Eason-Williams, told Andrade during his victim impact statement, according to Action News 5. I have no remorse for you. I wish the worst for you while youre locked up for 28 years. 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 grieving widower also said he hoped the teenagers family suffers the worst pain imaginable while he's locked up. I wish for you to die. I will never forgive you. I hope all your family feels the worst pain imaginable with you being locked up. But it will never measure up to my pain, he said, according to Memphis CBS affiliate WREG. Police said Eason-Williams, 52, who led Capleville United Methodist Church in Tennessee, was fatally shot in the driveway of her home in Whitehaven during a carjacking just after 4 p.m. on July 18, 2022. Friends say she was on her mobile phone with a colleague when she was attacked. Andrade was charged as an adult in the case, at the request of the Shelby County District Attorneys Office. Investigators said the teenager was wearing an ankle bracelet on the day he shot the pastor due to previous criminal activity. And even after he killed the pastor, the teenager went on to carjack another victim. Despite the circumstances, Andrade was given bail and allowed to be free until he was sentenced on Thursday. The late pastors widower and other family members were outraged about the situation. You are only out on bond because the juvenile system is messed up. In other countries, they do a life for life, Darrell Eason-Williams told Andrade. But you will be eating three meals a day. Until changes are made with the juvenile system, there will continue to be unjust penalties. The late pastors sister, Tricia Eason-Brock also told the teenager that she was displeased with the court allowing him bail until Thursday as well. What you did to Autura was not only selfish, but cruel, Eason-Brock said. I hope you get the max sentence for your crime. You are a disgrace. Ive hated seeing you out, living your life while my sister is dead. Andrade was originally facing a first-degree murder charge for killing the pastor, along with carjacking, aggravated robbery, and possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony, WREG reported. Those charges carried possible maximum penalties of life in prison or the death penalty. His guilty plea to second-degree murder on Thursday reduced his sentence to 20 years for that crime plus another eight years for the carjacking. In a statement to Action 5 News, the Shelby County District Attorneys Office told Action News 5 that the punishment Andrade received was a fair compromise. Throughout this case, our office met with the family of Rev. Autura Eason-Williams on multiple occasions. There were split opinions within the family regarding the prospect of a trial and other factors. Considering the nature of the crime, public safety, and the familys views, we determined that a suitable resolution was to meet in the middle with a sentence of 28 years, the DAs office said. In contrast to the legal provision allowing juveniles the chance of release after serving 25 years, Miguel Andrade must serve the entire 28-year sentence without the opportunity for parole. A second teenager who was involved in the attack on the pastor was placed with child services after pleading guilty, while a third defendant, Eduardo Tabora, 22, is set to appear in court on Feb. 26 to answer to charges regarding his involvement in the murder. In the wake of the pastors death, Jody Hill, president of Memphis Theological Seminary, shared in a statement on Facebook how devastated they were by her killing. "She was a wife, mother, and a devoted friend to many. She led Formation classes at MTS and Signposts groups for the Center for Faith and Imagination. We join so many of you in shock and pain. Autura was a real light and a well of deep care," Hill said. "Personally, I saw in her the spiritual gift of hospitality. Autura was eager to embrace all of God's children with a warm smile, gentle hug, or encouraging word. We grieve her loss and this senseless violence." Home News United Church of Christ lost over 286K members, 550 churches in last decade: report The United Church of Christ declined by over 286,000 members from 2012 to 2022, according to recently released statistics on the theologically liberal mainline Protestant denomination. A recent report by the UCC Center for Analytics, Research & Development and Data found that, from 2012 to 2022, the denomination experienced a net loss of 286,610 members and 551 congregations. Additionally, from 2020 to 2022, the UCC went from having 4,794 congregations to 4,603 congregations, with membership dropping from approximately 773,000 to approximately 712,000. 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 2022 membership numbers also represented a sharp decline from 1960, when the denomination reported approximately 2.24 million members, over three times its current count. According to the report, 128 congregations were removed from UCC records in 2022, an increase of 50.6% compared to 2021, when 85 congregations were removed. The report states that this sharp increase could be related to a new policy from the UCCs Board of Directors that removes churches from records after two years of being marked inactive unless the Conference requests an extension or otherwise updates an inactive designation. Since this was the first year the policy was enacted, the number of inactive churches removed is not expected to be as high in subsequent years; future years of data collection will demonstrate whether removals return to previous levels, the report reads. The UCC report acknowledges a considerable decline from 2005 to 2007, when the UCC experienced a loss of nearly three congregations per week on average due to its 2005 General Synod passing a resolution supporting same-sex marriage. CARDD Director Erica Dollhopf said in a statement last week that she hopes the report, which details data on a host of trends in the UCC, can help local congregations identify places where their church might have particular strengths and to find inspiration for how their church might find new pathways to flourishing. Dollhopf also noted that, according to the report, smaller UCC congregations tended to have the highest percentage of volunteer engagement for their assorted projects and ministries. This finding highlights the particular gifts of smaller churches they tend to be close-knit, highly involved communities, she continued. The smallest churches by membership size tend to have the most people attending in-person worship relative to membership. While not everyone who attends worship is necessarily a church member, this calculation is another way to approximate engagement, which generally is highest within smaller churches. The statistical report also shows that 83.1% of the denomination is white, while 4.8% is African American, 4% is Asian or Pacific Islander, and less than 1% is Hispanic. The Great Lakes region, an area that includes Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, had the highest percentage of UCC members at 30.6%. Behind the Great Lakes region is the Mid-Atlantic region, with 20% of UCC members; in third place is the New England region, which has 19.7% of the denominations members. The Western region, which includes the West Coast and goes as far east as Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming, has only 9.4% of the members and 13.1% of the congregations. Last July, at their 2023 General Synod meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, the UCC elected the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson to be its first female president and general minister. In her nomination speech before the General Synod last year, Thompson said that hope springs forth within the UCC, with the denomination being the place where we have seen the Spirit of God poured forth among us in many ways. Here is where we honor the resilience of those who came before us, took risk and oftentimes did more with less than we currently have. And here is the place we identify as now, as we ponder the call of God to be salt and light to the world, Thompson stated. Home Opinion A pastor's response to Alistair Begg's gay wedding advice A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a pastors luncheon at Focus on the Family with guest speaker Alistair Begg. I jumped at this opportunity and thoroughly enjoyed my time listening to Pastor Begg rightfully divide the Word of God and encourage us pastors with the importance of faithfulness to God and His Word. Recently, Pastor Begg was criticized and the American Family Association removed his program Truth For Life from their programming because of his advice about whether a Christian should attend a same-sex ceremony. Pastor Begg believes that if the person you are supporting knows you dont approve, it is okay to attend and bring a gift. 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 Begg went on to explain that Christians not attending such a ceremony could reinforce judgmental stereotypes the culture holds about the Church. Well, lets break down Pastor Beggs comments from a definition of countenance point of view and then a biblical point of view. It appears Beggs advice goes against the universal definition of countenance. If you disagree with something you are not only to disagree with it, but not allow it to happen meaning, in this case at the least, dont attend and certainly dont take a gift! As Christians, when we engage in a formal ceremony, we are giving tacit approval to the ceremony we are attending and anything beyond this is a representation of approval. Marriage is primarily a symbol of Jesus relationship to us the Church (Ephesians 5). Jesus first miracle was at a wedding. Marriage is the centerpiece relationship of Gods created world. Adam and Eve were not just the first humans, they were also the first male and female to be married, and the first two to give us the example we are to follow as a society. Outside of your relationship with Jesus Christ, there is no other relationship that is more significant. Once it is removed, tampered with, or redefined, as Romans 1 tells us, this is the beginning of the end. Once this occurs God eventually turns us over to a series of unfortunate realities that produce greater and greater self-destruction. Now I understand the reality that we dont want to be perceived as judgmental and we want to show love to our loved ones. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:6, the great chapter on love, that love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. Gods love has its limits. A same-sex or transgender ceremony is not Gods design it is evil. It is sin. Gods love requires us not to go to a same-sex or transgender ceremony. And if we go, we are functioning outside of Gods love and delighting in evil. God requires our love not to delight in evil and not to rejoice in falsehood. We have a responsibility to our loved ones to turn our countenance from them because we love them. If I apply Pastor Beggs approach to other areas of my life, then when someone needs an abortion, and although I dont agree with it, I should still drive them to the clinic as a way of demonstrating my love for them. If someone wants to destroy their life through drug usage, but I dont agree with it, I should still give them a place to live while they pump their bodies full of substances. Does this make any sense? Sometimes love requires you to choose Jesus over the human relationships of your life when their choices go against the life Jesus has called us to live. Jesus spoke of this in Luke 14:26, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Do you want to be perceived as nonjudgmental by the people in your life or do you want to be known as a disciple of Jesus? The choice is yours. Gods love requires us to choose wisely. Home Opinion Is DEI biblical? Christian academic institutions have fallen on hard times. I get it. I have three relatives/close friends who until recently worked at such institutions. Two of them were laid off. One because his entire college closed its doors for good. The other left her position in part due to the heavy workload she was being expected to handle. So, I understand in a very personal way why the leaders of such institutions as the one I currently attend, Biola University, might decide its a bad time to pick a fight with a powerful state government over Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. When I was in high school, my church went through a split with my family on the losing side in the sense that we had to leave the church that Id grown up in, a church whose building I literally helped build with my own two hands. For several years, our elders had decided to use volunteer labor to save money on our new building. My dad volunteered more hours on that thing than anybody but the pastor, and I spent a lot of 12 to sometimes 16-hour Saturdays helping him. Long story short, the elders and the pastor split, and the elders were faced with a choice of either taking the pastor to court over the by-laws or leaving the church. They chose to leave because of a single verse in the Bible which said we are not to take our fellow brothers in Christ to court. And just like that, everything we worked for and donated money towards for years was gone because of one verse. 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 What lessons do you think that taught me as a young believer? Maybe that our faith is worth sacrificing for. Is DEI compatible with Christianity? This is a different question than whether it violates some essential doctrine of the Christian faith. Not taking a brother to court is not an essential doctrine either, but I believe it is the right thing to do. The question is not Can an individual be a Christian and also adhere to DEI? The question is whether or not over time, adherence to the assumptions inherent in DEI will undermine Biola as an orthodox Christian institution. I believe the answer to the latter question is yes, and in the long run that is a far more serious question for Biola than the current financial situation. There are some very basic, intuitive contradictions between DEI and Christianity, specifically Christian morality. Christianity is already inherently anti-racist, and as a Christian institution Biola does not need DEI. But it is worse than that, because DEI is not simply benign either. It is not simply an institutional program to combat racism. DEI is a moral system whose foundations are different than Christian morality, and as a result lead to different moral judgments than Christianity does. Once accepted by a Christian institution, DEI will replace the Christian morality of any institution which accepts its premises, which Biola has already done in March 2021 when President Corey instituted the Division of Diversity and Inclusion. The key difference between DEI morality and Christian morality is simply that DEI flips the worldly, socio-economic standard upside down, while Christianity replaces it with an entirely different, other-worldly standard. In James 1:9-10, we see a clear example of the relation between Christian morality and socio-economic status: Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away (NASB). At first glance, it might seem like James is reversing the socio-economic standard. After all, he says the poor are in a high position while the rich are in a low position, when presumably judgments according to a socio-economic standard would have the rich high and the poor low. But why would James say each one should glory in their respective positions if one is truly high and the other truly low? If the rich actually were in a low position, then they cannot glory in that position. They should rather be ashamed of their low position and seek a higher one! But that is not what James says for them to do. One cannot make sense of James here if you try to apply only one standard, because both are described as low and high according to some standard, presumably a socio-economic one and yet both are instructed to take pride in their position anyway. James is referring to a different standard of morality here, one in which both the rich and the poor can glory in their circumstances as though material wealth makes no difference to their true moral position according to Gods standards. Christian morality is disconnected from the socio-economic standard of justice used by DEI. When Christians accept any socio-economic standard as a standard for justice and morality, even a flipped one where the poor are superior and the rich inferior, they are subverting Christian morality which makes no reference to earthly wealth. The Scriptures are full of rejections of earthly wealth as a standard of morality, including such admonitions as build up treasure for yourselves in Heaven. This is an appeal to eternal self-interest. It is not wrong to build up wealth, it is just stupid to build it up in the wrong place, where moth and rust destroy. Earthly wealth is meaningless heavenly wealth counts. DEI uses a moral standard based on earthly wealth. Those in poverty are considered morally superior to those with wealth, and each are judged accordingly. Morality according to DEI isnt overseen by God; its overseen by mathematics. Small number good. Large number bad. Make numbers even for justice. Justice, according to DEI, is measured by wealth and cannot be achieved until wealth between various groups is equal. Thats not biblical justice. It is a subtle bastardization of the true Christian morality and seems designed to take advantage of Christian compassion for the poor, which makes it predatory upon the goodwill and compassionate nature of its victims. All of these features should make it easily recognizable as a lie from the enemy. We have seen the consequences of DEI in the university system surrounding the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. Why, we may ask, are supposedly liberal, progressive students supporting beheading babies and burning women and children alive? The answer is they are making moral decisions based on a fundamentally anti-Christian morality. The Palestinians are poor and are therefore morally justified in whatever they do to the rich Israelis. The Palestinians are oppressed. The Israelis are oppressors. The Palestinians are therefore justified by the highest moral standard of DEI and can do no wrong. The Israelis are always wrong no matter what they do because they are at the bottom of the moral spectrum described by DEI. No one should ever again be confused about the dangers of accepting this alternative morality. It condones and promotes the worst kinds of evil while posturing as good. Biola cannot accept an anti-biblical standard of justice, or such standards will undermine true justice. If it feels it is being coerced by a threat upon its access to federal funds overseen by California, then it is allowing its Christianity to be corrupted by Mammon at a particularly vulnerable time. Do we really think such an initiative is innocent? That one day those forces will stop wedging themselves into the cracks in our armor and pushing? As the cracks widen the pressure will increase until they get what they want, which is the destruction of Biola as a Christian institution and the remaking of it in the image of an anti-Christian moral standard called DEI, of which there can only be one master. Biola must join the resistance, which is already pushing back in other states. Biola must either resist, or perhaps consider moving to a state not intent upon its eventual destruction. But even if there is no way out, there are some things worth sacrificing for. If resistance means the institution dies, it is better to provide an example of faith for future generations than another anti-Christian institution to the balance sheet of evil. Do we sacrifice Biola on the altar of faith or for 30 pieces of silver? Bishop quits Living in Love and Faith post after appointment of conservative theological adviser The Bishop of Newcastle has resigned from her role in the Church of England's Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process following the appointment of a conservative vicar as interim theological adviser to the House of Bishops. LLF is the Church of England's ongoing process of discernment around the issues of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, which last year led to General Synod approving plans to introduce prayers of blessing for same-sex couples. Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley, an advocate for LGBT equality in the Church of England, was co-lead of the LLF alongside the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, who is to remain in post. The Bishop of Newcastle said she was stepping down over concerns about the process that led to the appointment of Rev Dr Tom Woolford as interim theology adviser to the House of Bishops. "It has become clear to me in the last 48 hours that there are serious concerns relating to the recent process of appointing an Interim Theological Advisor to the House of Bishops. This was, and is not, an LLF appointment, and neither Bishop Martyn nor myself were involved in it," she said. "Whilst the remit of the theological advisor is broader than any matters relating to LLF, there is no doubt that LLF remains front and centre in the life of our Church at this time. "What has transpired in the last 48 hours has had a critically negative impact on the work Bishop Martyn and I were seeking, in good faith, to do. My role as co-lead bishop for the LLF process is now undermining my capacity to fulfil my primary calling, to lead and care for the people and places of the Diocese of Newcastle." She continued, "'I am fully committed to the vocation and life of the Church of England, its place in our diverse communities across this land, and in the wider Anglican Communion. Mindful of different views within my own diocese, I am also fully committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people. I do not believe these are mutually exclusive, and I am not naive in saying this." The Faith and Order Commission said that Dr Woolford, a vicar in the Diocese of Blackburn, had been appointed following "an open and competitive recruitment process". He will take over temporarily from Dr Isabelle Hamley, who is leaving at the end of February to become principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge. A permanent successor is not expected to be in post until September. The Church of England said that Bishop Snow "is in discussions with the Archbishops of Canterbury and York about the future shape of the leadership team". Following Hartley's resignation, Bishop Snow said that the co-lead bishops for LLF "must be involved in the appointment of future theological advisers. "I took on the role of co-lead bishop for the Living in Love and Faith process out of a sense of calling to bridge-building and reconciliation both for their own sake and as a core part of our Christian witness. Having reflected on my position over the past couple of days, this sense of calling remains," he said. "However, I recognise that confidence and trust in the Living in Love and Faith process is low, and that I cannot by myself rebuild that trust or command the confidence of the full breadth of the Church of England." He said that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York will have to appoint a successor "who commands similar respect across the House of Bishops and General Synod". An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission team led by Ivanna Vladkova Hollar and the Egyptian authorities have agreed on the main policy elements of Egypts reform programme backed by the IMFs Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The (Egyptian) authorities expressed a strong commitment to act promptly on all critical aspects of Egypts economic reform programme, said Hollar, who visited Cairo from January 17 to February 1, 2024 to conduct discussions toward the completion of the first and second reviews the programme. The IMF team and the Egyptian authorities made excellent progress on the discussions of a comprehensive policy package needed to reach a Staff Level Agreement (SLA) for the combined first and second reviews of Egypts economic reform programme supported by the IMF, she said. Social spending The IMF team and the Egyptian authorities also agreed on the critical importance of strengthening social spending to protect vulnerable groups. This is important to ensure adequate living conditions for low and middle-income households that have been hit particularly hard by rising prices. The mission and the authorities will continue discussions virtually over the coming days to finalise the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP), and identify the magnitude of additional support from the IMF and other bilateral and multilateral development partners needed to help close Egypts increased financing gaps in the context of recent shocks. The mission would like to thank the authorities for their warm hospitality and constructive dialogue, Hollar added.--TradeArabia News Service Christian preacher convicted over Bible verse sign in abortion clinic buffer zone A Christian preacher has been found guilty of breaching an abortion clinic buffer zone after holding up a sign showing a Bible verse. Stephen Green was prosecuted by Ealing Council after he held the sign outside an abortion clinic run by MSI Reproductive Choices, formerly Marie Stopes. The sign carried the words "Psalm 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." The abortion clinic is subject to a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that bans any "act of disapproval" of abortion, including praying and reading from the Bible, within the parameters of the buffer zone. He was found guilty of breaching the PSPO at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in west London on Friday. Handing down judgment, District Judge Kathryn Verghis said that although Mr Green's protest had been "peaceful", his actions "were not proportionate". "The extract of the Psalm mentioning 'my mother's womb'...was an act of protest of abortion. There were less controversial verses you could have chosen to display. I can come to no other conclusion that [the verse] was an act of disapproval [of abortion services].. an act prohibited [by the PSPO]," she said. The judge imposed a one-year conditional discharge, a victim surcharge of 26, and a costs order of 2,400. Mr Green, who is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), plans to appeal the conviction and said he would "rather go to prison" than pay the costs imposed by the court. "As a Christian I should be able to preach freely all over the land. Psalm 139 is about how we all belong to God from conception," he said. "Buffer zones and this conviction is a direct attack on the Bible and free speech, which is being licenced by the state. I have no choice but to continue to defend myself and fight for justice," he said." Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: "Psalm 139 is one of the most well known and beautiful passages in the Bible which points to the hope and comfort of each person being wonderfully made and looked after by God. "Hearing a judge say that verses from Psalm 139 are an 'act of protest' and to be punished is devastating. "The effect of the PSPO is to create an area where Bible versed and prayer are outlawed "We will stand with Mr Green as he seeks justice in this case." Two killed, 4 injured in air attack by Ukraine military in Russia 18 Mar 2024 | 5:52 PM Moscow, Mar 18 (UNI) Two people were killed and four others injured as a result of an air attack by the Ukrainian armed forces in Russia's Belgorod Region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Monday. see more.. Afghan, Pak trade blows after suicide attack on Pakistani military Post 18 Mar 2024 | 5:39 PM Kabul, Mar 18 (UNI) Afghanistan and Pakistan targeted each other's border regions with strikes on Monday following a suicide attack on a Pakistani military outpost over the weekend. see more.. Japan's Kishida not planning elections until LDP lawmakers penalised for scandal 18 Mar 2024 | 3:37 PM Tokyo, Mar 18 (UNI) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to take disciplinary action against the lawmakers of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) involved in the slush funds scandal before calling snap elections, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Monday. see more.. Leaders of 6 CIS states congratulate Putin on victory in prez election 18 Mar 2024 | 3:26 PM Minsk, Mar 18 (UNI) The leaders of six member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistanhave congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential election, noting the broad support of Russian citizens, the Kremlin said on Monday. see more.. Anunt concurs pentru post vacant Institutia Publica Centrul de Consiliere Agricola si Rurala (CCAR) este in cautare de un profesionist dinamic si dedicat, pentru pozitia de Sef/a de Sectie la sectia Inovare si transfer de cunostinte in cadrul institutie Institutia Publica Centrul de Consiliere Agricola si Rurala (CCAR) este in cautare de un profesionist dinamic si dedicat, pentru pozitia de Sef/a de Sectie la sectia Inovare si transfer de cunostinte New Delhi, Feb 2 (UNI) As many as seven incidents of hijacking of vessels on high seas by pirates have been reported during the last three years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday. In a written reply, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt stated that Indian Navy has enhanced presence of ships, aerial surveillance by maritime patrol aircraft/remotely piloted aircraft in the central Arabian Sea and Off East of Coast of Somalia towards restoring maritime security in the region. Moreover, zero piracy incidents have been reported in Palk Strait, he added. After spending more than two decades in the public and private sectors, Caroline Rassell wanted to work somewhere where she could make a greater impact. Rassell was drawn to the charity sector and in September 2020, she became a trustee of her local hospice. The following year, she joined Versus Arthritis as interim director of planning and operations and in June 2021 she was announced as chief executive of Parkinsons UK. Numbers told a story Rassell trained and qualified as an accountant in the 1990s through various local authorities, a job she had dreamed of doing since she was seven. I found that numbers told a story and that really excited me. Whether its looking at patterns or recognising that behind lots of different decisions, theres a number base thats driving it, she says. She was drawn to local government because her whole family were public servants so it was the natural career path for her. I knew that I wanted to do something that not only could fulfil my dream of being an accountant but also that was rooted in public service and good. I was really blessed with the people I worked with. All of them were inspirational in terms of looking beyond the numbers and always connected with the story. Politics gets in the way At the turn of the century, Rassell moved into the health sector, which she describes as a completely different challenge. Working in local government, youve got a really close connection with your community, she says, but in the NHS while it was still locally focused, lots of the rules came from the centre. That presents very different challenges and your ability to provide what you want locally is sometimes compromised by national standards and ways that you report. Rassell says that working in the NHS, where she held positions including as a chief finance officer at several primary care trusts, was a great experience but brought lots of pressure. I take my hat off now to finance professionals working in local government or the NHS because it is really tough. Theres a lot of demand and not enough money and all too often there isnt the bravery to make decisions that will allow the best use of the resources youve got. Politics gets in the way sometimes. In 2014, she became a chief executive in the NHS, which was a great transition, she says. Finance gives you a brilliant background because you see all of an organisation. Stepping up to be chief executive is difficult and lonely, but I thought my moral compass was always in the right place. I had an amazing experience in the NHS as a chief executive. The bit I really loved was getting out and meeting communities and the population we were there to serve. But its very difficult to make an impact as so much is national and set for you. Massive responsibility over donors money At Parkinsons UK, Rassell manages an annual budget of around 40m its income has fluctuated from 36m to 53m in recent years which comes mainly from donations and membership and legacies. This, she points out, is 50 times smaller than the 2bn budget she managed while working in the NHS, but is nonetheless challenging. The difference is that that 2bn was given to me by the [then] Department of Health to deliver set targets. There was little flexibility and never enough money and I moaned about 2bn! But I knew each year that that was coming in. Moving into the third sector, I start the year with zero, absolutely nothing in the bank, and everything that we get we have to fundraise for. I cant moan that I dont have enough money because Ive got an amazing fundraising team and community who have done an activity or given us that money to provide better care or research for people with Parkinsons. Rassell says she is motivated to spend the charitys money carefully because its often being given by those people or people who are close to that community. The difference in financial terms is huge, but the impact that someone has personally given you the money thats a massive responsibility. I feel more responsible now in some ways than when youre given the money by a government body to do things theyve told you to do. I view it as a complete privilege. Employing more people with Parkinsons Last year, Parkinsons UK published its first equality, diversity and inclusion strategy , in which it pledges to reflect the demographics of the UK population in our workforce by 2026 among other things. The charity, which currently employs 490 people, has committed to hiring more workers with Parkinsons and more employees living with disabilities to reflect the working-age population. It also pledged to have at least 14% of its workforce from a minority ethnic background to reflect the demographic of the UK. At the moment, weve got 13% of our employed staff who are from different ethnic backgrounds. Thats good but it could be better. Around 10% of our staff has a disability, Rassell says, compared to around 23% of the working-age population . One area we know we must do better on is the number of people with Parkinsons who work for the charity. That seems to me something that should be much easier to do than it is. Weve recently been looking at how we recruit. What Im keen to do is learn from the people weve recruited what would have been better and could have worked so that wed have more people interested to come and work with the charity. Weve made progress but the opportunities to do more are definitely there. Currently, six people working at the charity, around 1% of its workforce, have Parkinsons, a figure Rassell is not particularly proud of. I would love it to be more, she says, but adds that the charitys volunteers are more representative of the community. If Im looking at the whole of my workforce [including the charitys around 3,500 volunteers], so everyone who delivers something to our community under the banner of Parkinsons UK, then weve got a significant proportion of people with Parkinsons and I think thats positive. Our board is made up of people who are either affected by Parkinsons or have Parkinsons, as well as some board members who are recruited specifically for their particular skills or expertise. Certainly, at the very top of the organisation its absolutely focused on the beneficiary were here to provide for. Stronger together In June last year, Rassell became president of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), making her the first person from the third sector to hold such position in CIPFAs 139-year history. Im also the first Essex girl president, which is a real honour, she says. Its a great opportunity for me on every level to encourage accountants to think about working in the third sector. CIPFA has a public voice around public finance and the best use of public money. Ive got the opportunity to talk with influence about the importance of recognising what the third sector is, what it does and how reducing public spend on certain areas just increases the pressures in the third sector. All CIPFA presidents have three key themes for their presidency and Rassells are sustainability, social mobility and stronger together. These themes, she says, are as relevant for charities as they are for the public sector and accountants. Everybody I think recognises the importance of social mobility. Every organisation should represent the people it is here to serve. At CIPFA, Im very keen that we represent the diverse nature of the UK because we should be encouraging everyone from every background to think about different careers. Thats really important. At the moment, a lot of societal pressures push people afar and into silos. The more we work together, the more we get the power of different ideas and resources and we just develop and grow so much better. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, The government has announced changes to laws it planned to introduce this year around charities transferring objects. This week, it wrote to the Charity Commission chair Orlando Fraser about changes to its implementation of the Charities Act 2022. Most provisions of the legislation have already come into force, with the most recent tranche introduced last month. However, the implementation of laws which could affect charities transferring legal ownership of an object to its country of origin were delayed in 2022 to allow further consideration . The government was concerned that the changes would remove the Commissions oversight of trustees decisions to restitute an object by way of an ex gratia payment. Former charities minister Lord Kamall referenced the return of the Benin bronzes to Nigeria by the Horniman Museum. Now, the government has written to Fraser to confirm it plans to exclude overseas transfers of property from sections 15 and 16 of the Act when they come into force later this year, meaning charities will still need to seek the Commissions approval. It also plans to exclude national museums and galleries from the provisions, meaning they will continue to be bound by their governing documents for transfers of all items. The letter, from arts and heritage minister Lord Parkinson, says: The potential consequences of these provisions were not made clear by the Law Commission when the bill was introduced. Parkinson writes that removing the Commissions oversight would not be appropriate in restitution cases. We are therefore looking to exclude from the commencement of sections 15 and 16 any ex gratia payment where the recipient (ie the person to whom legal title for the property would be transferred) is located outside the UK. This approach will ensure that all ex gratia cases involving a charity transferring legal ownership of an object to its country of origin outside the UK will have to seek approval from the Charity Commission (as they currently do). His letter confirms that the government plans to bring sections 15 and 16 into force later this year. Fraser: I look forward to seeing further detail Fraser responded to Lord Parkinsons letter this week, welcoming confirmation that delayed sections would be introduced this year. These provisions will help charities to save time and money in dealing with relatively small ex gratia payments, often relating to wills and legacies. They will also allow the Commission to focus our resources more efficiently on larger and more complex cases. I note the governments intention to exclude national museums and galleries from these provisions so they continue to be bound by their governing documents, and also to exclude any ex gratia payment outside the UK so an order from the Commission would still be required, even for relatively small amounts or low value items. I look forward to seeing further detail about these exclusions in due course. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, As Iowas caucuses kicked into high gear last month, Ron DeSantis followed what once was a winning strategy: he barnstormed the state hard, hitting all ninety-nine counties as he trumpeted his support from Gov. Kim Reynolds. In New Hampshire, Nikki Haley ran a similar playbook, racing around with Gov. Chris Sununu and touting the endorsement of the Manchester Union Leader, the states largest newspaper. Former president Donald Trump, meanwhile, flew in and out for a few perfunctory rallies, accompanied by a handful of out-of-state MAGA-made stars, like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Elise Stefanik. He largely ignored the local press. It didnt matter. He romped to victory in both states. The old saying All politics is local can officially be tossed in the dustbin of history. The local kingmakers and specific issues that used to dominate early-state primaries and caucuses dont matter as much in an increasingly nationalized, polarized environment. And thats because local news outlets have been hollowed outleaving voters less attuned to local issues, and the stations and papers themselves with much less leverage to force candidates to answer questions important to the local audience. In 2018, the Des Moines Register, Iowas largest newspaper, had a print circulation of 129,000. Thats roughly a quarter what it had been a few decades earlierand by 2022 it had plunged all the way to 40,000, according to Nieman Lab. Gannett, which owns the paper, and its chief rival, Lee Enterprises, have both drastically slashed staff and payrolls across all their publications. Its just as bleak in New Hampshire, where once-powerful newspapers like the Union Leader and Concord Monitor arent what they used to be. Reduced circulations and viewership lead to reduced influence, and in recent years candidates have had relatively little reason to spend time indulging state outlets and the issues they cover. Art Cullen is the Pulitzer Prizewinning editor and publisher of the Storm Lake Times, a small paper in Northwest Iowa. Hes interviewed numerous presidential candidates, and often pushed them on key local issueslike when he sat down with Bob Dole in 1996 for an extended interview about the industrial crop program. Sign up for CJR 's daily email This year, Cullen noted that the only local issue that got any regular mention from the candidates in Iowa was ethanoland it was rarely more than a talking point. Now the only thing [candidates] talk about is ethanol or Were going to put China in its place. How does that help the sixty-seven of Iowas ninety-nine counties that are losing population? How does that discussion really move that ball forward? he said. There was no serious discussion of the erosion of rural communities. The only candidate who granted him an interview was Asa Hutchinson, who consistently polled under 1 percent and dropped out right after the caucuses. The weakness of the local press is reflected in the fact that the candidates just basically ignored us, Cullen said. You know, they can afford to ignore the Waterloo Courier, when they couldnt have twenty years ago. Its been trending this way for a few cycles now, for both parties. Trump famously never stayed overnight in New Hampshire at any point during the entire 2016 campaign, but still won the states primary by a double-digit margin. In 2020, Pete Buttigieg improved his standing in the polls not by camping out in Iowa, but by becoming a regular on MSNBC and working the national press. James Pindell has covered New Hampshire for two decades, with years at the most popular TV station, WMUR, before joining the Boston Globe (whose greater metro area includes southern New Hampshire). He said he interviewed then-candidate Barack Obama seven or eight times, but by the time 2020 rolled around many candidates barely gave his old colleagues the time of day. Kamala Harris pretty much refused to do WMUR, he said. She didnt think it was worth her time. This time around? Theyre getting boxed out from Haley. Theyre getting boxed out from Trump, Pindell said. And DeSantis was openly hostile, because he was openly hostile to everybody [in the press]. WMUR was set to have its moment in the sun right before the primary: it was a cohost for the final GOP presidential debate before the New Hampshire primary. But Trump refused to participate in any debate, and at the last minute Haley opted to back out rather than have another one-on-one with DeSantis. The event was canceled. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Taylor Swift deepfakes could be the tip of an AI-generated iceberg Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated when Asa Hutchinson ended his campaign. He dropped out shortly after the Iowa caucuses. Cameron Joseph is a freelance political reporter with recent work in The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, and Politico Magazine. A recipient of the 2023 National Press Foundation Dirksen Award for distinguished reporting of Congress and the 2020 National Press Club award for excellence in political journalism, he previously worked for VICE News, Talking Points Memo, the New York Daily News, The Hill and National Journal. The number of inpatient hospitalizations in the California workers compensation system declined 51.1% between 2012 and 2022, a new report shows. The trend was driven by declining claim volume, technological advances and changes in Medicare rules that allow more outpatient procedures, the elimination of redundant payments for spinal surgery hardware, and the expansion of evidence-based guidelines for spinal fusions and other surgeries, according to the California Workers Compensation Institute analysis. The CWCI used data on 28.7 million inpatient hospital stays with 2012 through 2022 discharge dates compiled by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information to compare the use of inpatient services and procedures covered by workers comp, Medicare, Medi-Cal and private coverage. The study found that the number of workers comp inpatient stays declined from 21,505 in 2012 to 10,516 in 2022, and between 2021 and 2022, the number of workers comp hospitalizations declined by 5.6%, bringing the total decline over the past 11 years to 51.1%. In comparison, the number of hospital stays paid under private coverage fell 23.5% over the same period, while Medicare hospital stays were only down 1.4%, and those paid by Medi-Cal increased by 45.7% due to surging Medi-Cal enrollments following passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2014, according to the CWCI study. The CWCI analysis notes the decline in the number of workers comp inpatient stays dates back more than a decade, fueled by fluctuations in the number and types of work injury claims, the adoption of utilization review and independent medical review programs requiring that treatment meet evidence-based medicine standards, and a sharp reduction in the number of spinal fusions. The data suggest many of those factors continue to help contain the volume of workers comp inpatient stays, as unlike the other systems where inpatient hospitalizations have rebounded after falling sharply in 2020, which was the first year of the pandemic. One exception is inpatient spinal fusions, which were up 5.0% between 2020 to 2022, driving spinal fusion hospital stays back up to 18.7% of all workers comp inpatient discharges in 2022, the highest proportion since 2016, according to CWCI. CWCI issued a Research Update Report on the study, Utilization of Inpatient Care in California Workers Compensation, 2012-2022. CWCI members and subscribers can access the report and a summary Bulletin at the CWCI website. Others can purchase a copy at the CWCI store. A study using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into offenses that drivers involved in deadly crashes are most likely to be charged with shows the most common charge is reckless driving, followed by license and registration violations. The study by pre-settlement legal funding company High Rise Financial analyzed NHTSA data on drivers involved in fatal collisions between 2012 and 2021. The figures revealed that the most common type of violation drivers were charged with was being reckless or careless, with 23,663 drivers charged with offenses in this category between 2012 and 2021 out of 507,728 drivers involved in deadly crashes. That equates to 4.66% of all drivers involved in fatal collisions. The state where drivers were most likely to be charged with the violation after a deadly crash was Colorado, at 16.02%. Nevada had the second highest rate of 14.95%, while New Jersey was third with 13.80%. The second most common charge for drivers involved in a deadly collision was license and registration violations, such as driving while license withdrawn. Over the period studied, 3.92% of drivers involved in fatal crashes received that charge. New Hampshire was the state where driving while license withdrawn was most common, with 367 out of 1,531 drivers in fatal crashes. That violation occured second most often in Washington, with 13.62% of drivers being charged, while Delaware was in third place on 12.21%, the study shows. The third most common violation that drivers were charged with after being involved in a fatal accident was impairment offenses, such as driving while intoxicated. In total, 3.92% of drivers in deadly collisions received this charge. Impairment offenses were most likely in Nevada, with 407 out of 4,469 drivers in deadly crashes being charged with one, which equates to 9.11%. Delaware had the second highest rate, on 6.63%, while North Dakota was third on 5.56%. The most common violations charged following a fatal crash An opioid manufacturer and an advertising firm that aggressively marketed the painkillers for a decade struck separate deals with states on Thursday totaling $500 million, injecting fresh cash into the nationwide effort to tackle the fallout from the ongoing addiction epidemic. Publicis Health LLC agreed to pay a total of $350 million to all 50 US states over its role in helping Purdue Pharma LP recklessly increase sales of OxyContin, even as the crisis grew. Separately, Hikma Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $150 million to about a dozen states for helping fuel the opioid crisis by failing to monitor and report suspicious opioid orders from potentially illegal distributors. Both deals, announced Thursday, come as state and local governments continue to struggle with a crisis thats killed more than 500,000 people, many of whom became hopelessly addicted to opioids after having them prescribed by doctors. Publicis Health, a unit of French media conglomerate Publicis Groupe SA, helped Purdue carry out a predatory marketing strategy to sway the most susceptible doctors to prescribe OxyContin at higher doses and for longer periods of time, according to statements Thursday from several state attorneys general. For a decade, Publicis helped opioid manufacturers like Purdue Pharma convince doctors to overprescribe opioids, directly fueling the opioid crisis and causing the devastation of communities nationwide, New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the leaders of the negotiations, said in a statement. Publicis Health, which worked with Purdue from 2010 to 2019, implemented the drugmakers Evolve to Excellence plan that targeted the doctors who prescribed the most OxyContin and flooded them with sales calls and marketing intended to increase the dosages even more, according to the statement. That, in turn, led to a major rise in opioid prescriptions across the US, followed by greater abuse, addiction and overdose deaths, the New York attorney general said. No Admission This settlement, in which the Attorneys General recognized Publicis Healths good faith and responsible corporate citizenship, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing or liability, the company said in a statement. We will, if need be, defend ourselves against any litigation that this agreement does not resolve. Under the deal, $343 million will go to all 50 US states plus the District of Columbia and certain US territories to fight the opioid crisis, plus an additional $7 million for states that led the negotiations. Publicis Health said its insurers will pay $130 million of the settlement. Publicis also agreed not to accept future contracts related to the marketing or sale of opioids. It also agreed to release hundreds of thousands of documents related to its work for Purdue and make public its communications with another Purdue publicist, McKinsey & Co. as well as Practice Fusion, a software firm that designed a health-records systems tool with pop-up banners encouraging doctors to prescribe OxyContin, according to the statement. Cities, states and municipalities have hammered more than a dozen drugmakers, drug distributors, and retail pharmacies in litigation and forced them to pay $50 billion in settlements over the companies misleading marketing and mishandling of opioid pain killers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News. Hikma, the latest manufacturer to settle, agreed to deals with at least a dozens states, providing them with $115 million in cash and $35 million worth of opioid addiction treatment medication. This settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing or liability and Hikma will continue to defend against any litigation that this settlement does not resolve, the company said in a statement on its website. James, the New York AG, said in a separate statement that from 2006 to 2021, Hikma failed to report suspicious orders even while its personnel knew their systems to monitor suspicious orders were inadequate and prone to failure. Purdues $6 billion opioid settlement is currently under review by the US Supreme Court, as the justices weighed Biden administration contentions that the accord improperly shields Sackler family members who own the company. Suits accused the company of downplaying the painkillers addiction risks and sacrificing patient safety to fatten up its bottom lines, making the family rich. Household names like Johnson & Johnson, Walmart Inc. and CVS Health Corp., have reached settlements where they have collectively agreed to pay billions over the next two decades to bolster police and drug-treatment budgets drained by the opioid crisis. Others include distributors such as AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health, along with McKinsey & Co. (Updates with Hikma settlement.) Copyright 2024 Bloomberg. Connecticut will eliminate about $650 million in medical debt for an estimated 250,000 residents this year, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday. The state will utilize $6.5 million in remaining COVID-19 funds from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act to cancel residents debt by contracting a nonprofit group that buys medical debt from hospitals at a reduced cost. The debt cancellation applies to residents whose medical debt equals 5% or more of their annual income or whose household income is up to 400% of the 2024 federal poverty line, according to a news release. There is no application process for eligible households. In addition, individuals who have their medical debt canceled will not be subject to any financial tax burden since the Internal Revenue Service does not consider medical debt canceled by nonprofits as taxable income, according to the release. Eligible residents should receive letters in the mail as early as this summer notifying them that their medical debt has been canceled, NBC Connecticut reports. While some U.S. cities have implemented similar measures to eliminate medical debt, Connecticut becomes the first to do so at a state level. Several state and local governments have seen significant success at canceling medical debt for their residents using this model, and I think this is absolutely the right way to use this COVID-recovery funding, Lamont said in a statement. This initiative will not only help Connecticut residents who are saddled with debt financially, but it also lifts the significant emotional toll that this type of debt has on individuals who do not have the means to get out, especially for those who are simultaneously experiencing significant medical problems. This debt erasure will put millions of dollars back into the Connecticut economy and provide an economic stimulus to local communities. CLEVELAND, Ohio A man wanted for murder in Georgia was arrested Thursday in Euclid by U.S. marshals. Davonte Lavonne Childs, 27, was wanted by Sandy Springs Police Department in Fulton County for homicide. Childs is accused of fatally shooting Yemi Mabiaku five times in the back on Aug. 17, 2021. Another person was shot by Childs during the incident, but survived. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Philip Esformes attends the 15th annual Harold & Carole Pump Foundation gala at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on August 7, 2015 in Century City, California. Convicted Medicare fraudster Philip Esformes has reached a plea deal that could resolve a long-running, complicated criminal case that has included his 20-year prison sentence being commuted by former President Donald Trump in 2020, court filings show. Terms of Esformes' plea agreement with the Department of Justice were not included in the filings Thursday. A Miami federal judge scheduled Esformes' change of plea hearing and sentencing for Feb. 22. A change of plea hearing typically involves a defendant pleading guilty. Lawyers for Esformes, who is free on a $50 million bond, did not respond to requests for comment. A DOJ spokesman declined to comment beyond noting, "Any plea agreement would have to be accepted by a judge." The expected plea comes after nearly two years of complaints by Esformes' supporters that federal prosecutors in seeking to retry him this year on charges that did not result in a verdict at his first trial were unjustly punishing him because of their anger over Trump's commutation of his prison term. Esformes' lawyers have said they are unaware of any other case in which the DOJ retried a defendant whose criminal sentence in the same case was commuted by a president. A plea in the case would let Esformes avoid another trial and another potentially stiff prison sentence if he were convicted as well as appeals that could take years to resolve. Esformes, who then owned more than 30 Miami-area nursing and assisted living facilities, was first charged in July 2016 with what the DOJ called a $1 billion, decades-long Medicare fraud and money-laundering scheme. Prosecutors at the time said it was "the largest single criminal health care fraud case ever brought against individuals" by the DOJ. "Esformes cycled patients through his facilities in poor condition where they received inadequate or unnecessary treatment, then improperly billed Medicare and Medicaid," said Denise Stemen, an F.B.I. deputy special agent, in 2019. "Taking his despicable conduct further, he bribed doctors and regulators to advance his criminal conduct and even bribed a college official in exchange for gaining admission for his son to that university," Stemen said. Esformes, who was considered a flight risk, was jailed after his arrest and remained there until he went to trial in April 2019. The shipping industry is eyeing the artificial intelligence wave, and self-navigating vessels could be on the horizon. With issues of high fuel rates and a shortage of crew workers willing to spend weeks across transoceanic voyages, many shipbuilding companies are using AI to help develop autonomous navigation ships, or self-driving boats. Worldwide, the autonomous ships market reached $4.13 billion in 2022, and is forecasted to grow to $10.1 billion in 2032, according to Emergen Research . "There's a lot of interest from shipyards and promoting this not only from a safety perspective, but training, cost reduction and other commercial reasons," said Patrick Ryan, global engineering and chief technology officer at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). "Covid had a big impact on the pace of adoption and excitement around autonomy, because it put a lot of stress on seafarers globally as they couldn't get off the vessels in certain ports because of restrictions around Covid," he added. Recent self-driving boat technology In June 2022 , Avikus, a HD Hyundai subsidiary, announced that its autonomous navigation system, HiNAS 2.0 (Hyundai Intelligent Navigation Assistant System), successfully enabled a 180,000 square-meter-class ultra-large LNG carrier in completing a transoceanic journey. The ship, known as Prism Courage, started its journey from Freeport located on the Gulf of Mexico, passed through the Panama Canal and arrived at the Boryeong LNG Terminal in Korea. Avikus said this journey marked the first time autonomous navigation successfully enabled a large vessel to complete a trip over 10,000 kilometers. HiNAS 2.0 deployed a level-three autonomous navigation system, meaning that human intervention is only deployed in an emergency situation. The success of the HiNAS 2.0 and Prism Courage journey marked a foray into greater commercialization and implementation of autonomous ship navigation technology. HiNAS 2.0 can be retrofitted onto existing ships, providing a potentially easier point of entry to implement self-navigation technologies. Previously, the Yara Birkeland, the first fully electric and autonomous container ship produced by Yara International ASA, cost $25 million, roughly three times the cost to build an average carrier vessel. It went into commercial operation in the spring of 2022. Yara International said that the autonomous ship provides cost savings of up to 90% by slashing fuel and crew expenses. Although developing self-navigation systems and AI technology for boats presents significant expenses in the short term, such advancements help shipping companies save margins in the long run, according to Carol Schleif, chief investment officer at BMO Family Office. Rudy Negenborn, a professor at Delft University of Technology, noted that the demand of autonomous navigation ships extends beyond oceans to include port areas, waterways and cities. "Autonomous systems can make better use of the capacity on waterways," said Negenborn. "The total volume which we want to transport is not likely to decrease autonomous systems can help alleviate congestion and make transport more energy-efficient," he added. Preventing attacks and errors While autonomous shipping technology can reduce the number of accidents stemming from human mistakes Ryan of the ABS estimates incidents at sea driven by human decision-making errors could be as high as 80% it's unclear whether it can alleviate the chaos caused by shipping attacks , most notably the strikes in the Red Sea. Whether autonomous navigation could've prevented the blockage of the Suez Canal by the Ever Given container ship isn't certain, Ryan added. However, he said the technology aids with safety and better decision-making. "In a general sense that it can help with safety and even things like reduced carbon emissions," Ryan said. "We can do improved weather routing, we improve navigation. We see some of the commercial reasons that companies are going down the autonomous navigation pathway from is [also] to reduce their carbon footprint." "A computer can make more timely, more sophisticated, more accurate decisions," he added. The big players The shipping companies at the forefront of autonomous navigation systems and AI are the incumbent large market players, said BMO's Schleif. "The big recognizable shipping names are the ones that are at the top because they have the cash to be able to invest in [AI]," said Schleif. These companies also have the data and processing power needed to create models for the technology and sensors, she added. The shipping industry has high barriers to entry because of the large-scale investments needed, as well as aggressive competition from existing companies and brand power associated with reliability. Within the market, numerous Asian and European companies have established themselves at the forefront of the AI movement in shipping. Schleif highlighted AP Moeller-Maersk , which began trialing AI-powered perception software on its container ships to improve situational awareness during journeys. U.S.-based investors can buy shares of the Danish company through American depositary receipts. U.S.-based traders can also gain exposure to Yara International through ADRs. Japan-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines is also accessible through ADRs. Mitsui O.S.K. had a successful trial of the first fully autonomous ship technology from port to port. The company is aiming for its fully autonomous ship technology to reach full-scale commercialization by 2025. Ryan highlighted Rolls-Royce as another preeminent name in developing autonomous solutions for commercial and government vessels. Shipbuilders aren't the only companies expected to benefit from the AI implementation in ships. Freight companies could get a boost as well, according to Morgan Stanley. "We have long believed the Freight Transportation space is on the cusp of and ripe for a generational shift driven by disruptive technologies, including autonomous [technologies]," analyst Ravi Shanker wrote in a note last May. Shanker highlighted J.B. Hunt , C.H. Robinson and Expeditors International as companies engaged in ocean-shipping that will benefit from autonomous operations. "This is a starting point for industry," Negenborn said. "This is not something that will fade away." Close up of woman's hand touching illuminated and multi-coloured LED display screen, connecting to the future. People, lifestyle and technology The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday published a framework for artificial intelligence governance, but experts say member states being at "different stages of digital development" could pose a challenge. "The guide seeks to establish common principles for trustworthy AI and suggest best practices for how to implement trustworthy AI in ASEAN," said Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information. Singapore is hosting the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting from Feb. 1-2 to discuss emerging digital issues including AI and cyber scams. Kristina Fong, lead researcher for economic affairs at ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, said "the light-touch, flexible approach" to managing AI risks with the guide is a "reflection of the challenges posed by the development gaps between ASEAN member states." She said the nations vary, "not only in terms of digital capabilities, but also in terms of the level of maturity of regulatory authorities, institutional capacities as well as the rule of law." "That is why it is important to have a forum to discuss these risks and issues and be able to have a coordinated approach to managing them, and more importantly, provide a way forward for ASEAN member states that are currently lagging behind," said Fong. The Mattel Inc. logo is displayed outside the headquarters of the toy company known for products including Barbie and Hot Wheels in El Segundo, California, on June 8, 2023. Activist investor Barington Capital is pushing Mattel to consider selling off its American Girl and Fisher-Price brands, citing underperformance within the divisions. Mattel shares gained 4% in Friday trading following a letter sent to Mattel on Thursday, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The toymaker's shares trade at roughly the same level as they did 20 years ago. Barington has an undisclosed stake in the company. American Girl and Fisher-Price, two iconic brands, are among the most popular in their respective markets. While the broader market has grown for the kind of toys that Fisher-Price makes, Barington's James Mitarotonda said in the letter to CEO Ynon Kreiz that Fisher-Price's revenue has fallen from $1.9 billion in 2015 to less than $1 billion by 2023. Mitarotonda said that if Mattel cannot stymie continued erosion in both Fisher-Price and American Girl, which has suffered similar declines, the company "may not be the right owner of these brands." Barington suggested the company should "immediately" explore strategic alternatives for those two segments. "We believe that these brands are now detracting from the success at Mattel's other segments and hurting shareholder value," Mitarotonda said in a release. A Mattel spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC, "We look forward to engaging with Barington as we do with all our shareholders. We welcome this initial outreach and we are reviewing their letter." The letter also highlighted "excessive" stock-based compensation that was higher than a group of peer companies, and claims Mattel continues to add back share-based compensation to the company's adjusted EBITDA, a practice Barington called "shocking." Barington also told Kreiz that the company should pause continued merger and acquisition efforts in favor of a $2 billion share repurchase operation, which would be an expansion of the company's existing share buyback program, and elevate lead director Michael Dolan to chair, a position Kreiz currently holds. Dolan is the former CEO of Bacardi, IMG and Young & Rubicam, an advertising firm. Barington has pursued campaigns at Bath & Body Works, Darden Restaurants and Chico's. It was founded in 2000. Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO: Gold purchases from central banks led to last year's surge, with purchases exceeding 1,000 tons for two consecutive years. Gold demand hit record highs in 2023 as persistent geopolitical tensions and weakness in China's economy pushed investors toward the safe haven asset, the World Gold Council said in report. Total gold transactions stood at 4,899 tons last year compared with 4,741 tons in 2022, inclusive of over the counter deals as well as stock flows that reflect changes to inventories on commodity exchanges. Unlike trading conducted by an exchange, OTC transactions take place directly between two parties. The biggest drivers of gold demand in 2023 were the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas conflict as well as the slowdown in China's economy and these could continue boosting the metal's prices well into 2024, said Shaokai Fan, global head of central banks at WGC. Prices hit an all-time high of $2,100 an ounce in December as central banks as well as retail investors increased purchases of gold central bank purchases have exceeded 1,000 tons for two consecutive years. "2023 was the second highest year in history of central bank gold buying, within a hair's breadth of the record high in 2022," Fan told CNBC in a Zoom interview. The report showed that the People's Bank of China was the biggest buyer of gold at 225 tons last year, bumping up its stock to 2,235 tons. "If you as an individual will see that your own central bank is buying large amounts of gold, you're at the very least more aware of gold Or maybe you're even influenced by the fact that your central bank is buying a lot of gold, you may think of gold as a personal investment as well," Fan said. China's real estate crisis has also pushed more investors toward gold, he highlighted. China Evergrande, once among the country's largest property developers, was ordered by a Hong Kong court to liquidate after the company failed to reach an 11th-hour deal over the weekend to restructure. The country's investments in gold bars and coins rose 28% from 2023 and stood at 280 tons last year. "Chinese investors are worried about the future of other asset classes, and they're turning to gold as a way to protect their investment portfolios," Fan said. Gold has actually done very well in renminbi terms, and very well compared to other asset classes in China." In this article GS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Omar Marques | Lightrocket | Getty Images Goldman Sachs abandoned an ill-fated push into consumer banking in late 2022, but an investment in a Texas energy retailer means its reach into American homes is about to grow. Rhythm Energy, a Houston-based electricity provider overseen and owned by a Goldman Sachs private equity fund, has won approval from federal authorities to expand from its home market into the more than dozen states where deregulated power firms operate, CNBC has learned. That covers energy networks, mostly in the Northeast, that provide electricity for 190 million Americans, according to federal data. The idea that a Goldman-linked company aims to make waves by providing an essential service to Americans could invite scrutiny on the bank and its efforts to grow revenue though so-called alternative investments. It also gets Goldman into an industry, albeit through an intermediary, that critics have called a hotbed of consumer abuse. Bad actors A wave of energy deregulation that began in the 1990s gave rise to a new group of retailers promising savings versus existing utilities. State attorneys general, consumer groups and industry watchdogs have alleged that some of these retailers use deceptive marketing and billing practices to saddle customers with higher costs. One estimate is that customers paid $19.2 billion more than they needed to in deregulated states over a decade. Rhythm, which calls itself the biggest independent green energy provider in Texas, positions itself as an honest company in a field of less scrupulous players. The startup, which began offering retail energy plans to Texans in 2021, avoids the teaser rates and hidden fees of rivals, it has said. "While some of our competitors like to charge up to 18 hidden fees, we're proud to charge exactly 0," Rhythm says on its website. But Rhythm's Texas customers paid an average rate of 18 cents per kilowatt hour in 2022, five cents per hour more than what customers of the state's regulated providers paid, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That figure doesn't include the impact of credits provided to solar customers, which reduces their costs, according to a person with knowledge of the company who wasn't authorized to speak on the record. Source: Rythym Although there have been "bad actors" in the residential power field, there have also been "great retailers with innovative products," James Bride, an energy consultant, said in an interview. "Realizing the potential there depends on ethical company behavior." Nothing found in online reviews, interviews with current and former customers and conversations with watchdogs contradicts Rhythm's claims of fair dealings and good service. "Goldman Sachs invests in numerous industries across our private funds on behalf of clients," a spokeswoman for the New York-based bank said in response to this article. "Many of those companies operate businesses that serve retail customers. This is not new." Goldman's growth engine Goldman's record of dealings with the American consumer is checkered: The bank was accused of profiting off the 2008 housing bubble by betting against subprime securities. Years later, the bank named its consumer effort Marcus in part to distance itself from that memory. But the consumer division was dragged down by ballooning losses, a talent exodus and unwanted regulatory attention. Goldman CEO David Solomon has now hitched his fortunes to the bank's asset management division, calling it the "growth engine" after the retail banking bust. As part of that effort, Goldman aims to raise more client money for private equity funds to help his goal of generating $10 billion in fees this year. Private equity firms have transformed the energy landscape in the nation's largest power markets. For instance, in the PJM zone including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland, private capital owns about 60% of the fossil fuel generators and enjoy less regulatory oversight than legacy utilities, according to an August report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. "Ownership status is important," the report's author Dennis Wamsted wrote. "Utilities are overseen by state regulators who have a vested interest in keeping costs for ratepayers in check; private capital is largely free from that oversight." Rhythm, which buys energy on wholesale markets and sells it to consumers, first appeared in headlines in November, after its application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission surfaced. The move made Goldman Sachs, via its private equity arm, one of the first Wall Street firms involved in selling retail energy contracts to households, according to Tyson Slocum, energy and climate director of consumer watchdog Public Citizen. Possible conflict? Workers assemble mobile phones at a Dixon Technologies factory in Noida, India, on Jan. 28, 2021. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images India could clock up to 8% annual GDP growth for several years as it focuses on boosting its manufacturing capabilities, a key government minister told CNBC on Thursday. "Every sector of the economy has seen a significant improvement in the manufacturing processes," Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said. He highlighted that manufacturing in electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and defense, have all seen great advancements and will tie into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative that encourages companies to manufacture and assemble goods in the country. His comments came close on the heels of the government's interim budget that earmarked 11.11 trillion rupees ($133.9 billion) in capital expenditure for fiscal year 2025, an 11.1% jump from the prior year. India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim budget on Thursday, which is a stop-gap arrangement before the full budget is tabled by the new government after the general elections later this year. "This budget will reinforce the process of making India which started 10 years back, [and] will lead to significant and consistent 7-8% growth rate for at least next five to seven years" Vaishnaw told CNBC's Sri Jegarajah. watch now He spoke extensively about the country's mobile manufacturing ecosystem, claiming that 99% of the phones used in India were made within the country. India is expected to have 1 billion smartphone users by 2026, according to Deloitte. India, which currently has the world's fifth largest consumer market, is set to move up to the third spot by 2027. The country exported $11 billion mobile phones last year, and they are likely to rise to between $13 billion and $15 billion in 2024, Vaishnaw said. Apple 's presence in India has grown exponentially since it first started manufacturing in the country in 2017. The company aims to produce 25% of all of its iPhones in the South Asian nation, according to another government minister. In April, Apple opened two retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai. Samsung announced in the same month that it will set up 15 premium experience stores across India by the end of the year in major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. "The mobile phone industry has consistently grown and is at a major inflection point now. This inflection point will lead to significantly higher growth in the coming," Vaishnaw said. The first made-in-India semiconductor chip from Micron is also expected to rollout in December, he added. Stronger U.S.-India ties Several analysts have said that India will be the biggest beneficiary of the "China plus one" strategy Western firms are beginning to adopt. "Global supply chains are gradually shifting their approach from one based on efficiency to one increasingly based on geopolitical risk management. As a result, the alternative strategies of reshoring, friendshoring, and nearshoring have become a hot topic for debate," a BofA client note from January said. As many as 61% of the 500 executive-level U.S. managers surveyed by UK market research firm OnePoll, that was commissioned by marketplace India Index in December, said they would pick India over China if both countries could manufacture the same materials, while 56% preferred India to serve their supply chain needs within the next five years over China. This is largely spearheaded by warming ties between U.S. President Joe Biden and India's Modi, with the former's "friendshoring" policy aimed at encouraging U.S. companies to diversify away from China making India an attractive alternative. US President Joe Biden hugs India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a welcoming ceremony for Modi, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that the European Union's approval of a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) aid package for the country sent a "clear signal" to Moscow about unity and also to the United States, where the passage of further aid has stalled. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy thanked EU leaders and said the four-year program would provide Ukrainians with financial guarantees for "social stability." The first two tranches of delivery require a larger amount of 18 billion euros per year to shore up state resilience, he said. "Europe has demonstrated exactly the kind of unity that is needed ... This is a clear signal to Moscow that Europe will withstand and that Europe will not be broken by any destructive waves that the Kremlin always comes up with," he added. "But at the same time, it is a clear signal across the Atlantic that Europe is taking on commitments. Security commitments. Strong commitments. We are waiting for America's decisions." U.S. President Joe Biden's government has been pushing for congressional approval for $61 billion in fresh funding for Ukraine for months. However, a bill to secure it which also includes funds for Israel and U.S. border security failed to move through a political deadlock at the end of 2023. The U.S. has been Ukraine's biggest military supporter by far, but the Pentagon in December said it had delivered its last security assistance until new funds are released. A redrafted version of the bill is expected to be released in the coming days, but still faces an uncertain passage through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Boris Nadezhdin, the Civic Initiative Party presidential hopeful, arrives at the Central Election Commission to submit signatures collected in support of his candidacy, in Moscow on January 31, 2024. Vera Savina | Afp | Getty Images Over President Vladimir Putin's 24 years in power, a systemic opposition has been wiped out in Russia with the Kremlin's political opponents either jailed or in self-imposed exile or, in some circumstances, even dead. But a challenger to Putin's long reign in office has emerged from an unlikely place within Russia's existing political establishment in the form of Boris Nadezhdin. Standing on a platform for peace with Ukraine, friendly and cooperative global relations and fair elections, as well as a fairer civil society and smaller state, Nadezhdin submitted his bid to run for the presidency Wednesday. The Kremlin has sought to dismiss Nadezhdin's potential to upset an election whose win for Putin is seen as a done deal. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CNBC Thursday that "we are not inclined to exaggerate the level of support for Mr. Nadezhdin." Nonetheless, the fact that Nadezhdin is even attempting to stand for election on an anti-war platform and has garnered a certain level of public support shows there is public appetite for his views, and that's likely to make the Kremlin nervous after it has staked its political legacy and future on a victory in Ukraine. Boris Nadezhdin, a representative of Civil Initiative political party who plans to run for Russian president in the March 2024 election, speaks to journalists at an office of the Central Election Commission in Moscow, Russia December 26, 2023. Maxim Shemetov | Reuters Russian political analysts point out that Nadezhdin, 60, isn't a political outsider or upstart but part of Russia's political establishment a former lawmaker who had been a member of political parties that endorsed Putin's leadership at the start of his political career over two decades ago. His recent foray into frontline politics, and bid to run for the presidential election, has seemingly been tolerated by Russia's political leadership and domestic policy makers, despite the misgivings of some pro-Kremlin activists, with Nadezhdin seen previously as a member of the system opposition that gives a veil of political plurality and legitimacy to Russia's largely autocratic leadership. However, Nadezhdin's recent growing popularity and prominence has changed that, political analysts say, and he now poses a challenge and a dilemma for the Kremlin as the election nears. "He has been always anti war and critical but he played the rules and respected the rules, so he didn't dare [challenge the political status quo], he was absolutely a part of the systemic opposition ... but he decided to go further," Russian political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya told CNBC Thursday. "[As soon as] he believed that thousands of people were behind him or even hundreds of thousands, he decided to play another game," Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and the founder of analysis firm R.Politik, said. "And it doesn't please domestic policy overseers at all. For them, this is a set up, this is a headache and a problem. Nadezhdin has now become a challenge," she said. Skating on thin ice? Nadezhdin is a well-known face in Russia. A former State Duma lawmaker, he has made a name for himself on popular TV chat shows on which he's become known for his critical views on Russia's war against Ukraine, or what Moscow calls the "special military operation." However, analysts note that he has been careful to stay within recent legislation that has made "discrediting" the armed forces a criminal offense that can lead to imprisonment. Nadezhdin has gained a popular following among sections of the Russian public and late last year he was nominated to stand in the election by the center-right Civic Initiative party. People queue to sign for the presidential candidacy of anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin. It is considered impossible that Nadezhdin could win the upcoming presidential election in Russia. However, the candidacy of the war opponent has met with unexpected approval from many Russians. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Formed just over 10 years ago, the party states in its manifesto that "its goal is the state to be man's servant, not his master" and says it wants to restore individual freedoms in Russia, such as freedom of speech and the right to protest, and to revive relations with the West. Nadezhdin has said in interviews that he would end the war with Ukraine, describing the war as a "fatal mistake." Those are brave words in Russia, and Nadezhdin himself has said he's unsure why he has not yet been arrested for his views. Many of his supporters have queued in freezing temperatures to add their support and, crucially, their signatures to back his bid to stand in the Mar. 15-17 election. Candidates representing political parties in Russia must collect at least 100,000 signatures from at least 40 regions in Russia in order to be considered as an election candidate. Putin, running as an independent (and requiring at least 300,000 signatures), reportedly gathered over 3.5 million signatures. Surrounded by his supporters and a gaggle of press as he delivered his bid to the Central Election Commission this week, Nadezhdin said 105,000 signatures had been submitted although just over 200,000 had been collected, his campaign website states. His campaign decided not to submit signatures collected from Russian citizens abroad, fearing they would be rejected. The Central Election Commission, which oversees electoral processes in Russia, will now review the eligibility of those signatures. Given the recent display of support for Nadezhdin, that could prove uncomfortable for the Kremlin, and there are concerns that the electoral authorities could find fault with a significant number of those signatures, meaning that a technicality real or otherwise could see him barred from running in the election. Stanovaya said that was a likely scenario, saying "it is really difficult for me to imagine that Nadezhdin will be allowed to run in the election, it would be absolutely weird." Stanovaya believed it was likely that the CEC would not recognize a portion of the signatures that Nadezhdin has garnered. CNBC was unable to reach the CEC for a response to the comment. Boris Nadezhdin, Civic Initiative party's candidate for Russia's 2024 presidential election, bringing 105,000 signatures to the polling station in Moscow, Russia on January 31, 2024. Boris Nadezhdin Press Service/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images Andras Toth-Czifra, a fellow in the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told CNBC that the Kremlin now had to weigh up the risks of letting Nadezhdin's name onto the ballet paper, and the potential for him to perform better than expected in the vote, or to disallow his candidacy before any real reputational damage can be done even while knowing that stopping Nadezhdin standing could also fan discontent. "Many have speculated, and I think this is true, that the original idea to let him stand as a candidate and collect signatures, and to express the mildly anti anti war message in his campaign, was to showcase how little support this position enjoys in today's Russia," Toth-Czifra said. "Now ... the question is how risky the Kremlin's political technologists deem it to allow this to go further and to let Nadezhdin be on the ballot," he told CNBC Thursday. "I'm pretty sure that the Kremlin will weigh these risks over the week while the Central Electoral Commission is verifying signatures ... There are arguments for letting Naezhdin run and there are arguments for taking him off the ballot paper. There are risks associated with letting him run and there are risks associated with taking him off the ballot," Toth-Czifra said. "I believe, from what we have seen so far, that probably the Kremlin thinks that the risks associated with taking him off the ballot are lower than the risks associated with letting him run," he added, particularly given that the Kremlin's risk perception is likely to be elevated in a time of war. "I'm pretty sure that there are already people in the Kremlin who think that he has gone too far already," Toth-Czifra said. Even if Nadezhdin is allowed to stand, there are no illusions that he can win the election in a country where Putin's approval ratings remain remarkably high and pro-Putin media dominate, and where political opponents are subject to extensive smear campaigns. Kremlin's Press Secretary Peskov told CNBC last fall that Russian "society is consolidated around the president" and that the Kremlin was confident Putin would win another term in office. LONDON Superdry shares soared more than 100% on Friday, as the embattled British fashion retailer confirmed that co-founder and CEO Julian Dunkerton is considering taking it private. The stock peaked at 48.55 pence (62 cents) per share shortly before 11 a.m. London time and was last trading at around 46 pence per share. A recent slump in sales and a falling share price have led to speculation that Superdry, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 2010, may become a takeover target. The rumors intensified this week, when it emerged that Norwegian hedge fund First Seagull had built a 5.3% stake in the company, making it the second-largest shareholder behind Dunkerton, according to LSEG data. The company confirmed in a market update Friday that Dunkerton had requested "permission to begin exploring the possibility of making an offer for the company," and to begin talks with potential financial backers, which the business accepted. "Julian Dunkerton has since confirmed to the Transaction Committee that he is engaged in discussions with potential financing partners ('Potential Sponsors') for the purposes of considering options in respect of the Company, which may include a possible cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company, not already owned by him," Superdry said. "These discussions are at a preliminary stage and no decisions have been made." Dunkerton has until March 1 to submit an offer or walk away under the U.K. Takeover Panel's regulations. General view of the back of an Army Black Knight cadet overcoat during the walk-on prior to the 124th Army-Navy football game on December 9, 2023, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Friday allowed West Point to continue to consider race in its admissions process for now, rebuffing a request made by a conservative group. In a brief order, the court denied a request brought by Students for Fair Admissions, the same conservative group that brought the cases that led to the court's ruling last year that ended affirmative action in higher education. That decision struck down admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. "The record before this Court is underdeveloped, and this order should not be construed as expressing any view on the merits of the constitutional question," the order said. West Point, based in New York state, provides higher education for U.S. Army cadets who go on to become officers after graduation. It is one of five such service academies, including the Naval Academy in Maryland and the Air Force Academy in Colorado. The Supreme Court ruling included a footnote saying that it did not resolve whether service academies like West Point could continue to consider race in admissions "in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present." The challengers, who have brought a similar claim against the Naval Academy, had asked the court to rule before Jan. 31, which is the deadline for people to apply to West Point for admission this year. "Should these young Americans bear the burden of West Point's unchecked racial discrimination? Or should West Point bear the burden of temporarily complying with the Constitution's command of racial equality?" lawyers for Students for Fair Admissions wrote in court papers. The group says that its membership includes two "full qualified, but white" West Point applicants. In asking the Supreme Court to immediately intervene, the challengers said that West Point's program is inconsistent with the Supreme Court's ruling last year. The academy awards preferences to Black, Hispanic and Native American applicants, they said in court papers. U.S. military leaders have long stressed the importance of racial diversity in leadership positions, in part because the rank and file is itself heavily diverse. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said in a court filing that for almost half a century "our nation's military leaders have determined that a diverse Army officer corps is a national security imperative and that achieving that diversity requires limited consideration of race in selecting those who join the Army as cadets." West Point has been considering applications since August and has already made hundreds of offers, Prelogar said. Lower courts declined to immediately prevent West Point considering race while the litigation proceeds. Elected Legislators attend a swearing-in ceremony at the chamber of the Legislative Yuan on the first day of session in Taipei on Feb. 1, 2024. Taiwan's parliament on Thursday elected a former presidential candidate for the largest opposition party as its new speaker, who will be responsible for hosting visiting foreign lawmakers and who the ruling party has said is pro-China. The Democratic Progressive Party's, or DPP, Lai Ching-te last month won the presidential election but the party lost its majority in parliament. China, which claims Taiwan as its own despite the objections of the government in Taipei, views the DPP as separatists. Under Taiwan's presidential system of government, it is the president who appoints the premier, though with no parliament majority now the DPP will have to work with the opposition to get its legislative agenda passed. Han Kuo-yu, from the largest opposition party the Kuomintang, or KMT, and who badly lost the presidential election to the DPP's Tsai Ing-wen in 2020, won the election for the speakership. One of the speaker's most important roles is hosting the many foreign lawmakers who visit Taiwan, such as then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022, a trip that so angered China it launched war games around the island after she left. The FTX logo is displayed on a phone screen and the representation of cryptocurrencies is seen in this photo taken in Krakow, Poland, on Nov. 14, 2022. Three people were indicted for an identity theft conspiracy that allegedly included the $400 million hack from FTX on the same day in November 2022 that the doomed cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy protection, court records show. Robert Powell, the 26-year-old alleged ringleader of the SIM-card swapping group that drained that crypto out of FTX's virtual wallets, was ordered released on a $10,000 bond after a detention hearing Friday in Chicago federal court. Powell's attorney Gal Pissetzky declined to comment. The Illinois resident and the other two defendants, Carter Rohn, 24, and 23-year-old Emily Hernandez, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud, in a scheme that ran from March 2021 to last April, and involved the co-conspirators traveling to cellphone retail stores in more than 15 states. All three were arrested last week in their respective states. The indictment issued in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., says the trio shared the personal identifying information of more than 50 victims, created fake identification documents in the victims' names, impersonated them and then accessed their victims' "online, financial and social media accounts for the purpose of stealing money and data." The scheme relied on duping phone companies into swapping the Subscriber Identity Module of cell phone subscribers into a cellphone controlled by members of the conspiracy, the indictment said. That in turn allowed the conspirators to defeat the multifactor authentication protection on the victims' accounts, giving them access to the money in those accounts. Rohn, an Indianapolis resident, was ordered held without bond after his arrest. His detention hearing will be held later in Washington. Hernandez, who lives in Fountain, Colorado, was released last week on a $10,000 bond. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment. The indictment does not identify FTX by name as the main victim of the conspiracy, but the details of the hack described in that charging document align with the details publicly known about the theft from FTX, which was collapsing at the time of the attack. A source familiar with the case confirmed that FTX was the victim mentioned in the indictment. Former FTX Chief Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted in November 2023 of conspiracy and wire fraud charges related to stealing $10 billion or more from customers. He is awaiting sentencing in Manhattan federal court next month. The new indictment related to the hack says that on Nov. 11, 2022, on the same day that FTX filed for bankruptcy protection, "Powell instructed his co-conspirators to execute a SIM swap of the cellular telephone account of an employee of Victim Company-1," or FTX. Later that same day, an unidentified co-conspirator sent Hernandez a fraudulent identification document containing personally identifiable information about an FTX employee, "but bearing Hernandez's photograph, which Hernandez then used to impersonate that person at a mobile service provider in Texas," the indictment alleges. After gaining access to the AT&T account of the FTX employee, co-conspirators sent Powell authentication codes that were needed to access the crypto company's online accounts, the indictment says. Later on Nov. 11 and continuing into the next day, "co-conspirators transferred over $400 million in virtual currency from [FTX's] virtual currency walls to virtual currency wallets controlled by the co-conspirators. The indictment says that several weeks before the FTX hack, the scheme looted $293,000 in virtual currency from one victim, and days later, stole more than $1 million in crypto from another person. A day after the FTX hack, the conspirators stole about $590,000 in crypto from an individual's virtual wallet. The arrests came three months after the blockchain intelligence company Elliptic reported that 180,000 units of the cryptocurrency Ether had been dormant after being stolen in the FTX hack, but then was converted into Bitcoin in late September. The Ether by that point was worth $300 million. Elliptic reported that the method of laundering the stolen crypto in an effort to hide its origin that a Russia-linked actor was behind the hack of FTX. "Of the stolen assets that can be traced through ChipMixer, significant amounts are combined with funds from Russia-linked criminal groups, including ransomware gangs and darknet markets, before being sent to exchanges," Elliptic said in a report in October. "This points to the involvement of a broker or other intermediary with a nexus in Russia." Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO: The Biden administration had made clear that the U.S. would take military action after the drone attack by Iran-backed militants at a remote U.S. base in Jordan, in which more than 40 others were wounded. Biden attended the dignified return of the three slain U.S. soldiers at Dover Air Force Base earlier Friday. "Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing," President Joe Biden said in a statement. "The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond." U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, hitting facilities such as command and control operations, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, and drone storage sites, according to the U.S. Central Command. WASHINGTON The United States launched attacks against Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on Friday, its first retaliatory strikes for the killing of three American soldiers in Jordan last weekend , according to an official at the Department of Defense. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin takes questions during a press conference at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 1, 2024. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital Tuesday after he was admitted to a critical care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center this week following hospitalization for a bladder issue. Syrian state television reported that the strikes killed and wounded people, but it did not specify an exact number of casualties. Before the strikes, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had promised a "multitier response" and officials told NBC News that Biden settled on a plan expected to unfold over multiple days, possibly weeks. American forces are expected to hit targets in different countries outside Iran, U.S. officials said. Follow for live updates Even as Biden and his deputies vowed to retaliate, they have added the caveat that Washington does not seek a war with Iran or a wider conflict in the region, a sentiment that was reiterated in the president's statement on Friday. Their calibrated statements appeared to indicate that it was unlikely the reprisal strikes would hit targets inside Iran itself. "We will continue to work to avoid a wider conflict in a region, but we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our interests and our people," Austin told reporters at a Pentagon news conference Thursday. Iran has denied involvement in the drone attack and said it, too, does not seek a direct confrontation with the U.S. After previous attacks by Tehran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria that wounded but did not kill some American troops, Biden ordered airstrikes that targeted the militants' weapons depots and other sites. But the pace of rocket and drone attacks dramatically increased after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. There have been more than 160 attacks on U.S. forces by Iran-backed groups since Oct. 7, according to the Pentagon. Meanwhile, Houthi forces in Yemen have attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with drones and missiles, vowing to continue until Israel halts its military campaign in Gaza. U.S. Navy warships have shot down dozens of the Houthi drones and missiles but some have hit commercial vessels, prompting a slew of major shipping companies to shift cargo onto other, longer routes. In recent weeks, the U.S. military also carried out strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, hitting launch sites and command centers. It's unclear if the Biden administration will choose to go after Iranian ships suspected of assisting the Houthis to find targets with electronic intelligence. The last time the U.S. military targeted an Iranian ship was in 1988, when the Navy launched retaliatory attacks in the Persian Gulf after an American vessel was hit by a mine planted by Iran. Tehran has denied direct involvement in the Jordan incident but has warned that it will respond to any threat from the U.S. "We will not start any war but, if anyone wants to bully us, they will receive a strong response," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a televised speech Friday. "We hear threats coming from American officials, we tell them that they have already tested us and we now know one another, no threat will be left unanswered," the chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, said Wednesday. In 2023, Singapore welcomed 1.1 million Indian tourists, marking a substantial 115% increase in overall visitor numbers, reaching 13.6 million from the pandemic-affected 6.3 million in 2022, Singapore Tourism (STB) said on February 1. The upswing in visitor arrivals was due to robust demand from key markets, However, India was not the primary tourism generating market for Singapore. In fact it fell to the fifth spot, with markets such as Indonesia (2.3 million), China (1.4 million), and Malaysia (1.1 million), becoming the top three markets. India was ranked fifth, after Australia, from where 1.1 million tourists visited the Asian country in 2023. Earlier in November 2023, India was the third tourism-generating market for Singapore. However, after the city-state announced visa-free arrival for Indonesian passport holders, the country witnessed highest arrivals from there. Also read: Singapore anticipates tourism receipts for 2023 to range between SG $24.5 billion and SG $26 billion, surpassing STB's earlier forecast of S $18 billion to SG $21 billion. This represents approximately 88% to 94% of 2019 levels. The final figures for tourism receipts will be disclosed in the second quarter of 2024. STB reported an increase in the average length of stay to approximately 3.8 days in 2023, compared to 3.4 days in the same period in 2019. Singapore's tourism sector demonstrated resilience and robust recovery throughout 2023. Singapore and China's agreement for a mutual 30-day visa-free entry is expected to commence on February 9, coinciding with the Chinese New Year. The STB projects that international flight capacity will approach or match pre-pandemic levels in 2024, leading to an expected 15 to 16 million international visitor arrivals, generating SG $26 billion to SG $27.5 billion in tourism receipts. Humans are really good at improvising fixes to everyday dilemmas, as illustrated by the countless rolls of duct tape we use every year. But our ancestors lacked many of the basic resources that we take for granted (how did those poor saps get by without zip ties, anyway?), so they had to resort to some pretty bizarre methods to solve their problems. Remember, it's only a stupid solution if it doesn't work. 6 Turnspit Dogs Were Bred Solely To Cook Meat The turnspit was the most important part of the kitchen throughout the Middle Ages, much like the Domino's speed dial button today. But someone had to constantly rotate the spit, a task that fell to the kitchen staff's lowliest member. But why waste a good peasant when you could make a new type of dog for the task? Yes, the Middle Ages thought of dogs like we think of robots -- the often poor, needlessly complicated solution to virtually every problem. Henry Wigstead Yup, there really was a time when the height of technology was a Flinstones gag. Described for the first time in 1576, the turnspit dog had a long body and stout, powerful legs. It had to be small so it could fit inside a wooden wheel attached to the turnspit by a chain. As the dog ran, it rotated the iron spit, leaving the kitchen staff free to prepare other food with their unwashed hands. Francis Butler/Library of Congress A slight glaze of hair and fleas really brings out the flavor of a spit roast. For the next 300 years, turnspit dogs powered kitchens of all sizes, roasting the meat, pressing the fruit, or churning the butter. They would generally come in pairs so one could work while the other rested, but they weren't cherished members of the household or anything. They were basically thought of as blenders with legs. Their treatment was part of what inspired activist Henry Bergh to start the ASPCA, after he witnessed turnspit dogs employed in a Manhattan hotel in the 1850s. They did get Sundays off to attend church, but only so they could serve as foot warmers. The breed eventually became a sign of poverty, and after a mechanical spit turner was invented, died out around 1900. There is only a single specimen still around today. His name is Whiskey, and he is preserved via taxidermy at Abergavenny Museum in Wales. Advertisement 5 Before Purses, Chatelaines Held Everything A Woman Needed 19th-century women's clothing did not have pockets. So it was exactly like modern women's clothing. But the cavernous handbag hadn't yet come into vogue, so women had nowhere to keep their many daily tools. The solution? Dangle everything from a clip like a steampunk Juggalo. Genevieve Cummins One does not deign to Whoop whoop in polite company, but know that a mannered lady is always down with the clown. Advertisement Advertisement The set of chains were called a chatelaine -- French for "mistress of the castle," in honor of the massive key rings held by the ladies of the grand estates. The chatelaine held all the items a "mistress of the house" would need: notebooks and pencils, scissors, scent bottles, penknives, tape measures, thermometers, sewing supplies, seals, and even a whistle. Chatelaines gained popularity as both practical tools and fashion accessories, which led to a variety of styles. There were "mourning" chatelaines, sporting chatelaines for active lifestyles, and even this one inexplicably adorned with the creepy heads of soulless dogs. Famous jewelers like Tiffany & Co. created luxurious versions to cash in on the craze, and miniatures were made as accessories for dolls. Chatelaines were common enough that Punch (the Victorian version of The Onion) mocked their increasing complexity, and predicted that they'd eventually be used to leash children. Then one day somebody said, "I wish I just had, like, a bag for all this stuff," and the entire world slapped their foreheads simultaneously. Punch Magazine Punch Magazine Actually, we can kind of see the appeal of that last one. Advertisement Advertisement 4 Fire Grenades Literally Fought Fire With Fire 1700s England was exceptionally flammable, which was why Ambrose Godfrey invented a handheld device back in 1723 that would allow civilians to quickly combat conflagrations. It was called the fire grenade, because ... well, that's exactly what it was. Godfrey's orb-like extinguisher contained a flame-suppressing liquid and a chamber full of gunpowder. When thrown into a blaze, the gunpowder would explode and scatter said liquid, putting out the fire. The Harden Hand Grenade Fire Extinguisher Company At last, people could choose between burns and shrapnel injuries. Advertisement If a fire broke out, old-timey citizens could grab their trusty Harden Star Hand Grenade or Red Comet Firemaster, which many homes and workplaces had hanging from wall brackets, then throw or roll it at the base of the flame -- ideally while shouting something like, "Hey fire, you're fired!" before slowly walking away from the explosion without looking back. Advertisement Innovations in fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems eventually pushed fire grenades out of favor. But it also didn't help that, like everything else made before about 1970, fire grenades were toxic. The flame-dousing carbon tetrachloride was already harmful, but high temperatures (such as those produced by, say, a fire) converted it to phosgene, a lung-destroying compound that would eventually be used as a chemical weapon in WWI. So we're much safer with the modern versions, but far less badass. Is it truly worth it? Advertisement 3 Old Teacups Came With Mustache Guards A 19th-century gentleman loved two things above all others: his mustache and his tea. But alas, they did not love one another. Drinking anything could mess up the mustache, and tea especially stained one's whiskers -- an irrevocable faux pas that probably warranted the death penalty back then. And so the mustachioed men of the 19th century lived under a dark shroud, until Englishman Harvey Adams invented the mustache cup in the 1870s. It quickly spread throughout Europe, and numerous inventors patented similar devices in the following decades. For instance, there's the mustache spoon, which turned every bowl of soup into a full-day affair. Advertisement And with the detachable mustache guard, a gentleman about town could be ready no matter where a devious liquid should present itself. Donaldson & Co Drinking with a straw wasnt needlessly complicated enough. Advertisement Truly, it was a far more elegant age. Has there ever been a darker moment in sitcom history than when George Costanzas fiancee Susan dies after licking the toxic glue on cheap wedding invitation envelopes? If there has been, that black comedy was probably another scene from Seinfeld, a den of depravity masquerading as a barrel of laughs. u/Paraparaparacelsus recently asked the r/seinfeld subreddit to look beyond the Susan comic-tragedy this is hard mode, folks for the shows darkest jokes. Here are some of the most disturbing comedy bits in Seinfeld history. 1 Serenity Now, Insanity Later u/Paraparaparacelsus provided the starter, offering up Lloyd Braun, the guy who bottled up too much anger listening to Franks Serenity Now audiotapes. Braun blames the tapes for a trip to the nuthouse. George thought the reason was because they found a family in your freezer. Note that Braun doesnt deny the accusation. 2 How Did You Know About the Guy in the Park? Advertisement Advertisement The fact that Kramer might have strangled people to death isnt even the most disturbing part of this interrogation scene. When Kramer is suspected of being a serial killer in LA, the police interrogator speculates maybe a run-in with a pervert in a park warped Kramer to become a killer, explains u/jiggabot. Yikes. When Kramer asks the cop how he knew about the creep in the park, are we getting a peek into Cosmos unsettling past? 3 So You Were Violated by Two People While You Were Under the Gas Advertisement Advertisement While coming out from under his nitrous oxide haze, Jerry sees dentist Tim Whatley and his assistant adjusting their clothes as if theyd just finished a love tryst. Jerry cant help feeling as if he was sexually violated while he was unconscious. So what? says Elaine. Youre single. Im damaged goods now! exclaims Jerry. Elaine is unfazed. Join the club. 4 Im Sorry, Kramer, Those Records Are Permanently Sealed Advertisement Advertisement Jerry cant believe Kramer has never gotten a woman pregnant Youve never slipped one past the goalie in all these years? Is Jerry implying that most men have? Kramer has the same question: Did you ever get a woman pregnant? Im sorry, Kramer, Jerry replies with a smirk. Those records are permanently sealed. The moment is off-putting enough to make u/Tele_Gretsch wonder, Does Jerry have kids all over NYC? More likely hes paid for a few abortions all over NYC, replied u/GregorSamsaa. 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. Anti-China forces try to whip up fear 10:01, February 02, 2024 By Tom Fowdy ( China Daily An otherwise small incident occurred recently in London, when some Chinese tourists asked that they not be filmed while a British man was playing on a public piano and livestreaming on YouTube. The scene devolved into a confrontation. The response of mainstream media, as well as that of anti-China activists and politicians online, was to claim that it was an example of "Chinese interference "in the United Kingdom, and that the personal preferences of the people involved had malign political purposes, as if they were being controlled by China. That such an incident was exaggerated in this way is not unusual in the China discourse of some Western media. Every single event or development, no matter how large, is commonly blown out of proportion and never taken at face value or as something trivial, but depicted as a part of a deliberate geopolitical plot by China to impose its will on the world. In doing so, nothing that stems from China is depicted as having its own agency or decision-making, but rather is always under the control of the state authorities. In other words, everything and everyone from China is taken as part of a grand conspiracy against the West in some way, even things as benign as a Chinese language class through a Confucius Institute. However, a closer inspection of such discourse clearly suggests that it isn't true, that people are quick to stigmatize and accuse Chinese people, organizations and companies as acting on behalf of the government on often baseless or unconvincing evidence, and that it does not matter how unreasonable specific claims may be. In doing so, the mainstream media and anti-China figures deliberately cultivate a culture of fear pertaining to all things China in order to advance their political objectives and also stifle opposition debate. This has irreversible consequences for ordinary Chinese people. In pushing this fear, they have learned that they can use the ideological argument of "anti-Communism" as a facade to hide, justify and push other prejudices regarding China, or pretty much anything they dislike. The biggest contemporary example of this was the COVID-19 pandemic, whereby China was viciously scapegoated as being responsible for a global pandemic. In other words, linking and associating people and things with the Communist Party of China is a vehicle for discrediting and attacking them by portraying their words, actions and deeds in strictly conspiracy terms, thus invoking fear and suspicion. It does not matter how irrational it may be in logical terms; hence, British media will even say that a Chinese coffee machine can spy on you. Rarely mentioned is how the CPC has managed to lead the Chinese in getting rid of absolute poverty, lifting millions to a good and prosperous life. Therefore, a confrontation in London is exaggerated by the media into being the culpability of China and its government as a whole. Chinese people are depicted as not having their own opinions, lives or preferences, but instead are determined to force their ideology on other countries in a top-down scheme from the country's leadership. Therefore, as populist movements have swept the West, such as those involving Brexit and former US president Donald Trump, it has become a popular tactic for political opponents to blame these outcomes not on voter discontent or social fractures, but on foreign interference, which has the negative impact of closing down domestic debate and making some opinions unacceptable. The same thing is happening about China, whereby the mainstream media are all too quick to push hysteria over small incidents and thus whip up anti-China fear, which they claim is targeted at only the government, but for all practical purposes has an impact on everyone. The author is a British political and international relations analyst. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) US Dollar and Gold Analysis US dollar rallies after US NFPs beat expectations by a wide margin. Gold slides as US rate cut expectations are pushed back. Recommended by Nick Cawley Get Your Free USD Forecast Get My Guide The latest US NFP release showed the US jobs market in rude health with 353k new jobs created in January compared to forecasts of 180k. Last months headline figure was also revised higher to 333k from 216k. The closely watched unemployment rate remained steady at 3.7%. For all economic data releases and events see the DailyFX Economic Calendar The US dollar was on the backfoot going into the Jobs Report as recent demand for US Treasuries sent their yields tumbling. Renewed US regional banking fears shares in New York Community Bancorp slumped by around 40% on Wednesday drove haven demand, leaving the greenback vulnerable to the downside. New York Community Bancorp Daily Price The US dollar index jumped around 50 ticks after the release hit the screens, reversing all of todays earlier losses. The greenback remains rangebound, for now, but may soon test the 103.83/85 double highs seen over the last couple of weeks. US rate cut expectations pared post-release with less than a 20% chance now seen of a cut in March from 35% before the release while May expectations are now 77% compared to a high 80s earlier. US Dollar Index Daily Chart Golds recent grind higher was quickly reversed after the 13:30 release. Gold tagged $2,065/oz. yesterday, before paring gains. Gold currently trades at $2,033/oz. and is sitting on a prior level of horizontal support and both the 20- and 5-day simple moving averages. A break below here bring $2,009/oz. back into play. Gold Daily Price Chart Chart via TradingView Retail trader data show 53.45% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.15 to 1.The number of traders net-long is 4.72% lower than yesterday and 13.51% lower than last week, while the number of traders net-short is 19.02% higher than yesterday and 19.14% higher than last week. See how daily and weekly changes in IG Retail Trader data can affect sentiment and price action. Gold Mixed Data provided by of clients are net long. of clients are net short. Change in Longs Shorts OI Daily 1% 12% 7% Weekly 2% 0% 1% What is your view on Gold bullish or bearish?? You can let us know via the form at the end of this piece or you can contact the author via Twitter @nickcawley1. No, missus. Titter ye not. How long before every re-run of a Frankie Howerd show has to come with a trigger warning? Im not joking, missus. Rolling your eyes is now officially considered to be racist. Yes, no, really. I said, Francis. Fran-cis, I said. There goes the act. You dont believe me? Please yourselves. Look, its wicked to mock the afflicted. But racist? Where does that leave Nookie Bear, come to that? Another eye roller extraordinaire. What about the great Louis Armstrong? Are you telling me Satchmo was a racist? What a wonderful world we live in today. I kid ye not. Where would Frankie Howerd have been without his trademark, bug-eyed expression of exasperated disbelief? Where would Frankie Howerd have been without his trademark, bug-eyed expression of exasperated disbelief? Yet if he tried it on at the Department for Transport he would have been drummed out of the Brownies. The DfT is just one of a number of government ministries and agencies frittering away a small fortune on stamping out so-called microaggressions against women and minorities. Civil servants sent on diversity training courses have been told that rolling their eyes or looking at a mobile phone while someone else is speaking could be signs of sexual or racial discrimination. What? If everyone who spent all day gawping at their iPhone was guilty of misconduct, thered be no one left working in the civil service. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Despite being told by ministers not to waste money on fatuous diversity, equality and inclusion brainwashing, the Sir Humphreys have continued to send staff on training courses. More than 160,000 has been spent in recent years on consultancies peddling this divisive, woke drivel. Ventriloquist Roger de Courcey and swivel-eyed Nookie Bear The Education and Skills Funding Agency, responsible for ensuring that money is well spent in schools, splashed out 1,000 a head on microaggression training. This is the latest scam, imported from the U.S., which is designed to detect racism, sexism and every other kind of ism where none is intended, or even exists. The charlatans who run these ludicrous courses even admit as much. One concedes: Microaggressions are usually delivered by well-intentioned individuals unaware that they have engaged in harmful conduct toward a socially devalued group. It only serves to feed the victim culture and create still more grounds for malcontents to file compensation claims for discrimination. For instance, a British woman of Indian descent recently told a tribunal that she had been subject to racial discrimination because her bosses raised their eyebrows when she was talking. Fortunately, the case was thrown out. Rolling your eyes, or raising your eyebrows, when someone is talking gibberish or making a Horlicks of something is human nature. Its not racist, its inherent in every race on earth. But the search for new microaggressions to be punished continues apace, predominantly in the public sector, where taxpayers money is no object. Last year, the head of Manchester Fire Brigade wrote to staff banning the use of the word firemen. Dave Russell, who is paid 172,000 a year to put out fires, deal with motorway pile-ups and rescue cats from trees, insisted firemen had no place in our vocabulary. Its connotation is sexist, exclusionary and represents a form of microaggression that is damaging to our culture. Anyone using this heinous, sexist expression could presumably face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Never mind Call The Fire Brigade. Nurse! Jazz legend Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo, made a virtue out of his distinctive eyes Not even the royal household is immune from this madness. Staff who look after properties including Hampton Court Palace have been warned that telling a female colleague you look so young is a microaggression. You couldnt make it up. Try telling her how old she looks and see how far that gets you. You might just as well tell her how big her bum looks in this. Come to think of it, you shouldnt even assume shes female any more. The way things are going, its only a matter of time before that famous old Carry On ditty about Henry VIII has to be re-written to include the line: On the day that Good King Harry got her Hampton Court . . . Titter ye not, missus. Frankie Howerd would have had a field day with that. Oh, please yourselves. Police in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, stopped a man running down the street with a fridge strapped to his back. Daniel Fairbrother explained that he hadnt stolen it, he was training for the London marathon and was hoping to break the world record for completing the race while carrying a household appliance. A fridge too far, so to speak. When the cops heard he was running in aid of a diabetes charity, they accepted his explanation and wished him luck. This could well become a convenient Get Out Of Jail card next time theres a full-scale riot in one of our city centres. Any looter legging it with a flat-screen TV could claim they were doing it for charity. Imagine the scene back at the nick. PC Hollis, why did you let that kid go after you stopped him carrying half a dozen boxes of trainers in his backpack? They were Air Jordans, sarge. He said he was running the London marathon to raise money for charity . . . Mind how you go. Heres an idea to tackle the recruitment crisis in the Armed Forces. More than 100,000 migrants have crossed the Channel illegally, at least 90 per cent of them young men of military age. All insist they have come to Britain to work hard and contribute to society. So lets give them the opportunity. If they are sincere about wanting to be loyal British residents, they can have no objection to being conscripted into the Army, Navy or RAF on arrival. Anyone who refuses will be deported immediately. Anyone who deserts after basic training will be shot. If they serve say, five years, well let them stay and put them on the path to citizenship. This would also have another added advantage. Instead of turning former Army camps and RAF stations into homes for asylum seekers, the money can be better spent turning them back into, er, Army camps and air bases. Save Time, Stay Home, Protect Uber Uber has won a contract to deliver NHS prescriptions from 1,500 local pharmacies. Patients will be able to order repeat prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines using a special app. Around 750,000 people will get their meds delivered to their doorstep in as little as an hour, rather than wait a couple of days to pick them up from the chemist. Its part of the overhaul of NHS services, which will see pharmacists treating common ailments and freeing up GP time for face-to-face appointments. This got me wondering whether it might not be worth handing over the running of the entire, shambolic NHS to Uber. At least your ambulance might turn up on time. Then I started to imagine what Uber would be like if it was organised along the same lines as the health service. For a start, if you wanted a ride, youd have to log on at 8am, only to discover there were no cabs available in your area and you were being held in a queue behind 7.7 million other people. If you did manage to find a car, it wouldnt be a shiny new hybrid Prius, it would be a clapped-out Cortina with a peeling vinyl roof and bald tyres and would be with you six months on Wednesday. Thats if it wasnt cancelled at the last minute, just as it was about to turn into your road because all the drivers had gone on strike again or were working from home. As for Uber Eats, if it was anything like hospital food, youd be lucky to get a congealed lump of cold mashed potato and half a dozen tinned spaghetti hoops. Plus, just like the NHS, youd have to pay for it surge pricing and all whether you used Uber or not. Getting Uber to deliver prescriptions is one thing. Letting self-serving NHS bureaucrats run Uber would be a prescription for total disaster as the car-sharing app lurched from one crisis to another. Save Time, Stay Home, Protect Uber. There has been a 20-year campaign. There has been endless coverage in newspapers, including this one. There was even a TV drama, watched by millions, which put the Post Office scandal back in the headlines. Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV) had many viewers weeping at the scale of the Kafkaesque injustice foisted upon sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses laid bare over four harrowing episodes. Yet still there has been scant justice for these unfortunate men and women. For how much longer must they wait? To recap. Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office wrongfully prosecuted more than 700 branch managers for theft, fraud and false accounting based on information from a computer system called Horizon, made by Japanese tech giant Fujitsu. Incredibly, even when they knew the system was faulty, the Post Office carried on with the prosecutions. I do hope that this is something they might one day have to explain in a court of law. Id certainly like someone to clarify exactly why it is not a criminal act that the money wrongly taken from the sub-postmasters was absorbed into Post Office profits and then shared out in bonuses between bosses. Isnt that what the Mafia used to do? ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office brought home to British audiences how the Horizon IT scandal brought devastation to the lives of hundreds of postmasters In the meantime, justice still seems a long way off. This week, there was yet another blow upon the bruise. On Wednesday, chief Post Office campaigner Alan Bates turned down an offer of compensation from the Government, calling the amount cruel, derisory and a sixth of what he had requested. Its just a terrible way to treat human beings, he said. And it is. It really is. In 2022, the Government promised full and fair compensation to sub-postmasters affected by the scandal. Last month Rishi Sunak introduced legislation to acquit all those convicted in the Horizon IT scandal. He wrung his hands and called it one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nations history and added that the victims must get justice and compensation. Yet where are we now? Post Office fat cats get fatter while the Government sits on its hands and does little that is helpful. Look at the case of Mr Bates. The offer of compensation was finally made on Wednesday, 111 days after he made his claim, two decades after he first noticed something was wrong with the Horizon system installed in his Llandudno post office. His claim was prepared with the help of forensic accountants, he left out no important detail, he could be forgiven for thinking closure was on the horizon no pun intended at last. For one might have hoped that by this sorry hour the Post Office would do the decent thing. That they would say to all the claimants, including Mr Bates, sorry for ruining your lives. Here is the amount you have calculated we owe you. In full. Back-dated. We take your word for it. Some things that happened to you can never be compensated, but please take the money with our apologies and our belated good grace. Of course, nothing of the sort has happened. The Post Office which is owned by the Government is seemingly still fighting to get away with as much as they can, paying as little as they can. For months the claims of Mr Bates and other Post Office managers have been pored over by legal teams and accountants, at God know what cost to us, the taxpayers. Each settlement has been carefully considered and negotiated. While it is understandable that due process must be followed, it is still a pity that Post Office managers were not given the same meticulous consideration when they were accused of stealing and then summarily prosecuted, despite their innocence. It is hard not to escape the conclusion that, even now, these Post Office managers are being treated as criminals or at the very least people who cannot be trusted. Their claims are looked upon sceptically. Their version of events cannot be depended upon. They are still at the mercy of an unyielding layer of obstructive bureaucracy held in a hellish limbo by organisations, executives and legal experts who seem determined to delay any form of belated salvation. They are making the Post Office victims fight for every last penny, begrudging them every sixpence. It is an absolute disgrace. There was a flurry of outraged reaction after Mr Bates vs The Post Office was screened in the first week of January. I wrote about it myself. Make Post Office CEO Paula Vennells hand back her CBE! Or else! 1.2 million furious people signed a petition to this effect, but Vennells returned her gong before the Government had to act. Since then, silence. What a hollow victory that now seems. It would be more meaningful if Miss Vennells and other Post Office executives donated their million-pound bonuses to help compensate the employees they so heinously wronged. It would be even better Toby Jones, left, played campaigner Alan Bates, right, in the ITV drama series if the Government made Fujitsu chip in, too. Perhaps it was naive to expect much to change in one month, but still, here we are: no further forward and maybe even two steps back. If anyone feels they are owed more than is being offered, we are happy to discuss the evidence with their legal advisers, say the Post Office officials smoothly. If agreement cannot be reached, decisions will be made by an independent panel. Independent panel! Negotiations! Feel they are owed more! How bloody insulting. After all these years, Alan Bates and his colleagues are still being treated like grubby villains on the make, little people who can be fobbed off with the crumbs while everyone else gorges on the profits cake. When, when, when are these decent people, whose lives have been ruined through no fault of their own, going to get the justice they deserve? Who is going to atone for the sins wreaked upon them? Certainly not former Post Office minister Ed Davey, who has finally made a slippery demi-apology for not seeing through the Post Offices lies. Certainly not Paula Vennells (non CBE). And, at this rate, certainly not the Government either. The disheartening news that Tory MP Mike Freer is quitting Parliament following a decade of intimidation, death threats and an arson attack triggered the inevitable soul-searching in Westminster. The Commons Speaker called for a 'nicer politics'. The Prime Minister said the campaign against his colleague was an 'attack on democracy'. MPs expressed concern that civilised debate was being drowned out by the shrill voices of hatred. Something must be done, they all agreed. But will it? The fact is, this problem will not be solved until the country confronts, rather than indulges, the Islamist threat. Mr Freer has been hounded by Muslim fanatics and was targeted by the extremist who murdered MP Sir David Amess. Since 2017, Britain has suffered at least six Islamist atrocities. Two secular London schools have recently suffered masked protests and been threatened with bombing by Muslim hardliners. Tory MP Mike Freer (pictured) is quitting Parliament following a decade of intimidation, death threats and an arson attack Mr Freer has been hounded by Muslim fanatics and was targeted by the extremist who murdered MP Sir David Amess (pictured) A Batley teacher remains in hiding after showing a cartoon of the prophet Muhammad in a lesson. An autistic child was forced to go to a mosque to atone for accidentally scuffing the Koran. The list goes on. These are the actions of a violent minority of religious extremists who loathe Britain's liberal values and tolerance and want to topple them. How has it come to this? Our politicians and institutions are too often cowed by political correctness to act against minorities who flout our laws and cultural norms. Multiculturalism has seen too many Muslim families insulated from wider British society, their communities becoming Petri dishes for extremism. Meanwhile, since the October 7 attacks on Israel, the police have failed to clamp down on anti-Semitic thuggery, which has encouraged Islamists to flex their muscles. It doesn't help, either, that the BBC turns a blind eye to swathes of anti-Semitism. Of course, the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the UK contribute to and enrich our society. And no-one can deny there are extremists among other ethnic, political and religious groups. The far-Right who murdered Labour MP Jo Cox are an ongoing headache for the police. But there is a growing problem with the creed of Islamism. To combat it, our leaders must unapologetically promote a sense of Britishness shared values and a shared understanding of acceptable behaviour. And it must challenge the pernicious ideology at every opportunity not be frozen in fear of being called racist. A cancer wake-up call It is an uncomfortable fact for those who like to claim that the NHS is the envy of the world: Britain's cancer survival rates have fallen behind comparable countries. Meanwhile, experts predict a 50 per cent rise in cancer deaths by 2050. So why is this happening? One explanation is we have a rapidly aging and growing population. People who avoided using the NHS during Covid are now succumbing to illnesses that were diagnosed too late. And many of us are obese, which heightens the cancer risk. Predictably, Rishi Sunak is being urged to chuck billions more into the ever-burning furnace of the NHS budget. But the reality is that the system is broken. Without radical reform it can never meet Britain's worsening and complex cancer care needs. It is an uncomfortable fact for those who like to claim that the NHS is the envy of the world: Britain's cancer survival rates have fallen behind comparable countries On reaching their mid-70s, most people will start to take things easy. The Queen and Princess Anne show no sign of slowing down. It has been uplifting to see them enthusiastically carrying out so many official engagements in recent days, and their commitment to duty is inspirational. This is strikingly different to Harry and Meghan, whose latest bid for relevance has been to release a video urging social media firms to do more to keep children safe. Yes, their message is right. But wouldn't it have been more powerful had they not chosen lucrative exile in California over royal obligation? As German tanks rolled into the French capital on 14 June 1940, no one was thinking about fashion. For decades Paris had been heralded as the style capital of the world, but as the Nazis swarmed into France all the colour and verve that had characterised the nation slowly gave way to the grey ugliness of war. Yet even as the dark days of Occupation unfolded, an extraordinary group of people were fighting to bring Paris once more into the light. Now a forthcoming Apple TV+ series, The New Look, featuring a stellar cast including Juliette Binoche, Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Ben Mendelsohn, explores how iconic designer Christian Dior along with contemporaries such as Cristobal Balenciaga and Pierre Balmain helped launch modern fashion. And then there was Coco Chanel lauded for her creations but whose hugely controversial actions during the war have cast a pall over her reputation. The details of what defined them in their personal lives, the forces that shaped them, the specific choices they all made... this is what led to a cultural revolution that brought spirit and life back to a world decimated by the Second World War, says Todd A Kessler, the shows creator. Filmed in Paris in collaboration with the House of Dior, the luxury brand that still carries his name, the ten-part series focuses on Christian Dior (played by Bloodlines Ben Mendelsohn), whose experience of the war was very different to Chanels. A forthcoming Apple TV+ series, The New Look explores how Dior and Chanel went to war. French couturier Coco Chanel is pictured in Paris in 1936 Juliette Binoche plays Coco Chanel, who collaborated with the Nazis in World War Two One of five siblings who hailed from a prosperous Normandy family, his fortunes changed after his businessman father lost his riches in the Wall Street Crash and his mother died of septicaemia in 1931 when he was 26. Working as a designer in Paris at this point, he brought his 14-year-old sister Catherine (Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams) to live with him in the capital. Despite the age gap the two were incredibly close and she went on to model her brothers early designs. Events were to take a far grimmer turn after the Nazis arrived. Some of the biggest names in fashion fled the country, and by 1942 Christian found himself working for the couturier Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich), who along with other designers was ordered to produce dresses for the wives of German SS officers. Catherine, meanwhile, joined the Resistance, setting up office in Christians apartment. After being betrayed by a fellow Resistance fighter in 1944, she was seized by four armed men who took her to an apartment and subjected her to the bath torture, plunging her naked into icy water and almost drowning her. Christian desperately fought for her release but to no avail. Catherine was deported to Germany and taken to Ravensbruck concentration camp. While a prisoner working 12 hours a day in a munitions plant, malnourished and prone to disease, she still had the fortitude to sabotage the machinery. After eight months she was sent with her fellow inmates on a death march as the Allied troops closed in. Eight days into the march, her spirit unbowed, she made a break for freedom. When Christian met her at the station on her return to France in May 1945, he didnt recognise her. Her fortunes couldnt have contrasted more sharply with those of Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche). Already hailed a genius for creating the little black dress and her Chanel No. 5 perfume, during the war she tried unsuccessfully to wrest ownership of Parfums Chanel from the Jewish Wertheimer family, using the Aryanisation laws that forced Jews to give up their businesses. The New Look, features a stellar cast including Juliette Binoche, Glenn Close , John Malkovich and Ben Mendelsohn as Dior (pictured) Once the German Occupation of Paris began she took up with Baron Hans Gunther von Dincklage (Claes Bang), a German military intelligence officer. It was Dincklage who introduced her to Baron Louis de Vaufreland, who allegedly promised to help free her nephew Andre who was being held in a stalag in Germany, in exchange for her services as a German agent. Her most famous mission, named Operation Model Hat by the Germans, was to get a letter to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, a personal friend, to relay word that many senior Nazi officers were seeking an end to the bloodshed. A New Look dress by Christian Dior, 1964 But after travelling to the British Embassy in Madrid with a friend, she was forced to beat a hasty retreat when the friend denounced her as a Nazi spy. A few months later when Paris was liberated she fled to Switzerland, returning to the French capital in 1949 to account for her actions during the war. She escaped unscathed after an intervention by the British Royal Family, but her reputation suffered greatly. As for Dior, the end of the war filled him with resolve to create a new, brighter future. He set up his own couture house in April 1946 and the following year his debut collection featuring cinched waists and full skirts so stunned Harpers Bazaars editor-in-chief Carmel Snow (Glenn Close), she exclaimed, Your dresses have such a new look! The New Look, as it was henceforth known, became the most sought-after style across the world. And the perfume he named Miss Dior after his sister went on to become a global phenomenon. For her part Coco Chanel dismissed the work of her chief rival, who was gay, completely. Look how ridiculous these women are, she remarked, wearing clothes by a man who doesnt know women, never had one, and dreams of being one. Dior's 1947 debut collection featuring cinched waists and full skirts stunned Harpers Bazaars editor-in-chief Carmel Snow (Glenn Close, pictured) Its a peach of a role for Juliette Binoche, who admitted recently that taking on the part was like playing different roles because well show her at different stages of her life. With costume designer Karen Muller Serreau pulling together a suitably stunning array of outfits, and a soundtrack that features covers of 20th-century songs by the likes of Florence Welch and Nick Cave, the series shows how a talented few brought hope, colour and life back to a world besieged by the drabness of evil. As Christian Dior himself said of his work, Everything that has been part of my life, whether I wanted it to or not, has expressed itself in my dresses. A 16-year-old model living In Mumbai's slums dreams of making enough money to buy her family a house, but says that 'such a happy person' in spite of her circumstances. Maleesha Kharwa features in a new BBC documentary Streets of Gold: Mumbai where she explains that she hopes to become a supermodel so that she can move out of the illegal squatters settlement in Bandra, where she lives with her father, brother and sister. The so-called 'Princess from the slums' was discovered in 2020 by Hollywood actor Robert Hoffman after a chance meeting while he visited India. The Step Up actor then set up an Instagram account for her, where she now has more than 400,000, followers, and started a GoFundMe page for the family, which has raised in excess of $20,000 for 'education, food and shelter.' Maleesha has become the face of the luxury Ayurveda brand Forest Essentials, and graced the covers of fashion magazines Cosmopolitan India and The Peacock. Speaking in the documentary, she said: 'I would like to be a supermodel.' Maleesha contacted her favourite fashion photographer Sasha Jairam on Instagram, and she offered to create her a portfolio for free. The teen, who sleeps in the slum with her father and younger brother and sister, said they have no electricity. Although the family have lived there for over 20 years they are constantly under threat from slum clearances. Maleesha said: 'They come here, an awful gang come and they bring bulldozers and weapons and they break the house, they usually break the house in rainy season, monsoon season because it will be very difficult to build the house again.' Elsewhere in the documentary the teen model revealed she was photographed for one of India's biggest skincare brands Forest Essentials. She said: 'From that money I want a big house for my father and brother because when I was small daddy used to take care of us.' Maleesha shares her stunning modelling snaps on her Instagram as well as a behind the scenes look at her life in the slums. Maleesha Kharwa, who lives in an illegal squatters settlement in Bandra, dreams of making enough money to buy her family a house Maleesha contacted her favourite fashion photographer Sasha Jairam on Instagram, and she offered create her a portfolio for free Sasha created a portfolio to help the teen make her modelling dream a reality Her profile reads: 'People say I live in a slum but I my life! I hope to be a supermodel to help my family eat.' In a 2022 interview with Cosmopolitan India, Maleesha opened up about her living conditions, saying sometimes they do not even have clean water or food. She added: 'Then there are times when the municipal corporation breaks our house because we live by the sea. When it is very hot in Mumbai, we have to sleep on the rocks by the water.' However the teen admitted she loves her life because she understands what is important. 'I find it strange when people ask me how I am such a happy person; they don't think it is normal to be happy because I am poorbut I love my life. 'You can be happy even if you do not have a big house or a nice car because, to me, having a family that loves and supports me, and good friends that care about me, is more important.' The so-called 'Princess from the slums' was discovered in 2020 by Hollywood actor Robert Hoffman (pictured) after a chance meeting while he visited India The teen, who sleeps in the slum with her father and younger brother and sister, said they have no electricity In the documentary the teen admitted she loves her life because she understands what is important Maleesha opened up about her living conditions, saying gangs often bring bulldozers and weapons to break down their house Maleesha shares her stunning modelling snaps on her Instagram as well as a behind the scenes look at her life in the slums The teen has become the face of the luxury Ayurveda brand Forest Essentials, graced the covers of fashion magazines Cosmopolitan India and The Peacock Writing on her GoFundMe page the teen wrote: 'I live with my father, brother and older cousins who love me and treat me like their little princess - "The Princess from the Slums". I love when I can do something for them to make them smile. This is just a glimpse into my little world. 'Now, I wish to try and be a model as a way to help earn money for a real home, enough food to eat, and save for a better education! This page is for anyone who wants to help my journey! 'I have always loved studying. Getting good grades in school makes my father very happy, so I always get good grades! English is my favorite subject and I love to speak to everyone in English! 'In order to survive in the city, my family and I undertake odd jobs to make money. Sometimes my family will go to TV and movie sets hoping to get picked as background actors. This is how I got interested in becoming a professional child model!' The American actor Robert added: 'I met Maleesha when her family came on one of my sets to try and get cast. I knew that she had a solid chance but that she needed help with the basic children's rights to an education, food, and shelter. 'I was impressed that she was such a brilliant child in every way: her thoughts on helping her family; her amazing, leadership-like qualities; amazing grades; and her focus on her studies. I wanted to help find the support she needs to give her a better chance at pursuing her dreams.' Hoffman told The National: 'I was fascinated when I met her, she was sitting on a mattress in a makeshift tent. She was so striking. We made a profile video of her and audition opportunities started coming.' A pair of twins who still live together as adults have revealed that they share everything, including their finances, clothes and even underwear. Kennedy and Morgan Mason, both 23 and from the United States, shared a room together until they went to university. Instead of going their separate ways after they both left home in September 2020 to attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, the pair now live together. The Mason twins, who both work in the technology sector, are even looking to buy a house together. While sharing a property with a sibling is not uncommon, it is other items the pair share - including a toothbrush, clothes and underwear - that could raise eyebrows. Kennedy and Morgan Mason, both 23 and from the United States, shared a room together until they went to university Instead of going their separate ways after they both left home in September 2020 to attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshir , the pair now live together. The Mason twins, who both work in the technology sector, are even looking to buy a house together Commenting on how this came about, Kennedy, from Los Angeles, California, said: 'Out of necessity we shared the same clothes even down to our underwear'. The twins also share food such as ice cream and lollipops as well as makeup and toothbrushes. Morgan said: 'We share food. We share makeup. 'If Kennedy has ice cream I just have some but I don't think I'd do that with a significant other.' Kennedy added that they have always shared their earnings between one another, but puts herself in charge of managing the twins' finances. 'We've always shared our money. We share the money we make from our jobs equally. I deal with all our finances and investments,' she added. This remarkable synergy is echoed by Morgan, who said: 'We've always done that even when we were little. We never have disputes around what we're going to spend money on.' Keen to be financially responsible while living together, the twins have the same bank account to save up and split all their income equally. Morgan said: 'All the paychecks all go into the same account and we divvy it up.'Kennedy and I have the same goals and fears surrounding our finances. 'It's financially beneficial. We talk about our plans and goals as a unit. Our goals are pretty aligned.' While sharing a property with a sibling is not uncommon, it is other items the pair share - including a toothbrush, clothes and underwear - that could raise eyebrows Although Kennedy and Mason currently live together, they did spend time apart at university, not living together for a portion of their studies The pair even shared a bed for eight months during the pandemic, when only a queen-sized bed would fit in their room. Although Kennedy and Mason currently live together, they did spend time apart at university, not living together for a portion of their studies. The separation did not put a strain on their relationship, with one twin still needing approval from the other when it comes to dating. Furthermore, any prospective partner for would have to join the twins, who would want them to live together. Kennedy and Morgan say they would only be able to live separately if one were to consider marrying a partner and having children. Kennedy said: 'If Morgan didn't like someone I could never date them long-term.' Morgan added: 'The significant other has to see the importance of our relationship and to make an effort with Kennedy.' Given the strength of their unique relationship Kennedy and Morgan are keen to emphasise their feelings that the bond twins have is different to having a sibling. Kennedy said: 'Having a twin is not like having a sibling. 'Having a twin feels like you're the same people in two different bodies. It's an extension of you.' Young people are heading to libraries in greater numbers - but not always to read It's the furthest place you'd associate with a fashion show. But despite dusty books, underfunding and fluorescent lights, Gen Z seem to be making the library the latest place to hang out, make TikTok videos and even look for love. In fact, in the US more Gen Zers and millenials use the library than older generations, while young people in the UK, Australia and across the world are heading to the their local library for the 'aesthetic and vibes' TikTok is full of videos of people saying 'get ready with me' to go the library, while others film themselves in historic pretty reading rooms. Henry Earl, 20, a student from New York, often shares snaps of himself in the New York Public Library to his TikTok. Henry Earl, 20, a student from New York, often shares snaps of himself in the New York Public Library to his TikTok Gen Zers are sharing videoes of themselves getting ready to go the library Before he goes, he'll search 'dark academic' on Pinterest for outfit inspiration and pick out knitted jumpers and carry a well worn book. 'I want to cultivate an aesthetic when I go to the library,'he told the Guardian. 'And, honestly, I dress up to see if someone will come up to me and say hi.' He often wonders around the reading room for friends, and has even slipped his number to attractive women there. He's made friends there because it's an 'environment that supports focus and growth,' he says. Despite 43 per cent of Gen Z and millennial saying they aren't readers, more than half have visited a library in the last year, according to the American Library Association. Book club memberships are also popular with young people, many of whom join clubs on social media. London Girls Book club, an all-female group, has more than 2,000 followers on Instagram. People share clips of themselves getting ready to go to the library Many talk about spending their time in the library While others share stunning pictures of library scapes They say they're designed for 'monthly reads, fun socials and new friends'. And while it's usually a solidarity activity, New Yorkers are also heading to 'reading parties' where people sit together and read the same book while listening to music. Reading Rhythms, an event that bills itself as 'not a book club' but 'a reading party' in Brooklyn, New York, cost $10 to enter. It has a waiting list of hundreds, as desperate readers cram in to listen to music and read in silence. The rise of reading, and library use, may be in part down to TikTok. With more than 167 billion views on TikTok, reviews and recommendations in the global BookTok community have inspired Gen Zs to ditch their screens in favour of a good old-fashioned book. BookTok has gained such a momentum in recent times that TikTok launched its first book awards in the UK and Ireland last year, with thousands voting for their favourite books, authors, and bookshops of 2023. Not only has the community shone a light on authors from underrepresented backgrounds but it has boosted sales for bookshops, with the owners of the famous Notting Hill Bookshop crediting social media for their booming sales, which are 'up 100 per cent since the pandemic'. But behind the many benefits of the movement are a group of BookTokkers working tirelessly - and there are some names more prevalent than others. TikTok's latest trend 'BookTok' is encouraging Gen Zs to spend time reading, and Ayman Chaudary (pictured) is one of the biggest names in the community With 950,000 followers, Ayman Chaudary is one of the BookTokkers propelling the community into the limelight. The Pakistani American student can reach more than a million views on her videos, where she recommends her top reads. Ayman doesn't shy away from political topics, and she believes that the publishing industry is not diverse enough and openly prefers books written by women. The 22-year-old focuses her content on romance and fantasy novels, and her recommendations include Fourth Wing, a fantasy thriller with a plucky heroine alongside Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass. Anime enthusiast Jaysen Headly, 35, known online as Ezeekat, has picked up a similarly vast following in the BookTok community. The Florida-based content creator recommends books, games, and manga. Jaysen has taken it one step further and capitalized on his BookTok success by launching a subscription for his superfans, where they can unlock additional content for up to 19. 64 a month. The 35-year-old author started his Jaysen Headley Writes blog in 2014. He released his first book A Love Story for Witches the same year, before A Home for Wizards, inspired by his time in New York. Jaysen Headly (pictured) has picked up a vast following on TikTok, and reviews books, games, and manga Jaysen, who goes by ezeekat online, also offers a monthly subscription with additional content for his superfans Jaysen's top recommendations include Matt Haig's The Midnight Library and Royal Assassin by Robin Hob. Perhaps the biggest name in the BookTok community is Jack Edwards, from Brighton, dubbed the 'internet librarian'. The content creator has grown into one of the top book influencers, whether it's by talking about a particular book trend or showing his followers the best coffee shops to read in in New York, where he has since moved, His series in which he reads the books celebrities have been photographed with - from Harry Styles to Bella and Gigi Hadid - was an instant hit. The internet sensation started his YouTube channel to document the ups and downs of university, to reassure others that if he can find his feet, they can too. Since graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature, Jack has gone from book vlogger to having a bestseller with his 'ultimate university survival guide' The Uni-Verse. He focuses his content on making literature accessible to all and now also works in the publishing industry alongside posting videos about his current reads, with recommendations including Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingslover. Brighton-born Jack Edwards is one of the biggest names in the BookTok community, and reviews books he's read Ayman doesn't shy away from difficult conversations, and believes that there is a lack of diversity in the publishing industry In recent times, Jack hosted the 2023 Booker Prize livestream and won the bCreator top creator award in 2022 It comes after the owners of the iconic Notting Hill Bookshop have credited TikTok with a rise in Gen Z customers buying books and a renewed interest in reading. Brother duo James and Howard Malin run the bookshop and said they've seen more young people visiting and wanting to discover new books thanks to BookTok - a 'sub-community' on the app. They added that sales are 'up 100 per cent since the pandemic' which they have attributed to social media. The Notting Hill Bookshop - previously named The Travel Bookshop - became famous in 1999 after the interior was replicated for the Notting Hill movie - starring High Grant and Julia Roberts. Angelica Malin, whose uncles run the landmark bookshop in Notting Hill, London, posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the rise in young people visiting to buy the merchandise. The owners of the iconic Notting Hill Bookshop have credited TikTok with a rise in Gen Z customers buying books and a renewed interest in reading The landmark shop is located off the popular Portobello Road (pictured) in London The bookshop - previously named The Travel Bookshop - became famous in 1999 after the interior was replicated for the Notting Hill movie - starring High Grant and Julia Roberts Angelica Malin, whose uncles run the landmark bookshop in Notting Hill, London , posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the rise in young people visiting to buy the merchandise Author Ms Malin, who has penned three books, told MailOnline: 'My family has run the bookshop for the last 12 years - they bought it from the previous owner and founder who was retiring. 'They love books and are locals to the area.' The owners - brothers James and Howard Malin - told MailOnline how TikTok has contributed in a rise of young customers who visit both because they are fans of the film and because they've seen it on the trendy social media platform. They said: 'We've seen a lot more young people being interested in reading and discovering new books thanks to TikTok. 'TikTok has definitely had an impact with how many people are buying books (especially physical ones) - 48 per cent of TikTok users read more books than before thanks to the use of BookTok.' 'BookTok' is a sub-community on the social media platform where creators make videos reviewing and discussing the books they have read. The books range in genre but the majority of the 'BookTokers' tend to focus on Young Adult fiction, fantasy and romance. Booksellers like Waterstones and Barnes & Noble even feature BookTok sections, where they stock the most popular books featured on TikTok. The Malins continued: 'According to TikTok themselves, sales were up by 8.5 per cent in 2022, and when 2023 stats are in, they predict more. 'We can see it in the shop, as more young people are coming in than ever before!' Angelica Malin outside of her uncles' bookshop in Notting Hill, London The owners, brothers - James and Howard Malin - told MailOnline how TikTok has contributed in a rise of Gen Z customers who visit both because they are fans of the film and because they've seen it on the controversial social media platform Pictured is a scene from the Notting Hill movie showing Hugh Grant walking towards a replica of the original bookstore, which was called the Travel Book Co in the film Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts pictured in the 1999 movie Notting Hill @myperfectlondon Whether you've seen the movie or not, this bookshop is worth a visit #nottinghill #london The Notting Hill Book Shop, 13 Blenheim Cres, London Bookshop which inspired the Notting Hill film. Quaint and cosy with friendly staff and a curated selection of beautiful editions, quirky titles, quality non-fiction, gifts and toys. The store opened in 1979 and originally specialised in travel books only. In 1999 the bookshop became famous after its interior had been copied in the Notting Hill film featuring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. And if you haven't seen this movie yet, do yourself a favor and watch it #nottinghillbookshop #bookshops notting hill bookshop - Juliet Their niece added: 'The staff in the shop work really hard to promote the books and authors being stocked, and to engage with the audience on social media to find out what they are reading and wanting to see more of. 'It's a great way to connect with an audience more intimately and it's exciting to see that physical books are back in fashion as people are trying to cut down on their screen time.' When asked if visitors are actually buying the books or just coming to pose for photos and videos, the Notting Hill Bookshop owners said: 'Yes, people are buying books! 'Sales are up 100 per cent since the pandemic and we attribute this largely to social media and the renewed interested in reading. 'YA (Young Adult) and fiction is selling particularly well. The bookshop curates the books really well, and handpick the best books that we think the audience will love.' The owners added that they've had many requests from romantics hoping to propose in the shop - and they've happily helped organise it. They said: 'We have had a number of people proposing in the shop and we have helped organising it - for example, hiding a ring amongst the books. 'It's always such a joyful thing and a really special place to get engaged.' BookTokers are thriving on social media. Pictured: Poppy, 27, from Sussex BookTokers share their favourite reads with their followers - inspiring a new generation of readers Many film themselves in book shops buying books - sparking a renewed interest in reading among Gen Z The original bookshop which inspired the famous Notting Hill movie was set up in 1979 and specialised in travel books exclusively. But in 2011, the quaint shop was put up for sale by the previous owner as his children weren't interested in taking over when he retired - and due to the location, the annual rent cost was around 43,000. Many poets and writers fought to save the west London bookshop, with some even offering to volunteer one day a week. The celebrities involved in the campaign included Alec Baldwin - who played Roberts' boyfriend in the movie - and poet and journalist Olivia Cole. The Notting Hill Bookshop is located on 13 Blenheim Crescent, while the souvenir store for the movie - The Travel Book Shop - is on 142 Portobello Road. The owners added that they've had many requests from romantics hoping to propose in the shop - and they've happily helped organise it. Pictured are a happy couple in 2019 The owners said 'It's always such a joyful thing and a really special place to get engaged'. Pictured are a couple getting engaged in the bookshop in 2018 So after 32 years of trading, the iconic property was bought by The Book Warehouse and has now been run by James and Howard for the last 12 years. Screenwriter Richard Curtis was inspired to create the film after frequently stopping by the little bookshop off Portobello Road, near where he lived. But the owner refused to let them film inside - so they replicated the interior instead. In the film, famous actress Anna Scott meets bookstore owner William Thacker and they fall in love. The romantic comedy won the Audience Award for Most Popular Film at the BAFTAs in 2000 and Best Soundtrack at the Brit Awards for the same year, beating the Star Wars film The Phantom Menace - and three Golden Globes nominations. It was reported that Director Roger Mitchell was concerned about filming on Portobello Road as it is such a popular spot, and thought the two main stairs would turn up and be surrounded by fans and paparazzi, preventing them from shooting. But the location team and security crew were able to prevent this from happening, meaning the iconic shots of Notting Hill and Portobello Road could take place in the real-life settings. It boasts three bedrooms, two and a half baths and an outdoor shower as well as gorgeous beachfront views The home spans across 2,800 square feet and comes with 150 feet of its own white sandy shoreline The 63-year-old writer lived in the expansive beachfront property, which is nestled in Hawaii, for 18 years Advertisement Best-selling Firefly Lane author Kristin Hannah's stunning Hawaiian hideaway has hit the market for $9 million - with potential future owners promised a stunning piece of property nestled away on a beautiful beachfront. The 63-year-old writer, who has penned a number of best-sellers, including The Nightingale, The Great Alone, and The Four Winds, as well as Firefly Lane, the inspiration behind the Netflix show of the same name, lived in the expansive beachfront property for 18 years. The home spans across 2,800 square feet and comes with 150 feet of its own white sandy shoreline. The property, nestled in Hawaii, features three bedrooms, two and a half baths and an outdoor shower - with all areas of the home offering glorious ocean views. Firefly Lane author Kristin Hannah's stunning Hawaiian hideaway that boasts gorgeous ocean views has hit the market for $9 million The 63-year-old writer of best-selling books The Nightingale, The Great Alone, The Four Winds, and Firefly Lane lived in the expansive beachfront property for 18 years The home spans across 2,800 square feet and comes with 150 feet of its own white sandy shoreline The abode sits on half an acre on the north shore of Kauai - making it just a couple steps away from the beautiful Anini Beach, which features the biggest coral reef in all of the Hawaiian Islands. So, if you love to kitesurf, snorkel, paddle board, or surf, this is the perfect spot for you. The residence was built in 1988 and even includes a coveted vacation rental license, which allows for nightly rentals. It was designed by architect Norman Lacayo and features unique carved wooden front door, open layout, floor-to-ceiling windows, custom cabinets and tropical landscaping. The living room boasts wooden floors and gorgeous ocean views as it is fully open to the outside. 'It's like living outside with a roof over your head,' said the seller, a female executive in the wellness industry from the Bay Area who purchased the home from Kristin in 2021 for $7 million. The seller, Aranzazu Casal, the widow of Apple software engineer Francois Jouaux, revealed that she loved watching the sea turtles swim by the shore. The hideaway boasts many amenities that are visible as soon as you walk in. The property, nestled in Hawaii, features three bedrooms, two and a half baths and an outdoor shower - with all areas of the home offering glorious ocean views The abode sits on half an acre on the north shore of Kauai - making it just a couple steps away from the beautiful Anini Beach, which features the biggest coral reef in all of the Hawaiian Islands It was designed by architect Norman Lacayo and features unique carved wooden front door, open layout, floor-to-ceiling windows, custom cabinets and tropical landscaping The seller, Aranzazu Casal, the widow of Apple software engineer Francois Jouaux, revealed that she loved watching the sea turtles swim by the shore 'Upon entering the antique carved-wood front door, steps lead up to a spacious living room that connects via a dining area to a gourmet kitchen boasting custom Koa cabinetry, breakfast bar and stainless appliances,' reads the listing. The two downstairs bedrooms share a bath, while the upstairs master retreat features a jaw-dropping oceanfront office that includes a built-in desk where Hannah penned many of her hit books. It also boasts a dressing area, sunken tub, and separate walk-in shower. 'Elsewhere is a two-car garage that's been converted into a lounge and recreation area. And outdoors, the picturesque backyard hosts an al fresco shower, along with a grassy swath of lawn and pathway heading directly to the sand,' states the listing. The home isn't far from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vast compound either, and the multi-level structure boasts bamboo floors, high ceilings and pocketing glass doors. Kristin, a lawyer-turned-writer, bought the house with her husband Benjamin for $4.4 million back in 2003 has written numerous novels, including The Nightingale, The Great Alone, The Four Winds and Firefly Lane. The two downstairs bedrooms share a bath, while the upstairs master retreat features a jaw-dropping oceanfront office that includes a built-in desk The home isn't far from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vast compound either, and the multi-level structure boasts bamboo floors, high ceilings and pocketing glass doors Kristin, a lawyer-turned-writer, bought the house with her husband Benjamin for $4.4 million back in 2003 has written numerous novels 'For me, paradise begins on this pink, shell-strewn ribbon of Anini Beach,' Kristin said of her island home when it first hit the market back in 2018 Firefly Lane even became a two-season Netflix series that starred Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke. Meanwhile, her book The Nightingale was in pre-production prior to the pandemic and starred Elle and Dakota Fanning. Many fans are hoping that it will be brought back to life. 'For me, paradise begins on this pink, shell-strewn ribbon of Anini Beach,' Kristin said of her island home when it first hit the market back in 2018. 'From the moment you pull into the crushed coral driveway and park under the giant palms, you feel it: a stillness that soothes the busiest soul.' Now, Kristin resides in Washington with her husband, Benjamin, and their son. Prince William has been caring for his wife at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor The Prince of Wales is likely to return to work next week, Daily Mail's Royal Editor Rebecca English has told Palace Confidential. With three senior royals currently out of action, the past couple of weeks have looked relatively different for The Firm. The Prince of Wales, 41, has been caring for Kate Middleton, 42, as she recovers from an abdominal surgery at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park. Meanwhile, King Charles is recuperating after undergoing a successful procedure for an enlarged prostate. However, speaking on the Mail+'s weekly talk show, the Daily Mail's Royal Editor Rebecca English, revealed that a sense of normality should be restored by the end of next week. 'I think we could see him [William] doing some public engagements towards the end of next week I have to say. I think he'll start to go back to work once she's [Kate] settled,' Rebecca said. Prince William is likely to be back carrying out public engagements from next week, royal expert Rebecca English (pictured) told PALACE CONFIDENTIAL Speaking to podcast host Jo Elvin, Mail on Sunday's Editor at Large Charlotte Griffiths and the Daily Mail's diary editor Richard Eden, Rebecca explained that both Kate and Charles are doing well. But while Rebecca believes that William will make an imminent return to the public eye, Charles is expected to recuperate in private until the end of the month. 'The King headed immediately for Clarence House, which is a London residence, and my understanding was that it was because he wanted to be within the vicinity of the hospital just for the first few days', Rebecca said. She added: But after that I suspect he will head out to the country, maybe Windsor or Highgrove, for the next two or three weeks for recuperation.' 'I doubt we'll see him until the end of February out in public,' the royal expert concluded. The 75-year-old monarch was admitted to the private hospital last Friday morning at about 9am as he underwent a corrective procedure for the benign condition. It has been reported Charles could take up to a month off from public duties as he recuperates. Kate, on the other hand, is not expected to carry out official engagements until after Easter, with her husband Prince William clearing his diary of official duties as she recovers at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park. The Prince of Wales has been out of action while caring for his wife in Adelaide Cottage in Windsor MailOnline understands her return to official duties will depend on medical advice closer to the time, and William will return to public engagements once she is settled. Elsewhere on the show, the royal experts discussed the meaning behind King Charles' visit to his daughter-in-law in hospital last week, after arriving with Queen Camilla to prepare for his own surgery. Along with Queen Camilla, His Majesty visited Catherine's room at the private London Clinic in Marylebone, where she had spent a tenth night following what has only been described as 'planned abdominal surgery'. The visit comes as somewhat of a surprise because, put simply, royals don't tend to visit each other in hospital, or at least only very rarely. The late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip for example, would often attend hospital appointments alone. Speaking to podcast host Jo Elvin (far right), Mail on Sunday's Editor at Large, Charlotte Griffiths (far left) and the Daily Mail's diary editor Richard Eden (left), Rebecca (right) explained the significance behind His Majesty's unexpected visit to Kate On the topic Rebeca said: 'It's not something the royals tend to do...and also, let's face it, there's not a lot of daughters in laws recovering from a big operation that might necessarily want their father-in-law coming to see them, they might want to limit their family members.' She added: 'I think it's a real show of the depth of their relationship and the fact that he would make a detour while worried about his own surgery to go and see her, and that she would welcome it.' 'It was a good moment to remark on the relationship between Charles and in his daughter-in-law,' Rebecca concluded. Jo Elvin turned to Richard to ask his opinion, to which he replied: 'There is a real family there beneath The Firm.' She'll be the new face of This Morning soon if recent reports are anything to go by. But it was once uncertain whether Cat Deeley would ever return to her native UK after making a name for herself in the States and living the LA dream. The mother-of-two, 47, set up camp in Beverly Hills in 2006 after becoming the much loved host of dancing competition So You Think You Can Dance, which airs its 18th season on March 4 with Cat at the helm. But after 14 years, Cat and her husband of eight years, Northern Irish comedian and TV presenter Patrick Kielty, abandoned their LA mansion with its pool, gym and perpetual sunshine to come back to live in Britain for good. The Birmingham-born TV star gave up on her lavish American lifestyle after a 'terrifying' gun drama made her rethink Tinseltown's appeal. It was once uncertain whether Cat Deeley (pictured in California) would ever return to her native UK after making a name for herself in the States and living the LA dream She swapped her 3.8 million Beverly Hills mansion for a 4.9million rundown 1950's home in leafy Hampstead in north London where she counts Harry Styles among her neighbours. Speaking about the reason for her departure from LA, she told YOU magazine in 2020: Fear was part of this. There was a moment when I was with a friend looking at potential schools for Milo and we had to ask the question nobody wants to: What do you do if there is a live shooter on the premises? 'They tell you exactly what would happen, whether the kids would go to a safe room or hide under the desks, and you go She gasped. The danger suddenly becomes a reality. That danger became even more real in the summer of 2019 when eldest son Milo, now six, and his father went to the Century City Mall in LA after morning nursery. The FBI turned up with guns and ordered everyone to take cover under counters or hide because a shooter was on the loose. They shut down the centre. I got a call from Paddy, saying, Theyre taking us out through the fire exits but nobody can get to their car. If we walk to a junction, can you come and get us? He wanted to keep Milo calm, so I didnt understand the enormity of what was happening. As I was driving I began to see helicopters, news vans, firemen and SWAT [armed police response] squads. It was terrifying. Paddy was shaken by it, more than Milo, who was hot and cranky but didnt properly understand. The mother-of-two, 47, set up camp in Beverly Hills (pictured) in 2006 after becoming the much loved host of dancing competition So You Think You Can Dance, which airs its 18th season on March 4 with Cat at the helm The Birmingham-born TV star (pictured in the UK, while driving a tractor and enjoying a cocktail) gave up on her lavish American lifestyle after a 'terrifying' gun drama made her rethink Tinseltown's appeal Cat (pictured in the UK) swapped her 3.8 million Beverly Hills mansion for a 4.9million rundown 1950's home in leafy Hampstead in north London where she counts Harry Styles among her neighbours Cat's move to the US had paid off, as she grew into the award-winning host of primetime shows like So You Think You Can Dance, for which shes had five Emmy nominations, and made an estimated 15 million fortune. But spending time with her family, including sons Milo and James, four, also promoted her decision to move back to London. She told Lorraine in 2020: 'We had always thought, our boys have got grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins that they adore and they adore them right back. Its such a special moment in time and you dont get those times back.' Meanwhile, the couple were also keen for their boys to be schooled back home in the UK. Cat and Patrick put their Beverly Hills mansion on the market for $4.9 million (3.8 million), in August that year. The sprawling mansion was a four bedroom contemporary home that spans 3,804 square feet, and the ridge-top property boasts modern furnishings, a pool area with stunning cross-canyon views, as well as its own spa. The TV presenter first bought the property back in 2006 for $2.7 million (2.05 million), according to Variety, and had since done extensive renovations to update the late 1970s home. Cat's move to the US had paid off, as she grew into the award-winning host of primetime shows like So You Think You Can Dance, for which shes had five Emmy nominations, and made an estimated 15 million fortune. Pictured, Cat and her sons in the UK On their doorstep: Cat, Patrick and their sons had been enjoying the various pleasures Los Angeles has to offer Making memories: The mansion, shown as they celebrated Christmas together, also hS a grand piano and a large outdoor space Following their return to Britain, Cat and Patrick are reportedly creating a Beverly Hills-style home afters napping up an abandoned property for nearly 5million. The celebrity couple are bringing a touch of Hollywood glamour to leafy Hampstead in north London where they count Harry Styles among their new neighbours. They paid 4.9million for the rundown 1950's home which lay derelict after being unoccupied for a number of years. They've been given the go-ahead to 'renovate, extend and upgrade' the five bedroom property and transform it into a haven of 'modern day family living'. It comes as This Morning bosses have reportedly begged Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard to take over as Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's permanent replacements on the show. Holly, 42, and Phillip, 61, both left the ITV daytime show last year and since there has been a rotating group of stars at the helm. Cat impressed viewers with her presenting skills when she appeared on the show in November and was said to have left bosses devastated when she then turned down the main gig. However, new reports claim that producers went back to the drawing board to try and woo the former children's TV star and are set to announce as her the new Monday to Thursday host alongside Ben Shephard. It's possible the reason for the sudden U-turn is financial, with Cat set to nab a bumper payday as the new host. It comes as This Morning bosses have reportedly begged Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard to take over as Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's permanent replacements on the show (pictured on the show in November) Producers reportedly went back to the drawing board to try and woo the former children's TV star and are set to announce as her the new host alongside Ben Shephard (pictured on the show in September) Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode It's claimed Cat and Ben will receive an annual salary of 555,000 which pales in comparison toPhillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who were said to have been paid 700,000 When reports of her joining the show first emerged last year it was claimed she and Ben would receive an annual salary of 555,000. While hefty, the salary still paled in comparison to former hosts Holly and Phil, who were said to have been paid 700,000 annually for their role. However, Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode. The new series is set to air in March and Cat has been dividing her time between the States and the UK for filming. Therefore it stands to reason that if Cat has changed her mind about appearing on This Morning her contract would possibly allow her to continue juggling her LA gig. Cat and Ben's decision to join the show was reported by The Mirror on Thursday, with a source saying: 'The cat's out of the bag - they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March. 'Obviously Ben is well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa. Cat is also a very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids' TV, although she's been over in the US for a long time. 'People were very impressed with her guest presenting stint last year alongside Rylan and thankfully the timing has all come together. Everyone is delighted.' It comes after it was reported late last year that Cat had 'turned down' the job offer. Cat, Ben and ITV have been contacted by MailOnline for further comment. Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond look set to continue as the show's regular Friday and school holiday presenters. It comes after Holly left the show last October 'for the sake of her family' after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnap and murder plot and has since not been replaced permanently. It came five months after Phillip Schofield's departure after his affair with a young male showrunner was made public, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host. Cat began her career as a co-presenter for the ITV children's show SMTV Live, for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK. Meanwhile Ben, 49, joined GMB in 2014 and has been with them ever since and is one of their most loved stars. Libby Squire's mother has said her 'heart goes out' to the parents of Grace O'Malley Kumar and Barnaby Webber after their killer avoided jail. Lisa Squire, whose daughter Libby was raped and murdered by Pavel Relowicz in 2019 when she was a student at the University of Hull, said she understood the 'agony' that the families of the Nottingham stabbing victims would have felt after they were stabbed to death by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane. The university students were just 19 years old when they were killed in June last year, along with 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates. Libby herself was only 21 when she was murdered after being snatched off the street by Relowicz, who dumped her body in the Humber Estuary, triggering a 48-day manhunt to find her. Speaking to the Telegraph, the mother of the murdered student, from High Wycombe, Bucks, has criticised Relowicz and Calocane's sentences, arguing she believes people who take another life 'should forfeit their freedom and spend the rest of their life in prison'. Lisa Squire, whose daughter Libby was just 21 when she was raped and murdered after being snatched off the street on a night out at Hull University, has expressed her sympathy with the parents of the Nottingham stabbing victims As she empathised with Emma and David Webber, Barnaby's parents, she said she does not believe in capital punishment, but added: 'If someone kills your child, you want the worst possible punishment for them.' Calocane pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility. He also admitted attempting to murder three pedestrians who were hit by a van on June 13. He was sentenced to a hospital order with restrictions. Instead of being jailed, Calocane was sentenced to a high-security hospital order. Lisa also criticised Relowicz's sentence, which means he will be eligible for parole when he is 51 years old. Libby went missing on a night out, triggering a 48-day search for her before her body was found in the Humber Estuary Lisa Squire said she sympathises with the parents of Grace O'Malley Kumar and Barnaby Webber, who were stabbed to death last June in Nottingham 'He can have a life, find a new partner, go on holiday, drive a car: all things Libby will never get the chance to do,' she said. She also revealed her frustration after her daughter's killer refused to meet her in 2022 when she applied through a restorative justice programme to speak to him face-to-face. Lisa has previously slammed Relowicz for 'changing the goalposts' after he cowardly broke his promise to meet her, citing his objection to the way she has portrayed him 'as a bad person' in the media. Since Libby's death, Relowicz has refused to reveal the details of her final moments - but he had initially agreed to a meeting with Lisa. However, he later reeled off a list of demands he wanted to be met in order to agree to speak to Lisa - including that they would not discuss Libby at all. At the time, Lisa said: 'He wasn't happy with me talking about him in the press before. He said it made him out to be a bad person. 'My hope was that we could meet a few times and he would tell me over time. 'But then he just shut down saying he was going to appeal - which he hasn't. 'I want my children and my grandchildren to know I did everything I could to find out what happened to Libby.' She added: 'I just want to talk to the person who was last with my daughter. 'I have so many questions. Was she chatty when he got her into his car? Or was she sleepy? 'I want to ask him, did you roll her in the river, kick her in, did she go in head or feet first? 'Nothing he can tell me can be worse than what goes on in my imagination.' Queen Camilla has said she's one of the greatest fans of Strictly Come Dancing, but admitted she doesn't watch Love Island 'but her children do' as she chatted to former Islander Tasha Ghouri and Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe during a visit to a community centre in Cambridge today. The King's wife, 76, was asked by Tasha 'you don't watch it do you?' to which she replied: 'No, I don't but my children do.' Tom Parker Bowles, 49, and his younger sister Laura Lopes, 46, are the Queen's children by her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles. The Queen also said she is considering taking up tap dancing in her 'dotage' after Strictly Come Dancing star Johannes presented her with a pair of steel-shod shoes. Camilla promptly asked Radebe for tap lessons after watching the performer and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, also a professional dancer, coaching Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) staff and volunteers on the dance floor. Queen Camilla admitted she doesn't watch Love Island 'but her children do' as she chatted to former Islander Tasha Ghouri and Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe (pictured left) during a visit to a community centre in Cambridge 'I would love to do it because I've always wanted to tap dance. So in my dotage perhaps it's something I could take up,' the Queen said as she clutched her tap dancing shoes. She added: 'Having seen everybody here today dancing away happily, it's the best exercise and for everybody it's a wonderful way of just enjoying yourself.' Radebe, known as Jojo, led the RVS Find Your Feet beginners' dance class in the cha-cha-cha, then Ghouri tapped out the intricate moves for the group to follow, during a tap-dancing session. A few feet away the Queen clearly enjoyed watching the class, laughing as Radebe asked the dancers to spin round, and when the session ended she apologised for not joining in, saying: 'Very nice, I'm sorry I'm not cha-cha-cha-ing.' Camilla's love for the BBC dance show is well known but Radebe made the class laugh when he told her: 'I'm so beside myself that you watch Strictly Come Dancing.' The Queen, who attends Silver Swans - classes for elderly ballet dancers run by the Royal Academy of Dance, replied: 'I'm one of Strictly's greatest fans.' Radebe and Ghouri led the class at the Meadows Community Centre in Cambridge which opened last year and where the RVS, which the Queen supports as president, has a cafe. The centre provides facilities for a number of local groups and when the Queen first arrived she was hugged by three-year-old Rebecca Tessinari who was going into her nursery class. Queen Camilla meets dancer Johannes Radebe during a visit to the newly opened Meadows Community Centre in Cambridge Working it! Dancers Johannes Radebe and Tasha Ghouri perform for Queen Camilla today Queen Camilla meets (left to right) Royal Voluntary Service CEO Catherine Johnstone, dancer Johannes Radebe and Tasha Ghouri Beaming Queen Camilla is presented with a pair of tap shoes by dancer Johannes The group appeared to be all smiles as they chatted to one another during today's outing Queen Camilla gets a hug from Rebecca Tessinari, 3, during a visit to the newly opened Meadows Community Centre Queen Camilla meets young children and their families during a visit to the newly opened Meadows Community Centre Upon her arrival at the newly opened Meadows Community Centre today, Camilla looked delighted as she chatted to excited young well-wishers. Dressed in a stylish green two-piece, the Queen was handed adorable drawings by the enthusiastic children, who cheered and waved their Union Jack flags while lining the street. In her role as President of the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), Camilla toured the facilities, including the dance studio and cafe run by RVS volunteers, to highlight the work the charity does to support the health and wellbeing of communities across the UK. During the visit The Queen observed a 'Find Your Feet' beginners dance class hosted by Royal Voluntary Service supporter, Johannes Radebe, (Strictly Come Dancing) and Tasha Ghouri (former Love Island contestant and supporter of the Royal Voluntary service). After concluding her tour of the centre Her Majesty, who has been President of the RVS since 2012, unveiled a plaque to mark her visit. The Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain's largest volunteering charities with volunteers supporting the NHS and thousands of vulnerable people in the community. The charity works in local communities running companionship, lunch and social clubs, dementia services, home from hospital services, First Time for Everything events, and patient transport. Yesterday the Queen appeared in great spirits as she stepped out in Bath to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the St John's Foundation. The King's wife was greeted by hundreds of excited schoolchildren after visiting the charity's almshouses at the Chapel of St Michael Within, which sits inside St John's courtyard. For the second day in succession, the Queen gave an update about her husband's recuperation following his three-night stay in hospital. When asked about his health, she said: 'He's recovering well, thank you'. Queen Camilla (L) meets Catherine Johnstone (R) CEO of the RVS Queen Camilla meets young children and their families during her trip to Cambridge today In her role as President of the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), Queen Camilla meets Royal Voluntary Service volunteers Queen Camilla is served a cup of tea by a Royal Voluntary Service volunteer during a visit to the canteen of the Meadows Community Centre Wrapping up warm in a navy coat, leather gloves and chic knee-high boots, the beaming Queen added a touch of vibrant colour to her look with a bright patterned scarf and a dazzling set of earrings. Earlier in the day, Camilla, who became Patron of St John's Foundation in 2009, appeared keen to chat with the elderly residents of the almshouses over a cup of tea. Yesterday, the Queen said the King is 'getting on' and 'doing his best' following his three-night stay in hospital. She was asked how her husband was faring as she opened a new Maggie's cancer support centre at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The King was discharged from The London Clinic on Monday, after undergoing a successful procedure for an enlarged prostate, and appeared in good spirits as he left hospital with his wife at his side. Queen Camilla is the most senior member of the royal family undertaking public engagements as the King is recuperating and the Princess of Wales is recovering from abdominal surgery, with Prince William taking a break from royal events to support his family. Meanwhile, St John's Foundation, originally founded as a medieval refuge, provides shelter and support for older adults, as well as working with children to make sure they have the best start in life. The Queen was yesterday greeted by the Lord Lieutenant; the charity's chair, Ben Fletcher; and CEO, David Hobdey. She then made her way into the 16th Century Chapel of St Michael Within, which sits inside St John's courtyard and is home to 40 of the 94 almshouses that the charity has for older adults. Queen Camilla received a warm welcome as she visited a community centre in Cambridge The King's wife, 76, looked delighted as she chatted to excited young well-wishers upon her arrival at the newly opened Meadows Community Centre In her role as President of the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), Camilla toured the facilities, including the dance studio and cafe run by RVS volunteers, to highlight the work the charity does to support the health and wellbeing of communities across the UK Dressed in a stylish green two-piece, the Queen was handed adorable drawings by the enthusiastic children, who cheered and waved their Union Jack flags while lining the street Queen Camilla, President of the Royal Voluntary Service, shakes hands as she arrives for her visit to the newly opened Meadows Community Centre The Queen was all smiles as she waved alongside young well-wishers at the outing today Queen Camilla, with a bouquet of flowers, speaks to young well-wishers as she departs Queen Camilla, President of the Royal Voluntary Service, smiles and waves as she departs by car after her visit to the newly opened Meadows Community Centre In the Chapel, Her Majesty was joined by around nine of the charity's residents over a cup of tea. Camilla walked the short distance from the almshouses to Bath Abbey where a service celebrating the 850th anniversary of St John's Foundation was held. Members of the public began lining the route and the Queen went on an impromptu walkabout, shaking hands and briefly chatting with well-wishers. She was greeted outside the abbey by the excitable cheers of 900 schoolchildren from seven nearby primary schools who screamed 'Camilla' as she arrived, jumping up and down with Union Jack flags. Her Majesty - and her team of aides - appeared pleased, perhaps even slightly surprised, by the barely-controlled enthusiasm of the young crowd, with an aide noting the atmosphere was 'a real buzz'. Afterwards she attended a service at Bath Abbey, which featured performances from 90 children from six local schools that are supported by St John's Foundation. Camilla left the abbey to a rousing rendition of 'God Save the King' and received flowers from two local schoolchildren, Robin Liddell, seven, and eight-year-old Mason Ricketts. Scotland's leading animal charity has launched an appeal to raise 25,000 to care for 24 puppies they found stashed in the back of a lorry. The Scottish Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police were called to Cairnryan ferry port in Dumfries and Galloway after a member of the public heard whimpering coming from a truck. Officers attended the scene last week and discovered 24 cockapoo and cavapoo puppies. The tiny pups were being kept in cardboard boxes and had no access to food or water. They were rushed to an SSPCA rehoming centre for emergency vet care. One of the adorable puppies that were found in the back of a lorry at Cairnryan ferry port The pups were rushed to an SSPCA rehoming centre for emergency vet care It was discovered the dogs were suffering from severe ear mites and other health issues due to the dreadful travel conditions. They will now remain with the charity and will receive treatment until they are healthy enough to find new homes. But the SSPCA have estimated caring for the puppies will cost them around 25,000 and have appealed to the public for help to cover the cost. Almost 3,000 has been raised since the online donation site opened. The SSPCA receives no government funding despite their role in enforcing animal welfare laws. A total of 24 puppies that were found stashed in the back of a lorry The dogs will remain with the charity and will receive treatment until they are healthy enough to find new homes 'The puppies were in a worrying state, suffering from severe ear mites and other health issues, due to the dreadful travel conditions,' the charity said. 'They're now safe in our care, receiving the necessary treatment until they're healthy enough for new homes. 'We estimate the cost of their rescue and ongoing care to be around 25,000, nearly half of what it costs to run the Society every day. 'We never receive government funding, despite our enforcement authority and rely solely on the generosity of the public to support our work. 'If you can help us in any way to meet the significant cost of this rescue please donate today.' Read more: Significant change to Maggi two minute noodles across Australia Coles has come under fire for supposedly changing the recipe to its homebrand ice cream - but shoppers have jumped to conclusions too soon. The supermarket giant sells 2L and 4L tubs of Simply Vanilla and Simply Neapolitan 'frozen flavoured dessert' rather than 'ice cream'. After noticing the difference, customers unleashed their rage online with one shopper ditching a whole tub in the bin. However, Daily Mail Australia understands there has simply been a change in packaging, not a change in recipe. For at least the last five years the product has been referred to as 'vanilla flavoured ice dessert' and not 'ice cream' and was packaged in a blue tub. Now the tub has been changed to cream. The 'New Recipe' logo also highlights a factory change - the company had to move production due to the Lismore floods. Old packaging: Previously the Coles homebrand product was called a 'vanilla flavoured dessert' New packaging: Now the name and packaging has been changed to 'flavoured frozen dessert' On Reddit many were quick to assume the homebrand product name had to be changed for legal reasons. According to the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code, ice cream must contain no less than 100g/kilo of milk fat and 168g/litre of food solids. However, specific amount used isn't disclosed to customers on the nutrition label. The product also has a 2.5 star rating and contains 9.7g of sugar per serving size of 46g. Other ingredients include skimmed milk concentrate, maltodextrin (wheat), cream, and milk fat. 'It's "flavoured frozen dessert". I assume they can't call it ice cream anymore since the first ingredient is water,' one customer wrote on Reddit. 'As a lifelong cheap ice cream eater, this stuff is not fit for human consumption. Here pictured in the bin, where it belongs.' Another customer also spotted the change and shared his opinion on TikTok. 'You may have noticed that Coles is no longer selling ice cream, instead it's called a frozen flavoured dessert. Why? Because it no longer meets the legal definition of what ice cream is,' Dylan said in the video. On Reddit many were quick to assume the homebrand product name had to be changed for legal reasons Dylan said if he was to guess, sugar was most likely more prevalent than water in the dessert. 'Which means this thing is mostly sugar,' he said. 'Oddly enough there is nothing stopping Coles from branding this frozen flavoured dessert a gelato. Gelato doesn't have a standard definition in Australia, and surprisingly it's not protected by European Union regulations.' On Reddit customers were outraged by the news and shared their frustrations. 'The first ingredient is actually sugar - but to avoid that they have used two different types of sugar - so now water is the main ingredient,' one person wrote. 'The loop holes they find are miraculous it's f****** insane,' another said. A third added: 'Only decent ice cream is Bulla only one that uses cream as its main ingredient.' 'It's a common "trick" used. Things like muesli bars, biscuits and cereal do it all the time. It makes it look healthy,' someone else wrote. A Coles spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'We are delighted that production of one of our much loved dessert products has returned to the original facility after it was disrupted by the Lismore floods. 'Dessert lovers can rest assured that this product still has the same great taste they know and love.' A tourist has shocked millions after exposing a terrifying truth about travelling to Bali. Grace, from the UK, was horrified to find the streets in some areas of the Indonesian hot spot were lined with hundreds of spiders and webs. People were stunned by the bizarre natural phenomenon however the 33-year-old did clarify that it was a rarity. 'If you've been looking for a reason to not come to Bali, this it it,' Grace said in an online video. As she walked down the street in the village of Kintamani she showed the thousands of Golden Orb weaver spiders in web stretching all the way from the ground to the power lines above. Scroll down for video Traveller Grace, from the UK, was horrified when she saw thousands of spiders lining the streets of a small village in Bali 'This is the worst thing I've ever seen in my entire life, not exaggerating,' she joked before calling the location 'hell on earth'. However Grace reminded people not to let her discovery discourage them from visiting Bali which she described as 'the most beautiful place' as the spider nest was 'not very common'. The clip was seen a whopping 30.5million times and left viewers reeling in the comments. 'Bali was #1 on my bucket list and now it is #99283774748272763647474,' one user joked. 'Imagine walking into it,' another said and a third wrote: 'Mosquito population is down in that area.' Grace emphasised how rare the spider nest was in Bali for those hesitant to visit i a follow-up clip. 'You'd be really unlikely to come across that, it was in a tiny town on the drive from Ubud to Mount Batur,' she explained in a follow up video. 'It's about an hour and a half drive, I spotted it from the car window and asked the guide to turn around because I just couldn't believe what I had seen.' Grace said aside from the infested street, she had only seen three or four spiders during her 11 day trip. 'None of the spiders here are poisonous so please don't let that video put you off, I just thought it was a wild crazy thing,' she said. 'I'm the biggest arachnophobe, I hate spiders so I would not still be here if that was everywhere.' He learned about his son's possible transition via a letter calling him 'Ruby' New York family court officials have denied a father the legal right to stop his eight-year-old son taking life-changing hormones that would begin his medical transition to a girl. Dennis Hannon, 32, a senior software engineer from Buffalo, has been locked in a 'nightmare' legal battle with Erie Supreme Court spanning seven years, fighting to retain his fundamental parental rights. He claims that the boy's mother 'pushed' their child's transition, and says the boy himself was not distressed about living as a boy. What's more, a year after the court's ruling, the young child, Matthew*, reverted back to his original male gender and is now 'a regular little boy.' However, the father has lost any say in medical decisions about his son and sees him for just a few hours every week. He cannot afford to appeal to regain full custody. Matthew aged three, as a boy. His parents had split up but his father, Dennis Hannon, saw him every week Matthew in kindergarten, when he was referred to as 'Ruby Rose'. Matthew now, aged nine, identifying as a boy, aligned with his gender at birth 'It's been a nightmare,' Mr Hannon told DailyMail.com. 'It's completely destroyed my life.' It comes days after DailyMail.com revealed that a Montana family had lost custody of their 14-year-old daughter after refusing to let her transition to a boy. Child Protective Services (CPS) turned up at the family's home in Glasgow and later determined that their daughter, who suffered mental health difficulties, needed to transition to 'get better'. She was sent to a mental health institute where she was allowed to live as a boy called Leo, shave her head and wear a chest binder. Mr Hannon claimed his ex-wife began dressing his son in girl's clothes when he turned three, in 2017 - two years after he had split from his child's mother. Mr Hannon saw his son twice a week and every other weekend, while his ex-partner had custody for the remainder of the time. 'When I was picking him up, he was a boy named Matthew*,' he said. 'And I didn't realize that when he was in his mom's care, he was actually a girl named Ruby.' In 2019, mother sent him to a 'transgender affirming' therapist and sought puberty blockers to stop the production of male hormones, according to court documents seen by DailyMail.com But Mr Hannon only discovered this information in 2020, when he took his ex-wife to court to find out what had been going on. And a year before that, Mr Hannon had received a letter from his son's kindergarten addressed to 'the parent or guardian of Ruby Rose Hannon' - which used she/her pronouns. 'I thought they had mailed it to the wrong address,' he said. 'I was the last to know [about the transition]. He was on the fast track to puberty blockers.' No official diagnosis of gender dysphoria was ever made by medical professionals. This is the condition experts refer to when person expresses a sense of unease because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. This distress or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life. Dennis Hannon claims that his son was 'fast tracked' to puberty blockers for several years - despite eventually feeling comfortable in his gender assigned at birth Now, following last year's court ruling, Mr Hannon has only visitation rights, no joint custody or medical authority, meaning he has no say in any medical decisions. He gets his son every other weekend and for a few hours in the week. By age nine, Matthew was no longer identifying or dressing as a girl. Gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors is available in New York, unlike other states. What's more, the city enables those travelling from other states where it is banned to access it. Social transitioning, such as changing a child's name and appearance, remains a gray area of the law. In 2020, a court order was issued for Matthew to be enrolled in counselling with a mental health counsellor in Buffalo, New York. 'Even though he never had a diagnosis, I was court ordered to take him to a gender therapist that didn't accept insurance. It was $145 out of pocket every week,' Mr Hannon said. 'He went there for a year and a half. And there was still no diagnosis of gender dysphoria... If I refused, they would say that I was interfering with essential medical treatment, and they would remove my custody.' Mr Hannon decided he had had enough, and terminated the child's counselling. Matthew (center) at a holiday pageant, aged four, dressed as a girl When Mr Hannon requested his son be discharged, the therapist wrote to the courts, and he lost medical authority of Matthew. His ex-partner then sought treatment for Matthew with Ms Andrea Binner, a self-described 'transgender affirming' therapist. Ms Binner had also referred Matthew to a pediatrician called Dr Tran Ngoc. 'Over a 45 minute phone call with the mother only, Dr Ngoc said my son sounded like he persisted with gender dysphoria and they recommended the potential for puberty blockers when he was nine,' Mr Hannon said. In February 2020, Mr Hannon's ex partner filed an Enforcement of Custody Petition, used when a co-parent is not following a custody order. The petition referred to Matthew using 'they/their' pronouns. 'Since approximately Matthew's third birthday... They have expressed, unprovoked, that They are a girl,' it said. 'Over the past four years, Matthew has been insistent, consistent and persistent that They are a girl.' In Mr Hannon's response, he said this was 'a delusion that the defendant is trying to force on our son.' Over the seven years, the court process has cost Mr Hannon $150,000. 'I spent every dime of my retirement,' he said. He was also ordered to pay his ex-wife's attorney fees. Mr Hannon said while he is desperate to regain custody of his son, he cannot afford the appeals process. As for the effect on Matthew, 'it's been awful,' Mr Hannon said. 'He uses a Chromebook for school and he has access to his previous grades, and there are things that pop up with the name Ruby on it still... that's something he's going to have to live with. It's been hard on him.' Mr Hannon said: 'It's very clear to me that it was all about pushing a narrative. Nobody wanted to question the agenda, or even question whether or not somebody actually had gender dysphoria, it was just, because she said that he was confused about his gender, it must be true.' When looking for therapists for Matthew, Mr Hannon said his ex-wife 'would get an answer that she didn't want to hear from one therapist, and she shopped around until she found the answer that she wanted to hear - somebody that would work with her to socially transition and ultimately, physically transition my son.' Now, Mr Hannon said: 'My son is a regular little boy, he goes by Matthew. His mother still tries to influence him by using they/them pronouns, and still calls him B, which is short for Ruby.' 'It was very difficult for him in school because... one year he was a girl named Ruby, wearing dresses and makeup and the hair. 'Then the next year, he's a boy named Matthew. Kids in school will ask him, "Weren't you a girl?" That's hard for a child. 'At three years old, how can he identify as a girl? He never showed any indication to me at all. 'I was looked at as just a conservative who didn't want to accept my son's gender. 'I could very easily be passed off as a bigot for wanting to simply question why and understand how they came to this conclusion or how they could. It was totally weaponized against me.' *Names have been changed to protect privacy. GPs are 'sceptical' about letting patients see their own medical records online because it might make them 'worry more'. Family doctors fear patients may find the records 'more confusing than helpful'. An international team of researchers, including from the universities of Plymouth, Manchester and Bristol, examined the impact of giving patients full access to their GP records. All GP practices are required to give patients in England online access to new info when it gets added to their record. This includes all test results and any details of medicines prescribed. Older information, such as vaccine records, may be hidden but are available upon request. Patients can view their records using the NHS app or by logging into their account on the NHS website. Your browser does not support iframes. But researchers said there is 'limited knowledge about the opinions of doctors in the UK regarding patients having access to their health records online'. They surveyed 400 GPs across England, and found that only a third (33 per cent) thought it was a good idea. Nine in 10 (91 per cent) believed such access would make patients 'worry more' while 85 per cent believed their patients may find the records 'more confusing than helpful'. The authors of the study, led by academics at Uppsala Universitet in Sweden and Harvard Medical School in the US, said most GPs 'believed the practice would exacerbate work burdens' after 60 per cent said a majority of patients would find significant errors in their records, and 89 per cent said the initiative would require time to address patients' questions about their records. The majority (81 per cent) said consultations are already taking longer than previously, or will do. Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) said they would be 'less candid' in their documentation as a result of the changes. Some 62 per cent said they believed online access would 'increase their litigation'. But seven in 10 (70 per cent) GPs said giving patients access would help them feel in more control of their care while 60 per cent said such a move would help patients remember their care plan. 'GPs in our sample were sceptical of ORA (online records access), believing patients would worry more and find their records more confusing than helpful,' the authors wrote. 'Most GPs also believed the practice would exacerbate work burdens. 'However, the majority of GPs in this survey also agreed there were multiple benefits to patients having online access to their primary care health records.' Data released in December showed that 81 per cent of GP practices in England were giving patients access to their records online. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'We want our patients to be more involved and interested in their care, and for this reason the college has always been supportive of giving people online access to their medical records. 'Evidence shows this has benefits for patients, such as giving them more control of their health and helping them to remember care plans things acknowledged by the majority of GPs surveyed in this research. 'However, the concerns raised by the respondents are valid and need to be recognised and managed carefully.' An NHS spokesperson said: 'As most GPs surveyed for this study agree, these changes will bring significant benefits for patients who will feel more in control and across the details of their care with over 24 million people already able to view test results, check consultation notes and order repeat prescriptions via the NHS App which at least 3.1 million people do every month.' Previous work by the health body found that early adopters of the initiative 'did not see a noticeable increase in workload' and some GPs reported a reduced burden due to fewer data access requests and fewer calls from patients requesting test results. Looking back to the decade I was born, the 1970s, just one in four people in the UK survived their cancer for ten years or more. Fast forward to now and survival has more than doubled. But the sad truth is we still have a long way to go. Cancer cases are on the rise and hard-won progress is slowing. People are waiting too long to be diagnosed and treated, the NHS is under enormous pressure, and the nation's survival rate is falling behind similar countries. We're living in a country that has the potential to set a gold standard for cancer research but there is much work to do. We need a long-term plan to take us from world-lagging to world-leading. When Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, was born , just one in four people in the UK survived their cancer for ten years or more In our manifesto, we've laid out these exact plans, 'Longer, better lives', which if put in place, could help prevent 20,000 cancer deaths every year by 2040. Research has been integral to the improvements we have seen so far. Just look at cervical cancer. We live in a world where a vaccine developed through decades of research, clinical trials and NHS screening programmes has reduced cervical cancer rates by 90 per cent in girls who were first vaccinated in the early 2000s. It's possible that we could eliminate this cancer type as a public health problem. But research must be sufficiently funded to make more breakthroughs like this. We face a funding gap of more than 1billion on cancer research by the end of the next decade, which the Government urgently needs to address. People are waiting too long to be diagnosed and treated, the NHS is under enormous pressure, and the nation's survival rate is falling behind similar countries We live in a world where a vaccine developed through decades of research, clinical trials and NHS screening programmes has reduced cervical cancer rates by 90 per cent We also need to ensure that fewer people get cancer in the first place. Smoking remains the biggest cause in the UK, leading to 150 cancer cases every single day. Tobacco is the only legal consumer product that will kill most of its users. This is why the changes to who can purchase tobacco products are so important. Under the proposed legislation, my own children will never legally be able to buy cigarettes. It is exciting to think that the next generation could be saved from a lifetime of ill health and addiction. Cancer is still the defining health issue of our time. Almost one in two people will develop the disease in their lifetime. The UK should not accept world-lagging cancer outcomes. We should not accept a real-terms decline in funding. And we should not accept some of the longest waits for tests and treatments in recent history. Those affected by cancer rightly won't accept this. Behind every statistic is a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a family impacted by cancer who are dependent on politicians making the right decisions. The time to act is now with political will and leadership, we can all have more moments with the people we love. One in six children are leaving primary school with rotten teeth after gorging on sugary treats and failing to brush properly, official figures show. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities examined 53,073 children aged 10 and 11 and found 16 per cent had signs of tooth decay. Affected pupils had two rotten teeth on average. The survey found stark disparities between deprived and affluent areas, with rates of decay rising to almost one in four (23 per cent) in the poorest area - more than double the one in ten (10 per cent) in the wealthiest. Meanwhile, 3 per cent of schoolchildren reported they 'often' or 'very often' had pain in their teeth or mouths and 2 per cent regularly had difficulty biting or chewing firm foods during the past three months. The survey found out of 53,073 children aged 10 and 11, 16 per cent had signs of tooth decay. It also revealed stark differences between deprived and affluent areas Dentistry leaders today warned that ministers have 'failed to grasp that decay and deprivation go hand in hand' and said a lack of measures aimed at preventing poor dental health meant children are 'continuing to pay the price'. Rates of decay varied across the country, hitting a high of 23 per cent in Yorkshire and The Humber and falling to a low of 12 per cent in the South West. At a more local level, Wolverhampton has the highest percentage of children with decayed, missing or filled teeth at 42.7 per cent. There are also variances across ethnic groups, with rates of 13 per cent among black or black British, 16 per cent among white, 18 per cent among Asian or Asian British and 22 per cent among 'other' ethnicities. The British Dental Association accused ministers of 'dragging their heals' on policies that could narrow the 'huge oral health gap' among children. SYMPTOMS OF TOOTH DECAY AND HOW TO PREVENT IT Eating too much sugary food and drink can lead to tooth decay. It is important to see a dentist as soon as possible if you think your child has tooth decay. It is caused by a build of a sticky layer of bacteria called plaque. Over time this damages the surface of your teeth. The symptoms: A hole forming in the tooth Toothache A sharp pain in your tooth when eating or drinking hot, cold or sweet things White, brown or black spots on your tooth How to prevent it: Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste Use floss or interdental brushes to clean between your teeth every day Have regular dental check-ups Source: NHS Advertisement Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said: 'For a generation, ministers have failed to grasp that decay and deprivation go hand in hand. 'This Government likes to talk about prevention but has offered nothing. 'It has promised access for all but looks set to just throw money at target seats in rural England. 'Our youngest patients are continuing to pay the price.' Last month, Labour announced it would introduce measures such as supervised toothbrushing for young children in free breakfast clubs to tackle tooth decay. Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said issues like 'tooth decay, stunted growth and stalling life expectancy should be consigned to the history books, but instead they're the reality of Tory Britain'. Preet Kaur Gill, Labour's shadow health minister, said: 'The Conservatives have left NHS dentistry to rot, and now our children's teeth are rotting too. 'It's shocking that thousands of children have pain in their mouths that is so bad they are struggling to eat. No child should be suffering through toothache at school. 'Labour has a fully costed plan to rescue NHS dentistry by gripping the immediate crisis and reforming the service in the long-term. 'We will provide 700,000 urgent appointments, recruit new dentists to the areas most in need, and introduce a targeted national toothbrushing scheme to 35 year-olds, paid for by abolishing the non-dom tax status.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We want to improve oral hygiene and access to dental care for all children, regardless of where in England they live. 'Access to dentistry is improving, and last year around 800,000 more children saw an NHS dentist. 'We invest 3billion each year to deliver NHS dentistry and we have announced plans to increase dental training places by 40 per cent. 'We are also taking preventative measures, such as expanding water fluoridation schemes to reduce the number of children experiencing tooth decay. 'We have already taken steps to improve access and incentivise practices to deliver more NHS dental care, and will set out new measures in our Dental Recovery Plan in due course.' Under blockbuster NHS plans designed to free up millions of doctors' appointments, chemists have been given powers to hand out prescriptions for common ailments. It means patients battling minor illnesses, such as a sore throat or earache, can now bypass their GP. It is hoped the move, labelled a 'mini revolution in high street healthcare' by Rishi Sunak, will enable family doctors to treat those with the most serious conditions. Yet critics have warned that pharmacists can be a 'diluted and risky alternative' to doctors and the scheme could see patients' health could deteriorate. Pharmacists themselves warned of the 'immense pressure' they face. Others however, have branded the service 'excellent' for the sector, given chemists have assessed and treated minor illnesses for many years. Fatima Mobasshir (pictured) a pharmacy manager at a Day Lewis branch in Newbury, Berkshire, branded the scheme 'excellent' Jennifer Ndichu (pictured), a regional pharmacist for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, meanwhile labelled the scheme 'exciting'. The 51 year old added: 'In the pharmacies, all of this stuff is stuff we have been doing anyway. Now, it's next level' Fatima Mobasshir, a pharmacy manager at a Day Lewis branch in Newbury, Berkshire, branded the scheme 'excellent'. The 29-year-old said: 'I think it will be really beneficial for the general public and the surgeries. It will reduce wait times for surgery and it will reduce appointments at the surgery so they can focus on more problematic situations. 'Then we can deal with the simple ones such as the common conditions that arise all the time. It gives that initiative to be able to provide more help. 'Often, we provide the advice but then we refer and this is just us being able to finish the whole consultation in one go.' Nine in ten chemists in England have signed up to the Pharmacy First scheme and have fresh powers to treat patients. Everything you'll now be able to get from your pharmacist Pharmacy First The service will see pharmacists give advice and, where clinically necessary, offer prescription-only treatment for a range of minor illnesses. The service It will be limited to seven conditions at first, with ambitions to expand as the service matures. These include: Sinusitis Sore throat Earache Infected insect bite Impetigo Shingles Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women under 65 NHS Contraception Service Up until December, pharmacists were only permitted to dispense contraceptive pills after they have been initially prescribed by a GP and offer advice on different types of contraception. But they can now sign up for the new service to dish out contraceptive pills without patients having to go through general practice. The NHS hopes at least 500,000 women a year will be able to get free contraceptive pills on the high street. Blood Pressure Checks Community pharmacies have long offered blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar testing. But now a wider range of trained pharmacy staff can provide the Blood Pressure Check service, which allows people over the age of 40 to check if they are at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Officials hope the programme will see up to 2.5million blood pressure checks will be delivered by spring 2025. Advertisement It will be offered by both high street and online pharmacies, who will undertake the service via a video appointment and deliver the prescription in the post. Since December, pharmacists have also gained powers to dish out contraceptive pills to women, while a wider range of trained pharmacy staff can also provide the Blood Pressure Check service. These extra responsibilities are designed to ease pressures on GPs. However, in parts of the country, chemists are already rammed as hundreds have been forced to close. Pharmacy bodies blame NHS underfunding, staff shortages and a failing GP service. But asked whether the scheme could result in overwhelming pressure on pharmacies, Ms Mobasshir said she thought this was unlikely. She added: 'I don't think that it will be a problem. I think teams have found a way to manage the workload. 'Obviously, it is a new service and with anything new, you would be hesitant. But I'll be honest with you, this is something we already provide. 'We already provide the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service, an NHS one-on-one referral or a GP referral. 'So they are already referred to us with different medical conditions, which we can deal with over the counter. This is just the next step. 'This is certain people who need prescriptions like antibiotics and we can give them easily because we've got those PGDs [Patient Group Directions] now available to do that.' Jennifer Ndichu, a regional pharmacist for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, labelled the scheme 'exciting'. The 51-year-old added: 'In the pharmacies, all of this stuff is stuff we have been doing anyway. Now, it's next level. 'We are seeing people come in with symptoms like impetigo and we can't do anything then we have to refer them back to the doctors. 'It's good that now we can say this is what it is, and we can help them.' But she acknowledged 'as with anything new', pharmacists were a 'little apprehensive about its impact and how it impacts us'. Others, however, raised concerns over increasing workloads, warning the profession is entering 'uncharted territory' amid fears they don't have sufficient training. Jason Chouhan, a pharmacist at Vantage Pharmacy in Bournemouth, Dorset, said: 'It's early days to tell the impact but it's going to create immense pressure on the services we are already providing. 'I don't think the funding is adequate for the services and the time it's going to take to provide the service. 'At the moment we have not made any provision for extra staff, we have got to wait and see how the uptake is going to be in the coming months. 'I think with the population it is something that will take a while to settle in, it's not going to happen overnight.' Your browser does not support iframes. Jason Chouhan, a pharmacist at Vantage Pharmacy (pictured) in Bournemouth, Dorset, said: 'It's early days to tell the impact but it's going to create immense pressure on the services we are already providing' Another pharmacist, who didn't want to be named, warned the scheme had felt 'rushed' and instead should have been introduced in phases. He added: 'We were told at the end of November. December is our busiest time of year which is quite short notice. They gave us two months' notice to do all the training and get all the clinical pathways organised. 'It isn't too problematic for me because I am an independent prescriber but a lot of pharmacies have never done prescribing before. 'I don't think the funding is enough to turn a profit, you're looking at needing double pharmacists to cover a lot of the time.' Meanwhile, a third pharmacist in Southampton where Rishi Sunak's mother ran his family chemist Bassett Pharmacy labelled the scheme a 'multifaceted issue'. The chemist who wished to remain anonymous said pharmacists 'shouldn't be expected to do it'. He added: 'We're working the same hours, doing more work but not getting reimbursed for it. 'They don't know what pressure we are under. People have livelihoods at risk. If they make a mistake then we're done. 'We are going into uncharted territory in providing antibiotics where we have very minimal experience in doing so, and that can give rise to the antibiotics resistance.' Critics warn NHS scheme to send millions of patients to swamped chemists instead is 'risky' NHS data has long shown that GPs, who earn 118,000-a-year, on average, are under huge pressure and treating a record number of people. Family doctors have reported cramming in up to 90 appointments per day in some areas, warning that rushing patients through in conveyor belt-like scenes risks missing serious illnesses. The British Medical Association recommends GPs should not deliver more than 25 appointments a day to ensure safe care. But family doctors have already warned patients will still require the 'expertise of a GP'. In photos shared to Twitter, leaflets given to pharmacy staff by Asda show the supermarket had set an initial target of 30 consultations per month, labelling it a 3million opportunity. Under NHS plans to free up millions of appointments with family doctors, chemists will be able to dish out contraceptive pills to women. High street pharmacists will also get powers to hand out prescriptions for common ailments, meaning patients battling minor illnesses can bypass their GP. Under wider plans, pharmacists will be offering more blood pressure checks to at-risk patients, with a commitment to deliver 2.5million a year by spring 2025 Link selling urging customers to buy another product linked to their initial purchase 'is key' it said. It added: 'Most customers even if eligible will need pain relief.' Meanwhile, Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England, acknowledged that 'getting used' to the Pharmacy First scheme 'will take time'. She said: 'I don't doubt that pharmacies will rise to the challenge, but we know that in order for our sector to thrive it should not just end here at Pharmacy First. 'We'll continue pushing for financial support to strengthen our sector for the future. 'Over time we expect the public to make full use of this service, but we don't expect a large number of people to be walking in for Pharmacy First consultations on day one of the service as getting used to this will take time.' Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, also welcomed the move but warned of a 'chronic funding crisis'. While the service is 'an initiative we've been long campaigning for,' the sector 'must however never lose sight of the chronic funding crisis our pharmacies are facing which threatens their survival'. Just 11,414 community pharmacies offering key NHS services remain the lowest level since records began in 2015/16. Almost 400 shut their doors in 2022/23 alone, statistics show. Real-time NHS England data shows the count as of December 31, 2023 may be as little as 10,273. Industry leaders have labelled the figures 'alarming' and warned patients will be forced into making longer journeys for vital treatment or 'miss out all together'. While MPs broadly welcomed the scheme, MPs also warned it would not make up for the pharmacy closures and raised concerns over recruitment issues. New Labour MP for mid-Bedfordshire Alistair Strathern told the Commons: 'Given the long waits to see GPs any boost to primary care is welcome. It is hoped the move, labelled a 'mini revolution in high street healthcare' by Rishi Sunak , will let Brits bypass their GP and enable family doctors to treat those with the most serious conditions Under blockbuster NHS plans designed to free up millions of doctors' appointments, chemists have been given new powers to hand out prescriptions for seven common ailments. It means patients battling minor illnesses, such as a sore throat or earache, can now bypass their GP from today 'But pharmacies need capacity to take on extra roles, and many local practices are struggling to recruit.' Members of the Pharmacists' Defence Association, which represents thousands of pharmacists in the UK, also revealed they are worried that 'the hurried launch' of the scheme will result in a spike in violence and abuse from the public, whose expectations will have been raised. NHS England only made the software required to operate available to pharmacies on on Wednesday, the day it launched, the union said. In a statement to the Commons yesterday, pharmacy minister Dame Andrea Leadsom also admitted pharmacies still don't have full access to automated GP patient records despite the launch of the scheme. She said 'there is a very short window in which some systems will have elements of manual intervention', adding automated software would be ready in 'a few weeks'. Meanwhile, the Doctors' Association UK (DAUK) has urged ministers to urgently review why pharmacies are paid 'more than double' per consultation compared with GPs. Pharmacy contractors delivering the service will receive a 1,000 monthly fixed payment, subject to delivering a minimum number of consultations. According to DAUK calculations, this will equate to roughly 48 per consultation more than double the 23 per consultation that GPs currently receive. A UN panel setting global care standards for trans adults has been accused of cronyism, with four fifths of its members being flagged for conflicts of interest and even of having a financial stake in the group's work. The LGBT Courage Coalition, a US-based campaign group, has accused the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) of appointing experts who are set to gain from the guidelines they're tasked with writing. Several are medical professionals with practices that provide cross-sex hormones and other care to trans people, and stand to gain from such care becoming more widespread, it is alleged. Jamie Reed, a former case manager at a Missouri trans clinic who blew the whistle on kids being fast-tracked onto puberty blockers, bashed WHO for appointing panelists with a financial stake in the work. The UN's World Health Organization has faced criticism since it revealed the names of panelists in December 'A lot of organizations struggle when managing intellectual conflicts of interest, but a financial conflict of interest is kindergarten level,' Reed, a member of the coalition, told DailyMail.com. 'The fact that they could not manage basic financial conflicts of interest demonstrates that they are not in a position to manage something as complex as a global guideline, and they need to go back to the drawing board.' Jamie Reed accuses WHO panel of cronyism Some 13 members of the panel have 'significant' conflicts of interest and another three appear to be compromised, she said in a report. WHO should kick them out and let in people with a wider range of expertise, including in autism, which may contribute to gender dysphoria, and people who have transitioned and later come to regret it, she added. Another group, the Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine (SEGM), agreed, saying the conflicts of interest could 'interfere' with members' 'ability to impartially assess the evidence and issue evidence-based recommendations.' SEGM said this was likely by design that WHO chose experts on one side of a hotly-contested medical debate to deliver guidelines that promote affirmation-on-demand, drugs and surgeries for trans people. 'The fact that these affiliations were not viewed as problematic and passed the review sent a strong signal regarding the direction of the guidelines,' the group said in a statement. A young woman shows the scars from the breast-removal operation she underwent as a teenager and now deeply regrets WHO officials haven't commented on the controversy. The agency has rules against 'financial' and 'intellectual' conflicts of interest for guideline-writers, but it remains unclear whether they are being enforced. Poll Should 'gender-affirming care' be banned for children in your state? Yes No Not sure Should 'gender-affirming care' be banned for children in your state? Yes 31435 votes No 1523 votes Not sure 845 votes Now share your opinion Advocates of gender-affirming care, as it is known, say it can be life-saving for a suicide-prone group. Critics say big medical groups have been hijacked by trans ideologues, and that some people who identify as trans would benefit more from counseling than being fast-tracked onto drugs and surgery. Clinicians who devise guidelines for gender-affirming care are chiefly focussed on helping patients and medical ethics. But there are big financial implications to standards that will influence the WHO's 194 member nations. Cross sex-hormones cost as much as $2,500 each year for US trans patients. A complete gender-reassignment surgical package can easily exceed $100,000. Making gender-affirming care more widely available could boost the profits of drugmakers and care providers by millions or even billions of dollars. Sexual-reassignment operations, like this one in France, are fraught with difficulties. A complete head-to-toe package can cost more than $100,000 in the US Cross-sex hormones can cost $150 for a year's supply in the US, but more expensive types can exceed $2,500 The coalition says several WHO panelists stand to gain personally from costly drugs and procedures being rolled out more widely. They include Gale Knudson, a medical doctor and psychiatrist in Vancouver, Canada, whose 'practice consists largely of approving patients for gender-affirming care,' the group said. Another is Walter Bockting, a doctor of psychiatry and researcher with the New York State Psychiatric Institute, who is compromised because 'his clinical practice is focused on the provision of gender-affirming hormones,' the group says. Likewise, Walter Bouman of Britain, Elma de Vries and Chris McLachlan of South Africa, Apako Williams of Uganda, and Rena Janamnuaysoo of Thailand all work for clinics that profit from gender care, it is claimed. Alicia Kruger, a trained pharmacist in Brazil, would benefit from WHO recommending the wider use of cross-sex hormones, as she consults for the Brazilian government on this issue, it is claimed. Other panelists draw salaries from organizations that promote gender-affirming care, the group said. The panelists are not accused of wrongdoing just that they should not sit on an intergovernmental body devising guidelines aligned to one of their business interests. Sex-reassignment procedures are complicated and have worrying rates of post-surgery and long-term pain and discomfort Trans Canadian TikToker Florence Ashley left the panel amid revelations about their past support for a 'default' use of puberty blockers on kids DailyMail.com contacted WHO to offer the agency and its panelists the right to reply, but did not get a response. The UN agency has been dogged by criticism since it unveiled the members of its panel in December. The panel is tasked with developing comprehensive guidelines for how health systems treat trans people globally. They will focus on cross-sex hormones and other sex-change treatments, training doctors and nurses, and policies that allow trans people to choose the sex used to identify them in government documents. Critics say the group which is made up of trans campaigners and advocates is biased. One trans activist, the Canadian TikToker Florence Ashley, exited amid revelations about their past support for a 'default' use of puberty blockers on kids. Another, the non-binary activist Cianan Russell, remains on the panel, despite revelations they posted X-rated chats from the hookup app Grindr on social media. Who makes up the panel? Pictured: Alicia Kruger Alicia Kruger is a trained pharmacist with training in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted and viral diseases. She currently works as an epidemiologist and pharmacist in Brazil. A transgender woman herself, Kruger co-founded and presided over the Brazilian Professional Association for Transgender Health (BRPATH), a WPATH affiliate. Pictured: Apako Willimas Apako Willimas is an activist for the human rights of transgender and gender non-conforming persons in Uganda where he founded the Tranz Network Uganda (TNU). Willimas has a background in social work. He is also a lawyer with about eight years of experience defending LGBTQ+ people. Pictured: Ayouba El Hamri Ayouba El Hamri is a trans activist in Morocco who co-founded a Moroccan LGBTQ advocacy group and serves on the steering committee for the African Trans Network and the Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+). Pictured: Chris McLachlan Chris McLachlan, who was born female but identifies more with masculine gender, is a member of the Sexuality and Gender Division of the Psychological Society of South Africa, where he helped develop the first and definitive South African Gender Affirming Healthcare Guideline. He is also part of the core team that developed the Practice Guidelines for Psychology Professionals Working with Sexually and Gender-Diverse People. Pictured: Cianan Russell Cianan Russell is a trained chemist, policy, and trans rights advocate at the Belgium-based think tank ILGA-Europe. He started out as a LGBTQ+ activist in the US in the 1990s and has since worked in transgender rights groups in Asia and Europe. Russel is also the Director of Trans Survivors Network, an international nonprofit that focuses on research, advocacy, and raising awareness related to the care of trans people exposed to sexual violence, sexual assault, and rape. Pictured: Elma de Vries Elma de Vries is a family doctor and activist for the healthcare needs of South Africa's trans community who works at the Nelson Mandela University's School of Medicine. She is also a founding member of the Professional Association for Transgender Health South Africa (PATHSA). Pictured: Erika Castellanos Erika Castellanos is a trans woman and activist from Belize now living in the Netherlands. She completed a certificate program for conducting research on LGBTQ+ health issues and founded the first network of people in Belize living with HIV like her. Castellanos currently leads GATE's work in building up the trans healthcare rights movement. Pictured: Eszter Kismodi Eszter Kismodi is an international human rights lawyer specializing in sexual and reproductive health. She leads the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters group, which oversees an academic journal that publishes a wide range of research pertaining to sexual health and gender rights. Kismodi also has a long history of working with global health organizations, including the WHO and the World Association for Sexual Health as a human rights advisor. Pictured: Felisbela de Oliveira Gaspar Felisbela de Oliveira Gaspar is a gender policy advisor for the Minister of Health of Mozambique, where she trains health workers on addressing gender in their work treating patients. Since 2016, she has also advised the WHO Geneva office on the development of strategies for using traditional and alternative medicine in a wide range of settings, not just in treating gender dysphoria. Florence Ashley is a trans woman and law professor in Canada specializing in ethics in medicine. They authored a book called Gender/Fucking: The Pleasures and Politics of Living in a Gendered Body as well as reports condemning the continued use of harmful conversion therapy to reverse a person's homosexuality. Pictured: Gale Knudson Gale Knudson is a medical doctor and psychiatrist in Vancouver, Canada who has participated on several panels to develop transgender healthcare guidelines, including the Supporting Sexuality Across the Gender Spectrum panel at the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. She co-authored several versions of the WPATH Standards of Care and co-leads the Global Education Institute and is a former President of WPATH and the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH). Pictured: Phan Thi Thu Huong Phan Thi Thu Huong is a physician specializing in the prevention and control of sexually transmitted and infectious diseases and the Director General of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control. She has also served as the Vietnam Coordinator of the French Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis and a health professor at Hanoi Medical University. Pictured: Rena Janamnuaysook Rena Janamnuaysook is the program manager for Implementation Science at the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI) in Bangkok, Thailand. There, she established the Tangerine Community Health Clinic, the first transgender-led health clinic in the region. Janamnuaysook is a fellow in the National Institutes of Health's CHIMERA D43 program that built a team of researchers from Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand get design studies addressing the link between HIV diagnoses and mental illness. Pictured: Saima Paracha Saima Paracha, one of two pediatricians on the panel, works in the National AIDS Control Program of Pakistan with emphasis on HIV and infections that often go alongside it, such as viral hepatitis and STDs. Much of her work, primarily in Pakistan, has centered on improving HIV/AIDS diagnostics and training other healthcare workers in HIV and tuberculosis. Pictured: Sanjay Sharma Sanjay Sharma, who is also a trained pediatrician, was the founding director and CEO of the Association for Transgender Health in India. As an advisor to the Transgender Empowerment Board of Delhi, Dr Sharma helped formulate sweeping legal protections for trans people against discrimination in India. Pictured: Shobini Rajan Shobini Rajan is a medical doctors and Deputy Director General at the National AIDS Control Organization. She led the agenda of Transgender Health in India and was instrumental in writing the Indian government's 'White Paper on Comprehensive Health-related Services for Transgender Health.' Teddy Cook works in policy and advocacy projects and is the Director of Community Health at ACON, a leading HIV and LGBTQ+ health advocacy organization based in Australia. He is part of a wide array of trans rights advisory groups, including Australia's largest LGBTIQ health and wellbeing survey called the Expert Advisory Group and Gender Advisory Board. Pictured: Walter Bockting Walter Bockting is a doctor of psychiatry and researcher with the New York State Psychiatric Institute, leading the Area of Gender, Sexuality, and Health. He has served as president of WPATH and is the lead investigator on three studies on the subject funded by the National Institute of Health, including one looking into the quality of life of trans and nonbinary individuals following gender-affirming surgery. Pictured: Walter Bouman Walter Bouman is a medical doctor and trans health specialist in the UK. He specializes in prescribing, dosing, and monitoring transition hormone treatment, providing referrals for transition surgeries and other medical interventions such as hair removal and speech and language therapy, and providing psychological support for trans people. Dr Bouman is the founding member of the European Professional Association for Transgender Health (EPATH) and the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS). Pictured: Yanyan Arana Yanyan Arana is a trans woman and activist in the Philippines. She is program manager of an organization called LoveYourself Inc. which provides sexual health and gender transition services, research, and events, to the trans community there. Pictured: Zakaria Nasser Zakaria Nasser is an activist based in Lebanon and was a member of the underground LGBTQ+ rights group Meem. He has since founded the group Qorras, which collects and disseminates reports on civil rights and policies from a feminist, queer perspective. From a crackling political thriller about Russian espionage to tales of life in the Jim Crow era of the American South, check out our critics' picks of the best new books to read this weekend. THRILLERS GEOFFREY WANSELL Anna O By Matthew Blake (HarperCollins 16.99, 432pp) This striking debut is one of the most remarkable in many years for at its heart lies a fascinating enigma. Twenty-five-year-old Anna Ogilvy hasnt opened her eyes in four years not since the night she was found fast asleep in her home, a blood stained kitchen knife in her hand, near the bodies of two of her best friends who had been stabbed to death. Enter sleep expert Dr Ben Prince, who is asked to see if he can wake her up to face a trial for murder. He concludes she is suffering from resignation syndrome, a mysterious illness afflicting those who commit a dreadful crime and whose brain then refuses to allow them to wake up. Annas story becomes even more compelling when the boss of the sleep clinic in Harley Street that she has been assigned to is murdered. Brilliantly executed, packed with insight, it deserves to be a breakout best-seller. The Fury By Alex Michaelides (Michael Joseph 18.99, 368pp) Another blockbuster by the author of the multi-million selling A Silent Patient. Reclusive ex-movie star Lana Farrer has invited a small group of her closest friends for a week on her private Greek island a lavish present from her late movie-producer husband. But this is not the joyful reunion that everyone expects at this glamorous retreat. Old enmities, bitter jealousies and violent passions surface all too quickly. Within 48 hours of their arrival, one of the friends is killed but by whom, and why? Could the local man charged with looking after the island for the past seven years be a killer, or could it be one of the celebrity guests, all of whom seem to have darkness in their hearts? Infinitely thrilling, and delicately crafted, the plot keeps everyone guessing until the very end, with an unscrupulous villain to underline just how good it is. Do not miss it. The Shadow Network By Tony Kent (Elliott & Thompson, 16.99, 464pp) At the heart of this crackling political thriller, packed with deception and espionage, lies a shadowy organisation determined to overthrow the world order. Its aim is to re-establish Russian supremacy but not under communists like Vladimir Putin. It wants the ancestors of the Russian Tsars back in control. Then two lawyers, acting for an alleged war criminal who is to be tried at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, are gunned down, it transpires the attack has been carried out on the orders of The Monk named after Grigori Rasputin, the legendary Russian adviser to Tsar Nicholas II. British barrister, Michael Devlin, who knows one of the victims, sets out to discover where the reality lies. Tense and fast paced, it has a fierce edge that questions whether the world as we know it can survive. Kent has become the British Baldacci, and there can be no higher praise. CONTEMPORARY SARA LAWRENCE Jaded By Ela Lee (Harvill Secker 14.99, 384pp) The daughter of mixed-heritage immigrants, Jade has spent her life working hard to fit in. Shes a talented lawyer working for a big London firm, has had the same gorgeous boyfriend since university and is also a dutiful daughter who delights in making her parents proud. Jade feels like she has everything. However, when she belatedly realises shes been the victim of a brutal sexual assault by a colleague after a work party its not long before she starts to feel like shes got nothing. As rumours begin to fly around the office, Jades carefully constructed facade starts to crumble and she is worried she will lose her job as well as her relationship. The author once worked as a city lawyer herself, which lends the corporate bits a pleasing authenticity. Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind By Molly McGhee (4th Estate 16.99, 368pp) Drowning in debt but unable to get a job, Jonathan is a desperate man who thinks he is utterly worthless. Hes so desperate he regularly tells himself lies to get through the day. He always tells himself the same things that he is kind, competent, respected by his community and loved by his family. Eventually, Jonathan gets an offer from a government loan forgiveness programme to work as he sleeps, auditing the dreams of people just like him and reducing his debt as he does so. It seems fine if a bit weird at first. As he gets used to it, however, he realises hes involved in a deeply sinister occupation and is losing more than he is gaining. This is a quirky, original story and so is our protagonist, an anxious people-pleaser who often makes bad decisions and is riddled with fear. I still rooted for him from the start. Brilliantly different. Open Minded By Chloe Seager (HQ 9.99, 384pp) When Hollys boyfriend, Will, books them dinner at a swanky restaurant theyve never been to before, she is convinced hes going to propose. After all, theyve been together for nine years and most of their friends are engaged or married already. But instead of proposing, he suggests they open up their relationship from its current monogamous status and both start seeing other people. Shes totally blindsided. Meanwhile, Fliss has been in an open relationship with Andy for the last five years. She wouldnt want to live any other way, so is staggered when he says he now wants to make it just the two of them. Fliss isnt sure she can make monogamy work and Holly will try anything to keep Will, so they resolve to help each other get what they want. Compelling complications ensue. SHORT STORIES EITHNE FARRY Neighbors And Other Stories By Diane Oliver (Faber 9.99, 272pp) Pin-sharp prose, keen observation and a deep emotional engagement with the struggles of black lives in the Jim Crow era of the American South are the mainstays of this remarkable collection, from an author who died when she was just 23. Here, Oliver explores the personal consequences for the trailblazers in the Civil Rights movement, from the parents rethinking their decision to send their young son to a previously all-white school (Neighbors), to college girl Winifred whos tired of being the Experiment, and whose mental health declines in The Closet On The Top Floor. Elsewhere, its the domestic drama that pulls us into Olivers orbit from tricky stepmother/stepdaughter dynamics and floundering marriages, to the effects of poverty on pupils and teachers, and especially on the women who leave their own children home alone to care for someone elses. Float Up, Sing Down By Laird Hunt (Riverrun, 18.99, 224pp) Genial and generous of heart, these 14 interlinked stories capture the lives and loves of the inhabitants of Bright Creek in Indiana, where everyone knows everyone and secrets ripple under the surface of their rural world. Brimming with easy-going charm, theres real heart and hurt here, too, as Hunt unspools the hopes and dreams of his beguiling characters. Theres Gladys, who walks through the shadowy cornfields and worries about her war damaged husband, as Hank, the elderly retired sheriff on the look out for romance himself, offers relationship advice to martial arts-obsessed Greg, whos crushing on Bethie, who works with him in the Galaxy Whirl kiosk. Theres unhappy, outsider Irma, much missed by Candy, whose charming, chipper tone opens the collection, as she hosts a gossipy gathering of her friends. An absolute delight. This Is Salvaged By Vauhini Vara (Grove Press 12.99, 208pp) Loss lingers in the pages of Varas funny yet sad short stories; its a world of dead siblings, failed careers and love gone astray, but theres also a defiant sense of grabbing at life with both hands and characters who refuse to give in or up. From the mother who explains how a foundational lie became cupolas, friezes, lintels of untruth in regard to her childs parentage (What Next), to the artist in the titular story who abandoned his fragile and perishable art to create a Biblical ark with inflammable consequences, theres the realisation that, although things may have been unmoored from all sense of meaning, theres hope and something to salvage from the wreckage. LITERARY FICTION ANTHONY CUMMINS What Will Survive of us By Howard Jacobson (Cape 20, 304 pp) Jacobson, 81, seems out to give the reader a gentler time than usual in this rom-com about how love at first sight strikes a middle-aged man and woman who ditch their long-time partners to shack up. The story centres on Lily, a television documentary maker, and Sam, a playwright, who get together while filming in Mexico before sealing the deal by sampling the S&M scene in Londons Soho and Amsterdam. Sure, theres a dollop of dirty talk its a Jacobson novel after all. But he dials down the usually relentless rib-digging gags poured into books such as his Donald Trump satire Pussy, and theres no sign of the kind of edgy conceit that has previously animated his provocative comedies of Jewishness in the shadow of the Holocaust. Instead, we have a warm-hearted examination of how Lily and Sams coup de foudre endures down the decades. Touching, yes, yet oddly short on electricity. I'm New Here By Ian Russell-Hsieh (Scribner 14.99, 240 pp) This punchy debut follows Sean, a Taiwanese-British photographer who leaves London to jet off to Taipei in search of belonging after he is sacked from his job and dumped by his girlfriend. Instead, he falls into a self-loathing spiral of random hook-ups and junk food, reported with almost anaesthetic blankness. Our sense of what exactly is going on begins to fracture under the pressure of the protagonists psychological breakdown once he finds himself hired by a new client, a shadowy older man encountered in a doughnut joint. If the unreliable narration of Im New Here shares DNA with cult classics Fight Club and American Psycho, its sour comic candour also recalls the recent vogue for spiky novels flaunting the unrestrained appetites of women behaving badly (think Eliza Clarks Boy Parts or Sheena Patels Im A Fan). A compelling character study, even if its ultimately more of a voice and an attitude than a story. The Book Of Days By Francesca Kay (Swift Press 16.99) Set in an English manor house in the dog days of Henry VIIIs reign, this absorbing novel takes the form of the diary kept by a young woman while her dying husband pursues his dream of building a chapel to safeguard his soul. As she mourns a lost child while stirring to furtive glances from a local priest, grief and desire bubble slowly to the boil. This is historical fiction that is personal, not panoramic: intimate, hushed and spare. Fourteen Days Ed by Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston (Chatto & Windus, 20, 384 pp) Assuming you havent already had your fill of lockdown stories, this is an intriguing take on the genre: a collaborative novel written by 36 North American writers, imagining a socially-distanced rooftop gathering of tenants in a New York apartment block as they share stories at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although seriousness prevails, there is a mix of moods, genres and protagonists, from a pest exterminator to an Iraq veteran, a woman widowed by a plane crash and even William Shakespeare during his own experience of lockdown, when plague closed the theatres. The different stories arent bylined, so you dont know until the end of the book which of them was written by star names (Margaret Atwood, John Grisham) or up-and-coming talents (Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Tommy). Parasol Against The Axe By Helen Oyeyemi (Faber 16.99) Imagine a book whose story changes depending on where or when its read, or by whom. Oyeyemis new novel is just such a tome, and begins when a circle of women gather in Prague for a hen weekend. With her wild, stylish tale, Oyeyemi pays loving homage to the city of Milan Kundera and Franz Kafka, while also playing games in the manner of Italo Calvino. Review by Tom Payne Luxury pawnbroker Suttons and Robertsons has been around since 1770 Demand for pawnbroking has grown during the cost of living crisis If you walked past Suttons and Robertsons' South Kensington branch, it's unlikely you'd think there were luxury goods worth thousands of pounds locked inside. In fact, its fluorescent lights and carpet are more akin to a high street bank than a luxury pawnbroker, where you can only enter by appointment. But, in recent times, it has loaned 47,000 on a piece of Banksy art after a customer was landed a surprise tax bill - and 315,000 on a collection of high-end watches in order to fund a hospitality business buy. Suttons and Robertsons has been a luxury pawnbroker since the 18th century The origins of pawnbroking can be traced back thousands of years and it is one of the oldest forms of lending in the world. Now, it is having somewhat of a resurgence after the pandemic flipped the industry on its head. As more people struggle to access finance they are turning to pawnbroking, but what of the more secretive luxury market? It has been pushed - or dragged, depending on who you ask - into the 21st century. For Suttons and Robertsons, which has served its customers in one form or another since 1770, the change is welcome. We spent a day at the premises with managing director Jim Tannahill to discuss how and why the demand for luxury pawnbroking has grown. Demand for pawnbroking grows In some areas, pawnbrokers can be quite visible but the numbers of actual shops actually remain relatively low. That said the largest pawnbroker in the UK, H&T Group which has 270+ stores in the UK, reported 'record levels' of demand last summer. Its pledge book - the loans against customer assets - rose from 85.1million to 114.6million over the year. Suttons and Robertsons had a similar increase in business with its loan book up between 20 and 30 per cent year-on-year. It has also seen the number of first-time customers climb by 30 per cent since this time last year. Suttons and Robertsons' managing director Jim Tannahill has been a pawnbroker for 40+ years 'We do get a good suite of new customers, but like the rest of the industry we are reliant on the fact that once people have been using our service they do repeat,' says Tannahill. 'Probably 50 per cent of anyone's book will be repeat clients and then you top that up with new clients. Some just borrow once.' Tannahill started his career at TM Sutton and worked there for a number of years before starting out on his own. In 2019, Hopkins and Jones acquired all of the trading assets from Suttons and Robertsons, which was owned by The Money Shop, and he is now one of the shareholders. 'I'm still seeing some of the same faces that I used to see before I left, which was about 10 years ago. I think if that's still happening your service must be of use to people.' The lack of access to loans, especially since the collapse of payday lenders, means it still serves a purpose, he argues. 'If you want a mid-thousands pound loan, its difficult. Getting mainstream quick access to that sort of finance is increasingly difficult. The anti-money laundering side of things is a bit more long-winded, but if you wanted 10,000 from a bank it's just not happening in a day. 'If you're looking to borrow money over a short period of time, [pawnbroking] is a viable and quick option.' How does luxury pawnbroking work? Unlike non-luxury pawnbrokers, Suttons and Robertsons offers loans secured against luxury items, such as watches and jewellery. It can also buy items but the vast majority of its business is in loans, and it is fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The asset is valued and an offer will be made, at which point the customer enters into a pawnbroking loan agreement. Pawnbrokers will work on cash value and will lend a percentage of that, usually between 75 and 80 per cent. Suttons and Robertsons will hold the asset in one of its secured vaults until the agreed period of time - usually six months - is over, although you can return at any time within this time. Once the full loan amount and accrued interest is paid, the item will be returned to the customer. Not everyone can walk in and get a pawnbroking loan though. At Suttons and Robertsons, the minimum loan is 500 - higher than the 400 average loan paid out by other pawnbrokers - while the average loan size is 6,000. Tannahill says he has loaned up to half a million pounds, and the average loan size is rising in part because of prices going up in general. Popular pawned products include fine jewellery from leading brands like Tiffany & Co 'What was a couple of thousands of pounds a few years ago is double that now just by the very nature of the product.' Pawnbrokers will also carry out rudimentary checks and in the luxury world, proof of purchase and/or insurance valuations on the item, which helps establish a tie between the customer and the item. 'Some customers push back against these things because they think we're prying. I'd much rather we didn't have to, but you've got to do what you've got to do. Times have changed.' Knock-off items might be getting better and better but information is easy to get which means most people will have ID, he says. There are lots of fakes out there... you really are up against it with some of them. While the internet has meant a proliferation of the black market and fakes market, it has also helped the pawnbrokers themselves. 'There's a lot of information on the internet. You can look up watches, serial numbers, the brands and auctions. You can get a feel for what something might be selling on the secondhand market.' But improved fakes means it is hard to ignore which makes the process more frustrating. 'You still took look, touch, feel and do your own due diligence - especially with watches. There are lots and lots of fakes out there and we see them all the time. 'A lot of them are rubbish which is good for us. Once you've seen the real product you notice the quality difference. But some of them are very good you really are up against it with some of them. 'For every Cartier Love bangle I see, there'll be three or four that are fake to a relatively good standard. They'll be gold, they'll have the marks, but they won't be from Cartier. It's a real headache.' The secondhand watch market has exploded in recent years but it also means a lot of fakes have flooded the market What do people take to luxury pawnbrokers? Over four decades, Tannahill has been up close and personal with a lot of expensive items, but it's the most rare that he enthuses over the most. 'I've seen lots of Victorian items which probably aren't worth much but are rare. I remember seeing a surgeons kit with a saw for taking off a log. It was mounted in gold and bone-handed.' The most pawned items in 2023 are less ghoulish: gold, watches and branded jewellery are all split fairly evenly. Watches have particularly taken off because of the secondhand market, and prove particularly popular in Suttons and Robertsons' City branch. The pawnbroker operates across four outlets in London, each one catering for the area in which they're situated. 'They're all very different. The City will be more watches, South Kensington more jewellery. Our Edgware Road location happens to have lower average loans, although higher than the industry, and that's a little more unusual jewellery and gold based. Quite a lot of people have the perception that an item will increase in price. It might do over a period of time. It's certainly not instantaneous. 'Victoria is a mixture of both. If silver popped up it probably came from Victoria.' But what people take into Sutton and Robertsons has changed massively since Tannahill started forty years ago. 'I started in Victoria and we'd have a lot of clients bring silver in. They'd bring in the family silver in trunks and we'd have lots of lords and ladies. That's all changed, people don't want silver anymore. Old English silver isn't the thing it was.' He's also seen demand for Victorian jewellery peter out with a move into branded jewellery from the likes of Cartier. There does seem to be more people who think there is more value in their items, which can lead to some 'awkward' conversations, says Tannahill. 'That's probably one of the most common and awkward conversations you have at first - what you lend against and what someone believes it's worth. Quite a lot of people have the perception that if you bought it in a retailer, it will increase in price. 'It might do over a period of time, it might not. It's certainly not instantaneous.' Small business owners turn to pawnbroking The cost of living crisis has pushed more people into pawning their items, according to industry leaders. But the people who use luxury pawnbrokers are more often than not insulated from the worst of the downturn. 'In the last few years there has been a dramatic rollercoaster. We purchased the businesses in December 2019 and the loan book almost halved in about a year because of the pandemic. People had more money than they'd had before, swathes of the book were paid back.' From that point, the firm doubled its loan book but it came from a low starting point. It has been on a steady upward trajectory since then, rather than a boom in business as seen in lower-end pawnbrokers. Asked if he's seen a different type of customer due to cash flow issues, Tannahill said: 'Pretty much anyone that walks through the door has got a cash flow issue at that point in time. 'There's holidays, school fees, weddings, all of a sudden you need a big lump of money.' Beyond short-term liquidity for personal reasons, small businesses are increasingly turning to pawnbroking too. 'At the end of every given month, you've got salaries to pay. At the end of the quarter you've got VAT. You've also got suppliers to pay.' One small business owner and part-time property developer faced an unexpected tax bill due on 31 January. Suttons and Robertsons loaned them 47,000 on a Banksy piece, which took just 2 days to complete. Another businessman pledged their watch collection, which included a Rolex and Patek Philippe, for 315,000 to buy a hospitality business. Suttons and Robertsons say 90 per cent of its loans are made to customers with an income of 100,000+ per year, and 75 per cent are in the top 5 per cent in terms of affluence. About 2.2million households are needlessly languishing in fuel poverty this winter after the Government failed to launch an energy 'social tariff' to help the most vulnerable in society, a number of UK charities claim. At present, around one in eight, or 12 per cent, of people in the UK are suffering from fuel poverty, the findings suggest. This equates to 3.2million households, according to Age UK, which is working alongside the MND Association, Sense, Scope, Fair By Design and Mencap. Around one in seven, or 15 per cent, of households in the UK with someone with a disability or long-term health condition, the equivalent of 2.1million households, are experiencing fuel poverty, according to the research. Social energy tariffs have been phased out and replaced with the Warm Home Discount Scheme. However, not all households who got social tariffs are eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Fuel poverty: About 2.2m households are needlessly languishing in fuel poverty this winter, charities claim Richard Kramer, chief executive of Sense, said: 'People with complex disabilities and their families are skipping meals and turning off their heating in the depths of winter, and shockingly almost one in five households (18 per cent) have told us they're cutting their use of vital equipment such as ventilators, feeding pumps and electric wheelchairs in a desperate bid to save money.' Had an energy social tariff been launched this winter, giving people 50 per cent off their energy bills, the charities claim 1.4million people in a household with someone with a disability or long-term health condition would have been lifted out of fuel poverty. The startling figures also claim that one in six older people are experiencing fuel poverty, equating to 1.6million households. If a social energy tariff was in place, the charities estimate that 1.3millon people in this category could be lifted out of fuel poverty this winter. An 'energy social tariff' is a discounted energy deal for those on lower incomes and with specific needs or vulnerabilities. The implementation of a social tariff for particularly vulnerable households could potentially be targeted more narrowly than Government measures like Cost of Living Payments or Winter Fuel Payments. The charities claim an energy social tariff 'must automatically enrol eligible households', be mandatory for all suppliers, and 'complement existing consumer protections.' Eligibility criteria should include recipients of income-related means-tested benefits, disability benefits, and Carer's Allowance, the charities suggest. Households without access to benefits or sitting just above the poverty line should also be eligible for energy social tariffs, the research claims. Action: Age UK and other charities claim an energy social tariff would reduce levels of fuel poverty Alex Massey, head of campaigning, policy and public affairs at MND Association, said: 'This research paints a stark picture of the Government's failure to support disabled people this winter. 'Since the promise of a consultation on targeted energy support, people living with MND have collectively spent 2.5million on their electricity bills for using and maintaining medical and assistive equipment. 'People are now taking drastic action with their own health and wellbeing over one-quarter (28 per cent) have reduced their use of this equipment due to the inflated cost of energy. We call on the Government to urgently implement an energy social tariff to help the most vulnerable households cope with the high cost of energy.' Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK said: 'In January 2024 about 3.4million over 60s reported their home was too cold for most, or all of the time. 'It's not acceptable that they are being forced to live in these conditions. 'We need a permanent solution in the form of an energy social tariff to ensure they never face another winter of unmanageable bills. Energy is a basic essential and it's time we treated it that way and ensure everyone can afford enough of it to stay fit and well, and to live decently.' The charities used the 'fuel stress' definition of fuel poverty. This, the charities suggest, is defined as any household spending over 10 per cent of their household net income on domestic energy. They added: 'Our proposed energy social tariff is for households in the UK with one or more residents in receipt of at least one of income related means-tested benefits, disability benefits, carers allowance and/or living below or just above the poverty line to receive a 50 per cent discount on their energy bill.' This is Money has asked the Government for comment. Former Endeavour boss Sebastien de Montessus was ousted last month over an irregular 4.6m payment The sacked boss of gold miner Endeavour has been accused of sexual misconduct by former employees. Sebastien de Montessus, ousted last month over an irregular 4.6million payment, was also hit with harassment claims. City law firm Linklaters was hired to investigate allegations about the French businessmans personal conduct with colleagues. A whistleblower made claims details have not been disclosed in October. The accusations were not upheld but other sexual misconduct claims emerged, according to the Financial Times. It is unclear whether these claims were different from those recently investigated. Yesterday, de Montessus, 49, said: Linklaters carried out an independent investigation. The details of its report are confidential, but I addressed all specific allegations at the time and I will not engage in a trial by media. De Montessus, who was the highest-paid FTSE 100 boss in 2021, was stripped of more than 23million in salary and bonuses when he was fired in January. He was sacked over the irregular payment, which was discovered during an internal review of acquisitions and sales of parts of the business. Endeavour, the largest gold producer in West Africa, said it was unclear where the payment was directed and a review to uncover the details is ongoing. The board said last week that this will be completed as quickly as possible. De Montessus said he made the payment for security equipment for employees in a conflict zone in 2021. He said he did not inform the board of the transaction due to a lapse in judgment. The decision has no additional cost to the company and did not benefit me personally in any way, he said. Endeavour appointed Ian Cockerill, deputy chairman of the board, as chief executive to replace de Montessus. Elon Musk has said Tesla will look to move the companys legal base to Texas just days after a Delaware judge denied him the biggest corporate payday in history. The billionaire said the electric car maker will hold a shareholder vote to transfer the groups state of incorporation. The shift comes as Musk, 52, the companys chief executive, reels from the court decision on Tuesday that voided his 44billion pay package. The judge ruled that his unfathomable compensation, which was tied to performance targets and set in 2018, was inappropriately set by the firms board. It is unclear how the ruling will be implemented. But without the pay package, Musks fortune would take a hit causing him to drop down the list of the worlds richest people. Pay row: : Tesla boss Elon Musk said the electric car maker will hold a shareholder vote to transfer the groups state of incorporation He is currently said to be worth around 160billion. Bernard Arnault, the boss of French luxury-goods giant LVMH, is the second-richest person in the world, with 145billion. Immediately after the court judgment, Musk wrote on X: Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware. I recommend incorporating in Nevada or Texas if you prefer shareholders to decide matters. He then posted a poll on Wednesday evening on his social media account asking whether he should change Teslas base. With more than a million votes cast, the survey saw 87 per cent in favour of the shift. Following the result, Musk wrote: The public vote is unequivocally in favour of Texas! Tesla will move immediately to hold a shareholder vote to transfer the state of incorporation to Texas. The tycoon, who owns about 13 per cent of Tesla, already has ties with the state after shifting the corporate headquarters from California to Texas in 2021. But Brian Quinn, a professor at Boston College law school, said that any move to Texas would need to be instigated by the board. He added: So, if he hasnt, he should drop them a line because its supposed to be a board call, not the result of a poll on X. It is thought that switching the legal base to Texas will not change the underlying law behind the Delaware ruling. The latest setback adds to the issues which are plaguing Musk. Last month, he warned that car production at Tesla will slow this year as the firm posted a sharp drop in profits. It comes as the company faces mounting pressure from Chinese rivals such as BYD which are looking to dominate the electric car market. Musk is also juggling a bumpy performance at X, which he bought for 34billion in 2022. The social media firm has come under major scrutiny for its content moderation and has faced ongoing action from major advertisers following reports of anti-Semitic posts on the site. In December, Musk told advertisers, who were traditionally the lifeblood of the companys revenues, that they should go f*** themselves. Eyes down: Mothers Day attracted 29,000 visits to Mecca sites in the UK last year Mecca Bingo is gearing up for its busiest day in years as punters flock to their halls on Mothers Day. John OReilly, chief executive of Mecca owner Rank Group, is eyeing bumper trade as families celebrate on March 10. Mothers Day attracted 29,000 visits to Mecca sites in the UK last year, 60 per cent more than an average Sunday performance. OReilly said: The busiest day of the entire year is Mothers Day. Bingo has got the most momentum Ive seen in the nearly six years Ive been at the group. Rank, which also owns Grosvenor casinos, made a profit of 10.4million for the six months to the end of December, bouncing back from a 109.1million loss a year earlier. It reported a 9 per cent jump in like-for-like gaming revenues. Shares climbed 7.2 per cent, or 5.1p, to 75.5p. Shells profits tumbled by almost 30 per cent last year but the energy giant still made more than 22billion. A sharp drop in oil and gas prices meant earnings fell by almost a third from a record 31.6billion in 2022 to 22.4billion in 2023. But the oil major still beat analysts expectations of 21.2billion for the year as it racked up profits of 60million a day. Its share price rose 2.4 per cent, or 59p, to 2506p yesterday. Last years earnings were the second-highest in Shells 116-year history following the peak recorded in 2022 after Russias invasion of Ukraine pushed up global oil and gas prices. Greenpeace activists held a mock profits party outside Shells London headquarters in protest. A drop in oil and gas prices meant Shell's earnings fell by almost a third from 31.6bn in 2022 to 22.4bn in 2023. But the oil major still beat analysts expectations of 21.2bn for the year The FTSE 100 group has also increased its quarterly dividend by 4 per cent to $0.344 per share, which was 20 per cent more than the year before. It marked the seventh increase since its historic dividend cut in the wake of the pandemic, and total shareholder payouts for 2023 reached 18.2billion. Shell, which is Europes biggest oil and gas company, unveiled plans to hand more cash back to investors this year. The company has a further 2.8billion in share buybacks lined up for this quarter. Jamie Maddock, an energy analyst at investment management company Quilter Cheviot, said: Much of the fall compared to last year was to be expected, given that the prices of oil and gas have plummeted following Russias invasion of Ukraine. But strong results relative to expectations have continued to be driven by the gas divisions. He added: Shareholders are being rewarded for Shells good relative performance compared to peers. Shell was the first major energy company to reveal its full-year results for 2023. Exxon Mobil and Chevron will report today, followed by BP and Total Energies next week. Shells expectation-beating profits will raise further questions over how energy firms approach the transition to net zero. Last summer, the company axed a pledge to cut oil production every year to 2030. In contrast, BPs new boss, Murray Auchincloss, recently doubled down on its green strategy to reduce oil and gas production. Activist investor Bluebell Capital Partners this week urged BP to scrap the plan and cash in on fossil fuels over fears that it is under-performing compared to rivals such as Shell. Wael Sawan, Shells chief executive, said: As we enter 2024, we are continuing to simplify our organisation with a focus on delivering more value with less emissions. Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: Shell has once more shown how the sheer scale of its operations allows the group to ride the waves of an economic cycle which can bring major challenges as well as rewards. The company tends to be the preferred choice over BP in terms of the market consensus and currently stands at a buy. Indeed, this positive general view is reflective of Shells position as an important constituent of many portfolios. YouGov anticipates meeting annual forecasts following a 'resilient' first half, which saw sales momentum accelerate in the second quarter after a slow start to its financial year. The market research organisation reported like-for-like turnover increased in the six months ending January when accounting for costs from mergers and acquisitions and currency headwinds. It credited the result to 'stable demand' in its data products and research divisions, and continued 'sales momentum' from the technology industry. Can I ask?: Market research organisation YouGov reported like-for-like turnover increased in the six months ending January But the London-based group also noted that other sectors had struggled and discretionary spending remained affected by 'general market softness'. YouGov's trading update is the first since completing the takeover of GfK's consumer panel services business. The company agreed last year to acquire the operation for 315million (270million), primarily funded from loans, to help expand its presence in Europe's fast-moving consumer goods sector. Since the acquisition was finalised on 9 January, YouGov has observed a 'positive response from both employees and clients'. However, it told investors on Friday that it 'remains cognisant of the challenging market conditions and client budget pressures as we move into the second half of the financial year'. YouGov added: 'Clients are increasingly looking for high-quality, data-driven solutions, and while we continue to experience longer sales cycles, we remain confident in our products and our sales momentum.' Founded in 2000 by Stephan Shakespeare and former Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi, YouGov is well-known in Britain for conducting online political polling. Alongside this, the group runs surveys for major corporations, like social media app TikTok, brewing giant Molson Coors, Vauxhall Motors and Virgin Money. Shakespeare stood down from running the company on a day-to-day basis last November, handing over the reins to Steve Hatch, a former executive at Facebook owner Meta. Under Hatch, YouGov is looking to boost growth by expanding in the United States, where it hopes to capitalise on the upcoming US presidential election. The group was reportedly mulling a listing on Wall Street, where it could potentially attract higher valuations and deeper capital pools. But last month, Hatch told City AM that such a move was 'not on the agenda,' adding: 'It's worth remembering that the UK has been such a great home for us.' YouGov shares were 1.2 per cent lower at 1,191.05p on Friday morning, although they have still jumped by around a quarter over the past 12 months. Brianna Ghey's heartbroken mother bravely sat through the trial of her daughter's killers because she needed to know the agonising details of how she died so that she could 'go through it with her'. Esther Ghey, a mother of two, attended almost every day of the trial yet still holds 'no hate' for Scarlet Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known only as Girl X and Boy Y. Ms Ghey listened to both teenagers - who were 15 when they stabbed Brianna 28 times in a 'frenzied' attack that left her with unsurvivable injuries - blame one another for the horrific attack as each denied responsibility or prior knowledge of the crime. In her statement read to the court today, Brianna's mother said she believed Jenkinson and Ratcliffe continued to be a danger to society. She said: 'I don't believe that someone who is so disturbed and obsessed with murder and torture would ever be able to be rehabilitated. Esther Ghey sat through almost every day of the harrowing trial of the two teenagers who murdered her daughter (pictured arriving at Manchester Crown Court on Friday) Brianna pictured with her mother Esther, who bravely sat through almost every day of the trial Brianna was found with fatal wounds on a path in the park near her home. She had messaged her mother on the way to the park to say she was 'scared' Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe (right) have been named for the first time today 'I have moments where I feel sorry for them, because they have also ruined their own lives, but I have to remember that they felt no empathy for Brianna when they left her bleeding to death after their premeditated and vicious attack, which was carried out not because Brianna had done anything wrong, but just because one hated trans people and the other thought it would be fun.' Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said Brianna's mother Esther Ghey had planned to read a statement to the court but she would be reading it on her behalf. Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told the court today as she read the mother's statement: 'Esther, I think it's fair to say, can't bring herself to do it.' In the statement, Ms Ghey said the 'hardest thing' to come to terms with was finding out that one of those charged with Brianna's murder was someone she believed to be her daughter's friend. She said she had been 'pleased' when Brianna sent a text message on February 11 to say she was going to meet a friend. She said: 'I thought that she would have a wonderful time, hanging around with her friend and getting some fresh air. When all that time she was being lured to her death. 'All I can think about is that she would have been scared and I wasn't there for her. She needed me to protect her, Brianna wasn't a fighter and she must have been so terrified.' The killers' web of lies was undone in court through weeks of depraved messages between the pair and large amounts of evidence: most notably a handwritten note showing how Jenkinson plotted out Brianna's murder. Despite their pre-planning, when speaking outside court alongside Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, Ms Ghey appealed for empathy for the killers' parents as she paid tribute to her 'fearless' daughter. Ms Ghey had previously told the court: 'Sitting and listening to the trial was difficult, and for some of it I sat out. It was quite surreal, and I felt quite detached. 'For me, I wanted to be there every day, but I didn't go to the pathologist days because Brianna was spoken about in an inhumane way. 'I felt like I needed to be there because I needed to know exactly what happened to her. I wanted to know exactly what she went through, and I wanted to go through it with her.' She continued: 'I have a lot of sympathy for their parents because they've had to sit there and listen to what their children have done. 'I don't think anyone can imagine that their kid can be capable of that. I don't carry any hate for [Brianna's killers] though, because that will only hurt me. 'I am concerned that both of them will be out [of prison] at some point, and I don't think there's a chance of rehabilitation. 'I'm glad that they're being named now because they would have been named when they turned 18 anyway. The public has a right to know who they are.' Ms Ghey listened to deeply disturbing details of how Jenkinson and Ratcliffe plotted her daughter's death. The pair, who were both 15 at the time, are said to have been fascinated by torture, violence and death, while handwritten notes about serial killers were found in Jenkinson's bedroom following her arrest. Esther Ghey, a mother of two, attended almost every day of the harrowing trial. Pictured: In December 2023 Brianna's family arriving at Manchester Crown Court for the sentencing of Girl X and Boy Y Scarlett Jenkinson, previously known as Girl X, played with a ball and gave evidence from behind a curtain during the trial Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known only as Boy Y, told jurors he 'went along with' Jenkinson's fantasies - but both were convicted of murder Follow every detail of the case on The Mail's acclaimed podcast The Trial The Trial...takes listeners behind the headlines and into the courtrooms of some of the biggest trials in the world. The first series 'The Trial of Lucy Letby' was a global hit, with more than 13 million downloads, while season two focused on the murder of Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old teacher from Ireland. Its third season follows the tragic case of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl killed in Warrington, England. Follow the evidence as the jury hears it, in twice-weekly reports from The Daily Mail's Northern Correspondent Liz Hull and broadcast journalist Caroline Cheetham. Advertisement In a chilling exchange a day before the murder, the murderous teens discussed how they would take Brianna's life. Jenkinson asked Ratcliffe which knife he would bring when they ambushed Brianna. 'The hunting knife I showed you in person as well as on the phone,' Ratcliffe said. Jenkinson then asked her accomplice if that would 'definitely 100 per cent kill her' and Ratcliffe replied: 'Yes.' During the conversation, Jenkinson was watching her 'fave film', Sweeney Todd, for the 'the 9,000th time' and told Ratcliffe he should watch it. 'He kills people with one of the sharpest blades in the world,' she added. Jenkinson was obsessed with murderers, telling Ratcliffe in an earlier series of messages she knew a lot about US serial killer Richard Ramirez, aka The Night Stalker, who slaughtered at least 13 people in 1985. On January 23, she wrote: 'I could talk about him for like two hours, including quotes and dates of stuff'. The court heard the two teenagers had intended to meet Brianna on January 28 but were forced to change their plans 'last minute' when she was unable to come. Later that day Jenkinson messaged Ratcliffe: 'Let's kill Brianna tomorrow 6pm.' He told her he was unable to carry out the killing on a ''school night''.' Jenkinson continued: 'I don't want to wait, I just want her to die. I want to see pure horror on her face and hear her scream in pain.' Ratcliffe replied of Brianna, who was transgender: 'Really? All I wanted to see is what size d*** it had.' Jenkinson said: 'I really want one of its eyes. They have pretty eyes.' Brianna's father Peter Spooner arriving at Manchester Crown Court today A note - headed 'Saturday 11th February 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey' - was found alongside jottings about serial killers including Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez and Harold Shipman Ms Ghey has appealed for empathy for the killers' parents as she paid tribute to her 'fearless' daughter Brianna on her final bus journey to Culcheth before she was found stabbed to death in Linear Park Ms Ghey then heard evidence about a handwritten note, found in Jenkinson's room, in which she laid out how her daughter would be murdered. It read: 'Meet Eddie at wooden posts 1pm. Walk down to librarybus stop. Wait until Brianna gets off bus then the 3 of us walk to linear park. Go to the pipe/tunnel area. READ MORE: Family of torture-loving Scarlett Jenkinson break their silence after teen is jailed Advertisement 'I say code word to Eddie. He stabs her in the back as I stab her in the stomach. Eddie drags the body into the area. We both cover up the area with logs etc.' The court heard how Brianna was lured to Culcheth on February 11 under the promise from Jenkinson that she would get cocaine from a dealer for them to try. The last movements of the completely unsuspecting Brianna were captured on CCTV footage. Ratcliffe was dropped outside Sainsbury's in Culcheth by his mother at 12.43pm, meeting up with Jenkinson. Brianna left home soon after. Her Ring doorbell captured a final image of her as she left. Later Brianna, who suffered from anxiety, texted her mum to tell her she felt 'scared' to be on the bus by herself. Proud that she was out and about, Ms Ghey replied: 'That's well good.' A subsequent examination of Brianna's phone suggested her mother's last, supportive message was never read by her daughter. Eddie Ratcliffe, 16, was 'genius' level smart and a 'sociopath' who friends deemed socially awkward, according to his female accomplice Behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder, dark fantasies and expert knowledge on serial killers - knowledge Jenkinson would draw on to build up her own 'kill list' of other children and ultimately plot Brianna's death Ms Ghey said she gets 'emotional' when she thinks about the parents of her daughter's killers, but said she wants the 'cowardly' teenagers to receive a life sentence Ms Ghey heard how, at 1.53pm, Brianna met with her killers who were waiting for her at the bus stop. Even though they were side-by-side, Brianna and Jenkinson communicated using Snapchat. The court was told that by 2.30pm Brianna was becoming suspicious, sending a message to another friend that read: 'Scarlett is so weird girl. I think she's pretending to have a deeler (sic)'. Around half an hour later - the exact time is unknown - Ms Ghey's daughter was viciously attacked before being left for dead. READ MORE: Brianna Ghey's last journey captured on CCTV Advertisement She sustained 28 different stab wounds, including some to her hands and arms which revealed how she desperately tried to defend herself against the onslaught, one which severed her jugular vein, and others that punctured her heart and lungs. The pair fled after dogwalker Kathryn Vize came within just seven feet of them in the moments after the attack. Ms Ghey sat through the harrowing phone call to emergency services which Mrs Vize made at 3.13pm. Mrs Vize said: 'She's very hurt. They probably need the air ambulance because of where she is. She's halfway down some stairs, she's bleeding heavily.' She added Brianna was covered in so much blood she was afraid to 'do anything to her', adding: 'I don't think there's anything you can do for her, I really don't think there is. It's just so horrible, it's awful. Please hurry.' Brianna's mother also listened as the two teens attempted to blame the other for the attack - as Jenkinson claimed she had 'gone to stretch her legs' before seeing Ratcliffe stab her, while he said he had turned his back to urinate when Jenkinson attacked. The following day, Jenkinson messaged Brianna's phone again as she developed a cover story she would later repeat to police, claiming the teenager had left the park on her own to meet 'a random man from Manchester'. She said: 'Girl, is everything okay? Some teenage girl got killed in Linear Park its on news everywhere. 'And why did you ditch us for some random man from Manchester. Like wtf. That is so f***** up.' Until her arrest on February 12 for the murder of Brianna Ghey , Scarlett Jenkinson seemed to be an ordinary teenage girl. But behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder Brianna died after being stabbed 28 times in February Jenkinson then told her boyfriend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, about Brianna's death and told him: 'I'm here for you baby'. That afternoon, her mother phoned police after the 15-year-old admitted she had been with Brianna shortly before she died. The same afternoon she repeated the lies she had told to Ratcliffe over Snapchat, telling him at 6.25pm: 'Not sure what's gonna happen. Make sure story adds up. 'Say to police everything we met Brianna at half 1 walked to linear and sat and chilled on the bench. Then Brianna looked at her phone and said she was gonna meet some lad and walked off.' The pair were arrested an hour later. Speaking outside court, Esther Ghey said: 'Brianna was larger than life. She was funny, witty and fearless. We miss Brianna so much and our house feels empty without her laughter. Ratcliffe tried to claim he was just 'playing along' with a 'fantasy' dreamt up by Jenkinson Photos of Ratcliffe show an innocent-looking child enjoying a seemingly ordinary upbringing, complete days out with his family 'To know how scared my usually fearless child must have been when she was alone in that park with someone that she called her friend will haunt me forever.' Speaking of her daughter's killers Esther Ghey said: 'Prior to the trial I had moments where I felt sorry for the defendants because they had ruined their own lives as well as ours. 'But now, knowing the true nature and seeing neither display an ounce of remorse for what they have done to Brianna, I have lost all sympathy that I may have previously had for them. And I am glad that they will spend many years in prison and away from society.' Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, said he was 'so proud' of his daughter and would never stop loving her. He added: 'It is impossible to put into words how the murder of my child has affected me. I never stopped loving her and I never will. When she was little I remember the faces she would pull to make me laugh. 'The cheeky giggle, the funny dances are engraved in my memory. I knew she was going to be a star and the amount of support she received from the followers on TikTok proved this. I was so proud of what she could do.' A young drink entrepreneur is already enjoying the fruits of persistence and sacrifice less than six months after the business started up. Stefan Di Benedetto, 27, from Melbourne was working full-time as a highly paid project manager in the construction industry when he and his best mate Darcy Holden launched Solbevi last August. His life changed forever nine days later when they struck a distribution deal with retail giant Dan Murphy's to stock its 700ml limoncello liqueur bottles and Australias first limoncello spritz in a can in nine stores. Five months on, Solbevi has sold 25,000 cans and 2,500 bottles and is on track to double those figures by the end of February. The drinks are available nationwide in 109 Dan Murphy's stores, 30 independent bottle shops and 65 licensed venues which range from bars and pubs to racecourses. Stefan Di Benedetto (pictured) quit his six figure salary job as a project manager to focus on the new business and changing Aussies' mindsets about limonchello Melbourne business Solbevi is behind Australia's first limonchello spritzer in a can Mr Di Benedetto quit his job and is currently living off his savings as he works up to 90 hours a week to grow the business, which has come with major sacrifices. 'I don't miss the construction industry one bit,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'I quit my job and haven't paid myself since which has involved skipping meals and making significant lifestyle changes such as not going out on weekends.' 'I've put everything on the line while learning a completely new industry on the spot.' His co-founder remains involved as a silent partner. The early success is beyond the pair's wildest dreams but it hasn't all been smooth sailing. 'We started off in nine stores and after the two months, I begged Dan Murphy's to be stocked in another 30,' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'We ended up in another 109 because sales were so good.' 'The hardest things are the rejections, something that I wasn't used to in my old job.' 'But seeing the product in people's hands just puts a huge smile on my face.' The original plan for Darcy Holden and Stefan Di Benedetto (right) was to run Solbevi as a hobby business. They're pictured with their first batch of limonchello Solbevi is now stocked in almost 150 bottle shops across Australia (pictured at Dan Murphy's) Originally from northern Italy, Mr Di Benedetto has been making homemade limonchello with his family for years. He came up with the idea of making Australia's first limonchello in a can during Covid three years ago and spent the next two years figuring out how to produce it on a commercial scale and develop the brand. The original plan was for it to be a hobby business until a conversation over lunch with an industry figure proved a turning point when Mr Di Benedetto realised its potential to go global. 'Our initial thought was who is buying limonchello as it's traditionally an after-dinner digestivo,' he recalled. 'But as soon as we came up with a spritzer in a can, things changed.' 'We decided to bring limonchello back to life by giving it modern and trendy twist as a mixer for the younger crowd to change people's mindsets about the drink.' 'We wanted to make limoncello readily available for everyone! 'You can have limoncello in bottles, served in bars, but weve made it easy for anybody to simply go into store, grab a can, and enjoy on the spot!' 'Then you can simply recycle the can or trade it in for 10 cents. Its a win win! That is how we have stood out from our competitors.' Stefan Di Benedetto is changing Aussies' mindsets about limonchello, which was traditionally regarded as an after-dinner digestivo Solbei has expanded to almost 100 venues and events since August Mr Di Benedetto hopes to see Solbevi in at least 500 venues by 2025. BWS is currently reviewing a potential distribution deal. Existing licenced venues include Caufield Racecourse in Melbourne and Sydney's Clovelly Hotel. There are also big plans to get investors on board to expand the business abroad. 'Coming off a huge summer, we'll be looking at on the restaurant side and turning our focus to the market in warmer states as winter approaches,' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'We're looking at overseas markets in Asia and the US, where we have been in talks about sponsorship deals.' Mr Di Benedetto had this advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 'Give it a crack and and give everything your all,' he said 'Taking the risk is the hardest thing.' A man jailed for the horrific murder of a South Korean student who was stabbed while walking home from a night out has been refused parole after it was ruled he still poses a risk to the public - despite the killer insisting he is innocent. South Korean student Jong-Ok Shin, 26, known as Oki, was stabbed to death in the street while walking home from a night out in Bournemouth in 2002. Omar Benguit, 48, a heroin addict and petty crook, was tried three times for the killing and finally convicted in 2005 after a key prosecution witness, a prostitute and heroin addict known as BB, claimed that she had witnessed the murder. He has always maintained his innocence and has launched three appeals with the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) against his conviction. But the Parole Board ruled in August that he would pose too high a risk to the public to be released - and barred him from further review until 2025 through their refusal. A spokesperson for the independent body said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board refused the release of Omar Benguit following an oral hearing. The panel also refused to recommend a move to open prison. Omar Benguit, 48, a heroin addict and petty crook, was tried three times for the killing and finally convicted in 2005 South Korean student Jong-Ok Shin, 26, known as Oki, was stabbed to death in the street while walking home from a night out in Bournemouth in 2002 Benguit has always maintained his innocence and has launched three appeals with the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) against his conviction. Pictured: In a 2018 BBC documentary 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. READ MORE: Man jailed for murdering Korean student 20 years ago hopes new CCTV will prove he didn't do it Advertisement 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. 'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. 'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. 'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' 'Under current legislation he will be eligible for a further review in due course. The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice.' BB told police and the jury that following the murder at 2.50am she went with Benguit to a crack house in St Clements Road, Bournemouth. The investigation into the murder of Oki Shin was complex as 13 of the witnesses were addicts. She was able to tell police before her death she was brutally stabbed in the back with a six-inch knife by a man in a mask. The Parole Board ruled in August that he would pose too high a risk to the public to be released - and barred him from further review until 2025 through their refusal. Pictured: Ok Sin, left, in CCTV footage of her before her death and right, Omar Benguit The killer last launched an appeal in 2021 after BBC reporter Bronagh Munro (pictured) discovered CCTV images which cast serious doubt on the vital evidence The killer last launched an appeal in 2021 after BBC reporter Bronagh Munro discovered CCTV images which cast serious doubt on the vital evidence, appearing to show him more than a mile away from where the witness claimed less than half an hour after the murder. The series of CCTV images from the night first show Benguit at the Richmond Arms pub in Charminster he was caught on camera at 8.36pm before moving to the Slam bar, in Bournemouth town centre, pictured at 10.28pm, which all accords with the prosecution timeline. But at 3.16am, he was filmed walking past a phone box in the Charminster Road on his way home, not in the crack house getting cleaned up following the horrific murder, as BB suggested. Munro believed that police should do more investigation into double murderer Danilo Restivo, known as the hair fetishist, who lived in Bournemouth at the time of the murder. BB gave police three different accounts of the night in her final statement she claimed that she had given Benguit a lift to the murder scene and then onto a crack house. She stands by her evidence. At the time, Dorset Police refused to be interviewed but released a statement saying that the investigation into Okis murder was thorough, detailed and very complex. There was sufficient evidence to charge Omar Benguit, they said, and he was unanimously convicted. The police said they would instigate investigations if directed by the courts and responsible authorities and that our thoughts are with Okis family and friends who remain devastated by their loss. A young mother-of two has tragically died after having a 'routine' surgical abortion at a women's health clinic in Melbourne. Harjit Kaur, 30, had just landed a new IT job with footwear giant Nike and was preparing to buy a family home with her husband, Sukhjinder Singh, where they could raise their four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son. But their plans were thrown into disarray when she discovered in early January she had accidentally fallen pregnant. The busy mum felt she was not mentally, physically and financially ready to have a third child, so the couple made the tough decision to have an abortion. After consulting with a doctor, they scheduled the surgery - which is considered a minor procedure - for January 12 at Hampton Park Women's Health Clinic, in Melbourne's south-east. Ms Kaur messaged her husband at 12.57pm that Friday as she was heading into the operation room and assured him she would call after her procedure. Instead, it was Ms Kaur's surgeon, Dr Rudolph 'Rudy' Lopes, who called Mr Singh just over an hour later. 'He told me the procedure was successful but, while they were moving her into the general ward, her heartbeat stopped and there was an ambulance there giving her CPR,' Mr Singh said. Harjit Kaur, 30, (pictured with her two young children, two and four) tragically died after having a 'routine' surgical abortion at a women's health clinic in Melbourne Ms Kaur attended Hampton Park Women's Clinic (pictured) for the procedure on January 12 'I dont know how I drove my car to get there. 'I tried to enter the general ward but they stopped me and asked me to stay outside. Five minutes later the doctor came to me and said, "Sorry your wife is dead". 'I was dead then. My life destroyed in a second. Mr Singh described the harrowing moment he was finally let in to see his wife one last time. 'I begged her to come back for [the sake of] our little kids,' he said. An investigation is now underway to determine the cause of Ms Kaur's death, with police and the coroner involved in the case. Daily Mail Australia understands Dr Lopes stood down voluntarily pending clearance of any surgical cause of death. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing on Dr Lopes' behalf. Nor does Daily Mail Australia suggest any wrongdoing by the anaesthetist. With many crucial questions to be answered, Mr Singh has been left alone to raise two children after the death of his 'super healthy wife'. Her devastated husband Sukhjinder Singh is struggling to comprehend what his future will look like without his wife In a cruel twist of fate, Ms Kaur had originally planned to have a medical abortion - which involves taking a medication to abort the fetus. However, during consultation with a nurse, she was told the procedure would lead to heavy bleeding and pain which could last for 30 days. Ms Kaur was also told there was no guarantee it would work, in which case, surgery would then be needed. 'After all that, Harjit got scared and told me it seemed risky. [She said] as I'm working and taking care of our kids, how will I manage this bleeding - and still there is a risk,' Mr Singh said. '[That's when] she decided to go for surgery instead. The nurse explained it was very safe and that she would be able to go home in a couple of hours.' Mr Singh said he and Ms Kaur married in 2018, settling in Australia to 'give our kids a good life'. Daily Mail Australia understands Dr Rudolph 'Rudy' Lopes (pictured) stood down voluntarily pending clearance of any surgical cause of death Now, without her, he has no idea what the future will look like for their family. 'She was so young and healthy,' he said. 'She just struggled her whole life for better life. She was so excited to move in her new home. She had lots of dreams. 'Now how will I take care of two kids by my self and manage my work? 'How will I pay off our mortgage? What will I tell my kids when they are asking for their mum? 'I'm fully destroyed.' A GoFundMe has been set up to support Mr Singh with funeral costs and as he takes time off to be with his children, with members of the community rallying to so far raise almost $45,000. In a letter written by Hampton Park Women's Health Clinic, and sighted by Daily Mail Australia, medical director Dr Michelle Kenney noted Ms Kaur had attended the clinic for a 'routine minor gynaecological procedure under anaesthetic'. 'The procedure and anaethestic were uncomplicated however due to unforeseen circumstances, Mrs Kaur passed away after the procedure,' it reads. 'Resuscitation was commenced immediately and for 45 minutes. Unfortunately our team (working with MICA paramedics) were unable to revive Harjit Kaur.' In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Dr Kenney said: 'Despite our best efforts we could not save Ms Kaur.' 'My staff have all received and been offered counselling.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dr Lopes for comment. Scarlett Jenkinson was moved to Brianna Ghey's school after being expelled from another comprehensive for trying to 'poison' a fellow pupil with cannabis sweets, MailOnline can reveal today. Until her arrest on February 12 for the murder of Brianna, Jenkinson seemed to be an ordinary teenage girl. The then-15-year-old was seen by neighbours as quiet and somewhat anxious, born to 'hard-working' parents - a tradesman father and a mother who worked in education. But behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder, dark fantasies and expert knowledge on serial killers - knowledge Jenkinson would draw on to build up her own 'kill list' of other children and ultimately plot Brianna's death. The teenager had already been expelled from 'several' schools by the time she joined Birchwood Community High in Warrington, Cheshire. Face of a killer: Scarlett Jenkinson was today named for the first time today Scarlett Jenkinson, previously known only as Girl X, was convicted of Brianna's murder and admitted to being obsessed with serial killers and torture videos Brianna was stabbed to death 28 times with a hunting knife on February 11, suffering 'unsurvivable' injuries Today Eddie Ratcliffe, a former champion kickboxer, can be revealed as Boy Y And today, as Jenkinson is revealed as Girl X, it can be revealed that she was most recently expelled for attempting to poison a fellow pupil with cannabis 'gummies' which made them ill. Jenkinson persuaded the girl to take two of the sweets, which unknown to her were laced with marijuana, in Culcheth High School's library - but the pupil became seriously unwell and needed hospital treatment after the attack in October 2022. The teenager was excluded, and moved to nearby Birchwood High School, where she met Brianna in the 'inclusion unit,' where vulnerable and troubled pupils are taught away from mainstream lessons. READ MORE: Family of torture-loving Scarlett Jenkinson break their silence after teen is jailed Advertisement Brianna was in the unit because of her struggles with anxiety and Jenkinson because of her expulsion. 'When [Jenkinson] was arrested I just thought it had to be a mistake. She was never any trouble. I never so much as saw her drop a piece of litter,' one neighbour said. But the Mail understands Warrington Borough Council have launched an independent child safeguarding review following Brianna's murder, which will examine Jenkinson's interaction with key agencies, including the police, social services and schools. It has been claimed Brianna's school were unaware of the extent of Jenkinson's behaviour, including the fact that a child did not know what they were taking, that she became unwell and that the police were called. Headteacher Emma Mills said: 'If anything came up where we thought that it would be a danger in any way, then you can simply refuse. In Scarlett's case there was nothing that raised a concern in terms of the information that we were given.' The father of a pupil at Culcheth High said his daughter was lucky to be alive after she refused to take the drug sweets from Jenkinson. He said: 'There was a massive incident at the high school and Scarlett Jenkinson got expelled. 'Listening to the murder trial has been absolutely horrific. When she tried to poison my daughter I thought I was overreacting thinking it was attempted murder - you never think a child of 15 would want to do that to another kid. 'She tried to give two (cannabis gummies) to my daughter, but she didn't take them (and) one of the other girls in the library did. She ended up in A&E.' Another former pupil said Jenkinson would turn up to lessons with red eyes, high on 'substances and stuff' and 'smelling of weed.' Behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder, dark fantasies and expert knowledge on serial killers - knowledge Jenkinson would draw on to build up her own 'kill list' of other children and ultimately plot Brianna's death 'Timid' Brianna's body was found face-down in the mud in a Cheshire village on February 11 Brianna suffered stab wounds to her head, neck, chest, back and sides In a frenzied attack, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, stabbed Brianna with a hunting knife During the trial the jury were told that Jenkinson lured Brianna to the park on the pretence that they would take cocaine together. The father described Jenkinson as 'manipulative' and also claimed she was known for bullying other children. She also played truant so she could stay at home and watch horror films, he said. Follow every detail of the case on The Mail's acclaimed podcast The Trial The Trial...takes listeners behind the headlines and into the courtrooms of some of the biggest trials in the world. The first series 'The Trial of Lucy Letby' was a global hit, with more than 13 million downloads, while season two focused on the murder of Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old teacher from Ireland. Its third season follows the tragic case of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl killed in Warrington, England. Follow the evidence as the jury hears it, in twice-weekly reports from The Daily Mail's Northern Correspondent Liz Hull and broadcast journalist Caroline Cheetham. Advertisement 'Every parent of every kid in this village feels like their children have had a lucky escape,' the father said. 'She was a bully and a manipulator. She would never get her hands dirty, she'd always get someone else to do it. When we heard it was Scarlett and Eddie (who had been arrested) we immediately thought it would be Scarlett telling him to stab her. 'It's been horrible, every parents' nightmare. I'm just so thankful that my daughter is still here because it could have been her, she could have been one of the kids on their kill list. I feel so bad for Brianna's family but I'm so grateful that my daughter is ok.' Jenkinson did not have close friends at school, where she told fellow pupils she was involved in satanism and believed she was a witch, a source said. But although she had problems in education, she had never come to the attention of police and continued to appear to live as an ordinary teenager in a respectable family. Yet while the local community remained unaware of Jenkinson's proclivities towards violence, her classmates were far from oblivious - although no-one took her claims seriously. One father of a child at the school said: 'It was common knowledge from 2020 that she had a 'kill list' of kids she wanted to kill. 'My daughter came home and told me about it, but no one took it seriously. Girl X tried to recruit other children to take part in blood rituals with her, everyone just thought she was weird and a fantasist. 'You won't find a single student that liked her.' During her testimony, in which she blamed Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known as Boy Y, for Brianna's murder, Jenkinson said she suffers from anxiety and had used self-harm as a 'coping mechanism' from the age of 12. She had a long-standing interest in violence, telling Ratcliffe her favourite film was Sweeney Todd which she had watched '9000 times'. The 15-year-old also claimed to have killed two people before - but there is no evidence to suggest this is true. Jenkinson even watched the movie the night before killing Brianna, telling Ratcliffe: 'He kills people with one of the sharpest blades in the world.' Until her arrest on February 12 for the murder of Brianna Ghey , Scarlett Jenkinson seemed to be an ordinary teenage girl. But behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder Officers found a note written by Girl X of an alleged 'murder plan' against Brianna Today, as Jenkinson is revealed as Girl X, the Mail can reveal that she was most recently expelled for attempting to poison a fellow pupil with cannabis 'gummies' which made them ill Brianna Ghey's mother Esther Ghey arrives at Manchester Crown Court on November 27 EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Evil with a pretty face: Scarlett Jenkinson had a perfect start in life. But in lockdown she became obsessed with horror movies, before graduating to killings and torture on the dark web. After she met Brianna Ghey, she wanted to kill for real... Teenager Scarlett Jenkinson, known as Girl X during the murder trial, had a start in life in a leafy Cheshire village that many would envy Advertisement She reported beginning to fantasize about killing people from the age of 14, at which point she became interested in 'dark materials', including films of murder, torture and serial killers found on the dark web via an app she had downloaded. In December, she sent an advert to Ratcliffe for an underground site for people who like rape, torture and murder. 'I love watching torture vids,' she told him. 'Real ones on the dark web.' Jenkinson was infatuated with serial killers such as 'Milwaukee Monster' Jeffrey Dahmer, the cannibal and necrophiliac who killed and dismembered 17 men between 1978 and 1991, 'Night Stalker' Richard Ramirez, whose 13 victims included a nine-year-old girl and a 79-year-old woman, and 'Dr Death' Harold Shipman, the English GP suspected of killing around 250 people. Speaking to Ratcliffe about Ramirez, she told him: 'I could talk about him for like two hours, including quotes and dates of stuff.' Pages from Jenkinson's notebook released by police on Friday show she made detailed notes about various killers, including quotes, how many they killed and the methods they used to mutilate their victims. Experts told the Mail how Jenkinson's perusal of online content such as this would have 'desensitised' her to to horrific violence she was viewing. Professor Alan Woodward, a computer science and cyber security specialist from Surrey University, said: 'The internet leads to a lot of criminal activity because it's seen as fantasy. Users are not only desensitised but they are goaded into doing it themselves. 'They see other people doing it or they might do something softer or something illegal online and no one comes knocking at their door, so they carry out a frenzied attack and they don't think of the consequences because they are still living in that online virtual world.' The 15-year-old also claimed to have killed two people before - but there is no evidence to suggest this is true Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known as Boy Y, was allowed to play with a fidget toy and do crossword puzzles Photo issued by Cheshire Constabulary of the notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes different types of serial killers A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes about serial killer Jeffery Dahmer Jenkinson also made chilling notes about serial killer Dr Harold Shipman Jenkinson also made notes about serial killer John Wayne Gacy Here killer Jenkinson made notes about serial killer Richard Ramirez A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with definitions of good and evil He told The Trial podcast it was impossible to 'stumble' upon these sites and instead Jenkinson would have been 'pushed' towards them by the algorithms of social media after expressing an interest online. She had downloaded an 'onion browser' six months before Brianna's murder which allowed her to access and watch videos of people being murdered and tortured, sometimes via live streams, on the dark web without being traced. She and Ratcliffe had been discussing killing someone for months and Jenkinson had drawn up a list of potential targets with at least five children's names on, including Brianna's. In October 2022, they talked about killing Boy M, who cannot be named for legal reasons. In messages shown to the court Jenkinson asked: 'Can I keep some things, a couple of teeth and an eye?' Professor Alan Woodward, a computer science and cyber security specialist from Surrey University, said Jenkinson would have been pushed towards more violent content by online algorithms Police forensic officers at the scene in Culcheth Linear Park in Cheshire on February 13 However Jenkinson soon moved on to Brianna after becoming 'obsessed' over her. On January 23, she claimed to have tried to kill Brianna by poisoning her with painkillers: 'You know that girl I mentioned, Brianna, I'm still tryna [sic] kill her and the easiest way is pill overdose... 'Ppl [people] already know she is depressed and sh*t so nobody would get sus [suspicious] but for some reason she has a high tolerance like I gave her some today that should have been enough to kill her' Jenkinson then set about devising a meticulous plan for how to kill Brianna, enlisting Ratcliffe's help and, crucially, his hunting knife. A handwritten note found by police in her bedroom following her arrest read: 'Meet [Eddie] at wooden posts 1pm. Walk down to library, bus stop. Wait until Brianna gets off bus, then the three of us walk to Linear Park. Go to the pipe/tunnel area. 'I say code word to [Eddie]. He stabs her in the back as I stab her in stomach. [Boy Y] drags the body into the area. We both cover up the area with logs etc.' A petition calling for the digital switchover of traditional copper landlines to internet-based services to be delayed has received more than 10,000 signatures, meaning the government must issue a response. Campaigners from Silver Voices and the Digital Poverty Alliance began the petition amid fears the forced rollout of digital services could leave pensioners and vulnerable people isolated in the case of a power cut or internet outage. Telecoms firms including BT, EE and Virgin Media have already had to pause the rollout to some customers after concerns were raised about personal alarm systems which rely on access to landlines to phone emergency services. The firms had originally touted a timetable to have all of the UK's homes switched onto internet-based services by 2025, but campaigners have warned this goes 'too far, too fast'. Dennis Reed, Director of Silver Voices, said: 'The strong public response to the petition has been heartening, with many supportive comments on social media as well as the 10,000 signatures gained in double quick time. The petition has in excess of 10,000 signatures, meaning the government must issue a response In the next couple of years, the Digital Voice programme will move ten million BT customers off traditional copper-wire phone lines to fibre cables that use new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to make calls 'Our feedback suggests that huge sections of the population are still unaware of this major infrastructure change and it comes as a big shock when their telecom company tells them that their landline is going to be switched off in a couple of weeks.' He continued: 'The Government must now state clearly what its position is on the current unrealistic timescale and take joint responsibility with the telecom giants for safeguarding older and more vulnerable customers. 'It is quite clear that thousands are being switched over to digital voice without any assessment of the personal safety implications of the residents concerned. 'At the moment, there is no reliable solution for those who may need to make an emergency call in the event of a power cut or internet outage, particularly where mobile signals are weak or non-existent. And issues around the compatibility of telecare and personal alarm systems remain unresolved. 'We believe that the only responsible way forward is to extend the timetable for dispensing with traditional copper wire landlines, and make the switchover voluntary until safe solutions are developed. 'This issue will come back to bite politicians if they underwrite the industry's current plans, which are dictated by commercial rather than safety considerations.' Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan previously called a meeting with the heads of leading telecoms firms after multiple 'serious incidents' involving the new landline services. Telecoms giants are currently switching all landline phones to digital in Britain's 29million homes, making them internet-based services. Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices which represents over 60s, is calling for a boycott of the digital switchover by older people This is when the change from the old copper network to a new broadband-based connection will take place across the UK It's an issue that plagues many frustrated Britons, and now a new report has revealed the UK areas with the fastest and slowest broadband READ MORE: BT and telecom giants agree to pause forced rollout of digital landlines after elderly and vulnerable customers reported life-saving personal alarms stopped working if internet drops out Advertisement In the next couple of years, the Digital Voice programme will move ten million BT customers alone off traditional copper-wire phone lines to fibre cables that use new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to make calls. But concerns have been raised over vulnerable and elderly people who rely on a landline to alert responders if a personal alarm is triggered - thought to be used by around 1.8million Britons. The alarm buttons, which are usually worn around the neck or on the wrist, automatically call a response centre when pressed through the wearer's landline. Operators can then check if a person needs help and send someone if necessary. Unlike digital services, copper landlines typically work even in the case of a power cut. Providers have agreed to carry out extra checks on those who have already been forcibly migrated to digital to ensure they do not have telecare devices the provider was unaware of, and if they do, to ensure suitable support is provided. Virgin Media told MailOnline it has paused all migrations to digital lines 'until additional improvements have been implemented'. But campaigners do not feel the measures go far enough and are calling for a delay until firms can guarantee vulnerable customers' safety. The petition has already reached in excess of 10,300 signatures. At 100,000, government would consider it for debate in the House of Commons. It comes as BT recorded a surge in profits on Thursday due to price increases as it continues its rollout of ultrafast broadband. Adjusted revenues rose to 15.8billion in the final quarter of 2023, a rise of three percent, with earnings increasing by the same percentage to 6.1billion. Overall, pre-tax profits jumped 15 percent to 1.5billion. CEO Allison Kirkby said: 'BT Group has delivered another quarter of revenue and ebitda (earnings before tax, interest, depreciation and amortisation) growth, while rapidly building and upgrading customers to our full-fibre broadband and 5G networks, and we continue to be on track to achieve our financial outlook for the year. 'We are providing great digital connectivity and services, while laying the foundations for future growth that will benefit our customers, investors and the UK.' 'As I assume the role of chief executive, we remain committed to our purpose and our strategic focus, and I am looking forward to leading BT Group into its next phase of development.' A BT spokesperson said: 'Silver Voices was a founding member of our Digital Voice Advisory Group and is fully aware of the need to switch off the old analogue network by the end of 2025 because it is increasingly fragile and unreliable. 'This isn't a choice by industry, but a technological necessity, and through the newly formed Telecare Action Board, we're committed to working together with Government, Local Authorities, telecare providers and key industry players, to identify and protect telecare users and those with additional needs before they switch.' A Virgin Media spokesperson said: 'With old copper phone lines becoming increasingly less resilient, this switchover is necessary to safeguard home phone networks for the future. 'While we have never committed to a firm end date, we have currently paused all landline migrations and will not resume until additional improvements have been implemented. 'Telecoms companies cannot complete this work alone and we are having constructive discussions with Government, local authorities and the telecare industry on how they can support this transition.' On your 22nd wedding anniversary, a bunch of flowers or dinner for two might seem in order. But not if youre King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. When it comes to commemorating his marriage to Queen Maxima on February 2 each year, the Dutch monarch prefers a grander style of gesture. Last year, for example, he fixed a red lock engraved with their initials on to a lovers bridge in the Caribbean island of Curacao, but rather than fling the key into the river - he swallowed it. And in 2021, the monarch marked their 19th anniversary (they married in 2002) by recreating his proposal to the then Argentinian banker, Maxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, by getting down on one knee while they skated on a frozen pond at one of their palaces. Last year, King Willem fixed a red lock engraved with their initials on to a lovers bridge in the Caribbean island of Curacao. Rather than fling the key into the river, however, he swallowed it The couple attended a music performance on the same day of the Dutch Carribean tour King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima with their daughters Princesses Ariane and Alexia and poodle, Mambo That sense of fun, private jokes and such open adoration are clues to why the pair have one of the strongest relationships on Europes royal stage. Maxima is also known for her fashion sense, love of bold colours and eye-catching hats. 'I am Latin, and I will continue being Latin. I dance, I sing, and I will keep on dancing and singing, Buenos Aires-born Maxima, 52, has said. And Willem, 56, is more than happy with that. 'I fell in love with this Maxima: spontaneous, interesting, nice, he said before their wedding. I hope that she stays the same person as she is now.' And hes praised his glamorous wife for being an, extraordinary woman that can keep me down to earth. The couple are focused on family and have insisted on giving their three daughters Catherine-Amalia, 20, Alexia, 18, and Ariane, 16, as close to a normal childhood as possible, away from the glare of publicity. Theyre also devoted to their three black Labradors Luna, Skipper and Nala and their miniature white poodle, Mambo. Meanwhile, their love story is like a plot from a Hallmark movie. In April 1999, Maxima, who was working in high finance in New York, was on holiday in Seville, when she met a tall Dutch man called Willem-Alexander at a party during the Seville Spring Fair. He didnt tell her who he really was at first, and when he did reveal his identity, she thought it was a joke. By May 2000, Maxima had relocated to Brussels, Belgium, and in 2001, Prince Willem-Alexander popped the question as the pair ice-skated near the royal Huis ten Bosch Palace. Their wedding, which was set for February 2, 2002, sparked a national debate, however, as her father Jorge Horacio Zorreguietas past began to haunt her. The couple only had eyes for each other on their big day in 2002 Queen Maxima's wedding dress was designed by Valentino. The newly married couple are pictured leaving the church in Amsterdam Maxima's incredible lace train was 16.4ft in length As a long-serving minister for the Argentinian junta, he had been involved in a dictatorship responsible for the torture, death and disappearance of 30,000 people. The issue was resolved when the Dutch parliament investigating her fathers past concluded that Maxima, whod been in primary school during the junta years, had known nothing of the atrocities. The wedding ceremony itself was held in the grand 15th century Niewe Kirch in Amsterdam in front of guests including Prince Charles, Swedens Crown Princess Victoria and Norways Prince Haakon. But Maximas father wasnt invited or welcome on Dutch soil. Her mother also stayed away. As a daughter I find it terrible that my father won't be there but that's the way it is, and I understand the feelings of the Dutch on the question, Maxima said at the time. The bride looked stunning in an ivory mikado silk Valentino gown with a cowl neckline, three-quarter length sleeves, a 16.4ft lace train and a tiara topped with star brooches from Queen Beatrixs collection. Prince Willem-Alexander was resplendent in his Captain in the Royal Netherlands Navy uniform, including a series of medals and insignia. Prince Willem-Alexander is resplendent in his uniform as a Captain in the Royal Netherlands Navy Queen Maxima's tiara was topped with star brooches from Queen Beatrixs collection A full-on kiss between bride and groom. Definitely no embarrassment here... And as the newly married royals emerged from the church, they were greeted by an arch of swords held by Officers of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The newlyweds honeymooned in St Moritz before spending time with the brides family in Argentina and travelling to New Zealand. Since then, Maximas popularity has just grown, first as princess and then as Queen consort. She is exotic, she has passion and sparkle and flamboyance and she doesn't try to be distant like [her mother-in-law and former Queen, Beatrix], says Dutch historian Han van Bree. We love her for that, people can feel the authenticity." A teenage boy who tried to pass himself off as mute has refused to admit his part in the murder of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known as Boy Y, today repeated his claims that he was urinating behind a tree when Scarlett Jenkinson stabbed the schoolgirl 28 times. While his female accomplice Jenkinson admitted stabbing Brianna for the first time at her sentencing, Ratcliffe continued to deny any culpability. Jenkinson today admitted she had been the one who gave Ratcliffe the 'instruction' to bring his hunting knife to Culcheth that day. But there was no difference between what Ratcliffe said during their trial where he repeatedly claimed he was an 'extra' in the schoolgirl's murder. Eddie Ratcliffe, 16, was 'genius' level smart and a 'sociopath' who friends deemed socially awkward, according to his female accomplice Ratcliffe, 16, was found equally as guilty of the murder of Brianna Ghey as his female accomplice Scarlett Jenkinson Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe (right) have been named for the first time today as they are sentenced by a judge Brianna Ghey, (pictured) was stabbed 28 times in Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington, Cheshire on February 11 last year Ratcliffe was found equally as guilty of murder as Scarlett Jenkinson after they lured transgender teen Brianna to Linear Park, Culcheth, where she was stabbed 28 times to the head, neck, chest and back. As jurors heard the grim details of Brianna's 'frenzied' stabbing, the accused sat in the dock doing puzzles in a Sudoku magazine on his knee. Head down, pen in hand, Ratcliffe displayed not a flicker as the 999 call played, ruled too distressing to be made public, jurors hearing the breathless words of the horrified dog walker who first came across Brianna's lifeless body. Like Jenkinson, Ratcliffe claimed his back was turned when his accomplice began impaling 16-year-old Brianna to death with a hunting knife - although both were found to have planned the killing for weeks. Photos of Ratcliffe show an innocent-looking child enjoying a seemingly ordinary upbringing, complete with pets and days out in the countryside. But what lay beneath the surface was a child 'genius' who has taught himself A Level Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and English Literature within the confines of a secure unit. One source said of the teen: 'He was a top set student with a small group of friends. He always got good grades, all his school reports were good. His parents described him as a shy, quiet boy who loved animals.' A former teacher added: 'I couldn't believe it when I found out he had been arrested for Brianna's murder. He's the last boy in the world I could ever imagine doing something like that.' The pair, who were 15 at the time of the killing, had a fascination with violence, torture and murder and allegedly planned the murder for weeks - both 'in it together from first to last'. In police interviews played to the jury in December, twisted Ratcliffe tried to claim he was just 'playing along' with a 'fantasy' dreamt up by Jenkinson who boasted about already having killed people, a court heard. Ratcliffe, who brought the hunting knife to the scene himself, said he thought Jenkinson was 'joking' in a message about killing Brianna. He said online chats about people she had supposedly killed before was his way of 'playing along with that fantasy', saying he wrote things 'I don't actually believe' in order to 'fit in'. 'She likes to make up lots of stories and things,' he said. Questioned about a comment to Jenkinson that he was going to 'research Chinese torture', Ratcliffe answered that he liked to know 'how they used to punish people' from studying history. Ratcliffe, who brought the hunting knife to the scene himself, said he thought Jenkinson was 'joking' in a message about killing Brianna Ratcliffe tried to claim he was just 'playing along' with a 'fantasy' dreamt up by Jenkinson Ratcliffe was described as 'socially awkward' with a love of animals Today Eddie Ratcliffe, a former champion kickboxer, can be revealed as Boy Y Photos of Ratcliffe show an innocent-looking child enjoying a seemingly ordinary upbringing, complete days out with his family Ratcliffe was convicted of murder alongside fellow 16-year-old Scarlett Jenkinson, previously known as Girl X In a police interview two days after Brianna's death, Ratcliffe was asked: 'At what point would it have stopped being a joke?' He replied: 'If I'd seen that she was carrying a knife I would have questioned it.' READ MORE: Family of torture-loving Scarlett Jenkinson break their silence after teen is jailed Advertisement The officer said: 'You're talking about taking a hunting knife out with you.' Ratcliffe replied: 'I'm not good at judging what jokes are. I think I go too far with jokes.' The officer asked: 'Do you think this joke has possibly gone too far?' Ratcliffe replied: 'Yeah. I see it now. But then I didn't notice it.' Ratcliffe and Jenkinson, brought up in hard-working, loving families, lured Brianna to a meeting in a village park under the guise of friendship, only to then stab her to death. Following his arrest, Ratcliffe was found to be autistic and to have gradually stopped speaking to anyone but his mother. This 'selective mutism', the jury was told, was beyond his control. At one stage his lawyers claimed that his silence might have in part been caused by the shock of seeing Brianna being killed. It meant that when he entered his plea, he was allowed to point to a card saying 'Not Guilty', rather than speak the words. Brianna, 16, and her mother Esther pictured together before her death last year Brianna was stabbed 28 times to the head, neck, chest and back Ratcliffe brought his own hunting knife (pictured) to the scene which was used to stab Brianna to death Officers found a note written by Jenkinson of an alleged 'murder plan' against Brianna Instead of giving evidence from the witness box, he sat in an annex where he was able to type his answers on to a laptop. Dressed in a black shirt and grey tie, his written responses were displayed on a screen for the jury to follow. An accompanying live feed showed him typing, pausing to concentrate on his answers and occasionally shrugging. The teenager sometimes edited what he had written to change the phrasing or correct the punctuation, resulting in further delays. Each day he appeared in court, wearing a shirt and tie, carrying his puzzles magazines and accompanied by an appropriate adult and two social workers. He was also given tangle or fidget toys, a therapeutic device to aid calmness. And to let others know how he was, he was provided with an arrow pointer and printed card with numbered options ranging from 1 - 'I'm feeling fine' to 5 - 'I'm feeling poorly'. The boy's blood-spattered clothes also suggested he may have been the one to wield many if not all of the blows that killed Brianna. Feasting on horror films and scouring the 'dark web' for footage of real-life torture and murder, Jenkinson boasted (falsely) of having killed two other people before, talking of a desire to take bodily parts as sick souvenirs. Experts believe her exposure to depraved online imagery would have desensitised and disinhibited her, 'goading' her into copying what she had seen. In Ratcliffe she perhaps found a willing accomplice, an awkward teenager too shy in real-life to ask out a girl he fancied. Richard Littler KC, defending Ratcliffe, previously suggested the socially awkward youth was controlled and manipulated by Jenkinson. Mr Littler said: 'If this case was a play, it would definitely be a tragedy. 'The script would be written by girl X, directed by X, stage-managed by X, produced by X, and the central character would have to be X. 'The central issue in the case is whether you can be sure whether Boy Y was part of the cast or just an extra drafted in for that afternoon on February 11 in Culcheth. 'Was he a fully paid up member of the plan?' On her tablet, Jenkinson had stored his details as 'Tesco John Wick', a reference to him resembling a 'less good looking version' of a movie hitman played by Keanu Reeves. Hours after Brianna's murder, Ratcliffe's internet search history showed he was looking at a webpage headed: 'Six ways to calm your fight or flight response.' Ratcliffe is now being held at Barton Moss, the secure youth accommodation unit in Salford, where his apparent 'arrogance' has not endeared him to everyone, sources said. He has complained about the food, moaning about fruit not being fresh enough for him. And after one day's harrowing evidence in court during the trial last December he returned to his accommodation, breezed into his bedroom and quickly changed into his 'Christmas jumper', eager to participate in that night's festive activities planned for the boys on the unit, sources said. Ratcliffe grew up the middle child of three, with an older brother and younger sister, in Leigh, Greater Manchester. Brianna on her final bus journey to Culcheth before she was found stabbed to death in Linear Park His family lived ostensibly normal lives, his mother an online fitness and wellbeing coach and latterly a ski instructor. Sources have told the PA news agency that she has recently been asked to leave her job as a ski instructor because of the publicity around the case. Ratcliffe took part in one kick boxing competition in Jamaica in 2018, aged 11, and the family enjoyed skiing holidays and weekends boating in the Lake District. He had never been in trouble with police before and was a top student, conscientious with his studies. In a notebook found by police in Jenkinson's bedroom, she had written a page describing Ratcliffe. The words included, 'trustworthy' and 'sociopath'. 'Someone that doesn't have many, or no emotions,' she wrote. 'Good sense of humour. Very, very smart. Genius level. 'Not sociable. Socially awkward. Gets anxious.' Ratcliffe had few friends, only three followers on Instagram and though he liked one girl in particular, felt himself 'socially inept' so leant on Jenkinson to help him find the words to speak to her. Ratcliffe's father attended his trial sporadically, his mother every day, often making notes. Their son made no eye contact with either of them throughout. After the guilty verdict his mother was inconsolable, sobbing with her head in her hands, as her son was taken down to the cells. As Britain's first weather girl, Hilary Langford was paid 3 a day and ordered to dress according to the conditions outside. It was all fun and games until one 'moron' wrote in asking when there would be a heatwave. Hilary, now 79, preceded Barbara Edwards - Britain's first national female forecaster - by eight years when she made her debut aged 22 on Tyne Tees Television in 1966. The married mother-of-two said she was invited to present the weather by Bill Lyon-Shaw, the programme controller of Tyne Tees and father of her best friend. 'They called me in, they sat me in front of the camera. There wasn't a rehearsal, there wasn't anything,' she said as she recalled her 'terrifying' first time on screen. Incredibly, Hilary had no meteorological qualifications and so had to phone up the nearby RAF Boulmer in Alnwick to get a forecast, before reading it out on air. As Britain's first weather girl, Hilary Langford was paid 3 a day and ordered to dress according to the conditions. It was all fun and games until one 'moron' wrote in asking when there would be a heatwave. Above: Hilary on Tyne Tees Television in 1966 Hilary, now 79, preceded Barbara Edwards - Britain's first national female forecaster - by eight years when she made her debut aged 22 on Tyne Tees Television in 1966 The heat from the studio's lamps made the magnetic weather symbols frequently fall of the board, and on one occasion one of the lights exploded and showered her with glass. She said: 'What they used to do was dress me up according to the weather. I had shiny macs in the rain. 'Some misguided moron wrote in once asking when there was going to be a heatwave. I was fortunate enough to be in Newcastle!' Hilary was invited to forecast the weather on the programme North East News View when she was working at what is now the Flora Robson Playhouse in Newcastle. She kept the theatre role when she began her nine-month stint on screen. The pensioner, who went on to work for the BBC as an artist contractor, would get to Tyne Tees' studio at around 4pm each day before spending just a few minutes on air. With the money she saved from her TV role - the equivalent to around 50 a day now - she bought a Triumph Herald. She added: 'We used to have these big lamps that were covered in wire. 'I was doing the weather one night and there was this massive explosion. I was showered in little minute bits of glass. 'The funniest thing was, the heat from these lamps made all the magnets fall off the board. The married mother-of-two said she was invited to present the weather by Bill Lyon-Shaw, the programe controller of Tyne Tees and father of her best friend The heat from the studio's lamps made the magnetic weather symbols frequently fall of the board, and on one occasion one of the lights exploded and showered her with glass 'You would get me sticking on a rain symbol and by the time I turned to talk to the camera it had fallen off. It was just funny.' Hilary, who hugely enjoyed her 'wonderful' experience on TV, moved to London and married husband David, who served as the director of BBC children's show Blue Peter for 15 years. The couple later ran hotels in the Lake District and then Dorset before retiring to the Isle of Wight. They have a son and a daughter together. Barbara Edwards became Britain's first national weather girl in 1974, when she appeared on the BBC. Unlike Hilary, she was a qualified meteorologist. She quickly became known for her pinafore dresses but swapped TV for radio in 1978 after becoming uncomfortable with the level of public attention she received. Now 84, Ms Edwards changed her hair so people would stop recognising her and went on to work part-time in a university library after finishing her forecasting career. Chilling notes have revealed Scarlett Jenkinson's sick obsession with serial killers from Richard Ramirez to Jeffrey Dahmer - after the teen killer watched Sweeney Todd 'for like the 9,000th time' the night before murdering Brianna Ghey. Jenkinson, 16, was found guilty of murder alongside her teenage accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe after they lured transgender school pupil Brianna to Linear Park, Culcheth, where she was stabbed 28 times to the head, neck, chest and back. Jenkinson had a fascination with violence, torture, and murder and falsely claimed to have killed two victims already, talking of a desire to take bodily parts as sick souvenirs. She feasted on horror films while scouring the 'dark web' for footage of real-life torture and murder, with experts believing her exposure to depraved online imagery would have desensitised her, 'goading' her into copying what she had seen. Following her arrest, notes were also found in her bedroom relating to fellow US serial killer Dahmer as well as Harold Shipman, a British doctor convicted of murdering 15 patients but believed to have killed as many as 250. Photo issued by Cheshire Constabulary of the notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes different types of serial killers A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes about serial killer Jeffery Dahmer Jenkinson also made chilling notes about serial killer Dr Harold Shipman Jenkinson also made notes about serial killer John Wayne Gacy Scarlett Jenkinson (pictured) who has been named as the murderer of Brianna Ghey Eddie Ratcliffe who has also been named as the murderer of Brianna Ghey Pictured is 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who died after being stabbed 28 times last February Other notes referenced John Wayne Gacy, the 'Killer Clown', including the note: 'Serial killer, 33 victims, raped victims.' A further note listed a series of facts about serial killers and their characteristics including 'hedonistic', 'mutilation', 'sexual predatory behaviour' and 'can be superficially charming'. The jury was told last year that Jenkinson downloaded an 'onion browser' six months before Brianna's murder which allowed her to access and watch videos of people being murdered and tortured, sometimes via live streams, on the dark web without being traced. Watching such content would no doubt have caused her to become disinhibited and desensitised to imagery most ordinary people would find horrifying, Prof Woodward said. 'The psychologists call it disinhibition,' he said. 'The internet leads to a lot of criminal activity because it's seen as fantasy. Users are not only desensitised but they are goaded into doing it themselves. 'They see other people doing it or they might do something softer or something illegal online and no one comes knocking at their door, so they carry out a frenzied attack and they don't think of the consequences because they are still living in that online virtual world. Scarlett Jenkinson had a sick obsession with serial killers from Richard Ramirez to Jeffrey Dahmer A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with definitions of good and evil 'Police forces, law enforcement agencies are developing more and more techniques to try and unmask these sites, close down these sites. 'It's happening all the time but unfortunately not fast enough to stop tragedies like this.' Prof Woodward told the Mail's The Trial podcast it was impossible to 'stumble' upon these sites and instead Jenkinson would have been 'pushed' towards them by the algorithms of social media after expressing an interest online. 'Anyone who has expressed even the vaguest interest in something gets pushed towards someone else with the same interest and they all get scrunched up on the dark web,' he said. 'They start sharing these .onion addresses - that's how they find these sites, and there are some really disturbing ones. 'You can't just go on the dark web and say, ''show me a snuff site or someone being tortured or beheaded,'' or whatever it is you fancy, she would have had to have been told (where to go). 'Red rooms are where blood is involved, where people are being tortured and either killed or abused physically, where people draw blood. 'They won't stumble across them, you can't accidentally find them. Jenkinson, 16, was found guilty of murder alongside her teenage accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe Here killer Jenkinson made notes about serial killer Richard Ramirez 'The dangerous and scary bit is that you need only to express the tiniest interest, which may be misunderstood by the algorithm, but they slowly get pushed together. 'These sites can be anywhere in the world, it's very difficult to trace them. Something like a red room, or a torture room, can involve static imagery but sometimes it can also involve live streaming and those are very difficult to get to.' Prof Woodward said that, because these sites were difficult to find, they are also difficult for the police and other authorities to trace and close down. 'Because they pop up and down you have to be very patient and try lots of things out in order to track them,' he added. Brianna (pictured), 16, was found with fatal wounds on a path in Culcheth Linear Park, near her home in Warrington 'This isn't like on the ordinary web, where you go onto Google to find them. You have to go searching and when you search you find other people who direct you. One site will quite often direct you to another, so the more you use it (the dark web) the more you know.' READ MORE: Brianna Ghey's last journey captured on CCTV Advertisement Prof Woodward said downloading onion browsers was not illegal and there is nothing to stop young people legitimately downloading them to access the dark web. But Detective Superintendent Mike Evans, head of Cheshire CID who investigated the case, urged parents to talk to their children to understand what they were looking at 'when they shut the bedroom door.' Referring to Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, he said: 'These were two very warped individuals to have done what they have done. 'It needs a certain level of intelligence to access the dark web and I know as a parent the need to know what a child does when they shut the bedroom door. 'There is a bit for all of us around internet safety and web awareness.' It seems hard to imagine now, but in the 1960s and 1970s, huge numbers of scheduled airflights were hijacked, most of them by lone nutters armed to the teeth. It was, literally, a different age. Internal flights in the U.S. were incredibly cheap and security was non-existent. Nowadays, as we all know, you cant take a pair of nail scissors on an aeroplane and a tube of toothpaste is assumed by all security services to be full of Semtex. (Is there such a thing as minty Semtex?) But then your average hijacker boarded with at least one powerful gun, possibly a grenade or two and sticks of dynamite strapped around his waist. He wanted $500,000 and a parachute, and was preparing to jump out of the planes aft entrance, because anyone jumping out of the front entrance would be sucked into the jets and killed rather unpleasantly. (Ugh.) FBI composite sketches of Dan Cooper, who hijacked a Northwest Orient Airlines Flight in 1971 The hijacker, the man who made all this possible, was a man who called himself D. B. Cooper, but was almost certainly called something else. He jumped out with $200,000, worth $1.5million in todays money in 1972 and was never heard of again. FBI agents searched for a big hole and a squished Cooper at the bottom of it, but found nothing. They kept looking for him for 40 years, before they closed the case and rendered it unsolved. He was the undoubted inspiration for countless half-witted wannabes, all male (but, of course), most of them between the ages of 25 and 45 and many of them doomed to die in a hail of bullets. I Am DB Cooper film poster, released in 2002 The man writing about all this is John Wigger, an academic from the American Mid-west whose previous books have been about U.S. Methodists and the dodgy evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Although much of this happened 50 years ago, a lot of the protagonists are still alive and gave him detailed interviews. The result is an incredibly rich stew about the Great Age Of Hijacking, with more detail than anyone could possibly hope for. We learn what these people were wearing, the cars they drove, the weapons they favoured, and although favourite yogurt flavours havent come up yet, Im keeping an eye out. One important revelation is that hijackers usually sat in the very back row of the plane, because you could sit anywhere you wanted in those days. Not only was it more convenient for the loo, but it would cause maximum damage to the plane if you happened to explode a bomb there. Convenient, too, for the aft staircase, when you made your escape. Who were these nutters, then? Many had a history of emotional trauma, often in the form of PTSD from military service, and previous brushes with the law and time in prison. Recovered money from skyjacking case in the Pacific North West They had experienced a recent setback, a triggering event that made them desperate to set things right. They were daring but not criminally sophisticated. They constructed elaborate plans and spun ruses involving secret devices and associates on the ground. Above all, they wanted to feel respected and thought (wrongly) that hijacking a plane would be the quickest route to this. One hijacker, Richard McCoy, though, was middle America personified. He was very conservative in manner, dress and speech, said a fellow student. As was the case with other hijackers, this one had the ability to suspend conscience, to shut out the larger consequences of what he was doing. He was caught, sentenced to 45 years in prison, escaped and died in the usual hail of bullets when the FBI caught up with him. The bureau, curiously, provide whatever comedy the book has to offer. So, at one point, the men refuelling the plane all had shiny black shoes and neatly trimmed hair. They might as well have been wearing fedoras, which were still de rigueur for J. Edgar Hoovers men in the early 1970s, decades after they had gone out of fashion. One agent drives a car from the 1950s, which looked like an upside-down bathtub on wheels. Snipers keep nearly shooting stewardesses, who are always getting in the way. The hijacked Northwest Airlines jetliner 727 sits on a runway in Washington in 1971 Its actually a small miracle they ever caught anyone. By 1972, the decision-making process regarding hijackings was divided between the FBI, the airline, the FAA, airport security and local police. It was the classic bureaucratic shambles. These days, of course, youd do very well to get on an airplane with a bottle of water, let alone the gelignite and firearms that were so popular back in the day. I cant help wondering whether something hasnt been lost along the way, although at least you know where youre flying to now: therell be no sudden detours to Cuba. Wiggers hugely entertaining book travels a previously unexplored byway of aviation history and is probably best read on dry land, just to be absolutely sure. Women who murder are rare enough. Girls rarer still. And today Scarlett Jenkinson joins the handful of female killers aged under 16 to have committed a crime so heinous it merits a life sentence. A fondness for horror films watched in her childhood bedroom developed into a sick fascination with serial killers, all further fuelled by footage of torture and murder that she sought out in the darkest recesses of the internet. But Jenkinson wanted to kill for real. So she found a worthy accomplice and then, after weeks of planning, lured her unsuspecting friend Brianna Ghey to her death. This was the coldest of cold-blooded assassinations committed for no reason other than to satisfy the sick kicks of two twisted teenagers. And what makes Jenkinsons story so hard to fathom is that, unlike so many other child murderers brought up in broken, dysfunctional families, she had a start in life that many would envy. Teenager Scarlett Jenkinson, known as Girl X during the murder trial, had a start in life in a leafy Cheshire village that many would envy A family photo, taken when Jenkinson was aged 11, shows her dressed in a smart blue dress, flanked by her parents, as they attend a party with family friends Today, in this definitive account, we talk to fellow students, former teachers, local parents and neighbours in a bid to understand what drove Jenkinson and her henchman to commit an act so evil that it will see them go down in the annals of criminal history alongside the likes of Jamie Bulgers killers Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. Part of a large family, raised by loving parents, Jenkinson grew up in the Cheshire village of Culcheth, a place where middle-class families move to make the most of its well-regarded schools and pubs, cafes and open spaces. Culcheth is a wonderful place to raise children, is how one neighbour described it. When she was arrested I just thought it had to be a mistake. I thought, It cant be Scarlett. So when the trial started and I read the messages shed been writing, it blew me away. Where did all that hate come from, plotting to kill people? I just couldnt bear to follow the case it was just too much to think of Scarlett being into murder and torture. I cant begin to imagine how her family are coping. Described as hard-working and law-abiding, her parents, 51-year-old Brian Jenkinson and Emma Sutton, 49, regularly attended court during the trial of their youngest child. Indeed, the Mail understands it was only as the hearing progressed that they became aware of the full, horrifying details of their daughters role in Briannas death. Mr Jenkinson works as a builder and plasterer. He previously worked for a small engineering company, of which he had been a director. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is also a qualified tutor who has taught construction to students and inmates in colleges and prisons in the North West. Jenkinsons mother also teaches home economics and design technology at a Catholic secondary school in Warrington. Work was juggled with a busy home life in a rented semi on a quiet housing estate. By the time Jenkinson was born in 2007, the couple already had three sons together. Sources close to the investigation have told the Mail that there has never been any social services involvement. With 15 years separating her from her oldest brother, Jenkinson was the daughter who completed the family. Aged five, she is pictured perched on top of a pony wearing a purple riding helmet. A relative commented: My beautiful Scarlett at her horse-riding party, she loved it' Photos clearly illustrate the age gap. In one, the brothers, one of whom has served as a submariner in the Royal Navy, can be seen sipping beers at a family gathering while a much younger Scarlett messes around in the background. Other images posted on social media show Jenkinson enjoying what appears to be a happy upbringing aged five she is pictured perched on top of a pony wearing a purple riding helmet. My beautiful Scarlett at her horse-riding party, she loved it, reads a comment left by a close relative. Another photo, taken when she was aged 11, shows her dressed in a smart blue dress, flanked by her parents, as they attend a party with family friends. By now, Jenkinson had started at Culcheth High School, the well-regarded secondary on the outskirts of the village. Culcheth is high achieving with a very middle-class catchment so kids do well, said one parent. The kids get sort of teased when they go on to college afterwards with comments like, Oh, you are one of the posh kids from Culcheth, are you? It was there that Jenkinson met Eddie Ratcliffe when they both joined the school in Year 7. He would be one of only a handful of individuals she could ever call a friend, even if it didnt start like that. READ MORE: Inside the cushy prisons where Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe could be moved to once they turn 18 Advertisement It was weird at first, she told police. We was like frenemies. We just gradually got closer. We was mates with all the same people. As the years passed, like many youngsters Jenkinson set up her own social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. The content started off innocently enough, pictures of pets and of her, smiling to the camera. Other photos have funny filters superimposing a cartoon puppys nose and ears on her face. One shows a cute cartoon penguin with a gun and the caption: Penguins are dangerous lol. But by the time Jenkinson entered her teens in 2020, a dark side to this slight, bespectacled girl had emerged. It was the year Covid struck and the lockdowns and school closures meant that she, like the rest of the nation, had time on her hands. And while her mother used it to appeal for materials to make protective face shields for NHS workers, Jenkinson indulged her growing love of horror films. On Instagram, she posted a photo of the television in her bedroom. Above the TV is a shelf with a childs toy pony resting on it. The screen reveals the films she had recently watched: Insidious, Dark Shadows, Beetlejuice, Childs Play and A Nightmare On Elm Street. Dark, violent movies. When first released in the UK, A Nightmare On Elm Street was given an 18 classification because of its strong, sadistic horror and bloody violence. Jenkinson would have been just 12 when she watched it. Just been watching Netflix all the way through lockdown, Im starting to run out of things to watch, Jenkinson wrote in an accompanying caption. Her fascination with such content would grow, turning into an obsession with a film about Sweeney Todd, the murderous cut-throat barber turned pie-maker. He kills people with one of the sharpest blades in the world, she would write to Ratcliffe of the Tim Burton-directed musical. One slit, slice things very deep. Its really good and dark and gory and romantic . . . Im watching for the 9,000th time . . . you should watch it. She also celebrated her love of the film on her TikTok accounts, posting a compilation of Sweeney Todd clips. Another TikTok collection has the title #gothic and features Gothic architecture with a soundtrack entitled Tear You Apart by American band She Wants Revenge. Lyrics to the grungy, guitar-heavy song include the verse: I want to hold you close, soft breasts, beating heart, as I whisper in your ear, I want to f***ing tear you apart. Meanwhile, an animation film shows a cartoon girl, dressed in black and with heavy black eyeliner, firing a handgun at the camera. Like other girls of her age, she loved an inspirational quote. But her favourites hint at a growing sense of dissatisfaction. In lockdown, while her mother used it to appeal for materials to make protective face shields for NHS workers, Jenkinson indulged her growing love of horror films I dont know where Im going from here but I promise it wont be boring, reads a line on the homepage of one of her Instagram accounts. The words are a David Bowie quote. Others included I find only freedom in the realms of eccentricity and If you wish for peace, prepare for war. Around the same time, neighbours and fellow pupils noticed a change in her behaviour. Ive lived here since Scarlett was little and my overwhelming impression has always been that she looked very sad, very lonely, said a local resident. I always just felt sorry for her. Another recalled: Kids round here play a game that they call knock-a-door-run. They knock on the door then run away before the homeowner can catch them. Only Scarlett didnt run away. Shed stand behind bushes or go down the street and just stand and stare at the house shed just knocked. It was odd, unnerving. Problems also arose at school. By the age of 13, fellow students say she was regularly taking drugs and wearing heavy, dark eye make-up and lipstick. She always used to come in high, said a fellow pupil. The first time we realised she came into our class and you got a really strong smell of weed when she walked past. Her eyes were really red. There were other times when she came in and had taken edibles [food laced with cannabis]. You could tell by the way she was acting. Others were put off by Jenkinsons increasingly strange behaviour. It was common knowledge from 2020 that she had a kill list of kids she wanted to kill, said the parent of a child who attended the school. Scarlett tried to recruit other children to take part in blood rituals with her. Everyone just thought she was weird and a fantasist. Nobody would look her in the eye when she walked down the corridor, there was something just not right about her, people thought she was evil. A source close to the investigation added: As well as her fascination with murder and torture, Scarlett told friends she was into satanism and the occult. She claimed she identified as a witch. By the age of 13, fellow students say she was regularly taking drugs and wearing heavy, dark eye make-up and lipstick The fellow pupil told how she had suggested killing a goat as part of a satanic ritual while Ratcliffe said she would talk about dead babies and stuff. She would joke about it: Ill stab your nan, s**g your cat. Ratcliffe also recalled how Scarlett had later carved her boyfriends name on to her arm with a knife, leaving a scar. Interestingly, her conversations with the good-looking teenager, who was in the year above, steered clear of the sort of subjects discussed with Ratcliffe. Giving evidence, Jenkinson admitted she had self-harmed since the age of 12, which she said was a coping mechanism for dealing with anxiety. A video she made last October showed her stabbing furniture with a knife. The blade was covered in her own blood. By November 2022 her conversations with Ratcliffe were dominated by talk of violence, torture and death, with discussions of how they wanted to kill people they knew. Jenkinson also revealed an interest in serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez and Harold Shipman. Dahmer was an American sex offender who killed and dismembered 17 men between 1978 and 1991. Ramirez, an American known as The Night Stalker, was convicted of 13 murders, while Shipman is the British doctor with more than 200 suspected victims. Brianna Ghey (pictured), completely unsuspecting, was lured to Linear Park where Jenkinson walked the familys pet dog ambushed and stabbed to death A notebook found on Jenkinsons bed by police included a memo headed types of serial killers and descriptions such as psychopathic, sexual sadist, psychotic and copycat. A note about John Wayne Gacy (an American serial killer who worked as a childrens clown and who tortured and murdered young men and boys near Chicago) was also found inside this book with the words killer clown, 33 victims, raped victims written next to it. A spider diagram with the words good and evil written in the middle was also discovered. The words forgiveness, justice, suffering, morality is all relative, evil and punishment had been written around the outside. On December 5, 2022, Jenkinson sent Ratcliffe a video which referred to killing and torture and an advert for an underground site for people who like rape, torture and murder. I love watching torture vids, she told him. Real ones on the dark web. And, for once, it was no idle boast. When her phone was examined after her arrest it was found to have a browser on it which allowed her access to red rooms, websites where people can watch real footage of people being tortured and murdered and so-called because of the amount of blood they feature. By mid-December Brianna, who lived locally and had a large following on social media, had entered into Jenkinson and Ratcliffes discussions. As the Mail reveals today, Brianna and Jenkinson only met after Jenkinson left Culcheth school in October 2022 and moved to Birchwood Community High, on the outskirts of Warrington, where Brianna was a pupil. The paper has learned that Jenkinson was asked to leave on a managed transfer for poisoning another pupil with cannabis gummies sweets laced with the drug. She was caught out after the child ended up being hospitalised. She tried to give two [cannabis gummies] to my daughter, but she didnt take them, but one of the other girls in the library did, a parent at the school told the Mail. She ended up in A&E. It is also claimed she had been involved in a number of fights with other female pupils. Both Jenkinson and Brianna were in the schools inclusion unit albeit for very different reasons. While the court was told that Brianna had been bullied, her headteacher has insisted this wasnt the case. Instead, she wasnt in the main school because she suffered from social anxiety and so had a personalised timetable. Jenkinson would claim that they became friends after Brianna had complimented her on her eye liner, adding that they liked the same make-up and would hang out together. In a message on December 15, Jenkinson confided in Ratcliffe: Im obsessed over someone I know but dont have feelings for them . . . Shes called Brianna . . . She sent Ratcliffe some pictures Brianna had posted online. He responded: Is it a femboy or a tranny? Jenkinson told him that Brianna was trans and that she sounded just like a girl and looked really pretty. By January 2023 the list of people the pair discussed killing had grown and grown. But it was Brianna they fixated upon. Quite what she had done to earn their ire is unclear. Ratcliffe would later inform police Jenkinson had told him that Brianna had tried to split her up from her boyfriend, which was unforgiveable. What happened next will go down in criminal history. Brianna, completely unsuspecting, was lured to Linear Park where Jenkinson walked the familys pet dog under the guise of getting s***faced on cocaine with her new friend. There Brianna was ambushed and stabbed to death. Precisely who wielded the fateful blows we may never know, with each claiming the other was responsible. While Jenkinson had no traces of blood on her, it was suggested in court that she was sufficiently criminally minded to have erased them in some way. In court, Jenkinson, who after her arrest was diagnosed with mild autistic traits and ADHD, admitted that from the age of 14 she had begun fantasising about killing and torturing people. She also said that she found the idea of killing Brianna exciting. But she claimed that she never wanted this to happen in reality. Police dismissed this version of events, saying arrogant Jenkinson believed she could get away with the murder and that she and her accomplice had a thirst for killing and killed because they wanted to prove that they could. Her evidence in court was delivered from behind a screen, to avoid distractions. She spoke in a seemingly emotionless, detached monotone, only starting to shed silent tears as she reached the point when Brianna was stabbed. At times during the hearing she played with a fidget toy. With her hair scraped back and favouring dark-coloured pinafore dresses, a white collar showing beneath, some court observers noted a passing resemblance to Wednesday Addams, the little girl from the Addams Family films who was fascinated by the macabre. She, of course, was a work of fiction. Jenkinson, and her senseless crime, all too real. As she watched her teenage son being wheeled into an ambulance, before being blue-lighted to hospital, Rebecca Evans felt a terrifying sense of helplessness. And she felt a stomach-churning guilt too. For the reason her precious boy was in this life-threatening state related directly to a decision she herself had made. When Rebecca was invited to give Louis the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine at the age of one, she thought she was doing the right thing by declining it. At that point the jab was tainted by claims, later wholly disproved, linking it to the developmental disability autism. Yet it was a decision with almost catastrophic results, causing Louis to catch measles 16 years later and suffer such severe respiratory problems he had to be resuscitated by paramedics. He would spend a week in isolation in hospital with a serious infection and dangerously high temperature, and for years afterwards, would resent his mother for not giving him the shot. It was a terrible time, says Rebecca, 55, as she describes that panicked dash to the hospital. I feared I might lose him. Its the worst imaginable thought for any mother and I had to force myself to stop it and focus on supporting my son, who was also terrified. I feel quite emotional recalling it now. I remember a consultant at the hospital asking why I hadnt had him vaccinated and when I told him about my fears that Louis might develop autism, he looked up at the ceiling, in despair, and said: I must have heard this a hundred times. It was, of course, too late by then. I apologised for not realising how serious measles could be, and for putting other, more vulnerable, people at risk by not having him inoculated. In the most serious cases, measles can cause complications including meningitis, seizures and even blindness and encephalitis swelling of the brain Louis is now 26 and Rebecca has decided to speak out because the UK is in the grip of a measles emergency, with outbreaks in London, Birmingham and Yorkshire leading the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which replaced Public Health England during the pandemic, to declare a national incident. Since October 2023, there have been 347 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England, with 127 of these recorded in January. Public health officials fear that we have now lost herd immunity to the disease with only 85 per cent of children in the UK vaccinated against it compared to the 95 per cent needed and that urgent action is required to prevent the worlds most contagious virus spreading like proverbial wildfire. The outbreak appears to be the result of a perfect storm: a fall in the number of children given jabs during the pandemic and those unvaccinated children now mixing with young adults whose parents opted not to let them have it during the late 1990s and early noughties, at the height of the MMR scare. The outbreak is especially dispiriting, given that, in 2017, the World Health Organization declared the disease had been eliminated for the first time in the UK, since no indigenous cases of measles had been recorded for three years. Foolish though Rebecca admits she was to leave her son unprotected from the threat of measles not to mention rubella, which carries similar risks, and mumps, which can cause infertility in men she was far from the only middle-class mum to opt out of giving her child the triple jab during those years. The controversy began in February 1998 with the publication of a paper in the highly respected medical journal The Lancet by Andrew Wakefield, at the time a gastroenterologist at the Royal Free Hospital in North London, claiming a link between the MMR vaccine, gut problems in children and autism. In 2010, the Lancet retracted Wakefields paper which featured case studies of just 12 children, so fell way short of being based on any kind of robust clinical trials on the grounds that elements appeared to be false. He was then struck off the medical register. However, to the frustration of medics, the seeds of fear had been sown and many children went unvaccinated, unless their parents paid for the jabs to be given separately, which was the only other option. While most are now well aware that the suggested link with autism was entirely bogus, Helen Bedford, a professor of childrens health at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, has said those not vaccinated due to the scare together with children who missed out on jabs during the pandemic may be helping the virus to spread. Over the years, the number of unvaccinated people has accumulated in the population, enabling measles to take hold and spread quickly within communities, warns Professor Bedford. For Rebecca, the choice seemed stark. A single mum, whose ex supported Louis financially, including paying for him to attend a prestigious private school in West London, she had read Wakefields paper when the letter arrived in 1998 asking her to take her one-year-old to his GP for an MMR shot. Autism is, of course, on a spectrum but it can be serious, so I declined the invitation, recalls Rebecca. My GP kept asking if I was sure. She didnt tell me I was a bad mother for refusing, but she did say: I really hope you dont live to regret this decision. Which, of course, I did. Rebecca has always taken an alternative approach to healthcare, but she was not anti-vaccines. Conscious that babies are vulnerable to disease, she ensured her son had all other infant vaccines, including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis B (and they both had all the Covid jabs offered to them in recent years). Yet, when it came to MMR, she felt a sense of deep unease. At the back of her mind Rebecca felt her son had been a little slower to talk than his peers something her GP put down to him being bilingual and it was this, in part, which made her decide any risk associated with the MMR vaccine was not worth taking. She was unaware her son could have been given the inoculations individually had she paid to have it done privately a route some middle-class parents took at the time. But, in any case, she believed the diseases MMR protects against were not too serious and was largely unconcerned about his risk of contracting them. This, it turned out, was a big mistake. It was just before the October half-term in 2014 that sixth-former Louis, then 17, woke one morning complaining of a sore throat and very achy joints, which made it difficult for him to move. His torso was covered in red spots. Concerned, but never imagining it was measles, Rebecca took him to see their GP, who diagnosed some sort of viral infection, and prescribed paracetamol and rest. It is perhaps not surprising that this GP did not recognise measles given its rarity back then, it was simply not on the radar for most. When, the following day, there were more spots and Louis was worryingly lethargic, with a temperature so high you could have fried an egg on his forehead, Rebecca took him back to the surgery. This time I saw a different GP, who called in a colleague, and together they stood looking at my son, checking his temperature, recalls Rebecca. Then one said: This is quite an advanced case of measles and extremely serious. We must call an ambulance. I felt sick with worry and shock I had no idea measles could be so debilitating. The doctors asked if my son had come into contact with any elderly people, or pregnant women, over the past three days because, if so, they would need to be informed as measles could be very dangerous for them. Hed gone on the bus, to and from his sixth-form college, which is probably where hed picked it up, as we knew of no one else with measles, so had come into contact with lots of people we didnt know. I was so freaked out thinking my son could have infected someone at high risk I said: I feel terrible. What can I do?. Their response was that theyd be keeping him in the surgery until the ambulance arrived, to avoid any further risk of infection. Rebeccas dogs were in her car, so she had to drop them home, leaving Louis to make the journey to Londons St Thomas hospital alone with the paramedics. Terrifyingly, en route, he developed such severe breathing problems he went into respiratory arrest and the ambulance crew had to pull over to resuscitate him. When an already anxious Rebecca arrived at St Thomas, she was horrified to learn that her son was so unwell he was being treated in the accident and emergency departments resuscitation area and she was not able to see him. It was horrendous. I remember a doctor looking me in the eye and saying: This is extremely serious, recalls Rebecca, shaken by the memory. And, of course, each time I told a different medic that he had not had the MMR I tormented myself with the thought that it was all my fault and could have been prevented. Mercifully, my son pulled round and, the following day, they were able to move him on to a side ward, where I could visit. Alarming though it undoubtedly was, Louiss condition could, in fact, have been much worse. As many as one in 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from the disease in the young. In the most serious cases, the measles virus can cause other complications too, including meningitis and seizures and, although rare, even blindness and encephalitis swelling of the brain which can lead to permanent brain damage. It is also highly risky for pregnant women, potentially leading to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature births. Louis spent a week in a sealed room being given a cocktail of medicines. Rebecca doesnt recall what they were it was all a bit of a blur, she says but believes they included paracetamol to control his temperature, antibiotics, for the ear and chest infections which can be a complication of measles, and steroids to ease his respiratory issues. Since October 2023, there have been 347 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England, with 127 of these recorded in January So infectious is the disease that anyone who entered his quarantined space, including Rebecca, had to remove their clothes and replace them with protective plastic suits, hats, socks and gloves, which then had to be thrown away before leaving. Luckily, Louis, who was discharged after eight days, has suffered no long-term physical effects. However, as a teenage boy, he was embarrassed about having such a highly infections virus, which meant he didnt broadcast news of his hospital stay once back at college, following the half-term break. Their GP had informed the college there had been a case of measles, without giving Louiss name, so that anyone he may have come into contact with could be vigilant about checking for symptoms and seeing a doctor, if necessary. One can only imagine how mortifying it must have been for Louis, seeing posters on the college walls, warning of the risk of infection and knowing he was the source. Indeed, a few years later, in his early 20s, Louis made his feelings about his mothers rejection of the MMR, and the frightening consequences of that decision for him, very clear. I hadnt realised how much he resented it, says Rebecca. But we were talking about something, I dont recall what, and he got angry and said: Your beliefs almost killed me. I spent a week in hospital and could have died. It hurt hearing that. I told him I hoped that one day he would be a parent and understand that we only do what we think is best for our children. If another mum had told me: I almost lost my son to measles. Be careful, of course I may have done things differently. But, at the time, I believed I was doing what was right. Rebecca says she fell for Wakefields claims hook, line and sinker. She is not proud to admit that she even persuaded a friend with a child the same age as Louis to decline the MMR. How, I wonder, does she feel about Andrew Wakefield now? Of course, we now know that his report was complete nonsense, she says. Maybe he was negligent, or stubborn, but was he malicious? Im not sure. He may have thought that he was on to something but, unfortunately for parents like me, who paid a price, he was completely wrong. If she could turn back the clock, Rebecca would certainly take her GPs advice and let her son have the jab, sparing him the trauma of measles. Im hearing news reports about more people becoming infected every day and find it quite traumatic as they bring memories of that terrible time flooding back, says Rebecca. In talking about my experience with my son, I hope I can persuade other parents to get their children vaccinated, whatever age they are now, because its never too late. Please learn from our awful experience, she begs, before this measles outbreak becomes an epidemic. Names have been changed. Colombian army soldier Sebastian Villegas allegedly threatened to kill his model girlfriend Isabella Mesa nearly one month before he stabbed her 24 times and stuffed her dead body inside a suitcase at his home, court documents reveal. 'If she talked to other men, he wouldn't mind killing whoever it was, he would even kill her himself,' a judge said while reading testimony from the victim's mother, Sandra Mesa, during a hearing Wednesday. 'She heard those words in the middle of a video call on December 30, 2023. Isabella Mesa, 19, was found dead by Villegas' mother in one of the rooms of their Medellin residence on Sunday night, several hours after the couple had attended a party at a farm and got into a heated argument. The young mother had traveled to Colombia from Mexico, where she lived with her mother Sandra Mesa and her three-year-old son, to spend time with Villegas, who was on vacation. The judge overseeing an arraignment hearing Wednesday read testimony from Sandra Mesa, who said her daughter initially met Villegas when she was 13 years old living in her hometown of Copacabana, 25 miles outside Medellin. Isabella, who moved to Mexico to pursue a career in modeling, would spend the majority of her days chatting on her cellphone with Villegas, her mother told investigators. Sebastian Villegas is accused of murdering his girlfriend Isabella Mesa at his home in Medellin on Sunday. The army soldier allegedly threatened to kill his 19-year-old girlfriend if he found out she was talking to other men Isabella Villegas had moved from her native Colombia to Mexico, where pursued a career in modeling and lived with her mother and three-year-old son 'Day and night she was stuck talking on the cell phone. However, sometimes she heard loud conversations or video calls and she could notice that he was threatening her,' the court document indicated. 'He demanded that she share the screen and send WhatsApp videos to see who she was talking to. She saw that Sebastian was a jealous person.' Villegas' increased state of jealousy rose to the point where he threatened to murder Isabella Mesa four weeks before he took her life. 'He was sick with jealousy, her daughter sent everything he asked of her and then he asked her for forgiveness," the court document revealed. The judge said that Villegas stabbed Isabella eight times in the neck and stabbed her seven times around the left breast. Medellin law enforcement officials recovered the body of Isabella Mesa from the home of her soldier boyfriend, Sebastian Villegas, on Sunday evening Isabella Villegas was forced by her alleged killer boyfriend, Sebastian Villegas, to send screenshots of conversations she had with her friends, according to testimony for her mother read in court Wednesday Colombian army soldier Sebastian Villegas could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison if he is found guilty of murdering his model girlfriend Isabella Mesa on Sunday Isabella Mesa's uncle, Mauricio Mesa, told Caracol television that Villegas confessed to his mother and stepfather that he killed his girlfriend. 'She told the prosecutor that the boy confessed to her (the soldier's mother) and her romantic partner that he had killed Isabella, that he had committed something very serious, that he had damaged his life,' Mauricio Mesa said. Isabella Mesa was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon. 'Isabella was a beautiful girl, full of dreams, wanting to take on the world and for me it was the best,' Sandra Mesa told the outlet. She was my first love, my friend and she even seemed like my sister.' Villegas is facing one count of aggravated feminicide and faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Cori Bush could be on the hook for many crimes as the Justice Department continues its investigation into her alleged misuse of over $750,000 in campaign funds for personal security. The progressive Squad member spent thousands on security services out of her campaign account since getting elected in 2020. That includes over $120,000 to her husband Courtney Merritts, according to her most recent campaign filings, who she married in February 2023. Kendra Arnold, executive director for ethics watchdog the Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT) told DailyMail.com that 'a host of other possible charges' for Bush are possible. That's because in any campaign finance case, documents submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) 'must be accurate,' she explained. Last March, FACT filed a complaint about Bush's campaign expenditures with the FEC. Arnold told DailyMail.com that the language on Bush's FEC filings changed after her group filed the complaint - which could be an issue for the congresswoman. Bush changed her description of her payments to her husband from 'security' to 'wage expenses,' Arnold said, calling it 'troubling.' In addition to abusing campaign funds for personal use, Bush could potentially be on the hook for perjury, filing a false statement and mail fraud. Cori Bush and her now-husband Cortney Merritts together at the 2020 inauguration 'At that time, we believed strongly that there were several facts that led to a need for an investigation into the into Rep. Bush's payments to her then husband,' Arnold told DailyMail.com about the initial filing. 'They were the amount that she was paying [Merritts], the fact that he reportedly didn't have a license to perform the security services and that she was also paying other individuals and another vendor for those same services.' Merritts did not have the appropriate licensing to perform security services in St.Louis - the district his wife represents - or Washington, D.C., at the time FACT filed their complaint, according to a Fox News report. The D.C. Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, that runs the licensing database, did not immediately return request for comment. 'That complaint is still pending before the FEC,' Arnold added. 'And we won't get a result back until they are done with that and have voted on it.' The DOJ's investigation, meanwhile, may take a while to complete. 'The next step really is waiting for the DOJ to conduct its work, and how long that takes varies,' Arnold said. 'There's no way for us to tell what exactly they're looking at, and what precisely what evidence they're gathering,' she added. 'So it's really just a waiting game at this point to let them do their job.' Bush, R-Mo., married Cortney Merritts in a private ceremony in February 2023 Bush and Merritts are seen here with President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden during a Christmas party at the White House Bush said Tuesday that she is cooperating with all the pending investigations and called the complaints filed against her 'frivolous.' The investigation against Bush has rattled both House Republicans and Democrats. 'If she has violated the law and she's indicted, and she's found guilty, then she obviously should be removed, 100 percent,' Moskowitz, D-Fla., told DailyMail.com Tuesday. Republican Tim Burchett of Tennessee told DailyMail.com the DOJ 'should throw the book at her' because of the 'crazy amount of money' she has spent on security. 'She hired her husband who wasn't qualified to be that form of security guard,' he added. 'Well I guess were going to have to decide that; are we going to allow that activity to happen.' Brad Pitt has seized back control of the French vineyard he owned with ex-wife Angelina Jolie in the latest twist in the so-called 'War of the Roses'. The Chateau Miraval estate, which produces an award-winning sparkling rose, is at the centre of a long-running court battle between the pair. Pitt's lawyers have accused Jolie of deliberately depriving him of complete ownership and 'forcing a stranger into [his] family home' by selling her share of the business to Russian businessman Yuri Shefler. Now a court in Luxembourg has stripped Mr Shefler's company of a portion of shares originally gifted to Ms Jolie by Pitt putting him back in the driving seat. A source close to the actor said the ruling leaves Schefler, who is head of the Stolichnaya vodka empire, with 'virtually no say' in the multi-million-pound business in Provence. Brad Pitt's lawyers have accused Angelina Jolie of deliberately depriving him of complete ownership and 'forcing a stranger into [his] family home' by selling her share to a Russian businessman The 1,300-acre Chateau Miraval estate in 2008 prior to the celebrity couple purchasing it as 60-40 partners, with Pitt the majority shareholder The source added: 'Brad has fought his corner every step of the way. Shefler and Angelina have clearly underestimated him.' Pitt and Ms Jolie bought the 1,300-acre Miraval estate in 2008 as 60-40 partners, with Pitt the majority shareholder. Five years later, he 'gifted' an extra 10 per cent to Ms Jolie's company Nouvel for one euro, making them equals. But after their acrimonious split in 2016 the estate was at the centre of a $350million (275million) divorce battle. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt produced their own organic wine from the vineyard The land around the chateau in southern France is known to produce high quality wine In 2021, Jolie sold Nouvel to a group controlled by Mr Shefler. Pitt's lawyers claimed she 'knew and intended Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business'. Now, a court in Luxembourg where Chateau Miraval's holding company is based has stripped Nouvel of the portion of shares gifted by Pitt in 2013, handing control of them to a court-appointed receiver. Pitt had argued that they were given under the understanding that she would not sell them. Judge Carole Kerschen ruled it was necessary to end the 'blockage of decision' and save the business. A 'merits hearing' in around two years is likely to decide that Pitt regain full control of the gifted shares. The police chief of the Colorado town of Ouray has been put on leave after his teenage stepson was charged for allegedly being part of the violent gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at the officer's home while he slept. Chief Jeff Wood was put on paid administrative leave on Monday, pending the outcome of the proceedings against stepson Nate Dieffenderffer, alongside co-defendants Gabriel Trujillo and Ashton Whittington. The city claimed in a news release that the chief himself is not under any criminal or personnel investigation, nor is anyone else with the Ouray Police Department. Sergeant Gary Ray was named his interim replacement. The three were arrested last month on warrants for suspected felony sexual assault, stemming from allegations that they violently and repeatedly raped a 17-year-old girl in Wood's home in May, while the police chief and other members of the family slept. The tale took another twist when, after a local newspaper published a cover story on the charges, nearly every copy was stolen from racks around Ouray County, according to co-publisher Mike Wiggins. Chief Jeff Wood was put on paid administrative leave on Monday, pending the outcome of the proceedings against his stepson 'If you hoped to silence or intimidate us, you failed miserably. We'll find out who did this. And another press run is imminent,' Wiggins wrote on X. The Plaindealer report, written by Wiggins' wife and co-publisher Erin McIntyre, detailed graphic sexual assault allegations contained in Colorado Bureau of Investigation affidavit for arrests in the case. 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 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 at Dieffenderffer's home and drinking some hard seltzer and gin, before passing out on a bed in the home. She said she passed out on a bed and 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. 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 Sergeant Gary Ray was named his interim replacement for Wood 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 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 '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 never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the case. 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. Trujillo, Dieffenderffer and Whittington are free on bail and could not be reached for comment. Wood, the police chief, did not immediately respond to questions from DailyMail.com last week. Meanwhile, the husband-and-wife of the Plaindealer have vowed to continue covering the case. On X, Wiggins said those who are interested in supporting the local newspaper's journalism can donate to a Report for America campaign that helps fund its operations. Founded in 1877, the Plaindealer claims to be the second oldest continuously publishing newspaper on Colorado's western slope. The weekly newspaper covers local news in rugged Ouray County, population 4,874, just north of the ski slopes of Telluride. Wiggins and McIntyre, both former reporters for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, purchased the Plaindealer in 2019. In addition to running the business, the married duo also write many of the articles that appear in the newspaper. 'We invested in the Plaindealer because we believe every community, even small ones, deserves good journalism,' the couple said in a 2021 interview. 'During a time when the headlines are full of stories about newspapers purchased by hedge funds and stripped for profits, newsrooms gutted and presses ceasing to operate, we've invested in a weekly publication and doubled down on journalism.' A suburban wife sentenced this week for slamming a boy's head into a bathroom sink is now in jeopardy of being sacked by Medibank. The health insurance giant broke its silence over employee Mamta Dogra's actions on Friday after Daily Mail Australia revealed the Sydney woman, 47, had been sentenced for assaulting a small boy - but still sought to work with children. In a statement, a Medibank spokeswoman said that it takes such cases 'very seriously and acts accordingly and quickly'. It is understood Dogra - who has since moved to Adelaide to work for the company - faces suspension over her assault convictions, pending an internal investigation, and could face termination. Dogra sought to fight a conviction for her crimes at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court because she might then fail criminal and working-with-children checks. Her lawyer Anthony O'Dea this week submitted to the court references that said she was 'loving, kind and generous'. That submission rejected by Magistrate Glenn Bartley as 'out of touch with reality'. Mamta Dogra, who was convicted of slamming a little boy's head into a bathroom sink and telling him to 'shut up' as blood poured down his face, may have already been suspended from her Medibank job The 47-year-old Medibank consultant could face ultimate termination as the health insurance giant told Daily Mail Australia it takes such cases 'very seriously and acts accordingly and quickly' Dogra emigrated from India to Australia in 2004 to marry an Indian Australian and committed the most serious assault in 2018. Mr O'Dea said Dogra faced losing her job if she could not pass police background and working-with-children checks required of her by Medibank as a consultant whose clients were accompanied by children. Magistrate Glenn Bartley refused, saying that Dogra had 'slammed [the six-year-old boy's] head into a sink causing a laceration' which bled profusely while telling him to 'shut up' and refusing to call an ambulance. Some details of the case cannot be reported for legal reasons. Now Medibank Australia has revealed that in cases such as Dogra's, the employee faces immediate suspension and possible sacking. In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Medibank said it was 'unable to comment on specific employees', but 'we can say that we take instances such as this very seriously and act accordingly and quickly'. READ MORE: Mamta Dogra claims she was 'loving' slammed by judge Mamta Dogra's claims she was 'kind' and 'generous' were rejected in judgment Advertisement 'This includes standing an employee down immediately to investigate any allegations of misconduct or any other serious matter the outcome of which may include termination of employment. 'The Working with Children Check is a screening process for assessing or re-assessing people who work with or care for children.' The medical insurer said it completed 'police background checks for all our employees before they commence work with us'. The Downing Centre Local Court heard on Tuesday that prior to her offending, Dogra had a clean record, something that Magistrate Bartley said he was taking into account when sentencing her. While expressing some frustration that sentencing options such as community supervision were denied him because Dogra had moved interstate, he said community deterrence 'was a major consideration'. 'Young children cannot protect themselves from the actions of adults... where that protective trust is abused,' the magistrate said. Dogra's lawyer partially agreed, saying 'you cant have people going around ... throwing children under sinks and theres community protection', but insisted 'my client is not in that category'. '(Character) references found her to be ... kind and generous the community can feel safe that they are not at risk from violence.' Magistrate Bartley said he would give some of Dogra's references 'little weight' and that 'slamming [the boy's] head into a hard sink scarcely fits that [description].' When Mr O'Dea argued that 'my client is deserving of credit', the magistrate responded: 'How? I found her guilty beyond reasonable doubt. 'I found beyond reasonable doubt she.... pushed [the boy] into a hard object. I didn't really accept her as a source of great truth.' The magistrate also rejected arguments by Dogra that 'money was tight', given that at one point she had been represented by three different lawyers. 'This case has gone on for a long time... on and on and on and on and on,' he said. The magistrate was unable to consider giving Dogra an Intensive Corrections Order, which is in effect a jail sentence served in the community, because she now lives in South Australia, and it requires supervision. He said on the balance of all the charges she had not passed the threshold required for imposing such an order. He imposed a three-year Community Corrections Order upon her and slapped her with fines totaling $17,500. A young sheriff's deputy died a hero's death saving his girlfriend from a frozen Utah reservoir, just three weeks after getting his badge. Ex-Marine Emaloni Lutui, 20, was walking with the woman by Settlement Canyon Reservoir on Monday when they ventured a couple of feet out onto the ice. The ice gave way plunging both into the freezing water, but the young father was able to grab hold of the drowning woman's legs and push her to safety on the bank before sinking back into the reservoir. 'As his last gesture, he was able to get her out,' said Corporal Colbey Bentley of the Tooele Police Department. 'Had it not been for him, we probably would have had two fatalities here.' Ex-Marine Emaloni Lutui, 20, had only graduated from police academy on January 11 Lutui and his girlfriend had ventured out onto the treacherous ice of Settlement Canyon Reservoir in Tooele County while taking a walk 'He was very excited, and his family was very proud of him,' said County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. Lutui, who was known to friends and family as 'Loni' had only graduated from the Salt Lake County academy on January 11 and had started work in the county jail. 'He was very excited, and his family was very proud of him,' said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. 'It was very tragic news to us, and it's taken us a few days to process what occurred. The sheriff said she visited Lutui's family on Wednesday, meeting his young son, as well as many of his sisters and brothers. 'They are struggling right now, but they know that the way he died was the person that he was. He was a giving person and that showed it,' she said. 'When I talked to his mom she said he's where he needs to be and he's going to be watching over all of us. Incredible family.' Lutui's girlfriend called 911 from the water's edge at 6.55pm on Monday before being taken to hospital with hypothermia. Search and rescue crews arrived with boats, flood lights and an underwater robot as they scoured the reservoir just south of Tooele. The young father from Salt Lake City was 'always serving someone' his uncle David Tonga said 'When you're a young officer, you're hoping for an opportunity to save someone's life and as you go on it may happen and it may not,' Rivera said Lutui's relatives paid tribute to the heroic 20-year-old on social media The deputy's mother Maopa Tonga thanked well wishers for their thoughts But it was nearly midnight before they brought his body to the surface. 'After a couple minutes without air, it turns into a rescue mission,' Cpl Bentley said. 'After two to three minutes, a situation like this can turn fatal and turn into a recovery mission. 'If you have water at or below freezing, we are talking about a fatality of hypothermia within 20 to 30 minutes. Water that cold can shut things down quickly.' 'They were here walking around the area, almost on a little hike,' he added. 'There was some sort of conversation between the two where they had decided to try and shed their coats and shoes to try and alleviate some weight from dragging them under. 'Truly a last heroic effort, a sacrifice that, whether he realized or not that he wasn't going to make it, he made sure that she made it. 'It's pretty inspiring.' Many of the young officer's family paid tribute to him on social media. 'So grateful the Lord gave us 20 years to be with you before being called home,' wrote his uncle David Tonga. 'You could always find him serving someone and he literally gave his life saving his girlfriend from drowning. 'We're going to miss you Big Loni thanks for being a great nephew so proud of you see you when we get there.' 'Thank you for prayers and condolences,' Lutui's mother, Maopa Tonga, wrote on Facebook. 'We miss him so much and know that we'll see him again soon.' His came less than a year after another young man, 14-year-old Jayden Davis also died after falling through ice on the reservoir. 'The approaching anniversary was tough enough without this latest tragedy,' Jayden's grandfather Chris Sloan told FOX 13 News. Rescuers worked long into the night after receiving a 911 call from the water's edge at 6.55pm It was nearly midnight before the young deputy's body was brought to the surface 'I hope this latest tragedy makes people think through the potential catastrophe that goes with venturing out on the ice this time of year.' Lutui's girlfriend is expected to make a full recovery and his colleagues at the Salt Lake County Sheriff's office will present an honor guard at his funeral. 'When you're a young officer, you're hoping for an opportunity to save someone's life and as you go on it may happen and it may not,' Rivera said. 'It's how you treat people that's how you change lives.' The growing rift between Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers has seen the Prime Minister start belittling the Treasurer during Cabinet meetings, it has been claimed. Sky News political commentator Sharri Markson quoted unnamed 'Labor sources' as saying Mr Albanese is s***ty with Mr Chalmers over having to cop the blame for breaking his promise not to change Stage Three tax cuts. This follows a Labor insider writing that the Prime Minister's relationship with the Treasurer has been 'shredded' over the policy backflip - to the extent the pair aren't even speaking to each other. Markson introduced the Thursday night episode of her show Sharri by saying a seething Mr Albanese has begun downplaying Chalmers' role in the government. Inside sources report that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seething over having to shoulder the blame for breaking an election promise not to change Stage Three tax cuts In Cabinet meetings Mr Albanese will now only acknowledge the Treasurer as part of a duo with Finance Minister Katy Gallagher by patronisingly calling them 'Jim and Katy',' according to her source. This reflects Mr Albanese's frustration that blame for abandoning the pledge not to meddle with the Stage Three tax cuts has landed on him personally while Dr Chalmers' stocks continue to rise. A 'well-placed Labor source' told Markson that 'tensions are rising for the obvious reason that Jim is doing well and Albo can see that and is annoyed by it'. At the end of last year even the readers of the business-oriented Australian Financial Review rated Dr Chalmers as the Albanese government's best performed minister, behind Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Mr Albanese came within a whisker of being rated the worst performing minister in his own government, pipped only by Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney. Last month another Australian Financial Review survey, this time of 10 leading economists, gave Dr Chalmers a solid score of seven out of 10 for his performance as Treasurer. Mr Albanese has been dogged by accusations he broke his word since taking to the stage of the National Press Club to announce the changes to Stage Three tax cuts, which will come into effect from July 1 if passed by parliament. The dramatic about-turn came just 18 months after the Prime Minister repeatedly insisted in a 7News Spotlight interview that he would not make any changes to the tax cuts. In that interview Mr Albanese spent more than two minutes brushing aside any doubt saying 'my word is my bond' and 'I've always been a man of my word'. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been getting good reviews from economists and even the business community 'We said during the election campaign that we would maintain the position that had already been legislated,' he said in July 2022. 'I believe that when you go to an election and you make commitments, you should stick to them.' Already the Opposition has launched an attack ad that likens Mr Albanese's reneging on the tax plan to former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard's broken election promise not to introduce a carbon tax and labels both 'Labor lies'. On Thursday Ms Gallagher was forced to deny the Prime Minister and Treasurer were giving each other the cold shoulder following an explosive column in The Australian newspaper by former top Labor staffer Cameron Milner. Ms Gallagher told breakfast television on Thursday that allegations levelled in a newspaper column by Mr Milner, who was Bill Shorten's former chief-of-staff, were absolutely wrong. In a piece that raised eyebrows in Canberra, Mr Milner claimed on Wednesday that the PM and his most senior Cabinet minister's relationship 'was tense before, but apparently they aren't speaking anymore'. But Ms Gallagher said this is 'absolutely not' the case in an interview with Karl Stefanovic on the Today show on Thursday morning. 'I work closely with both of those guys and I can tell you, they are good mates. They work closely together and it's great to work with both of them. One Labor insider says the relationship between Mr Albanese (pictured right) and Dr Chalmers (pictured left) has been 'shredded' 'We've been in daily contact and working really closely together. I don't know where that speculation has come from but it's certainly not true.' Stefanovic pointed out the speculation came directly from Milner, who has had a long and well documented relationship with former prime ministerial hopeful Mr Shorten. He asked Ms Gallagher if she was saying he was not a reliable source. 'There's a lot of opinions. Some of them are true and some of them aren't, and that's certainly not true. I can put that to rest.' Dr Chalmers is widely understood to have been a long-time internal critic of the Albanese government's original plan to keep the Morrison government's Stage Three tax relief program. According to Mr Milner, now the director of lobbying firm GXO Strategies, Dr Chalmers told colleagues of the decision to break the promise: 'Tails I win, heads he loses.' Mr Milner went on to lavish praise upon Dr Chalmers - calling him 'the intellectual future of Labor' and the PM 'should stop holding him back' from pursuing tax reform. 'Chalmers is ambitious to be prime minister, but also ambitious for Labor.' 2GB Drive host Chris O'Keefe also added weight to the allegations that the relationship between the PM and Treasurer was strained on Wednesday afternoon. But the radio host stopped short of suggesting their relationship was so tense they were unable to speak to one another. 'I don't know if they're not speaking anymore but I can tell you for a fact, the relationship between Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers, his treasurer, is strained,' he said. 'That's not necessarily unusual for PMs and treasurers, just think Keating and Hawke, Costello and Howard, Morrison and Turnbull. 'But are they not talking? If they're not talking at all that's taking strained to a whole new level. That would surprise me.' Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken to the airways in an effort to ignite Labor leadership speculation. In an interview with Ray Hadley before the Stage Three cut changes were confirmed, Mr Dutton said: 'If the prime minister abandoned stage three tax cuts, his leadership is dead, buried, cremated. 'Let me tell you I believe that to be the truth. 'I do think Chalmers and (former leadership rival) Bill Shorten and others have been rubbing their hands together at the moment thinking that the prime minister has finally destroyed credibility with the Australian public and the Australian public will not support a liar as a prime minister.' Mr Albanese and Dr Chalmers have been contacted for comment. Greens party leader Adam Bandt is calling on the federal government to immediately start a 'truth-telling' process for First Nations people in Australia - pointing to the work happening in Victoria. Victoria has long been considered the most progressive state in discussions about treaties with local Indigenous groups. The state is taking steps toward a treaty via the Yoorrook Justice Commission, in a completely separate process to the failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament national referendum in October 2023. Treaty negotiations proper are expected to begin in early 2024. Any agreements would need to be legislated by state parliament. There are ongoing steps toward treaty through the Yoorrook Justice Commission, in a completely separate process to the failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament national referendum in October 2023 The Indigenous Voice to Parliament was voted down during a referendum in October, despite Linda Burney (right) and Anthony Albanese's (left) best efforts Mr Bandt this week argued: 'A truth-telling process across the country could commence now and should commence now. 'We've seen in Victoria that process has been underway and it's making a big difference and it's laying the foundation for future change.' In Victoria, the state government has committed to working toward a treaty which 'acknowledges the truth of Victoria's history'. According to the government website, the Yoorrook Commission 'is investigating historical and ongoing injustices committed against Aboriginal Victorians since colonisation, across all areas of social, political and economic life'. The commission was formally established in 2021 - prior to Mr Albanese's own commitment to hold a Voice referendum. Supporters were devastated by the outcome of the Voice referendum in October last year Greens leader Adam Bandt this week argued: 'A truth-telling process across the country could commence now and should commence now' READ MORE: Linda Burney says government do want Makarrata Advertisement Yoorrook is the Wemba Wemba word for 'truth'. The commission is independent from the government and funded until at least June 30, 2025. It has all the same powers as a royal commission - meaning it can hold public hearings, compel people to give evidence, call witnesses under oath and make recommendations to the government. In addition to ongoing investigations into historic massacres of First Nations people, the commission is also focused on the legal system in Victoria, the policing of First Nations people and child protection. The Yoorrook Commission can recommend institutional and legal reforms are agreed upon during future treaties, as well as 'appropriate redress for systemic injustice'. The most recent interim report was published in 2022 on the back of a series of hearings with First Nations communities, and detailed findings of 'systemic injustices, both historic and ongoing'. 'Elders consistently tied ongoing injustices to past injustices as a continued impact of colonisation,' the report found. 'While Yoorrooks truth-seeking processes are still at an early stage, the evidence gathered so far is substantive.' The commission has committed to throwing resources at the 'state-sanctioned removal of First Peoples' children from their families' and the ongoing 'injustices experienced by First Peoples in the criminal justice system'. Additionally, the commission will keep promoting and assisting in truth-telling discussions, and Victoria's progress toward treaty. The treaty push initially had bipartisan support but in late January, state Opposition leader John Pesutto revealed the Coalition had withdrawn support. He said internal conversations had been ongoing 'for many months' and expressed concerns that treaties could 'make the community feel more divided'. Victorias First Peoples Assembly - a democratically elected group of people who act as a 'Voice' for Indigenous people - said the announcement was 'disappointing', but stated there was a 'clear path toward treaty' in the state, regardless. 'A national process of truth-telling will allow people to share their experiences of what colonisation has meant for them,' Mr Bandt said. 'Our priority is Labor should recommit to that process of truth-telling and treaty.' Labor has been criticised for dragging its feet after the Voice failed, despite having $27.7million set aside from the last Budget to tackle a Makarrata Commission - which could essentially act in a similar fashion to Victoria's Yoorrook Commission Labor has been criticised for failing to move forward on Indigenous policy after the failure of the Voice. That's despite having $27.7million set aside from the last Budget to tackle a Makarrata Commission - which could essentially act in a similar fashion to Victoria's Yoorrook Commission. The Uluru Statement from the Heart - which Labor committed to in full during the last election campaign - called for three pillars of reconciliation: a voice, treaty and truth. The Makarrata Commission was designed to progress both treaty and truth-telling at a federal level, but was stalled during the Voice campaign amid concerns about what a treaty - or treaties - could look like in practice. In the four months since the failure of the Voice proposal, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have both shied away from explicitly revealing their future plans for the portfolio. Work on the Makarrata Commission remains paused while the government recalibrates and seeks advice on the next steps. Last month, the PM addressed criticism he was being slow to act head on, insisting he and his government are 'taking action'. 'We want to do what we can to Close the Gap in education, in health, in housing, in all of these issues, which is what the referendum was about. 'We accept the result, though, so we have to go about it in different ways.' Mr Albanese took responsibility for his role in the referendum, but said he was responding to a request from the First Nations community through the Uluru Statement from the Heart for constitutional recognition. Any MP who talks of garrotting litter louts with their intestines must be a loony, some will say. Equally, he might be the only sensible chap in the whole soggy Parliament. Sir Desmond Swayne, 67, was perching on his usual twig in the Commons, listening to a flurry of banalities at environment questions. MPs were discussing fly-tipping. Chi Onwurah (Lab, Newcastle Central) claimed she had 'a 15-point plan for rubbish'. For a nasty moment it seemed she might be about to list every point. An eager new environment minister, Robbie Moore, a right little goody-goody, boasted that 'this Government is taking tough action on fly-tipping'. He chirruped about 'crackdowns' and 'ring-fencing' and 'investment in enforcement'. Such are the lifeless phrases with which civil servants fill ministers' scripted answers. It is the jargon of an inert elite that does not try grasping the public's attention. Ministers are not duty-bound to speak the words officials give them. They could write words of their own. But that would take originality. The Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle tried raising morale. 'Bring the Wombles back,' he said. The quip raised a brief smile but ennui soon reformed and the witless Moore and Labour were back to exchanging partisan boasts. Sir Desmond Swayne, 67, was perching on his usual twig in the Commons, listening to a flurry of banalities at environment questions Garrotte fly-tippers with their own intestines, opined Sir Desmond (File image) An eager new environment minister, Robbie Moore, a right little goody-goody, boasted that 'this Government is taking tough action on fly-tipping' While they squabbled, yet more mattresses and prams were being dumped in lay-bys. Offenders know there is little chance of being caught. Fines are clearly no deterrent. Sir Desmond was nearing breaking point. Someone asked: 'What further steps could the minister take?' A Tory woman droned: 'My constituents deserve better.' Brentford and Isleworth's Ruth Cadbury (Lab) wanted to know the 'timetable for responding to the public account committee's report on waste reforms'. Will Brentfordians slap their thighs and say 'that Cadbury speaks for us all'? Or will they be stupefied by indifference? A bird can sit on his twig only so long during such blether before an itchiness takes hold. Sir Desmond had reached this point. So he flew to his feet he is a spry old boy, with calf muscles as trim as steel hawsers and bawled: 'The penalties are insufficient! If offenders were garrotted with their own intestines, there would be fewer of them.' Having shot his bolt, Sir Desmond gave a small shudder of despair and resumed his seat. The outburst drew laughter. Bewilderment, too. Minister Moore had no idea what to say. His civil servants had not primed him for such an eruption. Some will say Sir Desmond is a fruitcake. But they would be wrong. Unconventional though he may be, he is saner than the dullards. He has been in the Commons since 1997. When he arrived, Labour MPs used to howl during his speeches, imitating werewolves. Labour MP Chi Onwurah claimed she had 'a 15-point plan for rubbish'. For a nasty moment it seemed she might be about to list every point Some will say Sir Desmond is a fruitcake. But they would be wrong. Unconventional though he may be, he is saner than the dullards. He was not (I think) being literal about garrotting fly-tippers. Instead he made the point that hardly anyone gives a monkey's about an under-enforced law that scares no one During Sir Tony Blair's Iraq War, Sir Desmond did not muck about. He signed up for war service with his territorial regiment. Later he was a whip and an international aid minister. He was, furthermore, one of the few MPs to speak out against the madness of lockdown, which he attacked with exasperated gusto. Old Swayne can't abide the platitudes of modern politics. He senses that voters laugh at these ninnies with their '15-point plans' and their formulaic Commons waffle. He was not (I think) being literal about garrotting fly-tippers. Instead he made the point that hardly anyone gives a monkey's about an under-enforced law that scares no one. And he made the House laugh. It took notice of him. He cut through the seal fat of political cliche. A Commons with more Swaynes and fewer Moores or Onwurahs would be a healthier House. A police review has found no evidence the anti-Semitic phrase 'gas the Jews' was shouted during a wild protest at the Sydney Opera House, a NSW Police investigation has found. Instead, the menacing phrase 'where's the Jews' was shouted instead - but detectives could not determine the exact perpetrator, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said. Edited footage purporting to show protesters chanting 'gas the Jews' was shared by the Australian Jewish Association with news organisations after the snap rally on the steps of the Opera House on October 9. The rally was sparked by a decision to light the Opera House's sails in the colours of the Israeli flag after the Hamas attack that sparked the latest Israel-Gaza conflict. The apparent use of the grossly offensive phrase sparked widespread condemnation and changes to hate-crimes laws. There were scenes of chaos as the demonstration was hijacked by radical Muslims - some wearing black masks - beneath the steps of the Opera House (pictured) But Lanyon said in a statement that following an 'independent forensic analysis of audio-video files of the demonstration provided to investigators, police have no evidence that this phrase was used.' 'Police also obtained statements from several individuals who attended the protest indicating they heard the phrase, however, these statements have not attributed the phrase to any specific individual.' In a response, Alex Ryvchin, co-executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told Sky News Australia that the issue at play 'isn't the precise wording'. 'A violent mob of thugs gathered in one of our most cherished sites to burn and Israeli flag... and direct hatred and abuse and threats to their fellow Australians.' He agreed with anchor Laura Jayes' comment that the protesters weren't chanting 'where's the Jews ... to give them a hug'. 'Whether it was eff the Jews, gas the Jews... it's the sentiment,' Mr Ryvchin said. A major regional cinema chain has collapsed after suffering what it described as a 'horror' 12 months. Majestic Cinemas, which operates nine theatres in regional NSW and Queensland, entered voluntary administration blaming the Covid period, the cost-of-living crisis, natural disasters and even the Hollywood writers' strike for its predicament. The chain's cinemas in regional centres of Nambour, Port Macquarie, Inverell, Nambucca, Wynnum, Kempsey, Singleton, Sawtell and Nelson Bay remain open showing films while management waits on a possible restructure so the company can remain viable. Majestic's financial challenges come despite two blockbuster films in Barbie and Oppenheimer being released during the past year. Visitors to Majestic's website are greeted with a pop-up explaining voluntary administrators were in place from January 31. The chain's cinemas in regional centres of Nambour, Port Macquarie (pictured), Inverell, Nambucca, Wynnum, Kempsey, Singleton, Sawtell and Nelson Bay remain open showing films while management waits on a possible restructure so the company can remain viable. 'We have had four years of pressure on the industry, from bushfires to Covid, to the writers strikes,' Majestic Cinemas founder and CEO Kieren Dell told news.com.au. 'Thats what has caused the problems,' he said. 'It is about the consistency of movies. Barbie and Oppenheimer and were great but we didnt have much after that in the second half of the year.' Mr Dell, who grew the chain from his initial purchase of a Nambucca Heads cinema 21 years ago, expects the coming year to also be tough for the industry. He hopes Majestic will survive after reducing debt and restructuring the company. Water industry bosses were last night accused of giving householders 'a kick in the teeth' after it emerged that domestic bills are to rise by nearly 30 a year. Water UK, the body representing water firms, said it was increasing bills on average by six per cent - around 2.30 a month. The move was vital, they said, 'to ensure the security of our water supply' and would help build ten new reservoirs as well as increasing the capacity of dozens of wastewater treatment works. Speaking last night, Water UK chief executive David Henderson said: 'Next year will see record levels of investment from water companies to secure the security of our water supply in the future and significantly reduce the amount of sewage in rivers and seas. Water chiefs were last night accused of giving families 'a kick in the teeth' by raising household bills by nearly 30 a year. Pictured: Water UK chief executive David Henderson 'Up and down the country customers will see the results of this investment with more than 2,000 kilometres of pipes being repaired or replaced and more capacity to treat sewage than ever before. But watchdog Ofwat said the rise 'will be a real worry' for people who 'are already struggling'. Lib Dem Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said: 'This is a kick in the teeth from the same dodgy water firms who pollute rivers with sewage whilst pocketing millions in bonuses. Lib Dem Tim Farron MP (pictured) said: 'This is a kick in the teeth from the same dodgy water firms who pollute rivers with sewage whilst pocketing millions in bonuses' 'They have no shame. 'This price hike is a disgrace and should be scrapped immediately. There should be no price rises until water firms scrap insulting dividends and bonuses. It is a scandal that Conservative Ministers are just letting water firms get away with this. 'Instead of making Brits fork out extra in water bills in the middle of a cost of living crisis, these rogue firms should dig into their own pockets for once. This should start with an end to eye-watering bonuses and payments to overseas investors, which should go straight to fixing their creaking infrastructure.' Controversial vegan activist Tash Peterson has been targeted by a person who poured the 'bodily fluids' of animals over her car - just days after news of a planned protest by meat-eaters outside her home was announced. The anonymous person poured the liquid onto Ms Peterson's car and entered the vehicle's air conditioning unit in the incident at her property in Bicton, in Perth's southwest on Thursday. The notorious activist, who is known for barging into fast-food chains and restaurants with fake blood to denounce meat-eaters, took to Instagram to post about the incident. 'Some faceless f*** decided to pour the bodily fluids of murdered animals onto my car and and it went through the AC,' she wrote. 'It smelt so bad I thought a dead fish had been put in my car.' Ms Peterson blasted the person for their vile act. Controversial vegan activist Tash Peterson (pictured) has slammed a person who poured 'bodily fluids' over her car and took to Instagram (pictured) to blast the person's actions 'The nameless and faceless coward decided to send some threats too, but he can't even confront me,' she said. Ms Peterson included screenshots in her Instagram stories of the vile messages she received from the person who is understood to have poured the liquid on her car. 'You f*** with my mates, I will f*** with you,' the person wrote. 'Give the AC time. The tortured animals need to marinate.' Ms Peterson told Daily Mail Australia that she intends to make a complaint against the individual following the incident. 'I have not yet gone to the police, as they are often dismissive when I request to report threats, assaults and situations like this one,' she said. 'I will consider going to the police, since the person has insinuated that he will continue to come to my home and "f*** with me" after speaking with him today.' Ms Peterson said was 'disgusted' by the person's actions and said the incident would not stop her activism in 'speaking up for non-human animals'. 'This isn't the first time people have paid for animal abuse and murder in spite of my activism, which brings light to the animal holocaust and slavery industries,' she said. 'I simply view their attempted threats as a sign that I am in fact threatening them in the sense that I am bringing so much attention to animal rights.' Ms Peterson (pictured) said she is considering making a complaint to police over the incident Ms Peterson (pictured) is known for barging into fast-food chains and restaurants with fake blood to denounce meat-eaters The incident comes after a protest was announced by a group which plans to gather outside Ms Peterson's home in opposition to her disruptive public demonstrations. The protest is expected to draw more than 500 people on May 24 and will feature hundreds of people cooking a meat-packed barbecue, with the event being organised by Sydney resident Ben D'Arcy. Daily Mail is not suggesting Mr D'Arcy poured the liquid on Ms Peterson's car or that he sent her the threatening messages. Ms Peterson said the protest isn't worrying her but said she will be upset if the protestors cook the body parts of animals. She said she is glad her protests had caused enough of a stir to justify a retaliation and thanked those planning to attend for raising attention about veganism. An acid attack victim has said that perpetrators should be jailed for life with no chance of parole as police continue their nationwide manhunt for a thug who maimed a mother and her two children in south London. Police urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' former asylum seeker Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, who is accused of leaving the victims with 'life-changing' injuries. The 35-year-old was also hurt in the horror that unfolded in the middle of Clapham, south London, with CCTV capturing him with severe burns to his face. Lauren Trent was sprayed with acid by the ex-boyfriend of Towie star Ferne McCann after the thug hurled the corrosive substance over a crowd at Mangle E8 in Dalston, east London. Arthur Collins, who was out celebrating the news of Ms McCann's pregnancy, claimed he didn't realise the liquid was acid - but a court heard he had got into a fight with a man he was aiming at and jailed him for 20 years. 'if you throw something at someone's skin, they're going to carry the scars for life,' Ms Trent told Sky News. 'You're going to take someone's identity.' The Met Police said that the image was taken at 20:48 on January 31 in the Tesco by Kings Cross station, on Caledonia Road Lauren Trent was sprayed with acid by the ex-boyfriend of Towie star Ferne McCann after the thug hurled the corrosive substance over a crowd at Mangle E8 in Dalston, east London. Pictured: Lauren Trent's injuries, left, and right, Lauren Trent (left) and Lauren Trent's injuries in 2017 Arthur Collins, who was out celebrating the news of Ms McCann's pregnancy, claimed he didn't realise the liquid was acid - but a court heard he had got into a fight with a man he was aiming at and jailed him for 20 years. Pictured: Collins, left, and Collins and McCann, right The suspect in the alkaline attack in Clapham, south London, has been named as 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi She continued: 'It should mean life in prison, no parole. It's important to champion these sentences because hopefully it will dissuade people making this a weapon of choice. EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: This is what it feels like to be attacked with acid Advertisement 'I'll always be pushing for the maximum sentence that can be given.' Ezedi is accused of dousing the mother and her daughters, aged three and eight, with a corrosive chemical, as well as attacking the younger girl and slamming her in to the road. He allegedly leapt on the vulnerable mother and her two daughters, hurling an alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: I cant see, I cant see! Ms Trent added that she had been left with a sense of 'hopelessness' from her injuries, and has had to 'rebuild [her] trust in humans' since the cruel attack. But she says the effects of the event will 'always sit with' her. Tonight it emerged that Ezedi is an Afghan refugee who was twice turned down for asylum after arriving illegally in Britain in 2016 in the back of a lorry. Just two years later, he was convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence at Newcastle Crown Court and handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order, which was completed in 2020. Abdul Shokoor Ezedi managed to get across London in just over an hour The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid Further CCTV from last night shows the suspected chemical attacker ramming a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor Despite his criminal history, Ezedi was granted asylum on a subsequent appeal after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. Acid attacks in London rise by 45 per cent in a year Acid attacks have risen in London by 45 per cent in a year, Met Police figures show. The force recorded 107 attacks in 2022, up from 74 in 2021. The data was released by the charity Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) following a freedom of information request. Overall, police in England and Wales recorded 472 violent and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 525 recorded in the previous 12-month period. The data is published annually and only dates back to March 2020, when current records began. The Home Office started collecting data on some offences involving corrosive substances from April 2019 as part of a government pledge to tackle such attacks. The figures to March 2023 exclude any reports that may have been made to Devon and Cornwall Police because the force has been unable to supply data due to problems with a new computer system. Advertisement Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'This is a huge wake up call. He should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' Details about the suspect emerged yesterday as officers released disturbing CCTV footage of his last known whereabouts. With his face heavily scarred, he could be seen buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained significant injuries in the attack, which officers say was targeted. He is accused of leaping on the vulnerable mother and her two daughters, hurling an alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: I cant see, I cant see! Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Home Secretary James Cleverly, who described the attack as 'appalling', said: 'My thoughts are with [the victims] and the brave members of the public and police who intervened. 'I urge the public to support the Metropolitan Police's appeal and to come forward if they have any information. 'While a live investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further. 'It would be inappropriate to comment on a suspect's immigration status during a live police investigation.' Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the mans car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child like a ragdoll above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring. Another horrified witness said: Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again. Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered life-changing injuries. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three tonight remained in hospital. One witness described the mothers horrific injuries: Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically. Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million Shannon Christi was one of those injured. She recalled: They were screaming, Help! Help! The little one was thrown to the floor. It was aggressive. He threw her down on the floor. Then he picked her up and threw her down again. Thats when I ran in and just grabbed her, because I couldnt watch. I didnt see anything on her clothes, but there was something on her coat that got transferred to me. She landed on her face. It was scratched, bruised. I saw the mother afterwards. Her face was red and sore. Her eyes were closed and she was screaming: I cant see! Thats when I realised something had been thrown at her. So I called for someone to get water. Her lips went black. It was all over her face. At that point, my face and my arms started tingling. My lips started tingling so I knew something was wrong. I ran into my house and washed my arms and my face. Another resident, Mohamed Ilyas, said: I saw him driving into her. He smashed her with the car, then the kid went and knocked on the door, saying Mummy! Mummy!, hitting on the door. Then he got out the car, went into the backseat, pulled out the other little child and smashed her on the floor. After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, at 8.48pm dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. The car appeared to have crashed into other parked vehicles as it came to a stop on the residential road Forensics were seen closely examining a silver thermal carry-cup, which was located next to a bin Last night officers urged members of the public not to approach him and call 999 instead. Detectives believe he may be heading back to Newcastle. The mother and two girls were given emergency first aid at Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, a complex used to house Afghan refugees where they had been living. Abdul Shokoor Ezedi has not been seen at his address in Newcastle for around six months, neighbours told MailOnline. He was last known to be living in a shared terraced house in Dilston Road in the Arthur's Hill area of the city. Neighbours said the house had a high turnover of tenants and few remembered him. However Mohammad Hussain Nazary, 24, who works in his family's food shop said he recalled Ezedi living in the area but assumed he was a single man. He said: 'I'd see him around the area and he'd come in from time to time. 'He's an Afghan and I assumed he was single because I never saw him with a partner or family, he was always on his own. 'He seemed like an ordinary harmless guy, certainly not someone you'd associate with something like this. Bilal Khan (pictured), owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer 'He was around quite a lot but I haven't seen him in maybe six or seven months.' A neighbour said: 'There are a lot of long term residents in the street but also a couple of houses where tenants come and go all the time and that house is one of them. There are new people moving in very regularly , you can't keep track of who is living there.' MailOnline can tonight reveal that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable. A resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' Garage worker Michael Vinks, 37, works opposite the hostel. He said: 'He came in a while ago and chatted to my boss about possibly buying a car, but it didn't come to anything.' Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily. Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents 'He was coming and going back to me about the car but I told him 'this is my price'.' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents. 'I try to keep my distance from people like that,' he said. The negotiation over the car ended without a sale last summer and Mr Khan said he had not seen Ezedi since around Christmas or New Year. Asked if he was worried about the suspect returning to Newcastle, Mr Khan said: 'I don't think so. If he knows the police and the media are after him then he will stay away, if he doesn't get caught.' Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: We believe the man and woman are known to each other. We are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears to be a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said a big team of officers were involved in the manhunt following the ghastly attack. Strong alkaline materials, such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia, can cause blindness, severe burns and permanent scarring. But it is difficult to ban the harmful chemicals as many are found in ordinary household cleaning products. Concentrated bleach contains around 10 to 15 per cent sodium hypochlorite, which can burn skin on contact. Other products such as oven cleaner, drain unblockers and metal polish are also alkaline substances. The chemicals can rapidly eat away skin, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and in some cases bone. Fury is growing over how the chemical attacker who maimed a mother and her two daughters was allowed to stay in the UK despite being convicted of a sex crime after arriving here illegally in a lorry. The man hunt for Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, continued last night as Tory MPs called for all asylum seekers who commit crimes in Great Britain to be deported. Police have urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who is accused of leaving his three victims, who are believed to be known to him, with 'life changing injuries' on Wednesday night in Clapham, south London. The sex offender was also hurt in the horror that unfolded on Lessar Road in the leafy London suburb at 7.25pm, with CCTV footage capturing him with severe burns to his face. He is also reported to have attacked the youngest of her two daughters by 'slamming' her into the road. The mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and the two young girls, aged three and eight, are currently in hospital being treated for their injuries. It emerged last night that Ezedi is a former asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was allowed to stay in the UK despite being convicted of a sexual offence, following two failed applications. Tory MPs called for the Government to reform its policy on asylum seekers in the wake of the horrific attack. A handout CCTV grab released by Britain's Metropolitan Police in London on February 1, 2024 shows Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (pictured), taken in a Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has been named by police as the suspect in a corrosive alkaline substance attack in Clapham, south London Top Tory MPs called on the Government to urgently reform the UK's policy on asylum seekers This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: This is what it feels like to be attacked with acid Fact-box text Advertisement Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge and the co-chair of the New Conservative group of MPs, told The Telegraph: 'This shocking and tragic case is everybody's worst nightmare but it also shows the urgent need to tighten up our asylum processes. 'This man should never have been granted asylum in this country and we need to get to the bottom of how he was able to be granted leave to remain. 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year.' Sir John Hayes, former minister and MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said he would be writing to the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, asking for an urgent review of the UK's asylum rules. 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals. 'It won't take much working out who has been here and subsequently received asylum and then committed a crime and how we can deport all of them.' Also calling for reform was Lee Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Tory party, who expressed a zero-tolerance view on asylum seekers who commit crimes of any kind. 'It should apply whether it is shoplifting or another crime. That would make us a safer country. They should find him and send him straight back. No messing about. The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country. He cannot claim he is being persecuted and at risk when he is coming to the UK and committing crimes.' READ MORE: Acid attack victim says perpetrators should be jailed for life with no chance of parole - Lauren Trent speaks out as cops continue manhunt for thug who maimed mother and her two children in Clapham chemical assault Advertisement Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'This is a huge wake up call. He should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' The UK's current policy on asylum seekers states that they can claim asylum based on their conversion to a new religion, if they can prove they will face persecution in their country of origin as a result of their new faith. The UK faced a terror attack from an asylum seeker in November 2021, when Emad Al Swealmeen blew himself up at the entrance of Liverpool Womens Hospital. Al Swealmeen was confirmed by Rt Revd Cyril Ashton at Liverpool Cathedral in 2017. Ezedi managed to claim asylum, despite his criminal history, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. He was granted the right to stay in the UK on his third application in either 2020 or 2021, after coming into the UK in the back of a lorry in 2016, despite being convicted of a sexual offence just two years after he arrived. He was handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. While details of the crime he was convicted for are currently unknown, information about Ezedi emerged yesterday as officers released disturbing CCTV footage of his last known whereabouts. Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said With his face heavily scarred, he could be seen buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained significant injuries in the attack, which officers say was targeted. He is accused of leaping on the vulnerable mother and her two daughters, hurling an alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: I cant see, I cant see! Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Home Secretary James Cleverly, who described the attack as 'appalling', said: 'My thoughts are with [the victims] and the brave members of the public and police who intervened. 'I urge the public to support the Metropolitan Police's appeal and to come forward if they have any information. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million 'While a live investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further. 'It would be inappropriate to comment on a suspect's immigration status during a live police investigation.' Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the mans car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child like a ragdoll above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring. Another horrified witness said: Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again. Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered life-changing injuries. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three tonight remained in hospital. One witness described the mothers horrific injuries: Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically. The car appeared to have crashed into other parked vehicles as it came to a stop on the residential road Forensics were seen closely examining a silver thermal carry-cup, which was located next to a bin The Acid Survivors Trust International, an organisation that records information on chemical attacks across the world, said that the heinous attack being directed at the young mother and her two children was 'unheard of', as most are related to gang violence. Jaf Shah, chief executive, said: ''The scale of attacks and the targeting of young children by a single perpetrator is unheard of. It's important to highlight that this is not commonplace, this is very rare.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Shannon Christi was one of those injured. She recalled: They were screaming, Help! Help! The little one was thrown to the floor. It was aggressive. He threw her down on the floor. Then he picked her up and threw her down again. Thats when I ran in and just grabbed her, because I couldnt watch. I didnt see anything on her clothes, but there was something on her coat that got transferred to me. She landed on her face. It was scratched, bruised. I saw the mother afterwards. Her face was red and sore. Her eyes were closed and she was screaming: I cant see! Thats when I realised something had been thrown at her. So I called for someone to get water. Her lips went black. It was all over her face. At that point, my face and my arms started tingling. Two scientists could be seen crowding around the mug, which appeared to have an evidence marker My lips started tingling so I knew something was wrong. I ran into my house and washed my arms and my face. Another resident, Mohamed Ilyas, said: I saw him driving into her. He smashed her with the car, then the kid went and knocked on the door, saying Mummy! Mummy!, hitting on the door. Then he got out the car, went into the backseat, pulled out the other little child and smashed her on the floor. After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, at 8.48pm dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. The mother and two girls were given emergency first aid at Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, a complex used to house Afghan refugees where they had been living, while detectives believe Ezedi may be heading to Newcastle, where he has links. Abdul Shokoor Ezedi has not been seen at his address in Newcastle for around six months, neighbours told MailOnline. Police were seen outside the last known address of Ezedi MailOnline tonight revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable He was last known to be living in a shared terraced house in Dilston Road in the Arthur's Hill area of the city. Neighbours said the house had a high turnover of tenants and few remembered him. However Mohammad Hussain Nazary, 24, who works in his family's food shop said he recalled Ezedi living in the area but assumed he was a single man. He said: 'I'd see him around the area and he'd come in from time to time. 'He's an Afghan and I assumed he was single because I never saw him with a partner or family, he was always on his own. 'He seemed like an ordinary harmless guy, certainly not someone you'd associate with something like this. 'He was around quite a lot but I haven't seen him in maybe six or seven months.' A neighbour said: 'There are a lot of long term residents in the street but also a couple of houses where tenants come and go all the time and that house is one of them. There are new people moving in very regularly , you can't keep track of who is living there.' MailOnline tonight revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable. A resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' Garage worker Michael Vinks, 37, works opposite the hostel. He said: 'He came in a while ago and chatted to my boss about possibly buying a car, but it didn't come to anything.' Bilal Khan (pictured), owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents Acid attacks in London rise by 45 per cent in a year Acid attacks have risen in London by 45 per cent in a year, Met Police figures show. The force recorded 107 attacks in 2022, up from 74 in 2021. The data was released by the charity Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) following a freedom of information request. Overall, police in England and Wales recorded 472 violent and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 525 recorded in the previous 12-month period. The data is published annually and only dates back to March 2020, when current records began. The Home Office started collecting data on some offences involving corrosive substances from April 2019 as part of a government pledge to tackle such attacks. The figures to March 2023 exclude any reports that may have been made to Devon and Cornwall Police because the force has been unable to supply data due to problems with a new computer system. Advertisement Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily. 'He was coming and going back to me about the car but I told him 'this is my price'.' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents. 'I try to keep my distance from people like that,' he said. The negotiation over the car ended without a sale last summer and Mr Khan said he had not seen Ezedi since around Christmas or New Year. Asked if he was worried about the suspect returning to Newcastle, Mr Khan said: 'I don't think so. If he knows the police and the media are after him then he will stay away, if he doesn't get caught.' Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: We believe the man and woman are known to each other. We are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears to be a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said a big team of officers were involved in the manhunt following the ghastly attack. Strong alkaline materials, such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia, can cause blindness, severe burns and permanent scarring. But it is difficult to ban the harmful chemicals as many are found in ordinary household cleaning products. Concentrated bleach contains around 10 to 15 per cent sodium hypochlorite, which can burn skin on contact. Other products such as oven cleaner, drain unblockers and metal polish are also alkaline substances. The chemicals can rapidly eat away skin, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and in some cases bone. QUESTION Are Cairo's inhabitants pigeon fanciers? Egyptians are 'pigeon fanciers', but not in the sense that the term is understood in Britain. While on a recent holiday in Egypt, we were staying in Giza, which is technically separate from Cairo, on the west bank of the River Nile. Travelling into Cairo to visited the archaeological museum, our guide pointed out the pigeon lofts built on the roofs of apartment blocks and explained their purpose. Pigeon rearing is a commercial enterprise in Giza and Cairo, as pigeon is regarded as a culinary delicacy. The rooftops of apartment buildings are used for pigeon lofts, with vast numbers of birds being kept at a single location. The eating of pigeons pre-dates modern times, with records of them providing a staple food going all the way back to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (Iraq) more than 5,000 years ago. Dovecotes used to serve the same purpose in Britain. There remains an estimated 400 historic dovecotes in England. Pigeons flying in Giza. Pigeon rearing is a commercial enterprise in Giza and Cairo, as pigeon is regarded as a culinary delicacy. The eating of pigeons pre-dates modern times, with records of them providing a staple food going all the way back to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia ( Iraq ) The interior of the dovecote is made up of nesting boxes (the origin of the term 'pigeon hole'). A pair of pigeons would choose one in which to lay their eggs. When the baby pigeon (called a squab) hatched, the dovecote keeper would 'wall' the squab into the box with a plaster barrier, leaving only a small gap through which the adult pigeons could feed the squab. This prevented the squab from learning to fly, so its chest muscles never toughened up, making the bird more tender when it was cooked. It also made sure that the squab didn't eat any food that might taint the meat. The adult pigeons were provided with grain with which to feed the squab. Most pigeon served in British restaurants is wild, though commercial faming is still practised in France. Bob Cubitt, Northampton. QUESTION What common foodstuffs that we buy in the shops are cheaper and easier to make for ourselves? I have to give my vote to baked beans! Prices for the most popular brand of what used to be a cheap part of many a meal, have shot up over the past few years. Where we live, Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, they were always a little more expensive than the UK, but the euro equivalent of about 60p a can rose by the middle of last year to 1.80. Finding a recipe for 'copycat' baked beans, I set about it with some scepticism. The result was a revelation! I now produce about eight cans-worth per batch in my slow cooker, all readily available ingredients, for the equivalent of about 30p per can. I love the top brand but these are better give it a go! Alan Sibbet, Fuerteventura, Spain. A can of baked beans in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, costs 1.80. A copycat recipe can be cooked in the slow cooker for just 30p Pre-prepared soups are high in salt and preservatives. Making homemade soup allows you to control the ingredients, flavours, and seasoning. Likewise, pre-prepared tomato sauces often taste fake and contain large amounts of salt and sugar. All you need to do is cook up some fresh vegetables, chopped tomatoes, herbs and, perhaps, some wine and you can make large batches of beautiful healthy food. Homemade natural yoghurt can be made in bulk by heating up a couple of pints of milk and stirring in a tablespoon of bio live yoghurt and leaving for 24 hours. Once done, you can use your yoghurt as the starter for the next batch. Mary Short, Lancaster. QUESTION How were Archbishops of Canterbury originally selected? In medieval England and in most of Europe at that time, the only form of Christianity was the Church of Rome, headed by the Pope. It had a strict hierarchical structure with two distinct paths: the secular clergy and the monastic. Most Archbishops were drawn from the secular clergy and, in theory, a man must have progressed along that path, stage by stage, in order to be considered for the position of Archbishop. At the bottom of the ladder were door-keepers, effectively caretakers for parish churches. Next came acolytes, who can be compared with young apprentices; they observed and assisted in services and were schooled in Latin. Above them were lectors and deacons, who played a more important role in assisting priests performing Mass and other services. Ordained priests and chaplains formed the middle ranks and mainstay of Church hierarchy; priests were appointed to parish churches while chaplains were privately funded by wealthy patrons and could not perform weddings, funerals or baptisms. Archdeacons formed the next level and their role was mainly administering distinct sections of a diocese. The current Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby. Most Archbishops were drawn from the secular clergy and, in theory, a man must have progressed along that path, stage by stage, in order to be considered for the position of Archbishop They were subordinate to bishops, who each held a diocese and were associated with cathedrals (the word comes from the cathedra or 'seat' of a bishop) and held considerable power and influence both within the Church and in matters of state. They could occupy a palace and hold large areas of land. Tomorrow's Questions Q: What is meant by a 'Rose Mary stretch' in America? Diane Kenyon, Leigh, Lancs. Q: What became of Wolfgang Kapp who attempted a Right-wing coup in Germany before the rise of Hitler? Mick Stuart, Dunfermline, Fife. Q: Was plastic invented to replace ivory in billiard balls? Chrisine Waters, Redruth, Cornwall. Advertisement Only two archbishops were appointed in England, at York and Canterbury, with Canterbury considered the senior of the two, although this was disputed for much of the medieval period. To be proposed as archbishop, a man needed to have progressed through all these stages and proven his worth to a council of his clerical peers. From the late 11th century, bishops and archbishops were often proposed by wealthy nobles or the king himself rather than being selected by Church officials, leading to the 'Investiture Controversy', a struggle lasting 45 years that, when resolved in favour of the Church, strengthened the papacy at the expense of local monarchies and gave bishops freedom from secular political authorities. The case of Thomas Becket represents a supreme example of secular interference in Church matters, since he was previously Lord Chancellor to Henry II and was not even ordained as a priest when the king nominated him Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. His appointment was confirmed by a joint council of bishops and noblemen before he was hastily ordained on June 2 of that year and consecrated archbishop the following day. Most people will be aware of the unfortunate and lethal outcome of that appointment. David Rayner, Canterbury, Kent. A rookie cop from West Yorkshire Police has been suspended over her alleged links to the drugs underworld and a fling with a married officer. PC Caitlin Howarth, 24, who works in Bradford District, was suspended from duty after the force uncovered a suspected affair between the student officer and her commanding Chief Superintendent Daniel Greenwood. Howarth was aged 21 during the affair while Chief Superintendent Greenwood, who was also suspended, was 38 at the time. The force only discovered the improper romance after an investigation began into possible links between Howarth and a drugs kingpin who is currently in jail for dealing heroin. Yesterday, Howarth was charged over allegations she had a relationship with a 'notifiable association with criminal connections'. PC Caitlin Howarth, 24, who works in Bradford District, was suspended from duty in July 2021 after the force discovered a suspected affair between the student officer and her commanding Chief Superintendent Yesterday, Howarth was charged over a relationship with a 'notifiable association with criminal connections' Howarth, who has over 10,000 social media followers on Instagram , regularly posts racy photos of herself in revealing outfits. Chief Supt Greenwood - a Bradford District Commander - has been in the West Yorkshire Police for almost 20 years. He was also suspended on full pay following the alleged affair, with a Chief Superintendent making roughly 87,000 a year. Chief Supt Greenwood's temporary replacement had to send staff an email explaining what happened after news of the suspensions went 'round like wildfire among officers in Bradford and Leeds', according to a source. They added that everyone is 'shocked' by the chief's suspension who they called a 'family man'. Howarth, who has over 10,000 social media followers on Instagram , regularly posts racy photos of herself in revealing outfits Chief Supt Greenwood was suspended on full pay following the alleged affair, with a Chief Superintendent making roughly 87,000 a year Howarth is now due to appear at York Magistrates Court on 7 March, police confirmed A rookie cop from West Yorkshire Police has been suspended over her alleged links to the drugs underworld and a fling with a married officer Last August, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman unveiled tougher disciplinary procedures against officers, who fail to maintain high standards, including 'automatic dismissal' for any found guilty of gross misconduct. The measure would mean that chief constables will be handed a crucial role in the process 15 years after they were stripped of the power to sack their own staff. Mrs Braverman said: 'For too long our police chiefs have not had the powers they need to root out those who have no place wearing the uniform. 'Now they can take swift and robust action. The public must have confidence that their officers are the best of the best, like the vast majority of brave men and women wearing the badge.' Writing exclusively for the Daily Mail, policing minister Chris Philp said: 'Every officer who is not fit to wear the uniform must be booted out. The damage that can be done by the wicked and the inept is incalculable.' Howarth is now due to appear at York Magistrates Court on 7 March, police confirmed. A sixth migrant accused of attacking NYPD officers in Times Square has left court on bail. Seven suspects were arrested and charged with Robbery and Felony Assault following a vicious attack on NYPD officers in Times Square on Saturday. Four of those believed to have been involved were released without bail are now feared to have fled by bus to California using a church-affiliated migrant charity, the New York Post reported. Yohenry Brito, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday and is the only one of the suspects being held on bail. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office said the $15,000 cash bail or a $50,000 bond was warranted because Brito had been positively identified in video of the attack through a 'distinct tattoo.' Six men have been arrested and charged with Robbery and Felony Assault on Wednesday over the Times Square attack on police The sixth suspect, Yohenry Brito, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday and is the only one of the suspects being held on bail Wilson Juarez (lef) and Yorman Reveron are charged with ganging up on two cops in Times Square Darwin Andres Gomez (left) and Kelvin Servita Arocha were also released without bail The brutal attack occurred around 8:30 pm when officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street. A fight broke out between a suspect in a yellow sweatshirt and the police officers. According to the NYPD, the migrants then started to attack the officers, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers tried to pin down one of the other men, tearing off his sweatshirt. The migrants then ran away, making their getaway east on 42nd Street toward Seventh Avenue. At around 10:44 p.m. that night, four of them - Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, Juarez Wilson, 21, and Yorman Reveron, 24 - were arrested. They were all charged with Assault on a Police Officer, Gang Assault, Obstructing Governmental Administration and Disorderly Conduct but were released without monetary bail. Jhoan Boada (pictured), 22, was arrested Monday night and charged with Attempted Assault on a Police Officer and Gang Assault NY GOVERNOR: Get them all and SEND THEM BACK.. Kathy Hochul singing a completely different tune following brutal beating of New York City police officers.. Hochuls comments follow an all in manhunt conducted by the NYPD.. Suspects have been arrested and immediate release pic.twitter.com/yLVfxslOlw Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 1, 2024 Now however, Gomez, Arocha, Juarez and Reveron are believed to have given fake names to a church-affiliated nonprofit group that helps migrants get rides out of the city, law enforcement sources told the Post. Police sources confirmed the men's migrant status to the New York Post. Several addresses of the men provided by the police are homeless and migrant shelters. Three of the men - Izquiel, Arocha and Wilson - were release on their own recognizance, meaning they were freed from custody without bail while their case is pending. Reveron was granted supervised release without bail. He already has two open cases for assault and robbery in Manhattan, having stolen from and assaulted a Nordstrom Rack employee in November. The brutal attack happened on Saturday around 8:30 p.m. in Times Square when officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group As he left the courthouse, the 22-year-old raised his middle fingers up at reporters New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said deportation should be considered for the migrants involved On Wednesday evening, Boada was also released without bail because he has no criminal history. As he left the courthouse, the 22-year-old raised his middle fingers up at reporters. The attack comes as New York City in particular has struggled under the weight of tens of thousands of migrants arriving at its borders in need of places to stay and other accommodations. In 2023 alone, the city dealt with the arrival of more than 100,000 migrants. Under New York right-to-shelter laws, the city is required to provide temporary housing for the needy - including asylum seekers - but shelters have filled up at an astronomical rate. In Manhattan, a number of landmark hotels have been turned into makeshift shelters and temporary housing. Democratic Governor Hochul appears to have taken a U-turn on her stance about the border crisis and she said that the state should consider deporting the group of migrants who went free on bail. At an event Wednesday, she was asked whether the migrants and offenders like them should face deportation. New York City in particular has struggled under the weight of tens of thousands of migrants arriving at its borders in need of places to stay New York City's Democrat Mayor Eric Adams agreed that it's time to look into deportation. Adams is pictured visiting visits with asylum seekers taking shelter at James Madison High School in Brooklyn 'I think that's actually something that should be looked at,' said Hochul. 'I mean, if someone commits a crime against a police officer in the state of New York and they're not here legally, it's definitely worth checking into.' 'These are law enforcement officers who should never under any circumstances be subjected to physical assault,' Hochul added. 'It's wrong on all accounts and I'm looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing.' Even New York City's Democrat Mayor Eric Adams agreed that it's time to look into deportation. 'Those migrants who are here because they want to be part of the American dream, we say 'yes' to that,' Adams said Wednesday. 'But those who are breaking our laws, we need to reexamine the laws that don't allow us to deport them, because they are doing violent acts. We cannot create an atmosphere where you're going to bring violence in our city.' It is understood the DA's office is now investigating additional footage they did not have when the asylum seekers were arraigned and released. Investigators are believed to be using new information and witness accounts to determine specific role of each defendant in the attack. The DA's spokesperson said: 'Violence against police officers is never acceptable. 'It is paramount that we conclusively identified each defendant and specify each participant's role in the incident. 'Every defendant charged so far is facing felony charges that carry a penalty of up to seven years. Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry condemned the attacks and the criminal justice system that allowed at least one of these men to re-offend in a statement. 'Attacks on police officers are becoming an epidemic, and the reason is a revolving door we're seeing in cases like this one,' Hendry said. 'It is impossible for police officers to deal effectively with crime and disorder if the justice system can't or won't protect us while we do that work.' A grieving mother has vented her fury at the operator of a jumping castle company who pleaded not guilty to workplace safety breaches after the deaths of six Tasmanian primary school students. Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Peter Dodt were killed when an inflatable castle was lifted into the air in December 2021. Three children were also seriously injured. They were enjoying end-of-year celebrations with classmates on the oval of Hillcrest Primary School at Devonport in Tasmania's northwest. Rosemary Anne Gamble (pictured), the operator of a company called Taz-Zorb which supplied and set up the castle, was charged in November with failing to comply with workplace health and safety requirements Rosemary Anne Gamble, the owner of Taz-Zorb which supplied and set up the castle, was charged in November with failing to comply with workplace health and safety requirements. Ms Gamble appeared in Devonport Magistrates Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty. She was granted bail and the matter is due back in court in March. Georgie Burt, the mother of Zane, sat several seats away from Gamble during the brief court appearance. 'Our kids are dead because of you, you heartless b***h,' Ms Burt said before leaving the courtroom. It is alleged the castle was tethered at four of its eight anchorage points. Ms Gamble pleaded not guilty in Devonport Magistrates Court on Friday morning failing to comply with workplace health and safety requirements (pictured, the scene at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport after the tragedy Ms Gamble allegedly failed to ensure anchorage was sufficient to prevent the castle from lifting. It is also alleged pegs were not installed at the recommended 45-degree angle and pegs recommended by the manufacturer, or a suitable alternative, weren't used. According to court documents, seven students were on the castle when a 'significant' weather event occurred, causing it to become dislodged and airborne. They fell from the castle, while a blower attached to the castle to keep it inflated struck a nearby student. It is alleged Ms Gamble failed to ensure the anchorage system was sufficient to prevent the castle from lifting and failed to ensure there was a peg at each anchor point in line with the manufacturer's instructions. Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Peter Dodt were all killed in the tragedy According to court documents, the seven students were on the castle when a 'significant' weather event occurred, causing it to become dislodged and airborne Gamble arrived at the school with two workers and set up the castle and zorb balls. She's accused of failing to provide the workers with information including the manufacturer's operating manual for the castle. It is also alleged children were exposed to a risk of serious injury or death. It made for a glamorous change to the usual perp walk outside Brooklyn Federal Court. The founder and the ex-sales boss at 'orgasmic meditation cult' OneTaste dressed to impress as they appeared with an entourage of supporters to face charges of forcing women into sex acts and keeping them in 'residential warehouses'. But there were no grimy mugshots for Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz as they faced down photographers outside the New York courthouse for a procedural hearing on Thursday. Their San Francisco based company was making $12million a year from their sexual disfunction treatments for women which included being genitally massaged by a man with a latex glove. It won praise from celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Khloe Kardashian, and welcomed 35,000 people to its events in 2018. OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone, center, strode out of court today flanked by CEO Anjuli Ayer, former sales chief Rachel Cherwitz and a bevy of supporters Nicole Daedone, 56, founder and former CEO of OneTaste, surrendered at the Brooklyn federal courthouse last year The company was making $12million a year through its seminars and treatment programs before an FBI investigation into allegations of abuse But the FBI began investigating in November that year after ex-customers came forward saying they were left in debt after paying for expensive classes, and former employees said they were ordered to have sex with potential investors. Former staffer Ayries Blanck filed a lawsuit against the company in August of 2015, claiming they subjected her to a 'hostile work environment, sexual harassment, failure to pay minimum wage and intentional infliction of emotional distress'. But she was counter-sued by the group for breaking a non-disclosure agreement when she contributed to the 2022 Netflix documentary Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste in 2022. Blanck's sister Autymn repeated allegations that OneTaste 'condoned violence' and 'found strangers to rape her'. OneTaste leaders attended court in Brooklyn Group members showed up in numbers for the proceedings Daedone held her head high despite the disturbing nature of the allegations against her Prosecutors say that Daedone and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz deployed a series of abusive and manipulative tactics against volunteers, contractors, and employees. They also claim the duo rendered OneTaste members dependent on the group for their shelter and basic necessities and limited their independence and control. The company operated in 39 cities including New York, San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas, Boulder, Los Angeles, Austin and London, but some former customers alleged that they were 'raped' after becoming involved in the company, with one telling the BBC she was attacked by a man called 'Jake'. The company closed all of their US locations in 2018 halting all in-person classes, and Anjuli Ayer, who became CEO in 2017 is not facing charges. But she told Dailymail.com last year the allegations are 'totally false', and that consent is the 'first thing' they teach. 'I did not anticipate a five-year snowballed media campaign of negative allegations against us,' she added. The group promoted 'orgasmic meditation' which Nicole Daedone demonstrated on former CEO Rachel Cherwitz at this LA event in 2022 Former staffer Ayries Blanck claimed the company 'forced her into having sex and taking part in orgasmic meditation with OneTaste staff, supervisors, and customers' 'You take women and you take sexuality and then you put it together with a couple of people who are upset in some way and want to tell lies.' 'This is not Nicole and Rachel indicted, this is Eros indicted. And this is in a way, even amongst the people in that courtroom, it's a conversation between women. Daedone and Cherwitz have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are free on $1million and $300,000 bonds, respectively, but they face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The company has already spent $15million on legal fees and a judge at today's conference hearing penciled in January next year for the start of the trial. A further court date has been set for April 4. An ex-private schoolboy begged a magistrate for mercy in a handwritten letter to court after he used a schoolgirl's stolen American Express credit card to go on a wild vodka bender. Lachie Chittenden, 18, son of former Colliers real estate managing director Peter Chittenden, bought 14 vodka drinks in just 29 minutes during the Schoolies Week booze binge in Byron Bay in November. But his big night out was paid for using the credit card of another girl celebrating Schoolies Week - a stranger to him - after he had blown all his own cash on the pokies. The former Scots College boarder, where fees are up to $48,630 a year, pleaded guilty to a charge of dishonestly obtaining the 14 drinks by deception and appeared at Picton Local Court, south-west of Sydney, for sentencing on Friday. Magistrate David Degnan told Chittenden he 'could see the fear in his eyes' as he warned him he could be jailed for up to 10 years 'There are moments in your life where your integrity is tested - and you failed,' he told the teenager who fronted court dressed in beige chinos, blue checked shirt, blue tie and RM Williams boots. A magistrate told former private schoolboy Lachie Chittenden (pictured with his barrister Maurice Baroni) he 'could see the fear in his eyes' as he warned he could jail him for to 10 years Chittenden, 18, (pictured) son of former Colliers real estate managing director Peter Chittenden, bought 14 vodka drinks in 29 minutes during Schoolies Week booze binge Lachie Chittenden's grovelling letter to court to escape conviction Dear Your Honour, I have written this letter to you as I wanted you to know how greatly remorseful I am for my actions during my time at Schoolies. I am not proud of what I have done and feel very embarrassed. I had a lot to drink that night in which is not an excuse for my actions but I now understand the negative effects alcohol has on my judgement. It was a stupid mistake in which I was not thinking properly and should have considered the consequences of my actions. I do know the difference between right and wrong as I was brought up by two loving parents who I have let down. I regret my actions every day and wish I could go back to right my wrongs. I would like to repay the girl back very much as I am disappointed in myself for ever doing it in the first place. Sincerely Lachlan Chittenden Advertisement Court documents revealed Jemma Fricke (pictured) was a complete stranger to Chittenden but was also celebrating Schoolies Week in Byron Bay at the same time and place as him Court documents revealed Jemma Fricke was a complete stranger to Chittenden but was also celebrating Schoolies Week in Byron Bay at the same time and place as him. The Melbourne private schoolgirl victim had her driver's licence and two bank cards stolen from a pocket of her handbag at the Northern Hotel in Byron Bay on November 28, 2023, sometime after 9pm. Chittenden had previously claimed 'some man' had given him the card, but Magistrate Degnan demanded the teenager tell him the truth. 'Who is going to go up to an 18 year old and say here, have this credit card. Who gave it to him?' demanded the magistrate. 'It was a friend,' admitted Chittenden. 'I dont know where he got it from but he handed it to me. I wasn't thinking properly. It was a stupid mistake.' Police told the court Chittenden then bought a round of four vodka raspberries in the same hotel at 9.28pm, running up a bill of $44.79 which he paid by tapping her card at the bar. He then bought two more identical rounds at 9.35pm and 9.46pm, before a final round of two more of the vodka drinks at 9.57pm, for a total cost of $156.77. But whenever he used her card to pay for the drinks by tapping at the bar's cash register, the court heard Ms Fricke got notifications about the payments on her phone. Chittenden's barrister Maurice Baroni told the court his client had wanted to pay Ms Fricke back but did not know who she was, although the magistrate pointed out that her name was in the details of the charge against Chittenden. The teenager had pleaded guilty earlier in the week at Moss Vale Local Court in the NSW Southern Highlands, near his family's nine-bedroom, 67-hectare farmhouse home in Berry. Teenager Lachie Chittenden (left) used Jemma Fricke's stolen American Express credit card to go on a wild vodka-fuelled bender in Byron Bay during Schoolies Lachie Chittenden, 18, son of former Colliers real estate managing director Peter Chittenden, bought 14 vodka drinks in just 29 minutes during a boozed-up frenzy (father and son are pictured together at a charity event in 2019) Chittenden used a stolen American Express card of another girl celebrating Schoolies Week and ran up a $156 bill within minutes at The Northern Hotel in Byron Bay On Friday, Chittenden - who was vice house captain at Scots - gave the court a letter of apology and character references in a bid to escape a conviction being recorded. He told the court 'how greatly remorseful I am for my actions during my time at Schoolies.' He added: 'I am not proud of what I have done and feel very embarrassed. I had a lot to drink that night. 'I do know the difference between right and wrong as I was brought up by two loving parents who I have let down. 'I regret my actions every day and wish I could go back to right my wrongs....I am disappointed in myself for ever doing it in the first place.' He also supplied character references from the So They Can charity his mother Keri Chittenden runs which supports children in Africa, a local solicitor and his old director of boarding at Scots College. But the magistrate dismissed one of the character reference's claim that the incident was a 'momentary lapse of judgement.' 'Well, that's wrong,' said magistrate Degnan. 'It's not momentary. He did it four times.' Ms Fricke realised her cards were missing - and she was not buying those drinks - so alerted security, who then used CCTV and till receipts to trace it back to Chittenden. They tracked Chittenden down and confronted him in the bar and found the stolen AmEx card in his shirt pocket. Police were called to the scene and immediately arrested him for fraud before he told them he had 'consumed the drinks' and added: 'I did everything. I was stupid. 'I tapped the card. I spent all my money on the pokies.' On Friday, Magistrate Degnan said Schoolies Week had changed since his days of leaving school. The former student of Scots College - where fees are up to $48,6430 a year - pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a charge of dishonestly obtaining the 14 drinks by deception Chittenden (pictured), who told police he was a farmhand, bought three rounds of four vodka raspberries and then a final round of two more during the 29-minute boozefest The case was heard at Moss Vale Local Court in the NSW Southern Highlands, near his family's sprawling nine-bedroom, 67-hectare farmhouse home in Berry(pictured) 'School leavers think they are entitled to go up to Byron Bay and Queensland just to have a time of getting drunk,' he said. 'Now the police have had to be involved. 'The fact that you got yourself so intoxicated that you allegedly acted out of character...is not a mitigating factor. You are responsible, not someone else. 'I understand you are young. I understand that this clearly shows the executive function of your brain is not finished developing - and won't until you're 25/27. '[But] you're playing first grade... This is a serious offence. It carries up to 10 years in jail.' Daily Mail Australia revealed earlier in the week that Chittenden had not told his father of his arrest, after his parents had separated last year and he lived with his mother. She sat at the back of the court and wiped away tears as Chittenden's remorse and letter of apology to the court was welcomed by the magistrate. 'The fact that one of your parents knew about it - and that's the one you live with - is what's important to me,' said the magistrate. He added: 'I can see by your stance that you know how serious this is, I can see the fear in your eyes.' Magistrate Degnan ordered Chittenden to pay his victim back through the courts and sentenced him to a two-year correctional release order without recording a conviction. 'Not every mistake needs to be punished with a conviction,' he added. 'Keep out of trouble. Good luck.' Chittenden refused to speak to reporters as he entered and left the court. Artificial intelligence firms must not be allowed to continue stealing copyrighted material to train their chatbots, a House of Lords report has warned. Peers highlighted their 'deep concerns' over tech companies hoovering up content from books and news websites on 'an absolutely massive scale'. The House of Lords communications and digital committee said ministers had 'a duty' to stop tech giants taking control of the multibillion-pound AI industry, warning urgent safeguards were needed. The emergence of ChatGPT has driven demand for the technology, with millions now using the tools every day, from writing school essays to drafting legal opinions. The House of Lords communications and digital committee said ministers had 'a duty' to stop tech giants taking control of the multibillion-pound AI industry (File image) The emergence of ChatGPT has driven demand for the technology, with millions now using the tools every day, from writing school essays to drafting legal opinions (File image) News publishers warned AI tools could make it impossible to produce independent journalism. Open AI the firm behind ChatGPT Meta and Microsoft all suggested it was near impossible not to infringe copyright, claiming limiting access would lead to worse AI models. The report said the Government 'cannot sit on its hands for the next decade and hope the courts will provide an answer'. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton appears to have retreated from his previously stated position that the Coalition will block the Albanese government's tax cuts for lower and middle income workers. Mr Dutton was asked several times by Channel Nine interviewer Sarah Abo on Friday if his party would vote against the rejigged Stage Three plan, which slashes scheduled tax cuts to higher income earners but bumps up those promised to the lower paid. Abo pointed out that Mr Dutton's own north-west Brisbane electorate of Dickson would benefit from the proposed changes. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton appears to be backing away from a threat to block the Albanese tax plan in parliament 'You don't want to take money away from them, do you?' 'And we're not going to,' Mr Dutton replied. 'But I think at the moment people are rightly concentrating on the fact that the Prime Minister promised a position 100 times like he's doing on negative gearing at the moment. And then he turned around and broke it.' Previously when asked if he 'would stand in the way' of lower tax for people earning under $150,000, Mr Dutton said 'no, I won't' and that the Liberal party 'has always been the party of lower taxes and that's going to continue'. Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said in January the Coalition would 'absolutely not' back any changes to the Stage Three tax plan because both sides of politics had pledged to implement them. 'This is something that the Prime Minister and Treasurer have committed to over 100 times,' Mr Taylor told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'It's in legislation and Labor voted for it. And it's been to two elections. So this is not something you change.' Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley also stated that if the Coalition is returned to power they 'will absolutely' undo the new tax cuts. The rejigged Stage Three plan, unveiled by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in January, slashes planned tax cuts for higher-income earners but provides additional tax relief for those below the top rung. The changes would reduce the lowest tax bracket from 19 per cent to 16 per cent for earnings under $45,000 and retain the 37 per cent tax rate for those earning between $135,000 and $190,000. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured right with partner Jodie Haydon) will be putting his new tax plan to parliament when it sits Mr Dutton accused the prime minister of making the changes to the tax plan, which was legislated by the Coalition in 2019, out of panic before the upcoming by-election for the Victorian seat of Dunkley. 'Obviously, the Prime Minister's been desperately worried about the outcome of the Dunkley by-election which is due on the second of March,' Mr Dutton said. 'So a lot of it's driven by politics for the PM and I just don't think you can believe anything he says ... they can't hold a position in relation to tax from morning to night. 'And I don't think that anybody in Dunkley or around the country could be guaranteed, that if the Labor party wins the next election, that these tax cuts will stay in place.' On Friday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers accused Mr Dutton of 'stuffing around' on the proposed changes. 'I think Peter Dutton is stuffing around and stumbling around [and] looking for all kinds of excuses not to support our bigger tax cuts for more people to deal with the cost of living,' he said in Brisbane. 'Weve seen them [the Coalition] flailing about and fumbling about in recent days.' Dr Chalmers said the Opposition were stalling by saying they wanted to see the legislation before deciding a position when they already knew the essential details and had seen Treasury advice. 'This point about the legislation is once again the LNP looking for excuses to do the wrong thing by people,' Chalmers said. 'They know what these tax cuts are all about; weve made the detail very clear; weve been explaining why weve come to a different and better position; weve been upfront about what it means for workers in communities like this one.' If the Coalition does back the Albanese tax plan it will sail through both houses of Parliament. However, if they oppose the Government will need to lobby the Greens and one crossbencher to get it through the Senate. Palace officials are said to have been left furious after a Spanish news show's 'made up' claims that Kate was in a 'coma' and in 'great danger' following abdominal surgery. Overseas journalist Concha Calleja claimed doctors had to act quickly as they were 'saving her life' in a broadcast the day before she was released from hospital The writer, 59, who has appeared on Spanish TV as a royal expert, said the medical team's 'drastic' actions included intubating the 42-year-old Princess of Wales and putting her in an induced coma. She claimed: 'There were serious complications that they didn't expect because the operation went well, but the post-operative period didn't go so well.' She continued that Kate's recovery was 'possibly going to require a bit of assistance, and I'm not just referring to her family' - as she said 'practically an entire hospital' was being set up to support her at their Windsor home. But the Spaniard's claims - made on news channel Fiesta - have been rubbished by the palace. The writer, who has appeared on Spanish TV as a royal expert, said the medical team's 'drastic' actions included intubating the 42-year-old Princess of Wales and putting her in an induced coma. Pictured: The Princess of Wales attends the Royal Variety Performance in November Overseas journalist Concha Calleja claimed doctors had to act quickly as they were 'saving her life' in a broadcast the day before she was released from hospital Flowers left for Kate by a wellwishers are seen being taken back to Windsor by a royal aide The Princess of Wales was discharged from hospital just hours before King Charles also left the London Clinic (pictured) after a three-day stay to recover from prostate surgery 'It's total nonsense,' a source told The Telegraph. 'No attempt was made by that journalist to fact-check anything that she said with anyone in the household. READ MORE: DR MAX PEMBERTON - Here's how Kate can get back on her feet post-op - with a bag of oranges and gentle walks Advertisement 'It's fundamentally totally made up, and I'll use polite English here: it's absolutely not the case.' The most-watched channel in Spain for 13 years, Fiesta is known for its gossip shows and was founded by an Italian media company formerly owned by Silvio Berlusconi. The claims about the Princess of Wales quickly went viral - and was even taken up by the country's more serious sites including El Confidencial, La Vanguardia and La Razon. Calleja claimed to have gained the insight from an aid in the royal household 'in a completely confidential manner' - something the Palace has completely refuted. They also strenuously denied her assertions that Kate had been taken to hospital for the first time on December 28, where she stayed for several days, as she said she 'began to feel unwell, not for the first time.' Kate Middleton returned home at the start of this week after a two-week stay in hospital following abdominal surgery - with flowers and a gift bag left by wellwishers driven back to Windsor by a royal aide. She went into The London Clinic 14 days before on Tuesday, January 16 - with royal sources saying she was 'making good progress' and would now continue her recovery from home. Calleja claimed to have gained the insight from an aid in the royal household 'in a completely confidencial manner' - something the Palace has completely refuted. Pictured: William and Kate at Bisham Abbey on Mental Health Day in October Royal aides at Kensington Palace said the Princess of Wales was 'making good progress' MailOnline understands her return to official duties will depend on medical advice closer to the time, and William will return to public engagements once she is settled. The Princess of Wales was discharged from hospital just hours before King Charles also left the London Clinic after a three-day stay to recover from prostate surgery. The beaming was pictured leaving the clinic with Queen Camilla by his side. Charles visited Kate last Friday morning before his operation and has also been visited by his wife Queen Camilla four times at the hospital in in Marylebone. Kate, who is said by Kensington Palace to be 'doing well', left the London Clinic in Marylebone yesterday morning after being admitted for surgery on January 16. The Mail revealed on Monday that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were not taken to visit their mother in hospital after she recovered 'abdominal surgery'. As her children would have been in school when she arrived back, it is likely they would only have seen her for the first time when they returned to Adelaide Cottage later in the afternoon from Lambrook School, a ten-minute drive away. It will almost certainly be the longest period the Princess has been away from them. William and Kate have both prioritised their children over everything, arranging engagements so at least one is able to do the school run where possible. Charles visited Kate last Friday morning before his operation and has also been visited by his wife Queen Camilla four times at the hospital in in Marylebone. Pictured together at the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film 'No Time to Die' They have also ensured that foreign tours are shorter to allow them to be home at weekends, the only exception being their 2022 trip to the Caribbean. It is understood that Prince William, who had cleared his diary to be by his wife's side throughout, was at the hospital when she was discharged and is likely to have driven her home. In a statement, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: 'The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress. 'The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided. 'The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received.' Charles walked out of The London Clinic in Marylebone with Queen Camilla by his side today following three nights under observation. The 75-year-old monarch was admitted last Friday morning at about 9am as he underwent a corrective procedure for the benign condition. The road had been cleared but a large crowd of children and onlookers had gathered to watch as they got into a waiting car. There was a strong presence of uniformed police officers who stood guard as the royal couple were driven away. It has been reported Charles could take up to a month off from public duties as he recuperates. The King was twice visited by Queen Camilla yesterday, the third and fourth times she has been to see him at the private hospital since they arrived. But he has changed his mind, and will allow cops to search the area once again The owner of the farm refused permission to dig his land without a warrant Police are set to dig up a plot of land believed to be where the body of Muriel McKay, who was kidnapped and murdered after being mistaken for Rupert Murdoch's first wife, is buried. Landowner Ian Marsh, a banker, pushed back against requests to dig up his farm in Hertfordshire, despite the man who was convicted of Muriel's 1969 murder publicly pointing out exactly where she was buried. Marsh said he would not let anyone dig up the land on his farm in Stocking Pelham without a warrant. But he said in a letter to the McKay family: 'The Marsh family understand the desire of the deceased Mrs McKay's family to have a resolution to this matter. 'We have been patient with the multiple requests that we have received and repeat our position: we will co-operate with the police if they determine that a further search of our property is required. Muriel's daughter, Dianne (pictured, left), has for years fought to learn the truth of her mother's murder, travelling recently to Trinidad to speak with one of her killers, Nizamodeen Hosein (pictured, centre) Landowner Ian Marsh, a banker, pushed back against requests to dig up his farm in Hertfordshire (pictured) Nizamodeen Hosein, pictured at the age of 22 A portrait of Muriel Frieda Mckay, 55, wife of the deputy chairman of the News of the World 'We believe that the police will attest to the fact that the Marsh family have done everything, to date, that the police have asked of them. 'If asked by the police to give access to our land because they have compelling evidence of the whereabouts of the remains of Mrs McKay we will consent to giving the police full access to our land, no warrants will be required. 'We believe that it is important that due process and procedure is completed by the police to corroborate any evidence, including any new evidence that is being provided by the family of the deceased and/or the perpetrator. 'We are not in a position to judge that evidence, that has to be a matter for the police. I hope you understand that our trust is in the police, and we rely on them to examine all the information provided.' Muriel's daughter, Dianne, has for years fought to learn the truth of her mother's murder, travelling recently to Trinidad to speak with one of her killers, Nizamodeen Hosein. The now-76-year-old and his brother Arthur mistakenly snatched her and demanded a 1million ransom from media mogul Rupert Murdoch, believing they had taken his first wife, Anna, and inflicted torturous cruelty on their helpless victim. The Hosein brothers mistook Mrs McKay for Anna Murdoch after seeing their car by her house. But Murdoch and Anna had loaned their chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce to Mrs McKay's husband Alick, an executive at News Limited and deputy to Murdoch's deputy, while they were on holiday, unaware a 1million kidnap plot was under way. Brothers Arthur, left, and Nazamodeen Hosein were found guilty of her murder Police searched fields at Stocking Farm near the village of Stocking Pelham in Hertfordshire in 2022 while looking for Muriel McKay's remains The scheme was the brainchild of Arthur Hosein, who had arrived in Britain in the 1960s and borrowed heavily to buy his farmhouse. His brother Nizam, 12 years younger, followed him here in summer 1969 and became embroiled in the kidnap plan. The pair spent several days following the Rolls-Royce, thinking they were tracking Anna Murdoch - but instead seized Muriel as she returned to her home from dropping off her cleaning lady on December 29. Her husband arrived later to find the front door open, lights on and no sign of his wife - while in the hallway, the phone had been pulled from the wall. The contents of his wife's handbag were strewn across the stairs and a rusty meat cleaver was on the floor. Mrs McKay's daughter Dianne, then 29 and a mother of two young children, took a phone call the following day from a man she now knows was Nizamodeen. He told her they were 'the mafia' and had Dianne's mother, before the family then received a scribbled note in Mrs McKay's handwriting begging them to 'do something to get me home' and a ransom letter demanding 1 million. After a bodged attempt to pick up a suitcase of ransom money, the kidnappers were arrested at the farm in January - but there was no sign of Mrs McKay. He claimed that he is now trying his best to help as he hasn't got much time left The abduction is believed to have involved a case of mistaken identity - with the kidnappers intending to seize Anna Murdoch, first wife of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch Nizamodeen Hosein served 20 years in prison before being deported to his native Trinidad Hosein pointed to a spot on a photograph of the farm where Muriel was held, and told her daughter: 'This is where I buried her.' The brothers, Nizamodeen and Arthur Hosein, buried Muriel, whose remains have never been found. During her visit to Trinidad, Nizamodeen pointed out the exact spot where he remember burying her, chillingly telling his victim's daughters: 'This is where I buried her.' Dianne's son, Mark, who organised the trip to Trinidad, told the Times: 'This is good news and we feel we are at last making some progress. The ball is now in the polices court.' Earlier this week, it was revealed that the McKay family handed over the 'credible' evidence of Nizamodeen's confession to Scotland Yard. Representatives from the Met Police said they spoke to Dianne as she flew back from the Carribean and arranged a meeting to hand over the evidence. Detective Superintendent Katherine Goodwin, who tracked down Wayne Couzens, was told by Dianne's son Mark Dyer: 'The evidence is completely credible. We have extensive video of him pointing to a part of the farm where he says she is buried.' For years, the Hosein brothers refused to say where she was, leading to grisly speculation that her body had been fed to the pigs on the farm - and when they took the stand at their Old Bailey trial in September 1970, each tried to blame the other. Both were found guilty of kidnapping and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, though Nizamodeen was released in 1990 and deported. He says he panicked and buried her body under a dung heap behind the farmhouse. The family of murder victim Mrs McKay, pictured, have been pushing for new information about where her body might have been left Alick McKay makes an appeal from his home in Wimbledon for the safe return of his missing wife Muriel, on 9th January 1970. He is accompanied by his son Ian and daughters Jennifer (left) and Dianne (right) Mrs McKay was seized outside her family's home in Wimbledon, south-west London Arthur and Nizamodeen Hosein were remanded in custody by Wimbledon magistrates The pair would later be found guilty of murder despite no body being found According to The Times, Hosein told Dianne: 'I was young and scared of my brother. I just did what I was told. 'Muriel called me son and that's the hardest part about it. I regret every single bit of it and I wish I could turn back the hands of time but I can't. My head has been in turmoil. I cannot sleep at night and I want closure. I get up and walk for miles, the police find me in the street and have to take me home.' Dianne told the newspaper she will never be able to forgive Hosein but just wants the help. He claimed that he is now trying his best to help as he hasn't got much time left. Dianne asked the killer to show her the spot where her mother was buried as she is still determined to give her the 'burial she deserves'. Police had searched an area of the farm in 2022, but Hosein claims they searched the wrong area. Speaking about the emotional meeting, Dianne told Sky: 'I think you've got to see Nizam as the young man that did the crime, not this funny old guy. You've got to see through all that. That's the only way I can cope. 'He was young and very much under the influence of his brother who was a horrible person. Nizam hadn't long arrived in Britain and knew no one. He went along with what his brother told him to do.' The Metropolitan Police said earlier this month: 'We most recently met some members of Muriel's family in May 2023 and continue to keep in contact with them. 'An extensive search for Muriel's remains was conducted in March 2022 at a site in Hertfordshire, unfortunately it concluded unsuccessfully. 'We continue to review any opportunities to recover Muriel's body and return her to her family.' A campaign of threats and intimidation that forced a minister out of politics is 'an attack on democracy', Downing Street said last night. Justice minister Mike Freer had told the Daily Mail that he will step down at the election because a series of death threats against him has taken too great a toll on his family. The 63-year-old has suffered more than a decade of intimidation over his pro-Israel views and said he felt 'lucky to be alive' after narrowly avoiding a confrontation with terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered fellow Tory MP Sir David Amess in 2021. Mr Freer was previously threatened by a group called Muslims Against Crusades, and said an arson attack on his Finchley and Golders Green constituency office in December was 'the final straw'. His resignation triggered a wave of support from across the political world, along with fresh calls for a clampdown on political violence and intimidation. Justice minister Mike Freer told the Daily Mail that he will step down at the election because a series of death threats against him has taken too great a toll on his family Downing Street condemned the 'vitriolic hatred' that Mr Freer was subjected to and said Mr Sunak was 'extremely saddened' to lose him Lord Walney said Britain was facing a 'ratchet of abuse' which was creating a 'genuine climate of fear for people who want to put themselves forward to serve' Lord Walney, who is Rishi Sunak's adviser on political violence, said the threats and attacks endured by Mr Freer 'should shake our political system and make us all reassess how we protect those who represent us, and the liberal democracy they uphold'. He said Britain was facing a 'ratchet of abuse' which was creating a 'genuine climate of fear for people who want to put themselves forward to serve'. Lord Walney warned that, with the murders of Sir David and Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 as well as the thwarting of attacks against other MPs, the UK was currently 'in a situation where the assassination of an elected public figure is one of the most likely threats facing the country'. 'That is abhorrent in any country, but particularly one which prides itself on its liberal democracy,' he added. Downing Street also condemned the 'vitriolic hatred' that Mr Freer was subjected to and said Mr Sunak was 'extremely saddened' to lose him. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'No elected representative deserves to be abused or intimidated and the attacks and abuse that Mike Freer references are clearly deeply distressing. They're not just an attack on him but an attack on British democracy.' Mr Freer said he felt 'lucky to be alive' after narrowly avoiding a confrontation with terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered fellow Tory MP Sir David Amess in 2021 (pictured) Lord Walney warned that, with the murders of Sir David and Labour MP Jo Cox (pictured) in 2016 the UK was currently 'in a situation where the assassination of an elected public figure is one of the most likely threats facing the country' Senior figures on both sides of the political divide also condemned the treatment Mr Freer has suffered. Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said it was 'an absolute tragedy that people who come here in good faith to represent their constituencies and do a job they love doing are hounded out of office or have to leave office because of the wellbeing of their family'. She warned that social media was helping to fuel the 'demonisation' of MPs, giving people 'permission to do serious physical harm'. Former home secretary Suella Braverman described Mr Freer as a 'first-class politician and public servant,' adding: 'That he has been hounded out of office by Islamists is a serious indictment of where we are as a society.' Shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell described the hounding of Mr Freer as 'unacceptable', adding: 'We must do more to protect our freedoms and democracy, and we stand together.' But a Labour London Assembly member was condemned after she appeared to celebrate Mr Freer's departure. Anne Clarke posted a copy of Mr Freer's resignation statement alongside the message: 'Just need Theresa (Villiers) for the hat-trick of Barnet Tory MPs.' Conservative MP Neil O'Brien called on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to sack her. 'When a nice guy is driven out of politics by death threats from extremists the right response is not to gloat,' he said. Ms Clarke later apologised, claiming that she had not read Mr Freer's statement, which detailed a litany of serious threats he has faced, before circulating it on social media. She said she had apologised privately to Mr Freer for the 'insensitive post'. Disgraced former Labour minister Denis MacShane, who was jailed in 2013 for expenses fraud, claimed Mr Freer was quitting because he was on course to lose his seat, despite recent polls suggesting the opposite Disgraced former Labour minister Denis MacShane also struck a sour note. Mr MacShane, who was jailed in 2013 for expenses fraud, claimed Mr Freer was quitting because he was on course to lose his seat, despite recent polls suggesting the opposite. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the Commons authorities 'never stop looking ahead to see what else we can do to protect MPs' and insisted Parliament would 'never give in to terrorism' or threats. In an interview with Sky News, he also urged MPs to 'turn down the heat' in Parliament itself and set a better example. Mr Freer told the Mail how his husband Angelo had become 'incredibly jittery' since it emerged that Ali had visited his Finchley and Golders Green constituency office with the intention of killing him. On police advice, Mr Freer has had to wear a stab vest when attending scheduled public events in his constituency. Harvard's new interim president has said he is worried about 'pernicious' anti-Semitism on campus, telling the student newspaper he worried about the impact of 'social shunning.' Alan Garber took over after Claudine Gay resigned on January 2, amid a spiraling row about anti-Semitism. Gay, the first black person to lead the university, was criticized for her insipid response to students justifying the October 7 terror attacks, and seriously harmed her credibility when she testified before Congress and equivocated over whether calling for the genocide of Jews was considered hate speech at the University. She finally resigned amid mounting accusations plagiarism. Garber, who has served as provost for 12 years under three successive presidents, took over until a permanent president can be found: the process involves a global search, and usually takes a minimum of six months. Alan Garber has taken over as interim president of Harvard, until a permanent replacement can be found. His predecessor Claudine Gay resigned on January 2 Claudine Gay resigned in January after being accused of plagiarism. It came out after her congressional testimony that was universally admonished In his first interview, Garber said that addressing anti-Semitism at the institution was a priority. Earlier this month, six Jewish students launched legal action against the school, claiming it has become a 'bastion of antisemitism and hatred' and saying they have been bullied since Gay resigned. Garber, who is Jewish, said that he was deeply concerned about continued allegations of anti-Semitism. 'What I have found the most disturbing of all are situations or experiences students describe where they have felt they could not speak in class because there are attacks on Israel or maybe Israelis,' Garber said. 'They feel unsupported in contradicting them.' Garber said that a 'prominent manifestation' of anti-Semitism is 'social shunning.' 'You can't necessarily just apply techniques of preventing violence or vandalism,' he said. 'It's a different set of issues.' The students say Harvard has suffered from anti-Semitism for years, but that the events following the Hamas October 7 attack made it a more 'severe' issue Protesters at Harvard are seen on October 14, calling for an end to 'apartheid' and 'genocide' in Gaza He told The Harvard Crimson he 'strongly favors free speech,' but added that there 'needs to be a discussion about what are the limits.' He added: 'Can antisemitic attacks take the form of attacks against Israel? The answer is yes, that is possible.' On January 19, the university leadership sent an email to students and staff saying that protests in libraries, dining halls, residences, and classrooms without prior reservations were considered violations of University policy. Outdoor protests could still go ahead, as long as they do not block pedestrian walkways or interfere with the University's operations. Garber has set up new task forces to combat both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, with a history professor, Derek Penslar, leading the anti-Semitism inquiry. Former Harvard President Larry Summers has criticized Penslar for saying that reports of anti-Semitism were exaggerated, but Garber said that he had full confidence in Penslar. 'I think Derek would agree with me that we have a very serious problem,' he said. 'One of the most important goals for the task force is to come up with interventions that will effectively deal with the problem we're facing today.' The lawsuit, filed in early January by student Alexander Kestenbaum and five unnamed others from Students Against Antisemitism, describes how Gay's student supporters bullied them and other Jewish students after her resignation. In internal chat rooms, Jewish students were labeled 'pedo loving Zionists', according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by student Alexander Kestenbaum (pictured) and five unnamed others from Students Against Antisemitism, describes how Gay's student supporters bullied them and other Jewish kids after her resignation. Some pro-Palestine students said they also supported Hamas' attack and considered it a 'moment of decolonization.' The students say the issue existed before Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, but became more 'severe' afterwards. They are now asking for students who have threatened them to be expelled, and for anti-Israel professors to be fired. They single out Professor Marshall Glanz who, they claim, told them they could not refer to Israel as a 'democracy' in a class project because it would 'offend other students'. 'Mobs of pro-Hamas students and faculty have marched by the hundreds through Harvard's campus, shouting vile antisemitic slogans and calling for death to Jews and Israel,' the lawsuit states. The students are calling for Professor Marshall Ganz to be fired. They say he stopped them from referring to Israel as a 'democracy' during a project 'Those mobs have occupied buildings, classrooms, libraries, student lounges, plazas, and study halls, often for days or weeks at a time, promoting violence against Jews and harassing and assaulting them on campus. 'Jewish students have been attacked on social media, and Harvard faculty members have promulgated antisemitism in their courses and dismissed and intimidated students who object. 'What is most striking about all of this is Harvard's abject failure and refusal to lift a finger to stop and deter this outrageous antisemitic conduct and penalize the students and faculty who perpetrate it,' their attorneys said in their 79-page complaint. The university's lawyers have not yet responded to the legal complaint. In the winter of 1943, the quiet farming communities of the Tarbat peninsula were shocked to find themselves unexpectedly caught up in the war raging on a distant continent. At a packed village hall, they were given orders from the Admiralty announcing that 15 square miles of land were to be 'requisitioned' for military purposes. A total of 900 people were given a month to vacate their homes, while more than 40 farms had the same amount of time to move or sell their livestock, equipment and crops. The operation was carried out with such a degree of secrecy that even those living a few miles away from this newly restricted zone had no idea what was happening. The real reason was kept hush-hush even from the evacuees. Pictured: Troops from the 48th Royal Marines at Saint-Aubin-sur-mer on Juno Beach, Normandy, France, during the D-Day landings Portmahomack village and beach, on Tarbat peninsula, Easter Ross The isolated location of Portmahomack was ideal for the secret nature of the operation The truth was, the beach west of Portmahomack was found to have exactly the right layout to make it the ideal place to practise for the D-Day landings. The long-prepared invasion to win back Europe from Hitler would prove the turning point in the Second World War and is regarded as among the greatest military operations in history. But part of D-Day's success relied on six months of secret operations carried out 80 years ago on a sliver of the coastal Highlands which doubled for the Normandy beaches. The residents hurriedly removed from their homes would only discover much later that it wasn't that their country needed them so much as it needed their countryside. The Admiralty had scoured the land to identify suitable training areas for D-Day, according to local historian Dr James Fallon, who has written a booklet about this little-known evacuation. 'They went to a lot of trouble. A whole lot of criteria had to be met before an area could be considered,' he explained. The Tarbat peninsula, in Easter Ross, with its beaches to the north and steep cliffs to the south, appeared to fit the bill perfectly. For those living there, it was a question of going along with the war effort, whether they liked it or not. Build-up of Allied forces landing at Omaha Beach, Normandy, on the D-Day landings Troops and equipment en route, in preparation for Allied D-Day invasion of Normandy A fleet of landing craft passing a landing ship during exercises prior to the invasion of Normandy The affected area stretched from east of Hill of Fearn and north of the seaboard village of Hilton to south-west Portmahomack and Rockfield. Two schools were also closed. Most people found accommodation with family nearby, but the biggest headache belonged to farmers, most of whom had no option but to sell their entire livestock. A special auction mart was hastily set up in Dingwall to sell the 8,000 sheep, 1,000 cattle and 50 pigs and secrecy required that only selected buyers from across Scotland and the north of England were invited. Crops including wheat, barley, oats and potatoes were picked by Italian POWs, the Women's Land Army and even members of the Home Guard. Evacuation is a word more commonly associated with bombed-out cities. In the village of Inver, then little more than a row of thatched cottages on a dirt track looking out across the Dornoch Firth, children like Marion Fleming were used to having the run of the fields and the beaches. She and her mother, brother and sister were sent to live with her grandmother in Tain. 'I think there was some resentment, some bewilderment. Where were we going? Where would we go to school? And we had to be on our best behaviour at my granny's,' she would later recall. She and her friends found the busy market-town a forbidding place: 'It was dreadful. 'There was traffic and pavements, no beaches to play on, just a small back green. The Inver children didn't have any road sense, we didn't need it there were two cars in our village.' Special Service troops of 47 Royal Marine Commando land at Gold Beach near Le Hamel on D-Day She added: 'There was a corner in Tain near where a lot of evacuees lived. 'My uncle used to call it Hellfire corner, because every time he drove round it, he would say, 'Hellfire, I've missed another one!'.' In his work, Evacuation Tarbat Peninsula 1943-44, Dr Fallon revealed the elderly were particularly upset by the move, with a Captain de Courcy Ireland, commander at Fearn aerodrome, reporting that some of the Inver villagers refused to leave. 'When they were threatened with force, they claimed to have flu and retired to bed,' he wrote. 'The authorities brought a fleet of ambulances and carried the people out.' There were some benefits to moving, however, such as running water and electricity. John Ross was seven when his family moved to Invergordon, a military town buzzing with soldiers. Speaking some years ago, he said: 'It was as different as chalk and cheese. Invergordon was heaving. At home, I used to see a train about once a year if we went to Tain in Invergordon they were passing every day. I couldn't get over the electricity; flicking a switch and a light coming on.' But the thrill of new experiences was tempered by anxiety. He added: 'We wondered if we were ever going to go back, and if we were, what we would go back to.' British troops landing on Queen Beach, Sword Area. The picture was colourised to commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day Farmer Billy Innes, who was eight at the time of the evacuation, would long remember the day the troops arrived. 'They were digging, putting up barbed wire, getting ready. They made a dug-out in the hill with seats all round it. 'That was where I tasted my first cup of coffee. They were always making coffee up there.' On December 12, 1943, the military moved in. It proved a long hard winter ideal, as it turned out, for the vile conditions that blew up on June 6, 1944. Around 15,000 troops from Assault Force 'S', the combined army and navy force due to take part in the D-Day invasion at Sword Beach, were based around Inverness and Invergordon. While the fishing village of Portmahomack itself was not evacuated, it was isolated by closed roads and military checkpoints. The Tarbat peninsula was used as a live firing range for infantry of the Third Division, and support vessels firing from the sea. Tarbat was a key training area for armoured units, including the secret new 'swimming tanks' which ultimately provided vital counter-fire against enemy guns on the Normandy beaches. Not only did the exercises near Portmahomack prove essential to the success of D-Day, but some believe they helped fool the Germans into believing the Allies planned to strike further north, perhaps even in Norway, where the Nazi military retained six divisions, weakening their defensive strength in Normandy. D R Fallon records the atmospheric picture of the evacuated zone described by a teacher, Mrs Macdonald from Balintore, who passed through every day on her way to Tarbat Old Primary School and saw not 'a human being at farm or croft, not a sheep or cattle beast anywhere, not even a rabbit scuttling out of sight, and dead silence over all, except for the intermittent gun-fire. It was rather eerie, especially as daylight faded'. Soldiers limbering up for the invasion of Normandy Stories of the Tarbat evacuation have long passed into local legend: the collie dog which found its own way back to Inver from Tain and lived there alone until its master returned, befriended and fed by the soldiers; the old lady living near the exclusion zone who survived a shell coming through her roof while she was having her tea. Although the military was forbidden from entering any evacuated house, many evacuees fretted about their property until in April 1944, the troops finally moved south and residents were allowed to return the following month. They found the land cratered by shells, the roads and fields churned up by tanks and the trees studded with bullets. Fences and dykes were broken, there was no livestock and everything had to be replanted. Even the wildlife had fled. For the next 20 years, farmers would be digging up live unexploded shells in their fields. Nevertheless, most people were thrilled to be back, especially the children. Marion Fleming recalled: 'I remember the breathless excitement. I think I would have died if I hadn't come home, I was so homesick.' Two inscribed boulders commemorating the evacuation were unveiled for the first time on June 6, 2004, to mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day. The twin stones at Inver and Portmahomack are a permanent reminder of how a quiet corner of Scotland endured a mock battle to help win a war. A former vicar behind the nineties 'rave church' has been charged with rape and sexual assault offences against victims, dating back to the 1980s. The Rev Christopher Brain, 66, was the founder and leader of the Nine O'Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield during the 1980s, when his rave-inspired church attracted a huge following from young worshippers. Brain now face court after being charged for one count of rape and 33 charges of indecent assault alleged to have taken place between 1981 and 1995. South Yorkshire Police investigated the church leader over four years after a former member of the NOS came forward with claims about Brain's conduct. The force are appealing for anyone with any information, or any further complainants or witnesses to come forward. The Rev Christopher Brain, 66, was the founder and leader of the Nine O'Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield during the 1980s, when his rave-inspired church attracted a huge following from young worshippers The church's authorities are carrying out their own review into the past management of the NOS congregation and have been providing support to a group of claimants. The NOS was a novelty church of its time and was supported by church leaders in the 1980s who saw it as an effective way of appealing to disillusioned young people, who may have been turned off from traditional Christian congregations. The Rt Rev David Lunn, then Bishop of Sheffield, told the BBC that NOS had a 'permanent significance' and was a 'new development in the way we understand the Christian religion'. The NOS was initially held at St Thomas Crookes in Sheffield, and later moved to a larger building at Ponds Forge in the city centre. Brain, who was considered charismatic, wore the robes used by Robert De Niro in the film The Mission at his ordination service, which was fast-tracked after he impressed George Carey, who went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury. The NOS was initially held at St Thomas Crookes in Sheffield (pictured), and later moved to a larger building at Ponds Forge in the city centre A police spokeswoman said that all the charges 'relate to allegations of sexual offences committed against women who had joined the movement'. Chief Superintendent Lindsey Butterfield, district commander for Sheffield, said: 'These charges follow a complex and wide-ranging investigation into events dating back 30 or more years. 'An investigation team has been working hard to build up a full picture of what is reported to have happened. 'We understand this is a concerning case and one which will have an impact upon individuals and communities. We will continue to provide appropriate support and updates to those involved.' Iran-backed Houthi terrorists last night claimed their naval forces targeted a 'British merchant vessel' in the Red Sea. The UK Maritime Trade Operations organisation said an explosion was reported off a vessel's starboard side west of Hodeidah in Yemen. The vessel and crew were reported safe, UKMTO said. It was unclear whether it was the unidentified ship targeted by the Houthis. Since November, Houthi forces who control most parts of Yemen have conducted nearly 40 attacks on ships and oil tankers in the Red Sea that they say are linked to Israel. The Houthis claim they are acting in solidarity with terror group Hamas which is fighting the Israelis in Gaza The UK Maritime Trade Operations organisation said an explosion was reported off a vessel's starboard side west of Hodeidah in Yemen. The vessel and crew were reported safe, UKMTO said. It was unclear whether it was the unidentified ship targeted by the Houthis In a statement, a Houthi spokesman said their attacks on commercial shipping 'will persist until the aggression stops and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted' Houthi forces who control most parts of Yemen have conducted nearly 40 attacks on ships and oil tankers in the Red Sea that they say are linked to Israel. In response, British and US forces have launched air strikes on Houthi targets The Houthis claim they are acting in solidarity with terror group Hamas which is fighting the Israelis in Gaza. In response, British and US forces have launched air strikes on Houthi targets. In a statement, a Houthi spokesman said their attacks on commercial shipping 'will persist until the aggression stops and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted'. They appear also to have changed how they attack, with missiles fired from Yemen replacing drones, according to the BBC. More than 450 acid attacks were carried out in Britain in a 12-month period, leading to fears that the crime is on the rise. Police in England and Wales recorded 472 violence and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics. In October, the Acid Survivors Trust International charity warned that acid attacks were increasing. In London, there was a 45 per cent rise from 74 attacks in 2021 to 107 in 2022. A mother and daughter had a corrosive substance thrown in their face on Wednesday January 31. In London , there was a 45 per cent rise from 74 attacks in 2021 to 107 in 2022 Emergency services attending to the scene of the attack Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley said yesterday: 'It's understandable that it's frightening. 'Fortunately, attacks using acid and chemicals are exceedingly rare.' But London Mayor Sadiq Khan called for 'proper enforcement'. He told Radio 4's World at One: 'The problem is, many household products, detergents, paint strippers... that contain ammonia, bleach, caustic soda, can cause huge damage. 'We've got to make it as difficult as possible to get hold of things like acid, zombie knives and machetes.' The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 stopped the sale and delivery of corrosive products to under-18s, and made it an offence to possess them in a public place without good reason. Anyone using a corrosive substance in an attack can be charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) or grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent. The Michigan court also saw new images that showed another side to the mass shooter on Thursday A Michigan mom on trial over her 15 year-old son's school gun massacre has blamed the husband she cheated on for failing to lock up his guns. Jennifer Crumbley, who is facing up to 60 years in jail on involuntary manslaughter charges after her son Ethan killed four at Oxford High School in November 2021, testified that it was her husband James' responsibility to store their son's gun. Asked 'Who was responsible for storing the gun?' Crumbley said 'My husband is.' She told jurors Thursday that gun safety and maintenance was 'more his [James'] thing, so I let him handle that. I didnt feel comfortable putting the lock thing on it.' The mother, who is facing claims of neglecting her son Ethan's pleas for mental health support, told the court her husband and son bought the 9 mm gun used in the rampage on Black Friday while she was out shopping. The trial previously exposed Jennifer's extramarital affair with local fire captain Brian Meloche, undermining her claims they were a 'close' family unit. The Michigan court was also shown several never-before-seen images of the school shooter on Thursday, revealing another side to the killer. Jennifer Crumbley has sought to blame her husband James for their 15 year-old son's school massacre by saying he should have locked up the family's guns In one of the images Ethan Crumbley is holding a pet and smiling tenderly towards the creature In another Ethan is seen at home carving pumpkins at the kitchen table Another image shown to the court shows the teen wearing a backpack and glasses The pictures show Ethan in a normal domestic light - a sharp contrast to the killer in an orange jumpsuit who previously pled guilty and is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole. In one of the images the notorious teen is holding a fluffy pet and smiling tenderly towards the creature. In another Ethan is seen at home carving pumpkins at the kitchen table. Two further images show him stood with a red backpack on, and walking along a beach perhaps while on holiday. Jennifer Crumbley also took to the stand on Thursday to counter claims she was a 'negligent' mother as she faces up to 60 years in prison. Crumbley told the court that she doesn't believe she is a 'failure as a parent'. 'I don't think I'm a failure as a parent' Crumbley told the court. 'But at the time, I guess I didn't see, I felt bad that [Ethan] was sad at those things, and I guess, I just failed somewhere' she told jurors. The mother admitted that she would have done things differently if she could, adding 'I wish he would have killed us instead.' Crumbley stopped short of calling herself a victim when asked but said she has 'lost a lot... we lost everything.' Prosecutors alleged that Jennifer and her husband James - who is set to stand trial in March - callously brushed off Ethan's pleas for mental health support, claiming she laughed at him, and James told him to 'suck it up.' In one text exchange shown to the court, Ethan texted his mother over his paranoid belief he was being haunted by a ghost. When she didn't respond, he said: 'Can you at least text back...' Another image displayed in court shows Ethan walking along a beach, perhaps while on holiday Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to his crimes and is currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, after murdering four classmates in the Oxford High School shooting in 2021 On Wednesday, Jennifer's extramarital affair with fire captain Brian Meloche was exposed Meloche testified that the affair led to some 'difficult conversations' with his wife, but he denied ever switching his story or feeling pressured by police to incriminate his lover In one diary entry shown on Thursday, Ethan wrote: 'I have zero help for my mental problems and it's causing me to shoot up the f****** school' Crumbley denied ever believing her son was dangerous, and claimed her son's text messages were often sarcastic as he would 'fool around.' The court also heard Ethan's final disturbing diary entries which appeared to oppose her statements they were 'close'. Ethan wrote that 'my parents won't listen to me about help or therapist,' and 'I have zero help for my mental problems and it's causing me to shoot up the f****** school.' Crumbley's claims they were a 'close' family came just a day after, as prosecutors argued she was focused on her tryst with a fire captain over her disturbed son. Much of Crumbley's opening testimony centered on her family relationship, as prosecutors allege that Ethan's cries for help were ignored by his parents, and claimed they mocked his cries for help. 'My mum laughed when I told her,' Ethan texted to a friend in March 2021, around seven months before the shooting, adding that he would have called 911 about voices in his head but he didn't want to anger his parents. Jennifer denied ever laughing at her son's struggles, and said he never once brought up hearing voices. However, she admitted he lived a lonely lifestyle without many friends, developed at least 13 cavities as he barely brushed his teeth, and spent most of his time in a squalid bedroom. 'There was a couple of times where Ethan had expressed anxiety over taking tests, anxiety about what he was going to do after high school whether it was college, military so he expressed those concerns to me, but not to a level where I felt he needed to go see a psychiatrist or a mental health professional,' she said. 'I want help but my parents don't listen to me so I can't get any help', read another entry Before her testimony, Jennifer Crumbley broke down in tears as her son's disturbing diary entries were read to the court on Thursday, in which he claimed his parents ignored his pleas for help Jurors at the involuntary manslaughter trial of Jennifer Crumbley were shown disturbing drawings by mass shooter son Ethan hours before he opened fire at Oxford High school, killing four The issue of Ethan's school life came under scrutiny because on the day of the school shooting, he was caught by a teacher drawing disturbing images of murders and shootings on his homework. Despite writing 'the thoughts won't stop, help me', both of his parents declined to take him home and left him at the school, where he had a 9mm handgun secretly stashed in his backpack. As her testimony turned to the day of the shooting, she said she had a feeling something was wrong with her son because he texted her 'I love you', right after the meeting that morning, which she found to be 'abnormal.' After realizing the gun and bullets were gone from her home amid reports of a school shooter, Crumbley said she feared that her son was involved - but admitted her main fear was that he would commit suicide. She texted him 'Ethan, don't do it', but said she wasn't referencing the shooting, but rather that she didn't want him to turn the gun on himself. 'I didn't believe that he even shot anybody, just that there was gunfire,' she added. Police say Crumbley's first victim was freshman Phoebe Arthur (pictured), who was shot in the face but miraculously survived. A total of 13 people were shot, four of whom died Madisyn Baldwin, 17, (left) and Hana St Juliana, 14, (right) died in the 2021 shooting rampage at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit Justin Shilling, 17, (left) and Tate Myre, 16, (right) were also killed in the senseless shooting James and Jennifer Crumbley were both charged in connection with their son's shooting, the first time parents have faced charges over a school shooting At the time of the shooting, Jennifer claimed she was too busy at work to take him home, however questions were raised over whether she had been carrying out an affair with a local fire captain instead - a revelation that only came to light on Wednesday. The fire captain, Brian Meloche, testified Wednesday that Crumbley told him she could sneak off from work that morning to meet up with him. He added that the two of them would typically carry out their secret tryst on the mornings of workdays in a parking lot across from her job - although Crumbley testified that they would only meet once a week maximum. She added in her testimony that the fire captain had met her son a couple of times, after he previously told cops he had never encountered the school shooter. As scrutiny fell on Jennifer's actions in the aftermath of the shooting, it was revealed Thursday that she and her husband had emptied their son's bank account immediately after, withdrawing $3,000 and leaving just 99 cents inside. In the days following the shooting, the couple appeared to try and flee as police sought them for questioning, and withdrew another $6,000 from two other accounts, according to testimony from Oakland County Sheriff's Office Lt. Timothy Willis. The couple stayed at several hotels and bought new phones, after theirs had been seized by investigators, before eventually hiding out in an art studio in Detroit. Jennifer's attorney argued she was not trying to escape custody, but was fearing for her life after threats were allegedly made following her son's crime. A successful real estate contractor has admitted assaulting his girlfriend of three-and-a-half years. Augusto Gerocarni, 29, who is listed online as an agent for Ray White, was arrested and charged in September last year. The high-flying businessman allegedly assaulted his former partner Lindsey Bennett, 32, between November 2021 and July 2022. He had pleaded not guilty to offences of common assault, destroying or damaging property, attempting to stalk/intimidate intend fear of harm and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. However, during an appearance at Waverley Local Court on Thursday, Gerocarni pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Augusto Gerocarni, 29, has admitted to assaulting his former partner Lindsey Bennett (pictured together) Further charges of common assault and malicious damage will be considered upon sentencing next Wednesday at Sydney's Downing Centre Court. The remainder of Gerocarni's charges were withdrawn and dismissed. Augusto Gerocarni, 29, who is listed as an agent for Ray White, was arrested at his home in Bondi Junction last September The assault took place at Gerocarni's apartment in Bondi Junction on June 29, 2022. Gerocarni had slapped Ms Bennett on the side of her face following an argument about her passport for an upcoming holiday, the court heard. Ms Bennett had tried to slap Gerocarni before he hit her, according to a statement of facts tendered in court. During a scuffle, Gerocarni had grabbed his former partner's wrist, causing her to drop her phone which became damaged as it landed. The real estate agent will remain on bail and will face court again next week. An apprehended domestic violence order will also remain in place. Gerocarni's lawyer Paul McGirr said his client had acted in self-defence but used excessive force. 'Whilst our client was acting in defence of himself we and our client accept that his response was excessive, hence the guilty plea,' Mr McGirr said outside court. Ms Bennett, who works as a model and nurse, had been in a relationship with Gerocarni for three-and-a-half years before ending it in June last year. She had lived with him at his unit in Bondi Junction and in another apartment in the same suburb. Gerocarni worked for an independent contractor to Ray White since 2016. His Instagram account, which is now deleted, was once filled with photos of sales of million dollar homes around Sydney's affluent east. A renowned body-building gym has cracked down on patrons videoing their workouts by banning tripods and requiring 'media passes' in what the owner called a 'sacred place'. Dohertys, which has three locations in the Melbourne area and one in Perth - and attracts the super buff from all over the world - has issued a notice that 'filming on tripods will no longer be permitted in its premises'. 'It is our duty of care to provide safety protection and privacy for all our members. Tripods have become a trip hazard and a safety concern,' the notice explains. Tripods are used to mount smartphones to capture workouts on video that are often shared to social media accounts for likes and follows. Parons in the Doherty chain of gyms can no longer use tripods to capture video of themselves working out READ MORE: Are YOU guilty of these gym sins? A-list trainer shares the ultimate do's and don'ts of workout etiquette - revealing why you should NEVER use a metal water bottle but ALWAYS feel free to snap a selfie Advertisement For those still determined to capture themselves curling iron, Dohertys has brought in 'media passes' available for purchase at the front counter, which can be used on the condition that no one is filmed inadvertently. 'If you must take a quick video with your phone while you are training, please be aware of anyone in the background and make sure you have their consent to post or share their image if they are,' Dohertys said. 'If you do not obtain consent it is an infringement of privacy please show respect for others. Gym owner Tony Doherty took to social media earlier this year to slam those he said did not observe 'gym etiquette' by putting their weights away after training, labelling anyone who failed to do so 'an entitled c***'. 'Please put your weights away after you finish using them I am not special. You are not special,' he wrote in his post. 'We are equals in the gym and entitled selfish behaviour should not be tolerated. No exceptions and no excuses.' He labelled the gym 'a sacred place' and said it should be 'treated as such'. However, not all appreciated the lecture, even accusing Dohertys of becoming a 'Nazi gym'. 'Too many rules enforced too harshly,' one person posted on social media. 'You should look at getting back to operating 24hrs and serving your clients right instead of putting even more limitations.' In a lengthy rant the social media user accused of Dohertys of 'publicly shaming' people who don't put their weights away and calling them f***wits while still using their images for social media publicity, Get your sweat on! What you SHOULD be doing when working out Wipe down your machine and put equipment away Wipe down your machine and put equipment away Use your phone as much as you wish Be nice to staff and those around you Say 'hi' to your gym crush Ask for permission before filming Keep gym chat short Let your instructor know if you will be late or need to leave early Wear deodorant Kindly ask to use something if someone is using it Be spatially aware Source - Bec Donlan Advertisement 'As far as tripods go, yes they're a bother but only if you're the type of person that allows it to become a bother to you. Seriously considering cancelling my membership and going to Derrimut (gym). 'At least they know how to treat their customers.' Another questioned if the 'purchasing' of media passes was 'a money grab'. US celebrity trainer Bec Donlan, founder of Sweat with Bec in Los Angeles, told Daily Mail last year that anyone filming a workout should ask permission from those caught on camera. 'If filming your workout make sure no one else is in the video unless you have permission and if taking a class ask the instructor for the all clear first,' she told DailyMail.com. However, she also had a word for those too obsessed with taking 'selfies'. 'If taking a selfie please don't spend more than a few min on it, this should not be as strenuous as the workout itself,' she said. While a gym shouldn't just be a photo shoot the trainer said you should never judge or 'roll your eyes' at those taking progress pictures. 'Don't roll your eyes at someone taking a selfie unless they are not adhering to the above and instead are 15 minutes deep into a thirst trap black hole,' she explained. Dohertys Gym, which has three locations in the Melbourne area and one in Perth, has also brought in 'media passes' for those who want to film themselves Personal trainer and the founder of the Sweat empire Kayla Itsines also revealed the things her clients do in the gym that drive her mad in 2021 and among them was failing to put away weights. The 30-year-old CEO from Adelaide said there are three things she sees people do repeatedly in the gym that aren't 'good etiquette', including not wiping down the equipment, not putting away the weights and not dismantling items before moving on. 'Gym etiquette 101, from your person trainer,' Ms Itsines posted on Instagram. She agreed with Mr Doherty that putting away weights is a must. 'The first thing you absolutely must do if you're going to the gym is put your weights back where they belong once you've finished with them,' she wrote 'There is nothing worse than walking up to a half-empty dumbbell rack with identical-looking dumbbells scattered all over the floor. Dohertys owner Tony Doherty (pictured right) posted a lengthy social media rant about those he felt violated gym etiquette Ms Itsines said it's almost as annoying when they've been put back, but they are out of order. 'I suggest taking the time to wipe down your equipment after use, then carefully put them back in their place and in order for the next person to use,' Kayla said. Lighter dumbbells should go on top, while the heavier ones should go down at the bottom. Kayla also insisted people dismantle the equipment they use. 'Want to know what turns a 30-minute workout into a 50-minute one? People that don't dismantle their machines leaving you to do it all on your own!' Kayla said. When you're finished using machines like the leg press or squat rack, the Adelaide PT suggests taking the weights off and putting everything back in its 'original place'. 'Dismantling your equipment takes 30 seconds and it shouldn't be left to the next person to do it, especially if the weights are heavy!' Ms Itsines said. A Seattle councilor who backed calls to defund the police has a new idea to cut car thefts ban the cars. Tammy Morales is among a group of progressive lawmakers from Democrat cities who have blamed car makers Kia and Hyundai for soaring rates of auto crime, demanding they make their products harder to steal. The Washington State capital launched a lawsuit against the manufacturers last year after videos of car thefts trended on TikTok, and is now calling for federal regulators to enforce a nationwide recall. But the socialist leader had little to say about the city's soft-on-crime policies that have seen car thefts more than double in the last five years. 'I won't speak to the motivations of young people, except to say that they are young people and when issued a challenge, especially on something like social media, they like to take it up,' she said. Seattle socialist councilor Tammy Morales has demanded a total recall of Kia and Hyundai models as the city faces a doubling in car thefts Teenage vandals known as the 'Kia Boys' gained a following on TikTok after video tutorials showed viewers how to bypass the cars' security systems But the cars are being increasingly used as mobile battering rams by thieves targeting stores The Seattle police department has lost around 600 police officers since the City Council began defunding the department in 2020. In that time car thefts have jumped from fewer than 4,000 to the record 8,379 recorded last year. The funding cuts began with the riots that rampaged across the city in the wake of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis by a white police officer, riots that Morales was accused of defending. 'What I don't want to hear is our constituents told to be civil, not to be reactionary, to be told looting doesn't solve anything,' she told a council meeting at the time. 'It does make me wonder why looting bothers people so much more than knowing that across the country, black people are being killed around the country.' Thefts of the two car brands began to soar the following year after online tutorials on how to bypass their security features went viral. TikTok videos then showed cars being stolen and driven haphazardly by joyriders through major Midwestern cities like Milwaukee, Chicago and Columbus. The vandals behind the viral car-jackings, some of whom were as young as 12, branded themselves 'Kia Boys'. The car thefts were sparked by a TikTok trend in which users showed off how to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles that lack basic security features Four teenagers were killed after a Kia Sportage they allegedly stole crashed (pictured) in Buffalo, New York in 2022 The cars are often used as getaway vehicles but sometimes suffer so much damage they are left at the scene of the raid Self-declared 'Kia Boyz' Ralphe Manuma (left) and Ardrell Davis, both 18, were charged in December with robbery and vehicle crimes after using a stolen Hyundai to target gas stations in the Seattle suburb of Eastgate The pair held an employee at gunpoint top make him open a cash register and battered him with it when he was unable to open a second Thefts of Kias increased by 363 percent in 2021 alone according to the Seattle Police Department, while thefts of Hyundais went up a whopping 503 percent The trend went national and in 2022, four teenagers including a 14-year-old mother were killed after a stolen Kia Sportage was crashed in Buffalo, New York. Two self-declared 'Kia Boyz' were charged in December with vehicle crimes and five counts of first-degree robbery after using a stolen Hyundai to target gas stations in the Seattle suburb of Eastgate. Ralphe Manuma and Ardrell Davis, both 18, are thought to have targeted six garages in the space of one night in September. In one attack the pair held an employee at gunpoint and made him open a cash register. When he was unable to open a second, one of the suspects struck the employee in the back of the head with a pistol, King5.com reported. Between 2011 and 2021 nearly 10 million Kia and Hyundai cars sold in the US were not equipped with immobilizers and could therefore be started easily and primitively with just a flat head screwdriver and a USB cable. And insurance claims on stolen Kia's and Hyundai's increased ten-fold nationwide between the start of 2020 and mid-2023. The two manufacturers settled a $200 million lawsuit brought by owners last May and pledged to install new security software on 8.3 million existing cars while paying drivers up to $300 for steering wheel locks and other theft prevention devices. But that has not stopped the Councilmembers Against Car Thefts, from Baltimore, New York City, Seattle, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Austin from demanding a total recall. 'The issue reverberates beyond just an inconvenience; it traumatizes our communities,' Baltimore City Councilmember Zeke Cohen told KomoNews. 'The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install industry standard theft prevention technology on their vehicle has left our cities to clean up the mess.' Tammy Morales has backed defund the police measures on the Seattle City Council where salaries average $218,000 - half as much again as the nationwide figure Councilor Morales: 'I haven't heard that these stolen cars are being used for smash-and grab' In a statement to DailyMail.com earlier this month, a spokesperson for Hyundai said the company was taking measures to mitigate theft, including by making immobilizers standard on all vehicles produced as of November 2021. 'Thieves discovered a specific method by which to bypass the vehicles' security features and then documented and promoted their exploits on TikTok and other social media channels,' they said. Thefts of Kia's in Seattle increased by 363 percent in 2021 alone according to the city's Police Department while thefts of Hyundai's went up a whopping 503 percent. And they have increasingly been used as disposable mobile battering rams for a wave of thieves targeting stores in the coastal city. 'I haven't heard that these stolen cars are being used for smash-and grab' Councilor Morales said. 'The resolution and the lawsuit are really about corporate responsibility. 'It is young people who can very easily access these cars and who are stealing them.' The Democrats hold all nine seats on Seattle's city council where salaries average $218,000 - half as much again as the nationwide figure. Morales who was previously the city's Human Rights Commissioner is the joint-longest serving member having been elected in 2019. But her latest comments have not been well-received residents in a city plagued by homeless drug users and suffering its highest murder rate in 30 years. Your browser does not support iframes. Baltimore City Councilmember Zeke Cohen also backed the recall demand: 'The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install industry standard theft prevention technology on their vehicle has left our cities to clean up the mess' he said 'How about we focus on arresting and jailing the thieves? KIA can worry about their own car issues,' tweeted one on X. 'Using taxpayer dollars to sue a car company for damages done by criminals and not do anything about the criminals because it's corporate greed that is causing teens to steal cars? Is that right?' asked another. 'Morales is an enabler for all car thieves and doesn't care about the victims,' wrote a third. 'She wants to punish Kia/Hyundai, not the actual thieves. She's a disgrace.' An EMT who attended to a woman accused of mowing down and killing two young brothers after a boozy lunch with her lover told the court on Thursday that the woman complained about her car being disabled by the smash. Rebecca Grossman, 60, is charged with murder after the September 29, 2020 crash that killed Jacob Iskander, eight, and his 11-year-old brother Mark. The boys were crossing the road on a crosswalk in Westlake Village, California, when Grossman, according to prosecutors, slammed into them in her powerful Mercedes. She has suggested that her lover's car may have hit them instead. Teryl Grasso, an EMT working in the emergency room at Los Robles Regional Medical Center, testified on Thursday that Grossman - whose airbags came on, and whose car recorded an incident and deactivated - complained about being in the hospital. 'If they didn't disable my car, I would have been at home in my garage right now,' said Grossman, according to Grasso. Rebecca Grossman and her husband Peter, a plastic surgeon, are seen on Thursday leaving court Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8, were killed when crossing the road in September 2020 Grossman's white Mercedes SUV is pictured moments after the crash Grasso added: 'I am not saying she did not care about those kids.' Grossman's attorney, Tony Buzbee, asked Grasso why she took three years to come forwards with the claim, and why she said she 'was stalking the news'. 'I was stalking the news and I had to go therapy too,' Grasso replied. 'I was traumatized'. Grasso said, according to The Los Angeles Times, that she came forward because of Grossman's comments that night and her behavior at the time. Jamie Castro, the deputy district attorney, asked whether she was unsure about coming forward out of concerns about patient confidentiality. Grasso said yes, adding that she sought expert advice on interpreting the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. She said she learned she could report comments under these circumstances. Grasso said she had therapy for nine months after the crash. 'I still cannot talk about that night without crying,' she said. On Wednesday, Deputy Rafael Mejia told the Van Nuys jury that he responded to the scene shortly after the collision. He said he was informed to look for a white vehicle with front-end damage. Mejia said he found Grossman about three-tenths of a mile away standing outside her white Mercedes-Benz SUV, which had front-end damage. 'She told me that her vehicle was disabled by Mercedes-Benz,' Mejia told jurors. Mejia said the airbags had gone off and that Grossman told him that she had hit something, but she didn't know what she struck. 'She sat in the back seat of my vehicle,' Mejia told the court. 'She kept telling me to call her husband her husband could help those kids. Multiple times, she said to call him.' Tony Buzbee, Grossman's lawyer, is seen leaving court on Thursday Nancy Iskander, the mother of Jacob and Mark, is seen at the Van Nuys courthouse Grossman is married to plastic surgeon Peter Grossman, who specializes in treating burns victims. He has stood by her, despite the revelation that Grossman at the time was having an affair with former LA Dodgers star Scott Erickson. She had had lunch with Erickson, drinking margaritas, and the pair were driving together in separate vehicles when the crash happened. Prosecutors played a recording of the phone call automatically initiated by her car. Grossman, according to Courthouse News, is asked by the responder: 'Did you hit someone or did someone hit you?' 'I don't know,' Grossman replied. 'I was driving down...the road, and all of a sudden my bag exploded.' A dispatcher from the LA County Fire Department was looped into the call, who told Grossman: 'They said two kids were hit on rollerblades.' 'No,' Grossman said, sounding anguished. 'So that's not you?' the dispatcher asked. 'I don't know,' Grossman said. 'I don't know what I hit.' 'You're not sure if you hit any children?' the dispatcher asked. 'I turned the corner. It was dark. And all of a sudden my.' she trailed off, never finishing the sentence. Buzbee, a high-profile attorney ran for mayor of Houston in 2019 and last year defended the impeached attorney general of Texas, Ken Paxton, told the jury in his opening statements on Friday that he would prove Grossman was not responsible for the deaths of the two boys. He scoffed at a prosecution video reconstruction of the crash showing Mark and Jacob being hit by Grossman's white Mercedes. Mark Iskander, 11, and his younger brother Jacob, eight, were killed in the crash in 2020 Grossman is accused of killing brothers Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8, after plowing her Mercedes into the two boys in Westlake Village in September 2020 The Iskander brothers 'didn't stand a chance,' prosecutor Ryan Gould said in opening statements in Rebecca Grossman's trial 'No science could ever support that,' said Buzbee. He accused the police of 'taking the easy way' and pointing blame at Grossman in a 'rush to judgement.' Buzbee called the police investigation into the accident 'absolutely terrible' and added that 'there is nowhere near enough evidence to convict' Grossman. 'She did not drop anything and someone else did. The prosecution is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole,' he said. Buzbee argued that the Westlake Village crosswalk, where the boys were killed, is 'dangerous' and 'improperly marked'. And he also asserted that Mark and Jacob were not actually on the crosswalk but 50 feet north of it when they were struck. He refuted the prosecution's claim that Grossman tried to 'flee the scene'. And Buzbee said that witnesses would tell of hearing two impacts, adding that while prosecutors 'suggest one vehicle did that, scientifically that is impossible.' He also said he plans to introduce expert witnesses who will say Grossman was only traveling at 52mph - not the 81mph the DA claims. He said her lover Scott Erickson's car, which was ahead of Grossman's, was doing 'more than 70' before the tragedy. As for prosecutors' contentions that Grossman was impaired with alcohol and Valium, another one of her attorneys, Mark Thiessen told the jury: 'That's simply untrue.' Prosecutors say Grossman was chasing after Scott Erickson (left) - who was driving a separate SUV - after a cocktail-fueled lunch at Julio's in Westlake Village Erickson played with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2005 for a year, then ended his career with the New York Yankees in 2006 Rebecca Grossman is seen with her husband, Dr Peter Grossman - a renowned plastic surgeon who runs a specialist burns unit. The pair are pictured together in October 2011 He called the police investigation 'messed up' and branded roadside sobriety and breathalyzer tests given to Grossman as 'maladministered.' Thiessen argued that she was 'polite, coherent and co-operative' with police at the scene and she had 'no loss of mental or physical faculties'. 'She did nothing wrong,' he said, adding that this was a case of: 'We have two dead kids. We need somebody to blame.' Gould, however, told the jury that earlier in the day Grossman had drunk half a margarita at a friend's house, then a full margarita with Erickson at Julio's in Westlake Village before they decided to drive to her home to watch a Biden-Trump presidential debate on TV. A witness who spotted Grossman and Erickson after Julio's, racing before the crash, remembered thinking: 'They are going to kill somebody, the way they are going,' Gould said. After the terrible collision, he said, the boys' mother, Nancy Iskander could see Jacob lying in the road but she could not see Mark because he had been hit and thrown so far away. 'With the speed Mrs Grossman was going, he (Mark) was projected 254 feet away,' said Gould. 'And she did not stopshe continued down the road. 'Mark died of traumatic blunt force injuries. Jacob was internally decapitated - the force of the collision severed his spinal cord inside.' Gould told the court that the black box inside Grossman's Mercedes indicated that just before the accident she was 'flooring it,' driving at up to 81mph in a 45mph neighborhood. 'If she had been driving 45miles an hour, she would not have hit Mark and Jacob,' said Gould. Grossman is facing a maximum sentence of 34 years to life in prison if convicted. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's most senior minister on economic policy has expressed concerns about China days after developer Evergrande went into liquidation. Treasurer Jim Chalmers raised the issue with the Labor-aligned McKell Institute think tank in Brisbane on Thursday night. 'We heard about the collapse of Evergrande in China,' he said. 'Not a big surprise but still a very concerning reminder of the slowdown in China and the weakness in its property sector - and of the uncertainty we see in a slowing global economy where a soft landing is assumed, but not assured.' Dr Chalmers has hinted at more pain to come for Australia's biggest export, iron ore, just four days after a Hong Kong High Court judge Linda Chan ordered Evergrande to wind up its business owing to a 'lack of progress on the part of the company putting forward a viable restructuring proposal'. Treasurer Jim Chalmers (left with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) has expressed concerns about China days after developer Evergrande went into liquidation An oversupply of apartment towers saw China's second biggest apartment builder incur debts of more than $400billion, sparking concerns from the Communist Party government about its solvency. This could have serious economic ramifications for Western Australia, the world's biggest supplier of iron ore, as Evergrande's liquidation undermines confidence in China's property market. Treasury's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, released in December, predicted the spot price of iron ore was likely to plunge to $US60 a tonne by September 2024, down from $US105 a tonne in September 2023. China is the biggest buyer of the commodity used to make steel and a plunge in iron ore prices affects Australian government royalties. Since the Evergrande bombshell, the spot price of iron ore has fallen from $US136 to $US133. Treasury calculates that every $US10 per tonne fall in the iron ore price causes a $500million drop in government tax revenue so a $US45 per tonne fall in the iron ore price would cost the government $2.25billion. The World Bank is expecting growth in China, Australia's biggest trading partner, to slow to 4.5 per cent in 2024, down from 5.2 per cent in 2023. An oversupply of apartment towers saw China's second biggest apartment builder incur debts of more than $400billion, sparking concerns from the Communist Party government about Evergrande's solvency (pictured are Evergrande apartment towers in Beijing) 'The outlook is clouded by continued weakness in the real estate sector and persistently tepid global demand in the short term, as well as structural constraints to growth, including high debt levels, population ageing, and slower productivity growth than in the past,' it said in December. Labor is also vulnerable on the building activity front in Australia with official data released on Thursday showing its promise with the states to build 1.2million homes over five years from July 2024 could be hard to achieve. Building approval numbers dived by 9.5 per cent in December, with this monthly figure of 13,085 24 per cent lower than the 17,208 figure for December 2022, the Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed. Firefighters on the scene found four trailer homes on fire, one of which had the crashed plane inside Multiple people have been killed after a small plane crashed into a mobile home park in Clearwater, Florida on Thursday evening. Firefighters were called to the the burning crash site at the Bayside Waters mobile home park, about 23 miles west of Tampa, around 7:15pm local time. First responders found four trailer homes on fire, one of which had the crashed plane inside, City Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said at a news briefing on Thursday night. 'I can confirm that we have several fatalities both from the aircraft and within the mobile home,' Ehlers said, but was not able to provide a precise number of casualties. Several people have been killed after a small plane crashed into a mobile home park in Clearwater, Florida Firefighters were called the the burning crash site at the Bayside Waters mobile home park It is not yet clear how many people were on board the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 plane itself. The pilot reported an engine failure and went off radar about 3 miles north of an airport runway, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesperson told CNN . Clearwater Police attended the crash site and were working to secure and preserve the scene, Chief Eric Gandy said at the briefing. 'We'll be working through that scene as the night progresses to further clarify what we have and secure that scene for NTSB and FAA's arrival later in the evening,' he said. Steven Ascari, a Clearwater resident, told the broadcaster he heard what sounded like an explosion that shook his entire apartment. First responders found four trailer homes on fire, one of which had the crashed plane inside, City Fire Chief Scott Ehlers (pictured) said at a news briefing on Thursday night Clearwater Police attended the crash site and were working to secure and preserve the scene It is not yet clear how many people were on board the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 plane itself 'And next thing you know a giant pillar of smoke was seen,' he recalled. Footage from the scene showed red plumes of smoke rising from several mobile homes as shocked residents stood by in a nearby car park. Other videos posted to social media show firefighters struggling to combat the blaze with hoses as the flames engulf the homes and surrounding trees. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. One in ten members of the UN's Palestinian agency in Gaza are affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to an Israeli intelligence report. The Wall Street Journal on Friday published an expose of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which for decades has provided healthcare, food, infrastructure and education in Gaza, with an annual budget of $1.3 billion. Israeli intelligence now believes that six members of UNRWA's staff in Gaza were among the thousands who participated in the October 7 attack, running across the border into Israel. Several of the six worked in UNRWA schools, including an Arabic teacher and a math teacher, according to Israeli intelligence reports viewed by The Wall Street Journal. The same sources are calling for UNRWA to be disbanded, estimating that half the employees have a close relative with an active membership in the militant groups. Workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) hand out flour rations and other supplies in December 2023 A child picks up food on his bike Flour is distributed by the UN agency in the southern Gaza Strip on November 21, 2023 Benjamin Netanyahu, the embattled Israeli prime minister, on Wednesday told a gathering of UN ambassadors in Jerusalem that UNRWA needed to be shut down. 'UNRWA is totally infiltrated with Hamas,' he said, adding that it needed to be replaced by an organization that would operate in a neutral fashion. Israel has long accused the United Nations of being biased against it, and the condemnation has increased after the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, called for the bombardment of Gaza to stop. Israel's UN ambassador said Guterres must resign. Netanyahu continued: 'We need such a body today in Gaza. But UNRWA is not that body.' Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, said the US has not evaluated Israel's claims about UNRWA, but called them 'highly, highly credible,' and the US has stopped funding UNRWA. Children are seen lining up for UNRWA meals in Rafah refugee camp on February 1 A child waits outside a UNRWA health center at refugee camp A Palestinian man carries bags of flour distributed by UNRWA on February 1 The United States is the biggest financier of the United Nations as a whole, contributing about $12.5 billion to the United Nations in 2021, the most recent fiscal year with full data available. The sum is just under one-fifth of funding for the body's collective budget. American officials have also said the actions of individuals should not invalidate the vital work of the entire organization. Tamara Alrifai, a spokesperson for UNRWA, said Israel needed to be more specific in their accusations, and provide details. 'What qualifies an alleged involvement?' she said. 'Since when is someone accountable for what their cousin does?' Phillipe Lazzarini, director general of UNRWA, pointed out that those alleged to have been involved in the attack were fired. He said the West's funding freeze amounted to 'collective punishment.' The United States has, under Donald Trump, ended the funding of both UNRWA and the UN Population Fund. But Joe Biden reinstated UNRWA's funding. The agency has, throughout the decades, been accused of either turning a blind eye to Hamas' activities; supporting it; or being forced to go along with their schemes. Weapons have been found hidden in UNRWA sites, and tunnels dug beneath. The level of willing cooperation with the ruthless rulers of Gaza, if any, is unknown. 'I can't from personal knowledge say how entwined Hamas is with UNRWA,' said James Lindsay, the legal counsel for UNRWA from 2000 to 2007. He told The WSJ: 'UNRWA minimizes the problem, and Israel tries to maximize it. The truth is probably somewhere in between.' The hunt for a suspected chemical attacker who maimed a mother and her two daughters has entered its third day as it emerged the convicted sex offender was allowed to stay in the UK after a priest said he had converted to Christianity. Police are hunting Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who is accused of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, on Wednesday night in Clapham, south London. It emerged last night that Ezedi is a former asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was allowed to stay in the UK despite being convicted of a sexual offence, following two failed applications. He was granted the right to stay in the UK on his third application in either 2020 or 2021, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. He was handed a suspended sentence for the offence years earlier in 2018. Wednesday's horrific attack on Lessar Road at 7.25pm left the mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and her youngest daughter with 'life changing injuries'. The elder child is also said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital in a stable condition. The Met has urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who was also hurt in the horror that unfolded, with CCTV footage released last night showing him with severe burns to his face. A handout CCTV grab released by Britain's Metropolitan Police in London on February 1, 2024 shows Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (pictured), taken in a Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has been named by police as the suspect in a corrosive alkaline substance attack in Clapham, south London Police last night released CCTV footage of Ezedi buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained significant injuries in the attack, which officers say was targeted. Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's time in the UK: 2016 Ezedi arrives in the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing from Afghanistan. He had two applications for asylum rejected. 2018 Ezedi is handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and is discharged from probation supervision. 2020-2021 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on his third application - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. January 31 2024 Ezedi is suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. Advertisement He is accused of leaping on the vulnerable mother and her two daughters, hurling a corrosive alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: I cant see, I cant see! Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the mans car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. Children's minister David Johnston was pressed by Sky News on reports the suspect in the alkaline substance attack in south London is a convicted sex offender who was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Mr Johnston said: 'I don't have his case file and I can't say anything that might affect the police's investigation here. 'He is still at large and what we really need is anyone with information to come forward in order that he can be apprehended, given he is police's key suspect. He described the attack as 'horrific' and sent his thoughts to the victims. He told Sky News: 'What has been reported in this particular case will understandably concern I think every member of the public. Concerns me, concerns every member of the government.' Asked whether it was a failure of the Government for someone to be granted permission to stay in the UK after being convicted of a crime, he said: 'This is why this government's so determined to end the asylum merry-go-round.' Mr Johnston added that a 'number of cases' of people appealing and claiming asylum after having their application rejected. He added that the Rwanda Bill aims to stop this from happening. The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a "detailed review" of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case raises "very serious concerns". He said: 'It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity. 'I think we need to investigate the particular circumstances. 'We shouldn't jump to conclusions, and I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest." Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child like a ragdoll above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring. Another horrified witness said: Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again. Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered life-changing injuries. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital. One witness described the mothers horrific injuries: Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically. The Acid Survivors Trust International, an organisation that records information on chemical attacks across the world, said that the heinous attack being directed at the young mother and her two children was 'unheard of', as most are related to gang violence. Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said Jaf Shah, chief executive of the trust, said: 'The scale of attacks and the targeting of young children by a single perpetrator is unheard of. It's important to highlight that this is not commonplace, this is very rare.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Shannon Christi was one of those injured. She recalled: They were screaming, Help! Help! The little one was thrown to the floor. It was aggressive. He threw her down on the floor. Then he picked her up and threw her down again. Thats when I ran in and just grabbed her, because I couldnt watch. I didnt see anything on her clothes, but there was something on her coat that got transferred to me. She landed on her face. It was scratched, bruised. I saw the mother afterwards. Her face was red and sore. Her eyes were closed and she was screaming: I cant see! Thats when I realised something had been thrown at her. So I called for someone to get water. Her lips went black. It was all over her face. At that point, my face and my arms started tingling. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million Forensics were seen closely examining a silver thermal carry-cup, which was located next to a bin My lips started tingling so I knew something was wrong. I ran into my house and washed my arms and my face. Another resident, Mohamed Ilyas, said: I saw him driving into her. He smashed her with the car, then the kid went and knocked on the door, saying Mummy! Mummy!, hitting on the door. Then he got out the car, went into the backseat, pulled out the other little child and smashed her on the floor. After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, at 8.48pm dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. The mother and two girls were given emergency first aid at Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, a complex used to house Afghan refugees where they had been living, while detectives believe Ezedi may be heading to Newcastle, where he has links. Two scientists could be seen crowding around the mug, which appeared to have an evidence marker The car appeared to have crashed into other parked vehicles as it came to a stop on the residential road The UK's current policy on asylum seekers states that they can claim asylum based on their conversion to a new religion, if they can prove they will face persecution in their country of origin as a result of their new faith. The UK faced a terror attack from an asylum seeker in November 2021, when Emad Al Swealmeen blew himself up at the entrance of Liverpool Womens Hospital. Al Swealmeen was confirmed by Rt Revd Cyril Ashton at Liverpool Cathedral in 2017. Ezedi managed to claim asylum, despite his criminal history, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. He was granted the right to stay in the UK on his third application in either 2020 or 2021, after coming into the UK in the back of a lorry in 2016, despite being convicted of a sexual offence just two years after he arrived. Ezedi pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed. He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018, to a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Police were seen outside the last known address of Ezedi MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable Abdul Shokoor Ezedi has not been seen at his address in Newcastle for around six months, neighbours told MailOnline. READ MORE: Acid attack victim says perpetrators should be jailed for life with no chance of parole - Lauren Trent speaks out as cops continue manhunt for thug who maimed mother and her two children in Clapham chemical assault Advertisement He was last known to be living in a shared terraced house in Dilston Road in the Arthur's Hill area of the city. Neighbours said the house had a high turnover of tenants and few remembered him. However Mohammad Hussain Nazary, 24, who works in his family's food shop said he recalled Ezedi living in the area but assumed he was a single man. He said: 'I'd see him around the area and he'd come in from time to time. 'He's an Afghan and I assumed he was single because I never saw him with a partner or family, he was always on his own. 'He seemed like an ordinary harmless guy, certainly not someone you'd associate with something like this. 'He was around quite a lot but I haven't seen him in maybe six or seven months.' A neighbour said: 'There are a lot of long term residents in the street but also a couple of houses where tenants come and go all the time and that house is one of them. There are new people moving in very regularly , you can't keep track of who is living there.' MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently been living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable. A resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' Garage worker Michael Vinks, 37, works opposite the hostel. He said: 'He came in a while ago and chatted to my boss about possibly buying a car, but it didn't come to anything.' Bilal Khan (pictured), owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents Acid attacks in London rise by 45 per cent in a year Acid attacks have risen in London by 45 per cent in a year, Met Police figures show. The force recorded 107 attacks in 2022, up from 74 in 2021. The data was released by the charity Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) following a freedom of information request. Overall, police in England and Wales recorded 472 violent and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 525 recorded in the previous 12-month period. The data is published annually and only dates back to March 2020, when current records began. The Home Office started collecting data on some offences involving corrosive substances from April 2019 as part of a government pledge to tackle such attacks. The figures to March 2023 exclude any reports that may have been made to Devon and Cornwall Police because the force has been unable to supply data due to problems with a new computer system. Advertisement Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily. 'He was coming and going back to me about the car but I told him "this is my price".' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents. 'I try to keep my distance from people like that,' he said. The negotiation over the car ended without a sale last summer and Mr Khan said he had not seen Ezedi since around Christmas or New Year. Asked if he was worried about the suspect returning to Newcastle, Mr Khan said: 'I don't think so. If he knows the police and the media are after him then he will stay away, if he doesn't get caught.' Mr Khan told The Telegraph: 'Hes a small, skinny guy. Theres nothing threatening about him. 'Ive never seen him with anyone, as far as I could see he spent his days on his own hanging around the street near the hostel.' Tory MPs have called for the Government to reform its policy on asylum seekers in the wake of the horrific attack. Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge and the co-chair of the New Conservative group of MPs, told The Telegraph: 'This shocking and tragic case is everybody's worst nightmare but it also shows the urgent need to tighten up our asylum processes. 'This man should never have been granted asylum in this country and we need to get to the bottom of how he was able to be granted leave to remain. 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year.' Sir John Hayes, former minister and MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said he would be writing to the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, asking for an urgent review of the UK's asylum rules. 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals. 'It won't take much working out who has been here and subsequently received asylum and then committed a crime and how we can deport all of them.' Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year' Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, said: 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country' Sir John Hayes, MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said: 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals' Also calling for reform was Lee Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Tory party, who expressed a zero-tolerance view on asylum seekers who commit crimes of any kind. 'It should apply whether it is shoplifting or another crime. That would make us a safer country. They should find him and send him straight back. No messing about. 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country. He cannot claim he is being persecuted and at risk when he is coming to the UK and committing crimes.' Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'This is a huge wake up call. He should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: We believe the man and woman are known to each other. We are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears to be a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said a big team of officers were involved in the manhunt following the ghastly attack. Strong alkaline materials, such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia, can cause blindness, severe burns and permanent scarring. But it is difficult to ban the harmful chemicals as many are found in ordinary household cleaning products. Concentrated bleach contains around 10 to 15 per cent sodium hypochlorite, which can burn skin on contact. Other products such as oven cleaner, drain unblockers and metal polish are also alkaline substances. The chemicals can rapidly eat away skin, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and in some cases bone. The girl and boy who murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey will today be sentenced for murder and publicly named for the first time. The defendants, both 16, identified only as girl X and boy Y during their four-week trial last December at Manchester Crown Court, face a mandatory life sentence. They were aged 15 when they carried out the 'disturbing' plan to murder 16-year-old Brianna in a Cheshire village in a 'frenzied and ferocious' attack with a hunting knife. Both will be named today when they are sentenced after senior judge Mrs Justice Yip indicated she will lift a court order banning the press from identifying them. Brianna was stabbed 28 times in the head, neck, chest and back after being lured to Linear Park in Culcheth near Warrington on the afternoon of February 11 last year. Throughout the trial, the media have been ordered not to name the defendants. But on December 21, Mrs Justice Yip ruled an order banning identification be lifted. On Friday morning Brianna's mother Esther Ghey was pictured arriving at court, surrounded by friends and family. Brianna Grey was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife on February 11 in Cheshire last year Brianna Grey suffered unsurvivable injuries to her head, neck, chest, back and sides Brianna's mother Esther arrives at Manchester Crown Court on Friday ahead of the sentencing hearing This followed representations on behalf of the media which were made by the PA news agency and ITV. Brianna's family supported the media application. Lawyers for both defendants opposed the media application, citing the possible ramifications on their welfare and consequences for their families, including death threats received by girl Y's family. Mrs Justice Yip lifted the banning order but imposed a stay on the order, until the defendants are sentenced today, when they can then be publicly named. On December 21, Mrs Justice Yip ruled: 'There is a strong public interest in the full and unrestricted reporting of what is plainly an exceptional case.' She added: 'The public will naturally wish to know the identities of the young people responsible as they seek to understand how children could do something so dreadful. 'Continuing restrictions inhibits full and informed debate and restricts the full reporting of the case.' In coming to her decision, the judge also said it was 'inevitable' they would be named eventually as the order banning their identification would have lapsed in 2025, when they turned 18. 'Continuing the reporting restrictions until the defendants turn 18 would, in my view, represent a substantial and unreasonable restriction on the freedom of the press,' she ruled. This week, James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus said that Brianna's teenage killers should be identified because her parents 'need a picture to the name'. Brianna Ghey's family arriving at Manchester Crown Court ahead of the unmasking of Girl X and Boy Y Brianna Ghey's father Peter Spooner arriving at Manchester Crown Court Esther Ghey sat through almost every day of the harrowing trial of the two teenagers who murdered her daughter A photograph issued by Cheshire Police during the trial of the murder weapon A police photo of a crumpled, hand-written note of the 'murder plan' to kill Brianna Ghey Both defendantswill be named today when they are sentenced after senior judge Mrs Justice Yip (pictured) indicated she will lift a court order banning the press from identifying them It is rare that child convicts are named in public, only ever happening in the most shocking of cases - such as the murder of two-year-old James in Merseyside in 1993, which led to his killers Robert Thompson and John Venables being named. Timeline of events leading up to Brianna Ghey's murder Here is a timeline of events leading up to Brianna Ghey's death in Cheshire: 2022 November The two teenagers discussed killing a child referred to in court as boy M. December 5 Girl X sends boy Y a video which was apparently an advert for an underground site for people who like rape, snuff, torture and murder. December 15 Girl X messages boy Y, telling him she is 'obsessed over someone' called Brianna but did not have feelings for them. 2023 January 1 Boy Y sends girl X a photograph of a hunting knife and tells her: 'Spent my money. I bought a knife.' January 23 Girl X messages boy Y, telling him she gave Brianna so many ibuprofen gel tablets it 'should have been enough to kill her'. January 26 The two teenagers compile a list of at least four people, as well as Brianna, they wanted to kill. February 3 Girl X sends boy Y a picture of a handwritten note of their plan of how to kill Brianna, titled 'Saturday 11th February 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey'. February 11 1.41pm Brianna sends her mother a message saying: 'I'm on the bus by myself, I'm scared.' 1.53pm Brianna meets girl X and boy Y at a bus stop in Culcheth. 2.30pm Brianna messages a friend, describing girl X as 'weird'. 3.06pm Brianna sends a message to girl X saying 'Girl where are you'. 3.13pm Brianna is found lifeless by dog walkers Kathryn and Andrew Vize. 4.02pm Brianna is declared dead at the scene. February 12 Girl X and boy Y are arrested at their homes. February 15 Police find Brianna's phone in a drain, stained with her blood in an area girl X and boy Y were seen walking shortly after the murder. Advertisement Speaking about Brianna's parents, Ms Fergus told ITV News: 'I think they need a picture to the name. You can't just have a name and not know what they look like. I wanted to know what James' killers looked like. 'You want to see the faces that took your child away from you. You want to see the faces that spent the last few minutes with your child. I don't think I would have been able to carry on not knowing what they looked like. 'What's the point in telling half a story? You want to know what these people look like that took this child's life away.' But one charity warned naming child killers can be unhelpful. Andrea Coomber KC, the chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform charity, told BBC News: 'The naming of them and the shaming of them is a barrier to rehabilitation. 'It creates troubles for their safety in prison and upon release because these are children at the end of the day. 'They need to be given the space to grow and to move beyond their crime.' Each defendant had denied murder and blamed the other for the killing of anxious and vulnerable Brianna, which was described as 'horrific' by detectives. Intelligent, 'high functioning' and coming from normal backgrounds, the trial heard the pair had a fascination with violence, torture and murder and a 'thirst for killing'. Neither had been in trouble with police before. They had discussed Brianna's murder for weeks, detailed in a handwritten murder plan and phone messages found by detectives. Jurors were told it was 'difficult to fathom' how the two child defendants could carry out such a disturbing crime. Girl X, while aged 14, downloaded a TOR internet browser app to watch videos of the torture and murder of real people, in 'red rooms' on the 'dark web'. She developed an interest in serial killers, making notes on their methods, and admitted enjoying 'dark fantasies' about killing and torture, with the pair living in a secret world of warped interest in murder and cruelty, their trial heard. Boy Y, who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and is non-verbal, and girl X, diagnosed with traits of autism and ADHD, are both held in secure youth detention. Girl X claimed that while she enjoyed fantasies about murder she never intended any of it to become reality while the boy claimed he just played along and never wanted to harm anyone. They drew up a 'kill list' of four other youths they intended to harm, until Brianna had the 'misfortune' to be befriended by girl X, who became 'obsessed' with her. Brianna had thousands of followers on TikTok, but in reality was a withdrawn, shy and anxious teenager who struggled with depression and rarely left her home. Girl X told her accomplice she wanted to stab Brianna 'jus coz its fun lol I want to see the pure horror on her face and hear her scream'. She got her wish after luring Brianna to the park on a Saturday afternoon, believing she was going to 'hang out' with friends. People leave flowers near Linear Park in Culcheth last February where Brianna Ghey was found Police forensic officers at the scene in Culcheth Linear Park in Cheshire on February 13, 2023 Their dark fantasies were about to become reality, the court heard, girl X chillingly telling Brianna when she caught the bus to meet them to buy not a return but only a single ticket and reminding boy Y about his knife. At around 3pm, Brianna, who had been seen sat on a bench, was suddenly attacked, possibly initially from behind, with a hunting knife with a 13cm blade, brought to the park by boy Y. Each defendant blamed the other and it is not known which one or if both wielded the knife. Brianna was 'stabbed and stabbed and stabbed' in a 'frenzied and ferocious' attack. After they were traced and arrested, detectives found the murder weapon with Brianna's blood on the blade in boy Y's bedroom, along with heavily blood-stained clothing and trainers. A vigil for Brianna Ghey outside the Department for Education in London in February last year Brianna Ghey's mother Esther Ghey arrives at Manchester Crown Court on November 27, 2023 At girl X's home, they found a hand-written note detailing the murder plan and naming Brianna as the victim. Messages on their phones detailed their fascination with murder, torture and death, plans to kill other children and an earlier attempt to poison Brianna with an overdose. The gruesome murder of a transgender teenager in a public park prompted candlelit vigils worldwide protesting against perceived transphobia. Detectives believe Brianna was killed because she was vulnerable and accessible, with her death not a hate crime but done for 'enjoyment' and a 'thirst for killing'. The Church of England is again facing questions over whether it is being abused by asylum seekers after an Afghan sex offender on the run after a chemical attack got a priest to vouch he had converted to Christianity from Islam so he could stay in the UK. A nationwide manhunt is underway for Abdul Ezedi after he doused a woman and two children he knew with an alkaline so strong it melts skin and even bone. As Britain was left shocked by the attack in Clapham, it emerged that fugitive Ezedi is an Afghan refugee who was twice turned down for asylum after arriving illegally in Britain in 2016 in the back of a lorry. Two years later, he was convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence at Newcastle Crown Court and handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order, which was completed in 2020. But despite his criminal history, Ezedi was granted asylum on a subsequent appeal after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. His case has already been compared to Liverpool bomber Emad Al Swealmeen, who found Jesus just to improve his asylum case. Vicars have been accused of aiding asylum seekers to 'game' the immigration system by helping hundreds to convert from Islam and 'pray to stay' in the UK as it emerged people smugglers used Instagram to urge migrants to follow Christ to help them gain British citizenship. One such advert, in Arabic, has a picture of Jesus and says finding God will lead to more successful asylum claims 'in the shortest possible time with the lowest cost'. 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, is being hunted after the alkaline attack in Clapham. It has emerged he is a sex offender who was denied asylum but converted to Christianity and then won on appeal On the day of his confirmation, Enzo Almeni walked through the grand West Doors of Liverpool's world-famous Anglican Cathedral, beneath the monumental statue of the Risen Christ. He later blew himself up after gaining asylum People smugglers were found to be sharing posts like this on Instagram, which apparently urge people who want to go to the UK to find Jesus to aid their asylum case and help prevent deportation if they fail The Church of England has denied there is any link between their vicars converting Muslim migrants and systemic abuse of the asylum system. In 2021 it emerged that Enzo Almeni, a Christian convert who had changed his name by deed poll from Emad Al Swealmeen, blew himself up outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on Remembrance Sunday after months of planning. How converting to Christianity can help refugees claim asylum Under the UK's immigration law, asylum seekers may be granted permission to stay here as a refugee if they are able to prove to the Home Office that they cannot live safely in their home country because of persecution. This is usually on the grounds of race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs. They may also claim persecution in relation to gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. Christianity has become a battleground. Most cases of this relate to conversions from Islam to Christianity. The person needs to prove they have renounced their previous faith and why. They must also prove: Attendance at a place of worship When they converted Understanding of the faith you converted to and commitment such as baptism; Opinions of other members of the congregation including the priest as to the genuineness of the conversion. Advertisement It led to calls by former Home Secretary Priti Patel to call a formal Parliamentary probe into whether fake Christian converts are duping the Church of England to avoid being deported back to strict Muslim countries they came from in a so-called 'pray to stay' scandal. Ms Patel described the asylum system as 'a complete merry-go-round and it's been exploited by a whole professional legal services industry which has based itself on rights of appeal, going to the courts day-in day-out on legal aid at the expense of the taxpayers'. Malcolm Hitchcott, who with his wife Elizabeth took in Almeni for almost a year and supported his conversion to Christianity, was also a lay preacher at Liverpool Cathedral who has previously been 'forthright' in his views that 'some Iranians might pretend to have found Jesus in order to support a false claim for asylum'. But he believed Almeni was genuine and would 'talk endlessly and passionately about Jesus' and said he and his wife had loved him. Some Christian churches work closely with immigration solicitors, who, it has been claimed, cross-refer asylum seekers to one another. In 2020 two Glasgow-based Iranian Muslims known only as TF and MA, who had converted to Christianity, won a landmark fight against the Home Office with the support of the Tron Church, a Presbyterian church in the city. This is despite the fact that, in an early hearing, TF was found to have fabricated a letter from an Iranian hospital, and entered the UK on a student visa in 2013 having 'been on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia . . . Undermining his claim that Islam did not play a role in his life'. The second man first claimed he was a gay (a crime in Iran), then claimed to be Christian, which the judge said was being kept 'in reserve' as a 'Plan B'. The judge called the man's claim a 'multi-layered contrivance', adding: 'He is not a genuine asylum seeker and should be removed from the UK on that basis.' People traffickers have used social media sites such as Instagram to advertise crossings from France to the UK - and urge customers to consider conversion to Christianity to bolster their cases. Because the largest number of UK asylum seekers come from Muslim countries, they can also argue that their new faith would put their lives at risk if they returned to the home country. A handout CCTV grab released by Britain's Metropolitan Police in London on February 1, 2024 shows Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (pictured), taken in a Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor The Home Office has previously said converting to Christianity does not automatically result in a successful asylum claim. The Church of England has said baptism is 'open to all' and that it is up to the Government to vet asylum seekers, not them. But Sam Ashworth-Hayes, of the counter-extremist Henry Jackson Society, said at the time: 'We know that people are willing to lie to win asylum up to and including faking religious conversions. This is incentivised by the asylum system, which does not do enough to root out fakes. 'The Church of England has been hopelessly naive in accepting so many converts from migrant backgrounds and so readily offering them support in their asylum applications.' He continued: 'It's one thing to offer a graceful welcome to those in need. It's another to be taken for fools. When immigration tribunals are complaining about 'improbably large' numbers of converts and clergy publicly stating that people are pretending to convert to exploit the system, something is clearly going wrong'. Today police urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Abdul Ezedi, who is accused of leaving the victims with 'life-changing' injuries. The 35-year-old was also hurt in the horror that unfolded in the middle of Clapham, south London, with CCTV capturing him with severe burns to his face. Ezedi is accused of dousing the mother and her daughters, aged three and eight, with a corrosive chemical, as well as attacking the younger girl and 'slamming' her into the road. Details about the suspect and his Christian conversion emerged yesterday as officers released disturbing CCTV footage of his last known whereabouts. With his face heavily scarred, he could be seen buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained 'significant injuries' in the attack, which officers say was 'targeted'. He is accused of leaping on the 'vulnerable' mother and her two daughters, hurling an alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: 'I can't see, I can't see!' Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims' skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were injured trying to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the man's car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child 'like a ragdoll' above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: 'The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring.' Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack Another horrified witness said: 'Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again.' Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered 'life-changing injuries'. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remained in hospital last night. One witness described the mother's horrific injuries: 'Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along with five police officers. All have been discharged. Shannon Christi was one of those injured. She recalled: 'They were screaming, 'Help! Help!' The little one was thrown to the floor. It was aggressive. He threw her down on the floor. 'That's when I ran in and just grabbed her, because I couldn't watch. 'I didn't see anything on her clothes, but there was something on her coat that got transferred to me. She landed on her face. It was scratched, bruised. I saw the mother afterwards. Her face was red and sore. Her eyes were closed and she was screaming: 'I can't see!' 'That's when I realised something had been thrown at her. So I called for someone to get water. Her lips went black. It was all over her face. At that point, my face and my arms started tingling. 'My lips started tingling so I knew something was wrong. I ran into my house and washed my arms and my face.' Another resident, Mohamed Ilyas, said: 'I saw him driving into her. He smashed her with the car, then the kid went and knocked on the door, saying 'Mummy! Mummy!', hitting on the door. Then he got out the car, went into the backseat, pulled out the other little child and smashed her on the floor.' After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, at 8.48pm dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. Last night officers urged members of the public not to approach him and call 999 instead. Detectives believe he may be heading back to Newcastle. The mother and two girls were given emergency first aid at Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, a complex used to house Afghan refugees where they had been living. The suspect is said to have been living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel in Wilfred Street, which is run by Tyne Housing Association. It aims to find homes for people classed as homeless or vulnerable. A police car was last night parked just yards from the hostel. One resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: 'We believe the man and woman are known to each other. We are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. 'Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears to be a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said a 'big team' was involved in the manhunt following the 'ghastly attack'. Nigel Farage last night told the Mail: 'This is a huge wake-up call. He [Ezedi] should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' Strong alkaline materials, such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia, can cause blindness, severe burns and permanent scarring. But it is difficult to ban the chemicals as many are found in household cleaning products. Concentrated bleach contains around 10 to 15 per cent sodium hypochlorite, which can burn skin on contact. Other products such as oven cleaner, drain unblockers and metal polish are also alkaline substances. The chemicals can rapidly eat away skin, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and in some cases bone. Have YOU seen him on the run? Police are still searching for a suspected chemical attacker who maimed a mother and her two daughters. Cops are hunting Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who is accused of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, on Wednesday night in Clapham, south London. The Met has urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who was also hurt in the horror that unfolded, with CCTV footage released last night showing him with severe burns to his face. Here is all we know about suspect Ezedi since he arrived in Britain. Have YOU seen him on the run? Email: gina.kalsi@mailonline.co.uk 2016 It has recently emerged that Ezedi is an Afghan refugee who arrived illegally in Britain in the back of a lorry. He had two applications for asylum rejected. It is understood that he lived in run down hotels and halfway houses since his arrival from Afghanistan. He has not been seen at his address in Newcastle for around six months, neighbours told MailOnline. He was last known to be living in a shared terraced house in Dilston Road in the Arthur's Hill area of the city. Police are hunting Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who is accused of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters Neighbours said the house had a high turnover of tenants and few remembered him. MailOnline tonight revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable. A resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' Tory MPs have since called for all asylum seekers who commit crimes in Great Britain to be deported and for the Government to reform its policies in the wake of the horrific attack. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a 'detailed review' of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case raises 'very serious concerns'. 2018 Two years after his asylum was rejected, Ezedi was convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence at Newcastle Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed. He was sentenced on January 9, 2018, to a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and was discharged from probation supervision. 2021-22 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on a subsequent appeal - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt on January 31 at 8.48pm Abdul Shokoor Ezedi managed to get across London in just over an hour Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'This is a huge wake up call. He should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' Ezedi said it would endanger his life if he were to return to Afghanistan. January 31 2024: 7.25pm On Lessar Avenue, which is near Clapham Common in south London, a man was seen on CCTV footage running around a car which was stationary in the middle of the road. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the man's car holding their hands to their faces. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child 'like a ragdoll' above his head before smashing her down on the ground. Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said The woman was heard screaming, 'my eyes, my eyes,' as residents rushed over to help her. The man is suspected of attacking the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, with an unknown alkaline substance. Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered 'life-changing injuries'. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three tonight remained in hospital. One witness described the mother's horrific injuries: 'Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically.' After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said that it is believed the man and woman are known to each other. January 31 2024: 8.48pm The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. It is the last known sighting of Ezedi, less than two hours after the attack. Police released the CCTV snap of him last night. 'The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive,' Supt Cameron said. 'If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should NOT be approached.' North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles this week, continuing a fresh streak of weapons testing as Kim Jong Un told his generals to increase 'war preparations'. Kim has embarked on an even more intense regime of military preparedness this year, declaring South Korea his country's 'principal enemy', shuttering agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatening war over 'even 0.001 mm' of territorial infringement. Pyongyang has also carried out ever more weapons tests, including multiple cruise missile launches, an 'underwater nuclear weapon system' test, plus firing a solid-fuelled hypersonic ballistic missile. Analysts have warned that North Korea could be testing cruise missiles ahead of sending them to Russia for use in Ukraine, with Washington and Seoul claiming Kim has shipped weapons to Moscow, despite rafts of UN sanctions banning any such moves. 'North Korea could be using recent launches as a way to show Russians the capability of their missiles before sending them off to Moscow,' Han Kwon-hee of Korea Association of Defence Industry Studies. 'The need to do it could be especially acute given recent reports of North Korean shells going awry when used by Russian troops,' he said. Photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 2, 2024 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) inspecting the Nampho Dockyard in North Korea A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 31 January 2024 shows the launch of the strategic cruise missile "Hwasal-2" in the West Sea of Korea in North Korea A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Nampo Shipyard in North Korea in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency on February 2, 2024 On Friday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military had 'detected at around 11am (0200 GMT) the firing of multiple unidentified cruise missiles' into the sea off the country's west coast. The South Korean military has 'stepped up surveillance in close coordination with the United States', the JCS said in the statement. The military is 'closely monitoring for signs of additional activity' by the North Korean army, it said, adding they were 'closely analysing' the launch. Unlike their ballistic counterparts, the testing of cruise missiles is not banned under current UN sanctions on Pyongyang. Cruise missiles tend to be jet-propelled and fly at a lower altitude than more sophisticated ballistic missiles, making them harder to detect and intercept. Even as Kim ramps up the rhetorical threats against the South, the testing spree plus suspected Russian arms deals indicate 'a dog that barks but never bites,' Kwon-hee said. 'If he was really serious about a war, he wouldn't have said it but kept it in the dark for a surprise attack. He also wouldn't have sold arms to Russia if he were really into going to war with the South.' The latest launch follows Kim Jong Un inspecting warships at a naval shipyard as he looks to bolster his maritime forces as part of 'war preparations', state media said Friday. 'The strengthening of the naval force presents itself as the most important issue in reliably defending the maritime sovereignty of the country and stepping up the war preparations at present,' Kim said at the Nampho Dockyard, according to the Korean Central News Agency. This picture taken on January 30, 2024 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 31 shows a "Hwasal-2" strategic cruise missile This picture taken on January 30, 2024 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 31 shows an explosion from a "Hwasal-2" strategic cruise missile North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) inspects the Nampho Dockyard in North Korea South Korean soldiers in tanks take part in a regular military exercise, at the Mugunri training field in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 02 February 2024 A nuclear-powered submarine was on Kim's strategic weapons wish list set out at a key party congress in 2021, along with a hypersonic warhead, spy satellites and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles. During his visit to the dockyard, Kim was briefed on various warships under construction as well as preparations for a 'new huge plan' assigned by the ruling party. No details of the plan were provided. Kim 'expressed expectation that the workers of the dockyard would successfully build on the world level the major warships,' KCNA said. North Korea last year launched what it called its first 'tactical nuclear attack submarine', which Seoul's military at the time said did not look to be operational. Analysts said the vessel appeared to be modified from an existing diesel-electric submarine originally designed in the 1950s, and have posed questions about its limitations and vulnerabilities as a platform. The US stations about 30,000 troops in the South to help it fend off military threats from Pyongyang. A 'gifted academic' who ran over her boyfriend months before she was due to join a prestigious Cambridge University programme was jailed for life and told: 'Prison may be hard but you've brought it upon yourself'. Alice Wood, 24, was yesterday ordered to serve a minimum term of 18 years after being found guilty of murdering Ryan Watson following a trial at Chester Crown Court in December. The 24-year-old charity support worker was struck twice by Wood, who was one-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit, then his body was dragged more than 500ft down the road after becoming trapped under the chassis of her Ford Fiesta. Mr Watson, also 24, a support worker for a brain injury charity, was targeted twice before being knocked down and dragged for 160 yards. Judge Leeming told Wood - who sported a bizarre hairstyle cut very short at the front but flowing long over her shoulders and wore a black roll-necked jumper: 'To my mind you have shown no true remorse for the murder of Ryan Watson. Alice Wood (left), 24, ran over her fiance Ryan Watson (right), 24, after she 'lost her temper' Ryan Watson was dragged more than 500ft down the road after becoming trapped under the car Cheshire Police bodycam footage from May 7, 2022 showing Alice Wood during her arrest Ryan Watson's mother Lisa and stepfather Jonathan Plant speak outside court this afternoon Alice Wood arrives in handcuffs this morning ahead of her sentence for the murder of Ryan Watson 'I'm sure to the criminal standard that there was an intention to kill.' He added: 'Prison may be hard but you have only yourself to blame.' Despite the judges criticism of Woods lack of remorse, she could be seen with the make up on her face streaked by tears as she was escorted from the court building to the prison van for the last time. Judge Leeming said aggravating factors of the attack which lasted 21 seconds - included the pain and suffering inflicted on Mr Watson, whose screams were recorded by CCTV cameras, and suffered more than 40 wounds. The court heard the attack on May 26, 2022, happened after the couple attended a 60th birthday for a client of the Headway brain injury charity, for which Mr Watson worked. During Wood's 13-day trail, it was alleged she had become angry with Mr Watson after he 'clicked' with a fellow partygoer, Tiffany Ferriday. Judge Leeming said Mr Watson had been 'enjoying himself, working the room and was the light of the table'. But on the way back to their 120,000 home in Rode Heath, Cheshire with Wood driving Mr Watson's car as he had only recently passed his test and had drunk too much, despite her own intoxication a row broke out between them. Judge Leeming said: 'I'm sure you lost your temper with him.' The court heard neighbours head shouting and CCTV showed Wood first getting into Mr Watson's car and moving it before climbing behind the wheel of her black Ford Fiesta. She first drove back and forwards, hitting Mr Watson's car, a bollard and a bin, before turning her vehicle 'into a weapon'. When she first hit Mr Watson who was receiving calls from Ms Ferriday and texting another youth - he fell over the bonnet and hit his head on the windscreen before falling back and landing on his feet. The court heard Wood then struck him a second time, dragging him under the chassis. The two-hour sentencing hearing was attended by more than a dozen of Mr Watson's family and friends, who wore red ribbons bearing his name as well as Wood's parents. The two-hour sentencing hearing was attended by more than a dozen of Mr Watson's family and friends, who wore red ribbons bearing his name Ryan Watson was described as 'fantastic son, brother, grandson and nephew' Wood, said by defence barrister Gudrun Young KC to have been a 'gifted academic', was about to sit her finals in theology, philosophy and physics at Manchester University when the murder happened. She had been offered a place on a prestigious Research Masters course at Cambridge University for the following autumn. After Wood who was emotionless throughout proceedings was led away to start her sentence, Mr Watson's mother Lisa Watson said: 'It was a shock that someone so close to us could do that.' She added: 'We feel we have justice. I think the sentence was fair.' In an earlier victim statement, Ms Watson paid tribute to her 'fantastic son, brother, grandson and nephew'. She said of Wood: 'We welcomed her into our family. She has tainted all the memories that we have of the last few years. 'Her actions showed how little she cared for Ryan. No family should have to endure what we've been through.' Alice Wood is seen leaving court in handcuffs after being sentenced to life in prison CCTV footage dated May 6, 2022 showing Alice Wood and Ryan Watson together at a party Sandra Watson, grandmother of Ryan, speaks outside court this afternoon Wood, originally from the affluent market town of Cheadle in Staffordshire, was about to sit final exams for her degree at Manchester University at the time. On the first day of the trial, she arrived at court with a copy of Meditations, a philosophy text by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. A source close to Wood said: 'She was a very intelligent girl. It's a terrible waste of a talent but everyone's capable of having a temper.' Wood, the daughter of a doctor's receptionist mother and furniture-maker father, showed no emotion when she was convicted on January 2. The trial heard guests at the party, in nearby Stoke-on-Trent, detected 'friction' between the couple and while Mr Watson had been enjoying himself, Wood was 'cold' and wasn't 'best pleased' with his behaviour. Fellow party guest Tiffany Ferriday told the trial she and Mr Watson had 'clicked' and Wood had been 'pretty much left out' of the conversation. But Wood claimed she and Mr Watson had a row that continued they returned to their house, where the couple lived with their four dogs. She said he grabbed her by her hair extensions and held her head over the oven hob. Wood said she went out to her car to leave but Mr Watson followed and they continued to argue as he stood outside the car, before she got behind the wheel. Witnesses saw her playing 'a game of chicken' with Mr Watson, repeatedly aiming the car at him. CCTV footage showed Wood's Fiesta hitting him, sending him flying on to the bonnet. Seconds later, after being struck a second time, he fell screaming under the front bumper. After coming to a halt, a 'hysterical' Wood knocked on a neighbour's door telling her: 'Please telephone an ambulance, I think I have run over my boyfriend.' Fellow party guest Tiffany Ferriday (pictured on December 5 last year) told the trial she and Mr Watson had 'clicked' and Wood had been 'pretty much left out' of the conversation. When they went to the Fiesta, there was a pool of blood and Mr Watson's legs were sticking out. Wood said: 'Look what I've done.' Upon arrest, a sobbing Wood told officers: 'It's fine, I deserve it'. But the neighbour revealed that when Wood banged on her door initially seeking help, she was already trying to justify her actions. Wood told her Mr Watson had become jealous thinking she was 'flirting with other men' - the reverse of the prosecution case. The woman added: 'Wood was distressed but she wasn't crying.' Wood said she was trying to go to her mother's house to defuse the row, couldn't book a taxi, so got behind the wheel. CCTV footage dated May 6, 2022 showing Alice Wood and Ryan Watson walking to his car after leaving a party She claimed she only drove towards him to 'scare' and 'intimidate' him after he 'threatened to have her mum killed'. She insisted she didn't realise she had hit him. Before beginning her undergraduate degree, comprehensive school-educated Wood had parttime jobs in a convenience store and waitress. One Cheadle resident said: 'She was quiet and studious.' Mr Watson was described by the Rode Heath resident as 'kind-hearted and helpful'. His family paid tribute to him as 'bubbly, fun-loving and caring'. They stated that the verdict means 'justice has been done' but added 'no sentence would ever be long enough'. CCTV footage dated May 6, 2022 issued by Cheshire Police showing Alice Wood and Ryan Watson arriving together at a party at approximately 7.15pm Alice Wood leaves Chester Crown Court during her trial on December 5, 2023 Their statement added: 'He was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. He had just started his career helping other people. 'The one person Ryan trusted the most is the person who took his life in such a violent way.' In her victim personal statement read from the witness box, Mr Watson's mother, Lisa Watson, said 'my world stopped' from the moment she got a knock on her door to say her son had been killed. She said: 'My family had been destroyed in an instance and it hurt even more hearing who had killed him. 'The one person Ryan trusted the most is the person who took his life in such a violent way. 'She has tarnished all the memories we now have over the last few years. 'We took Alice into our family and her actions have showed how little she cared for Ryan.' Wood wiped away tears as Mr Watson's younger brother, Owen, also entered the witness box and told the court: 'Now Ryan has gone the happiness has turned into darkness. Without him I will never be the same again. I have lost my best friend, the happy place in my heart.' David Jones, Senior Crown Prosecutor in CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: 'This was a tragic loss of life of a young man with his whole life ahead of him. 'Under the influence of alcohol, it was clear that Alice Wood's jealousy was ammunition enough for her to brutally kill her partner. 'Though it will never make up for their devastating loss, I hope today's conviction brings Ryan's family some solace, knowing his murderer has been brought to justice.' Detective Inspector Nigel Parr added: 'The night Ryan died, Wood used her vehicle as a weapon, while under the influence of alcohol, deliberately driving at him and even continuing to drive after knocking him down. 'She knew what she had done, but she refused to take accountability for her actions, forcing Ryan's family to sit through a trial and watch footage of his final moments. 'Throughout the trial Wood proclaimed her innocence, but thankfully the jury saw through her lies, and she was found guilty of Ryan's murder. 'While nothing is going to bring Ryan back, I hope the sentence handed to Wood will bring some sense of closure for his family, knowing that justice has been served. 'Our thoughts remain with Ryan's family and friends at this time.' Sarah Palin and rock legend Ted Nugent came to support the trucker convoy in Texas that wants to shame Biden into ending the migrant crisis. The pair joined the rally for the 'Take Our Border Back' movement in Dripping Springs, central Texas, yesterday alongside about a thousand of attendees from all over the state. The former governor of Alaska and one-time vice presidential candidate, 59, condemned the immigration policies of the Biden administration as 'unconscionable.' 'It is treasonous what our own federal government is doing to us in actually sanctioning an invasion, a foreign invasion, of our country across that border,' she said. 'Every state now is a border state. Every state is affected,' the Austin American Statesman reported from the event. Conservative rocker Ted Nugent, 75, added in a scathing reference to Biden: 'This devil scum snake thinks he's the commander in chief of the United States of America.' Sarah Palin (pictured at the rally), previously governor of Alaska , condemned the immigration policies of the Biden administration as 'unconscionable' Ted Nugent (pictured at the rally) played the Star Spangled Banner on his guitar and told attendees: 'If you're here today and you've never registered to vote I want you to leave right now because you did this,' CBS Austin reports The convoy of conservative activists, who call themselves 'God's Army', set off for the southern border on Monday to protest the numbers of migrants breaking into the United States and they will end near Eagle Pass on the Texas border on Saturday (pictured: attendees at the rally in Virginia) Nugent played the Star Spangled Banner on his guitar and told attendees: 'If you're here today and you've never registered to vote I want you to leave right now because you did this,' CBS Austin reports. Palin equally urged people at the rally to vote in the upcoming presidential election in November to 'stand up and fight for what's right'. The convoy of conservative activists, who call themselves 'God's Army', set off for the southern border on Monday to protest the numbers of migrants breaking into the United States and they will end near Eagle Pass on the Texas border on Saturday. Earlier this week, at the rally stop in Norfolk, Virginia, organizers slammed the Biden administration for leaving the U.S. frontiers 'wide open.' Craig Hudgins, a former United Airlines pilot-turned-Christian activist, urged those eventually planning to travel to Eagle Pass in Texas to ignore calls made on social media to use violence to make their point. A handful of media outlets had seized on a string of inflammatory messages posted in the organizers' Telegram channel as proof that the protest was merely a front for far-right extremists. Many of the participants brandished U.S. flags and placards in support of those convicted for taking part in the January 6 riots. 'People are making up all kinds of stuff,' he said during an impromptu speech from the back of a pick-up truck as supporters gathered before starting their near-four-day journey to one of the nation's illegal migration hotspots. 'This is about being a peaceful demonstration. We do not want our National Guard guys to take the brunt of what is going on. 'I am hearing 40,000 truckers coming from all over the country,' he said before a fellow organizer led this morning's 40-strong group in prayer and then the Pledge of Allegiance. Palin (centre) urged people at the rally to vote in the upcoming presidential election in November to 'stand up and fight for what's right' A convoy of conservative activists, who call themselves 'God's Army', set off for this country's southern border on Monday A woman poses in front of her vehicle that says 'Take Our Border Back' at the convoy in Virginia on Monday Texas National Guards on Monday place razor wires at the Shelby Park area which is the most preferred area for irregular migrants to enter as the guards continue to patrol the Rio Grande River People take the pledge of allegiance before the start of the 'Take Our Border Back' convoy The convoy of truckers is making its way to three migrant hotspots across three states in a bid to shame the White House into tackling the worsening migrant crisis The first leg of this convoy's journey ended in Jacksonville, Florida, late on Monday evening before heading on to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday. DailyMail.com saw at least 25 vehicles - but no trucks - by the time it hit the I-95, one of the main roads south from Virginia which winds through North and South Carolina, as well as Georgia. Similar demonstrations took place in 2022 in both the United States and Canada over opposition to Covid vaccination mandates. The week-long protest, which will also have a similar convoy traveling from California, focuses on what will be one of the top issues in this year's presidential election. Figures from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection show that more than 2.5 million people entered this country through its southwestern border. Republican officials started the process to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas over the border crisis on Tuesday. Lawmakers in Congress are also refusing to sign off on Joe Biden's aid packages for Ukraine and Israel without tougher anti-immigration measures. A deal currently being hammered out would require the federal government to shutter the border if 5,000 migrants sneak into the United States each day. It will also ban migrants from claiming asylum if they cross over illegally and they could be faced with deportation to Mexico or their home country. In December, federal agents recorded multiple days when more than 10,000 people made illicit crossings into this country. Overworked border guards often release migrants immediately because they do not have the resources to screen everybody for asylum. If passed, it would represent the biggest bipartisan overhaul of U.S. immigration law in three decades. Shelby Park area is the most preferred area for irregular migrants to enter the US as the Texas National Guards continue to patrol the Rio Grande River on January 29 A woman reads a map in a car as people gather for the 'Take Our Border Back' convoy Migrants wrapped in aluminum blankets for warmth after being picked up at the border on Monday Texas National Guards patrol the Rio Grande on Monday A man wears a shirt that says 'Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American veteran' Many of the participants brandished U.S. flags and placards in support of those convicted for taking part in the January 6 riots In October, President Joe Biden requested emergency funding - asking Congress for more border agents, officers and deportation flights Hundreds - possibly thousands - of big rigs are planning to head for Eagle Pass in Texas, Yuma in Arizona and San Ysidro in California A massive convoy of truckers were seen making its way to migrant hotspots in a bid to shame the White House into tackling the worsening crisis The migration row flared up again last after the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for federal authorities to remove barbed wire that encircles Texas's border wall. The Lone Star state's Republican governor, Greg Abbott, has vowed to fight any attempt to remove the fencing. And in a clear sign of how that issue is resonating with U.S. voters, Take Our Border Back has racked up an incredible $130,000 in donations to help bankroll this week's rallies. Their fundraising page states the money will be used to finance transport, media support, and other expenses linked to holding those demonstrations. 'Our national security and families' safety at risk,' the page on popular crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo reads. Cherise Moser, a New York native joining the convoy, said it was unfair for asylum-seekers to be 'putting all the burden on American taxpayers.' 'I understand that we are a melting pot. I understand that immigration is part of it. Yes, we do need some labor,' she told DailyMail.com. 'But if you want to come here, you should come through the door not the windows. 'It's not fair on those people who come from other countries and do it the right way. They are committed to being and it shows a desire to do something really positive (in the United States).' Jarred Crook, a 24-year-old out-of-work insulation installer, said he was 'frustrated' watching footage on TV of asylum-seekers pouring over the border with Mexico. He claimed that American businesses were favoring those who entered the country illegally, rather than U.S. citizens who had been born and raised here. 'The company I used to work for, half of the staff were illegals,' he said. 'I would go to these job sites and they were just two percent white people. I'm not a racist or anything, but I can't help but notice. DailyMail.com saw at least 25 vehicles - but no trucks - by the time it hit the I-95, one of the main roads south from Virginia which winds through North and South Carolina The first leg of this convoy's journey is set to end in Jacksonville, Florida late on Monday evening before heading on to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Tuesday The week-long protest, which will also have a similar convoy traveling from California, focuses on what will be one of the top issues in this year's presidential election Texas National Guards patrol the Rio Grande on Monday amid a huge surge of migrants A handful of media outlets had seized on a string of inflammatory messages posted in the organizers' Telegram channel as proof that the protest was merely a front for far-right extremists 'Basically, they were 90 percent Mexicans. The whole job site. Doing all the work. What happened to all the jobs? Why is it just illegal immigrants getting hired?' But many other nationalities are managing to enter the United States by crossing with the border with the help of people-smuggling cartels in Mexico. Illegal entries into this country are believed to be worth an estimated $12 billion each year to those gangs. DailyMail.com revealed in September how male migrants from Africa were snapping up seats at vastly inflated prices on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Bogota in Colombia. The would-be asylum-seekers then fly to Nicaragua via Ecuador so they can avoid the lawless jungle of the Darien Gap in Panama. John Cleese is set to bring Fawlty Towers to London's West End nearly 50 years after it became one of Britain's best-loved sitcoms. The original series, which ran from 1975 to 1979, followed inept hotel manager Basil Fawlty, played by Cleese, as he tried to keep his hotel and marriage afloat. The writer and creator has used material from three episodes of the series The Hotel Inspectors, The Germans and Communication Problems. Cleese said it was a 'thrill' to bring the show to the stage for the first time. He has adapted the three episodes to write 'one huge finale' which will tie them all together. The cast for the West End show (right) look strikingly similar to the actors and actresses in the original series (left) Cleese said it was a 'thrill' to bring the show to the stage for the first time. Pictured: The West End cast Cleese has adapted the three episodes to write 'one huge finale' which will tie them all together Cleese said: 'We've been involved in the casting process for some time, being constantly reminded of what a wealth of acting talent we have in Britain - sorting the very, very, very good from the merely very, very good. 'Finally, we assembled a top-class group of comedy actors.' The strikingly similar-looking West End cast includes Adam Jackson-Smith as Basil Fawlty, Anna-Jane Casey as his wife Sybil, Hemi Yeroham as waiter Manuel and Victoria Fox as Polly, the chambermaid. Director Caroline Jay Ranger, from Only Fools And Horses The Musical and Monty Python Live, will bring the characters to life on stage. Fawlty Towers, which premiered in the seventies, is set in a hotel in the seaside town of Torquay. Basil Fawlty is the irritable owner of the hotel, who was often rude to demanding guests. Basil is constantly berated by his wife, Sybil, portrayed by Prunella Scales, and he also had a number of comedic run-ins with their Spanish waiter Manuel, who was played by Andrew Sachs. The play will follow Basil as he attempts to ingratiate himself with guests he suspects are posing as hotel inspectors. Fawlty Towers was awarded many plaudits, including two Bafta awards for best situation comedy. In 2019, the show was named the greatest British sitcom of all time by a panel of television experts for the Radio Times magazine. The sitcom was based on real life hotel owner, Donald Sinclair, and Cleese was given the idea when he stayed at Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay. Victoria Fox plays Polly and Paul Nicholas is The Major Anna-Jane Casey as Sybil Fawlty in the stage adaptation of the classic TV sitcom Fawlty Towers Adam Jackson-Smith plays Basil Fawlty in the West End adaptation The West End show will premiere at the Apollo Theatre on 4 May and tickets for the show will go on sale on 7 February. The original episode, The Germans, was removed off some broadcast platforms for a period of time due to the use of racial slurs, following the Black Lives Matter protests. However, it returned and was reinstated with a warning about 'offensive content and language'. Cleese co-write the original series with Connie Booth, who was then his wife. She also starred in Fawlty Towers as Polly. Xinjiang's development wins praises from foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives of international organizations Xinhua) 10:08, February 02, 2024 URUMQI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives from international organizations, overseas Chinese and personages from China's Hong Kong and Macao, who have been invited to sit in on the "two sessions" of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have commended the region's rapid economic and social development. For the first time, foreign guests and media have been invited to sit in on or cover the annual meetings of Xinjiang's lawmakers and political advisors, during which plans for local economic and social development in the year ahead are discussed. The annual session of the regional people's congress opened on Tuesday, and the annual session of the regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opened on Monday. According to the regional government work report released during the annual session of the Xinjiang people's congress, the region achieved a regional gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.8 percent in 2023. Sohail Khan, deputy secretary general of the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, said that through the meetings, he has learned many development plans of Xinjiang in various areas, such as agriculture and economy and trade. Khan said the invitation for the meetings offered a good opportunity for foreigners to learn about how things are being done here responsibly by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government. During the "two sessions", Khan visited several places in Urumqi, the region's capital. While visiting an archives center showcasing a rebuilding program of an old town, he witnessed the huge transformation of the former run-down urban areas into modern residential communities over the years. People of all ethnic groups now have access to modern housing facilities, which demonstrates the Chinese government's responsible commitment to the people, Khan said. Last year, the region's import and export volume grew by 45.9 percent, while the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents increased by 5.6 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively. Hu Yumei, president of the Central Asia Overseas Chinese Friendly Association of Kyrgyzstan, sat in on the meetings and said that she is very glad to hear the encouraging data. Various undertakings in Xinjiang have undergone rapid and remarkable changes, especially in terms of economic development, she said. Maliya Huopuer, an Uzbek official, focused on topics of cooperation in culture, tourism and education, and people-to-people exchanges among Belt and Road Initiative participating countries. During a break between meetings, she engaged in discussions with others on how to better serve as a bridge for exchanges between Uzbekistan and China. In 2023, Xinjiang's tourism industry has achieved rapid growth, with the region receiving 265 million visitors, a remarkable 117 percent growth, setting a historical record, according to the regional government work report. The tourism revenue of the region totaled 296.7 billion yuan (about 41.76 billion U.S. dollars), up 227 percent, while the airport passenger throughput exceeded 40 million for the first time, an increase of 143.8 percent compared to the previous year. Wang Xihua, chairman of Xinjiang Association of Hong Kong, said that, although he lives in Hong Kong, he pays great attention to Xinjiang's development. "The development achievements in Xinjiang inspire me, and I will bring the spirit of the meetings back to Hong Kong," he said, adding that he expects to forge a bridge between Hong Kong and Xinjiang to contribute to the high-quality development of Xinjiang and help Hong Kong to integrate into the overall development of the country. Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary, deputy chief of Mission of the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, said that he is interested in relevant policies on opening up in Xinjiang, adding he will introduce those policies to more Pakistani companies and promote cooperation in various fields between the two sides. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Fears are growing for an anti-war Russian model detained by Vladimir Putin's FSB security service. Nadezhda Rossinskaya, 27, was held on a train and taken in for interrogation on suspicion of 'threatening the security of the Russian state'. She is now in custody in Belgorod, a region bordering Ukraine that has seen several missile strikes from Kyiv in recent months as President Zelensky's forces seek to disrupt Russian supply chains. Her sister Elena Egorova was also held for unclear reasons in a swoop on her flat. Model and photographer Nadezhda, also known as Nadine Geisler, helped Ukrainian refugees marooned in Russia. She collected humanitarian aid and enabled some Ukrainians to return home through a single working checkpoint. The FSB is investigating her over an alleged call to financially support the Ukrainian army and collect money, reports claim. She faces up to seven years in jail if convicted, according to her lawyer Yevgeny Sokolov. Belgorod volunteer Nadezhda Rossinskaya (Nadine Geisler) been detained by Vladimir Putin's FSB after assisting Ukrainian refugees in border region Belgorod Elena Egorova, (L) sister of the Belgorod volunteer Nadezhda Rossinskaya (Nadine Geisler) (R) was also detained in her flat by the FSB security service Model and photographer Nadezhda, also known as Nadine Geisler, helped Ukrainian refugees marooned in Russia Nadezhda was previously hit with a fine for handing out flowers while dressed in the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine, though reportedly this was later overturned. A year ago she posted a dramatic picture of her face covered in crimson paint to simulate blood as she spoke about her anguish over the horrors of war. 'Bodies without documents lie in the morgue while their relatives on the other side of the tape wait for news,' she said. She also posted: 'For three days now, the children [refugees] have not taken off their sweaters and sheepskin coats in an apartment with heating at maximum. '[They] will not forget the cold basement so quickly, but they cannot warm their souls.' She revealed a woman who called her saying: 'My husband died two hours ago 'Can you go there? Can you find out where he was buried? I will definitely come there someday.' Later the widow told her: 'Sorry, I drank. My husband died. I don't want to live anymore.' She also spoke of a tragic story involving a teenager who died running away from the war, and his mother who later hanged herself upon hearing the news. She said: 'All these stories are tattooed on the sub-cortex of my brain. 'Because of them you can no longer go outside and look at the ordinary course of people's lives. 'Half an hour's drive there are shells and death, there is hunger, pain, cold and fear.' Last summer she helped victims of the Dnipro flood caused by the Russian destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. First responders give first aid to an injured person after the Russian missile attack on Kharkiv, January 23,2024 Ukrainian rescue and emergency workers attend the site of a missile attack in Kharkiv on January 23, 2024 Nadezhda was previously hit with a fine for handing out flowers while dressed in the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine, though reportedly this was later overturned Elena Egorova, sister of the Belgorod volunteer Nadezhda Rossinskaya Criticising what Moscow calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine has effectively been a crime in Russia from the day it began almost two years ago, but a new bill aims to make penalties for that even tougher Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech in support of the war in Ukraine News of the sisters' detention comes as Russia's parliament considers new legislation which would give the state the power to seize the property of people convicted for defamation of the armed forces. Criticising what Moscow calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine has effectively been a crime in Russia from the day it began almost two years ago, but the new bill aims to make penalties for that even tougher. It would allow the state to seize the property of Russians who have left the country and have criticised the war but who continue to rely on revenue from renting out their houses or apartments in Russia. The move has drawn comparisons with the witch hunts of the 1930s under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin with their 'enemy of the state' rhetoric, and could affect thousands of Russians who have spoken out against Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The speaker of the State Duma lower house of parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has dubbed the new bill 'the scoundrel law'. 'Everyone who tries to destroy Russia, betrays it, must be published accordingly and repay the damage to the country in the form of their property,' he said at the weekend while announcing the submission of the bill. Children appearing in youth or crown courts in England and Wales, whether as a victim, witness or defendant, generally cannot be identified if they are under the age of 18. However, anonymity orders can be and often are - lifted by judges after under-18s have been convicted of serious crimes if it is considered to be in the public interest. The most infamous examples are Jon Venables and Robert Thompson who were 11 when they were convicted of abducting, torturing and murdering two-year-old James Bulger in Merseyside in 1993. However in their case, in 2001, shortly after they turned 18, the High Court made an injunction preventing the media from publishing their new identities, effectively granting them lifelong anonymity. In the case of Brianna's (pictured) killers, both now 16, trial judge Mrs Justice Yip backed a media application to be allowed to name them the day after their conviction on December 20 The most infamous examples are Jon Venables and Robert Thompson who were 11 when they were convicted of abducting, torturing and murdering two-year-old James Bulger in Merseyside in 1993 Aaron Campbell (pictured) who raped and killed six-year-old Alesha MacPhail William Cornick, then 15, stabbed his teacher Ann Maguire to death during a Spanish lesson at his school in Leeds in 2014 In 2019, the depraved 16-year-old boy who raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute was unmasked as Aaron Campbell. Judge Lord Matthews agreed that Campbells name and picture could be published after an appeal by media organisations to end his anonymity. Schoolboy Will Cornick was named after he stabbed to death teacher Ann Maguire, 61, as she taught a class at Corpus Christi Catholic College, Leeds, in 2014 when he was just 15. Jailing Cornick for at least 20 years, Mr Justice Coulson, said lifting his anonymity would have a 'a clear deterrent effect'. READ MORE: Brianna Ghey's school where murderer Scarlett Jenkinson met her victim was not told the teenager obsessed with serial killers was kicked out of her last school for trying to poison another pupil with cannabis sweets Advertisement He added: 'Ill-informed commentators may scoff, but those of us involved in the criminal justice system know that deterrence will almost always be a factor in the naming of those involved in offences such as this.' Other recent examples include 15-year-old Leighton Amies, who stabbed 14-year-old Tomasz Oleszak to death in a Gateshead nature park in 2022, and 14-year-old Craig Mulligan, who murdered his five-year-old step-brother Logan Mwangi and helped dump his body in a river. In the case of Brianna's killers, both now 16, trial judge Mrs Justice Yip backed a media application to be allowed to name them the day after their conviction on December 20. She said this would help the public 'understand how children could do something so dreadful'. The 'particularly brutal' way in which Brianna who was also 16 - was targeted and killed meant there was a strong public interest in naming them, the judge said. But after hearing the families of both killers had been subjected to threats, she ruled that the media could not identify them until their sentencing hearing today, enabling measures to be put in place to keep them safe. Her decision to unmask Girl X and Boy Y came as the nation struggled to comprehend how two children from supportive, stable family backgrounds could have plotted and carried out the 'savage' killing in a quiet corner of a Cheshire village. Pictured here is Craig Mulligan convicted of the murder of Logan Mwangi. The youths identity was revealed after the judge in the case lifted an anonymity order Applauding the 'fortitude and humanity' shown by Brianna's parents, the judge stressed that anyone 'tempted to direct vitriol or malice' towards her killers' families would be 'acting against' her mother's 'express wishes'. READ MORE: Family of torture-loving Scarlett Jenkinson break their silence after teen is jailed Advertisement She added: 'They might also question the part they are playing in society in the context of a case in which dark thoughts and hateful messages became enacted in real life.' The judge agreed to lift the killers' anonymity after hearing submissions from their lawyers on how professionals working with them were opposed to the move. The hearing was told Brianna's family 'support the lifting of the restriction'. Mrs Justice Yip said she had to balance the principle of open reporting of legal proceedings against the welfare of the killers. But she concluded: 'The public will naturally wish to know the identities of the young people responsible as they seek to understand how children could do something so dreadful. 'Continuing restrictions inhibits full and informed debate and restricts the full reporting of the case.' Explaining the process under which juvenile criminals can be unmasked, criminal barrister Chloe Ashley spoke to the Mail's podcast about the case, The Trial Brianna Ghey. Brianna Grey suffered unsurvivable injuries to her head, neck, chest, back and sides Both defendants will be named today when they are sentenced after senior judge Mrs Justice Yip (pictured) indicated she will lift a court order banning the press from identifying them 'When a young person commits a serious crime, it understandably attracts the public's interest, as was the case with Brianna Ghey's tragic murder,' she said. 'Members of the public are understandably curious as to who these defendants are and look to the press to provide them with those details. 'Once an application is made, the judge must then decide whether to grant the media's request and allow the defendants' names to be reported or to enable them to retain their anonymity.' She said that in deciding whether to lift the restriction, the judge would have weighed up the principle of open justice and the wishes of the victim's family against the welfare of the killers and whether identifying them reduced the prospects of rehabilitation. 'Alongside this, it is not only the child in question that the judge has to keep in mind,' she said. 'The defendant's friends and families may also face a significant impact if the individual is named. 'We know in the Brianna Ghey case that the defendants' families have been targeted. 'Of course, this also impacts them mentally and physically, so their welfare must be considered.' She stressed that juveniles convicted of crimes can be identified by the media when they turn 18 in any case unless an order granting them lifelong anonymity is made, reserved for the 'most exceptional cases'. 'Ultimately, every case is different with each defendant having particular circumstances to acknowledge. 'However, if the press submits a request, the judge has to consider it. 'The decision to lift a child's anonymity is never easy, and it must ultimately be in the public interest to grant that release.' A hospitality worker 'living the dream' by travelling along the scenic NSW central coast in her beloved van is shattered after it vanished - before turning up destroyed. Alisha Manning was living out of her van when she parked it in a side street in Newcastle in early December so she could work and stay at a hotel during the peak summer period. When she came back four weeks later, her van, which was registered, was gone - along with everything she owned which was inside it. Ms Manning at first assumed a local had called the council to have the car impounded but after door-knocking the street and numerous calls she tracked it down to a vehicle spare parts company. She found her missing Mitsubishi Delica - which she had named Dahlia - at the car yard completely destroyed and plucked for parts, leaving her to now demand answers about how it got there. Alisha Manning parked her beloved van, which was also her home - in a Newcastle side street for four weeks over the Christmas period while she was working When she returned Ms Manning found that someone had sold her car to a spare parts salvage yard and that it had been mostly destroyed Ms Manning had been living out of the van for months as she travelled and now her belongings are gone and she has nowhere to live. 'Where do I start to rebuild? Four years I lived in her on and off and I think the happiest memories I've ever had in my life were spent in that van,' she told A Current Affair. The van had been found at a car spare parts business which claimed that that it had been contacted by the owner who was looking to sell. A tow truck owner who works for the business said the keys to the van had been given to them during the pickup and management confirmed they collected the registration and personal details of the person. But a furious Ms Manning rebuked this claim and insisted that she was still in possession of the only set of keys to the van. Ms Manning had been living out of the van for months as she travelled and now her belongings are gone and she has nowhere to live When the program visited the parts yard with Ms Manning to check on the condition of her vehicle, they were confronted by a worker who asked them to leave. The unnamed worked claimed he had no idea where the van came from but that his manager would have more answers. When Ms Manning asked him to call the manager, he refused. |A tearful Ms Manning said that all of the contents inside the partially crushed van were her only possessions, including a $350 tent and a stove top. 'It's completely destroyed, every window is smashed and my property gone.' Ms Manning had been 'living the dream' camping around the Central Coast before her van was taken After reporting the incident to police Ms Manning was initially told that it was a civil matter and that they could not help. Now police are investigating the circumstances around the van's fraudulent sale and Ms Manning is pursuing civil action. Despite the setback Ms Manning said she is intent on returning to travelling. 'I'm not willing to turn around and say its over, (to say) there's the end of my dream and travels, because someone did a lousy thing to me,' Ms Manning said. Vladimir Putin lost yet another General in his war against Ukraine earlier this week. Lt-Gen Alexander Tatarenko, 63, was the most senior of ten military personnel killed in a suspected Storm Shadow missile strike on Belbek airbase in occupied Crimea. He was commander of the base which was used for strikes on Ukraine and to consolidate Russia's grip on the Black Sea peninsula. The missile attack is believed to have destroyed a Russian radar and communications facility as well as military equipment at the base near Sevastopol. Unconfirmed reports say there was also some 'collateral damage' to Russian warplanes. Russia has not officially announced Tatarenko's death in the attack two days ago - but several pro-war Russian military Telegram channels confirmed the initial reports. Lt-Gen Alexander Tatarenko, 63, was the most senior of ten military personnel killed in a suspected Storm Shadow missile strike Suspected Storm Shadow missile strike on Belbek military base Suspected Storm Shadow missile strike on Belbek military base in annexed Crimea Lt-Gen Alexander Tatarenko, 63 - first from the left - was reportedly killed during end of January 2024 missile attack on Belbek military aerodrome in Crimea Spy Dossier channel reported that 'seven British-French-made Storm Shadow/SCALP ALCMs were launched towards the airfield. 'Four were shot down by air defence forces, three hit the target.' In particular, between 5:31pm and 5:42pm on Wednesday 'two missiles hit the command post of the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment [military unit 80159, Belbek]. 'Another hit the airfield communications point.' 'Ten military personnel were killed as a result of the strike,' the report said. 'Among the dead is the commander of the aviation squadron of the fighter regiment, Alexander Tatarenko.' Crimean Wind - a Ukrainian channel - reported: 'Ten Russian military personnel were liquidated, including the commander of the aviation squadron, Lieutenant General Alexander Tatarenko.' The missiles came by a new route, over the sea, rather than overland, said reports. Lt-Gen Alexander Tatarenko, 63 - second from the left Lt-Gen Alexander Tatarenko, 63 - marked - was reportedly killed during end of January 2024 missile attack on Belbek military aerodrome in Crimea Lt-Gen Alexander Tatarenko pictured with his wife Tatarenko is believed to be the 13th Russian general killed in the 23-month war. He was married and was believed to have retired from duty prior to the war, but returned to service after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He graduated in 1981 from the Stavropol Higher Military Aviation School of Air Defence Pilots and Navigators, in 1994 from the Military Academy of Air Defence, and in 2008 from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. He was a pilot on Su-17, Su-27 and An-26 planes before his retirement. In late November, Russia lost Major-General Vladimir Zavadsky, 45, deputy commander of the 14th Army Corps. Reports said he was killed by an exploding Russian mine. The desperate search for two children continues after the gruesome discovery of a child's body encased in concrete in Colorado as one of their siblings claimed they have been kidnapped by their father and his girlfriend. Jesus and Yesenia Dominguez were last seen in 2018 when they were aged 5 and 3, now they are 10 and 9, officials say. They have not been reported missing, but when officers were previously asked to conduct welfare checks on the children, they were 'never able to locate them', 9news reports. Police issued a renewed call to locate them and ensure their safety after a child's body was found encased in concrete in a storage unit in Pueblo, Colorado, last month. Officers from the Pueblo Police Department were called to Kings Storage in the city, around 110 miles south of Denver, on January 10 following reports of a metal container filled with hardened concrete being found in one of the units. Jesus Dominguez, then 5, and Yesenia Dominguez, then 3, have not been seen since the summer of 2018 Officers from the Pueblo Police Department were called to Kings Storage (pictured) on the 600 block of West Sixth Street on January 10 following reports of a metal container filled with hardened concrete being found in one of the units During the investigation a child's remains were found in the container and homicide detectives were assigned to the case. A woman claiming that the two missing children are her siblings accused their father and his girlfriend of 'taking them away from their family.' 'There is nothing we can do when we have no clue where anyone is. We searched everywhere and contacted [the] police several times about this and now they want to finally take [this] seriously,' she added. The young victim has not yet been publicly identified by the coroner to allow for their next of kin to be informed. 'The investigation indicates Jesus and Yesenia have not been seen since approximately the summer of 2018,' police said in a statement. 'Yesenia Dominguez was approximately 3 years old when she was last seen, and she would currently be 9 years old. Jesus Dominguez was approximately 5 years old when he was last seen, and he would currently be approximately 10 years old. 'Pueblo Police would like to confirm the location and safety of these children.' The force further said that they have already interviewed two people of interest in this case. No arrests have been made, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. If anyone has any information on this incident, you are encouraged to contact Pueblo Police dispatch at (719) 553-2502 or Detective Nicholas Lile at (719) 601-7751. If you would like to remain anonymous, contact Pueblo Crime Stoppers @ (719) 542-STOP (719- 542-7867) or www.pueblocrimestoppers.com. If your information leads to a felony arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward. Parts of Europe have ground to a halt again as public transport strikes crippled Germany today and Belgium farmers blockaded Dutch border crossings. As many as 2,000 trucks are also stranded outside the Port of Zeebrugge in Bruges after farmers blocked roads with heavy machinery. Farmers across the continent have been protesting for weeks against grievances including taxes, rising costs, cheap imports, climate policies and bureaucracy. Meanwhile Germany, which was hit by farmer demonstrations earlier this month, is now also facing a bruising public transport strike. As 90,000 public transport workers were called on to walk off the job on Friday, bus and tram stations across the country ground to a standstill, disrupting millions of commuters and travellers. Parts of Europe have ground to a halt again as public transport strikes crippled Germany today and Belgium farmers blockaded Dutch border crossings. Pictured: Farmers are seen gathered around bonfires as they block a crossing between Belgium and The Netherlands As many as 2,000 trucks are also stranded outside the Port of Zeebrugge in Bruges (pictured) after farmers blocked roads with heavy machinery Pictured: Tractors block a border crossing between The Netherlands and Belgium today Dutch and Belgian farmers block the border crossing at Arendonk, between the Netherlands and Belgium, with tractors and other heavy machinery An aerial view shows a road blockade between Belgium and The Netherlands today The 24-hour strike, called by labour union Verdi in all federal states except Bavaria, is the latest in a series of industrial actions that have plagued the country's transportation sector in recent weeks. Central to Verdi's demands are improved working conditions, it said in a statement, listing reduced working hours and increased holiday entitlement as requested measures. 'We have a dramatic shortage of labour in public transport and incredible pressure on employees. Buses and trains are cancelled every day in all fare zones because there are not enough staff,' Verdi deputy chairwoman, Christine Behle, said Monday. Youth and climate movement Fridays for Future said 60 of its local branches supported the industrial action. 'We are striking together to mobilize for better working conditions and a future for public transport,' a spokesperson said. On Thursday, a strike by security staff at 11 German airports had affected 200,000 travellers and led to around 1,100 flight cancellations or delays, the German airports association ADV said. Disruptions were set to continue in Hamburg, where Verdi called on ground service staff to strike from 3am (0200 GMT) on Friday until midnight. Meanwhile in Germany, workers are taking part in a nationwide strike called by the German trade union Verdi over a wage dispute. Strikers are seen in Mainz, February 2 Germany, which was hit by farmer demonstrations earlier this month, is now also facing a bruising public transport strike. Pictured: Subway carriages are seen parked in Frankfurt Traffic is seen backed-up in Berlin beneath a train on a bridge near the city's TV tower during a nationwide strike over a wage dispute held by local public transport workers, on February 2 Subway carriages are parked in a subway depot in Frankfurt, Germany, February 2 Trams are parked in a depot in Essen, Germany during a nationwide strike Meanwhile in Belgium, the border crossing in the direction of Antwerp - the country's second-biggest city and home to Europe's second-biggest port - is one of the crossings blocked by farmers, according to a post on social media platform X. Local media reported that the protests started late on Thursday night on the Belgian side with some Dutch farmers joining later. Dutch authorities have advised against travelling to Belgium on Friday if possible. In western Belgium, farmers have been blocking trucks from entering or leaving the port of Zeebrugge, part of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, for several days, with Flemish broadcaster VRT reporting that almost 2,000 trucks are stuck. Local police said they were providing the drivers with catering and sanitary facilities. A spokesperson for the Zeebrugge port said on Wednesday that the docks were filling up and would reach capacity if protests continued throughout the week. Friday's protests followed a demonstration on Thursday outside the European Union's Brussels headquarters as the EU's leaders overcame months of opposition from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban to agree 50 billion euros of aid for Ukraine. But the farmers wanted their issues on the agenda too. They clogged roads around the summit with 1,300 tractors in a show of strength, lighting fires and pulling down a city statue. They also burned bales of hay and threw eggs and fireworks at police, who formed a protective ring around the building. Protesters wreaked havoc in Brussels late into the night on Thursday by blocking roads with tractors and pelting police with eggs and fireworks Police officers stand behind a fire as protesters take part in a demonstration outside the European headquarters at Place du Luxembourg, in Brussels, on February 1 An anti-riot police officers stand guard on the Luxemburgplein square, following the farmers' protest action at the European district in Brussels on February 1 A view of Place du Luxembourg during Belgian Farmers' Protest on February 1 As thick smoke from burning bales of hay and tyres hung over parts of the Belgian capital, security forces used water cannons to douse fires and keep a farmer from felling a tree on the steps of the European Parliament. They could not prevent one bronze statue being pulled off its pedestal and scorched. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban even complained that the endless noise from the tractors kept him up at night. Inside, eager to reassure a key part of the electorate and end disruption in several cities, leaders at a European Union summit in Brussels showered the farmers with compliments and compassion - if few concrete proposals. Most leaders at Thursday's summit were keen to win over farmers ahead of EU parliamentary elections in June, especially as populist and hard-right politicians have latched on to their plight in recent weeks. 'Don't demonise the farmers. Don't send the army on them. But talk to them,' Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. Leaders welcomed the plan of the European Commission to shield farmers from cheap imports from Ukraine during wartime and allow farmers to use some land that had been forced to lie fallow for environmental reasons. President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen announced that Brussels would put forward plans to ease rules and red tape criticised to make sure farmers can spend more time in their fields, not in their offices. Many leaders also said they would not approve a mooted trade deal with South American nations unless any imports meet the same regulatory standards faced by EU farmers, a key demand from the sector. 'The priority for us should be implementing existing rules and regulations and not imposing new additional ones on farmers over the next couple of years,' said Irish premier Leo Varadkar, adding to the chorus of soothing words from leaders. Aerial view shows farmers staging a protest with their tractors, vehicles and hay bales on France's A4 highway on Thursday Several tractors and cars are seen lined up on France's A4 highway as farmers protest Farmers park their tractors in front of 'Rennes Metropole' (intercommunal administration) building in Rennes, western France, on February 1 For weeks, farmers have complained that it is becoming harder than ever to make a decent living as energy and fertiliser costs surge because of Russia's war in Ukraine, more and cheaper farm imports enter the bloc, and climate change-fuelled droughts, floods or fires destroy crops. Unrest has been seen in France, Germany, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Romania and Italy - all triggered by concerns over low wages, heavy regulation and cheap imports. Their protests jammed traffic in cities, preventing millions of European citizens from getting to work or school, while blockades of ports and major traffic routes meant supermarket shelves were left bare. The protests have exposed tensions over the impact on farming of the EU's drive to tackle climate change, as well as of opening the door to cheap Ukrainian imports to help Kyiv's war effort. The biggest demonstrations have been seen in France, where farmers blocked highways around Paris with their tractors. The French government did make significant concessions - enough that two major farming union promised to suspend the blockade their tractors had placed on Paris. Paris said it would implement 'safeguard clauses' to restrict the import of products, aiming to strengthen the balance between suppliers and distributors. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal also said the government would enshrine the principle of 'food sovereignty' in national law, counter 'excessive changing of standards' and 'improve oversight' over products on French origin. An Italian farmer standing on a tractor waves a national flag in the center of Milan during a protest on February 1, 2024 Farmers gather with their tractors at the Agrotica agricultural fair in Thessaloniki on February 1 Starting this year, Paris will also provide an annual 150 million in fiscal and social support for farmers, the government said. An increased tax on non-road diesel was also cancelled. In recent days, lines of tractors have rolled menacingly across a residential street in Poland and across a German bridge, while farming protesters in Italy burned spectacular nighttime fires by stone statues. In Greece, farmers rallied outside an agricultural fair. A Briton charged with defrauding Danish tax authorities of more than 320 million Danish crowns (36.6 million) in a sham trading scheme to make double tax reclaims has been sentenced to six years in prison. Danish prosecutors in 2021 brought preliminary criminal charges against Guenther Klar, 54, along with two other British and three U.S. citizens for defrauding tax authorities of more than 1.1 billion crowns. Klar was extradited to Denmark from Belgium in June of last year to face prosecution. The charges are connected to the broader, so-called 'cum-ex' trading scheme, in which the Danish state says it lost more than 12.7 billion crowns. The main suspect in the case, another Briton named Sanjay Shah, was extradited to Denmark from Dubai in December. Both deny any wrongdoing. Danish prosecutors in 2021 brought preliminary criminal charges against Guenther Klar, 54, along with two other British and three U.S. citizens for defrauding tax authorities of more than 1.1 billion crowns Shah, 52, was arrested in Dubai in 2022 at the request of Danish authorities, who accused him of exploiting Europe's tax systems for his personal benefit though his now-defunct hedge fund. UAE state media said: 'UAE authorities extradited accused Sanjay Shah, a British national, to Denmark, where he is wanted by judicial authorities for cases of tax fraud and money laundering. 'Shah was extradited to Denmark's security mission, according to legal procedures, based on a decision by the Court of Cassation in Dubai and the resolution by the Minister of Justice, who approved the extradition.' Two Danish cops were seen escorting him to a grey Volkswagen van waiting for him on the runway of Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen following his extradition in December. Shah is accused of running the scheme between 2012 and 2015, and was arrested by Dubai police following a request by Danish authorities to extradite him over the alleged fraud that has dogged him for years. The Danish Customs and Tax Authority (SKAT) wants to take back 1.44 billion from several defendants, including Shah and his hedge fund, who it alleges made fraudulent applications for tax rebates in what are called 'Cum-ex' trades. He has consistently denied wrongdoing. 'Cum-ex', Latin for 'with-without', schemes, which flourished following the 2008 financial crisis, involved trading shares rapidly around a syndicate of banks, investors and hedge funds to exploit the tax systems of countries such as Denmark, Germany and Belgium. Cum-ex trades worked when an allegedly fraudulent network would lend each other shares in large companies, so that tax authorities believed there were two owners of each share. Banks used in the stock trade would then issue a receipt that would 'confirm' dividend tax had been paid on the transaction. Cum-ex trades saw allegedly fraudulent networks quickly trade these shares just before the payout date for the dividend, which would allow them to reclaim double the taxes. The Danish Customs and Tax Authority (SKAT) wants to take back 1.44 billion from several defendants, including Sanjay Shah (pictured) and his hedge fund Two Danish cops were seen escorting him to a grey Volkswagen van waiting for him on the runway of Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen It is estimated that cum-ex trades cost ten European countries over 55 billion euros (47 billion). Shah's lifestyle on Dubai's luxurious palm-shaped island over the past few years has sparked outrage in Denmark. During his time in Dubai, the hedge fund manager ran a centre for autistic children that shut down in 2020 as Denmark tried to extradite him. He also oversaw a British-based charity, Autism Rocks, which raised funds through concerts and performances. The trader previously had his 14.7 million Hyde Park mansion seized by Denmark after being accused of the fraud. Between 2022 and early 2023, he was involved in drawn-out litigation over whether he should be extradited to Denmark from the UAE. After the Court of Appeal in Dubai initially rejected an extradition request by Denmark in September 2022, it later overturned that decision in December This was upheld in April, though a timeframe for his extradition was not given. In a separate ruling in September 2022, Shah was ordered to pay 1 billion to Denmark's tax authority as part of a civil case in Dubai. His lawyers are also appealing against that ruling. A dog sitter has avoided prison after being caught on camera trying to have sex with a Great Dane he was meant to be looking after. Graham Robinson was house-sitting the six-year-old dog in Southampton while the owner and her 12-year-old daughter were on holiday. Southampton Crown Court heard that the 52-year-old from Hythe, Hampshire was unaware they had installed a security camera so they could keep an eye on their property while they were away in May last year. The court heard the owner's 12-year-old daughter was watching some of the footage on a mobile phone when she saw Robinson try to penetrate the dog. Tom Wilkins, prosecuting, said: 'The video was left running so the owner could monitor the house. Graham Robinson was house-sitting the six-year-old dog in Southampton last May 'To her and her daughter's great distress, they saw the defendant attempt to penetrate the dog. 'It was recorded on video and it was quite plain what was happening.' In a statement read by Mr Wilkins, the dog's owner said she installed the camera because she had a 'gut feeling' that Robinson would not 'respect' the house. She added that Robinson's act had 'completely ruined' her daughter's birthday, which fell during the holiday. 'She has been left with horrifying images,' she said. 'The dog has been jumpy ever since the incident and always looks sad. I feel sad and angry all the time.' Robinson pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting sexual penetration with a living animal. A judge at Southampton Crown Court handed Robinson a two-year community order He told the probation service he had drunk ten glasses of spirits and two beers on the day and had also used cannabis, but had not touched alcohol or taken drugs since, the court heard. Robinson, who was not represented in court, said: 'I'm sorry I did what I did. I can't believe it - it's shocking. I'm devastated.' Judge Nicholas Rowland told the defendant he had committed a gross breach of trust. He added: 'You attempted to penetrate a dog that had been entrusted into your care. It was an abomination. It's incomprehensible to behave in this way..' After studying a pre-sentence report, the judge handed Robinson a two-year community order, including a requirement to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation activity. He added that the defendant was almost sent to prison, saying it was a 'close run thing'. This is the shocking moment a London Stock Exchange IT manager driving a Tesla caused a 100mph motorway crash with a new mother while high on cannabis. Dramatic dashcam footage shows Josselin Herjean, 51, of Hamble, Hampshire, smashing his 50,000 electric motor into the back of a BMW containing Kirsty Skinner as she returned from hospital following the birth of her daughter. The clip shows Herjean swerving at high speed from the middle lane into the outside lane before ploughing into the rear of the white car, sending it into the central reservation and then into the air on the M27 in Southampton in October last year. As the Tesla slows down after the terrifying collision, the BMW - which was carrying Ms Skinner, her partner Jamie Swinfield and her three other children aged five, three and one - carries on out of control along the carriageway in a cloud of smoke. The 'traumatised' family were returning home after Ms Skinner had given birth via caesarean section - and Southampton Crown Court heard that upon impact she screamed 'my babies' and clutched her stomach. Tesla driver Josselin Herjean is pictured outside Southampton Crown Court yesterday Kirsty Skinner was returning from hospital following the birth of her daughter last October A nurse who witnessed the crash told the court that Herjean showed 'no compassion' to the family and when she went to check on him, he was 'throwing clothes' out of his vehicle. The court heard at the time, Herjean was in the midst of a psychotic episode due to the stress of working in the 'high pressure' environment of the stock exchange. At the hearing where the clip was shown, the successful IT risk manager specialist was handed a suspended jail sentence and disqualified from driving for 18 months after a judge said it was a 'minor miracle' that no one got injured in the collision. Adrian Fleming, prosecuting, told the court that witness Eleanor Randall, who was also driving on the M27 at the time, 'saw a red coloured Tesla overtake a vehicle at a very high speed - she estimated over 100mph'. According to Ms Randall, a BMW 'doing about 70mph' began to engage in a 'perfectly normal overtaking manoeuvre' towards the fourth lane of the motorway. Mr Fleming continued: 'What happened next was that the Tesla, still going at a grossly excessive speed, pulled out without warning, and erratically, into lane four. 1) Dramatic dashcam footage shows the moments leading up to the crash in Southampton 'It then hit the BMW in the rear. The car jolted forward then it hit the central reservation and the back of the car jolted up into the air.' Herjean crashed into the car containing Jamie Swinfield, Ms Skinner - whose newborn was still in hospital - and their three other children. After the collision, Ms Randall went over to the Tesla where she found 'Mr Herjean was throwing clothing out of the vehicle onto the carriageway'. Ms Randall then went over to the BMW where she saw a 'female passenger', Ms Skinner, shouting: 'My babies'. The prosecutor added: 'The female in the passenger seat was holding her stomach as she had just a caesarean section.' Mr Fleming checked over the mother and let her know she was uninjured. 2) The clip shows Herjean swerving at high speed from the middle lane into the outside lane The nurse then went back over to Herjean who was now 'unpacking items from the boot of his car' and she reported 'she could smell cannabis' on him. The court heard Herjean showed 'no compassion' and 'didn't check on the family in the BMW'. According to the nurse, when she informed the driver he was doing 'over 100mph' - 'he just shrugged'. The court heard the family were returning from hospital having just given birth to their baby daughter. In a victim impact statement read to court, Mr Swinfield said his newborn daughter 'could easily have been orphaned' and the impact of the crash felt like he had been 'sucker punched in the head'. He added: 'This incident has traumatised me and my family. I felt like I had nearly lost my family. I look at my three kids when putting them to bed and get upset.' 3) The video then shows Herjean's Tesla ploughing into the rear of the white BMW vehicle Outlining the case, Mr Fleming said: 'There is significant excessive speed when pulling out and a highly dangerous manoeuvre. '[Herjean] had been tested at the scene and was negative to alcohol but positive to cannabis. Back at the police station, he failed to give a sample of blood.' Grace McConnell, representing Herjean, told the court that at the time of the incident, he was experiencing a psychotic episode due to the stress of work. She told the court that Herjean worked as an IT risk manager specialist at the London Stock Exchange. Ms McConnell added: '[He was working under] extremely high pressure and it was this pressure from work that led to this episode in his life and the situation he found himself in last October. 'He was experiencing distress about who he was and where he was at that time.' 4) The impact sends the BMW into the central reservation and then into the air on the M27 Herjean pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. Sentencing Herjean, Recorder Stefan Ramel said that upon impact Mr Swinfield's children and partner started 'crying hysterically'. He added: 'It's a minor miracle that none of them were seriously injured in this collision you caused. 'Mr Swinfield has lost confidence in his driving and he said when he puts his three children to bed he gets upset.' Herjean was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and disqualified from driving for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 130 hours of unpaid work, carry out 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, and pay 425 in court costs.a A suspected chemical attacker who maimed a mother and her two daughters pleaded guilty to sex assault and exposure charges in 2018 but was not jailed. Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, is on the run from police after being suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, on Wednesday night in Clapham, south London. It has emerged that Ezedi is a former asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was allowed to stay in the UK despite pleading guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure, following two failed asylum applications. However, he avoided jail after being handed a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Ezedi was later granted the right to stay in the UK on his third asylum application in either 2020 or 2021, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. A handout CCTV grab released by Britain's Metropolitan Police in London on February 1, 2024 shows Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (pictured), taken in a Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has been named by police as the suspect in a corrosive alkaline substance attack in Clapham, south London Wednesday's horrific attack on Lessar Road at 7.25pm left the mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and her youngest daughter with 'life changing injuries'. Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's time in the UK: 2016 Ezedi arrives in the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing from Afghanistan. He had two applications for asylum rejected. 2018 Ezedi is handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and is discharged from probation supervision. 2020-2021 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on his third application - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. January 31 2024 Ezedi is suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. Advertisement The elder child is also said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital in a stable condition. The Met has urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who was also hurt in the horror that unfolded. The force last night released CCTV footage of Ezedi buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained significant injuries in the attack, which officers say was targeted. He is accused of leaping on the vulnerable mother and her two daughters, hurling a corrosive alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: I cant see, I cant see! Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the mans car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack Children's minister David Johnston was pressed by Sky News on reports the suspect in the alkaline substance attack in south London is a convicted sex offender who was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Mr Johnston said: 'I don't have his case file and I can't say anything that might affect the police's investigation here. 'He is still at large and what we really need is anyone with information to come forward in order that he can be apprehended, given he is police's key suspect. He described the attack as 'horrific' and sent his thoughts to the victims. He told Sky News: 'What has been reported in this particular case will understandably concern I think every member of the public. Concerns me, concerns every member of the government.' Asked whether it was a failure of the Government for someone to be granted permission to stay in the UK after being convicted of a crime, he said: 'This is why this government's so determined to end the asylum merry-go-round.' Mr Johnston added that a 'number of cases' of people appealing and claiming asylum after having their application rejected. He added that the Rwanda Bill aims to stop this from happening. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a "detailed review" of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case raises "very serious concerns". He said: 'It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity. 'I think we need to investigate the particular circumstances. 'We shouldn't jump to conclusions, and I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest." Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child like a ragdoll above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring. Another horrified witness said: Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again. Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered life-changing injuries. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital. One witness described the mothers horrific injuries: Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically. The Acid Survivors Trust International, an organisation that records information on chemical attacks across the world, said that the heinous attack being directed at the young mother and her two children was 'unheard of', as most are related to gang violence. Jaf Shah, chief executive of the trust, said: 'The scale of attacks and the targeting of young children by a single perpetrator is unheard of. It's important to highlight that this is not commonplace, this is very rare.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million Forensics were seen closely examining a silver thermal carry-cup, which was located next to a bin Shannon Christi was one of those injured. She recalled: They were screaming, Help! Help! The little one was thrown to the floor. It was aggressive. He threw her down on the floor. Then he picked her up and threw her down again. Thats when I ran in and just grabbed her, because I couldnt watch. I didnt see anything on her clothes, but there was something on her coat that got transferred to me. She landed on her face. It was scratched, bruised. I saw the mother afterwards. Her face was red and sore. Her eyes were closed and she was screaming: I cant see! Thats when I realised something had been thrown at her. So I called for someone to get water. Her lips went black. It was all over her face. At that point, my face and my arms started tingling. My lips started tingling so I knew something was wrong. I ran into my house and washed my arms and my face. Another resident, Mohamed Ilyas, said: I saw him driving into her. He smashed her with the car, then the kid went and knocked on the door, saying Mummy! Mummy!, hitting on the door. Then he got out the car, went into the backseat, pulled out the other little child and smashed her on the floor. After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, at 8.48pm dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. The mother and two girls were given emergency first aid at Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, a complex used to house Afghan refugees where they had been living, while detectives believe Ezedi may be heading to Newcastle, where he has links. Two scientists could be seen crowding around the mug, which appeared to have an evidence marker The car appeared to have crashed into other parked vehicles as it came to a stop on the residential road The UK's current policy on asylum seekers states that they can claim asylum based on their conversion to a new religion, if they can prove they will face persecution in their country of origin as a result of their new faith. Ezedi's case has already been compared to Enzo Almeni, a Christian convert who had changed his name by deed poll from Emad Al Swealmeen and blew himself up outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on Remembrance Sunday in 2021 after months of planning. Al Swealmeen was confirmed to have converted to Christianity by Rt Revd Cyril Ashton at Liverpool Cathedral in 2017. Ezedi managed to claim asylum, despite his criminal history, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. He was granted the right to stay in the UK on his third application in either 2020 or 2021, after coming into the UK in the back of a lorry in 2016, despite being convicted of a sexual offence just two years after he arrived. Ezedi pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed. He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018, to a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Police were seen outside the last known address of Ezedi MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable Abdul Shokoor Ezedi has not been seen at his address in Newcastle for around six months, neighbours told MailOnline. READ MORE: Acid attack victim says perpetrators should be jailed for life with no chance of parole - Lauren Trent speaks out as cops continue manhunt for thug who maimed mother and her two children in Clapham chemical assault Advertisement He was last known to be living in a shared terraced house in Dilston Road in the Arthur's Hill area of the city. Neighbours said the house had a high turnover of tenants and few remembered him. However Mohammad Hussain Nazary, 24, who works in his family's food shop said he recalled Ezedi living in the area but assumed he was a single man. He said: 'I'd see him around the area and he'd come in from time to time. 'He's an Afghan and I assumed he was single because I never saw him with a partner or family, he was always on his own. 'He seemed like an ordinary harmless guy, certainly not someone you'd associate with something like this. 'He was around quite a lot but I haven't seen him in maybe six or seven months.' A neighbour said: 'There are a lot of long term residents in the street but also a couple of houses where tenants come and go all the time and that house is one of them. There are new people moving in very regularly , you can't keep track of who is living there.' MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently been living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable. A resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' He visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project every two weeks for toiletries and food, according to a charity worker at the site which provides basic food and clothing to asylum seekers Garage worker Michael Vinks, 37, works opposite the hostel. He said: 'He came in a while ago and chatted to my boss about possibly buying a car, but it didn't come to anything.' St Vincent's Centre, in Byker, Newcastle, where acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project every two weeks for toiletries and food The site which provides basic food and clothing to asylum seekers Bilal Khan (pictured), owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents Acid attacks in London rise by 45 per cent in a year Acid attacks have risen in London by 45 per cent in a year, Met Police figures show. The force recorded 107 attacks in 2022, up from 74 in 2021. The data was released by the charity Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) following a freedom of information request. Overall, police in England and Wales recorded 472 violent and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 525 recorded in the previous 12-month period. The data is published annually and only dates back to March 2020, when current records began. The Home Office started collecting data on some offences involving corrosive substances from April 2019 as part of a government pledge to tackle such attacks. The figures to March 2023 exclude any reports that may have been made to Devon and Cornwall Police because the force has been unable to supply data due to problems with a new computer system. Advertisement Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily. 'He was coming and going back to me about the car but I told him "this is my price".' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents. 'I try to keep my distance from people like that,' he said. The negotiation over the car ended without a sale last summer and Mr Khan said he had not seen Ezedi since around Christmas or New Year. Asked if he was worried about the suspect returning to Newcastle, Mr Khan said: 'I don't think so. If he knows the police and the media are after him then he will stay away, if he doesn't get caught.' Mr Khan told The Telegraph: 'Hes a small, skinny guy. Theres nothing threatening about him. 'Ive never seen him with anyone, as far as I could see he spent his days on his own hanging around the street near the hostel.' Tory MPs have called for the Government to reform its policy on asylum seekers in the wake of the horrific attack. Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge and the co-chair of the New Conservative group of MPs, told The Telegraph: 'This shocking and tragic case is everybody's worst nightmare but it also shows the urgent need to tighten up our asylum processes. 'This man should never have been granted asylum in this country and we need to get to the bottom of how he was able to be granted leave to remain. 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year.' Sir John Hayes, former minister and MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said he would be writing to the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, asking for an urgent review of the UK's asylum rules. 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals. 'It won't take much working out who has been here and subsequently received asylum and then committed a crime and how we can deport all of them.' Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year' Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, said: 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country' Sir John Hayes, MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said: 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals' Also calling for reform was Lee Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Tory party, who expressed a zero-tolerance view on asylum seekers who commit crimes of any kind. 'It should apply whether it is shoplifting or another crime. That would make us a safer country. They should find him and send him straight back. No messing about. 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country. He cannot claim he is being persecuted and at risk when he is coming to the UK and committing crimes.' Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'This is a huge wake up call. He should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: We believe the man and woman are known to each other. We are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears to be a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said a big team of officers were involved in the manhunt following the ghastly attack. Strong alkaline materials, such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia, can cause blindness, severe burns and permanent scarring. But it is difficult to ban the harmful chemicals as many are found in ordinary household cleaning products. Concentrated bleach contains around 10 to 15 per cent sodium hypochlorite, which can burn skin on contact. Other products such as oven cleaner, drain unblockers and metal polish are also alkaline substances. The chemicals can rapidly eat away skin, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and in some cases bone. A former CIA software engineer has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for leaking classified information to Wikileaks, and possession of child abuse images. Joshua Schulte, 35, was found guilty in July 2022 on eight espionage charges and one obstruction charge over the so-called Vault 7 leaks. The leak, which prosecutors called one of the most 'brazen' leaks in US history, showed how the CIA hacked Apple and Android smartphones to turn them into listening devices. On Thursday, he was sentenced for charges of espionage, computer hacking, contempt of court, making false statements to the FBI and possession of child abuse images. Joshua Schulte, 35, was found guilty in July 2022 on eight espionage charges and one obstruction charge over the so-called Vault 7 leaks Schulte leaked to the public and U.S. adversaries some of the nation's 'most valuable intelligence-gathering cyber tools used to battle terrorist organizations and other malign influences around the globe' WikiLeaks began publishing the classified materials in March 2017, Schulte would share 8761 documents with the platform. When his apartment was searched during the investigation it would also reveal that he had 'tens of thousands of images of child sexual abuse materials'. READ MORE: Ex-CIA software engineer Joshua Schulte who was convicted of biggest leak of classified information now faces trial on child porn charges where he allegedly had more than 10K images and videos Advertisement Schulte, who resigned from the CIA in November 2016, was motivated to orchestrate the leak because he believed the agency had disrespected him by ignoring his complaints about the work environment. He had been struggling to keep on top of his workload and continually missing deadlines, which Assistant US Attorney Michael Lockard said earned him the nickname 'Drifting Deadline'. So he tried 'to burn to the ground' the very work he had helped the agency to create, the Justice Department stated. The leak, prosecutors said, 'immediately and profoundly damaged the CIA's ability to collect foreign intelligence against America's adversaries; placed CIA personnel, programs, and assets directly at risk; and cost the CIA hundreds of millions of dollars.' Schulte countered he was framed and scapegoated for the leak because of his issues with management. The information leaked to the public and to U.S. adversaries some of the nation's 'most valuable intelligence-gathering cyber tools used to battle terrorist organizations and other malign influences around the globe.' Schulte stands trial over accusations that he possessed and transported thousands of images showing rape and sexual abuse of children Schulte, who chose to defend himself at trial in New York in 2022, told jurors in his closing arguments that the CIA and FBI made him a scapegoat for the embarrassing public release the trove of secrets. Schulte is pictured in a March 2020 courtroom sketch The prosecutor said Schulte knew the leak would render the CIA's tools 'essentially useless, having a devastating effect on our intelligence community by providing critical intelligence to those who wish to do us harm.' Prosecutors also said that while he was behind bars awaiting trial, Schulte continued his crimes by trying to leak additional classified materials as he carried on an 'information war' against the government. Schulte denied leaking the information to Wikileaks multiple times to the FBI. Advertisement Keir Starmer and Tony Blair joined a host of the Labour elite turning out to say goodbye to Derek Draper today. The current leader and former PM were among those attending the funeral for the New Labour stalwart. Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, Lord Mandelson and Alastair Campbell - who all worked closely with Mr Draper in the Blair era - were also present to pay tribute. Mr Draper's wife Kate Garraway, family and friends gathered at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill. He died last month aged 56 after years battling the effects of Covid. Sir Tony described the one-time political adviser as a ruthless political operative and 'an important part of the New Labour story'. Keir Starmer and Tony Blair, with wife Cherie, joined a host of the Labour elite turning out to say goodbye to Derek Draper today Former No10 spin chief Alastair Campbell was among the mourners at the funeral today Ed Miliband (right) and Ed Balls (left) - who all worked closely with Mr Draper in the Blair era - were also present to pay tribute Derek Draper (circled) is seen standing next to Labour grandees including Neil Kinnock, John Prescott and Peter Mandelson (right). The footage was in BBC2's The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty 'He was a tough, sometimes ruthless political operative, a brilliant adviser and someone you always wanted on your side,' he said last month. 'But underneath that tough exterior he was a loving, kind, generous and good natured man you wanted as a friend.' Sir Elton John was among the stars from the showbiz world to attend. Sir Tony Blair and Sir Keir Starmer were the big names from the world of politics, where Derek worked for many years. Kate's Good Morning Britain colleagues Ben Shephard, Susanna Reid were amongst the first to arrive at the north London church. GMB alumni including Piers Morgan and Charlotte Hawkins also attended the sad event. Fiona Phillips and her ITV exec husband Martin Frizell also arrived with GMB presenter Sean Fletcher and Robert Rinder. Mr Draper was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020. He was one of the country's longest-suffering Covid patients after being in hospital but never fully recovered after the virus left long-lasting damage to his organs and meant he needed round-the-clock care. He suffered a heart attack before Christmas and never recovered. Kate revealed Derek died as she held his hand 'throughout the last long hours and when he passed' on January 5. In his final years, Derek Draper's name became synonymous with the horrifying toll of the Coronavirus pandemic. The former 'ruthless political operative' spent more than a year in hospital with Covid-19 from early 2020 and ultimately never recovered. Although Derek's struggles were bravely documented by his devoted wife, GMB presenter Kate Garraway, it was as a key New Labour figure that he was remembered by his former colleagues when he died aged just 56 last month. Today, that respect was evidenced by the presence of the leading lights behind Labour's landslide 1997 election victory at his funeral in Primrose Hill, north London. Derek, who himself played a key role in Labour's triumph over John Major's Conservative government, was honoured today by figures led by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Also present was Sir Tony's former director of communications Alastair Campbell, ex-minister Ed Balls, shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband and current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. A former researcher for Blairite Peter Mandelson, Derek Draper became a director of lobbying firm GPC Market Access in 1996 and set up the New Labour organisation Progress with Liam Byrne, who went on to become an MP. Above: Mr Draper in 1998 and with his wife Kate Garraway in 2019 Derek Draper (circled) is seen standing next to Labour grandees including Neil Kinnock, John Prescott and Peter Mandelson (right). The footage was in BBC2's The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty The New Labour spin doctor reached great heights of influence in the 1990s but became best known for his involvement in the 'lobbygate' scandal. He began his association with Labour when he took up a role as a researcher for Blairite Peter Mandelson, who also attended his funeral. Derek became a director of lobbying firm GPC Market Access in 1996 and set up the New Labour organisation Progress with Liam Byrne, who went on to become an MP. It was while working at GPC that Mr Draper was caught on tape boasting to an undercover journalist of his government connections. In one of the first sleaze scandals to hit Tony Blair's fledgling administration, he reportedly claimed: 'There are 17 people who count in this government, and to say I am intimate with all of them is the understatement of the century.' Mr Draper insisted he had done nothing wrong in the so-called 'cash for access' scandal dubbed 'lobbygate' but admitted he did have a 'big mouth'. The incident appeared to spell the end of any bigger political ambitions for the famously champagne-swilling New Labour stalwart and he travelled to the United States, where he trained as a psychotherapist. In 2005, Mr Draper married Kate Garraway, the GMTV co-presenter who is now part of the Good Morning Britain team on ITV and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in November 2019. In 2008 he returned to the Labour spotlight as the head of the website LabourList, a left-wing rival to online portals such as Conservative Home. He hit the headlines again in 2009 and stepped down as editor of LabourList after email correspondence between him and Damian McBride, one of Gordon Brown's key aides, was leaked. In the emails, Mr McBride proposed a campaign of unfounded personal smears against senior Conservatives on a new blog called RedRag, an idea praised by Mr Draper as 'absolutely, totally brilliant'. Former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair arrives for Derek Draper's funeral at St Mary the Virgin Church in Primrose Hill with his wife Cherie Alastair Campbell, Blair's former director of communications, arrives for Derek Draper's funeral Lord Peter Mandelson attends the funeral service of Derek Draper at St Mary the Virgin church in Primrose Hill Former Labour leader and current shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband arrives for Derek Draper's funeral Ed Balls attends the funeral of Derek Draper at St Mary the Virgin Church In 2005, Mr Draper married Kate Garraway, the GMTV co-presenter who is now part of the Good Morning Britain team on ITV and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in November 2019. Above: The couple in 2008 Mr Draper is seen with his wife and children at their home in a scene from a documentary about his battle with Covid In a resignation statement released to the Guardian, Mr Draper acknowledged that his continued presence at LabourList - which was originally set up to discuss serious policy ideas - was detracting from the website. 'I regret ever receiving the infamous email and I regret my stupid, hasty reply. I should have said straight away that the idea was wrong,' he said. 'I do ask people to remember that its contents were never published by me, or anyone else, involved in the Labour Party and they would never have seen the light of day were it not for someone hacking into my emails and placing them into the public domain. 'Because of that, a silly idea ultimately destined for the trash can became a national scandal.' Mr Draper was once again consigned to the Labour wilderness and became chief executive of a leadership consultancy, compiling weekly emails summarising the best content for business and HR leaders. In 2019 he announced he was resigning his Labour Party membership. Mr Draper was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020. He was placed in an induced coma and it was not until more than a year later, in April 2021, that he was able to return home to his family. His case attracted much media attention, partly because of his marriage to Kate, who produced an award-winning documentary about his illness, and partly because of the length of his hospital stay. He was one of the country's longest-suffering Covid patients after spending 13 months in hospital. Despite being free of the virus when he left hospital, Mr Draper had suffered long-lasting damage to his organs and required daily care at home. Mr Draper was among the first in the UK to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 and was admitted to an intensive care unit as the country entered lockdown in March 2020. Above: With his wife and her parents at Windsor Castle last June after Ms Garraway was made a member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to broadcasting The New Labour spin doctor reached great heights of influence in the 1990s but became best known for his involvement in the 'lobbygate' scandal In early July 2022, Garraway disclosed he had been readmitted to hospital and later that month dropped out of presenting Good Morning Britain as his condition worsened. The February following, the ITV series Kate Garraway: Caring for Derek aired on ITV, and documented Draper's arrival home from the hospital while also following Garraway as she navigated the 'myriad challenges of the social care system and its complexities.' Months later, the couple were invited to be Sir Elton John's guests of honour at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at London's O2 Arena in the April. Draper was photographed by his wife's side in June, despite being in and out of hospital, when she collected her MBE from the Prince of Wales in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. In December, Draper suffered a heart attack and never recovered. Kate revealed Derek died as she held his hand 'throughout the last long hours and when he passed' on January 3. Draper had two children with Kate - a son, William, and a daughter, Darcey. This is the dramatic moment police in hazmat suits raid a home in east London amid the search for Clapham chemical attack fugitive Abdul Ezedi. Ezedi, 35, is accused of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight - believed to be known to him - on Wednesday night. Despite police yesterday saying they were 'wholeheartedly confident' of capturing him, he remains at large three days after the incident. This morning, police in hazmat suits were seen raiding a property in Leyton with the Sun reporting that officers had smashed the doors in shortly after 2am. The London Fire Brigade also confirmed they had attended the scene as a precaution. This is the dramatic moment police in hazmat suits raid a home in east London amid the search for Clapham chemical attack fugitive Abdul Ezedi Officers were seen smashing in the doors of the property shortly after 2am The suspect in the alkaline attack in Clapham, south London, has been named as 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi and is still at large Last night, the Met released a picture of Ezedi at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, MailOnline has approached the Metropolitan Police for more information. It comes as police are facing questions about why vital images of the suspect in the Clapham South acid attack took so long to be published potentially helping Abdul Shokoor Ezedi evade capture. Ezedi, 35, is accused of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight - believed to be known to him- on Wednesday night in Clapham, south London. The manhunt for Ezedi has now entered day three after Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said the force was 'wholeheartedly confident' they would catch him. Scotland Yard is working in collaboration with officers in Northumbria as Ezedi, who may have been known to police, 'could be going back' to Newcastle where he lived in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline that it had been dealing with 'a very traumatic incident in which three people and a number of police officers had been injured' and that images were released 'less than 24 hours after the incident.' The horrific attack left the mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and her youngest daughter with 'life changing injuries'. The elder child is also said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital in a stable condition. In the intervening days, Ezedi - who was seen fleeing from the scene - has been pictured around London with CCTV footage released last night showing him with severe burns to his face. After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. He was then seen buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. His exact path to Caledonian Road is not currently known. Ezedi is a former asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was allowed to stay in the UK despite being convicted of a sexual offence, following two failed applications. He was granted the right to stay in the UK on his third application in either 2020 or 2021, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. He was handed a suspended sentence for the offence years earlier in 2018. Police last night released CCTV footage of Ezedi buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained 'significant injuries' in the attack, which officers say was 'targeted'. Prior to Wedneday's events, Ezedi pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed. He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018, to a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. A controversial vicar is under investigation after his Romanian rescue dog - nicknamed 'Horrible Hector' - bit a parishioner's pug leaving the elderly woman with a 7,000 vet bill. Father Oliver Learmont's large crossbreed dog was seen biting and dragging the pug under the front gate, pulling the owner off her feet as she walked past the vicars house in North Bradley, Wiltshire. The injured pooch was rushed to Vets for Pets in Trowbridge before being transferred to a specialised practice for emergency surgery, according to the owner. Frightened parishioners in North Bradley have complained to the Diocese of Salisbury and Wiltshire Council about the vicars pair of aggressive dogs. Father Oliver Learmont's large crossbreed dog was seen biting and dragging the pug under the front gate, pulling the owner off her feet as she walked past the vicars house in North Bradley, Wiltshire The Vicar of North Bradley, Southwick, Heywood and Steeple Ashton is a controversial figure in Wiltshire - refusing to leave when his congregation gave him a vote of 'no confidence' last year They say he is failing to keep them under proper control and has been told by a local dog warden to keep the larger dog muzzled and tethered. This is the fourth complaint to the council about his dogs acting aggressively since January 2022. A man who said he lives opposite Father Learmont said: 'For years the neighbours have put up with his aggressive barking dogs which can be heard every time someone walks past.' He added: 'I have spoken to the vicar about his aggressive dogs multiple times in the past and suggested they need training but for this attack to happen and no one take responsibility is outrageous and unacceptable, let alone a vicar who would supposedly be of high moral standing.' The Vicar of North Bradley, Southwick, Heywood and Steeple Ashton is a controversial figure in Wiltshire. Last year his congregation in Steeple Ashton subjected him to a vote of 'no confidence' - but he refused to quit on the basis, he claimed, that he was being 'guided by the Holy Spirit'. 'He's not a people person. He doesn't empathise,' one churchgoer said at the time. Father Learmont has been on sick leave since the end of September with other local church leaders and retired clergy members stepping in to support the parish in his absence Another said: 'You can't dismiss a vicar. Not unless he commits some crime. And he hasn't committed one to my knowledge. Being consistently unpleasant is not a crime, sadly.' Father Learmont has been on sick leave since the end of September with the Bishop of Salisbury, the Bishop of Ramsbury and the rural dean and the Archdeacon of Wiltshire stepping in to support the parish in his absence. A spokesman for the Diocese of Salisbury said: 'The situation is complex but it is being addressed and the PCC is being kept informed. 'We are aware that many people are frustrated with the situation, but it is important that the right procedures are followed.' Network Ten has told the Federal Court that Bruce Lehrmann acted 'audaciously' when he sued the broadcaster for defamation for airing a segment on Brittany Higgins' allegations she was raped in Parliament House. Mr Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, who broke the story on The Project, with Justice Michael Lee on December 22 reserving his decision on the case until a later date following a month-long trial. Written submissions from both parties filed last week were released by the court on Friday, which show Network Ten argued Mr Lehrmann gave 'no remotely credible account' of the night of March 23, 2019 when Ms Higgins' has alleged he raped her. The two had been out at a bar with colleagues before returning to Parliament House and entering the office of then Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds where Ms Higgins' alleges the assault took place and where there is no CCTV. Mr Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegations and maintains his innocence. Network Ten also claimed in a submission dated January 22 that Mr Lehrmann had launched a 'scandalous attack' on former Defence Department staffer Lauren Gain, who they said was an 'an obviously honest and independent witness'. Brittany Higgins (pictured) alleged she was raped in the then Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds' office in Parliament House in 2019 Bruce Lehrmann is pictured arriving at the Federal Court during his defamation trial last year Ms Gain told the court she witnessed Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann sharing a 'passionate kiss' at the Canberra bar on the night in question. 'I remember his hands on her thighs and her hands on his thighs,' Ms Gain said. 'I observed them kiss. It was a real kiss. I'm not sure how to describe it beyond it went for a period of time, so it wasn't a peck.' She agreed it was a passionate kiss. Mr Lehrmann said in a Seven Network interview and again in court that Ms Gain made the allegation falsely and in collusion with Ms Higgins. He denied in court that there had been any intimate contact with Ms Higgins at any point on that night. Ms Higgins is seen on CCTV footage walking past Parliament House security on the night she alleges she was raped in Ms Reynolds' parliamentary office Network Ten argued Lehrmann brought 'defamation proceedings in which he seeks damages to vindicate his reputation, in circumstances where he has given no remotely credible account of his conduct in respect of the events underlying the imputations he has sued upon, and has been prepared to launch a scandalous attack on an obviously honest and independent witness'. 'This is conduct which, in Network Ten's submission, disqualifies him from any entitlement to damages, even if the defences were to fail; in those circumstances, the judgment of the court would be a sufficient vindication,' Ten's barristers said. Mr Lehrmann's legal team have argued 'there are simply too many other plausible possibilities as to what may have happened in the minister's private office, and as to why Ms Higgins was found naked in that office, to permit the court to make any conclusion as to what took place'. 'If the court finds Mr Lehrmann's account implausible, that would not make Ms Higgins's version of events more persuasive in its own right,' the barristers said. One of Network Ten's and Wilkinson's defences is that Ms Higgins' claims are true. Defendant in the defmation action Lisa Wilkinson is pictured, left, outside the Federal Court with her barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC A criminal trial for sexual assault was aborted in 2022 due to juror misconduct and another trial abandoned over concerns for Ms Higgins' mental health. Justice Lee will make a ruling on that defence based on the balance of probabilities which is a lower standard of proof than the criminal requirement of beyond a reasonable doubt. Ms Higgins and her fiance David Sharaz moved to Lunas, France after she gave her testimony at the defamation hearing. Rapper T-Pain said that he is having his name taken off country songs that he has worked on because of racism. The rapper, whose real name is Faheem Rashad Najm, said in a video uploaded to his Instagram account on Tuesday that he stopped taking credits for the country songs he helps to write. 'Because as cool as it is to see your name in the credits and stuff like that, the racism that comes after it is just... 'I'll just take the check. Don't put me on that s***. I'll just take the check, bro.' The Florida native also made a point of defending country music, saying 'good music is good music', no matter what style it is. The rapper admitted to want to just 'take the check' when it comes to working on country songs Despite considering the genre to be racist, T-Pain called it 'good music' Faheem Rashad Najm (pictured), who is better known under his artist name T-Pain, said in a video uploaded to his Instagram account on Tuesday, January 30, that he stopped taking credits for country songs he worked on 'A lot of the people I know feel like it's not cool to listen to other genres of music, but country [and gospel] music is where I get all my harmonies from,' he added. The rapper released a version of popular country song 'Tennessee Whiskey' last year, but it is unclear which country songs he didn't just cover but actually contributed to where he wasn't listed in the credits. READ MORE: T-Pain leaves fans puzzled after the rapper attempts the haka during New Zealand performance Advertisement His claims of 'racism' in country music sparked outrage on social media, but some followers questioned his 'racism' accusations. At least one fan had an issue with the rapper's comments asking: 'Racism from whom? Which way? Find it hard to believe white country music fans would have an issue with you writing country songs.' But T-Pain also found supporters among his followers. A fan said: 'I absolutely love country music and I am a country artist. The underground country music scene is generally a lot less bigoted, but when It comes to the industry of country music it is very racist. 'The industry has placed cultural norms and agendas in country music that doesn't even have anything to do with the origins of country music. It's unfortunate but I totally get what he means. Not all country fans or musicians are like that though.' 'Country music is so racist still that one of the top hits in the past year was the first song written by a black woman that was a [...] cover remade by a white man was the first song written by a black woman ever on country top charts. In 2023,' another claimed. Some of his followers questioned his racism claims, while others agreed with T-Pain T-Pain is known for hits like 'Good Life', which he created together with Kanye West, and he was also credited for songs like 'Kiss Kiss' by Chris Brown and 'Low' by Flo Rida, on which he was a guest performer T-Pain is known for hits like 'Good Life', which he created together with Kanye West, and he was also credited for songs like 'Kiss Kiss' by Chris Brown and 'Low' by Flo Rida, on which he was a guest performer. In December last year the rapper went viral with a rendition of Gavin DeGraw's 'I Don't Want to Be', with DeGraw himself reaching out to praise T-Pain for the performance. The cover is also included on T-Pain's latest release on Spotify called 'On Top of the Covers (live from The Sun Rose)'. T-Pain is married to Amber Najm since 2003 and the couple have three children. Oregon's Supreme Court decreed that ten Republican state senators who walked out of a 2023 session in order to stall bills regarding transgender health care, abortion and gun rights bills are barred from running for reelection. The decision upholds the secretary of state's decision to disqualify the senators from the ballot under a voter-approved measure aimed at stopping such boycotts. Measure 113, passed by voters in 2022, amended the state constitution to bar lawmakers from reelection if they have more than 10 unexcused absences. Last year's boycott lasted six weeks the longest in state history and paralyzed the legislative session, stalling hundreds of bills. Five lawmakers sued over the secretary of state's decision Sens. Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham, Suzanne Weber, Dennis Linthicum and Lynn Findley. They were among the 10 GOP senators who racked up more than 10 absences. The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, that 10 Republican state senators who staged a record-long walkout last year to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights cannot run for reelection The lawmakers walkout the longest in state history and the second-longest in the United States came as several statehouses around the nation have been ideological battlegrounds 'We obviously disagree with the Supreme Court's ruling,' said Knopp, the Senate minority leader. 'But more importantly, we are deeply disturbed by the chilling impact this decision will have to crush dissent.' Democratic Senate President Rob Wagner welcomed the decision. 'Today's ruling by the Oregon Supreme Court means that legislators and the public now know how Measure 113 will be applied, and that is good for our state,' he said in a statement. Political advocacy groups that backed Measure 113 had similar reactions. 'Walkouts allow a relatively small number of lawmakers to nullify the will of the majority, and that is to the detriment of our democracy,' Alejandro Queral, executive director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, said in an emailed statement. During oral arguments before the Oregon Supreme Court in December, attorneys for the senators and the state wrestled over the grammar and syntax of the language that was added to the state constitution after Measure 113 was approved by voters. The amendment says a lawmaker is not allowed to run 'for the term following the election after the member's current term is completed.' The debate was over when that ineligibility kicks in: If a senator's term ends in January 2025, they would typically seek reelection in November 2024. Oregon Senate Republican Leader Sen. Tim Knopp speaks as Democratic Senate President Rob Wagner listens during a news conference as part of a 2024 legislative preview at the State Library on Wednesday, Jan. 31 The 'election after the member's current term is completed' would not be until November 2028, the Republican senators argued, so they could run for reelection this year and then hold office for another term before becoming ineligible. The court disagreed, saying that while the language of the amendment was ambiguous, the information provided to voters in the ballot title and explanatory statement made clear that the intent was to bar truant lawmakers from holding office in the next term. 'Those other materials expressly and uniformly informed voters that the amendment would apply to a legislator's immediate next terms of office, indicating that the voters so understood and intended that meaning,' the justices wrote. The senators' lawsuit was filed against Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, who last August said the boycotting senators were disqualified from seeking reelection. She directed her office's elections division to implement an administrative rule based on her stance. All parties in the suit had sought clarity on the issue before the March 2024 filing deadline for candidates who want to run in this year's election. Knopp, the Senate minority leader, said he didn't plan to appeal the decision or join a separate federal lawsuit filed by three Republican senators challenging their disqualification from the ballot. A federal judge in December ruled against the three lawmakers, and they have appealed the decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He conceded that the 'significant turnover' of Republican senators would be challenging but said he wasn't concerned. And despite being barred from seeking reelection, he said he wouldn't advise Republicans against lengthy walkouts in the future. 'I think legislators need to stand on the principles that they believe in, and if you believe in it enough to make the sacrifice, then you most certainly should,' he told reporters Thursday. Knopp added that he wasn't sure what he'll do next after the 2024 term ends. 'Who knows if this is a pause in public service for me and the others, or if it's the end of a road and a new beginning for something else,' he said. The 2023 walkout paralyzed the Legislature for weeks and only ended after Republicans forced concessions from Democrats on a sweeping bill related to expanding access to abortion and transgender health care and another measure regarding the manufacture and transfer of undetectable firearms, known as ghost guns. Oregon voters approved Measure 113 by a wide margin following Republican walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Grant Shapps has delivered a stark warning that defeat for Ukraine could be 'existential' for Western states. The Defence Secretary said 'regimes who do not believe in democracy are watching' and will be emboldened if the Russian invasion succeeds. Speaking on a trip to Washington DC this week, Mr Shapps cautioned that Britons are 'living in more and more dangerous times'. He told the Telegraph that Army recruitment more than doubled last month amid mounting fears of a wider confrontation - although he again dismissed the idea of conscription. Mr Shapps said the West must be 'very, very clear that this is existential - it's not just about Ukraine'. Speaking on a trip to Washington DC this week, Grant Shapps cautioned that Britons are 'living in more and more dangerous times' A Ukrainian soldier training in the Donestk region this week Mr Shapps said Vladimir Putin and others would be 'emboldened' if Ukraine was defeated 'Everyone is watching - the Iranians are looking. Do we just run out of puff, run out of patience and go away?' he said. 'China will be watching in the Indo-Pacific, North Korea will be watching. 'It is vitally important to our own national interests, and definitely to the Western civilised world, that Ukraine is successful in their own country.' Military top brass, analysts and MPs have been sending dire message in recent weeks about the growing threat to 'assumptions' of peace and security. The UK has announced aid for Ukraine is being upped to 2.5billion in the coming financial year. Kyiv was given a major boost yesterday after EU countries sealed a 43billion (50bn) aid package for Ukraine. The support was signed off by all 27 member states despite threats from Hungary's leader Viktor Orban - Russia's closest EU ally - to veto the move. European council president Charles Michel said that the decision 'locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine,' and demonstrates that the 'EU is taking leadership and responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake.' Destruction in Lyman this month after two years of war with Russia The UK's most senior soldier warned recently that a 'citizen army' will be needed for any direct confrontation with Vladimir Putin. Although he stopped short of backing conscription, general Sir Patrick Sanders said preparing for war against Russia should be a 'whole-of-nation' undertaking, including what he described as 'national mobilisation'. MPs have been sounding alarm for years about the dwindling size of the army, which has not been smaller since the Napoleonic Wars, and struggles with recruitment. Brianna Ghey's father has issued a heartbreaking victim impact statement savaging his daughter's evil killers who were today unmasked to the public. Peter Spooner said he 'hates' Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who brutally murdered his 16-year-old daughter last year. He said the public should 'forget' murderers because he doesn't want them forever linked to Brianna and explained he had 'no feelings...only anger' towards the 'evil' duo, who today face a life imprisonment at their sentencing hearing. Mr Spooner added: 'They'll always be monsters. And that's what they are to me. That's my feelings for them, they're just a pair of monsters.' Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were both 15 when they stabbed Brianna 28 times in Culcheth Linear Park, Cheshire on February 11 last year. They were still only 16 when they stood trial at Manchester Crown Court last November, meaning neither their names nor the schools they had attended could be published. Peter Spooner, father of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, arrives at Manchester Crown Court on February 2 Brianna Grey was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife on February 11 Mr Spooner said that he was just beginning to form a new relationship with his daughter and her murder had deprived him of any further memories together. He said: 'Even though I grieved the son I lost, I was proud to gain another beautiful daughter. We were forming a new relationship. These two murderers have stolen that from us. 'All I keep thinking about her on her own in that park with them and what they've done and I really wish I was there to protect her. 'They are just evil for what they've done and I don't think they'll ever change. I think they'll always be monsters and that's what they are to me. That's my feelings with them they're just a pair of monsters. 'At first I thought yeah they should be named why should they be protected, people should know who they are. 'Now I think now when they will be named their names are always going to be tied with Brianna all the time. 'I think they should just be forgotten about. Locked up and never spoken about again because they are nothing.' The body of 'timid' Brianna was found lying face-down in the mud with 28 stab wounds after the 'frenzied' attack at a popular beauty spot in a Cheshire village on February 11 last year. Her twisted killers, described as a 'danger to society' by their victim's mother, had planned the attack in great detail, with a handwritten note in Jenkinson's room reading: 'Saturday 11th February 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey'. They then desperately sought to cover their tracks, with Jenkinson posting a Snapchat tribute that called Brianna 'such an amazing friend' and 'one of the best people I've ever met'. Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe (right) have been named for the first time today as they are sentenced by a judge Peter Spooner, father of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, arrives at Manchester Crown Court Brianna's mother Esther arrives at Manchester Crown Court on Friday ahead of the sentencing hearing After the trial, the judge allowed the media to name the 'warped' pair who killed Brianna, it can now be revealed for the first time that Jenkinson met their 'trusting' victim when she was moved to the 'inclusion unit' for troubled children which Brianna attended. The decision to place them together which came after Jenkinson was excluded from her school for passing drugs to fellow pupils, leaving one in hospital happened just weeks before Brianna's murder. It is now the subject of an independent safeguarding review into whether local agencies could have done more to protect her. Jenkinson and Ratcliffe blamed one another for the brutal killing, but shortly before Christmas jurors took less than five hours to unanimously convict them both. The following day, trial judge Mrs Justice Yip ruled that their identities should be revealed to help the public 'understand how children could do something so dreadful'. But after hearing the families of both killers had been subjected to death threats, she ruled that the media could not identify them until today's sentencing hearing, enabling measures to be put in place to keep them safe. As a packed courtroom today prepares to hear statements from Brianna's parents and sister before Jenkinson and Ratcliffe learn how long they must spend behind bars, Mrs Justice Yip formally stripped them of their anonymity. For the first time Jenkinson has admitted stabbing Brianna 'a number of times', having previously blamed all of the blows on her fellow killer Ratcliffe. The court heard she has told a forensic psychologist that she took the knife from him and stabbed Brianna repeatedly. Brianna's father Peter Spooner arriving at Manchester Crown Court today Brianna on her final bus journey to Culcheth before she was found stabbed to death in Linear Park The body of 'timid' Brianna was found lying face-down in the mud after the 'frenzied' attack in a Cheshire village on February 11 last year Jenkinson who was obsessed with serial killers and their methods - planned to take 'part of her flesh' as a 'token', prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said. She continued: '[Jenkinson]said Eddie had thrown Brianna to the floor and stabbed her three or four times then he panicked and said he did not want to kill her, so she carried on and stabbed her a number of times. 'When asked how many, she answered, 'A lot.' She was satisfied and excited by what she was doing.' In a victim impact statement read to the court, Brianna's mother said the 'hardest' thing about her daughter's ordeal was finding out that one of her killers, Jenkinson, was 'someone we believed to be her friend'. She described Jenkinson as: 'Someone that we trusted. Someone that I was so happy that [Brianna] had, fearing that my child had been lonely. Not knowing that this person had been planning, to not only cause harm, but to take the life of my precious child.' She continued: 'All I can think about is that she would have been scared and I wasnt there for her. She needed me to protect her, Brianna wasnt a fighter and she must have been so terrified. 'The day of and the days following 11th of February were and always will be the worst days of my life. I felt like someone had killed part of me, like my heart had been ripped out. I have never felt such grief and I would never wish that pain on anyone else.' Esther Ghey also told the court Brianna had 'plans for her future' she will never be able to fulfill: 'The fact that Brianna was taken from me in such a heinous way causes a pain that I struggle to describe. No parent should ever have to bury their child. She should have been around for the rest of my life. 'Brianna had plans for her future which we will never have the chance to support her with. She wanted to go to college and study beauty therapy; she was looking forward to being old enough to have a little job like her big sister. We had also discussed her learning to drive, and she had even picked out which pink car she would like for her 18th birthday.' Peter Spooner, father of Brianna Ghey making a statement to the waiting media outside Manchester Crown Court in December Peter Spooner, father of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, reacts after reading a statement to the media outside of Manchester Crown Brianna Ghey's mother Esther Ghey making a statement to the waiting media outside Manchester Crown Court in December She described Jenkinson and Ratcliffe as a 'danger to society', adding: 'The thought of Scarlett and Eddie being released from prison absolutely horrifies me. I don't believe that someone who is so disturbed and obsessed with murder and torture would ever be able to be rehabilitated.' Mr Spooner added: 'Being a father of a transgender child was a difficult thing to deal with. Without people accusing me of dead naming my child, most of my memories are with my son Brett. Our memories are engraved on my heart. He was funny, cheeky and would pull faces to make me laugh. He was my baby, my only Son and his decision to transition was such a brave and confident thing to do. 'Even though I grieved the son I lost, I was proud to gain another beautiful daughter. Her appearance changed as she blossomed into a lovely young girl, her eyes were the same, she had my eyes when I looked at her. We were forming a new relationship and these two murderers have stolen that from us both. 'I hate how Brianna's life has been brutally taken away from her and she has been deprived of the life she wanted to live. She never had the chance to sit her exams or go onto further education. 'Now my world has been torn apart, justice may have been done with the guilty verdicts, but no amount of time spent in prison will be enough for these monsters. 'I cannot call them children as that makes them sound naive or vulnerable which they are not, they are pure evil, Brianna was the vulnerable one. 'They were determined to kill and never gave up until they had blood on their hands, my Brianna's blood. 'Not an ounce of remorse has been shown from these murderers, putting myself and my family through this awful trial having to hear the details about how Brianna suffered. It is unforgivable.' In a statement read to the court, Brianna's stepfather Wesley Powell said: 'Brianna had a large online following but in reality she was lonely, vulnerable and in need of a close friend. 'Both Eddie and Scarlett knew this and preyed upon her vulnerabilities, acting as two predators stalking their prey.' After the victim personal statements were read to the court, Mrs Justice Yip ordered a short break as she said: 'They were very moving statements. I can feel the emotion in the courtroom.' Actor Jason Watkins has described the horror of finding his two-year-old daughter dead in her cot, as he urged A&E units to reconsider their procedures for infants. The 61-year-old star, who played Harold Wilson in Netflix's The Crown, said Maude developed a chest infection, which was treated by her doctor with medication. After her condition did not improve, Watkins and his wife Clara Francis took her to A&E, where they were told she had a bad cold and croup before being discharged. Maude died at home later that night - and it was only discovered later that she had developed sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection that occurs when the immune system overreacts and starts to damage the body's own tissues and organs. Speaking about the moment he realised Maude had died in the family's maisonette on New Year's Day 2011, Watkins told Andy Coulson's podcast Crisis What Crisis? that his other daughter Bessie, who was four at the time, had come into his room. Actor Jason Watkins has described the horror of finding his two-year-old daughter dead in her cot, during an appearance on the latest episode of Andy Coulson's podcast Crisis What Crisis? Speaking about the moment he realised Maude had died, Jason Watkins told podcast host Andy Coulson that his other daughter Bessie, who was four at the time, had come into his room Maude (pictured) died in her cot in the Watkins family's maisonette on New Year's Day 2011 Watkins said: 'I woke up and Bessie came in, she was four at the time, and she said 'oh I can't wake Maude'. I had this really weird feeling that something was very wrong. What are the signs of sepsis in patients and what can you do? Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection, which happens when someone's immune system starts to damage their own tissues and organs. In adults, sepsis may feel like flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection at first. Early symptoms include fever, chills and shivering, a fast heartbeat and quick breathing. Symptoms of sepsis or septic shock include feeling dizzy or faint, confusion or disorientation, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea and cold, clammy and pale or mottled skin. Any child who is breathing very fast, has a fit or looks mottled, bluish, or pale, or has a rash that does not fade when you press it, may have sepsis. And a baby or child under five years old who is not feeding, vomiting repeatedly or has not had a wee or wet nappy for 12 hours, may have sepsis. The UK Sepsis Trust says the condition affects 245,000 people and leads to 48,000 deaths in the UK each year. It cannot be caught from someone else. Advertisement 'And maybe sort of slow-motion started then, getting up and there was a feeling of dread, I remember this feeling of dread, but that everything was going to be alright, you know, it's fine. 'I walked into the bedroom and I could see the cot ahead of me and I could see that she was, I knew she was dead. She had blood coming out of her nose and her mouth. 'Cataclysmic. And then everyone was crying and wailing and it was horrendous. You can't believe it's happening, and you want time to go backwards, you think this isn't happening, this isn't happening.' Watkins said he tried to revive Maude with CPR on the living room floor, and wanted to take her away from Bessie. He added: 'You just want time to go back, you think no, this isn't right, this hasn't happened, this is wrong. But then the ambulance arrived and they tried to revive her and then we were told by one of the doctors that that was it, we couldn't revive her and she had died.' The actor, who has joined forces with the UK Sepsis Trust to help raise awareness of the condition among the public and doctors, also revealed how he smashed up his shower amid fury at Maude's death. He said: 'It was anger at fate. Why should we deserve this? You feel really vulnerable and there's a sort of rage against that. And there are all these different ways of resolving and wrestling out of this horrible dark pit that you're in. 'Sometimes you feel like a complete victim and there's no way out, and other times you start smashing the shower up because you've got to break out and get on with life.' He also told how he has since managed to channel his anger into trying to improve hospital procedures for patients with sepsis, as well as overall approaches to infants in A&E. Maude initially developed a chest infection, which was treated by her doctor with medication Watkins and his wife keep Maude's red shoes on the mantlepiece, 13 years after her death Watkins said: 'Because I had identified that there wasn't an individual at fault in the hospital, it has to be the system. So we've got to improve it. 'For me, the whole of looking at infants arriving at A&E needs to be looked at again. Maude died 12 years ago, and the ombudsman report about sepsis a couple of months ago said nothing had changed ... that was like a body blow.' It comes after the UK's health ombudsman warned last October that sepsis is still claiming too many lives as hospitals are making the same mistakes as a decade ago. Rob Behrens said there had been some progress on diagnosis and treatment since his office published its landmark Time to Act report in 2013. Watkins had been told at A&E that Maude had a bad cold and croup before being discharged But his investigations revealed some lessons were still not being learned and repeated mistakes were putting patients at risk of death. Delays in diagnosis and treatment, poor communication and record-keeping, and missed opportunities for follow-up care were among the failures found. Watkins made an emotional documentary with his wife about his daughter's death called Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie, which aired on ITV last March. Last September, then-Health Secretary Steve Barclay committed to introducing 'Martha's Rule' to give NHS patients the right to a second opinion if they think their fears are being dismissed. Watkins made the ITV documentary called Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie in March 2023 Jason Watkins played Harold Wilson in Netflix's royal drama The Crown (pictured in 2019) He made his pledge after meeting Merope Mills, an editor at The Guardian whose 13-year-old daughter Martha died after doctors failed to admit her to intensive care. Martha died in 2021 after developing sepsis at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in South London. A coroner ruled in March 2022 that she would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs. The UK Sepsis Trust says the condition affects 245,000 people and leads to 48,000 deaths in the UK each year. Listen to the full Crisis What Crisis? interview with Jason Watkins by clicking here Russian schoolchildren will learn about drone technology for military and industrial purposes in craft lessons, a senior official has said. Deputy Education Minister Tatyana Vasilyeva also told parliament that students would spend more time studying technical drawing, a skill needed for work with blueprints. This latest development comes after the UK's Ministry of Defence warned in July last year that Russian schoolchildren were being taught the basics of combat drones. Russian Senator Artem Sheikin announced that lessons would include how to conduct terrain reconnaissance and ways to counter enemy unscrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). Drones, ranging from handheld gadgets to fully-fledged aircraft size, have become one of the key weapons in the Ukrainian conflict. Russian schoolchildren will be taught about drone technology for military purposes in craft lessons Drones, ranging from handheld gadgets to fully-fledged aircraft size, have become one of the key weapons in the Ukrainian conflict Ukrainian forces have been having major successes recently as a column of 11 Russian tanks and armoured vehicles were destroyed by kamikaze drones. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence also celebrated sinking a '55milion Russian warship off Crimea' in a strike just off the coast by sharing footage of the moment the 184ft warship was hit. The recent successes by Ukraine's military has reportedly left Vladimir Putin 'fuming' and he has told Russian soldiers how he will 'hit squares in Kyiv or in any other city' to take revenge. Model Abigail Guerra, 21 and Andres Prieto, 31 were killed by motor-bike riding hitman in the Colombian capital of Bogota. The gunmen pulled up alongside the model and her friend who were passengers in a taxi and opened fire, causing the car to miss a stop sign and crash into another taxi. The pair were in the heart of the Colombian capital when the incident happened on Tuesday 30 January. Ms Guerra was known to be a prominent model and creator of adult content, according to reports. Mr Prieto was an ex-convict who had been released from prison only a few days ago after serving a five-year sentence. Abigail Guerra and Andres Prieto were shot dead by motorbike-riding hitmen in the Colombian capital of Bogota The shooters drew up alongside the taxi the pair were in and opened fire leading their taxi to go through a stop sign and crash into another car Ms Guerra, 21, was a prominent model and creator of adult content and Mr Prieto had been released from prison just five days ago Police in Colombia are investigating the incident but believe it could be connected to drug trafficking in Bogota He reportedly had a history of drug trafficking and theft. Police Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Marino told local media: 'We have a regrettable incident to report involving hitmen. 'Apparently, two people are involved in this crime, but we are investigating the incident with specialised units.' The couple were travelling in a green Hyundai Accent GL vehicle when they were intercepted by two individuals on a motorcycle who shot them. The incident caused the driver of the vehicle to lose control and crash into a taxi, whose occupant escaped unharmed. A local security guard who witnessed the scene but who has not been named told local media: 'I saw a car speeding up and a man behind him shot it three times and then the car left in a rush and missed a stop sign and ended up crashing into a taxi.' The security guard said he took 'two injured people out of the car, the girl and another person. I managed to get the driver of the car out.' The authorities have so far made no arrests. A preliminary investigation reportedly suggests that the hit may have been a settling of scores related to drug trafficking in Bogota. UK comes in at a lowly 20th place with a rank of 71/100 - its lowest ever score The United Kingdom has been given its worst ever score in a global corruption report. The closely watched annual study by anti-graft organisation Transparency International ranks 180 countries on a scale from a 'highly corrupt' 0 to a 'very clean' 100. But the UK, which historically had been ranked very favourably by the panel of experts, has in recent years tumbled down the order and comes in at a lowly 20th place with a score of 71/100. This is a further two points down on last year's total of 73 points, which saw the UK ranked in 18th position - its lowest score since the index began in 1995. And perhaps more worryingly, Britain has registered a consistent downward trajectory, experiencing a six-point decrease over the past five years. Transparency International said this was down to possible corruption in the awarding of PPE contracts during the pandemic as well as the perception that public accountability is weakening. The Nordic countries meanwhile maintain their position at the top of the pile, with Denmark topping the chart with a formidable score of 90. Finland resides close behind at 87, with Norway and Sweden sitting in 4th and 6th places respectively. The UK, which historically had been ranked very favourably by the panel of experts, has in recent years tumbled down the order and comes in at a lowly 20th place with a score of 71/100 Britain has registered a consistent downward trajectory in the rankings, experiencing a six-point decrease over the past five years The Nordic countries meanwhile maintain their position at the top of the pile, with Denmark topping the chart with a formidable score of 90 Finland resides close behind at 87, with Norway and Sweden sitting in 4th and 6th places respectively (protesters in Helsinki are pictured amid protests earlier this week) Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures the perception of public sector corruption around the world, based on analyses of a variety of datasets conducted by experts and businesspeople. The 2023 edition released earlier this week makes for gloomy reading, noting a widespread decline in the application of the rule of law with no reduction in corruption. The global average is stuck at only 43, while the vast majority of countries have made no progress or declined in the last decade. What's more, 23 countries fell to their lowest scores to date this year. 'There has been a global decline in justice and the rule of law since 2016. The rise of authoritarianism in some countries contributes to this trend, and even in democratic contexts, the mechanisms that keep governments in check have weakened,' the report read. 'Governments across the political spectrum have undermined justice systems, restricted civic freedoms and relied on non-democratic strategies to address recent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Against this backdrop, this year's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) shows that only 28 of the 180 countries measured by this index have improved their corruption levels over the last twelve years, and 34 countries have significantly worsened. 'Despite progress made across the planet in criminalising corruption and establishing specialised institutions to address it, corruption levels remain stagnant globally.' Western Europe and the European Union constitute the highest-ranking region in the CPI - yet the latest report suggests confidence in the lack of corruption is falling. The average CPI score of 65 out of 100 has dropped for the first time in almost a decade in Western Europe and the EU, with 'robust anti-corruption measures continue to be undermined by the weakening of checks and balances', according to the report. The United Kingdom is not the only high-ranking European democracy to record its lowest ever score - Sweden (82), the Netherlands (79) and Iceland (72) are all lower than ever before on the index. The CPI report surmises that Europe's high-ranking scores are being undermined by 'weak accountability and political corruption', which are causing people 'to lose trust in their institutions... with narrow interest groups having too much control over political decision making'. As for the UK specifically, Transparency International said the scandal around awarding PPE contracts during the Covid-19 pandemic had contributed to the drop in score, as well as concern that 'both the UK government's anti-corruption champion and independent advisor on ministerial interests [had] resigned'. It added: 'The data shows that while perceptions of bribery generally are improving, there are growing concerns over cronyism and patronage in politics, and its effect on the management of public funds.' The United States suffers from similar problems, ranking out of the top 20 with a score of 69/100. A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 People rally to show support to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Sanaa, Yemen February 2, 2024 Puntland Maritime Police Forces (PMPF) are patrolling against the recently increasing pirate attacks off the coast in Puntland, Somalia on January 29, 2024 Meanwhile, sub-Saharan Africa is designated the most corrupt region in the world, with Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan and Somalia all ranking in the bottom ten countries with scores of 17, 13 and a paltry 11 out of 100 respectively. 'The region's persistent challenges stem from decades of severe underfunding in public sectors, exacerbated by corruption and illicit financial flows siphoning resources away from basic public services,' the CPI report read. 'Addressing social and economic issues remains ineffective, often at the expense of the most vulnerable population. 'Anti-corruption efforts are therefore necessary at all levels and by multiple stakeholders within the justice network.' Other notable countries ranking at the bottom of the CPI include Yemen (16/100), currently wracked by civil war and home to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group authoring missile strikes on Western commercial shipping vessels in and around the Red Sea. North Korea also continues to be ranked in the bottom ten with a score of 17, as the Hermit Kingdom's leader Kim Jong-un announced an even more intense campaign of military preparedness for 2024 as his armed forces test-fired a slew of missiles this past week. The world's ten LEAST corrupt countries (CPI) Denmark (90/100 score) Finland (87/100) New Zealand (84/100) Norway (83/100) Singapore (82/100) Sweden (82/100) Switzerland (79/100) Netherlands (78/100) Germany (78/100) Luxembourg (77/100) Advertisement Bodycam footage has caught the moment plainclothes police officers slapped the cuffs on a prolific burglar who raided 10 pubs and shops in London after they tracked him down with CCTV and DNA evidence. A Met officer quipped 'we've come a long way for you' after he and his partner successfully hunted down John Delaney, 51, in Islington, London on July 5, 2023 at 1.11pm. Video shows a male and female officer chasing Delaney down and cuffing him as they arrested him on suspicion of shoplifting and burglary. The male officer, PC Johnson, told Delaney that he had come to Islington from Bromley police station in south east London as he explained the circumstances of his arrest. 'Bromley?' Delaney, of no fixed address, quizzically replied. Bodycam footage has caught the moment plainclothes police officers slapped the cuffs on a prolific burglar who raided 10 pubs and shops in London after they tracked him down with CCTV and DNA evidence John Delaney (pictured), 51, has been sentenced to two years and three months in jail after he burgled 10 pubs and shops in London 'Yes, we've come a long way for you,' PC Johnson answered. 'We've been looking for you,' his colleague added. The Met Police has said that officers responding to community concerns around burglary used covert tactics to make more than 100 arrests in just 60 days. Working alongside specialist teams, local officers are using tactics including deploying in plainclothes and unmarked cars to surprise unsuspecting criminals as they attempt to break into homes and businesses. Using precision technology and tactics, including phone tracking and surveillance, officers are monitoring repeat offenders and spotting patterns in their offending. Having seen success in Bromley, the Met is rolling out the operation elsewhere in London. The drive to tackle burglary comes as part of the Commissioner's mission to reform the Met and deliver against priorities that Londoners have told officers matter to them most. Sergeant John Johnson, leading the local burglary team, said: 'My team have listened to the concerns of our community and made it a priority to address the issue of burglary head on. 'Everyone in London has the right to feel safe, especially in their own homes. And I'm pleased that our use of innovative tactics has had such a positive impact in delivering for people across the city.' During this proactive action, the team tracked down Delaney after he burgled ten pubs and shops in Islington. Delaney has now been sentenced to two years and three months in jail, which the Met says demonstrates the force's 'commitment to taking offenders off the streets'. Video shows a male and female officer chasing Delaney down and cuffing him as they arrested him on suspicion of shoplifting and burglary The male officer, PC Johnson, told Delaney that he had come to Islington from Bromley police station in south east London as he explained the circumstances of his arrest Officers worked for weeks to identify Delaney through DNA evidence and CCTV in the local areas of Crouch End and Archway. They also pieced together timelines to establish his whereabouts. Through street searches and mapping out his recent sightings, officers pieced together that he was due to pick up medication from a local pharmacy in north London. Unmarked cars and plainclothes officers were deployed around the pharmacy, lying in wait for Delaney who was swiftly brought into custody. Burglary lead for the Met, Detective Superintendent Amanda Mawhinney, said: 'The Met has a renewed focus on tackling burglary as we work to rebuild trust and drive down crime in our communities. 'Our officers and staff are committed to providing support and advice to victims, as well as continuously reviewing crime reports to spot patterns of offending and sending officers to hotspot areas.' President Biden held up the planned retaliatory strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels because of 'bad weather' with a military source saying that commanders prefer to strike in clear conditions in order to avoid civilian casualties. The president has signed off on the strikes, meaning it's a question of when, not if the US will hit back in the wake of the deaths of three servicemen last week in Jordan at the hands of a Houthi drone. A military source told CBS News that CENTCOM forces in the Middle East would rather wait until conditions in the region clear up before launching the counteroffensive. Weather forecast over the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, which is under the control of the Houthis, indicates sun and clear skies all through the weekend of February 2. While the threat of retaliation for Sunday's deaths has driven some militant groups to say they were stopping hostilities, as late as Thursday Yemen's Houthi rebels were still attacking vessels and fired a ballistic missile at a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea. President Biden held up the planned retaliatory strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels because of 'bad weather' The Pentagon has the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, shown here, in the region, along with at least a half dozen other major U.S. warships Yemen's Houthi fighters man a machine gun mounted on a vehicle while participating in a parade in solidarity with Palestinians and denounce the U.S.-led aerial attacks on Yemen The drone attack late Saturday night impacted a US outpost located in the northeast part of the country known as Tower 42, near the Syria border, and resulted in at least 34 other injuries 'At this point, it's time to take away even more capability than we've taken in the past,' Austin said Thursday in his first press conference since he was hospitalized on Jan. 1 due to complications from prostate cancer treatment. Previous U.S. strikes have not deterred the attacks. Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, Iranian-backed militant groups have struck U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria at least 166 times with rockets, missiles and one-way attack drones, drawing about a half-dozen U.S. counterstrikes on militant facilities in both countries. The U.S. military also has carried out airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The U.S. has attributed the attack on Tower 22 in Jordan to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the militant group Kataib Hezbollah. While Iran has denied involvement, Austin said Thursday that 'how much Iran knew or didn't know, we don't know. But it really doesn't matter because Iran sponsors these groups.' Austin said 'without that facilitation, these kinds of things don't happen.' He said the Pentagon is still looking at the forensics of the drone that struck Tower 22, a secretive base in northeastern Jordan that's been crucial to the American presence in neighboring Syria. 'I don't think the adversaries are of a 'one and done' mindset. And so they have a lot of capability. I have a lot more,' Austin said. 'We're going to do what's necessary to protect our troops.' In the Red Sea, the Houthis have fired on commercial and military ships almost 40 times since November. In the latest attack, they fired a ballistic missile at the M/V Koi, a Liberian-flagged container ship on Thursday, U.S. Central Command said. The ship's management could not immediately be reached for comment. The Houthis did not claim responsibility for the assault. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a press conference at Pentagon for the first time since his recent hospitalization due to a prostate cancer diagnosis The three troops killed in Jordan Saturday were named as Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24 , Sgt. William Rivers, 46, Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23 The attack happened west of Hodeida, a port city in Yemen long held by the rebels, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military group overseeing Mideast waterways. Also on Thursday, Central Command said it had destroyed two more Houthi-fired drones. One overhead drone, fired at 5 a.m. in Yemen, was shot down in the Gulf of Aden. A few hours later, an uncrewed surface vehicle, a drone that travels through water, was 'determined to be an imminent threat' and was struck in self defense in the Red Sea, Central Command said. The Houthis say they are targeting ships over Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. The Houthis hit a commercial vessel with a missile on Jan. 26, sparking a fire that burned for hours. While the threat of retaliation for Sunday's deaths has driven some militant groups to say they were stopping hostilities, as late as Thursday Yemen's Houthi rebels were still attacking vessels The Pentagon has the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in the region, along with at least a half dozen other major U.S. warships, U.S. Air Force fighter jets and radar aircraft. It has already been regularly using those assets to conduct strikes and defend ships. Late Wednesday, American F/A-18 fighter jets struck and destroyed 10 Houthi drones that were prepared to launch, as well as a ground control station used by the rebels, the U.S. military said. The U.S. also intercepted a ballistic missile and other drones already in the air during the day. Neal Anders, 45, has appeared in court for the first time on weapons related charges after his teenage son, 14, threatened to shoot up his own school A military contractor has appeared in court after his 14-year-old son threatened to shoot up his school after having access to an 'arsenal' of his fathers weapons. Neal Anders, 45, was arrested after his son, a student at Rancho Bernando High School in San Diego, threatened to shoot up the school on Tuesday. Anders, who works for Innovative Defense Technologies as a engineer, pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday to more than a dozen weapons related charges. Following a raid on their home, authorities found multiple firearms, along with manufacturing supplies to make rifles and handguns. Additionally, a 'large quantity' of explosives and rocket-propelled grenades were discovered alongside flamethrowers, an RPG, armored vests and gas masks. Anders, seen here, pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday to more than a dozen weapons related charges A 'large quantity' of explosives and rocket-propelled grenades were discovered alongside flamethrowers, an RPG, armored vests and gas masks Following a raid on their home, authorities found multiple firearms, along with manufacturing supplies to make rifles and handguns Anders son was also arrested and is facing a hearing in Juvenile court scheduled for next week. According to CBS8, prosecutors declined to comment on what charges the teenager faces.' The outlet reported that Deputy DA Roza Egiazarian said the boy told classmates to not go to school on Tuesday because 'he was bringing guns to school'. According to Egiazarian, police found 19 AR-style rifles, multiple pistols, magazines, ammo, flamethrowers, armored vests, gas masks and parts to assemble guns. She said: 'It was, simply put, an arsenal, tucked into Rancho Bernardo. There were 29 assault rifles, 9 of which we've charged were unserialized, which is a crime.' Investigators also found a 'Dragon's Breath' round, which prosecutors say are incendiary round that shoot a '200-yard wall of fire'. The round has led to a possession of a destructive device count being filed against Anders. Anders attorney Gregory Garrison told the court that all of the weapons were in a locked case, prosecutors say the teen alleged a lock was broken allowing him access. Anders faces just over three years in state prison if convicted of all counts, and remains in custody on a $300,000 bail. Anders son was also arrested and is facing a hearing in Juvenile court scheduled for next week Additionally, a large quantity of explosives and rocket-propelled grenades were discovered at the home in San Diego The suspected teen, who has not been identified, has been arrested and taken to juvenile hall The student's father, Neil Anders, 45, has also been arrested and booked into the county jail, facing multiple charges, according to law enforcement officials Garrison unsuccessfully sought a reduction of client's bail to $70,000, which he said more appropriately reflected the counts his client was charged with. He added that Anders has strong ties to the community, is employed with a military contractor, holds a 'secret clearance' and his employer is awaiting his return to work. Anders' wife and other kids were at home when cops arrived. They were allowed to leave when Anders and his son were arrested. Officers referred to the dad as a 'doomsday' prepped-style person. Hans Becker, principal of Rancho Bernardo High School, said some students had witnessed another student showing concerning videos and making threatening statements against others on Monday afternoon. The principal added that cops will be on campus next week following up on their investigation and providing a reassuring presence. According to his LinkedIn profile, Anders works as a deputy chief engineer for Innovative Defense Technologies. In his own words, he is responsible for delivering 'project technical leads' for maritime and network operations. His LinkedIn states that he also requires an active U.S. Security Clearance. DailyMail.com has approached the Pentagon for comment on his arrest. Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring is on the way during the largest and best known Groundhog Day celebration in the country. Just after sunrise, Punxsutawney Phil stepped out of his burrow during the annual celebration in Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, and did not see his shadow. The annual event is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil's handlers reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow ushering in six more weeks of winter weather or has not, presaging early springlike weather. About 10,000 people have made their way in recent years to Punxsutawney, where festivities begin in the dead of night and culminate in the midwinter forecast. There are more than a dozen active groundhog clubs in Pennsylvania, some dating back to the 1930s, and weather-predicting groundhogs have appeared in at least 28 US states and Canadian provinces. Just after sunrise, Punxsutawney Phil stepped out of his burrow during the annual celebration in Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania , and did not see his shadow The annual event is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil's handlers reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow ushering in six more weeks of winter weather or has not, presaging early springlike weather Phil stepped out earlier this morning to a large crowd that formed at the largest and best known Groundhog Day celebration in the country A bundled-up crowd, some wearing groundhog-themed hats, watched musical performances and fireworks as they waited for sunrise and the appearance of Punxsutawney Phil. Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro took the stage on Friday morning to urge people around the world watching the festivities to come to Punxsutawney next year. Mr Shapiro also announced Phil is the new official meteorologist for Pennsylvania. 'Punxsutawney is the centre of the universe right now and I love that you're all here,' Mr Shapiro said. Phil predicts more winter far more often than he sees an early spring, not a bad bet for February and March in western Pennsylvania. A federal agency took a look at his record last year and put his accuracy rate at about 40%. The tradition of celebrating the midpoint between the shortest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox goes back many centuries in European farm life. Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 138th celebration Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog About 10,000 people have made their way in recent years to Punxsutawney, where festivities begin in the dead of night and culminate in the midwinter forecast The 1993 film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, fuelled interest in Punxsutawney Phil and inspired informal observations far and wide. When he is not making his annual prognostication, Phil lives in a customised space beside the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, with a window where library patrons can check out his burrow. In 2009, library workers said Phil had somehow managed to escape three times, climbing into the library ceiling and dropping into offices about 15 metres away. He was not injured. Unlike other groundhogs, Phil does not hibernate since he lives in a 'climate controlled and light regulated' burrow. The lights and temperature in Phil's burrow are consistent year-round, and he does not have to search for food since he's being probably cared for by members of the club. However, in the wintertime, the club did indicate that Phil 'slows down, eats less, and sleeps more.' If he's not eating veggies or spending time with his wife Phyliss, the club stated that Phil 'enjoys a good book and reading the daily newspaper.' The bond of trust forged over social media between Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe was an important factor because it gave them the confidence to share their darkest fantasies, experts told the Mail. David Wilson, professor of criminology at Birmingham City University and a former prison governor who ran specialised units for some of Britains most notorious serial killers, believes that plotting the murder through graphic messages on Snapchat and WhatsApp helped accelerate their plan to kill Brianna Ghey, who was murdered within weeks of the pair identifying her as a victim. Briannas murder went from an imagined fantasy to reality within what seems like a breath, says Professor Wilson. He adds that the relationship between Jenkinson and Ratcliffe was a classic folie a deux, which literally means a shared madness or delusion that is typically found in couples who kill. Less typical is the fact that Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were not boyfriend and girlfriend, and unlike other notorious British killer couples, such as Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley and Rose and Fred West, the female Jenkinson was the dominant one in the partnership. Criminologist David Wilson suggested that Scarlett Jenkinson (left) was the one in charge of Eddie Ratcliffe (right) during the murder 'Within every folie a deux there is always a dominant, someone who is in charge, and a subservient, Prof Wilson said. In this case, it is Jenkinson that seemed to be the one in charge. And that is interesting because having the woman being the more dominant within the folie a deux is not particularly common. I think Jenkinsons confession that she also stabbed Brianna which she had initially denied, placing all the blame on Ratcliffe is very significant because I think through that confession what we are beginning to see is the actual workings of the power relationship between the two and how unusually its her, the woman, whos in charge of this particular folie a deux. Prof Wilson said the only other recent British example, where the woman was dominant, was the case of Joanna Dennehy, a female serial killer who murdered three men in Peterborough in 2013 with the help of her 7 ft accomplice Gary Stretch. Jenkinson is unusual but not unique, he said. We view women or girls who commit violent crime as doubly deviant they have not only broken the gender stereotype because they should be the more passive, quiet and nurturing of the sexes but, historically, violence is the preserve of men. That is why people are intrigued by women who commit such violent crimes. Its the toxic combination of the two [of them] that leads to these appalling crimes. Prof Wilson continued: Of course, Jenkinson has subsequently withdrawn her confession that she was actively involved in the stabbing of Brianna, and naturally therell be a common sense presumption that nothing she says can be trusted. However, I tend to think that withdrawal of the confession is merely another way of manipulating Ratcliffe, of trying to keep some control over Ratcliffe. You saw that with Myra Hindley and Rose West, for example, that they tried to distance themselves from the person who they had seen as dominating them at that time', says Prof Wilson She certainly doesnt want to feel that she will be punished in a way thats different to how hes going to be punished, and therefore the withdrawal of the confession is just another form of manipulation. Prof Wilson said it was intriguing that Ratcliffe refused to go along with Jenkinsons story that Brianna had left them in the park to meet a boy from Manchester when he was interviewed by police, immediately blaming her instead, and that he stopped speaking to anyone, except his mother, after being presented with the forensic evidence against him. I wonder to what extent that was merely a device to avoid being overwhelmed by the reality of what he had done, Prof Wilson said. Because, quite clearly, within a folie a deux once you separate the two, once they become more disconnected from each other, there is a sudden realisation by the subservient [one] about the enormity of it. You saw that with Myra Hindley and Rose West, for example, that they tried to distance themselves from the person who they had seen as dominating them at that time. Forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes, a consultant who has more than 20 years experience working in the prison service and the NHS, and who advises police forces and the Government on high-risk offenders, agrees that the dynamic between Jenkinson and Ratcliffe was crucial. They find each other, then start to encourage each other to research and fantasise about murder and torture, Daynes said. The way these two personalities encourage each other is really the spark, I suppose, to the Molotov cocktail. She also agrees that Jenkinson was the driver in the relationship. Scarlett Jenkinson was the more sadistic of the two, she added. She was the one that had more of a need for violence. And there was a level of, not coercion, but some manipulation of Eddie Ratcliffe and his limitations. One expert in autism who spoke to the Mail agreed Ratcliffes diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder would have made him more susceptible to Jenkinsons influence. Prof Wilson says he believes 100 per cent there was a sexual element to the crime They pointed to references he made during the trial, about not having many friends and wanting to please Jenkinson so she stayed his friend, as evidence of his reliance on her. However, Daynes insists that both were sadists pure and simple. They were desperate for the ultimate experience of killing somebody. A significant point in Scarlett Jenkinsons path to murder, says Daynes, is when she is no longer interested in watching fictional horror, but goes in search of real-life horrors. And the ease with which she could access torture and death online was among the most disturbing aspects of the trial. Aged just 15, with just a few clicks of a mouse, Jenkinson was able to download a browser that gave her access to the dark web and all the shocking, uncensored material it contains, including red-room websites, so-called because of the amount of blood they feature. I know police officers who have had to watch red-room material, says Daynes. Everybody I know who is exposed to this is utterly traumatised by it. It stays with them for life. In yesterdays sentencing [fri], the judge noted Jenkinsons admiration of notorious killers and that she had a new kill list written since she arrested for Briannas murder naming two or three members of staff at the secure unit where she is held. Jenkinson was interested in serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez and Harold Shipman. Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender who killed and dismembered 17 men between 1978 and 1991. Ramirez, known as The Night Stalker, was convicted of 13 murders while Shipman is the British doctor with more than 200 suspected victims. A notebook found on Jenkinsons bed by police included a memo headed types of serial killers and descriptions such as psychopathic, sexual sadist, psychotic and copycat. A note about John Wayne Gacy (an American serial killer who worked as a childrens clown and who tortured and murdered young men and boys near Chicago) was also found inside this book with the words killer clown, 33 victims, raped victims written next to it. The fact that both killers seem to have had normal childhoods is another anomaly. Usually what you find in their history is that theres been severe neglect, severe physical or sexual abuse, some kind of trauma in their background, said Daynes. Yet weve got two 15-year-olds who come from what appear to be entirely unremarkable, supportive families. There may be a story that we dont know, but I think its a combination of vulnerabilities. Weve got a boy whos got autistic traits, weve got a girl whos got ADHD traits, who are feeling very unhappy with their lives and they find each other. Prof Wilson says he believes 100 per cent there was a sexual element to the crime. This is about sexual fantasy, he said. Of course, this becomes confused and contextualised by Brianna being transgender. But if they had killed the boy that they had first targeted that also would have had a sexual fantasy attached to it as well. Because the fantasy isnt about the biology, the fantasy is about being powerful, the fantasy is about being so omnipotent that they can decide to take the life of another person. Often when you talk to offenders who have this kind of fantasy it is their belief that only in taking anothers life can they have the agency they feel is denied to them in their reality. Jenkinson and Ratcliffe would probably feel they werent in charge of any other aspects of their lives and this was the only way that they had to be themselves. Prof Wilson continued: Now, of course, the sentencing process is completed, there will be a legitimate desire to understand what was motivating Jenkinson to behave in the way that she did, and well hear all sorts of fancy labels being applied to her conduct. Weve already got conduct disorder diagnosis that she lacks pro social emotions. Now, that doesnt mean to say that shes mentally ill, shes not hearing voices, shes not schizophrenic, shes not psychotic. I think really what were seeing is just somebody whos got a profound antisocial personality disorder. Its important to have those definitions because those help us to think about what would be a suitable treatment. But frankly, this is somebody who prioritises herself, her needs, is manipulative, is arrogant, is impulsive, is dangerous. Shes dangerous because she is particularly sadistic. The former chief of staff to a one-time long-shot prime ministerial candidate sexually assaulted four of his female staffers. Frank Zumbo has been found guilty of indecently assaulting four women throughout his years working for former Liberal MP Craig Kelly as his chief of staff. Zumbo was confronted with the details of his assaults by magistrate Gareth Christofi on Friday. The trial began in June 2022 and more than 20 charges of sexual touching and indecent assault and one of common assault were alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2020. Zumbo was found guilty of seven charges of aggravated indecent assault of a victim under authority of the offender, and one charge of assault with an act of indecency. Frank Zumbo has been found guilty of indecently assaulting four women throughout his years while working as former Liberal MP Craig Kelly's chief of staff Zumbo's assaults were alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2020 while Mr Kelly was an MP One of Zumbo's victims said that she was no longer 'pure' after he took her first kiss and placed his hand on her crotch and breasts. 'I thought nothing like that would happen until I'm married,' she texted a friend after the incident, as reported by the Guardian. Zumbo was also accused of exposing his penis to a staffer in the park, groping and sexually assaulting others and demanding displays of affection A fifth woman came forward with her own account of Zumbo's sexual touching her in his office, but this allegation was dismissed by the court. Much of the evidence used in the trail was covertly recorded by the women who claimed Zumbo assaulted them. Zumbo pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, admitting that he had regularly hugged and kissed his female staff because of his Italian heritage Magistrate Christofi found Zumbo guilty of one instance in Willoughby, south Sydney, when the accused pulled a staffer in close for a kiss with his penis out of his fly. It was also found that Zumbo indecently assaulted another young women in his car en route to the electorate office by touching her thigh. The staffer said that she placed a cardigan over her legs to stop it from happening but that Zumbo had tossed it into the back seat. During the ordeal the female staffer was audio recording the incident, which was later used in court as evidence. In court, Zumbo claimed he threw the cardigan aside to make sure the staffer was being honest about the temperature in the car. But Magistrate Christofi said that Zumbo was not convincing in his answers and that he had 'significantly eroded' the court's confidence in his evidence. Several of Zumbo's victims recorded their altercations with him, which was used as evidence in court Another of Zumbo's assaults was in his car after he had taken the woman out to a restaurant for dinner to celebrate her birthday. This altercation was also recorded and used as evidence against Zumbo in court. Zumbo told the staffer that he had feelings for her and that he planned on becoming intimate with her. He presented the woman with a gift card for her birthday but allegedly reacted badly when she would not hug or kiss him in return and then asked that she do so. 'To put it bluntly, he would not take no for an answer,' Christofi told the court. Several of them women said that they were worried about their careers should they not go along with Zumbo's advances, especially after they were offered employment in his office and received help with their legal degrees. One of his victims spoke to reporters outside of the court on the condition of anonymity and said that the verdict was a just one. 'Today has been a day of relief for me because it's like this massive weight has been lifted,' she said. 'I've been able to tell my truth. After so many years of having to cover up and lie and protect him, I've finally been able to stand strong.' Prosecutors unsuccessfully applied for a detention application. A sentencing hearing has been set for 26 March. Her extramarital affair was exposed in court this week, before she declared: 'I don't think I'm a failure as a parent' Jennifer Crumbley testified Friday that she used a swinger's site 'Adult Friend Finder' to carry out secret affairs Explosive cross-examination revealed school shooter mom Jennifer Crumbley was caught with $6,000 in cash and a number of burner phones on the day of her dramatic arrest. The Michigan mom, 45, was grilled by prosecutors on Friday over her actions in the aftermath of her son Ethan Crumbley's 2021 massacre at Oxford High School, where he shot 11 people and killed four. After Jennifer and her husband James - set for his own trial in March - fled to Detroit while cops sought them in the days following the shooting, she claimed in her testimony that they each took four Xanax pills to calm their anxiety over their imminent arrest. However, Friday's cross-examination saw prosecutors present text messages Jennifer sent to her attorney half an hour after she supposedly took the knockout-pills, raising questions over her testimony. The dramatic testimony also saw Jennifer admit to using a swinger's app called 'Adult Friend Finder' to recruit others for hotel sex parties, as prosecutors attempted to paint her as a negligent mother to her troubled son. Jennifer Crumbley (center) seen entering the court Friday, before she was grilled in a cross examination by prosecutors The Michigan mom, 45, said she and her husband James fled to Detroit in the days after the shooting due to threats from the public, while prosecutors argued they were trying to evade custody As her cross-examination began, Crumbley admitted to frequently using an online app called 'Adult Friend Finder' to carry out secret affairs Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to his crimes and is currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, after murdering four classmates in the Oxford High School shooting in 2021 Jennifer Crumbley's affair with fire captain Brian Meloche had been exposed in court earlier this week, as text messages between the pair were shown to jurors. On Friday, she admitted to using the app 'Adult Friend Finder' to carry out secret affairs, including evidence that she arranged 'meet ups' days before the shooting. Crumbley's attorney, Shannon Smith, objected to the line of questioning, however prosecutors said it was relevant as she had testified under oath to only having one affair. 'She depicted herself as having one extramarital affair for a six-month period of time where she met with him one time a week. That was her testimony,' Assistant Prosecutor Marc Keast said in court Friday. 'It was you and Mr. Meloche arranging with other individuals to meet after work, as well?' 'I only met with Brian during work hours,' she responded. 'The times we were at the hotel, I was on business. We did arrange for other people to meet us there.' The court broke for recess to deliberate over evidence that related to text messages sent between Smith and Crumbley in the days after the shooting. When Crumbley's testimony is over, the court indicated it would move to closing arguments. She faces up to 60 years in prison, in the first case of a parent being charged over the deaths caused by their school shooter child. Jennifer previously took the stand Thursday, where she spoke of her 'close' relationship with her son, blamed her husband for not properly locking up the firearm, and declared: 'I don't think I'm a failure as a parent.' The crux of the prosecution's argument centers on allegations Jennifer and James Crumbley ignored a number of disturbing red flags in the lead up to the tragedy. Evidence of this argued in court included Ethan drawing pictures of school shootings and talking of voices in his head, days before the parents bought him the 9mm handgun used in the mass shooting. James and Jennifer Crumbley were both charged in connection with their son's shooting, the first time parents have faced charges over a school shooting Cross-examination began with prosecutors repeatedly hammering home that Crumbley was under oath, and faced questioning over her claim that she was a 'hyper vigilant helicopter parent.' Prosecutors noted that she carried out a number of hobbies including horse riding and skiing. She admitted to riding horses upwards of three times a week for several hours at a time, and bank records cited by attorneys claimed she spent over $20,000 on horses in 2021. Crumbley also skied for up to 10 hours a week while in season, as prosecutors brought up her hobbies and extramarital affairs to counter her claims she was never 'negligent.' The mother and son's text messages were brought up in the cross examination, as it was cited that the word 'love' appeared only three times over years of their exchanges. In June of 2021, Ethan obtained a 22mm firearm, and prosecutors said he 'consistently expressed a desire to have a weapon' despite his evident mental illness. Jennifer denied any knowledge that her husband James would later buy his son the 9mm used in the shooting five months later, but added that she 'wasn't surprised' he did so. She said her husband had difficulty holding down a job and didn't entrust him with a number of everyday errands, and agreed they would have 'explosive emotional fights' in the home they shared with Ethan. Despite their issues, Jennifer she felt no issue trusting him to keep the gun safe from their son, a day after she alluded to him being to blame for the firearm not being safely locked from their son. On Wednesday, Jennifer's extramarital affair with fire captain Brian Meloche was exposed Jurors at the involuntary manslaughter trial of Jennifer Crumbley were shown disturbing drawings by mass shooter son Ethan hours before he opened fire at Oxford High school, killing four In one of Ethan's diary entries shown on Thursday, he wrote: 'I have zero help for my mental problems and it's causing me to shoot up the f****** school' 'I want help but my parents don't listen to me so I can't get any help', read another entry When Jennifer took the stand in her own defense on Thursday, she attempted to counter claims she was a 'negligent' mother as she recalled her 'normal' family life before the tragedy. She denied ever believing her son was dangerous, and claimed alarming text messages shown to the jury - including warning his mom about a demon chasing him - were typical of her 'sarcastic' son 'fooling around.' 'He's been convinced our house has been haunted since 2015,' she said, adding that he named the specter 'Boris Johnson.' Prosecutors argue that she and James callously brushed off their son's pleas for mental health help, alleging she mocked him, and James told him to 'suck it up.' In her cross examination on Friday, Crumbley denied remembering telling Ethan to 'man up', but admitted it 'sounds like something I would say.' In one of the teenage gunman's texts shown in court, he told a friend in March 2021, around seven months before the shooting, that his mom 'laughed when I told her', about voices in his head. Jennifer denied ever laughing at her son's struggles, and claimed he never once brought up hearing voices. However, she admitted he lived a lonely lifestyle without many friends, developed at least 13 cavities as he barely brushed his teeth, and spent most of his time in a squalid bedroom. She said she would never monitor her son's internet activity or read his journals, and barely opened the door to his room because it was so messy. 'There was a couple of times where Ethan had expressed anxiety over taking tests, anxiety about what he was going to do after high school whether it was college, military so he expressed those concerns to me, but not to a level where I felt he needed to go see a psychiatrist or a mental health professional,' she said. Jennifer said that she barely entered her son's squalid bedroom as it was so messy, and testified that he was so bad at brushing his teeth he developed at least 13 cavities Meloche testified on Thursday, where he admitted to the affairs and denied claims he felt threatened by police to incriminate his lover 'I don't think I'm a failure as a parent', she said at the conclusion of her testimony. 'But at the time, I guess I didn't see, I felt bad that [Ethan] was sad at those things, and I guess, I just failed somewhere' she told jurors. The mother admitted that she would have done things differently if she could, adding 'I wish he would have killed us instead.' Crumbley stopped short of calling herself a victim when asked but said she has 'lost a lot... we lost everything.' Earlier in the day before she took the stand, Jennifer broke down in tears and refused to look at evidence as her son's harrowing final diary entries were shown to jurors. The disturbing diary entries appeared to oppose her statements they were 'close', as Ethan wrote that 'my parents won't listen to me about help or therapist,' and 'I have zero help for my mental problems and it's causing me to shoot up the f****** school.' Crumbley's claims they were a 'close' family came just a day after her extramarital affair was exposed in court, as prosecutors argued she was focused on her tryst with a fire captain over her disturbed son. On the day of the shooting, Ethan's parents were brought into the school after a teacher discovered alarming drawings of mass shootings and murders on his homework. Despite writing 'the thoughts won't stop, help me', both of his parents declined to take him home and left him at the school, where he had a 9mm handgun secretly stashed in his backpack. Jennifer said at the time she was too busy at work to take him out of school, a claim refuted by her former boss who testified that she would have been allowed to take care of her troubled son. Her secret lover, fire captain Brian Meloche, also claimed she wanted to meet up that morning, however she downplayed their affair in her testimony. After leaving Ethan in school, she testified that she had a feeling something was wrong when he texted her 'I love you' - something she found 'abnormal.' After realizing the gun and bullets were gone from her home amid reports of a school shooter, Crumbley said she feared that her son was involved - but admitted her main fear was that he would commit suicide. She texted him 'Ethan, don't do it', but said she wasn't referencing the shooting, but rather that she didn't want him to turn the gun on himself. 'I didn't believe that he even shot anybody, just that there was gunfire,' she added. Jennifer Crumbley pictured taking the stand in her own defense on Thursday, where she countered claims she was a negligent mother by testifying over her 'close' relationship with her school shooter son Police say Crumbley's first victim was freshman Phoebe Arthur (pictured), who was shot in the face but miraculously survived. A total of 13 people were shot, four of whom died Madisyn Baldwin, 17, (left) and Hana St Juliana, 14, (right) died in the 2021 shooting rampage at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit Justin Shilling, 17, (left) and Tate Myre, 16, (right) were also killed in the senseless shooting Crumbley recalled being arrested soon after her son was captured by police, which she said was a confusing, harrowing experience. 'It all happened so fast,' she said. 'It was shocking.' In the days following the shooting, the couple appeared to try and flee as police sought them for questioning. Jennifer's attorney argued she was not trying to escape custody, but was fearing for her life after threats were allegedly made following her son's crime. However, it was revealed Thursday that she and her husband had emptied their son's bank account immediately after, withdrawing $3,000 and leaving just 99 cents inside. The couple stayed at several hotels and bought new phones, after theirs had been seized by investigators, before eventually hiding out in an art studio in Detroit. They also withdrew another $6,000 from two other accounts, according to testimony from Oakland County Sheriff's Office Lt. Timothy Willis. Crumbley said she was 'freaked out' by the prospect of facing charges while on the run, and planned to turn herself in with her husband. She added that they took four Xanax to handle the anxiety the night before, knocking them out for several hours. Footage of their dramatic arrest inside the art studio captured the frantic moments cops breached the studio and took them into custody, with both appearing confused by the law enforcement officers' actions. Jennifer Crumbley's former boss Andrew Smith testified Wednesday that she would have been allowed to leave work at their real estate company if she had to tend to her son, opposing her statements to police that she had to work as she kept Ethan in school Before cross examination was set to begin, Friday's proceedings were delayed after prosecutors raised a dispute over text messages between Crumbley and her attorney, Shannon Smith. Jennifer and James Crumbley appeared to flee to Detroit in the aftermath of the shooting, and the mom testified Thursday that they didn't turn themselves in immediately because they were following advice from Smith. Text messages between the two from the evening before Crumbley's arrest were intended to be used as evidence she wasn't attempting to evade custody, which prosecutors argued against unless they could review them first. Smith added that she was unaware her client would testify over their pre-arrest communications and asked for it to be struck from the official record, which the judge denied. After a brief recess, the judge ruled that the texts will be allowed into evidence, and brought Crumbley back into the courtroom in shackles. A pensioner tracing his family tree has discovered he has 3,000 Italian relatives after his great grandmother had an affair. Retired computer engineer Bob Brooker, 72, decided to look into his heritage during lockdown after his mother Doris died. He entered his DNA into Ancestry.com and was soon contacted by a man called Jack Torch. Based on their DNA, the site said they were related but they could not find a common ancestor. It was only when he started digging deeper that Mr Brooker discovered that Mr Torchs grandfather, Italian ice cream salesman and organ grinder Antonio Tocci, lived opposite his great grandmother in Tooting, south London in 1891 when her husband Thomas Woombell was away serving in the Royal Marines. It turned out Antonio was 'quite the lad' and fathered at least 13 children in Victorian London. A DNA test confirmed that Tocci was also Mr Brooker's great-grandfather and Mr Brooker now has 3,136 living relatives all descended from the Italian. Retired computer engineer Bob Brooker, 72, who has discovered he has 3,000 Italian relatives after his great grandmother had an affair 130 years ago Italian ice cream salesman and organ grinder Antonio Tocci, above, who had an affair with Mr Brooker's great grandmother in 1891 Mr Brooker's great grandmother Annie Webster (pictured) lived opposite his great Mr Tocci in Tooting, south London, while her husband Thomas Woombell was away serving in the Royal Marines Antonio was such a character that there is even a Facebook group for all his descendants. 'It appears that great-granny Annie got a bit too close to Antonio's organ grinding while my supposed great-grandad Tom was away from home serving in the Royal Marines,' he said. 'I don't know if even Thomas knew. But Annie was married to an Italian before she married Thomas Woombell, so she was obviously fond of Italians. 'I was surprised to learn I am part-Italian but I was even more shocked to discover my extended Italian family runs to more than 3,000 relatives I didn't know I had.' Mr Brooker, who grew up in south London but retired to Lyme Regis, where he now lives with third wife Hilary, an artist, plays guitar as a hobby, has now written a song about his incredible discovery called 'Me and Mr Torch'. Mr Brooker said he decided to look into his family's past after his mum Doris in 2016 died and left him lots of old photos. But he got more than he bargained for when he discovered his biological great-grandfather was not Royal Marine Thomas Woombell but the Italian lothario called Antonio Tocci. Mr Brooker has been able to speak to some of his new family and he hopes to make a trip to Frosinone, the Italian city Antonio was from, and meet up with a relative there in the near future. Mr Brooker believes that the old gentleman circled in this picture is also Antonio Annie Webster's husband Thomas Woombell, who Mr Brooker thought was his biological great-grandfather Mr Brooker, who has one child - a daughter - from his second marriage, said: 'When my mum passed away she left me with a suitcase full of photographs. She was one of six children and so was my dad so I decided to do a family tree. READ MORE: Woman separated from her TEN sisters as a child after their mother abandoned them in the dead of winter them documents the 46-YEAR search to reunite with her siblings Advertisement 'All my life I had believed that I was descended from my great-granny Annie Webster and her husband Thomas Woombell, a working class couple from 19th century Tooting. 'But my search on Ancestry.com and a subsequent DNA test has revealed that my actual great-grandad was an Italian immigrant called Antonio Tocci, who settled in south London and worked locally as a popular organ grinder. 'I was contacted by a man called Jack Torch, who seemed closely related to me, based on our DNA matches, but we couldn't find a common ancestor.' He later found an 1891 census which listed his great grandmother as the householder. The man he believed to be his great-grandfather was in barracks during the census and Jack Torch's grandfather, Antonio, lived in the house opposite. While her husband was overseas serving with the Royal Marines, Annie was one of several local women Antonio became romantically involved with. She fell pregnant to the Italian organ-grinder, although Mr Brooker's grandmother, Ellen, was never told the truth about who her real father was. It remained a family secret for 130 years until Mr Brooker subscribed to Ancestry.co.uk to help find his past. Bob Brooker holding a picture of his Italian lothario great-grandfather Antonio Tocci 'I had no idea and I don't think my nan knew. She left a load of notes and postcards and she had a sort of 'story of my life' which said where she was born and that Thomas Woombell was her father. 'I don't know if even Thomas knew. But Annie was married to an Italian before she married Thomas Woombell, so she was obviously fond of Italians. 'I was surprised to learn I am part-Italian but I was even more shocked to discover my extended Italian family runs to more than 3,000 relatives I didn't know I had.' He was popular on the streets of Victorian Tooting, where he was known to everyone as Mr Torch, an anglicised version of Tocci. 'I found his obituary from 1938, he sounded like a character with colourful clothes and the children following him around,' he said. 'It's a great story. If I was a novelist I'd have written a book about it but I'm a musician so I wrote a song instead. 'There's so many in my new-found family that if all of my relatives each buy a copy, it'll be a hit.' People who knew the suspected Clapham South chemical attacker say he was 'a good Muslim' who bought Halal meat, avoided alcohol and planned to return home 'to find a wife' prior to the incident. It has emerged that refugee Abdul Shokoor Ezedi,35, who pleaded guilty to sex assault and exposure charges in 2018 but was not jailed, had been living in Newcastle after arriving in the UK in 2016 on the back of a lorry. He is on the run from police after being suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, on Wednesday night. Authorities and leaders from the Church of England are now facing questions after it emerged that Ezedi, who is originally from Iran, was allowed to stay in the UK following two failed asylum applications after converting to Christianity. In 2020 or 2021, it is understood a priest vouched for his conversion and argued he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion - which aided his application. A handout CCTV grab released by Britain's Metropolitan Police in London on February 1, 2024 shows Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (pictured), taken in a Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has been named by police as the suspect in a corrosive alkaline substance attack in Clapham, south London He avoided jail after being handed a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Despite this he was later granted the right to stay in the UK on his third asylum application in either 2020 or 2021, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. The Church of England has been criticised in the past for aiding migrants from refugee backgrounds with their asylum claims if they convert. Speaking to The Telegraph, Alan Mendoza, of the Henry Jackson Society counter-extremism think tank, said: 'Abdul Ezedi should never have been granted asylum status in the UK in the first place following multiple failed attempts and a sexual offences conviction. 'That he was allowed to stay after an obviously false conversion to Christianity highlights the continued problem of the complicity of various British institutions in what has become a pro-asylum industry. The consequences of this are frequently devastating.' The Church of England said it is not currently aware of any links to its churches. A spokesperson for the Church of England said: 'This is clearly a shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by it. 'It is the role of the Home Office, and not the Church, to vet asylum seekers and judge the merits of their individual cases.' An asylum support worker who knew wanted man Abdul Ezedi said he was shocked by the violence he is accused off. MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street St Vincent's Centre, in Byker, Newcastle, where acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project every two weeks for toiletries and food The charity worker, based near Newcastle city centre, checked his records and said Ezedi was from Iran, not Afghanistan as had previously been thought . He also said the 35-year-old, wanted for a horrific corrosive liquid attack in south London, showed no signs of mental health issues or violent behaviour previously. The charity worker, who asked not to named said: 'He has been coming here for more than two years, since I took over the project here. 'At the time he was identified as a destitute asylum seeker and did not have access to Home Office support. 'He was registered as someone who needs essential food and furniture. 'We looked at his legal documents, what is his status in the country. 'Over time, I knew him by his face. 'He often came to the centre, every three, four or five weeks. 'He seemed a calm person, sitting in the corner by himself, there was never, ever any complaint or any trouble. 'He never showed any aggressive behaviour. 'When I saw his photo on the news last night I was shocked, I never expected such a person would be violent to that extent. 'He was last here two or three weeks ago. 'We were not aware he had been granted the right to remain, we were not aware he had a criminal record.' The project manager did not know about Ezedi's conversion to Christianity. He was worried that the outcry about the case would affect other, innocent asylum seekers. The worker said: 'Unfortunately, there is a stereotype about asylum matters these days. 'One incident like this can affect a lot of people and have a severe impact on others who are innocent, decent people. 'I would straight away ask him to give himself up, get medical attention and say he has to be held accountable for what he has done. 'Some clients here have mental health issues, they can sometimes react in an aggressive, violent way, but this is someone you would never expect, this is shocking.' Staff at a Kurdish grocery shop in the Byker area of Newcastle where the man lived told The Times that he would come in every two weeks to buy half of a halal sheep that he would then cut up and put in his freezer. They claimed he told people he wanted to return to Afghanistan to find a wife, and described him as 'a good Muslim' who did not drink alcohol. Wednesday's horrific attack on Lessar Road at 7.25pm left the mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and her youngest daughter with 'life changing injuries'. Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's time in the UK: 2016 Ezedi arrives in the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing from Afghanistan. He had two applications for asylum rejected. 2018 Ezedi is handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and is discharged from probation supervision. 2020-2021 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on his third application - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. January 31 2024 Ezedi is suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. Advertisement The elder child is also said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital in a stable condition. The Met has urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who was also hurt in the horror that unfolded. The force last night released CCTV footage of Ezedi buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained 'significant injuries' in the attack, which officers say was 'targeted'. He is accused of leaping on the 'vulnerable' mother and her two daughters, hurling a corrosive alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: 'I can't see, I can't see!' Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims' skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the man's car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack Children's minister David Johnston was pressed by Sky News on reports the suspect in the alkaline substance attack in south London is a convicted sex offender who was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Mr Johnston said: 'I don't have his case file and I can't say anything that might affect the police's investigation here. 'He is still at large and what we really need is anyone with information to come forward in order that he can be apprehended, given he is police's key suspect. He described the attack as 'horrific' and sent his thoughts to the victims. He told Sky News: 'What has been reported in this particular case will understandably concern I think every member of the public. Concerns me, concerns every member of the government.' Asked whether it was a failure of the Government for someone to be granted permission to stay in the UK after being convicted of a crime, he said: 'This is why this government's so determined to end the asylum merry-go-round.' Mr Johnston added that a 'number of cases' of people appealing and claiming asylum after having their application rejected. He added that the Rwanda Bill aims to stop this from happening. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a 'detailed review' of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case raises 'very serious concerns'. He said: 'It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity. 'I think we need to investigate the particular circumstances. 'We shouldn't jump to conclusions, and I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest.' Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said Rishi Sunak does not think 'foreign criminals should be able to stay' in the UK when asked about news that a sex offender hunted over a chemical attack was granted asylum to stay in the UK despite his conviction. The Prime Minister's spokesman told reporters: 'First and foremost on the attack, obviously, it was a horrific attack and the PM's thoughts are with the victims and their families. 'And he'd like to extend his thanks to the emergency services for the very quick response to the scene and the five officers who were injured in the incident.' The official declined to comment on the suspect's immigration status during a live police investigation but said that, more broadly, 'the PM doesn't think that foreign criminals should be able to stay in the country, putting the public at risk'. He pointed to action the Government is taking in the Nationality and Borders Act and Illegal Migration Act. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child 'like a ragdoll' above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: 'The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring.' Another horrified witness said: 'Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again.' Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered 'life-changing injuries'. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital. One witness described the mother's horrific injuries: 'Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically.' The Acid Survivors Trust International, an organisation that records information on chemical attacks across the world, said that the heinous attack being directed at the young mother and her two children was 'unheard of', as most are related to gang violence. Jaf Shah, chief executive of the trust, said: 'The scale of attacks and the targeting of young children by a single perpetrator is unheard of. It's important to highlight that this is not commonplace, this is very rare.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million Forensics were seen closely examining a silver thermal carry-cup, which was located next to a bin Shannon Christi was one of those injured. She recalled: 'They were screaming, 'Help! Help!' The little one was thrown to the floor. It was aggressive. He threw her down on the floor. Then he picked her up and threw her down again. 'That's when I ran in and just grabbed her, because I couldn't watch. 'I didn't see anything on her clothes, but there was something on her coat that got transferred to me. She landed on her face. It was scratched, bruised. 'I saw the mother afterwards. Her face was red and sore. Her eyes were closed and she was screaming: 'I can't see!' 'That's when I realised something had been thrown at her. So I called for someone to get water. Her lips went black. It was all over her face. At that point, my face and my arms started tingling. 'My lips started tingling so I knew something was wrong. I ran into my house and washed my arms and my face.' Another resident, Mohamed Ilyas, said: 'I saw him driving into her. He smashed her with the car, then the kid went and knocked on the door, saying 'Mummy! Mummy!', hitting on the door. 'Then he got out the car, went into the backseat, pulled out the other little child and smashed her on the floor.' After the brutal attack, the suspect tried to drive off in his car but collided with a stationary vehicle. He then fled on foot in the direction of Clapham Common. Nearby CCTV caught him sprinting through neighbouring streets in such a hurry that he stumbled on a speed bump before tripping on a kerb. The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, at 8.48pm dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt. The mother and two girls were given emergency first aid at Clapham South Belvedere Hotel, a complex used to house Afghan refugees where they had been living, while detectives believe Ezedi may be heading to Newcastle, where he has links. Two scientists could be seen crowding around the mug, which appeared to have an evidence marker The car appeared to have crashed into other parked vehicles as it came to a stop on the residential road The UK's current policy on asylum seekers states that they can claim asylum based on their conversion to a new religion, if they can prove they will face persecution in their country of origin as a result of their new faith. Ezedi's case has already been compared to Enzo Almeni, a Christian convert who had changed his name by deed poll from Emad Al Swealmeen and blew himself up outside Liverpool Women's Hospital on Remembrance Sunday in 2021 after months of planning. Al Swealmeen was confirmed to have converted to Christianity by Rt Revd Cyril Ashton at Liverpool Cathedral in 2017. Ezedi managed to claim asylum, despite his criminal history, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. He was granted the right to stay in the UK on his third application in either 2020 or 2021, after coming into the UK in the back of a lorry in 2016, despite being convicted of a sexual offence just two years after he arrived. Ezedi pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed. He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018, to a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Police were seen outside the last known address of Ezedi It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable Abdul Shokoor Ezedi has not been seen at his address in Newcastle for around six months, neighbours told MailOnline. READ MORE: Acid attack victim says perpetrators should be jailed for life with no chance of parole - Lauren Trent speaks out as cops continue manhunt for thug who maimed mother and her two children in Clapham chemical assault Advertisement He was last known to be living in a shared terraced house in Dilston Road in the Arthur's Hill area of the city. Neighbours said the house had a high turnover of tenants and few remembered him. However Mohammad Hussain Nazary, 24, who works in his family's food shop said he recalled Ezedi living in the area but assumed he was a single man. He said: 'I'd see him around the area and he'd come in from time to time. 'He's an Afghan and I assumed he was single because I never saw him with a partner or family, he was always on his own. 'He seemed like an ordinary harmless guy, certainly not someone you'd associate with something like this. 'He was around quite a lot but I haven't seen him in maybe six or seven months.' A neighbour said: 'There are a lot of long term residents in the street but also a couple of houses where tenants come and go all the time and that house is one of them. There are new people moving in very regularly , you can't keep track of who is living there.' MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently been living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street. It is run by Tyne Housing Association which aims to find homes for people who are classed as homeless or vulnerable. A resident said: 'You'd see him walking around during the day, usually on his own and I don't recall ever seeing him with a wife or partner.' He visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project every two weeks for toiletries and food, according to a charity worker at the site which provides basic food and clothing to asylum seekers Garage worker Michael Vinks, 37, works opposite the hostel. He said: 'He came in a while ago and chatted to my boss about possibly buying a car, but it didn't come to anything.' The site which provides basic food and clothing to asylum seekers Bilal Khan (pictured), owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents Acid attacks in London rise by 45 per cent in a year Acid attacks have risen in London by 45 per cent in a year, Met Police figures show. The force recorded 107 attacks in 2022, up from 74 in 2021. The data was released by the charity Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) following a freedom of information request. Overall, police in England and Wales recorded 472 violent and robbery offences involving a corrosive substance in the year to March 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 525 recorded in the previous 12-month period. The data is published annually and only dates back to March 2020, when current records began. The Home Office started collecting data on some offences involving corrosive substances from April 2019 as part of a government pledge to tackle such attacks. The figures to March 2023 exclude any reports that may have been made to Devon and Cornwall Police because the force has been unable to supply data due to problems with a new computer system. Advertisement Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near Ezedi's last known address, said the alleged attacker had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily. 'He was coming and going back to me about the car but I told him 'this is my price'.' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house, and he preferred not to do business with its residents. 'I try to keep my distance from people like that,' he said. The negotiation over the car ended without a sale last summer and Mr Khan said he had not seen Ezedi since around Christmas or New Year. Asked if he was worried about the suspect returning to Newcastle, Mr Khan said: 'I don't think so. If he knows the police and the media are after him then he will stay away, if he doesn't get caught.' Mr Khan told The Telegraph: 'He's a small, skinny guy. There's nothing threatening about him. 'I've never seen him with anyone, as far as I could see he spent his days on his own hanging around the street near the hostel.' Tory MPs have called for the Government to reform its policy on asylum seekers in the wake of the horrific attack. Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge and the co-chair of the New Conservative group of MPs, told The Telegraph: 'This shocking and tragic case is everybody's worst nightmare but it also shows the urgent need to tighten up our asylum processes. 'This man should never have been granted asylum in this country and we need to get to the bottom of how he was able to be granted leave to remain. 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year.' Sir John Hayes, former minister and MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said he would be writing to the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, asking for an urgent review of the UK's asylum rules. 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals. 'It won't take much working out who has been here and subsequently received asylum and then committed a crime and how we can deport all of them.' Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: 'This brings home the enormous security threat that this country faces from thousands of illegal migrants entering the UK each year' Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, said: 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country' Sir John Hayes, MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said: 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals' Also calling for reform was Lee Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Tory party, who expressed a zero-tolerance view on asylum seekers who commit crimes of any kind. 'It should apply whether it is shoplifting or another crime. That would make us a safer country. They should find him and send him straight back. No messing about. 'There should be a condition on any asylum being granted that if you commit a crime, you go back to your country. He cannot claim he is being persecuted and at risk when he is coming to the UK and committing crimes.' Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'This is a huge wake up call. He should have been deported after the first asylum claim.' Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: 'We believe the man and woman are known to each other. We are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. 'Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears to be a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said a 'big team' of officers were involved in the manhunt following the 'ghastly attack'. Strong alkaline materials, such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia, can cause blindness, severe burns and permanent scarring. But it is difficult to ban the harmful chemicals as many are found in ordinary household cleaning products. Concentrated bleach contains around 10 to 15 per cent sodium hypochlorite, which can burn skin on contact. Other products such as oven cleaner, drain unblockers and metal polish are also alkaline substances. The chemicals can rapidly eat away skin, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and in some cases bone. Thee suspects have been charged with stealing roughly $477 million from FTX on the same day the crypto exchange declared bankruptcy, potentially resolving a lingering mystery in the twisted saga. Although former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted of a slew of fraud and related charges in the company's collapse, he was never charged with involvement in the cyber heist, which the new indictment appears to confirm was an outside job. The indictment mentions the theft of more than $400 million in crypto assets from 'Victim Company-1' on November 11 and 12, 2022, and people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that it refers to FTX. Prosecutors say Chicagoan Robert Powell, aka 'ElSwapo1', was the ringleader of the hacking gang, and names co-conspirators Carter 'Punslayer' Rohn of Indianapolis and Emily Hernandez of Colorado Springs. 'We're not aware of any other thefts of this magnitude on these dates,' Tom Robinson, cofounder of blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, told DailyMail.com. 'It therefore seems likely that "Victim Company 1" is FTX.' Thee suspects have been charged with stealing roughly $477 million from FTX on the same day the crypto exchange declared bankruptcy. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (above) was convicted of fraud and other charges, but was not involved with the heist A spokeswoman for the US Attorney in the District of Columbia, where the case was filed, declined to comment. Hernandez's public defender, Kelly Christl, also declined to comment, citing her office's media policy. Attorneys for Powell, Rohn and FTX did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The indictment, first tied to FTX by cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs, describes a sophisticated hacking plot known as 'SIM Swapping,' a form of identity theft that involves hijacking a victim's cell phone number. The stolen phone numbers are typically used by fraudsters to intercept one-time security codes sent via text message by banks or crypto exchanges. Prosecutors say that, between March 2021 and April 2023, Powell's gang pulled off numerous SIM swapping heists targeting customers of AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile across the country. Using stolen personal information, the gang would use an identity card printer to create fake IDs showing the victim's name, but the photo of a co-conspirator, according to the indictment. Prosecutors say that the hackers would then present the fake IDs at a mobile service provider store, and convince an employee to port the victim's phone number to a new device. Hernandez was recruited specifically to impersonate female victims, according to the indictment. In the case of Victim Company-1, identified as FTX, the indictment says Powell set the hack in motion on November 11, 2022, ordering his co-conspirators to execute a SIM swap of an employee of the company, who was an AT&T customer. Prosecutors say Hernandez, using a fake ID, went to a mobile service provider store in Texas and convinced a worker there to load the target's phone number onto a new device. Using verification codes intercepted with the stolen number, the gang gained access to the company's online accounts, and stole more than $400 million by the following day, the indictment alleges. Internet sleuths posted graphics online showing proof that funds were being siphoned from FTX's accounts as the company imploded in bankruptcy The staggering breach came in the midst of utter chaos as FTX imploded and filed for bankruptcy, after Bankman-Fried siphoned billions of client funds to prop up his hedge fund, by lavish Bahamas real estate, and splash out political donations. However, the theft did not go unnoticed by researchers who were monitoring FTX accounts, and multiple security researchers flagged the apparent theft. Elliptic's analysis put the value of the cryptoassets stolen from FTX at $477 million, though other estimates varied, due to the wildly fluctuating value of most crypto tokens at the time of the heist. The crypto security firm has continued to trace the movement of the stolen funds since the heist, using its analysis of public blockchain ledgers. The funds went through a series of transfers designed to obscure their origins, using techniques that Elliptic's Robinson said were associated with Russian hacker gangs. 'We previously indicated that the laundering suggested a nexus with Russia,' Robinson told DailyMail.com. 'It's not clear whether these three individuals actually stole the crypto from FTX, or just facilitated the initial access.' In other words, the three accused American hackers may have simply obtained the login to the victim accounts, and sold that information to foreign hackers who perpetrated the breach. Such collaborations appear to be increasingly common, with gangs based in the US or UK using their native English skills to perpetrate elaborate social engineering ruses to steal login credentials. They then sell those credentials to foreign hackers, often associated with Russia, who have the technical skills to pull off major heists. Elliptic in a blog post said it was unclear whether any of the stolen crypto assets remained under the control of the indicted trio, which might allow them to be recovered. Court records indicated that Powell, Rohn and Hernandez were being held in federal custody in their respective homes states, pending extradition to Washington DC for arraignment. The Home Office is facing calls to carry out an urgent review of how the 'acid' attack suspect was granted asylum. Abdul Ezedi, 35 and from the Newcastle area, is still on the run after an attack using an alkaline substance left a girl and her mother with potentially life-changing injuries. It is understood that Ezedi, believed to be originally from Afghanistan, was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018 and given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court. He was apparently granted asylum after two failed attempts, having travelled to the UK on a lorry in 2016. According to reports, Ezedi was allowed to stay in the country after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick called on Home Secretary James Cleverly to order a 'detailed review' of how Ezedi was allowed to remain in the UK, with Tory MPs demanding reform of the system. 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has been named by police as the suspect in a corrosive alkaline substance attack in Clapham, south London A handout CCTV grab released by Britain's Metropolitan Police in London on February 1, 2024 shows Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (pictured), taken in a Tesco, understood to be the branch closest to King's Cross Station Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick (pictured giving an interview before Christmas) called on Home Secretary James Cleverly to order a 'detailed review' of how Ezedi was allowed to remain in the UK Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, said: 'I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest.' He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity.' Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's time in the UK: 2016 Ezedi arrives in the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing from Afghanistan. He had two applications for asylum rejected. 2018 Ezedi is handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and is discharged from probation supervision. 2020-2021 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on his third application - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. January 31 2024 Ezedi is suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. Advertisement He said he had long argued that 'asylum seekers aided by legal representatives will make every possible argument to frustrate their removal, whether it's to Rwanda or Albania or somewhere else'. He added: 'Some will be genuine, but the vast majority of those claims will not. Some are extremely difficult to prove or disprove, such as whether somebody has actually converted to Christianity. 'They have a letter in their hand from a local vicar and the Government, as you know, have chosen to go down the path of enabling those individual appeals to continue. And the courts, as may well be proven in this case, are often extremely sympathetic I would argue, naive in dealing with those cases.' Former home secretary Suella Braverman said the case showed why the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights. 'The immigration history to this case demonstrates why we need a fundamental overhaul of human rights laws,' she said on X. Another vocal backbencher Sir John Hayes said he would be writing to Mr Cleverly to request a review He told the Telegraph: 'This case provides an opportunity not only to review the criteria for granting asylum but also for how we deal with those who are known criminals. 'It won't take much working out who has been here and subsequently received asylum and then committed a crime, and how we can deport all of them.' Downing Street refused to make a commitment on a review, pointing to the fact the investigation is ongoing. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'First and foremost on the attack, obviously, it was a horrific attack and the PM's thoughts are with the victims and their families. 'And he'd like to extend his thanks to the emergency services for the very quick response to the scene and the five officers who were injured in the incident.' He said that in general Mr Sunak 'doesn't think that foreign criminals should be able to stay in the country, putting the public at risk'. In a round of interviews this morning, children's minister David Johnston said the government was taking action. 'It's vital that we end the asylum merry-go-round that we have seen and that's what the Safety of Rwanda Bill is all about,' he told Sky News. Metropolitan Police detectives have arrested a woman as part of their ongoing investigation into the alleged escape of prisoner Daniel Khalife from HMP Wandsworth last September. The 25-year-old woman was arrested at an address in east London on suspicion of assisting an offender and she was taken to a London police station, before being released on bail until a date in late April. Daniel Khalife is due to go on trial at the Old Bailey in October 2024 The woman arrested is not a member of staff at HMP Wandsworth, Met Police say (stock image) Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees, Head of Operations for the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, which is leading the investigation, said: 'We continue to carry out a thorough investigation into the full circumstances of the alleged escape of Khalife, and we have now arrested two other people as part of this. 'I know there continues to be a great deal of interest in this case, but I must remind the public that Khalife is awaiting trial. Khalife pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he escaped from HMP Wandsworth 'It is therefore extremely important that people do not report, comment upon or share information which could in any way prejudice the future court proceedings.' Khalife, 22, is due to go on trial at the Old Bailey in October 2024 after pleading not guilty to charges alleging he escaped from HMP Wandsworth. A fourth youth has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of teenagers Mason Rist and Max Dixon as two other teens are remanded in custody. The 14-year-old was detained on Friday evening in connection with the killings of two schoolboys in Bristol. Mason, 15, and Max, 16, died of their injuries after they were attacked by a group of people on Saturday. The latest development comes after a 17-year-old boy also on suspicion of murder on Thursday who remains in custody. Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: 'A further arrest has been made in connection with the deaths of Bristol teenagers Mason Rist and Max Dixon. 'A 14-year-old boy has been taken into custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder this evening. A 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of the same offence last night remains in custody too. Mason Rist, 15, was also stabbed to death in the incident. Max and Mason had been school friends and had been spending time together on the evening of the incident Max Dixon, 16, was stabbed to death in Ilminster Road in the Knowle West area of, Bristol, on Saturday, January 27 'We have updated the families of Mason and Max this evening of the latest arrest and specially-trained officers continue to provide them with support.' The latest arrest comes as two male defendants, aged 15 and 16, appeared separately at Bristol Youth Court on Friday jointly charged with murdering the two boys. The pair spoke only to confirm their names, ages and addresses during brief hearings. They did not enter pleas to the two charges they face. They sat in the well of the court with an appropriate adult and social worker nearby. District Judge Lynne Matthews remanded the youths into custody and ordered them to appear at Bristol Crown Court on Monday. 'You will be remanded into youth detention accommodation,' she added. Mason, 15, and Max, 16, were stabbed following an incident in Ilminster Avenue, Knowle West, Bristol. Local residents went to help the teenagers and police were on the scene within minutes to provide first aid. The boys were taken by ambulance to Southmead Hospital and Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, where they died in the early hours of Sunday. Avon and Somerset Police launched a murder investigation after the two teenage boys were discovered with fatal stab wounds on Ilminster Avenue in south Bristol on Saturday night Floral tributes are pictured close to the scene where the two boys were killed Leanne, the mother of murdered Max Dixon, spoke at a vigil on Wednesday, shortly before news came that Anthony Snook had been charged with the murder of Max and friend Mason Earlier, two men were remanded into custody when they appeared separately at Bristol Magistrates' Court accused of two charges of assisting an offender. They are alleged to have impeded the police in apprehending the two youths accused of murdering Mason and Max. Jamie Ogbourne, 26, of Bishport Avenue, Bristol, and Bailey Westcott, 22, of Vowell Close, Bristol, were ordered to appear at Bristol Crown Court on March 8. At Bristol Crown Court on Friday, a trial date was set by Judge Peter Blair KC, The Recorder of Bristol, for Anthony Snook, who is also accused of murdering the boys. Snook, 44, of Dowling Road, Hartcliffe, Bristol, was excused attendance for the short hearing. The judge fixed a trial date of October 7 and remanded Snook into custody. In addition, a 42-year-old woman previously arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder has been released on conditional bail. Detective Superintendent Gary Haskins, who is leading the investigation, said: 'The families of Mason and Max have been updated on all the latest developments in our ongoing investigation, and we'll continue to ensure they have all the support they need through specialist liaison officers. 'Now court proceedings are under way, it's even more important to remind people that posting speculation, footage and images on social media could jeopardise the forthcoming judicial process while also causing further upset to Mason's and Max's families.' At least three people have died after a small plane crashed into a mobile home park in Florida on Thursday night. The FAA confirmed that the pilot and at least two people on the ground lost their lives as a result of the crash. As emergency officials continue their investigation, that number may grow. The pilot reported an engine failure before the single-engine plane crashed into a mobile home, sending debris flying and setting at least three additional properties on fire. The aircraft went off radar and the pilot had reportedly sent out a 'mayday' over the radio before the crash. At least three people have died after a small plane crashed into a mobile home park in Florida on Thursday night The FAA confirmed that the pilot and at least two people on the ground lost their lives as a result of the crash First responders found four trailer homes on fire, one of which had the crashed plane inside, City Fire Chief Scott Ehlers (pictured) said at a news briefing on Thursday night Firefighters were called to the the burning crash site at the Bayside Waters mobile home park, about 23 miles west of Tampa, around 7:15pm local time. First responders found four trailer homes on fire, one of which had the crashed plane inside, City Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said at a news briefing on Thursday night. 'I can confirm that we have several fatalities both from the aircraft and within the mobile home,' Ehlers said, but was not able to provide a precise number of casualties that evening. It is not yet clear how many people were on board the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 plane itself. Eyewitnesses described a large explosion before smoke and flames engulfed the area. 'We heard a racing engine,' said Janet Barclay to the New York Times, 'then an explosion.' Firefighters respond to fire after a small plane crashed Thursday evening The pilot and two people on the ground were killed when the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 crashed into the Bayside Waters mobile home park around 7 pm Fire consumes a home after a small plane crashed Thursday evening An aerial drone shows the scene of Thursdays plane crash in Clearwater, Fla., on Friday Authorities are trying to determine how many people died in the crash of a small plane into a Florida mobile home park Investigators look at the burned out remains of a mobile home after a plane crash Thursday Firefighters knock down hotspots after a small plane crashed into a mobile home Thursday Chief Ehlers updates the media and confirms there are multiple fatalities from the plane crash this evening. pic.twitter.com/ujxzx7Io9g Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department (@clearwaterfire) February 2, 2024 Were on scene of a small plane crash at a mobile home park south of Clearwater Mall. Multiple mobile homes have caught fire. Firefighters from multiple jurisdictions are on scene. pic.twitter.com/1vBLnTnY8R Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department (@clearwaterfire) February 2, 2024 NEW: Footage shows firefighters and police responding to the scene of a small plane crash at a mobile home park in Clearwater, Florida. Fire officials say "several" people have been killed. https://t.co/8fyIcMTShN pic.twitter.com/bZZ9buhRxU ABC News (@ABC) February 2, 2024 Delivery driver Laketa Collins, described seeing a ball of bright, white light falling in the dark sky' from her car window nearby. Clearwater resident, Steven Ascari, said he heard what sounded like an explosion when his entire home began to tremble. 'And next thing you know a giant pillar of smoke was seen,' he recalled to CNN. Some neighbors are reporting at least four deaths. 'Four souls crossed over from the plane,' a resident of the mobile home park, Noreen Adams, wrote on Facebook Friday. 'We are uncertain as to the number in the home,' she continued. 'Smoke still drifts to the bay where we are located.' The majority of the community are elderly with health issues, she added. Clearwater Police attended the crash site and were working to secure and preserve the scene Firefighters were called the the burning crash site at the Bayside Waters mobile home park It is not yet clear how many people were on board the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 plane itself The pilot reported an engine failure and went off radar about 3 miles north of an airport runway, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesperson told CNN . Clearwater Police attended the crash site and were working to secure and preserve the scene, Chief Eric Gandy said at the briefing. Footage from the scene showed red plumes of smoke rising from several mobile homes as shocked residents stood by in a nearby car park. Other videos posted to social media show firefighters struggling to combat the blaze with hoses as the flames engulf the homes and surrounding trees. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. Several Bunnings stores across Australia are undergoing a makeover this month in honour of the hit cartoon Bluey and the very similar hardware store it features. Bunnings locations at Cannington in Western Australia, Blacktown in New South Wales, Glenorchy in Tasmania, Carrum Downs in Victoria and Munno Parra in South Australia will all be transformed to match the fictional store 'Hammerbarn'. The show is made in Queensland with the original Bunnings said to have inspired the one on the show, in the Brisbane suburb of Keperra, also getting the cartoon conversion. Bunnings will get a Bluey themed makeover at some stores in February A 'Hammerbarn' store in Cannington WA done to resemble the one featured in the show Hammerbarn was inspired by Bunnings in the Brisbane suburb of Keperra Each weekend this month at the stores will include Bluey-themed DIY workshops for kids and Bluey and Bingo meet-and-greets. Limited edition merchandise will also hit Hammerbarn shelves. 'Bluey is such an iconic brand. Customers love it, kids love it, families love it,' Bunnings' chief customer officer Ryan Baker said. The show is one of Australia greatest media exports getting broadcast in 60 countries The makeover will last until the end of the month with activities each weekend Hammerbarn first features in the show in the second episode of season two when the Heeler family visit to buy a pizza oven. It is broadcast by the ABC and is the network's most successful show ever. Bluey is one of Australia's greatest media exports being watched by families in more than 60 countries and earning an International Emmy Kids Award in 2019. Physician associates - dubbed 'cut-price doctors' - illegally ordered more than 1,000 hospital scans at NHS hospitals without being medically qualified to do so - as doctors slammed the 'direct threat to patient safety'. Un-regulated physician associates (PAs) working for the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) - which runs seven hospitals including Leeds General Infirmary and Leeds Children's Hospital - ordered 1,168 tests which expose patients to ionising radiation. These scans, which include X-rays and CTs, are only legally allowed to be ordered by healthcare professionals, including doctors who have passed five years of medical school and advanced clinical practitioners, who have received extra training. Medical ionising radiation is used widely in hospitals and dental practices to help diagnose and treat conditions, but exposure to these rays carries risks such as increased chances of cancer. This comes amid repeated calls by doctors and the BMA to halt the expansion of the roles after mistakes by PAs led to patient deaths or suffering serious injury. Emily Chesterton, 30, died in 2022 after a blood clot was written off as anxiety by a PA and long Covid and Norman Jopling, 79, suffered a brain bleed after a PA said his headaches were nothing to worry about. Dr Tom Sharp, who works for LTHT, hit out against the 'direct threat to patient safety' caused by PAs, who have two years of postgraduate study, 'acting as doctors' and illegally ordering tests despite no formal medical training. Physician associates - dubbed 'cut-price doctors' - illegally ordered more than 1,000 hospital scans at a NHS hospitals in Leeds without being medically qualified to do so - as doctors slammed the 'direct threat to patient safety' (Leeds General Infirmary pictured) Emily Chesterton (pictured) was just 30 when she died last year after a PA failed to spot a blood clot and misdiagnosed her with anxiety and long Covid Norman Jopling (left), 79 from North London, suffered a serious brain bleed after a PA mistakenly told him that his painful headaches were nothing to worry about. His wife Maureen (right) accused the NHS of 'trying to cut corners' by allowing PAs to carry out 'complicated tasks they're not qualified to perform' Actress Emily Chesterton, 30, died of a blood clot in 2022 after a PA dismissed her symptoms as anxiety and gave her pills instead of directing her to A&E. She believed she had been seen by a GP at her surgery in North London but had actually been seen twice by an associate. READ MORE: Doctors hit out at medical regulator for dismissing risks that 'cut-price' medics are putting patients in danger Advertisement And Norman Jopling, 79 from North London, suffered a serious brain bleed after a PA mistakenly told him that his painful headaches were nothing to worry about. His wife Maureen, accused the NHS of 'trying to cut corners' by allowing PAs to carry out 'complicated tasks they're not qualified to perform'. The Government plans to recruit 10,000 PAs in the next 15 years, and legislation is are going through parliament for them to be regulated by the GMC, angering doctors. Dr Sharp, a doctor at LTHT and chair of the Yorkshire regional junior doctors committee told MailOnline: 'This is a very concerning situation. PAs are neither qualified nor legally permitted to request ionising radiation such as x-rays and the Trust needs to answer questions immediately on how this could have happened so many times. Dr Tom Sharp (pictured), who works for LTHT, hit out against the 'direct threat to patient safety' caused by PAs 'PAs acting as doctors where they are not qualified to do so - and employing trusts not having robust systems in place to prevent this - are a direct threat to patient safety. Patients must be confident that they are receiving medical care from those with the appropriate training and legal entitlement to provide it. The two year PA qualification is nowhere near the standard doctors receive, and incidents like this will only serve to further undermine patient confidence in the healthcare system. 'The creeping expansion of use of PAs that we've seen at this Trust must end as it must across the NHS.' The trust has blamed the issue on the 'system error' which it says has now been fixed. It said it review the test orders and 'no incidents of patient harm' were reported in relation. This comes as a BMA survey of nearly 19,000 doctors today revealed that more than half of them think that PAs and anaesthesia associates (AAs) are increasing their workloads, with only around one fifth saying it had decreased. The General Medical Council (GMC) is soon expected to publish guidelines on how it will regulate PAs, who currently they cannot be held responsible for their mistakes. Doctors have hit out against the regulator for dismissing concerns over PAs. The practice of PAs ordering radiological tests in Leeds was uncovered through a Freedom of Information request by paramedic lecturer Chris Pritchard, 33, from Nottingham Trent University and junior doctor Eilidh Garrett, 27, who works at Southport Hospital, in Merseyside. The FOI, which was originally denied incorrectly on cost grounds, revealed that one incident of a PA illegally ordering a scan triggered an internal audit which identified the 1168 incidents of PA referrals. Dr Eilidh Garrett, 27, said many doctors get in touch with her to say that PAs have ordered tests they are not allowed to at their hospitals Dr Garrett said since posting about the findings online, she has had many doctors get in touch with her to say that PAs have ordered tests they are not allowed to at their hospitals. 'I think it's likely to be happening in a lot of hospitals across the country,' she told MailOnline. She said questions needed to be answered, adding: 'What's happened in system to allow this, why have these individuals and the hospital broken the law so flagrantly?' Dr Garrett said the findings should 'prompt a review of all hospitals to see if scans are being requested by appropriately qualified staff'. 'Where else is this happening?' she asked. The trust's risk management committee in December said an investigation into the illegal ordering of these tests was being undertaken and said the actions have now been reported the to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Minutes from the meeting said the committee noted: 'Actions that had been taken to mitigate the risks of Physicians Associates ordering ionising radiation diagnostic tests, which was known to be outside the scope of practice.' Regulator the Healthcare and Professions Council advise: 'As a health and care professional, you must keep within your scope of practice at all times to ensure you are practising safely, lawfully and effectively.' Dr Garrett said the findings should 'prompt a review of all hospitals to see if scans are being requested by appropriately qualified staff'. 'Where else is this happening?' she asked. The extract concluded: 'An investigation was being undertaken to identify the contributory factors that led to this emerging risk and the actions that have subsequently being [sic] taken, notification had also been submitted to the CQC in line with the IR(ME)R regulations.' Medical ionising radiation is used widely for procedures such as X-rays to help diagnose and treat conditions, but exposure to these rays carries risks such as increased chances of cancer The FOI also revealed that 44 out of 47 PAs at the trust had access to the ICE computer system, which is used to book radiological tests and view results. Dr Garrett said the findings should 'prompt a review of all hospitals to see if scans are being requested by appropriately qualified staff'. 'Where else is this happening?' she asked. The trust also did not log any of these incidents or the ongoing risk in its risk register, the FOI revealed. The trust said in its response: 'There are no risk register entries related to PA's requesting ionising radiation diagnostic tests. 'The ability for PAs to request ionising radiation diagnostic tests has been removed on ICE following identification of the incident described, this risk has therefore been mitigated.' Commenting on the plans to regulate PAs under the GMC and increase their use within the NHS, Prof Phil Banfield, BMA chair of council said: 'The House of Lords will soon have a chance to oppose damaging legislation that aids that blurring of lines by regulating PAs under the GMC, the doctors' regulator rather than the more appropriate Health and Care Professions Council. 'The Government and NHSE should be instead ensuring that PAs return to their original purpose of supporting, not replacing doctors, so that doctors can get on with utilising the diagnostic and treatment skills they have spent so long at medical school gaining their expertise in. 'Their scope should be strictly defined and, to ensure patients are not confused, the title returned to the more accurate 'physician assistant' then they can play their valuable role in supporting the delivery of NHS care safely.' Dr Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, told MailOnline: 'We were made aware of a system error which allowed some Physician Associate (PA) colleagues to refer patients for x-rays and scans. This error has since been fixed. 'We have reviewed these referrals and no incidents of patient harm have been reported.' What drives a pair of seemingly respectable youngsters to kill in the most horrific of circumstances? A new exclusive documentary, Brianna Ghey: Teen Murderers Unmasked, sees the investigative journalist Tom Rawstorne delving into the murder that shocked the nation and what led the killers, apparently from loving and supportive homes, to commit such a chilling crime. Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe made a sickening 'kill list' of five children they planned to murder before launching their frenzied knife attack on the Cheshire schoolgirl, the Mail's YouTube documentary reveals. WATCH THE MAIL'S BRIANNA GHEY DOCUMENTARY IN FULL HERE Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe (right) were named as the killers of Brianna Ghey Brianna Grey was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in Cheshire on February 11 last year The twisted duo, now both 16, met Brianna at a popular beauty spot on February 11 last year, and stabbed her a shocking 28 times. Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, who were obsessed with murder and torture, were stripped of their anonymity by trial judge Mrs Justice Yip today ahead of their televised sentencing for 16-year-old Brianna's savage killing. In a packed hearing at Manchester Crown Court today, it was revealed for the first time how Jenkinson admitted stabbing Brianna, who was transgender, 'a number of times', having previously blamed all of the blows on her fellow killer Ratcliffe. The documentary also sees criminal psychologist Kerry Daynes discuss how the teens' visits to horrific 'red rooms' on the dark web the clandestine parts of the internet likely 'traumatised their psyche' and spawned the sinister 'murder plan' they drew up together. The Mail's Northern correspondent Liz Hull, who covers the trial of Jenkinson and Ratcliffe in the Mail podcast, The Trial: Brianna Ghey, explores their backgrounds, personalities and what led to them becoming bonded forever by an overwhelming desire to kill. Brianna Ghey: Teen Murderers Unmasked is available to watch on the Mail's YouTube channel Former Florida GOP chair Christian Ziegler told his wife to hunt for a threesome partner and had a list of multiple women's names on his phone titled 'THE LIST' including his rape accuser under the sub-heading 'F***', police claim in new documents. The 40-year-old was stripped of the party's chairmanship in January after he was accused of raping a woman who previously joined him and his wife Bridget for sex, allegations he denies. He had his first sexual encounter with his rape accuser in 2021 and had a list of women's names including the accuser under the word 'F***', according to new police records. Documents show Ziegler and his Moms for Liberty co-founder wife discussing the woman who accused him of rape in text messages with Bridget concerned for her well-being. The Sarasota Police Department dropped sexual battery charges against him but have referred a video voyeurism case to the State Attorney's Office over a clip he is said to have recorded of his alleged victim. Former Florida GOP chair Christian Ziegler told his wife to hunt for a threesome partner and had a list of multiple women's names on his phone titled 'THE LIST' including his rape accuser under the sub-heading 'F***' Ziegler, 40, was stripped of the party's chairmanship in January after he was accused of raping a woman who previously joined him and his wife Bridget (left) for sex He had his first sexual encounter with his rape accuser in 2021 and had a list of women's names including the accuser under the word 'F***', according to new police records Ziegler faced fierce accusations from a woman who said he raped her after she canceled plans to have sex with him and his wife Bridget. Detectives found a document on his phone which was called 'THE LIST' and it had the names of multiple women on it. His accuser was labelled underneath a sub-heading of 'F***', according to police records. Bridget informed police officers that she previously had a threesome with the rape accuser and her husband. Text messages from February 2021 show Ziegler told his wife to 'come home, stop and pick up [a woman] to play again and be crazy'. It is believed he was referring to the alleged victim who he claimed 'was an alcoholic, nice person with some issues'. But Bridget responded that she was worried the woman was 'going through some s***' and 'that she prefers confident empowered people'. The documents stated that Ziegler said he liked that the woman was 'close and there was no drama which turns him on'. 'I just dont want to feel like we ever take advantage of anyone (I know its always been consensual) but she seems... "broken" or like shes going through some s***,' Bridget said. Documents show Ziegler and his Moms for Liberty co-founder wife discussing the woman who accused him of rape in text messages with Bridget concerned for her well-being The Sarasota Police Department dropped sexual battery charges against him but have referred a video voyeurism case to the State Attorney's Office over a clip he is said to have recorded of his alleged victim 'I dont knowthats the vibe I pick up from herand my nature is more likely to help her versus ya know.' Ziegler then suggested they 'needed to hunt for someone new', according to police, and later told his wife that the alleged victim 'thinks she is hot, and he believes she is only into her'. The accuser told the police she had planned a threesome with the Zieglers on the day she was raped but backed out. 'Sorry I was mostly in for her,' she messaged Ziegler but she told police he turned up at her home anyway and assaulted her. Police records say Ziegler told detectives he had consensual sex with the accuser 'approximately one dozen times since they met' and that they'd had a threesome with his wife twice at their home. But the alleged victim told officers he 'had been sexually battering her for years, and she never felt like she could say no to him'. She added that he climbed through an unlocked window at her home once. Detectives initially spoke to Ziegler last year and he made Google searches on his phone surrounding their investigation including 'Sexual battery settlement average', 'Subpoena Instagram Vanish' and 'Accused of sexual battery and dismissed'. Bridget informed police officers that she previously had a threesome with the rape accuser and her husband Bridget is the co-founder of Mom for Liberty, a group founded in the wake of COVID-19 school policies that parents across the nation felt were unnecessarily impeding their children's development His other searches allegedly included 'Only Fans' 'remove subscriptions from list' 'sue for false allegations' and 'cost to file civil suit'. Ziegler also looked up 'faraday bags for tablets, phones and laptops' which block devices from hacking, tracking the location, and EMF radiation. Following the allegations, the Florida GOP he was a part of voted to strip him of his authority and reduce his salary to $1 in December. It then removed him completely from his $120,000-a-year job as party chair a month later. DailyMail.com has contacted the Sarasota Police Department and Ziegler for comment. Hundreds of Australians were barred from entering Thursday night's $200million Powerball draw thanks to an unexpected error. More than 10 million people - about half of the nation's adult population - were expected to buy a ticket for the record-breaking draw. And the mad rush to snap up a ticket caused problems for Oz Lotteries, which was unable to process all of the last-minute entries in time. Refunds had to be issued to a 'small portion' of syndicate players who bought their tickets during a late rush. Hundreds of Australians were barred from entering Thursday night's $200million Powerball draw thanks to an unexpected error 'The bulk of the ticket orders were placed on time, however a small portion of the more complicated syndicate entry requests were unable to be placed, with the money refunded to customers,' Oz Lotteries said on Friday. 'This was due to the nature of how syndicate entries are filled and the sheer load on servers in the final moments of the draw.' An earlier deadline will be introduced when large jackpots are at stake in future. Two lucky Aussies split the $200million prize, taking home $100million each. A woman from Hawthorne in Brisbane's northeast called the Lott on Friday morning to confirm she was the joint winner, She checked her winning entry around 6am while she was getting ready to go to the gym only to make the shocking discovery that she had the winning numbers. The woman was left in disbelief when officials told her she had won. More than 10 million people - about half of the nation's adult population - were expected to buy a ticket for the record-breaking draw 'Oh my god. Is this even real?' she said. 'This feels like a dream, and I just need to wake up! I'm in shock. I don't know what to say.' She said she decided to check her ticket after waking up little earlier than usual for her gym class. 'I scanned the ticket on The Lott app and all the winning numbers immediately lit up and I saw that I'd won $100 million on my phone. 'I started to pace the floor back and forth and question if it was even real. I didn't know who to call or what to say. I was slapping my face and telling myself to wake up!' She said she bought the ticket at the Oxford Street news agency in Bulimba in a bid to change her career path. She plans to also head off on an overseas trip with her family after snaring the fortune. 'I've always wanted to start up my own business and I don't know where to begin but now it will be within reach. 'I'd love to purchase some acreage in Queensland and even take my loved ones to Italy next year for a beautiful holiday!' Two lucky Aussies split the $200million prize , taking home $100million each The woman joins a mum from Singleton on the NSW north coast who won half the $200million jackpot. She plans to quit her job immediately and travel the world. The woman and her husband, had their lives 'turned upside down' on Thursday night after checking their ticket and seeing all of their numbers matched the record-breaking $200million draw. The couple picked up a phone call from The Lott on the first ring in sheer excitement after winning the grand prize. 'It's a lot of money, a lot of money to fathom,' the woman told The Lott official. 'I mean you joke about winning but never expect it to happen to you. 'My partner is here with me now, he's a bit in shock. He loves his job, so I don't know if he'll be retiring.' She said her family would be celebrating their win on the weekend but the woman is yet to decide how she wants to spend the money. 'There's always a lot of hypothetical questions of what I would want to do but now I'm just lost for words. I have no idea.' The winning numbers in Powerball draw 1446 were 12, 33, 23, 35, 1, 26 and 32. The all-important Powerball number was 10. From their very first meeting, over tea at Buckingham Palace, the Queen approved of Meghan Markle. Not only did she like her, she had high hopes for what the American actress might be able to achieve with Harry for the youth of the Commonwealth. Soon the country as a whole seemed to take to Meghan with equally genuine delight. One of the few wary of succumbing to her charm offensive, however, was Prince Philip. While the Queen continued to champion Harrys new love, he warned his wife to be cautious. It was uncanny, he told her, how much Meghan reminded him of the Duchess of Windsor. He wasnt simply referring to the fact that both were pencil-slim, dark-haired and glamorous American divorcees. There was a wealth of subtext in his barbed remark. When she was just ten, Princess Elizabeths beloved father had suddenly become King, after Edward VIII later the Duke of Windsor abdicated for the sake of marrying Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. This caused a permanent rift in the royal family: the new King George VI refused to receive her and denied her the appellation of Her Royal Highness. For her part, the American duchess openly mocked the Queen (later Queen Mother) as the fat Scotch cook. The Queen and Prince Philip meet their new great-grandchild, Archie, held by Meghan (right). Harry and Meghan's mother Doria watch on proudly The Queen liked Meghan and had high hopes for what the American actress might be able to achieve with Harry for the youth of the Commonwealth The Queen Mother later blamed the couple for her husbands early death caused, she felt, by the stress of taking on the role of King, for which he had been both unprepared and temperamentally unsuited. She never forgave the Duchess, whom she cast as a wicked enchantress. From the start of Edwards affair with Wallis then still married he had been infatuated with her to the point that he soon began to neglect his royal duties. Once, when he asked Wallis to light a cigarette for him, she replied: Only if you ask properly at which point he got down on his knees and begged like a dog. Later, after their marriage, Wallis had happily accompanied the Duke of Windsor in 1937 on a visit to Nazi Germany, during which they met Hitler and were both photographed giving the Nazi salute. As one who had lived through this tumultuous period of royal history, and been directly affected by it, Queen Elizabeth II was perfectly aware what Philip meant when he drew parallels between Meghan and Wallis. Indeed, much later, she would remark in her clipped way that perhaps Harry had been too in love with the American actress. As for Prince Philip, he never appeared to change his mind about Meghan. From the moment he detected her apparent similarity to Wallis, he referred to her as DoW (short for Duchess of Windsor). Queen Elizabeth II never voiced her true opinion about Harrys wife except to her very closest confidantes, such as Lady Elizabeth Anson, or Liza as she was known to her friends. A cousin of the Queen, she used to speak on the telephone to the monarch on a daily basis. Lady Elizabeth told me that the Queen had made only one remark to her about Meghan and Harrys wedding, which was that the brides Givenchy wedding gown was too white. The Queen had made only one remark to her confidantes about Meghan and Harrys wedding, which was that the brides Givenchy wedding gown (pictured) was too white for a divorcee The Queen with a young Prince Harry (left) and William in Windsor, June 1987 Majesty magazine editor Ingrid Seward (left) reveals all in a new book about the late Queen and the King, My Mother And I (right) In the monarchs view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal. Nor was the Queen comfortable with the Prince of Waless decision to stand in for Meghans father, Thomas Markle, and walk her down the aisle. She was also concerned about 96-year-old Prince Philips decision to hobble down the aisle without a stick, despite having had a hip replacement just five weeks before. Then there was the service itself. Like many others in the congregation, she was startled by the impassioned outpourings of the American Archbishop Michael Curry, who spoke for more than 14 minutes. Both the Queen and Prince Philip, who hate long sermons, were desperate for him to finish. They must also have been aware that some of those around them were stifling their laughter. One can only speculate about what they thought when Curry, who admitted he didnt know either Harry or Meghan, later said hed felt the presence of the slaves from whom he was descended in the chapel, which he felt to be a sign of hope. According to Lady Elizabeth, the Queen was dismayed by Harrys high-handed attitude both before and after the wedding, and their relationship was quite badly damaged by it all. It was even more damaged when Harry decided to give up being a working royal and leave the country a decision, said Lady Elizabeth, that the Queen never truly understood. Then came the couples infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which Harry said his father was trapped and heavily implied that the Royal Family were racist. The Queen was upset by his attitude, said Lady Elizabeth. However much she loved Harry and she did she couldnt condone the way he was speaking about the institution of the monarchy shed spent 70 years preserving. Prince Philip said it was uncanny how much Meghan (pictured right with Prince Harry in 2018) reminded him of the Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson (pictured with Edward in 1966) At that point the Queen decided there was no longer any point in worrying about Harry as he wasnt going to take notice of anyone but his wife. Whether she ever came to view Meghan as a 21st century Wallis Simpson will probably never be known. It may have crossed her mind, however, that Philip wasnt that far off the mark. In Prince Harrys memoir Spare, his ghostwriter J. R. Moehringer paints a graphic picture of the Princes feelings about being second in line to the throne: I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy. I was summoned to provide back-up, distraction, diversion and, if necessary, a spare part. Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow. That is completely untrue, but it was how Harry chose to see himself, and he has allowed this perception to dominate his life to the extent that he has now made a career out of it. Choosing to be seen as a victim, he has tried to wreak vengeance on his family and the Press for all the slights he believes hes suffered. And much of his ire has been directed at his elder brother. The roots lie in childhood. For a long time, Princess Diana called Harry her little baby; for his part, he didnt want to share his mother with William, who is two years his senior. Perhaps as a consequence, Harry always felt the need to compete in everything with his brother. It didnt help that William was notably more successful at school than his brother. Dianas friend and alternative healer Simone Simmons was called in to give healing to Harry partly for headaches but also because he was struggling with dyslexia. Diana was concerned everyone was going to think her younger boy was thick as he didnt have any thirst for knowledge and was never interested in sitting down with a book. The relationship between the two brothers continued to be fraught with rivalry. Years later, when he was about to get married, Harry went to see the Queen to ask permission to keep his beard on his wedding day. The accepted rule is no beards when wearing military dress uniform. Despite this, the Queen reluctantly agreed, as it seemed so important to her grandson. But when William found out, he was furious: annoyed that Harry had gone to the Queen, annoyed she had given him her clearance and annoyed at what he saw as Harrys one-upmanship. For his own wedding, William hadnt been allowed to keep his beard or to wear the military outfit of his choice. He was the heir and had to do everything by the book. An argument between the brothers became so heated that at one point William actually ordered Harry to shave, as the heir speaking to the spare. As the spare, Harry had always been allowed greater licence than his elder brother. Hed play the fool and get away with childish pranks such as standing behind visitors and pulling funny faces behind their backs. Prince Philip never appeared to change his mind about Meghan. From the moment he detected her apparent similarity to Wallis, he referred to her as DoW. Pictured: Philip (left) attends a Christmas Day service with the royals including Harry and Meghan (right) in 2017 He showed an early talent for mimicry that took scant account of the importance of the person he was imitating antics that amused both Charles and Diana. Later events suggest, however, that a bit more early discipline might have been helpful. Had Charles been firmer with Harry and, to some extent, William in their formative years, they might not have caused him so much worry. In Harrys case, the upshot seems to be an unwillingness to take responsibility for his own actions, and a tendency to blame others when things dont work out the way he wants. He certainly always knew where he stood in the royal pecking order: at the age of nine he turned to his brother and declared: Youre going to be King; it doesnt matter what I do. Put another way, he saw this as a licence to do almost whatever he wanted. William, for his part, was increasingly weighed down by the future unfolding before him. He became withdrawn and his head drooped in public. Just the sight of a camera would make him feel uncomfortable. As his introspection became more pronounced, he grew closer to Diana, while Harry was discovering he had more in common with his father. There was no marked favouritism involved: both Charles and Diana were careful to dispense their affection to their sons equally. Harry became fascinated with guns and all things military, pestering his father into taking him to Salisbury Plain to review the Gurkhas stationed there. They travelled by helicopter, both of them wearing combat fatigues, and afterwards Harry declared he wanted to be a soldier when he grew up. Father and son also spent many happy hours together when Harry was learning about nature and plants. Plants have feelings too, Charles explained to him, describing how he talked to his plants to encourage their growth. Teaching Harry and William to enjoy the things he did was very much Charless way of showing them love, rather than smothering them with hugs and kisses. Sadly, Harry doesnt accept this: he has said that he bombards his own children with the love he feels he never received from his father. William, meanwhile, was quite content to spend the afternoons home from school curled up on the sofa in Dianas Highgrove sitting room. Explaining her sons different characters, Diana once told me: William is very sensitive and Harry is very lively. She added that William wants me to be there for him. She was wrong, however, about certain traits in Harrys character. Since marrying Meghan and moving to California, its become clear he has inherited some of his fathers more unattractive characteristics such as what Prince Charless former Press Secretary Mark Bolland called his self-pitying approach to life. The Queen had always thought Charles and Dianas children were unruly little boys, and she was right. On one occasion they climbed onto the grand piano at Sandringham and Harry knocked a vase of flowers onto the floor, where it broke. Nanny was summoned to organise clearing the mess, but the Queen got to hear about the boys antics and was not pleased. It may have been holiday time, but this was still a court bound by rules and conventions that had changed little since Victorian times. Queen Elizabeth II never voiced her true opinion about Harrys wife except to her very closest confidantes, such as Lady Elizabeth Anson, or Liza as she was known to her friends. Pictured together on the Buckingham Palace balcony in 2018 One of the first things Williams nanny Barbara Barnes had been required to teach him and his brother was to bow to the Queen and the Queen Mother. This mark of royal respect to two anointed queens was rigorously enforced, as one of the long-serving members of the royal staff recalled: When they came to visit, the boys would wait by the door. When they entered, the boys bowed and then kissed them on the cheek and gave them a hug. It sounds a bit strange but it was not uncomfortable. It was so natural the boys didnt think anything of it. The Queen always took a close interest in her grandchildrens welfare, particularly after their parents marriage became riven with acrimony. During this period, William became noticeably petulant and it seemed to the Queens staff that hed inherited the worst characteristics of both his parents. They may not have known that the boy sometimes heard his parents fighting and witnessed his mothers tearful outbursts. Harry, being two years younger, would be whisked off by nannies and shielded from any unpleasantness between his parents. After Charles and Diana separated, the Queen felt her son was doing the best he could for his own sons. In truth, however, Charles never had much chance to develop a meaningful relationship with his growing boys as Diana curtailed his time with them. Whenever he wanted to have them with him for the weekend, she thought of an excuse to keep them with her, usually at the last minute. The Queen, well aware of this, worried about the damage the Princess was inflicting on the boys, especially William. But no one worried much about Harry as he was a happy, confident boy, completely at ease with himself. As for William, the Queen managed to establish a special relationship with him when he was at Eton College and this has stood him in good stead. Over tea at Windsor, he began to understand the strength of the monarchy and learned from his grandmother what it would take to fulfil his future role. The Queen particularly appreciated Williams ability to make Prince Philip laugh. Whenever they went duck flighting together (shooting ducks over still water), the boy always managed to prise his grandfather out of his cantankerous moods. Philip would come home cheerful and, if not exactly full of bonhomie, was at least no longer grumpy for which the Queen was always grateful. My Mother And I by Ingrid Seward to be published by Simon & Schuster on February 15 at 25. Ingrid Seward 2024. To order a copy for 21.25 (offer valid to 09/03/24; UK P&P free on orders over 25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Oklahoma has the highest rate of missing persons in the US, with Arizona and the rest of the South not far behind. About 2,300 Americans are reported missing every day, and though the vast majority of them are found within a few days, others are still vanished. California, Texas, and Florida have the most active cases, according to federal statistics, but aren't even in the top 10 when accounting for population. Oklahoma has 16 missing persons per 100,000 residents, Arizona in second with 14.2 and Oregon with 12.5, according to the National US Missing Persons Database. They are followed by Southern states like Louisiana with 12, Arkansas with 11.6, and New Mexico with 11.5. Texas has 8.5, California 8.6, and New York just 5.5. Lowest in the nation are Massachusetts with 2.7, followed by states around the Great Lakes like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana at 3.3 each. Ohio has only 3.5 missing persons for 100,000 residents, despite misleading reports last year that 1,072 children were reported missing in Cleveland alone. Oklahoma has the highest rate of missing persons in the US, with Arizona and the rest of the South not far behind That figure came from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, but included all open cases in the state dating back to 1928 when four-year-old Melvin Horst disappeared. The alarming, but wrong, statistic made headlines around the country in September last year, but police in Cleveland were only actively investigating 65 cases. However, the figures are greatly influenced by how often police departments report their statistics to the national database, which vary across states and counties. Mississippi has 188 open cases according to the national database, but one maintained by Mississippi State University counts 497. John Majoy, a police chief and the president of the Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults, said rural states had fewer resources to find missing people. 'Perhaps Oklahoma has more juvenile facilities where juvenile offenders flee from or perhaps different criteria when it comes to runaways and how they are reported,' he told Newsweek. 'An example would be those juveniles are truant from school or perhaps custody disputes where the child may be listed as missing.' Statistics also show the number of missing persons falling dramatically over the past three decades since comprehensive reporting began in 1990 Very few people stay missing for very long - of the 546,548 people who disappeared in 2022, the most recent data kept by the FBI, only 3,480 were not found that year. Statistics also show the number of missing persons falling dramatically over the past three decades since comprehensive reporting began in 1990. Reports rose dramatically as police increasingly shared their data, peaking at about 980,000 people in 1997. By 2006 they dropped to 836,131 and began a long-term decline from there that was even steeper considering the US population rose 33 per cent in 1990 to 2022. About two thirds of Americans reported missing are children, but contrary to parents' fears about their kids being abducted by pedophiles, they are safer than ever. Children reported missing fell about 40 per cent between the 1997 peak and 2014, when there were 466,949 kids who disappeared. By 2022, this fell another 23 per cent to 359,094, and again, the rate of missing children was even lower than the raw numbers appeared due to population. There were about 250 million people in the US in 1990, rising to 273 million in 1997, 318 million in 2014, and 333 million in 2022. FBI statistics for missing children around the US in 2022 A tiny fraction of these children were abducted in the way parents often fear - snatched off the street by a stranger, or worse, a pedophile. About 96 per cent of missing children have simply run away from home, or skipped curfew to hang out with their friends. Of those who are abducted, 49 per cent were taken by a parent as part of a custody dispute, and were usually returned very quickly. Another 27 per cent were kidnapped by acquaintances, and just 24 per cent by strangers. Only 0.1 per cent of overall missing children were taken by someone they didn't know. Five of them were released without bail, sparking backlash Six migrants have been charged in connection with the Times Square attack The lawyer of marine veteran Daniel Penny has slammed the decision to allow six migrants who attacked NYPD officers in Times Square on Saturday to walk free without bail. Thomas Kenniff, who is representing Penny as he faces manslaughter charges over the choking death of an unruly subway passenger last year, called the decision 'very confounding.' A total of six migrants have been charged since the Saturday attack on cops, but five have been released with no bail. A seventh suspect was arrested but let go for lack of evidence, police said. 'The primary purpose of bail is to ensure that people return to court... from what I understand, they seem to have minimal if no ties to New York City,' Kenniff told Fox News Digital. He added: 'Anyone who is willing to resist arrest or even worse, assault a police officer that's indicative of someone who doesn't have respect for the legal system, which makes them even less likely to return to court. So if there was ever a situation where bail is appropriate, this seems that sort of case.' Marine veteran Daniel Penny's lawyer Thomas Kenniff has slammed the decision to allow five migrants who attacked NYPD officers in Times Square on Saturday to walk free without bail Kenniff is representing Penny as he faces manslaughter charges over the chocking death of an unruly subway passenger The brutal attack occurred around 8.30pm on Saturday when officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street. According to the NYPD, the migrants then started to attack the officers, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers tried to pin down one of the other men, tearing off his sweatshirt. The migrants then ran away, making their getaway east on 42nd Street toward Seventh Avenue. That night, four were arrested - Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21, and Yorman Reveron, 24. They were all charged with Assault on a Police Officer, Gang Assault, Obstructing Governmental Administration and Disorderly Conduct but were released without monetary bail. Reveron also has two pending cases in the city for assault and robbery relating to an incident with a Nordstrom Rack employee in November. Darwin Andres Gomez (left) and Kelvin Servita Arocha were also released without bail Wilson Juarez, left, and Yorman Reverson- two of the migrants charged with ganging up on two cops in Times Square Jhoan Boada (pictured), 22, was arrested Monday night and charged with Attempted Assault on a Police Officer and Gang Assault As he left the courthouse, the 22-year-old raised his middle fingers up at reporters Police now fear the four men hopped on a bus to flee the city before their court date. They are believed to have given fake names to a church-affiliated nonprofit group that helps migrants get rides out of the city, law enforcement sources told the Post. Jhoan Boada, 22, was also arrested Monday night and charged with Attempted Assault on a Police Officer and Gang Assault. He is reportedly in the country illegally and listed as homeless. He was filmed flipping the bird at reporters after he was released on Wednesday. Yohenry Brito, 24, was charged on Thursday. He is the only suspect being held as of Friday after his bail was set at $15,000 cash. The DA's office said this was because, unlike the other suspects, he had a neck tattoo that made his identification more reliable. Yohenry Brito, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday and is the only one of the suspects being held on bail Six men have been arrested and charged with Robbery and Felony Assault on Wednesday over the Times Square attack on police NY GOVERNOR: Get them all and SEND THEM BACK.. Kathy Hochul singing a completely different tune following brutal beating of New York City police officers.. Hochuls comments follow an all in manhunt conducted by the NYPD.. Suspects have been arrested and immediate release pic.twitter.com/yLVfxslOlw Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 1, 2024 New York governor Kathy Hochul has said that the state should consider deporting the group of migrants. 6 MIGRANTS CHARGED - Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19 - Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19 - Wilson Juarez, 21 - Yorman Reveron, 24 - Jhoan Boada, 22 - Yohenry Brito, 24 Advertisement 'Get them all and send them back,' Hochul told reporters during an unrelated press conference, reported the New York Post. You don't touch our police officers. You don't touch anyone.' Hochul, she added. Police sources confirmed the men's migrant status to the New York Post. Several addresses of the men provided by the police are homeless and migrant shelters. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly pointed toward the justice system's current practice of 'catch, release, repeat' as a main driver of crime in New York City. Over the summer, Adams blamed the city's criminal justice system for turning the Big Apple into the 'laughingstock of our entire country.' New York City in particular has struggled under the weight of tens of thousands of migrants arriving at its borders in need of places to stay and other accommodations. In 2023 alone, the city dealt with the arrival of more than 100,000 migrants. Hochul once welcomed asylum seekers with 'open arms' and pledged to house them but is now starting to migrants to 'go elsewhere' because the city is at its limit. E. Jean Carroll's attorney says President Donald Trump threw papers across the table and stormed out of a deposition at Mar-a-Lago after learning his lawyers agreed to provide her lunch. Roberta Kaplan also said that Trump yelled at Alina Habba, the firebrand lawyer who has defended him in his New York cases, for being accommodating to the legal team of the magazine columnist who accused him of rape. Last week, Kaplan scored another legal victory against the Republican presidential frontrunner when a jury ordered him to pay Carroll $83.3 million in defamation damages. The case centered around Trump, 77, calling Carroll a liar and insisting he never met her after she claimed he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s. In an episode of the podcast George Conway Explains it All (to Sarah Longwell) recorded Thursday, Kaplan told longtime Trump critic Conway that she rejected the former presidents request they work through a lunch break. 'And then you could kind of see the wheel spinning in his brain. You could really almost see it,' Kaplan said. 'And he said, "Well, youre here in Mar-a-Lago. What do you think youre going to do for lunch? Where are you going to get lunch?"' Trump seen leaving Trump Tower to travel to the Manhattan courtroom on January 26, 2024. Trump reportedly yelled at his lawyer Alina Habba for offering opposing counsel lunch during a deposition at Mar-a-Lago While Trump wanted to work through lunch deeming the deposition a 'waste of time,' Kaplan said she told Trump that his attorneys had 'graciously offered to provide' her team with lunch. 'At which point there was a huge pile of documents, exhibits, sitting in front of him, and he took the pile and he just threw it across the table. And stormed out of the room,' Kaplan said. Trump then shouted at Habba for providing opposing counsel lunch, Kaplan added. 'He really yelled at Alina for that. He was so mad at Alina,' Kaplan said. DailyMail.com has reached out to Habba for comment. At the end of the deposition, Kaplan recalled another bizarre interaction with the former president when he said 'see you next Tuesday,' which taken as an acronym is a derogatory term for women. Kaplan said the remark seemed planned. She had come back into the room and said she was done asking questions. The other side said 'off the record' and then Trump 'looks at me from across the table and he says, "See you next Tuesday."' Kaplan recalled initially being confused because their next meeting was Wednesday. She said it was like a joke 'like teenage boys would come up with.' 'I wasnt in on the joke, so I had no idea. Then we get into the car and my colleagues are like, "Robbie, do you know what that means?" And Im like, "No, what are you talking about?" They tell me and Im like, oh my God, thank God I didnt know because had I known, I for sure would have gotten angry.' Kaplan was at Mar-a-Lago to depose the GOP Republican presidential frontrunner in a lawsuit alleging the former president was involved in a fraudulent marketing company. A federal judge dismissed the case last month. But last week, Kaplan won a legal victory against Trump when a jury ordered he pay E. Jean Carroll a staggering $83.3 million for defamation after he denied raping her in a department store in 1996. The sum was three times what Carroll's own lawyers had asked for. Trump, 77, insists he has never met Carroll, has consistently said she wasn't his type and has described the court case as a 'witch hunt' and 'election interference' In this courtroom sketch, E Jean Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan gives her summation to the jury in Manhattan federal court as former President Donald Trump, far left, and E. Jean Carroll, far right, listen Kaplan described the verdict on the podcast calling it a career-defining moment. 'I spent my whole life devoted to the principle that we have a rule of law and we have a judicial system that works,' Kaplan said. 'And thats what makes us a constitutional democracy, thats at least until recently was to be admired worldwide. And it was starting, I mean, it is in times looking like that may not be true.' She said the case validated they still have that 'at least as of now.' Trump has vowed to appeal the decision. Naloxone, an overdose reversal medication, was distributed at the Capitol Capitol Hill staffers were given free samples of the life-saving drug naloxone as the deadly fentanyl epidemic continues to hit Washington, D.C., particularly hard. Naloxone is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses. Voices for Awareness, a nonprofit fentanyl awareness group, set up a table in a Senate office building this week to distribute the life-saving medication for free to federal employees. The group is trying to erase the 'stigma' around administering life-saving treatment to someone suffering an overdose. There were 404 fentanyl-related opioid deaths in D.C. in 2023, according to a recent city report. Fentanyl was involved in 95 percent of the deaths. The year prior, there were over 460 overdose deaths in Washington, with 93 percent of those deaths involving fentanyl. 'We were able to distribute over 600 doses of Naloxone to Senate staff,' Voices for Awareness Founder Andrea Thomas told DailyMail.com in a statement. One staffer, Caty Payette, posted on X that free naloxone kits were being distributed Thursday Voices for Awareness set up a table in a Senate office building to distribute naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, to employees as overdose deaths remain historically high Homelessness in the capital increased 18 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to city data A container of Narcan, a brand name version of the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone 'By distributing naloxone on the hill, we feel we broke a barrier to understanding how to reduce stigma and save lives,' Thomas said. ' It was great to see people 'get it' and to understand how one small action can save a life,' he continued. Thomas' daughter, Ashley Romero, died after ingesting half of a counterfeit pill. She began Voices for Awareness shortly after. 'There has never been a time like this in America. It is a time when a drug is so dangerous that it's killing every demographic, and no one group is immune. We all have to come to the table on this one, to work for solutions,' Thomas told DailyMail.com. Some Capitol Hill employees expressed their connection to the deadly drug, some sharing heartfelt personal stories. 'My cousin died from a drug overdose in 2018,' one employee posted on X. 'I want to start carrying this.' Another employee posted on X: 'My brother, 18 months younger, lost his battle to addiction in 2011. Its a painful subject I dont often talk about.' 'Get the free nalaxone and keep it around. It costs you nothing and could prevent a sister from having to call her parents to tell them their son is dead.' My brother, 18 months younger, lost his battle to addiction in 2011. Its a painful subject I dont often talk about. Get the free nalaxone and keep it around. It costs you nothing and could prevent a sister from having to call her parents to tell them their son is dead. https://t.co/6uVeuS6rho Sharon Eliza Nichols (@SharonElizaDC) February 1, 2024 I absolutely wish I had seen this tweet earlier. I would have come over. My cousin died from a drug overdose in 2018. I want to start carrying this. Joe Lowry (@PreparednessJoe) February 1, 2024 Administering naloxone to a person experiencing overdose could save their life Over 106,000 Americans died from overdose between August 2022 and August 2023, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over that same timespan overdose deaths in Washington, D.C., have increased by 15 percent. Homelessness in D.C. similarly increased by 18 percent between 2022 and 2023, according to city data. 'The interest in fentanyl and naloxone was off the charts,' Thomas told DailyMail.com. 'The hill soaked up the education and can use this training day as a gateway to solutions for lawmakers.' 'By distributing free naloxone at our fentanyl education events, we raise awareness about the life-saving potential of this antidote and empower people to respond effectively to a potential opioid overdose.' 'It also sends a powerful message about the importance of community care, which helps to break down stigma and encourages open conversations about substance abuse,' Thomas added, 'It's a proactive approach.' These shocking pictures show a Russian Terrier with suffering 17lbs of filthy, matted fur, as his owner is handed a five-year ban on owning animals. Tim Springett's pet, named Barney, was carrying an extra 21 per cent of its body weight from the excess hair. He told RSPCA inspectors that he believed the breed did not need clipping. Barney was handed to the RSPCA, who shaved 7.8kg of his matted fur, with staff suspecting that the matting was a result of the dog being left to sleep outside, with no shelter or dry areas. Springett pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences at Margate Magistrates Court. Tim Springett's pet, named Barney, was carrying an extra 21 per cent of its body weight from the excess hair Springett told RSPCA inspectors that he believed the breed did not need clipping Barney was handed to the RSPCA, who shaved 7.8kg of his matted fur RSPCA staff suspecting that the matting was a result of the dog being left to sleep outside, with no shelter or dry areas Springett was found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 Springett pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences at Margate Magistrates Court In her witness statement, RSPCA Inspector Tina Nash said Barney was 'extremely matted, with big clumps of fur hanging off of him that appeared to be full of dirt or faeces and tightly bound to areas around his back' The vet who shaved the Russian Terrier said: 'The dog had been made to support a coat weighing approximately 21 per cent of his body weight as he moved around. 'The weight of this coat would have risen considerably when the dog was wet. 'I am in no doubt that this would cause the animal physical stress as he moved. 'It is my professional opinion, based on the information provided to me, that the person responsible for the care of the dog had failed to provide the dog with a sheltered sleeping area with bedding. 'The person had also failed to groom the dog over many months and, as a consequence, had left him in a position where he was likely to suffer.' Barney is being looked after by the RSPCA, where he is currently in private boarding and will soon be made available for re-homing The matted fur 'appeared to be full of dirt or faeces and tightly bound to areas around his back' The vet who shaved his hair said they were 'in no doubt' the matted fur would cause Barney 'physical stress as he moved' Springett was found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which states that owners must protect the animal from suffering by grooming regularly, and provide the animal with a safe and hygienic environment. During mitigation, Springett said that he loves dogs and has experience working with them, and claimed his ill-health was behind the issues. He was given a five year ban on owning animals, as well as a 12 month community order. Barney is being looked after by the RSPCA, where he is currently in private boarding and will soon be made available for re-homing. A Fulton County commissioner probing Fani Willis's cash handouts to lover Nathan Wade six months ago was accused of being a racist by the DA, who has now been subpoenaed by House Republicans for misusing taxpayer funds. Bridget Thorne, 58, told DailyMail.com that she had been scrutinizing Willis's payments to Special Prosecutor Wade since the summer of last year, in her role as Commissioner for Fulton District 1 but was told she was 'only picking on him because he's black'. Willis, who admitted the affair with Wade on Friday, is expected to turn over office receipts that could expose improper spending on her alleged lover. Thorne began combing through the DA's receipts after seeing costs rack up for outside attorneys Willis had brought in for her election interference case against Donald Trump and 18 others. But she said the Fulton DA 'hung up' on her when she asked about the 'huge' expenditure in a telephone meeting in December. Fulton County DA Fani Willis and Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade have been subpoenaed to testify about their romantic relationship Commissioner for Fulton District 1 Bridget Thorne told DailyMail.com that she had been scrutinizing Willis's payments to Wade since summer of last year 'I've been questioning her spending on outside legal counsel for about six months now. It wasn't approved through us. Normally we approve these huge expenditures,' Thorne said. 'I had a meeting with her back in December. I asked her how much is this election interference case costing? She told me 'Lady Justice has no price'. Then I asked her how much are you spending on Nathan Wade? She told me that I was only picking on him because he's black. Michael Roman, one of Willis's defendants and ex-Trump campaign staffer filed explosive court documents claiming the DA was having an affair with her hired gun prosecutor, went on lavish trips with him, and overpaid him to work on the election interference case 'She hung up, ended the meeting on me,' Thorne added. 'She basically insinuated I was being racist for asking how much she spent on him. That didn't go over well with me.' Willis has been under fire for weeks after Michael Roman, one of Donald Trump's co-defendants in her case alleging election interference, claimed in a court filing that she and Wade were involved romantically. On Friday Willis issued a statement saying Roman's motion 'relies on supposition and innuendo regarding the private relationship between District Attorney Willis and Special Prosecutor Wade.' She denied any financial conflict of interest that would warrant her removal from the case and called attacks on Wade 'factually inaccurate, unsupported and malicious'. Roman claimed the DA was having an affair with her hired gun prosecutor, went on lavish trips with him, and overpaid him to work on the election interference case. In an interview with DailyMail.com, Thorne revealed that she had referred other allegations of misuse of federal funds by Willis's office to the county's auditors, who are launching an investigation. Whistleblower Amanda Timpson says she was fired from her DA office job after warning Willis that her supervisor was planning to spend a $488,000 federal grant for gang prevention on 'swag' for staff. 'We're going to get MacBooks, we're going to get swag, we're going to use it for travel,' Timpson claimed the DA staffer Michael Cuffee said in a November 2021 meeting, reported by the Washington Free Beacon this week. Timpson filed a whistleblower complaint with Fulton County Superior Court in August 2022. The case is in the discovery phase, meaning Willis will be hit with legal demands for her office's accounts. Commissioner Thorne said she referred the case to county auditors on Wednesday. Peter Korman, a Fulton GOP official, told DailyMail.com that he balked at paying the bill for the scandal as a local taxpayer. 'She hired a man to run a special grand jury process with a very important, public and novel investigation, with less experience than any single one of the ADAs in her office,' Korman said The embattled DA also faces a Friday deadline to hand over all of her office's financial records to county auditors investigating claims her spending on Special Counsel Nathan Wade was improper. Willis' office paid Wade over $650,000 for his work on the election interference case against Donald Trump and 18 alleged co-conspirators, despite his lack of experience prosecuting such cases. Two other lawyers with extensive experience, Anna Cross and John Floyd, were also hired, but their firms were only paid $43,000 and $73,000 respectively. Cross reportedly received a $150 hourly rate, while Floyd and Wade were paid $250 per hour. Peter Korman, a Fulton GOP official, told DailyMail.com that he balked at paying the bill for the scandal as a local taxpayer. 'She hired a man to run a special grand jury process with a very important, public and novel investigation, with less experience than any single one of the ADAs [Assistant District Attorneys] in her office,' Korman said. 'She may say she had legitimate business reasons to be in Napa and staying in $1,000 hotels, and flying to Miami and getting on Caribbean Cruises on Nathan Wayne's business credit card. 'But these types of relationships are not new to Fulton County, and we're sick of paying for them.' Fulton County is already paying dearly for another sex scandal, after a commissioner's chief of staff sued over a workplace romance-gone-wrong. Commissioner Natalie Hall struck up a steamy relationship with her chief of staff Calvin Brock, then fired him after he broke off the relationship. The embattled DA faces a Friday deadline to hand over all of her office's financial records to county auditors investigating claims her spending on Special Counsel Nathan Wade was improper He sued, with the ensuing court case revealing sordid details of sex in government offices and even evidence that Hall had placed a tracking device in his car. The county settled for almost $1million which Thorne said had been approved for payment this week. She added that Hall appeared unapologetic over the scandal, and is still planning to run for re-election. Thorne said she was also taken aback when, amid Willis's financial and personal controversy, the DA asked commissioners for an extra $9.7million at a budget meeting last month. The proposed sum included $611,000 on DA vehicles, after she already spent $794,000 of taxpayer money at two car dealers last year, according to Fulton County government accounts. Willis's predecessor, Paul Howard Jr., was accused of sexual harassment by a former staffer, who claimed in a federal civil lawsuit that he pressured her into sexual activities on 'multiple occasions' and even showed up at her home. Howard was found not guilty in a jury trial in December. In a letter Friday obtained by DailyMail.com, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan claimed that Willis's team was planning to misuse the grant earmarked for the creation of a Center of Youth Empowerment and Gang Prevention to pay for new luxuries including MacBooks and expensive travel. Teenager Scarlett Jenkinson made a second 'kill list' of staff at the secure unit where she was being held under arrest for savagely killing 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, it has emerged. Today a judge unmasked the identities of Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, after they were found guilty of Brianna's senseless murder and before jailing them for 22 years and 20 years respectively. Jenkinson had become fascinated by serial killers including Harold Shipman and Californian 'Night Stalker' Richard Ramirez, filling pages of notebooks with jottings about their methods and characters. Along with Ratcliffe, she drew up a 'kill list' of five potential targets before settling on Brianna who considered her a friend. Jurors at Manchester Crown Court, were today told how Jenkinson - who admitted for the first time that she did stab Brianna and 'enjoyed planning the murder' - drew up a second 'kill list' of staff at the secure youth accommodation where she is being held. Scarlett Jenkinson had a sick obsession with serial killers from Richard Ramirez to Jeffrey Dahmer Eddie Ratcliffe, 16, was 'genius' level smart and a 'sociopath' who friends deemed socially awkward, according to his female accomplice Pictured is 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who died after being stabbed 28 times last February Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe (right) have been named for the first time today as they are sentenced by a judge Jenkinson is being held at Adel Beck Secure Childrens Home in Leeds, West Yorkshire A bedroom inside the Adel Beck Secure Childrens Home in Leeds, West Yorkshire Indoor and outdoor gym equipment at the secure unit Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said: 'Another kill list was found at the secure unit which refers to names of people caring for her.' Jenkinson is being held at Adel Beck Secure Childrens Home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and is expected to stay there until she is 18 years old. The home is made up of three eight-bed house units, making space for 24 youngsters. Photographs online show communal lounge areas, outdoor and indoor gym equipment and a chicken coop. READ MORE: Inside the cushy prisons where Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe could be moved to once they turn 18 Advertisement The pair of child killers lured Brianna to Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington where she was stabbed 28 times. Jenkinson made no reaction as she was told she must serve more than two decades behind bars today. She sat blinking occasionally as she was addressed by the judge and briefly asked a question of her intermediary, or approved adult, sat beside her in the dock. Her mother, sat to her right in the public gallery, dabbed tears from her eyes with tissue. Ratcliffe, also seated and looking directly in front of him, made no visible reaction as he was sentenced. He was led down to the cells without looking over at his mother, who was sat to the left of the dock. Ms Heer said Dr Richard Church, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, had examined Jenkinson and concluded she did not have a mental illness but presents with a severe 'conduct dissocial disorder with limited pro-social emotions'. Ms Heer concluded: 'In Scarlett's case, she knew what she was doing was wrong and she knew it was very wrong.' Adel Beck is made up of three eight-bed house units, making space for 24 youngsters Photographs online show communal lounge areas, outdoor and indoor gym equipment and a chicken coop In Ratcliffe's case, Dr Michael Crawford, another consultant forensic psychiatrist, concluded he has a mild form of autism and selective mutism. Richard Littler KC, defending Ratcliffe, said Jenkinson had revealed more details of the planning to a psychiatrist after her conviction. He told the court she had said: 'I was meant to get rid of the body. I was going to drag her into the pipe. Before I even got a chance to drag the body someone was coming up the path. 'I was going to put her in the pipe. I saw it before, it's big enough to fit a person in.' He said the case was not simply a joint enterprise murder and added: 'We submit Eddie's sentence should be significantly less than that of his co-defendant.' Mr Littler, in mitigation for Ratcliffe, denied his 'disparaging' language about Brianna meant the murder was motivated by transphobia. Teenager Scarlett Jenkinson, known as Girl X during the murder trial, had a start in life in a leafy Cheshire village that many would envy Photos of Ratcliffe show an innocent-looking child enjoying a seemingly ordinary upbringing, complete days out with his family He said: 'The fact that Brianna was trans is immaterial. This is nothing to do with gender at all. Finding a few offensive comments made by an autistic adolescent does not satisfy the court to a criminal standard, of effectively a hate-crime, motivation. They were juvenile and immature.' Mr Littler citing the psychiatric report on Jenkinson, said the 'box is well and truly ticked' for her on whether the crime had an element of sadism. He cited what Jenkinson had told the psychiatrist about the stabbing. 'It made her feel excited and that excitement made her stab more times. She liked having complete power over someone and enjoyed the power she had over someone weaker like Brianna. 'She was thrilled by thoughts of violence, she was sometimes sexually aroused by it. She had increasing interest in violence, torture, murder, weapons, serial killers, fuelled and re-enforce by documentaries and dark web materials on these subjects.' Deanna Heer KC said Jenkinson claimed Ratcliffe did not like Brianna because she is trans but her motivation was 'quite different.' Jenkinson said she also intended to take a part of Brianna's body, 'as a token, part of her flesh'. She also admitted an earlier incident when Brianna became ill came about in an attempt by her to poison her victim with pills. Ms Heer said, in a further account of events to a probation officer, Jenkinson had said she and Ratcliffe deliberately lured Brianna to the park. Ms Heer continued: 'On this occasion she said it was she who first inflicted stab wounds then passed it to Eddie who forced the victim to the floor, stabbing her about three times, at that point she took the knife and delivered the majority of stab wounds.' Until her arrest on February 12 for the murder of Brianna Ghey , Scarlett Jenkinson seemed to be an ordinary teenage girl. But behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder Photo issued by Cheshire Constabulary of the notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes on different types of serial killers A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes about serial killer Jeffery Dahmer Jenkinson joins the handful of female killers aged under 16 to have committed a crime so heinous it merits a life sentence. Other child killers include Sharon Carr, Britain's youngest ever female murderer who stabbed a stranger to death when she was just 12-years-old. Carr, dubbed the 'Devil's Daughter', knifed 18-year-old Katie Rackliff 32 times in an unprovoked attack as the teenager walked home from a night out in June 1992. The hairdresser's murder went unsolved for five years as police officers hunted an adult man rather than the child. It was only after she attacked another schoolgirl with a knife in Camberely, Surrey, and bragged about killing Katie while in a young offender institute that she was arrested. Carr was convicted for Katie's murder back in 1997 and was sentenced to a life in prison with a minimum jail term of 14 years Lorraine Thorpe became Britain's youngest female double murderer at the age of 15 after the brutal killings of her father Desmond and Rosalyn Hunt Another well known case is that of Mary Bell who killed two young children. Bell was aged 10 and 11 when she strangled two children in Newcastle in 1968, and was later convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. In 2003, she applied for lifelong anonymity to prevent the press publishing her new identity. READ MORE: Family of torture-loving Scarlett Jenkinson break their silence after teen is jailed Advertisement In another case, Lorraine Thorpe was just 15 when she killed her father, Desmond, 43, and Rosalyn Hunt, 41, in Suffolk in 2009. Thorpe, who had been part of Ipswichs street-drinking culture since she was 13, was convicted alongside her role model, Paul Clarke, then aged 41. At the Old Bailey in London, Thorpe, then 16, was told she would serve a minimum of 14-years behind bars for the horrific double murders over the space of just nine days between August 1 and 10 2009. She finished her minimum term on the August 12 last year and her case was considered at a paper review on September 4. The parole board concluded: After considering the circumstances of her offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public. Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Ms Thorpe should be transferred to an open prison. She will be eligible for another review in two years time. In a previous dignified transfer in 2021 he was lambasted for looking at his watch President Joe Biden joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday to honor three American service members killed in an Iranian-backed drone attack in Jordan. Biden also met privately with the families of the service members before the dignified transfer of the remains. The president stood silently with his right hand on his chest as the flag-draped caskets were carried past him during the intensely emotional ceremony. Dignified transfer is the process by which the remains of fallen military members are moved from an aircraft to an awaiting vehicle on their return to U.S. soil. It is a solemn ritual that has become relatively uncommon in recent years as the U.S. withdrew from conflicts abroad. U.S. President Joe Biden attends the dignified transfer of the remains of Army Reserve Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders and Breonna Moffett, three U.S. service members who were killed in Jordan during a drone attack carried out by Iran-backed militants, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, U.S., February 2, 2024. U.S. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III attend the dignified transfer of the remains of Army Reserve Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders and Breonna Moffett, three U.S. service members who were killed in Jordan during a drone attack carried out by Iran-backed militants, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, U.S., February 2, 2024 U.S. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Air Force General Charles Q. Brown attend the dignified transfer of the remains of Army Reserve Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders and Breonna Moffett, three U.S. service members who were killed in Jordan during a drone attack carried out by Iran-backed militants, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, U.S., February 2, 2024 Awaiting Biden and the families of the three slain soldiers on the runway was a gray C-5 military transport plane. The aircraft had been used to fly back the bodies in flag-draped 'transfer cases,' as the military calls the caskets used for transportation. Biden's only previous dignified transfer as president was in August 2021 when the remains of 13 service members killed during a suicide bombing in Kabul were returned. They died during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan when a suicide bomber targeted Kabul airport's Abbey Gate, killing 11 Marines, one sailor and one soldier. On that occasion Biden was slammed by military veterans and Republicans for appearing to look at his watch just seconds after saluting the flag-draped caskets being carried past him. US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin watch as a US Army carry team moves a flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of US Army Sergeant Kennedy Sanders, during a dignified transfer of fallen US service members at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware President Joe Biden greets service members after arriving at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 In 2021 President Joe Biden was widely criticized for appearing to look at his watch during the dignified transfer onto American soil of the 13 American troops killed in a Kabul suicide bomb attack Biden will not speak during the dignified transfer on Friday. The deaths were the first U.S. fatalities blamed on Iran-backed militia groups. Those groups have months been intensifying their attacks on American forces in the region. Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia has been identified as one of the soldiers killed in the drone strike Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia died in the drone strike of a US airbase in Jordan Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, was among three US soldiers killed in the drone strike The service members killed on Sunday were all from Georgia - Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross and Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah. Sanders and Moffett were posthumously promoted to sergeant rank. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were joining Biden for the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) was using a cane after recently being treated for prostate cancer President Joe Biden watches as an Army carry team moves the flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Ga., during a casualty return at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Moffett was killed in a drone attack in Jordan on Jan. 28. n Army carry team moves the flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Ga., during a casualty return at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Moffett was killed in a drone attack in Jordan on Jan. 28. U.S. first lady Jill Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III attend the dignified transfer of the remains of Army Reserve Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders and Breonna Moffett, three U.S. service members who were killed in Jordan during a drone attack carried out by Iran-backed militants, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, U.S., February 2, 2024 In a statement earlier this week Biden said: "These service members embodied the very best of our nation. 'Unwavering in their bravery. Unflinching in their duty. Unbending in their commitment to our country - risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism. It is a fight we will not cease." Rivers, Sanders and Moffett were in the same company of Army engineers that was based in Fort Moore. Sanders and Moffett were close friends who regularly popped in on each other's phone calls with their families back home. The doors of a van with the transfer cases are closed during the dignified transfer ceremony of the remains of three US service members killed in the drone attack on the US military outpost in Jordan, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, on February 2, 2024 Sanders mother, Oneida Oliver-Sanders, said, 'I just cant believe Ill never be able to hug and kiss my baby again. Life is so unfair. I just want my baby' This combination of photos provided by Shawn Sanders and the U.S. Army show from left to right, Sgt. Kennedy Sanders, Sgt. William Jerome Rivers and Sgt. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett. The three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers from Georgia were killed by a drone strike Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, on their base in Jordan near the Syrian border. The U.S. government said this week that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the group Kataib Hezbollah, had planned, resourced and facilitated the drone attack. More than 40 troops were also injured in the attack at Tower 22, a secretive U.S. military desert outpost whose location allows U.S. forces to infiltrate and quietly leave Syria. Biden and White House officials have said warned the response to the deadly assault will not be a "one-off" and could last weeks. They have also stressed that they don't want a broader war with Iran. Biden is under pressure from Republicans to deliver a strong retaliation, and from Democrat allies who warn against escalation. Video of the 'random' attacks showed the perpetrators laughing while deliberately ramming pedestrians Seattle police have arrested a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy over a series of deliberate hit-and-runs. The shocking incidents took place on November 26 and saw two unsuspecting pedestrians targeted. Horrifying footage taken from inside the vehicle shows the occupants saying 'hit this b****' before deliberately ramming a woman. It's unclear how police obtained the video filmed by the youngsters, but it has taken months for them to track them down. Neither minor has been identified, but police say they left their victims with 'serious injuries' after striking them down in a stolen car. Police arrested a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy over a series of deliberate hit and runs in Seattle The pair were taken into custody at the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center this week. Police released surveillance footage of the incidents in December in the hopes of finding the pair. The clip of the first incident shows a woman crossing the street with the vehicle taking aim at her before she reaches the other side. The disturbing actions are then witnessed from inside the car with the occupants heard laughing and hollering at one another as they appear to enjoy knocking over an unsuspecting member of the public. In cellphone footage from inside the car, one of the occupants can be heard saying, 'Hit this b****, hit this b****,' before the car hits the woman walking near the corner. In the second incident which occurred just a few blocks down from the first, the driver can be seen taking aim at another pedestrian who was walking in a bus lane In the second incident, which occurred just a few blocks down from the first, the driver can be seen taking aim at another pedestrian who was walking in a bus lane after the sidewalk was closed off due to construction work. The driver of the vehicle once again aims directly for the pedestrian, striking them head-on from behind giving them no chance to move out of the way. A loud thump can be heard as their body strikes the hood of the car sending them flying over the roof of the vehicle. Police said at the time that the speed of the car suggested the victims would have 'suffered serious injury'. Detectives attempted to locate the victims by canvassing local hospitals. The Bahamas government has hit back at travel warnings issued by the US and says it remains a 'safe and welcoming' destination despite recording 18 murders in January. Officials declared the country is 'alert, attentive, and proactive' in ensuring the popular tourist spot remains safe. 'The rating of the Bahamas has not changed; we remain a level 2 alongside most tourism destinations,' Prime Minister Philip Davis said. 'The incidents described in the January 2024 US Embassy crime alert do not reflect general safety in The Bahamas, a country of sixteen (16) tourism destinations, and many more islands. The statement on Tuesday came after the U.S. State Department issued two warnings to visitors over crimes happening 'in broad daylight'. Officials in the Bahamas have insisted the country is safe despite the US government urging travelers to be cautious amid a spate of homicides But the US embassy issued a warning to American travelers about the risks in visiting The Bahamas The most recent update was to its travel advice urging visitors to exercise 'increased caution due to crime' in the Bahamas. Prior to that a 'security alert' was issued by the U.S. Embassy on January 24, warning travelers to 'exercise extreme caution' when in Nassau following 18 murders in the city since January 1. The alert warned that homicides largely as a result of gang violence were occurring 'at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets'. Officials have asked tourists to not physically resist any robbery attempt and to not answer the front door at any hotel or residence for unknown people. But Davis added that his government is implementing 'a robust and innovative crime reduction and prevention strategy'. 'This comprehensive approach is informed by the latest research and successful international models, focusing on five key pillars: prevention, detection, prosecution, punishment, and rehabilitation,' he said. 'Our law enforcement agencies are taking rigorous steps to maintain our well- earned reputation, including an enhanced police presence and additional police resources (including facial recognition CCTV surveillance technology) and training. 'We have a zero-tolerance policy for firearm possession and a dedicated Magistrate to handle firearm offences.' A spike in violent crime, including burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults has been recorded in both tourist and non-tourist areas since the beginning of 2024 Despite the spate of homicides last month, officials in the Caribbean nation praised 2023 as a 'banner year for tourism'. Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper spoke at an event in Tallahassee, Florida organized by the Florida Federation of Alpha Chapters in which he promoted The Bahamas to the fraternity group. 'The year 2023 was a banner year in tourism that brought us an unprecedented 8 million plus in visitor arrivals,' he said. But there were additional warnings to tourists that activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. 'Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications. Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities,' advice from the US Embassy states. 'Never swim alone, regardless of your age or level of swimming skills. Keep within your fitness and swimming capabilities. 'Be mindful of sharks when swimming and engaging in water activities, as there have been recent fatal and non-fatal incidents involving sharks.' Greta Thunberg and four others' cases have been thrown out at Westminster Magistrates' Court today following their arrests protesting against the Energy Intelligence Forum. District Judge John Law dismissed the public order charge against her at because police attempted to impose 'unlawful' conditions during the environment demonstration. The 21-year-old, from Sweden, was arrested during a demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair, London, on October 17 as oil executives met inside for a conference. She failed to move away after an order was imposed by police. Before her arrest, Thunberg had addressed reporters outside the hotel, saying the world is 'drowning in fossil fuels'. She was among 26 people charged by the Met Police following the rally. The defendants were Greenpeace activists Jeff Rice, 57, of Nottinghamshire, Peter Barker, 59, of Powys, and Fossil Free London activists Lars Kebbon, 19, Joshua Unwin, 32, and Thunberg. All were charged with failing to comply with a condition imposed under Section 14 of the Public Order Act. Greta Thunberg and four others' cases have been thrown out at Westminster Magistrates' Court today Greta was seen laughing and smiling outside Westminster Magistrates' Court today The group of five were among dozens of protesters arrested by Metropolitan Police officers while protesting at the 2023 Forum. Thunberg pleaded not guilty to breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 alongside two Fossil Free London protesters and two Greenpeace activists. The court heard that protesters started to gather near the hotel in October last year at around 7.30am and police engaged with them about improving access for members of the public, which the prosecution alleged had been made 'impossible'. The judge rejected the submission as 'the main entrance was accessible (meaning) that the condition... was unnecessary when the defendants were arrested'. The order to move the protest to an area of a pavement to the south of the hotel had been made by Superintendent Matt Cox after five hours of protest. When Thunberg and the others failed to move to the designated area they were arrested and taken to the police station. Section 14 orders can be made by senior police officers to prevent serious disruption, disorder, damage to property or if the noise of a protest may have 'significant impact.' The court heard that Thunberg was outside the hotel entrance with Unwin and Kebbon when she was approached and informed of the condition. Prosecuting, Luke Staton said: 'She was warned her failure to comply would result in her arrest. The 21-year-old, from Sweden , was arrested during a demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair, London , on October 17 District Judge John Law dismissed the public order charge against her at because police attempted to impose 'unlawful' conditions during the environment demonstration 'She was given a final warning, she said she was staying where she was so she was arrested at 1.15pm.' The EIF was due to hear from the chief executives of Aramco, Repsol, Shell, TotalEnergies and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. At Westminster Magistrates' Court, District Judge Law said conditions imposed on protesters were 'so unclear that it is unlawful' which meant 'anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence'. He said the protest was 'throughout peaceful, civilised and non-violent' and criticised evidence provided by the prosecution about the location of where the demonstrators should be moved to - saying the only helpful footage he received was 'made by an abseiling protester'. He added: 'It is quite striking to me that there were no witness statements taken from anyone in the hotel, approximately 1,000 people, or from anyone trying to get in. 'There was no evidence of any vehicles being impeded, no evidence of any interference with emergency services, or any risk to life.' Yesterday morning, Greenpeace UK and Fossil Free London protesters held banners outside the court that read 'Make Polluters Pay' and placards of bosses at fossil fuel companies, including Shell's CEO Wael Sawan, that read 'the real climate criminals'. This is the horrifying moment a British nursery teacher was shot dead by an allegedly obsessed taxi driver who then turned the gun on himself. Katie Erorbay, reportedly a mother-of-one, was on her way home from the school when she was killed in the Orhantepe district of Istnabul in Turkey on Thursday afternoon. Gulter, who is said to work for a local taxi firm, was reportedly 'obsessed' with his victim and would often wait for her outside the nursery gates to harass her. Horrifying CCTV footage obtained by local newspaper Haber Yorum showed the seconds before her death as she walked to a waiting car alongside another woman. Mrs Erorbay was just getting into the vehicle when a man - identified by local media as Mustafa Gulter - walked around the corner and initiated a conversation with the two woman, according to local media reports. Horrifying CCTV footage obtained by local newspaper Haber Yorum showed the seconds before British nursery teacher Katie Erorbay's death as she walked to a waiting car alongside another woman Mrs Erorbay was about to get into the vehicle when a man - identified by local media as Mustafa Gulter (left) - walked around the corner and initiated a conversation with her. He tried to force her to get out of the car and when she refused, he first used the gun to hit her in the jaw before shooting her and them himself. He tried to force her to get out of the car and when she refused, he first used the gun to hit her in the jaw and before shooting her and them himself. The other woman who sat in the car with Mrs Erorbay could be seen fleeing from the car and running to get help. Emergency crews who rushed to the scene pronounced Mrs Erorbay dead shortly after, while her injured killer was taken to hospital. Paramedics had fought in vain to save the teacher's life at the scene. The shooter allegedly survived the incident despite dropping to the ground after he turned the firearm on himself. Mrs Erorbay (pictured), reportedly a mother-of-one, was on her way home from work when she was killed in Orhantepe, Turkey on Wednesday afternoon Gulter, who is said to work for a local taxi firm, was reportedly 'obsessed' with his victim (pictured) and would often wait for her outside the nursery gates to harass her Mrs Erorbay reportedly taught English at the kindergarten near where she was shot and was married to a Turkish man. Detectives have started an investigation into the shooting. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told MailOnline: 'We are supporting the family of a British National who was killed in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.' The number of new recruits to the Army last month was almost double the amount in the same period last year, in a sign the UK could be experiencing a 'Top Gun effect'. The release of Tom Cruise's hit 1986 film led to a huge spike in sign-ups to the US military and a defence source said the same thing could be happening in Britain following the RAF's role in military action in Yemen last month. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told the Telegraph that the Army had seen almost double the number of recruits in January than in the same period last year amid the public's concern about rising tensions in the Middle East. It is also understood that the 10,800 sign-ups are more than double last year's monthly average. The number of new recruits to the Army last month was almost double the amount in the same period last year, in a sign the UK could be experiencing a 'Top Gun effect'. Above: Junior Soldiers from the Army Foundation College in Harrogate take part in their graduation parade on August 10, 2023 in Harrogate The release of Tom Cruise 's hit 1986 film led to a huge spike in sign-ups to the US military and a defence source said the same thing could be happening in Britain following the RAF 's role in military action in Yemen last month. Above: Cruise in the original Top Gun It is understood that the 10,800 army sign-ups are more than double last year's monthly average. Above: Junior Soldiers from the Army Foundation College in Harrogate take part in their graduation parade on August 10, 2023 According to The Telegraph, the Royal Navy's basic training facility, HMS Raleigh, has been fully booked for four weeks in succession. It is the longest time it has been oversubscribed since 2017. Mr Shapps told the publication that undemocratic regimes could launch attacks on Western states if they think they have 'run out of puff' and said Britain is 'living in more dangerous times.' Speaking of the recruitment boost, he said: 'I'm actually very pleased that since we started raising these issues, including in my Lancaster House speech, people are responding. They realise there are a lot of opportunities.' British and US forces hit Houthi missile sites in Yemen last month after the Iran-backed group had repeatedly attacked Western vessels in the Red Sea. Initial strikes were made on January 11, whilst further targets were hit on January 20. Typhoon fighter jets that had been flown from Cyprus took part in the air strikes. Ministers were also said to have agreed to send an aircraft carrier to the region, but Mr Shapps played down speculation that a deployment of one of the two vessels could be close, saying there's 'certainly nothing imminent or immediate' planned. The Army had seen almost double the number of recruits in January than in the same period last year amid the public's concern about rising tensions in the Middle East British and US forces hit Houthi missile sites in Yemen last month after the Iran-backed group had repeatedly attacked Western vessels in the Red Sea. Above: An RAF Typhoon jet is seen being prepared for action ahead of the second wave of airstrikes in January The Royal Navy's basic training facility, HMS Raleigh, has been fully booked for four weeks in succession. It is the longest time it has been oversubscribed since 2017. Above: Royal Navy Reservists fix a recruitment banner to a ribbed boat before the Lord Mayor's Show in the City of London on November 13, 2021 The Mail was told that Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the Royal Navy, had urged politicians to use one of the 3.5billion platforms when the crisis began in October. But the Chief of the Defence Staff was overruled as ministers opted to send Cyprus-based RAF Typhoons on 3,000-mile trips. The absence of a UK carrier has left the US to conduct almost the entirety of air strikes on Houthi military infrastructure. The original Top Gun was the highest grossing movie in the US in 1986. Navy information tables were set up outside some cinemas because of its popularity. According to estimates, recruitment across the US military jumped by 500 per cent after the film's release. Top Gun Maverick - the long-awaited sequel to Cruise's first outing as the navy pilot - delighted viewers when it was finally released in 2022 after being delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Metropolitan Police have released the latest images of injured Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi as he boarded a tube train on Wednesday and urged him to 'hand himself in'. CCTV images of Ezedi in a Tesco in North London had prompted speculation that he may have returned to Newcastle where he lived prior to the attack, however police now say he was last seen boarding a Victoria line train south and is thought to be in the city. Ezedi is on the run from police after being suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, on Wednesday night. Police say that following a raid on an address connected to Ezedi in Newcastle, officers located 'two empty containers with corrosive warnings on the label [and that] tests are currently ongoing to see if the containers held the substance used in the attack.' At a press conference this afternoon, police confirmed the mother who was attacked is now sedated with 'life changing injuries' whilst her two children are also receiving treatment for non life-changing injuries. The Met Police have released new images of Clapham chemical attack Abdul Ezedi strolling injured through King's Cross station following Wednesday's events Police say Ezedi was last seen heading south on a Victoria Line service Police have confirmed Abdul Ezedi, 35, may still be in London after he was seen heading south The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt on January 31 at 8.48pm Making his direct appeal to Abdul Ezedi, Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said: 'Abdul, you clearly have got some very significant injuries. 'We've seen the images. You need some medical help, so do the right thing and hand yourself in.' Police say Ezedi travelled to London in the early hours of Wednesday morning and was spotted in Tooting at 6:30am. He then travelled to Croydon where he was seen at 4:30am and Streatham at 7:00pm. The attack occurred at 7:25pm in Clapham South and Azedi boarded a Northern Line train heading to King's Cross from the station at 7:33pm. Shortly after this, he was pictured sporting significant facial injuries on a Tesco on Caledonian Road, Islington before he boarded a southbound Victoria line train at 9pm. His current whereabouts remain unknown. The Metropolitan Police are facing questions about why vital images of the suspect in the Clapham South acid attack took so long to be published potentially helping Abdul Shokoor Ezedi evade capture. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline that it had been dealing with 'a very traumatic incident in which three people and a number of police officers had been injured' and that images were released 'less than 24 hours after the incident.' Commander Jon Savell said that 'significant and important pieces of evidence' were recovered in searches carried out in east London and Newcastle on Thursday night. He said: 'In terms of our manhunt for Ezedi, we've got a large team of very experienced detectives leading the manhunt, using all the tactics that you would expect us to use, lots of officers out on the ground. 'We're working very closely with colleagues from Transport for London, British Transport Police and our colleagues in Northumbria Police as well. 'Last night, five search warrants were executed - two in East London and three up in Newcastle. We've recovered some significant and important pieces of evidence which will help with our investigation.' Police in hazmat suits raid a home in east London amid the search for Clapham chemical attack fugitive Abdul Ezedi Officers were seen smashing in the doors of the property shortly after 2am A mother injured in a chemical attack in London on Wednesday is sedated and 'very poorly' in hospital. Ezedi's movements on the day of the attack Police have released a timeline of Abdul Ezedi's movements on the day of the attack. 00:15 Ezedi's vehicle is seen in Newcastle 06:30 His vehicle is then seen traveling into Tooting, London 16:30 A further sighting of his vehicle is confirmed in Croydon 19:00 He is then seen driving in Streatham 19:25 Attack takes place in Lessar Avenue, SW4, before Ezedi makes off in his vehicle which crashes nearby. He leaves the car and runs off. 19:33 Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube Station. 19:59 He is then seen leaving that train at King's Cross Tube Station. 20:42 He is then seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX. He exits and turns right. 21:00 - Ezedi enters King's Cross Tube Station and boards a Victoria Line tube Southbound. Advertisement A 31-year-old woman and her daughters, aged three and eight, were injured in the incident. Giving an update on their conditions on Friday, Commander Savell said: 'The mother remains very poorly in hospital and she's sedated at the moment. We expect that those injuries will be life-changing.' He said the two children who were with her do not have injuries as serious as initially thought. He said: 'They are not likely to be life-changing (injuries). They remain with mum in the care of the NHS and we, of course, wish them the very best recovery that we can.' People who knew the suspected Clapham South chemical attacker say he was 'a good Muslim' who bought Halal meat, avoided alcohol and planned to return home 'to find a wife' prior to the incident. It has emerged that refugee Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who pleaded guilty to sex assault and exposure charges in 2018 but was not jailed, had been living in Newcastle after arriving in the UK in 2016 on the back of a lorry. He avoided jail after being handed a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Abdul Ezedi's crimes saw him placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. It means he still had several years to serve as a registered sex offender when his asylum application was granted at the third time of asking. Authorities and leaders from the Church of England are now facing questions after it emerged that Ezedi, who is originally from Iran, was allowed to stay in the UK following two failed asylum applications after converting to Christianity. In 2020 or 2021, it is understood a priest vouched for his conversion and argued he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion - which aided his application. Despite his crimes he was later granted the right to stay in the UK on his third asylum application in either 2020 or 2021, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. The Church of England has been criticised in the past for aiding migrants from refugee backgrounds with their asylum claims if they convert. Residents in the hostel where Ezedi most recently lived in Byker, Newcastle, were unaware of his conviction. One said: 'We didn't know we were living next to a registered sex offender. 'People knew he'd been granted asylum but it makes you wonder how when he was on the sex offenders register. 'Other residents should have been informed before he was moved in.' Speaking to The Telegraph, Alan Mendoza, of the Henry Jackson Society counter-extremism think tank, said: 'Abdul Ezedi should never have been granted asylum status in the UK in the first place following multiple failed attempts and a sexual offences conviction. 'That he was allowed to stay after an obviously false conversion to Christianity highlights the continued problem of the complicity of various British institutions in what has become a pro-asylum industry. The consequences of this are frequently devastating.' The Church of England said it is not currently aware of any links to its churches. A spokesperson for the Church of England said: 'This is clearly a shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by it. 'It is the role of the Home Office, and not the Church, to vet asylum seekers and judge the merits of their individual cases.' Another similar case was the one of Iraqi-born Emad Al Swealmeen. The 32-year-old died from a blast and subsequent fire after his homemade bomb detonated in a taxi outside Liverpool Women's Hospital in 2021. He went to considerable lengths to stay in the UK, including converting to Christianity to support his failed asylum claim. Abdul Ezedi's own brother has now urged him to give himself up to police. Today younger brother Sebaghallah Ezedi, 22, said he believed that Abdul should face justice for his crimes and urged him to hand himself in to police. The home of Sebaghallah in east London was raided by specialist Met Police officers in the early hours of this morning. He said: 'Abdul should give himself up to police. He should be caught and face justice for what he has done.' MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street St Vincent's Centre, in Byker, Newcastle, where acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project every two weeks for toiletries and food An asylum support worker who knew wanted man Abdul Ezedi said he was shocked by the violence he is accused off. The charity worker, based near Newcastle city centre, checked his records and said Ezedi was from Iran, not Afghanistan as had previously been thought . He also said the 35-year-old, wanted for a horrific corrosive liquid attack in south London, showed no signs of mental health issues or violent behaviour previously. The charity worker, who asked not to named said: 'He has been coming here for more than two years, since I took over the project here. 'At the time he was identified as a destitute asylum seeker and did not have access to Home Office support. 'He was registered as someone who needs essential food and furniture. 'We looked at his legal documents, what is his status in the country. 'Over time, I knew him by his face. 'He often came to the centre, every three, four or five weeks. 'He seemed a calm person, sitting in the corner by himself, there was never, ever any complaint or any trouble. 'He never showed any aggressive behaviour. 'When I saw his photo on the news last night I was shocked, I never expected such a person would be violent to that extent. 'He was last here two or three weeks ago. 'We were not aware he had been granted the right to remain, we were not aware he had a criminal record.' The project manager did not know about Ezedi's conversion to Christianity. He was worried that the outcry about the case would affect other, innocent asylum seekers. The worker said: 'Unfortunately, there is a stereotype about asylum matters these days. 'One incident like this can affect a lot of people and have a severe impact on others who are innocent, decent people. 'I would straight away ask him to give himself up, get medical attention and say he has to be held accountable for what he has done. 'Some clients here have mental health issues, they can sometimes react in an aggressive, violent way, but this is someone you would never expect, this is shocking.' Meanwhile it emerged today that as well as working in a pizza takeaway, Abdul Ezedi had also been earning money working part time as a building contractor. In 2022 he was one of a team of builders working on a house renovation in Newcastle. Ezedi was recognised by workmen from Terence Wilkinson roofing contractors. A workman from the firm said: 'He was working on the same house while we were there, not for us but alongside our guys. 'He was part of a team of contractors and appeared to have some experience in building work. 'He's pretty distinctive to look at and when our guys saw the pictures released by the police we knew it was him. 'He didn't say much, just got on with his job but it's frightening to think he was capable of something like that.' Staff at a Kurdish grocery shop in the Byker area of Newcastle where Ezedi lived told The Times that he would come in every two weeks to buy half of a halal sheep that he would then cut up and put in his freezer. They claimed he told people he wanted to return to Afghanistan to find a wife, and described him as 'a good Muslim' who did not drink alcohol. Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near where Ezedi had lived, said the wanted man had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily.' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house. Wednesday's horrific attack on Lessar Road at 7.25pm left the mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and her youngest daughter with 'life changing injuries'. Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's time in the UK: 2016 Ezedi arrives in the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing from Afghanistan. He had two applications for asylum rejected. 2018 Ezedi is handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. He is placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and is discharged from probation supervision. 2020-2021 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on his third application - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. January 31 2024 Ezedi is suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. Advertisement The elder child is also said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital in a stable condition. The Met has urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who was also hurt in the horror that unfolded. The force last night released CCTV footage of Ezedi buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained 'significant injuries' in the attack, which officers say was 'targeted'. He is accused of leaping on the 'vulnerable' mother and her two daughters, hurling a corrosive alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: 'I can't see, I can't see!' Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims' skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the man's car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack Children's minister David Johnston was pressed by Sky News on reports the suspect in the alkaline substance attack in south London is a convicted sex offender who was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Mr Johnston said: 'I don't have his case file and I can't say anything that might affect the police's investigation here. 'He is still at large and what we really need is anyone with information to come forward in order that he can be apprehended, given he is police's key suspect. He described the attack as 'horrific' and sent his thoughts to the victims. He told Sky News: 'What has been reported in this particular case will understandably concern I think every member of the public. Concerns me, concerns every member of the government.' Asked whether it was a failure of the Government for someone to be granted permission to stay in the UK after being convicted of a crime, he said: 'This is why this government's so determined to end the asylum merry-go-round.' Mr Johnston added that a 'number of cases' of people appealing and claiming asylum after having their application rejected. He added that the Rwanda Bill aims to stop this from happening. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a 'detailed review' of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case raises 'very serious concerns'. He said: 'It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity. 'I think we need to investigate the particular circumstances. 'We shouldn't jump to conclusions, and I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest.' Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said Rishi Sunak does not think 'foreign criminals should be able to stay' in the UK when asked about news that a sex offender hunted over a chemical attack was granted asylum to stay in the UK despite his conviction. The Prime Minister's spokesman told reporters: 'First and foremost on the attack, obviously, it was a horrific attack and the PM's thoughts are with the victims and their families. 'And he'd like to extend his thanks to the emergency services for the very quick response to the scene and the five officers who were injured in the incident.' The official declined to comment on the suspect's immigration status during a live police investigation but said that, more broadly, 'the PM doesn't think that foreign criminals should be able to stay in the country, putting the public at risk'. He pointed to action the Government is taking in the Nationality and Borders Act and Illegal Migration Act. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child 'like a ragdoll' above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: 'The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring.' Another horrified witness said: 'Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again.' Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered 'life-changing injuries'. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital. One witness described the mother's horrific injuries: 'Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically.' The Acid Survivors Trust International, an organisation that records information on chemical attacks across the world, said that the heinous attack being directed at the young mother and her two children was 'unheard of', as most are related to gang violence. Jaf Shah, chief executive of the trust, said: 'The scale of attacks and the targeting of young children by a single perpetrator is unheard of. It's important to highlight that this is not commonplace, this is very rare.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million Bodycam footage reveals the shocking moment a homeless man stabbed two NYPD officers just minutes after murdering a family of four with the same knife. Courtney Gordon, 38, carried out the killing spree in Far Rockaway, Queens, in the early hours of December 3, before being shot dead by cops. The knifeman stabbed four family members to death before setting their house on fire and stabbing the two responding officers - Richard Gonzalez and his partner Decio. Responding to a 911 call at 467 Beach 22nd Street, the officers encountered Gordon standing in front of the property and began to question him. NYPD Chief Jeff Madrey said cops found themselves unable to enter the residence due to the blaze started by the suspect as he left the home with a suitcase. Courtney Gordon, pictured, murdered four relatives - two of them children - before being shot dead by police in Queens on December 2 As the officers questioned him, Gordon removed a knife from his rear pocket with his right hand and began to stab the officers As the officers questioned him, Gordon removed a knife from his rear pocket with his right hand and began to stab the officers. 'You call the police?' one officer asked Gordon. 'You live here? Where do you live?' 'I am trying to go somewhere,' Gordon responds, before lunging at the officer with his knife. Gordon was killed in the ensuing scuffle by one of the officers who was stabbed seconds earlier. Officer Decio was stabbed on the left side of his neck, and Officer Gonzalez was stabbed in his left temple, according to police. Officer Decio fired five shots at Gordon. He was transported to Nassau University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The officers were transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and treated for their injuries. It was later discovered that prior to his encounter with the officers, Gordon stabbed five members of his family inside the property. Police have released the photo of the knife used by a man to stab four family members to death before setting their house on fire and stabbing two responding officers Bloody fingerprints can be see on the front door of a Queen's home where a man went on a stabbing rampage City workers remove bodies from a Queens home where a man allegedly went on a stabbing rampage The victims included two children, an 11-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy. The 11-year-old girl was reportedly lying in a pool of blood at the front of the house before being taken to the hospital where she died of her injuries. Two other victims included a 44-year-old female and male in his 30s. A 61-year-old female was severely injured and is receiving treatment for multiple stab wounds. Gordon was reportedly a homeless man who was invited by his aunt to live with her family. A knife used by the killer was snapped on the ground after the bloodbath, with a body bag also being wheeled out of the crime scene. Christine Watson - his 61 year-old aunt - was also knifed, according to the New York Daily News, but survived. She is said to have invited Gordon to stay with her after his marriage ended and he became homeless. His mother spoke in December, saying: 'I spoke to him yesterday. He just said to me, 'Mama, I love you,'' I said, 'I love you too, son' and then I get the news.' His sister blames the mental health system on her brother's deterioration, saying that she kept trying to get him help Gordon - a father of three - had spent the past year in and out of homeless facilities following the dissolution of his marriage and the loss of his job Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene during cops' response. A fourth person stabbed died shortly after, while another three were taken to a local hospital 'My aunt took him in because she felt sorry for him because he's telling her he's trying to get his life together,' Gordon's sister, who remained anonymous, told the New York Daily News at the time. Gordon - a father of three - had spent the past year in and out of homeless facilities following the dissolution of his marriage and the loss of his job. She said that he was 'suffering deeply, deeply from depression and mental illness,' 'I knew it was going to be bad. I wanted to tell her this is bigger than us, to let him go back to the shelter, but no one was listening to me. She took him in. There's no reason for this.' 'He loses his wife, he lose his happy home, he was gone,' she continued. 'He lost his job. He just lost it.' His sister also blames the mental health system on her brother's deterioration, saying that she kept trying to get him help. 'They're telling me he's a grown man [and] because of his age, I couldn't sign the consent and give him the treatment,' she said. 'I really tried because I know he wasn't stable.' She added that he'd told her he was going to try and get a job while their aunt helped him out. 'My aunt, she's a sweetheart,' his sister said. 'She's a wonderful person. I didn't think anything like this would happen,' Despite what became of him, his sister wants people to know that her brother's demons consumed what was once a decent man. 'He was a good person. He was happy,' she said. 'I just want everybody to know mental illness is really serious. It really is.' Smith has made her name defending clients accused of some of the most heinous crimes Her bizarre conduct in the courtroom has seen her branded 'Worst Trial Attorney of the Year' online She represented Jennifer Crumbley in the first trial of a parent for their child's mass shooting in the US. But 'car crash' lawyer Shannon Smith has been attracting attention for more than just her defense. Social media is awash with clips of her bizarre behavior in court, which include quoting Taylor Swift, cracking jokes and carrying out a full beauty routine in front of the judge. And in her closing arguments the gaffe-prone lawyer even admitted to getting 'confused' and being 'a lawyer who messes up'. She claimed every parent was as likely to find themselves in Crumbley's shoes, suggesting it would be just as easy for a child to 'kill a person with a kitchen knife from the butcher's bloke' as it was for Ethan to gain access to guns. Smith is no stranger to the spotlight, having previously represented disgraced Olympics gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar in 2018, arguing that he couldn't possibly have sexually assaulted as many girls as he did. Smith, pictured with client Jennifer Crumbley, stated in her closing arguments Friday that she gets 'confused when new information is thrown at me' #ShannonSmith while #JenniferCrumbley is on cross and #MarkKeast is asking about affairs, Shannon says "we might all blush," since the judge ruled he could ask about it. Again, I repeat, she's tacky, and unprofessional. #CourtTV #LawAndCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/4hv6zYMkfq chickin the 719 (@ChickIn719) February 2, 2024 Shannon Smith is representing Jennifer Crumbley in her involuntary manslaughter trial linked to her school shooter son Ethan Crumbley, but her courtroom antics have raised eyebrows The attorney has been seen combing her hair and applying beauty products, while her client has been appearing at court somewhat disheveled looking Smith has a high-profile clientele, including disgraced Olympic gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar who was jailed for life for sexually assaulting hundreds of girls in his care Her clientele have included some of the most notorious cases in Michigan's recent history. In a 2022 interview with Hour Detroit, she admitted she is no longer concerned about what people think. This approach landed her in hot water on Friday, when he was chastised in court for making a joke during cross examination of Jennifer Crumbley about her affair with firefighter Brian Meloche. After Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews ruled that prosecutor Mark Keast would be able to question her client about the affair, Smith joked: 'We might all blush'. The remark prompted Keast to remind her that the situation was 'not a laughing matter'. Her apparently blase approach was brought up again in court, when text messages between her and her client were shown. When Crumbley and her husband James were on the run, they were in constant contact with Shannon Smith via burner phones they bought. In Friday's cross-examination, it was revealed one of Smith's texts to the mother when police were closing in on them simply read, 'oh s***'. But it was not the first time Smith overstepped during the hearing. Last week, she was forced to apologize in court for joking about killing herself while in front of the families of the four victims killed by Ethan Crumbley in the Oxford High School mass shooting. #ShannonSmith and pedo client #LarryNassar FYI: she stated she did not believe all the womens allegations AND that the 34K child porn images found on his computer were NOT a large amount What was she laughing about during his court appearance? #JenniferCrumbly pic.twitter.com/CszE9ipGL5 Headless Gal (@HeadlessGal) February 2, 2024 Her antics have included applying lip gloss while being addressed by Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews At the start of her opening argument Smith referenced Taylor Swift lyrics The lawyer was struggling to operate her computer and organize her evidence when she said: 'I'm going to kill myself'. 'In my frustration, I made a comment that was offensive to victims' families,' she said before adding that it was 'absolutely by accident'. 'I am apologizing for that comment.' The insensitive joke came about during the cross examination when the judge asked Smith to disassemble a massive ramshackle pile of papers before it fell over. Social media users have also pointed out her extensive grooming habits in the court, whilst drawing comparison's to her client's disheveled appearance. Smith has been seen fluffing her hair, running a comb through it and even applying lip gloss while addressing the judge. Her defense got off to a bizarre start when she referenced Taylor Swift lyrics in her opening arguments. 'Band-Aids don't stop bullet holes,' she said, referring to Swift's lyric, 'Band-Aids don't fix bullet holes' in the song Bad Blood. Tensions mounted in court after jurors saw a brief video captured by a school security camera on the day of the shooting. Smith has had a series of blunders through out the hearing, including appearing to give the middle finger while checking if her client was crying Criminal defense lawyer Smith prides herself on being a 'strong female lawyer' and has suggested the #MeToo movement went too far She previously defended the likes of doctor Jumana Nagarwala who was accused of female genital mutilation in the first federal case of its kind Prosecutor Karen McDonald claimed Jennifer Crumbley and Smith were 'sobbing' in violation of the judge's request that people control their emotions during the trial. 'We were not sobbing or making a scene,' Smith said, her voice rising. 'All my eye makeup is still on'. Footage of the moment also showed Smith appear to accidentally give the middle finger as she tried to check if her client was not crying. The blunder led social media users to declare that she is giving Donald Trump's lawyer Alina Habba, 'a run for her money for the Worst Trial Attorney of the year award.' The nature of Smith's clientele means she often courts controversy. In 2018, she was pictured looking cozy with her client Larry Nassar, the US Olympics gymnastics doctor who used his position to sexually assault girls in his care. Nassar went down for life after he was charged with three counts of first degree criminal sexual abuse in 2016. It was revealed that roughly 50 complaints had been received during the investigation. In December 2016 Nasser was indicted on child pornography charges in a separate case, to which he later pled guilty. Shes got a hairbrush in the courtroom and has her client on the stand looking like this? None of her defense strategies make any sense #jennifercrumbley pic.twitter.com/lslqbDwodH Tabitha (@RollTideTab) February 1, 2024 Smith brought a hairbrush into the court and was seen combing out her locks Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to his crimes and is currently serving life in jail Crumbley's parents, James Robert Crumbley and Jennifer Lynn Crumbley, have both been charged in connection with the shooting In 2017 Nassar faced an additional 22 charges of sexual assault, while more and more victims came forward. Smith however, said she doubted her client could be responsible for so many attacks. 'I have a very hard time believing that my client could have even possibly assaulted that many people day in and day out in front of their parents, and that every single one of those things was a crime, but he was such a manipulator he got away with it,' she told WWJ. 'I just can't imagine that's true.' She even suggested that girls who may have been inappropriately touched were not victims. 'Some of those girls, to be quite frank, they didnt even know what to think because they never felt victimized. He was never inappropriate to them. And because of everything theyve seen, they just feel like they must have been victimized. And I think thats really unfortunate.' On her website, Smith brags about her outspoken approach as a 'strong female lawyer' and her skepticism of the #MeToo movement. 'In the #metoo era, many people think all allegations must be automatically believed. The prosecutions are aggressive and ruthless, and the mantra that most defense lawyers stick to in other kinds of cases sit back, be quiet, and simply defend does not work,' she states. Smith, of law firm Smith Lehman, is also known for her victory in 2018 on behalf of doctor Jumana Nagarwala who was accused of female genital mutilation in the first federal case of its kind. Madisyn Baldwin, 17, (left) and Hana St Juliana, 14, (right) died in the 2021 shooting rampage at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit Justin Shilling, 17, (left) and Tate Myre, 16, (right) were also killed in the senseless shooting 'I realized how easy it was for people to be falsely accused, as well as the ramifications of that,' Smith told Hour Detroit of her work. 'Now, knowing how many people I've helped save from that, I can't imagine doing any other kind of work.' In her closing arguments, Smith appeared to show an uncharacteristic glimmer of self-awareness. 'I'm a lawyer who messes up, I get confused when new information is thrown at me,' she admitted in her closing argument, noting that TikTok users had taken to mocking her antics during the trial online. 'I'm human, and so is Jennifer Crumbley.' Her comments preceded a bizarre rant where she likened the Oxford mass shooting to hypothetical scenarios of her children killing people with kitchen knives from her cupboard. Smith's closing arguments circulated widely on social media after she made the claims on televised court, including branding disturbing, violent antics by Ethan Crumbley before the tragedy as 'goofy stuff.' The case will now go to the jury and if convicted, Crumbley could face up to 15 years in jail. As Smith's website states, 'Shannon has her own way of doing things'. Whether this technique paid off for her client remains to be seen as the jury deliberates her fate. Angela Rayner has admitted she doesn't go out no longer goes out and has 'no social life' due to threats to her safety. Labour's deputy leader said she had altered her behaviour due to 'constant threats and abuse', which included being targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters at a meeting last week. Social media footage showed Ms Rayner, Jonathan Reynolds and a third Labour MP, shadow social care minister Andrew Gwynne, being confronted at a Stockport Labour event. Ms Rayner, 43, admitted she had been 'scared' as she spoke to Sky News spoke in Scotland today in the wake of the decision by Tory MP Mike Freer this week to quit politics. The justice minister told the Daily Mail that he will step down at the election because a series of death threats against him has taken too great a toll on his family. The 63-year-old has suffered more than a decade of intimidation over his pro-Israel views and said he felt 'lucky to be alive' after narrowly avoiding a confrontation with terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered fellow Tory MP Sir David Amess in 2021. Ms Rayner, who has been keeping a noticeably low political profile in recent months, said: 'I have changed my behaviour. I don't go out, I don't have a social life. 'People want to see me, they come to my house. And you know, it does change what you do. It has an impact on my day to day life.' Labour's deputy leader said she had altered her behaviour due to 'constant threats and abuse', which included being targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters at a meeting last week. Mr Rayner admitted she had been 'scared' as she spoke to Sky News spoke in Scotland today in the wake of the decision by Tory MP Mike Freer this week to quit politics. Mr Freer was previously threatened by a group called Muslims Against Crusades, and said an arson attack on his Finchley and Golders Green constituency office in December was 'the final straw'. Police confirmed that seven people were escorted from the building in Greater Manchester due to 'disruptive behaviour' last week. In footage shared on social media, both Ms Rayner and Mr Reynolds, Labour's shadow business secretary, were filmed sitting in a police vehicle. As the Labour frontbenchers sat in the car, a group shouted 'shame on you' and 'shame, shame' as they referred to the conflict in Gaza. An officer is then seen driving the senior MPs away and past a crowd. Ms Rayner told Sky: 'I'm not blaming those individuals. I understand that people are upset, but often they don't realise, Yes, I was scared and my family are scared for me. And that's why Mike has took the decision he's taken.' Mr Freer was previously threatened by a group called Muslims Against Crusades, and said an arson attack on his Finchley and Golders Green constituency office in December was 'the final straw'. Mr Freer told the Mail how his husband Angelo had become 'incredibly jittery' since it emerged that Ali had visited his Finchley and Golders Green constituency office with the intention of killing him. On police advice, Mr Freer has had to wear a stab vest when attending scheduled public events in his constituency. His resignation triggered a wave of support from across the political world, along with fresh calls for a clampdown on political violence and intimidation. Downing Street also condemned the 'vitriolic hatred' that Mr Freer was subjected to and said Mr Sunak was 'extremely saddened' to lose him. A member of Charles Manson's murderous cult has had his parole hearing postponed after he appeared on a true crime podcast. Bruce Davis, 81, has been serving life in prison since 1972 for his role in the murders of musician Gary Hinman, 34, and Hollywood stuntman Donald 'Shorty' Shea, 35. He appeared on the The Lighter Side of Serial Killers podcast after giving two phone interviews in February and April 2023 about his Christian faith and upcoming book which he is writing in prison. Davis even wrote a Christmas card to host Keith Rovere, who is a former prison chaplain, where he expressed his excitement for his upcoming parole hearing on January 18. But this was postponed to August 8 after his podcast appearance as parole commissioners voiced concerns, according to him. Bruce Davis, now 81, a member of Charles Manson's murderous cult, has had his parole hearing postponed after he appeared on a true crime podcast. Pictured: Davis (left) with his attorney outside the Hall of Justice in 1969 after his arrest The 81-year-old has been serving life in prison since 1972 for his role in the murders of musician Gary Hinman, 34, and Hollywood stuntman Donald 'Shorty' Shea, 35 Charles Manson led a cult of disaffected young people in the 1960s, and dispatched his followers to murder Los Angeles' rich and famous in 1969 'I've yet to hear the podcast,' Davis told Fox News Digital. 'Does it sound as if I'm glorifying Manson or my crimes?' He spoke to Rovere twice last year and said: 'He wanted my help and the help of my followers to ask him questions about his past to jog his memory for stories for the book.' The pair spoke about how Davis first met Manson and his time on the cult's Los Angeles ranch as well as stories about the other members in Manson's life. He described the cult leader as a 'little, undersized person' with enormous influence over his followers. 'I know from the dark side,' Davis told Rovere in a phone call from San Quentin State Prison. 'I'd never say no to Charlie because I wanted to be his favorite guy.' He later spoke about his parole hearings and how the family members of the murdered victims attended. 'After I got found suitable, the next time I went to the board the DA went out and got all these victims,' Davis said. 'The family members of the victims they had never had any interest in coming to my hearings before. 'But this time they showed up and my lawyer was freaked out, "oh my goodness, they've got all these people". 'I kind of got freaked out with him.' But he said they did not discuss his crimes but instead how Manson attracted a cult following and that members were usually high on drugs. 'I know that I don't know everything,' he added. 'And there will be some questions that stimulate something that bring something back that is part of the story that I dismissed.' Davis has been in prison for 51 years since he was convicted of the first degree murders of Hinman and Shea in 1969. He said he attacked Shea with a knife and held a gun on Hinman while Manson cut Hinman's face with a sword. 'I wanted to be Charlie's favorite guy,' he said during a 2014 parole hearing. After the murders, other members of the cult wrote 'political piggy' on the wall of Hinman's home in his own blood. Davis has been in prison for 51 years since he was convicted of the first degree murders of Hinman and Shea in 1969. Charles Manson (pictured left in 2017) died in 2017 in prison where he was serving life for the brutal murders of nine LA residents in 1969 (pictured in 1969 right) There were six other murders committed by the Manson cult in 1969. Members stabbed, beat and shot young actress Sharon Tate, who was heavily pregnant, to death at her Hollywood Hills home on August 8 1969. They also killed her friends, celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, aspiring screenwriter Wojciech Frykowski and teenager Steven Parent, who had been visiting an acquaintance at the estates guesthouse. The next night Manson and some of his followers struck again, this time murdering wealthy grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary at their home. Davis has been recommended for parole seven times between 2010 to 2021 but it has been blocked by three consecutive California governors. Parole panels have repeatedly decided Davis is no longer a public safety risk, citing his age and good behavior. But his release has been blocked by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrats Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom. In 2019, Newson said Davis has yet to demonstrate that he has a 'comprehensive understanding of how he came to participate in such extreme violence'. 'As a result, I do not believe that he has the current insight and skills to abstain from violent situations in the future if released.' The board granted Davis parole again in 2021 but Newsom again overturned the commissioner's decision. In July 2022, officials denied him parole and he was not supposed to be eligible until 2025 but his application was approved for an administrative review the next year. His suitability hearing was postponed by parole officials on January 18 and California Department of Corrections records show it was moved to August 8. Davis was convicted with Manson and another follower, Steve Grogan (right), in the two slayings Members of the Manson Family stabbed, beat and shot young actress Sharon Tate (pictured), who was heavily pregnant, to death at her Hollywood Hills home on August 8 1969 Jay Sebring, hairdresser to the stars, and developer of male hair care products was murdered along with Sharon Tate and others by the Manson family Manson and some of his followers also murdered wealthy grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary at their home Podcast host Rovere said the decision came after the commissioners found out about the episode with Davis. 'If the parole board felt uneasy about him just doing a podcast, who knows what they'll think,' he said. 'Most of the people I talk to arent believers and arent religious. I dont push it on them, but thats my personal foundation. 'Its mostly about making a positive change in their lives, because no one else is doing it.' Davis was convicted with Manson and another follower, Steve Grogan, in the two slayings. Grogan was paroled in 1985 after he led police to Shea's buried body. Robert Beausoleil, 72, convicted in Hinman's death, remains in prison. Manson died in prison on November 19, 2017 at the age of 83. Manson followers Leslie Van Houten, 70; Patricia Krenwinkel, 71; and Charles 'Tex' Watson, 73, are imprisoned for the Tate killings. Their co-defendant, Susan Atkins, died of cancer in prison in 2009. DailyMail.com has contacted the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for comment. The 28-year-old, a father to an eight-year-old girl, had gone to Vancouver to take an English course Reyes traveled from Colombia to Vancouver, where he arrived December 8 and went missing the following day; his body was found January 1 DNA provided by the family of Oscar Reyes matched the body found by authorities in Vancouver, Canada, Reyes' father confirmed on social media The body of a missing man found in a river in a Canadian forest last month is confirmed to be a Colombian man who mysteriously vanished just a day after arriving in the country to study English. The DNA testing results confirming the match of Oscar Reyes, 28, were revealed by his father Jaime Reyes via a Facebook post Wednesday. 'After days of uncertainty, we want to share that our son rests today in the arms of Father God,' he wrote. 'Today is a sad day for humans, but we celebrate life after death,' he added. 'We are grateful to our beloved Jesus Christ who let us share 28 years with Oscar David and has left our hearts full of love and teachings.' Vancouver authorities confirmed Tuesday that DNA testing done on body located in a river matched Oscar Reyes, a 28-year-old Colombian man who went missing December 9 Oscar Reyes had traveled to Vancouver, Canada to take English lessons and was planning on obtaining legal documents that would have allowed him to seek employment there Vancouver authorities notified the family Tuesday that DNA provided by Jaime Reyes matched the DNA of a body that had been recovered, according to a message posted on a Go Fund page set up for David Reyes. 'After waiting a long time for the identification of a body found in Vancouver, Canada, they have confirmed to us that the DNA match is 100% with that of his father,' Oscar Reyes wrote. David Reyes' body was found January 1 in the Capilano river, about the an hour away from The Met Hotel, where he was staying. The discovery came just a few days after police found his suitcase in a forest about about three miles away the river. DailyMail.com reached out to the Vancouver Police Department for comment. David Reyes, father to a eight-year-old girl, had traveled from Colombia to Vancouver to take English lessons and was hoping to extend his stay there and find employment. He arrived in Vancouver around 4pm on December 8 and met with a friend, according to Please Bring Me Home, a non-profit that helps families searching for their missing loved ones in Canada. Reyes went to The Met Hotel in downtown New Westminster at 7pm and checked into his room. The hotel said he exited the building at 5am on December 9 and never returned. Reyes was last heard from by his family on December 8 at 7:06am after he sent them a text message. A Machete-wielding 17-year old who stabbed a young knife crime campaigner to death outside his school is facing a life sentence for murder. Renell Charles, 16, was chased and stabbed in the back by the killer outside Kelmscott School in Walthamstow, London, on May 5 2023. The teenager, who cannot be named, faces a life sentence after he was convicted of murder by a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He was also on bail at the time for threatening a moped rider with a machete and has convictions for assaulting a police officer who caught him damaging a bus shelter and possession of a machete in 2022. Prosecutor Peter Ratliff said Renell the victim was attacked at around 4pm after leaving school for the day. Renell Charles, 16, (pictured) was chased and stabbed in the back by the killer outside Kelmscott School in Walthamstow on May 5 2023 Renell was a young knife campaigner who had appeared in a video by the filmmaker Kay Rufai in his school uniform. In the video he said: 'Right now, especially in this time and generation, let's be real. People are dying out there. Unnecessary people are getting hurt. 'Innocent people are getting killed'. Renell was murdered outside school when the killer spotted him from the window of a taxi. He stopped the driver and ran towards the victim and stabbed him several times with a large machete Mr Ratliff said: 'The defendant was travelling in a taxi but when he saw the victim he demanded the driver stopped. 'The defendant got out of the vehicle, ran towards the victim and assaulted him, knocking him to the ground. 'He then chased the victim, pulling out a large machete as he did so and stabbed the victim several times.' Ambulance and air ambulance services attended but Renell died at the scene. The killer made his getaway in a taxi, changed his SIM card and headed to the Tottenham area of north London. Three days later he handed himself into Forest Gate police station. He made no comment when questioned by detectives. Renell was a young knife campaigner who had appeared in a video by the filmmaker Kay Rufai in his school uniform. In the video he said: 'Right now, especially in this time and generation, let's be real. 'People are dying out there. Unnecessary people are getting hurt. 'Innocent people are getting killed. And it's young black boys just like me. 'We deserve a chance to show that not all black boys are just tough, hard gangsters. 'No matter what they have been through, they've always got a smile on their faces.' The 17-year-old claimed he had never met Renell before but he (Renell) had mocked a friend of his on social media. He admitted he had a knife for protection when he came across Renell by chance on 5 May. The teenager said that he confronted Rennell and they started fighting. The 17-year-old claimed he had never met Renell before but he (Renell) had mocked a friend of his on social media. He admitted he had a knife for protection when he came across Renell by chance on 5 May The 17-year-old told the court: 'I panicked and pulled a knife out of my waistband. I thought I needed to scare him off' Snaresbrook Crown Court where the teenager faces a life sentence after he was convicted of murder by a jury He told the court: 'We traded punches. He says 'you f****** p***y I'm going to wet you up.' 'I panicked and pulled a knife out of my waistband. I thought I needed to scare him off. 'He reached for his bag. I was thinking of my safety, I was panicking. 'I was scared and panicked. I thought he was going to do something. I felt in danger when I was chasing him. 'I had no intention of killing him of causing him any serious harm. I wanted to stop him from taking whatever it was out of his bag.' 'We both fell to the ground. I'm not sure when the fatal stab wound was inflicted. 'Maybe when we were on the floor, maybe when I was grabbing, I don't remember doing that [fatally stabbing him].' In her closing speech Naeem Mian, KC, defending the 17-year-old, told jurors: 'Imagine, like him, speaking in front of a room full of strangers, men in funny outfits, before a judge. The only people rooting for him in this room are me and him. 'I hope, I urge you, that when you go out through that door and sit around that table to apply the same standard to him that you would apply to anyone else, that you would want applied to you, that you would want applied to a loved one of yours.' 'He's an idiot, not a murderer'. The 17-year-old denied but was convicted of murder and having an article with a blade or point. He will be sentenced of a date to be fixed. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty is endorsing Arizona candidate Kari Lake's contentious race for the U.S. Senate, DailyMail.com has learned exclusively. Hagerty praised the fiery, Trump-backed conservative saying she 'doesn't back down.' 'Kari is fearless, she doesnt back down, and she will fight tirelessly to secure our border and make our country safe and prosperous,' he told DailyMail.com. 'The stakes could not be higher and it is now more important than ever that we retake the Republican majority.' Lake has already racked up endorsements from Senate GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso, Wyo., Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Ala., and Sen. Tom Cotton, Ark. Her latest endorsement comes days after after DailyMail.com unearthed bombshell audio of a top GOP official in Arizona trying - and failing - to bribe her out of the campaign. According to her campaign's internal polling, Lake is ahead of her competitor, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, 46 to 44 percent in a head to head matchup. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty is endorsing Arizona candidate Kari Lake 's contentious race for the U.S. Senate , DailyMail.com has learned Factoring in incumbent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who may run as an Independent, Lake is up one point over Gallego 40 to 39, with 13 percent choosing Sinema and 8 percent undecided. Sinema has kept mum about whether she'll run again in 2024 since switching her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent last year. In another noteworthy figure a whopping 70 percent of Arizona's likely voters said they had heard of DailyMail.com's scoop that former Arizona GOP Chair Jeff Dewit had tried to bribe Lake out of running for Senate, according to the poll. More respondents said it improved their view of Lake than worsened it, 30 to 15 percent. 'I am thrilled to have the endorsement of a conservative force in the Senate, my friend Bill Hagerty. He has been a strong voice for securing our border and advocating for America First policies,' Lake said in a statement. In a recording obtained by DailyMail.com, Dewit can be heard asking the MAGA darling and former news anchor 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. It took only 24 hours after the leaked audio for Dewit to resign as the party's chair in disgrace. 'There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,' he told her in a conversation recorded at the start of March last year. DeWit stated 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 made his first offer. '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 reacted 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 framed it differently. 'Just say, is there a number at which....' he began. 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 has already racked up endorsements from Senate GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso, Wyo., Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Ala., and Sen. Tom Cotton, Ark. According to her campaign's internal polling, Lake is ahead of her competitor, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, 46 to 44 percent in a head to head matchup Lake repeatedly rebuffed him and says she wouldn't do it for a billion dollars. 'This is not about money, it's about our country,' she said. In DeWit's resignation statement last week he accused Lake of setting him up by recording their private conversation. 'This morning I was determined to fight for my position,' said DeWit, 51. 'However a few hours ago I received an ultimatum from Lake's team: Resign today or face the release of a new, more damaging recording.' He said he was resigning in the hope that it would end her attacks on him. Lake lost her bid for Arizona governor in 2022 by less than one point to Gov. Katie Hobbs. She fiercely challenged the election results and has acted as a surrogate for Trump in the Copper State, sparking speculation that she could be on Trump's short list for VP picks. Arizona is a fierce battleground state and the Senate race will help determine which party controls the upper chamber. Connecticut teens ripped down a tampon dispenser in a boys' bathroom just 20 minutes after it was installed at a high school last week. The tampon dispenser was installed at 9am on Wednesday in one of the boys' bathrooms at Brookfield High School, but by 9.54 am, it had been torn off the wall, leaving tampons scattering on the floor. A student or students, who remain unidentified, are facing disciplinary actions, as reported by local outlets. Marc Balanda, the school's principal, labeled it 'an egregious instance of vandalism and destruction of property' in an email to students and staff. The installation of the tampon dispenser comes in response to a state law mandating menstrual products to be provided in women's restrooms, all-gender restrooms, and at least one men's restroom for students from grades three to twelve. Connecticut teens ripped down a tampon dispenser in a boys' bathroom just 20 minutes after it was installed at Brookfield High School last week The tampon dispenser was installed at 9am on Wednesday in one of the boys' bathrooms at Brookfield High School, but by 9.54 am, it had been torn off the wall, leaving tampons scattering on the floor Marc Balanda (pictured), the school's principal, labeled it 'an egregious instance of vandalism and destruction of property' in an email to students and staff A photo shows the tampon dispenser that was installed at the high school, with overlaid text reading: 'Tampon dispenser in the boys' bathroom and all-gender bathroom in one day!!!' 'This school needs to be stopped,' wrote the social media user, whose name was obscured. Balanda detailed the incident in the email and promised 'consequences' for people who are responsible for it. Balanda wrote: 'DIS-heartened, DIS-mayed, and DIS-gusted are the adjectives that come to my mind.' 'I am aware that the law says 'men's bathroom' but the actions today that led to vandalism and destruction of property were the work of immature boys, not men.' 'We have a list of suspects and believe we know is responsible. There will be consequences,' the outraged principal wrote. Balanda added that there have been instances of property destruction in boys' bathrooms recently, including 'breaking stall door hardware, soap dispensers ripped off walls, and various objects stuffed in toilets.' He also asked students to ask for more information if they don't understand something. 'Use your words to start a dialogue rather than using your hands to destroy something. In this particular instance, if you have questions, please let me know,' he wrote. Balanda detailed the incident in the email and promised 'consequences' for people who are responsible for it Balanda added that there have been instances of property destruction in boys' bathrooms recently, including 'breaking stall door hardware, soap dispensers ripped off walls, and various objects stuffed in toilets' Barile mentioned that dispensers for menstrual products have been destroyed over time in girls' bathrooms. Photos circulated on social media also capture tampon dispensers being stuffed in toilets at schools across the country. A new tampon dispenser box will be installed, Brookfield Schools Superintendent John Barile said but did not specify when in a statement. 'After the installation of the dispenser last week it was ripped down from the wall, the school will continue to follow the law which mandates where menstruation products are to be located,' he wrote. A state law that goes into effect on September 1, 2024, requires Connecticut public schools to provide free menstrual products in women's restrooms, all-gender restrooms and at least one men's restroom. But it has since elicited mixed responses from residents, including many who have referred to the regulation as 'ridiculous'. 'There never is any excuse for vandalism but I am a firm believer tampons do not belong in the boy's bathroom,' a person told NBC. 'I think it's ridiculous, why would they put them in a boy's bathroom,' Frank Giannone from New Milford said. Photos circulated on social media also capture tampon dispensers being stuffed in toilets at schools across the country Barile mentioned that dispensers for menstrual products have been destroyed over time in girls' bathrooms Connecticut Senator Rob Sampson opposed the proposal last year, referring to the policy as 'idiotic' and 'insane'. He wrote on Facebook: 'I voted NO on this when it was first proposed and last year, on the last day of the legislative session. 'It was one of many amendments I offered in attempt to reverse this insane policy. Sadly, my amendment was voted down and this is still the law,' he added. Both the superintendent and the principal said police will not be involved in the incident. Barile wrote: 'Law enforcement is typically not involved in situations of vandalism/destruction of property unless the act rises to a much higher level of property destruction. The school is seeking restitution. Multiple calls by DailyMail.com to the superintendent's office were not immediately returned on Friday. The brother of the Clapham chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi has urged him to give himself up to the police. It comes as it's revealed the Afghan asylum seeker had been placed on the sex offender's register for 10 years before he became the suspect in a sick 'acid' assault. Ezedi remains on the run from police after being suspected of carrying out the 'targeted' attack on the mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, on Wednesday night. Now his younger brother Sebaghallah Ezedi, 22, has urged him to give himself up to police. The home of Sebaghallah in east London was raided by specialist Met Police officers in the early hours of Friday morning. The Met Police have released new images of Clapham chemical attack Abdul Ezedi strolling injured through King's Cross station following Wednesday's events Now Abdul Ezedi's younger brother Sebaghallah Ezedi (pictured), 22, has urged him to give himself up to police He said: 'Abdul should give himself up to police. He should be caught and face justice for what he has done.' People who knew the suspected Clapham South chemical attacker say he was 'a good Muslim' who bought Halal meat, avoided alcohol and planned to return home 'to find a wife' prior to the incident. But it has emerged that refugee Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who pleaded guilty to sex assault and exposure charges in 2018 but was not jailed, had been living in Newcastle after arriving in the UK in 2016 on the back of a lorry. He avoided jail after being handed a nine-week jail term suspended for two years for the sexual assault at Newcastle Crown Court on January 9, 2018. For the exposure he was given 36 weeks' imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years. Abdul Ezedi's crimes saw him placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. It means he still had several years to serve as a registered sex offender when his asylum application was granted at the third time of asking. Authorities and leaders from the Church of England are now facing questions after it emerged that Ezedi, who is originally from Iran, was allowed to stay in the UK following two failed asylum applications after converting to Christianity. In 2020 or 2021, it is understood a priest vouched for his conversion and argued he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion - which aided his application. The Church of England has been criticised in the past for aiding migrants from refugee backgrounds with their asylum claims if they convert. Police say Ezedi was last seen heading south on a Victoria Line service Police have confirmed Abdul Ezedi, 35, may still be in London after he was seen heading south The suspect later appeared at a Tesco store on Caledonian Road, Islington, dressed in a black hoodie and blue T-shirt on January 31 at 8.48pm The information about Abdul Ezedi's criminal past have been revealed as the police continue its search for the fugitive across the country. The Metropolitan Police have released more images of the injured man as he boarded a tube train on Wednesday. CCTV images of Ezedi in a Tesco in North London had prompted speculation that he may have returned to Newcastle where he lived prior to the attack, however police now say he was last seen boarding a Victoria line train south and is thought to be in the city. Police say that following a raid on an address connected to Ezedi in Newcastle, officers located 'two empty containers with corrosive warnings on the label [and that] tests are currently ongoing to see if the containers held the substance used in the attack.' At a press conference this afternoon, police confirmed the mother who was attacked is now sedated with 'life changing injuries' whilst her two children are also receiving treatment for non life-changing injuries. Making his direct appeal to Abdul Ezedi, Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said: 'Abdul, you clearly have got some very significant injuries. 'We've seen the images. You need some medical help, so do the right thing and hand yourself in.' Police say Ezedi travelled to London in the early hours of Wednesday morning and was spotted in Tooting at 6:30am. He then travelled to Croydon where he was seen at 4:30am and Streatham at 7:00pm. The attack occurred at 7:25pm in Clapham South and Azedi boarded a Northern Line train heading to King's Cross from the station at 7:33pm. Shortly after this, he was pictured sporting significant facial injuries on a Tesco on Caledonian Road, Islington before he boarded a southbound Victoria line train at 9pm. His current whereabouts remain unknown. The Metropolitan Police are facing questions about why vital images of the suspect in the Clapham South acid attack took so long to be published potentially helping Abdul Shokoor Ezedi evade capture. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline that it had been dealing with 'a very traumatic incident in which three people and a number of police officers had been injured' and that images were released 'less than 24 hours after the incident.' Commander Jon Savell said that 'significant and important pieces of evidence' were recovered in searches carried out in east London and Newcastle on Thursday night. He said: 'In terms of our manhunt for Ezedi, we've got a large team of very experienced detectives leading the manhunt, using all the tactics that you would expect us to use, lots of officers out on the ground. 'We're working very closely with colleagues from Transport for London, British Transport Police and our colleagues in Northumbria Police as well. 'Last night, five search warrants were executed - two in East London and three up in Newcastle. We've recovered some significant and important pieces of evidence which will help with our investigation.' Police in hazmat suits raid a home in east London amid the search for Clapham chemical attack fugitive Abdul Ezedi Officers were seen smashing in the doors of the property shortly after 2am A mother injured in a chemical attack in London on Wednesday is sedated and 'very poorly' in hospital. Ezedi's movements on the day of the attack Police have released a timeline of Abdul Ezedi's movements on the day of the attack. 00:15 Ezedi's vehicle is seen in Newcastle 06:30 His vehicle is then seen traveling into Tooting, London 16:30 A further sighting of his vehicle is confirmed in Croydon 19:00 He is then seen driving in Streatham 19:25 Attack takes place in Lessar Avenue, SW4, before Ezedi makes off in his vehicle which crashes nearby. He leaves the car and runs off. 19:33 Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube Station. 19:59 He is then seen leaving that train at King's Cross Tube Station. 20:42 He is then seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX. He exits and turns right. 21:00 - Ezedi enters King's Cross Tube Station and boards a Victoria Line tube Southbound. Advertisement A 31-year-old woman and her daughters, aged three and eight, were injured in the incident. Giving an update on their conditions on Friday, Commander Savell said: 'The mother remains very poorly in hospital and she's sedated at the moment. We expect that those injuries will be life-changing.' He said the two children who were with her do not have injuries as serious as initially thought. He said: 'They are not likely to be life-changing (injuries). They remain with mum in the care of the NHS and we, of course, wish them the very best recovery that we can.' Despite Abdul Ezedi's criminal past he was later granted the right to stay in the UK on his third asylum application in either 2020 or 2021, after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity. The Church of England has been criticised in the past for aiding migrants from refugee backgrounds with their asylum claims if they convert. Residents in the hostel where Ezedi most recently lived in Byker, Newcastle, were unaware of his conviction. One said: 'We didn't know we were living next to a registered sex offender. 'People knew he'd been granted asylum but it makes you wonder how when he was on the sex offenders register. 'Other residents should have been informed before he was moved in.' Speaking to The Telegraph, Alan Mendoza, of the Henry Jackson Society counter-extremism think tank, said: 'Abdul Ezedi should never have been granted asylum status in the UK in the first place following multiple failed attempts and a sexual offences conviction. 'That he was allowed to stay after an obviously false conversion to Christianity highlights the continued problem of the complicity of various British institutions in what has become a pro-asylum industry. The consequences of this are frequently devastating.' The Church of England said it is not currently aware of any links to its churches. A spokesperson for the Church of England said: 'This is clearly a shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by it. 'It is the role of the Home Office, and not the Church, to vet asylum seekers and judge the merits of their individual cases.' Another similar case was the one of Iraqi-born Emad Al Swealmeen. The 32-year-old died from a blast and subsequent fire after his homemade bomb detonated in a taxi outside Liverpool Women's Hospital in 2021. He went to considerable lengths to stay in the UK, including converting to Christianity to support his failed asylum claim. Meanwhile, an asylum support worker who knew wanted man Abdul Ezedi said he was shocked by the violence he is accused off. The charity worker, based near Newcastle city centre, checked his records and said Ezedi was from Iran, not Afghanistan as had previously been thought . He also said the 35-year-old, wanted for a horrific corrosive liquid attack in south London, showed no signs of mental health issues or violent behaviour previously. The charity worker, who asked not to named said: 'He has been coming here for more than two years, since I took over the project here. MailOnline revealed that Ezedi has more recently living in the Byker area of Newcastle in a hostel on the city's Wilfred Street St Vincent's Centre, in Byker, Newcastle, where acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi visited the Justice and Peace Refugee Project every two weeks for toiletries and food 'At the time he was identified as a destitute asylum seeker and did not have access to Home Office support. 'He was registered as someone who needs essential food and furniture. 'We looked at his legal documents, what is his status in the country. 'Over time, I knew him by his face. 'He often came to the centre, every three, four or five weeks. 'He seemed a calm person, sitting in the corner by himself, there was never, ever any complaint or any trouble. 'He never showed any aggressive behaviour. 'When I saw his photo on the news last night I was shocked, I never expected such a person would be violent to that extent. 'He was last here two or three weeks ago. 'We were not aware he had been granted the right to remain, we were not aware he had a criminal record.' The project manager did not know about Ezedi's conversion to Christianity. He was worried that the outcry about the case would affect other, innocent asylum seekers. The worker said: 'Unfortunately, there is a stereotype about asylum matters these days. 'One incident like this can affect a lot of people and have a severe impact on others who are innocent, decent people. 'I would straight away ask him to give himself up, get medical attention and say he has to be held accountable for what he has done. 'Some clients here have mental health issues, they can sometimes react in an aggressive, violent way, but this is someone you would never expect, this is shocking.' Meanwhile it emerged today that as well as working in a pizza takeaway, Abdul Ezedi had also been earning money working part time as a building contractor. In 2022 he was one of a team of builders working on a house renovation in Newcastle. Ezedi was recognised by workmen from Terence Wilkinson roofing contractors. A workman from the firm said: 'He was working on the same house while we were there, not for us but alongside our guys. 'He was part of a team of contractors and appeared to have some experience in building work. 'He's pretty distinctive to look at and when our guys saw the pictures released by the police we knew it was him. 'He didn't say much, just got on with his job but it's frightening to think he was capable of something like that.' Staff at a Kurdish grocery shop in the Byker area of Newcastle where Ezedi lived told The Times that he would come in every two weeks to buy half of a halal sheep that he would then cut up and put in his freezer. They claimed he told people he wanted to return to Afghanistan to find a wife, and described him as 'a good Muslim' who did not drink alcohol. Bilal Khan, owner of Billy's Garage in Byker, near where Ezedi had lived, said the wanted man had been 'persistent' when trying to buy a car off him last summer. Mr Khan said: 'He approached me last year asking if I had a car for sale. We had one which he was interested in and I told him the price. He was a very persistent type of guy, he doesn't let things go easily.' Mr Khan indicated that Ezedi lived in a nearby halfway house. Wednesday's horrific attack on Lessar Road at 7.25pm left the mother, who one witness said was 'blinded', and her youngest daughter with 'life changing injuries'. Timeline of Abdul Ezedi's time in the UK: 2016 Ezedi arrives in the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing from Afghanistan. He had two applications for asylum rejected. 2018 Ezedi is handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court after being convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence. He is placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. 2020 Ezedi finishes his work unpaid work order and is discharged from probation supervision. 2020-2021 It is understood Ezedi was granted asylum on his third application - despite his criminal history - after getting a priest to vouch that he had converted to Christianity. He said he was 'wholly committed' to his new religion. January 31 2024 Ezedi is suspected of carrying out a 'targeted' attack on a mother and her two daughters, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. Advertisement The elder child is also said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital in a stable condition. The Met has urged the public to stay away from 'dangerous' Ezedi who was also hurt in the horror that unfolded. The force last night released CCTV footage of Ezedi buying a bottle of water in a north London Tesco, on Caledonian Road, in Islington, around an hour after the attack on Wednesday evening. Police said Ezedi sustained 'significant injuries' in the attack, which officers say was 'targeted'. He is accused of leaping on the 'vulnerable' mother and her two daughters, hurling a corrosive alkaline substance from a metal coffee cup leaving the woman screaming: 'I can't see, I can't see!' Horrified locals who ran out to help described the victims' skin turning black and peeling away on contact with the highly toxic chemical, commonly found in household cleaners such as bleach and drain cleaner. Several residents on the leafy street near Clapham Common, where houses fetch up to 3 million, were also injured as they came to help, along with five police officers who all came into contact with the chemical. Police believe the perpetrator had travelled around 250 miles from Newcastle earlier that day to carry out the attack on the woman, who was said to be known to him. Distressing footage from the scene showed the 31-year-old mother and her eight-year-old daughter standing in front of the man's car holding their hands to their faces around 7.25pm. The suspect was then seen deliberately driving at the mother, hitting her before getting out of the car to haul a three-year-old girl out of the back seat. The disturbing footage shows a man running towards the driver's door and getting inside before driving the white car into a woman as members of the public rush to her aid This is the chilling moment a suspected acid attacker rams a car at a mother before taking a child out of a car and slamming her to the floor CCTV footage obtained by MailOnline showed Ezedi stumbling as he ran away from the scene of the attack Children's minister David Johnston was pressed by Sky News on reports the suspect in the alkaline substance attack in south London is a convicted sex offender who was granted asylum after two failed attempts. Mr Johnston said: 'I don't have his case file and I can't say anything that might affect the police's investigation here. 'He is still at large and what we really need is anyone with information to come forward in order that he can be apprehended, given he is police's key suspect. He described the attack as 'horrific' and sent his thoughts to the victims. He told Sky News: 'What has been reported in this particular case will understandably concern I think every member of the public. Concerns me, concerns every member of the government.' Asked whether it was a failure of the Government for someone to be granted permission to stay in the UK after being convicted of a crime, he said: 'This is why this government's so determined to end the asylum merry-go-round.' Mr Johnston added that a 'number of cases' of people appealing and claiming asylum after having their application rejected. He added that the Rwanda Bill aims to stop this from happening. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that he expects the Home Secretary to carry out a 'detailed review' of how Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum. Mr Jenrick, who quit the Government last year after pushing for a tougher approach to the Rwanda plan, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the case raises 'very serious concerns'. He said: 'It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity. 'I think we need to investigate the particular circumstances. 'We shouldn't jump to conclusions, and I would expect the Home Secretary to conduct a detailed review of what has happened and what may have gone seriously wrong in this case, and to put that information in the public domain, such is the public interest.' Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common The three victims are among ten injured as eight were rushed to hospital after the horror incident in south London , police said Rishi Sunak does not think 'foreign criminals should be able to stay' in the UK when asked about news that a sex offender hunted over a chemical attack was granted asylum to stay in the UK despite his conviction. The Prime Minister's spokesman told reporters: 'First and foremost on the attack, obviously, it was a horrific attack and the PM's thoughts are with the victims and their families. 'And he'd like to extend his thanks to the emergency services for the very quick response to the scene and the five officers who were injured in the incident.' The official declined to comment on the suspect's immigration status during a live police investigation but said that, more broadly, 'the PM doesn't think that foreign criminals should be able to stay in the country, putting the public at risk'. He pointed to action the Government is taking in the Nationality and Borders Act and Illegal Migration Act. Terrified witnesses described the suspect throwing the child 'like a ragdoll' above his head before smashing her down on the ground. One local said: 'The man was throwing the little girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring.' Another horrified witness said: 'Like the Hulk, he lifted her and threw her on the floor, lifted her again and threw her on the floor again.' Both the mother and her three-year-old suffered 'life-changing injuries'. The elder child, who was wearing her school uniform, is said to have suffered bruising and burn-like injuries. All three remain in hospital. One witness described the mother's horrific injuries: 'Her lips were completely black. Her face looked really burnt, like stripped off basically.' The Acid Survivors Trust International, an organisation that records information on chemical attacks across the world, said that the heinous attack being directed at the young mother and her two children was 'unheard of', as most are related to gang violence. Jaf Shah, chief executive of the trust, said: 'The scale of attacks and the targeting of young children by a single perpetrator is unheard of. It's important to highlight that this is not commonplace, this is very rare.' Three women and a man in his 50s were also taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns injuries after rushing to help them, along were five police officers. All have since been discharged. Photos show a white Hyundai i20 hatchback with its doors open and windscreen shattered abandoned on the street in Clapham, where homes sell for as much as 3million An off-duty police officer is being questioned on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a motorcyclist died in a crash. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that around 4pm on Tuesday January 30 a motorcyclist, 51, died in a crash while riding his bike in Egerton, near Bolton. Two days later, on Thursday February 1, a man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving with GMP revealing 'he is a police officer currently serving with Greater Manchester Police driving a private vehicle.' The force said due to him being a police officer, the case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Now traffic cops are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident or may have dashcam, CCTV or mobile footage from the area at the time of the incident to share it with officers to assist their enquiries. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Force Headquarters in Manchester. GMP have revealed that the man arrested is a serving officer with the force Greater Manchester Police, in a statement, said: 'Investigators from Greater Manchester Police have arrested a man in connection with a collision in Bolton. 'On Tuesday, January 30 2024 at around 4pm, a 51-year-old man riding a motorcycle northbound along Blackburn Road in Egerton sadly died at the scene of a collision. 'Earlier today, a man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances. 'He is a police officer currently serving with Greater Manchester Police driving a private vehicle. The case has been referred to the IOPC. 'Officers are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident - or may have dashcam, CCTV or mobile footage from the area at the time of the incident - to please share it with officers to assist their enquiries. 'You can do so by calling Serious Collision Investigation Unit officers on 0161 856 4741 quoting incident number 2343 of 30/01/2024. You can also make a report via the website www.gmp.police.uk. 'Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' Take a look inside the cushy prisons where Brianna Ghey's killers, Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson, could be moved to once they turn 18. The pair, both 16, were jailed on Friday for a minimum term of 22 years and 20 years respectively, as Jenkinson admitted for the first time that she did stab the teenager and 'enjoyed planning the murder'. The body of 'timid' Brianna Ghey was found lying face-down in the mud with 28 stab wounds after the 'frenzied' attack at a popular park near Warrington, Cheshire on February 11 last year. Ratcliffe and Jenkinson are currently being held at secure youth accommodation units Jenkinson at Adel Beck Secure Childrens Home in Leeds and Ratcliffe at Barton Moss in Salford where they are expected to remain until they turn 18. It is not yet known where they will be transferred to when they become legal adults, but they could follow some of Britain's most notorious murderers, including Lucy Letby, Joanna Dennehy, Harold Shipman and Charles Bronson. Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe (right) were jailed on Friday for a minimum term of 22 years and 20 years respectively Brianna Ghey (pictured) was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in a park near Warrington, Cheshire on February 11 last year Baby killer Lucy Letby is comfortably spending her incarceration in the privately-run HMP Bronzefield near Ashford, Surrey, where she receives round-the-clock protection and has access to an en-suite shower, a desk, a phone and a TV. Letby, who carried out the murders at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016, has also reportedly been given keys to her own prison cell. Having the key to her cell means that Letby can lock herself away from fellow inmates if she feels threatened by them. It is believed that keys are handed to the residents of category A HMP Bronzefield as a reward for good behaviour on the inside. The move has caused significant upset for the grieving parents of Letby's victims. 'We thought they were throwing away the key, and now we find out that she has her own key,' one parent told The Sunday People. The 34-year-old was sentenced in August 2023 to 14 whole-life orders after being convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to murder six others, with two bids on one victim. A prison insider told The Sunday People that the VIP arrangement means Letby can socialise if she wants to, but can also have privacy if she wants. They said it was 'no different to living in a hotel - but you're surrounded by criminals'. A source recently told The Sun that Letby has struck up a friendship with fellow child killer Sian Hedges behind bars and the pair enjoy watching TV together, with access to more than 100 Freeview Channels plus radio. Lucy Letby (pictured) was sentenced in August 2023 to 14 whole-life orders after being convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to murder six others, with two bids on one victim Inside a cell at the privately-run HMP Bronzefield where Letby has access to an en-suite shower, a desk, a phone and a TV HMP Low Newton in Durham has a reputation for housing some of the UK's worst female killers. Self-confessed 'fully committed psychopath' Joanna Dennehy who killed three men during a 10-day spree is being held at HMP Low Newton alongside Hannah Bonser, who randomly knifed Casey Kearney to death as the 13-year-old made her way to a sleepover. Low Newton gives killer women the chance to pet sheep and goats and look after a rabbit and birds as a way to keep them 'calm'. There is also a shop where they can buy clothes and a library where they can borrow books. Previous prisoners include Rose West, Baby P's mother Tracey Connelly and Sharon Carr - dubbed 'The Devil's Daughter' after she murdered an 18-year-old stranger when she was 12. The Rags to Riches shop at HMP Low Newton featured well-known clothing brands which inmates were able to buy Joanna Dennehy pictured smiling and posing with a knife (not used in any of her crimes) shortly after murdering three men on a ten-day killing spree Hannah Bonser (pictured), who has now changed her name to Adam while serving at Low Newton, stabbed 13-year-old Casey Kearney to death on Valentine's Day in 2012 There is also a library at HMP Low Newton where inmates can borrow books Rosemary West used to shared recipes for Victoria sponge cake with her fellow inmates while she was in prison HMP Wakefield, also known as the 'Monster Mansion' due to the large number of high-profile, high-risk sex offenders and murderers held there, is a high security prison that has held the likes of Harold Shipman and Charles Bronson. It has 743 inmates, nearly half of whom have life sentences. Most inmates are locked up in one-person cells, with half spending the entire day behind bars. Originally built as a house of correction in 1594, HMP Wakefield became the UK's first Dispersal prison in 1967. The UK's first-ever ultra-high secure unit was built there in 2001 to keep the country's most dangerous criminals. Inmates include Britain's most prolific modern rapist Reynhard Sinaga, who attacked more than 200 men, and Robert Maudsley - dubbed 'Hannibal the Cannibal' - who has spent a record-breaking 16,500 days in isolation in an underground glass box. HMP Wakefield - a high security prison that has held the likes of Harold Shipman and Charles Bronson - has 743 inmates, nearly half of whom have life sentences Most inmates are locked up in one-person cells, with half spending the entire day behind bars The Category A and B prison earned the name Monster Mansion for the mix of high-profile criminals locked inside The body of 'timid' Brianna Ghey was found lying face-down in the mud with 28 stab wounds after the 'frenzied' attack at a popular park near Warrington, Cheshire on February 11 last year. A judge ruled on Friday that the 16-year-old was killed because she was trans and the CPS is now treating the murder as a hate crime. READ MORE: Family of torture-loving Scarlett Jenkinson break their silence Advertisement Neither Jenkinson nor Ratcliffe showed any emotion as they were told they must serve two decades behind bars, but Jenkinson's mother began crying in court. It was heard that Jenkinson had written a second 'kill list' since being taken into custody - including the names of some of those caring for her. The twisted killers, described as a 'danger to society' by Brianna's mother, had planned the attack in great detail, with a handwritten note in Jenkinson's room reading: 'Saturday 11th February 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey'. They then desperately sought to cover their tracks, with Jenkinson posting a Snapchat tribute that called Brianna 'such an amazing friend' and 'one of the best people I've ever met'. Mrs Justice Yip said that because each killer was aware of the other's motivations, she considered them both to be partly driven by transphobia. The body of a motorist who drove off the edge of a pier has been recovered after nearly a week in the water but police are yet to reveal any details about who the person is or what drove them to their death. Horrific footage emerged last week showing the car smash through barriers on Virginia Beach Fishing Pier on Saturday morning and plunge over the edge. Crews have now finally been able to remove the vehicle and its occupant from the water, after a rescue mission earlier this morning after five days of high winds that made the recovery effort too dangerous. It remains unconfirmed if the driver is male or female, or if police have any indication of why they drove off the pier. The vehicle was a red Nissan Kicks SUV, which did not have any license plates, police said. It was quickly covered in a tarp after being rescued from the depths. Crews have now finally been able to remove the vehicle and its occupant from the water The vehicle was a red Nissan Kicks SUV, which did not have any license plates, police said. It was quickly covered in a tarp after being rescued from the depths Video captured at the scene by WAVY show the vehicle being pulled from the water by a barge. Police had attempted to recover the vehicle for several days but the weather had halted their progress. A crane barge lifted the SUV from the water and onto the vessel, where workers covered it with a tarp. Police said they have been contacted by a family that has a missing male relative, with the case sharing 'similarities to facts and circumstances'. In a statement about the rescue, Virginia Beach Police said: 'We are pleased to share the vehicle recovery phase of this investigation has been successfully completed, with all involved responders safe and unharmed. 'At this time, we can confirm one deceased occupant was recovered along with a red Nissan Kicks. The vehicle does not have a license plate attached. 'Once removed from the vehicle, Medical Examiner pathologists will be tasked with identifying the occupant. At which time an official identification is made, we will notify the occupants next of kin.' Sonar imaging released on Monday showed the wreckage and eerie footage from the ROV was released by police, but showed very little of the car. The red Nissan seemed to brake before the end before driving over the edge of the pier The pier is 650 feet long and the water at the end is around 15ft deep. Water temperatures are around in the mid-40s The water was too murky and the sea too rough to obtain any distinguishing features of the vehicle such as the license plate or who may be inside. Footage of the car driving on the pier showed a pedestrian walking along a footpath as the SUV screams past, first crossing a bike path and then on to the wooden boardwalk of the pier. The vehicle braked briefly before slamming through the wooden balustrade at the end of the pier and straight over the edge plunging into the sea. A woman standing on the beach caught the incident on camera when she heard a loud crash and started filming. Virginia Beach Fire Department were on the scene within four minutes and sent a diver into the water to investigate and rescue anyone inside the car. The vehicle braked briefly before slamming through the wooden balustrade at the end of the pier and straight over the edge plunging into the sea Some of the damaged barriers are seen lying on the ground at the entrance to the pier By the time the police department were on scene, the divers had already been pulled from the water. Witnesses said the car turned onto the boardwalk from Atlantic Avenue at speed and crashed through the first set of barriers on the pier. One of the women who caught the incident on camera, Kaylynn Crawford, told WAVY: 'We saw at first it was going really fast. We thought it was just going to go for it. 'But toward the end, the car started to slow down, and it kind of looked as if it almost teeter-tottered at the end. Then, it all of a sudden just dropped down over the pier.' Charlotte Murphy, who works at a seafood restaurant on the pier, told the outlet: 'They went through three gates which is pretty crazy and these are really, really strong gates. It's really crazy to think about. 'As soon as I got down here I was like, 'Holy cow that is the craziest thing that I've heard in a long, long time.' Scarlett Jenkinson wanted to keep part of Brianna Ghey's flesh as a token and said she was 'excited' as she stabbed the schoolgirl to death, a court heard. Jenkinson killed Brianna anticipating that she was going to leave her, and wanted part of her body so she would 'always be with her', prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said. She also admitted an earlier incident when Brianna became ill came about in an attempt by her to poison her victim with pills. Ms Heer said, in a further account of events to a probation officer, Jenkinson had said she and Eddie Ratcliffe deliberately lured Brianna to the park. Ms Heer continued: 'On this occasion she said it was she who first inflicted stab wounds then passed it to Eddie who forced the victim to the floor, stabbing her about three times, at that point she took the knife and delivered the majority of stab wounds. Jenkinson was moved to Brianna Ghey's school after being expelled from another comprehensive for trying to 'poison' a fellow pupil with cannabis sweets. Until her arrest on February 12 for the murder of Brianna, Jenkinson seemed to be an ordinary teenage girl. The then-15-year-old was seen by neighbours as quiet and somewhat anxious, born to 'hard-working' parents - a tradesman father and a mother who worked in education. Face of a killer: Scarlett Jenkinson was today named for the first time today Scarlett Jenkinson, previously known only as Girl X, was convicted of Brianna's murder and admitted to being obsessed with serial killers and torture videos But behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder, dark fantasies and expert knowledge on serial killers - knowledge Jenkinson would draw on to build up her own 'kill list' of other children and ultimately plot Brianna's death. The teenager had already been expelled from 'several' schools by the time she joined Birchwood Community High in Warrington, Cheshire. And today, as Jenkinson is revealed as Girl X, it can be revealed that she was most recently expelled for attempting to poison a fellow pupil with cannabis 'gummies' which made them ill. Jenkinson persuaded the girl to take two of the sweets, which unknown to her were laced with marijuana, in Culcheth High School's library - but the pupil became seriously unwell and needed hospital treatment after the attack in October 2022. The teenager was excluded, and moved to nearby Birchwood High School, where she met Brianna in the 'inclusion unit,' where vulnerable and troubled pupils are taught away from mainstream lessons. Brianna was stabbed to death 28 times with a hunting knife on February 11, suffering 'unsurvivable' injuries Today Eddie Ratcliffe, a former champion kickboxer, can be revealed as Boy Y Brianna was in the unit because of her struggles with anxiety and Jenkinson because of her expulsion. 'When [Jenkinson] was arrested I just thought it had to be a mistake. She was never any trouble. I never so much as saw her drop a piece of litter,' one neighbour said. But the Mail understands Warrington Borough Council have launched an independent child safeguarding review following Brianna's murder, which will examine Jenkinson's interaction with key agencies, including the police, social services and schools. It has been claimed Brianna's school were unaware of the extent of Jenkinson's behaviour, including the fact that a child did not know what they were taking, that she became unwell and that the police were called. Headteacher Emma Mills said: 'If anything came up where we thought that it would be a danger in any way, then you can simply refuse. In Scarlett's case there was nothing that raised a concern in terms of the information that we were given.' The father of a pupil at Culcheth High said his daughter was lucky to be alive after she refused to take the drug sweets from Jenkinson. He said: 'There was a massive incident at the high school and Scarlett Jenkinson got expelled. 'Listening to the murder trial has been absolutely horrific. When she tried to poison my daughter I thought I was overreacting thinking it was attempted murder - you never think a child of 15 would want to do that to another kid. 'She tried to give two (cannabis gummies) to my daughter, but she didn't take them (and) one of the other girls in the library did. She ended up in A&E.' Another former pupil said Jenkinson would turn up to lessons with red eyes, high on 'substances and stuff' and 'smelling of weed.' Behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder, dark fantasies and expert knowledge on serial killers - knowledge Jenkinson would draw on to build up her own 'kill list' of other children and ultimately plot Brianna's death 'Timid' Brianna's body was found face-down in the mud in a Cheshire village on February 11 Brianna suffered stab wounds to her head, neck, chest, back and sides In a frenzied attack, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, stabbed Brianna with a hunting knife During the trial the jury were told that Jenkinson lured Brianna to the park on the pretence that they would take cocaine together. The father described Jenkinson as 'manipulative' and also claimed she was known for bullying other children. She also played truant so she could stay at home and watch horror films, he said. Follow every detail of the case on The Mail's acclaimed podcast The Trial The Trial...takes listeners behind the headlines and into the courtrooms of some of the biggest trials in the world. The first series 'The Trial of Lucy Letby' was a global hit, with more than 13 million downloads, while season two focused on the murder of Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old teacher from Ireland. Its third season follows the tragic case of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl killed in Warrington, England. Follow the evidence as the jury hears it, in twice-weekly reports from The Daily Mail's Northern Correspondent Liz Hull and broadcast journalist Caroline Cheetham. Advertisement 'Every parent of every kid in this village feels like their children have had a lucky escape,' the father said. 'She was a bully and a manipulator. She would never get her hands dirty, she'd always get someone else to do it. When we heard it was Scarlett and Eddie (who had been arrested) we immediately thought it would be Scarlett telling him to stab her. 'It's been horrible, every parents' nightmare. I'm just so thankful that my daughter is still here because it could have been her, she could have been one of the kids on their kill list. I feel so bad for Brianna's family but I'm so grateful that my daughter is ok.' Jenkinson did not have close friends at school, where she told fellow pupils she was involved in satanism and believed she was a witch, a source said. But although she had problems in education, she had never come to the attention of police and continued to appear to live as an ordinary teenager in a respectable family. Yet while the local community remained unaware of Jenkinson's proclivities towards violence, her classmates were far from oblivious - although no-one took her claims seriously. One father of a child at the school said: 'It was common knowledge from 2020 that she had a 'kill list' of kids she wanted to kill. 'My daughter came home and told me about it, but no one took it seriously. Girl X tried to recruit other children to take part in blood rituals with her, everyone just thought she was weird and a fantasist. 'You won't find a single student that liked her.' During her testimony, in which she blamed Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known as Boy Y, for Brianna's murder, Jenkinson said she suffers from anxiety and had used self-harm as a 'coping mechanism' from the age of 12. She had a long-standing interest in violence, telling Ratcliffe her favourite film was Sweeney Todd which she had watched '9000 times'. The 15-year-old also claimed to have killed two people before - but there is no evidence to suggest this is true. Jenkinson even watched the movie the night before killing Brianna, telling Ratcliffe: 'He kills people with one of the sharpest blades in the world.' Until her arrest on February 12 for the murder of Brianna Ghey , Scarlett Jenkinson seemed to be an ordinary teenage girl. But behind the facade lay obsessions with torture and murder Officers found a note written by Girl X of an alleged 'murder plan' against Brianna Today, as Jenkinson is revealed as Girl X, the Mail can reveal that she was most recently expelled for attempting to poison a fellow pupil with cannabis 'gummies' which made them ill Brianna Ghey's mother Esther Ghey arrives at Manchester Crown Court on November 27 EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Evil with a pretty face: Scarlett Jenkinson had a perfect start in life. But in lockdown she became obsessed with horror movies, before graduating to killings and torture on the dark web. After she met Brianna Ghey, she wanted to kill for real... Teenager Scarlett Jenkinson, known as Girl X during the murder trial, had a start in life in a leafy Cheshire village that many would envy Advertisement She reported beginning to fantasize about killing people from the age of 14, at which point she became interested in 'dark materials', including films of murder, torture and serial killers found on the dark web via an app she had downloaded. In December, she sent an advert to Ratcliffe for an underground site for people who like rape, torture and murder. 'I love watching torture vids,' she told him. 'Real ones on the dark web.' Jenkinson was infatuated with serial killers such as 'Milwaukee Monster' Jeffrey Dahmer, the cannibal and necrophiliac who killed and dismembered 17 men between 1978 and 1991, 'Night Stalker' Richard Ramirez, whose 13 victims included a nine-year-old girl and a 79-year-old woman, and 'Dr Death' Harold Shipman, the English GP suspected of killing around 250 people. Speaking to Ratcliffe about Ramirez, she told him: 'I could talk about him for like two hours, including quotes and dates of stuff.' Pages from Jenkinson's notebook released by police on Friday show she made detailed notes about various killers, including quotes, how many they killed and the methods they used to mutilate their victims. Experts told the Mail how Jenkinson's perusal of online content such as this would have 'desensitised' her to to horrific violence she was viewing. Professor Alan Woodward, a computer science and cyber security specialist from Surrey University, said: 'The internet leads to a lot of criminal activity because it's seen as fantasy. Users are not only desensitised but they are goaded into doing it themselves. 'They see other people doing it or they might do something softer or something illegal online and no one comes knocking at their door, so they carry out a frenzied attack and they don't think of the consequences because they are still living in that online virtual world.' The 15-year-old also claimed to have killed two people before - but there is no evidence to suggest this is true Eddie Ratcliffe, previously known as Boy Y, was allowed to play with a fidget toy and do crossword puzzles Photo issued by Cheshire Constabulary of the notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes different types of serial killers A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with notes about serial killer Jeffery Dahmer Jenkinson also made chilling notes about serial killer Dr Harold Shipman Jenkinson also made notes about serial killer John Wayne Gacy Here killer Jenkinson made notes about serial killer Richard Ramirez A notebook belonging to Scarlett Jenkinson with definitions of good and evil He told The Trial podcast it was impossible to 'stumble' upon these sites and instead Jenkinson would have been 'pushed' towards them by the algorithms of social media after expressing an interest online. She had downloaded an 'onion browser' six months before Brianna's murder which allowed her to access and watch videos of people being murdered and tortured, sometimes via live streams, on the dark web without being traced. She and Ratcliffe had been discussing killing someone for months and Jenkinson had drawn up a list of potential targets with at least five children's names on, including Brianna's. In October 2022, they talked about killing Boy M, who cannot be named for legal reasons. In messages shown to the court Jenkinson asked: 'Can I keep some things, a couple of teeth and an eye?' Professor Alan Woodward, a computer science and cyber security specialist from Surrey University, said Jenkinson would have been pushed towards more violent content by online algorithms Police forensic officers at the scene in Culcheth Linear Park in Cheshire on February 13 However Jenkinson soon moved on to Brianna after becoming 'obsessed' over her. On January 23, she claimed to have tried to kill Brianna by poisoning her with painkillers: 'You know that girl I mentioned, Brianna, I'm still tryna [sic] kill her and the easiest way is pill overdose... 'Ppl [people] already know she is depressed and sh*t so nobody would get sus [suspicious] but for some reason she has a high tolerance like I gave her some today that should have been enough to kill her' Jenkinson then set about devising a meticulous plan for how to kill Brianna, enlisting Ratcliffe's help and, crucially, his hunting knife. A handwritten note found by police in her bedroom following her arrest read: 'Meet [Eddie] at wooden posts 1pm. Walk down to library, bus stop. Wait until Brianna gets off bus, then the three of us walk to Linear Park. Go to the pipe/tunnel area. 'I say code word to [Eddie]. He stabs her in the back as I stab her in stomach. [Boy Y] drags the body into the area. We both cover up the area with logs etc.' More than 130 passengers and crew on board a Cunard Cruise Line ship have fallen ill with diarrhea and vomiting after it set sail from Florida to Aruba on the third-week leg of its 107-day cruise. A CDC report issued Thursday showed 139 people on the Queen Victoria, including 16 crew members, have reported gastrointestinal symptoms. The cruise line isolated the sick passengers and crew and increased cleaning and disinfection procedure following the mysterious outbreak. The main symptoms of those infected include diarrhea and vomiting, according to the report. The source of the illness remains unknown. There are a total of 1,824 passengers and 967 crew members traveling on the ship, according to the CDC. More than 100 passengers and crew fall ill with diarrhea and vomiting after it set sail from Florida to Aruba on third-week leg of 107-day cruise A CDC report issued Thursday shows 139 people on board Cunard Cruise Line's Queen Victoria, including 16 crew members, have reported gastrointestinal symptoms The cruise line isolated the sick passengers and crew and increased cleaning and disinfection procedure following the mysterious outbreak The CDC confirmed the health agencys Vessel Sanitation Program is monitoring the situation on board. The Queen Victoria set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 22 as part of a 107-night voyage that began in Southhampton, England, on January 11. The cruise also stops in Aruba, Guatemala, Cabo San Lucas, San Francisco and Hawaii, Fiji ending on February 12, according to their website. The cruise ship is reportedly expected to make a stop in San Francisco on February 7, before it docks in Honolulu five days later. This comes just a week several passengers on board a Florida-based cruise ship became infected with an unknown illness. The mysterious illness caused one passenger to vomit an unknown blue substance, according to a report. Just a few months earlier, a cruise ship was hit by outbreaks of gastro and Covid, with about 300 passengers thought to be affected. Just a few months earlier, The Grand Princess was hit by outbreaks of gastro and Covid with about 300 passengers thought to be affected The laundry on the Grand Princess was shut as it was feared to be an infectious hot spot The Grand Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, can carry 2,600 passengers as well as 1,150 staff and is on an 18-day round trip from Adelaide to Queensland. It is due to dock back in South Australia on Monday but a spokesperson for Princess Cruises said a number of passengers have reported to the ship's medical center with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. 'We've just got people coughing and sneezing all over the place,' they said at the time. Affected passengers were confined their cabins and provided room service. The ship's laundry was also shut after fears it had become an infection hot spot. Passenger Maureen Monk told the ABC then that it had been apparent people were falling sick on the second day at sea. Monk said the captain announced there were Covid cases on board about a week after gastroenteritis had also swept through the ship. 'Speaking to other guests, it was quite common that the person they were travelling with was confined, or just come out of confinement, or sick,' Monk said in November. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was skewered by her former ally, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, at a 'Team Trump' event Friday in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Haley had helped Mace get through her 2022 Republican primary challenge against a Trump-backed candidate. But then Mace pulled an about-face and endorsed former President Donald Trump over Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, on the eve of the New Hampshire primary. On Friday the South Carolina congresswoman dubbed Haley 'China's favorite governor,' ahead of the important February 24 GOP primary in the Palmetto State, where Haley is still trailing Trump by 26 points. 'And in fact, if she had her way, South Carolina would be manufacturing spy balloons right here in our state,' Mace added. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was skewered by her former ally, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace (pictured), at a 'Team Trump' event Friday afternoon in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks Thursday in Columbia, South Carolina. She is campaigning in the her home state ahead of the important February 24 Republican primary where polls show she's still 20-plus points behind former President Donald Trump .@NancyMace: "Nikki Haley is China's favorite governor. And in fact, if she had her way, South Carolina would be manufacturing spy balloons right here in our state." pic.twitter.com/8bJeSflYag Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) February 2, 2024 On the campaign trail, Haley touts that it's time for there to be an accountant in the White House, her former profession before entering state government. Mace used that line against her on Friday. 'Gov. Haley started out as an accountant. She went from doing people's taxes to raising people's taxes,' Mace said. 'The last time a tax-hiking presidential candidate walked around South Carolina in high heels it was Hillary Clinton - not sure how that turned out very well at all,' Mace also offered. Mace was elected to Congress in 2020 after flipping back what had been a long-held GOP seat from Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham. Cunningham was elected during the blue wave in 2018, a clap-back against Trump and his policies. Mace got on Trump's bad side after she voted to certify President Joe Biden's 2020 election win and criticized him in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol attack, however she did not vote to impeach him. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley (left) campaigns for Rep. Nancy Mace (right) in June 2022, helping her fend off a primary challenge from the Trump-backed Katie Arrington, after Mace annoyed the former president Nikki Haley (left) poses for a picture with Rep. Nancy Mace (right) in June 2022. Haley supported Mace through a difficult primary campaign, but Mace did an about-face last month and endorsed Trump over Haley for president South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace endorsed former President Donald Trump a day before the New Hampshire Republican primary, a day that would inflict a lot of damage to Nikki Haley's presidential campaign In turn, Trump endorsed Mace's primary challenger Katie Arrington. Haley, on the other hand, appeared alongside Mace to help her retain her Congressional seat in June 2022. 'She is a rockstar,' Mace said of Haley at the time. 'She's become a good friend, a good mentor, she's a great leader.' The congressman gushed over how she had texted Haley to get debate advice from her, revealing Haley took just five minutes to get back to her, despite being on the other side of the world. 'And I wish that everybody could see our texts ... and just see how hard she works. She's a great example for me, for my daughter, for everyone in the room today. Nikki I just want to say, thank you,' Mace said. Mace successfully beat Arrington in the Republican primary by around eight points and later defeated Democrat Annie Andrews, winning reelection that November. She was among the Republicans who decided to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October, a move some former staff attributed to her wanting to get attention. 'She saw the votes on the board and said, 'F*** it,' I'm just gonna vote for it just so I can go on TV and talk about it,' a former senior aide told The Daily Beast about Mace's decision to oust McCarthy. On January 22, a day before the New Hampshire primary - which was pivotal for Haley's campaign - Mace took to X and announced she would be backing Trump's reelection instead. 'I don't see eye to eye perfectly with any candidate. And until now I've stayed out of it,' Mace said. 'But the time has come to unite behind our nominee. To be honest, it's been a complete s*** show since he left the White House.' On Friday, Haley's campaign was ignoring Mace - and instead was going after Vice President Kamala Harris, who was headlining reelection fundraisers in Columbia, South Carolina. The Haley campaign paid for a truck to drive by the venue that had a digital billboard telling voters they were going to have a female president either way. 'It will either be Nikki Haley or it will be Kamala Harris. Trump can't beat Biden and Biden won't finish his term,' it said. Some of the migrants accused of assaulting two NYPD officers in Times Square have had previous encounters with police. A total of six migrants have been charged since the Saturday attack on cops, but five have been released with no bail. Police are still on the lookout for at least eight other suspects they believe were involved in the melee. Only Yohenry Brito, 24, remains behind bars after being charged with the attack of the officers, which was caught on video. Police say he was resisting arrest when the other migrants jumped in to attack the two officers. Judge Marisol Martinez Alonso said she was holding Brito on $15,000 bail because he is homeless and has no listed address. Moreover, prosecutors said Brito has a neck tattoo that helped them identify him as the man at the center of the melee. Brito was already known to police over a series of past offences, including charges of petty larceny for stealing $275 worth of goods from Bergdorf Goodman in October and $139 of clothing from Macys, per court records seen by the Daily News. Only Yohenry Brito, 24, remains behind bars after being charged with the attack of the two NYPD officers. The migrant has had previous encounters with police Yorman Reveron, one of five migrants charged with gang assault, has been previously charged with shoplifting in New York Cops are still on the lookout for at least eight other men involved in the Times Square melee Meanwhile Yorman Reveron - one of the five suspects charged before being released on no bail - was arrested in December for allegedly stealing from Macy's flagship store. The 24-year-old migrant was also arrested in November and accused of stealing from a Nordstrom Rack store. Reveron and three other charged suspects - Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21 - are believed to have fled the city after their release. Police believe they went to a Catholic church under fake names and asked for help getting to California. Suspect Jhoan Boada, 22, was also released after being charged and was seen flipping the bird at the press waiting outside court. Jandry Barros, 21, a seventh suspect who was arrested but let go without charges for lack of evidence, also has a previous record with authorities. Prosecutors released him on Thursday, saying they were no longer sure he was the suspect they were looking for. Jandry Barros, 21, a seventh suspect who was arrested but let go without charges for lack of evidence, also has a previous record with authorities. He is seen with Brito leaving court Kelvin Servita Arocha, Wilson Juarez and Darwin Andres Gomez were released with no bail after being charged in the assault of the police officers Suspect Jhoan Boada, 22, was also released after being charged and was seen flipping the bird at the press waiting outside court In December he was accused of trying to steal over $170 of merchandise from a Burlington Coat Factory in Queens and of resisting arrest. 'At this time, there is not sufficient evidence that he is one of the people who committed this terrible act,' said Manhattan district attorney spokesman Doug Cohen, as reported by the Daily News. The brutal attack against the NYPD officers occurred around 8.30pm on Saturday when officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street. According to the NYPD, the migrants then started to attack the officers, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers tried to pin down one of the other men, tearing off his sweatshirt. The migrants then ran away, making their getaway east on 42nd Street toward Seventh Avenue. That night, four were arrested - Gomez Izquiel, Arocha, Juarez, and Reveron. They were all charged with Assault on a Police Officer, Gang Assault, Obstructing Governmental Administration and Disorderly Conduct but were released without monetary bail. New York governor Kathy Hochul has said that the state should consider deporting the group of migrants. 'Get them all and send them back,' Hochul told reporters during an unrelated press conference, reported the New York Post. NY GOVERNOR: Get them all and SEND THEM BACK.. Kathy Hochul singing a completely different tune following brutal beating of New York City police officers.. Hochuls comments follow an all in manhunt conducted by the NYPD.. Suspects have been arrested and immediate release pic.twitter.com/yLVfxslOlw Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 1, 2024 You don't touch our police officers. You don't touch anyone.' Hochul, she added. Police sources confirmed the men's migrant status to the New York Post. Several addresses of the men provided by the police are homeless and migrant shelters. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly pointed toward the justice system's current practice of 'catch, release, repeat' as a main driver of crime in New York City. Over the summer, Adams blamed the city's criminal justice system for turning the Big Apple into the 'laughingstock of our entire country.' New York City in particular has struggled under the weight of tens of thousands of migrants arriving at its borders in need of places to stay and other accommodations. In 2023 alone, the city dealt with the arrival of more than 100,000 migrants. Hochul once welcomed asylum seekers with 'open arms' and pledged to house them but is now starting to migrants to 'go elsewhere' because the city is at its limit. A beautician who was scarred for life in an acid attack today said her heart goes out to the mother and her three-year-old daughter who suffered potential life-changing injuries when a corrosive substance was thrown over them in London. Adele Bellis was aged 22 when she had concentrated sulphuric acid hurled in her face nearly ten-years-ago in an attack at a bus stop which was arranged by her abusive former boyfriend. Local residents who heard her screams rushed out to douse her with water, but she was left scarred for life on her upper body with her right ear burned away and her hair unable to grow on the side of her head. Adele, 31, told MailOnline how she had wanted to die immediately afterwards as she felt her life was not worth living any more due to her disfiguring and painful injuries. But while she could not bear to look at herself in the mirror during the two months she spent in hospital having a series of skin graft operations, she has since rebuilt her life and has grown to accept her scarring. Adele Bellis was aged 22 when she had concentrated sulphuric acid hurled in her face nearly ten-years-ago in an attack arranged by her abusive boyfriend Anthony Riley, 26 was found guilty of plotting to 'horrifically disfigure' Adele Adele who still works as a beautician and does voluntary work to help victims of crime said she had got over her ordeal by trying to be as positive as possible while being thankful that her injuries were not any worse. In a message of sympathy to the unidentified woman and her daughters aged eight and three who were attacked with an alkaline substance, she said: My heart goes out to them. I hope they get the help they need. It is early days for them. I know this mother will be feeling terrible and it is a simply awful time for her and her daughters. When I was attacked, it felt like my life had ended and I didnt want to live any more. But while every day is different, and I still have bad days and bad moments, I have tried to fight back with positivity rather than being negative. I hope in time that this woman and her daughters will feel the same way. For instance, I lost my ear, but I have still got my hearing, and the acid went in my eye, but I was not blinded. It could have been so much worse. I am still here ten years on, and I have got my life back. The treatment they have now is absolutely amazing. For me, my scars represent me as a person now. It is a bit weird, but I would not go without my scars now. The attack on Adele was the culmination of a campaign of abuse by her bullying former partner Anthony Riley, then 26, who had punched her twice during their six year on and off relationship before they split up. Amateur boxer Riley, a small time drug dealer, was consumed with jealousy and wanted to disfigure her so no other man would want her after they split. He paid 500 to cannabis user Jason Harrison, 27, to throw acid in her face from a Lucozade bottle while she waited to catch a bus to work near her former home in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on August 14, 2014. Riley had earlier tested the strength of the acid by dipping a live mouse into the corrosive liquid and watching as it died in agony. Recalling the attack, Adele said: I noticed this guy looking at me in a funny way, and I remember instinctively moving my head to the side. All of a sudden, I felt this burning and it seemed like my body was melting. All I wanted was water. I felt like I was burning alive. I started to run in and out of the traffic, but the moment I stopped, I felt like I was dying. People came out of their houses and someone poured a jug of water over me. But it left my hair smoking. It is a blur. I think people brought more water and someone got a deck chair for me to sit on while they helped me, before an ambulance arrived. I felt a lot of pain, and I remember feeling like my life was over and it would be much better if I was gone. It was just surreal. But in the weeks that followed, it wasnt my pain which was the hardest part. It was the pain of seeing the effect on my family. On the first night, the hospital had to shave my hair off. That was so difficult because I had just grown it and had it highlighted blonde for my brothers wedding. I remember feeling like I must be looking like a boy. I had to be strong, but everyone around me was going through it as well. I didnt think anyone would ever want me because of my injuries and I couldnt imagine myself going back to work. I chose not to look at myself in the hospital. The only day I did was on the day of my release when I had to. I was quite relieved because I had imagined the scarring was all over my face, but it was just red and aggressive in some areas. Adele who had previously worked on cruise ships had to wear a clear plastic mask on her face all day long for two years with a fabric mask on when she was in bed, to try and put pressure on the scars on her face and help her healing process. At the same time ,she had to wear pressure garments on her upper body and up to her neck and down to her wrist on one arm with another on her hand to flatten the scars under her clothing. She said: I was aged 22, My friends were going out nightclubbing and I couldnt join them. I didnt feel feminine and I felt that the attack had taken away my identity. The only item I could wear was a shirt buttoned up to the top. I had to go through it because I knew it would be better for my skin in the future, but it put me off going out and getting looks. I could only take the pressure garments off for a shower and it was the worst time of my recovery. It was so tight that I felt like I could not breathe properly and there were angles that I could not sit, but I was pleased with the results. Adele said she only felt able to return to work three years after the attack, and she continues to have laser therapy to treat her scars every eight weeks at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex. The treatment is mainly aimed at relaxing the scarring on her neck which is so thick that it can make it difficult for her to move her head. She said: I can struggle to move my neck because the scarring is so tight, and it can be difficult when I am reversing my car. But the laser therapy helps reduce the restriction. It is just normal for me now to have the treatment every eight weeks. I also wear a hair piece over the half of my head where my hair doesnt grow any more, and I still do not have my ear. I could have hair implants and surgery to create a new ear, but I dont want to do that now. Adele said she only felt able to return to work three years after the attack She continues to have laser therapy to treat her scars every eight weeks at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex. I am at a stage where I think having surgery would be like taking ten steps back. Getting hair implanted would involve having a balloon under my scalp for four to six months. They could also break my ribs and use the cartilage to create an ear. But I am used to the hairpiece and when I wear it you cannot see my missing ear. Riley was jailed for life at Ipswich Crown Court in October 2015, and ordered to serve a minimum of 13 years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to apply a corrosive liquid and to cause grievous bodily harm with intent at an earlier trial. Prosecutors in the trial described the attack on Adele as horrific and said it had left her disfigured for life. Harrison, who admitted the attack on Adele and gave evidence against Riley, claimed he was forced to carry it out due to Rileys threats of violence. He wrote a letter of apology to her, and was jailed for four years and four months. Daniel Marshall, 38, of Haverhill, Suffolk, who was a henchman of Riley, admitted conspiracy to apply a corrosive liquid and was jailed for seven years. MARCH 2020 Kate revealed she and Prince Charles had got 'relatively close' at the Prince's Trust Awards on March 11 - Charles was diagnosed with coronavirus in mid-March. She said: 'Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said [to Derek] 'god you look ill.' 'He said he had a headache, numbness in his right hand, and was struggling to breathe, 'I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance' Derek, 52, was taken into hospital on March 30 and remained in an unresponsive condition. APRIL Kate and her children isolated at home after she displayed 'mild symptoms'. Kate said: 'Derek remains in intensive care and is still very ill. I'm afraid it remains an excruciatingly worrying time. 'I'm afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.' MAY Kate said: 'The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight. 'But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.' That month, Kate and her family took part in the final clap for carers She said: 'I'll never give up on that because Derek's the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty' JUNE On June 5, Kate revealed Derek is now free from coronavirus but continues to fight against the damage inflicted on his body JULY On July 5, Kate revealed Derek has woken from his coma but he remains in a serious yet critical condition. On July 8, she announced she would be returning to GMB, after being urged by doctors to 'get on with life' during Derek's recovery. She added that Derek had 'opened his eyes' after waking from his coma, but has been told his recovery could take years. On July 13, Kate returned to GMB for the first time since Derek was hospitalised. On July 28, Kate revealed she'd paid an 'extra emotional' first visit to Derek, and admitted she's 'frustrated' by his slow progress. AUGUST On August 14, Kate reassured GMB viewers that Derek was 'still with us,' but it was 'a waiting game.' On August 19, Kate revealed she celebrated Derek's birthday with their two children, and described the day as 'challenging' for her family. SEPTEMBER At the end of September, Derek reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with coronavirus after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care. Kate reveals Derek has lost eight stone during his battle. The presenter announces she is returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek can hear her voice. OCTOBER On October 30 Kate reveals that Derek has spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word 'pain' to his wife, who watched on 'in tears' over FaceTime. Kate says a day later that her husband no longer needs a ventilator to breathe. NOVEMBER Kate reveals her family car has been stolen in latest 'body blow' to her family life, as kind-hearted fans offer their cars to help. She says she feels 'physically sick' at the prospect of facing her first Christmas without Derek. DECEMBER The GMB star tells viewers it is her dream to visit Derek on Christmas Day. She also reveals she missed two weeks on GMB after her children were exposed to the virus, but thankfully she and the kids tested negative. On December 17, Kate has an emotional conversation live on GMB with two nurses who treated Derek when he was first admitted to Whittington Hospital in North London. On New Year's Eve she reflects on a 'calamitous' Christmas without Derek, as her house was flooded and she struggled to get a food delivery slot until her pal Emma Willis stepped in to help. JANUARY 2021 Kate reveals she and her children got to visit Derek in hospital over the Christmas period, and it was the first time her family had seen him since he was hospitalised. She also says she's banned from seeing him due to new restrictions introduced during the government's third lockdown. FEBRUARY Kate reveals she is unsure how much Derek will 'ever be able to recover' following warning from doctors that he may never wake from his coma MARCH Kate revealed that was in the process of adapting her home to suit Derek's needs when he is finally released from hospital, in the ITV documentary Finding Derek. The programmed was praised by viewers for offering a heartbreaking look at the long-term effects of coronavirus. Kate also revealed that Derek has 'no muscle left' since battling Covid APRIL Kate revealed that Derek was finally allowed to leave hospital, but would require round-the-clock care once he was returned home. MAY Kate revealed that despite now being home with his family, his communication abilities were 'minimal' and he 'couldn't really move' DECEMBER During an appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Kate revealed that Derek had said 'I love you' for the first time. After celebrating Christmas, Derek was also pictured in a wheelchair during a trip to the pantomime with his family JANUARY 2022 Kate revealed that Derek was 'very fatigued' and 'very weak' following the family outing, adding: 'I don't know what this year is going to bring.' FEBRUARY Kate offered a glimpse into the daily struggles of looking after her husband amid his battle with long Covid in the documentary Caring For Derek She also revealed that Derek would die within three days if he was left alone to care for himself. JULY On July 6, Kate revealed that Derek had been re-admitted to hospital after suffering a 'downturn,' and in a later interview said she takes things 'day by day.' On July 20, it was reported that Kate had pulled out of hosting Good Morning Britain to be at Derek's bedside after he took a 'very serious' turn for the worse. Recalling the day, the presenter told The Sun: 'At one point Derek said to me, "This is it, this time. I am gone." It was just terrifying. 'His sepsis was gut-wrenching for all of us because it had gone undiagnosed until the point where it was about to take his life away again.' JANUARY 2023 Kate became overwhelmed as she confronted former health secretary Matt Hancock over his handling of the pandemic and his decision to go on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. She then became tearful and looked up as she spoke about Derek, who has been unwell for approaching three years. Describing public anger towards him, Kate added of his decision: 'This gives the impression you still don't get why they are cross. You still don't get why people are upset. They want to hold you to more account.' APRIL Kate revealed that Derek was once again receiving care in hospital, as she shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the 'inspiring' couple. She shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the 'inspiring' couple, writing on Instagram: 'Yes Derek has been back in hospital this week & yes there's such a long road ahead but #eltonjohn & @davidfurnish you gave the kids & Derek a moment that we will never forget and has lifted their spirits again to feel anything is possible.' It was also reported that Kate was planning a trip across the world for pioneering treatment in a 'final hope' to help her husband. MAY Kate reportedly faced a huge 716,000 tax bill after she was forced to close her husband's business two years after he became stricken with Covid-19. The final total will be settled within the coming weeks, with friends insisting she will pay whatever is owed. A friend told The Sun: 'The figures are terrifying and Kate is of course worried about all the financial pressures, but she has to trust the process. 'When it comes to an end, she is determined to pay back anything that's owed. 'It's no secret that Kate has been battling to keep her husband alive and working through some heartbreaking situations in her personal life in recent years. 'Sadly as well as the emotional stress of Derek's terrible illnesses the financial burden has also been crippling.' DECEMBER Derek was left fighting for his life after suffering a heart attack. Kate held a 24/7 vigil by his bedside and cancelled all work commitments while the family 'prayed for a miracle'. A source said: 'It was sudden and a shock as he had been doing so well and was in great spirits, looking forward to Christmas at home with the family. 'This setback has been a huge blow for his family and all the people caring for him. Kate is by his side 24 hours a day and is willing him on to win this latest battle for his life. 'Derek has fought so many times, and always, against all odds, come out the other side.' JANUARY 2024 Kate announced on January 5 that Derek had passed away. She said: 'Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. 'I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible'. MailOnline understands he passed away on January 3 in a North London hospital. He is survived by wife Kate and their children Darcey, 17, and son William, 14. The Defend Our Borders from Armed Invaders Act would enable National Guard to protect the country from armed intruders from Mexico House Republicans are pushing a bill that would authorize the National Guard to use lethal force against individuals with weapons crossing from Mexico into the U.S. The Defend Our Borders from Armed Invaders Act was introduced by Republican Rep. Morgan Luttrell of Texas, a former Navy SEAL who served in the Navy for 14 years. In the last year, there have been multiple instances of migrants crossing into the U.S. carrying weapons, with some brandishing rifles like the AR-15. And as the Biden administration and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott clash over border security policies, this bill, Luttrell claims, will enable the National Guard to better protect the U.S. by using 'any means necessary' to stop armed migrants. 'We're seeing violent crime continually escalate at the border and flow into our communities, as President Biden's policies have created an untenable national security crisis,' Luttrell told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'This legislation is a step in the right direction to reign in this crime by providing the National Guard the power to stop these armed individuals from crossing into the United States by any means necessary.' The people smuggler was filmed by a Texas Department of Safety drone on Wednesday near Eagle Pass The unidentified man is believed to be a people smuggler. He returned to Mexico after these images were taken If the bill is passed, National Guardsmen would be allowed to use 'any means necessary' to protect the U.S. against armed invaders coming from Mexico The bill allows National Guardsmen 'to take such actions as may be necessary to repel persons attempting to enter the United States from Mexico who are carrying weapons, and for other purposes,' according to a copy of the text shared with DailyMail.com. In August, Texas Rangers drone operators in Eagle Pass, Texas, observed a male with a presumed AR rifle guiding a group of illegal immigrants across the Rio Grande. 'The unidentified male made it back to Mexico,' Lt. Chris Olivarez of the Texas Department of Safety said at the time. Another group of migrants was also spotted in August carrying rifles across the border into the U.S., according to a Fox News report, with one individual wearing military body armor. 'Cartels and smugglers are thriving at our wide-open border,' Rep. Luttrell told DailyMail.com. Rep. Luttrell was deployed on multiple combat missions through his career in the Navy Armed U.S. Border patrol agents are seen on the U.S. side of the border wall Over 300,000 migrants were encountered crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in December The border crisis has become so pronounced that a group of former FBI and Homeland Security officials sent a letter to congressional leaders in January warning them that a terrorist attack on the U.S. is 'imminent' after 'military-aged' foreigners have streamed across the porous U.S.-Mexico border. The letter was sent Jan. 17 to leadership in the Senate and House, warning members about 'the danger represented' by the influx of young single adult males from 'hostile nations.' Their 'background, intent, or allegiance is completely unknown,' the former law enforcement officials state. The letter was signed by former Terrorist Screening Center Director Timothy Healy, former FBI assistant directors Kevin Brock and Chris Swecker, former Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan and six other officials. December set a record for the most migrant encounters in a single month - over 302,000 - not including 'got-aways' - migrants that illegally entered the country without being detected. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont revealed plan today to partner with non-profit that will 'eliminate' debt Connecticut's Democratic governor has revealed a drastic plan to wipe out medical debt for state residents - but has not yet revealed how intends to pay for erasing the $1billion bill. Governor Ned Lamont announced the plan Good Morning America today, unveiled a plan to partner with a nonprofit organization that buys medical debt and 'eliminates' it at a reduced cost. The move would help an estimated 250,000 residents and will be helped with a $6.5 million fund from the American Rescue Plan Act that sought to cancel medical debt, he said. 'This is not something they did because they were spending too much money, this is something because they got hit with a medical emergency. They should not have to suffer twice, first with the illness, then with the debt. 'I think its really important that people have a sense that they can start building wealth of their own,' he said. Governor Ned Lamont announced on Good Morning America that the state would be rolling out the move later this year 'Were making that easier for people to do and the best way to start is by eliminating the debt that youve got.' Residents with a household income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line, $124,800 annually for a family of four, or with debts equating to 5 percent of their annual income will be eligible. With the initial $6.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, some 250,000 residents are expected to see their debt erased. Households will not have to apply because the contracted agency will work with state agencies to automatically wipe their debts, according to the state. The state also said that 1 in 10 Connecticut residents have medical debt, which is also the leading source of debt for Americans. The percentage of American who are part of families having trouble paying medical bills was 10.8 percent in 2021. The above shows the proportion of adults in debt who have done the above in order to meet the costs. Most said they had cut back on basics to cover the debts A 2022 analysis of government data estimated that 9 percent of adults, or 23 million people, owed over $250 in health costs. That same year, a poll by Kaiser Health News, laid bare the crippling price of health care many Americans face. The survey saw more than 2,000 adults from across the country questioned about their healthcare either online or by phone. Findings from the survey included that a quarter of Americans are currently battling to pay off debts higher than $5,000 from medical or dental bills. One-in-five also believe they will never be able to cover the costs of care they needed. The above map shows the areas of the U.S. where the most people are in debt due to healthcare costs And as many as one-in-seven said they had been blocked from entering hospitals because of outstanding medical bills. Out of Americans struggling with healthcare bills, the survey revealed two thirds said they were cutting back on food, clothing and other basics to meet medical bills. Half confessed to using up all or most of their savings that had been intended for retirement. And two in five said they had no choice but to take on extra work to cover the costs. According to the survey, those in Wyoming were most in debt, followed by Alaska and Utah. Meanwhile Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York state were counted as the states with the lowest amounts of medical debt. While no states have announced such plans, New York City recently announced a plan to invest $18 million to help erase $2 billion in medical debt for up to 500,000 eligible New Yorkers. New Jersey have included $10 million in their most recent budget to fund a pilot program to cancel medical debt. In a similar fashion, Colorado last year passed a law removing medical debt from credit reports, becoming the first state to enact such legislation. A man who has launched more than 100 complaints of disability discrimination has been accused of making a 'career' out of employment tribunals. Christian Mallon, 49, who has been out of full-time employment since 2019, has applied for more than 4,600 jobs in locations from London to Aberdeen, with employers including Honda and the National Crime Agency. He tells firms that his autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyspraxia mean he struggles to fill in online forms, so he needs to make his application by phone and he requests interview questions in advance. If they refuse or delay, he launches a disability discrimination claim, arguing that 'reasonable adjustments' were not made for him even if he had little hope of getting the job. Sometimes Mr Mallon who boasts of having a PhD in chemical engineering and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification has 20 claims on the go at once. He appears to have been paid more than 35,000 in out-of-court settlements, despite winning only a single case, which earned him 2,700. Employers have accused him of being a 'vexatious' serial litigant. Firms spend days preparing for and attending hearings, costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds. Christian Mallon (pictured), who has launched more than 100 complaints of disability discrimination, has been accused of making a 'career' out of employment tribunals Mr Mallon (pictured), who lives in Cannock, Staffordshire, said that he wanted to work 'but the problem is that people don't make reasonable adjustments' for his disabilities Last night Mr Mallon, who shares a detached house with his partner and son in Cannock, Staffordshire, while renting out two flats in Scotland and a house in his native Northern Ireland, told the Daily Mail: 'I don't want court cases, I want to work but the problem is that people don't make reasonable adjustments. The last job I had paid 50,000 a year, but now I am not being given a chance. What else am I supposed to do?' One of the 30 short-term jobs he actually secured was a 65,000-a-year role at engineering firm AECOM in Birmingham. He was dismissed after nine months because of 'unsatisfactory' performance, but applied for another position there in 2018. This led to his only successful case, out of more than 100. Among the 4,600 jobs that he has applied for in locations from London to Aberdeen was one with the National Crime Agency (File image) Employers have accused Mr Mallon of being a 'vexatious' serial litigant. Firms spend days preparing for and attending hearings, costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds He claimed he was unable to create his own password for the online application because he struggled to include a 'special character', such as an exclamation mark. The tribunal heard: 'For him, this was a stressful and onerous requirement.' AECOM said it was unnecessary to help him apply orally, as his wife could have aided him in creating a password, and pointed out that the firm previously found his work unsatisfactory. Sometimes Mr Mallon who boasts of having a PhD in chemical engineering and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification has 20 claims on the go at once One of the 30 short-term jobs Mr Mallon actually secured was a 65,000-a-year role at engineering firm AECOM in Birmingham. He was dismissed after nine months because of 'unsatisfactory' performance East London Employment Judge Gardiner in 2022 ruled AECOM should have let him apply orally, and awarded him 2,000 for hurt feelings plus 700 interest. In the rest of the 57 employment judgments available for Mr Mallon, his quests for compensation failed. The tribunals are often over roles 'where he has no relevant experience'. He was called out most severely over his claim against Electus Recruitment Solutions, ending in November 2023, and ordered to pay 18,000 towards the firm's costs. Employment Judge Halliday told the Southampton tribunal that the 'purpose of [Mr Mallon] making 4,643 job applications' was to create opportunities to seek settlements or bring claims, adding: 'This is effectively now his chosen career.' A female solicitor who stole 50,000 from an elderly client who was suffering from dementia blamed the 'folly of love' for her crimes. Alison Griffiths, 55, took money from 94-year-old nursing home resident Betty Gleed after being given power of attorney over the elderly woman's affairs. Griffiths, a probate and wills specialist, transferred the money from Mrs Gleed's account to her own before withdrawing substantial sums from cash machines which she spent on personal items and holidays, a court heard. She 'fell on her sword' in April 2021 and admitted to her employer that she had stolen from the victim. An investigation followed and it was discovered she had also been stealing thousands from her own father, who has since died. Griffits, who worked for Optimum Professional Services in Swindon was jailed for two years today after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud by abuse of position. The total amount stolen was 94,000. Alison Griffiths, 55 (pictured) has been jailed after admitting abusing her position to steal tens of thousands of pounds from two vulnerable people Jailing her at Salisbury Crown Court, a judge said she had had 'abused confidence placed in you as a solicitor and as a daughter'. Griffiths, who apologised for her actions, was said to have embarked on a 'tale of destruction' after meeting a new partner and changing for the worse. The court heard that she was appointed to manage the finances of Mrs Gleed in June 2018. Mrs Gleed was a resident at the Wemyss Lodge nursing home in Swindon and the solicitor was given the job as she had previously managed another patient's finances. Over a three year period from 2018 to 2021, Griffiths stole 49,482.52 from the elderly pensioner - who had no family and was suffering from dementia at the time. Prosecutor James Kellam told the court that the 'matter came to light' when Griffiths refused to sign a form when leaving her employers that stated she had carried out no wrongdoings. He said: 'She told the negotiator that she could not sign that because she had been taking money from a client.' After she told her bosses of her thefts, the police were called. Salisbury Crown Court (pictured) where Griffiths was jailed for stealing from an elderly client and her own father Mr Kellam added: 'The investigation showed that the defendant had over the years, appropriated 49,482.52 off of Ms Gleed, funding holidays, through the direct purchase of goods, transferring directly to her account and withdrawing at cash machines. 'She admitted the offence already in conversation and admitted it again when contacted by the police.' A statement read to the court from a care manager of Ms Gleed said: 'Throughout [Ms Gleeds] life I know that she was very careful with money and if she was aware that her care had not been paid, or stolen, it would have destroyed her.' Following the admission, police found the solicitor had also been stealing money from her father, Alan Griffiths, over whom she also had power of attorney. The court heard that she between May 2020 and September 2021 she stole around 35,000 from Mr Griffiths and the money was spent 'in ways similar to the previous offence'. He died last May aged 80. Mary Aspinall-Miles, in mitigation, told the court the offences arose in an 'unusual set of circumstances'. She said Griffiths had 'started from the bottom' and 'worked very hard' to get to the position she was in. Ms Aspinall-Miles said: 'She went back to university at the age of 25 and did absolutely everything she could to better herself and her position. 'She made a a number of personal life choices to further that career that may seem a little old fashioned but were the things that she wanted.' Ms Aspinall-Miles said the solicitor had 'sacrificed children and a family life' in order to continue her career. It was heard that in light of this, a 'tale of destruction' ensued after she started a new relationship. Ms Aspinall-Miles said: 'She met her somebody and effectively the folly of love caused her to become lost in that stage in her life. 'It seemed to have made her lose her mind to the effect that she became a different person to the person she was before and not in a good way.' Ms Aspinall-Miles said she 'will almost certainly be struck off' from her job as a solicitor. Sentencing her, Recorded Richard Mawhinney said: 'There is an abuse of trust in both cases. 'Ms Gleed was particularly vulnerable because of her and age, and her mental capacity. She had dementia and no family. 'You abused confidence placed in you as a solicitor and as a daughter. There is a need for public confidence in the profession.' In response to her sentence, the solicitor said: 'I understand, I am very sorry.' In 2018, Griffiths appeared in a news article in which she warned elderly people with an old-style power of attorney not to be persuaded that they need to pay for a new version. It followed changes to the rules around power of attorney. Griffiths said elderly people were being targeted and told they needed to pay for a new will when their current ones were still valid. DC Dominic Maidment, from Wiltshire police, said yesterday: 'As power of attorney, Griffiths was expected to safeguard the finances of the victims and act on their behalf in their best interests. 'Instead, she has abused their trust by transferring significant sums of money from their accounts into hers, meaning that in one of the cases, there was no money to pay for the victim's care. 'Fraud can and does devastate families. I hope that this sentencing sends a clear message about how seriously police and the courts take such offences.' The federal agents involved in exposing a luxury L.A. brothel that catered to business titans, military officials, and politicians are probing whether the trafficked women were part of a Korean spy sting. An affidavit filed by an agent in the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations said three accused pimps - including an L.A. man - have retuned to South Korea. The suspects involved raised 'an astounding amount of money' in the brothel business - much of which has been traced back to a bank in South Korea, according to the affidavit. Lawmakers are now worried that national security was compromised. 'This could be a foreign adversary garnering intel on powerful people,' a federal investigator close to the case told LA Magazine. The scandal came to light in November 2023, when the feds busted a high-end brothel network operating across Massachusetts and Washington DC that served a group of 28 elite clients. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said on Monday that until probable cause has been found, no suspect names will be released The affidavit also shows a text message sent from a phone related to the operation in Massachusetts which includes a 'menu' Archived version accessed by DailyMail.com says the ring caters for 'wonderful Boston gentlemen', offering 'liaisons' with 'young, petite, cute and sexy' girls, starting at $220 per 30 minutes - and even a 'duo' The three leaders of the brothel were named in the criminal complaint: Han Lee, 41, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, James Lee, 68, from Torrance, California, and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts. South Korean national Han Lee, is still believed to be in the U.S. due to what prosecutors call an 'alleged marriage,' LA Magazine report The trio was charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice travel to engage in illegal sexual activity. After following the money, federal agents discovered the funds led directly to South Korea, arousing suspicions. A federal task force is seeking state criminal charges against the 28 people accused of paying for sex from the brothel ring. The prominent group are believed to be made up of elected officials, government contractors with security clearances, and military officers. The three leaders of the brothel were named in the criminal complaint: Han Lee, 41, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, James Lee, 68, from Torrance, California, and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts. After following the money, federal agents discovered the funds led directly to South Korea, arousing suspicions The trio was charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice travel to engage in illegal sexual activity A high-end brothel network serving politicians kept detailed records of their customers along with millions in cash and other damning items in bulk. Clientele included 'hundreds' of elected officials, tech, pharmaceutical executives, lawyers, professors and military officers, though federal prosecutors did not identify any of them One of the sites seen here, which was aimed at the Massachusetts area, asked customers to not 'knock on the door' Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, who announced the arrests, said in a statement: 'Our office made it clear when we announced charges of a commercial sex ring case on Nov. 8, 2023, that the investigation was ongoing and that there would be accountability for the buyers who fuel the commercial sex industry. 'Today, a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer with the Cambridge Police Department submitted applications for complaints against 28 sex buyers with the Cambridge District Court.' 'Until probable cause has been found, no names will be released.' 'If probable cause is established and criminal charges are issued by the Court, referrals will then be made to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.' 'In addition, we are working closely with Virginia authorities to begin the referral process of sex buyers from the Virginia locations in this case.' 'The referral processes will remain ongoing.' In November, Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., expressed concern that he's 'incredibly concerned' about the potential breach of national security through brothel network. 'As member of Intel and Armed Services committees these reports make me incredibly concerned about the security clearance process when our adversaries have a long history of using sex to gather secrets.' Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., said that he's 'incredibly concerned' about the potential breach of national security through brothel network In a similar fashion, the group are also said to have operated a unit inside this apartment building in Watertown, Massachusetts According to an affidavit, the ring operated three different locations outside of this apartment building in Cambridge, Massachusetts Speaking at a press conference in November, Levy said: 'This commercial sex ring was built on secrecy and exclusivity, catering to wealthy and well-connected clientele. 'They are doctors, they are lawyers, they're accountants, they are executives at high-tech companies, pharmaceutical companies, they're military officers, government contractors, professors, scientists. 'Pick a profession, they're probably represented in this case. Business is booming, until today.' Levy continued: 'We're committed to working closely with our federal, state and local partners to hold accountable the people who both ran this ring and the people who fueled the demand for this ring.' The three defendants, who are not related, were all arrested and charged with conspiring to coerce and entice women to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity. According to charging documents, the defendants, led by Han Lee, used high-end apartment complexes as brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, and Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia. An affidavit states that the women were advertised for commercial sex via two websites under the guise of professional nude photo shoots. The affidavit also shows a text message sent from a phone related to the operation in Massachusetts which includes a 'menu'. According to the document, the 'menu' listed sexual services available, the hourly rate and the women available. The affidavit states that the term 'BB' is a term used in the prostitution industry to refer to unsafe sex, and that 'GFE' relates to a 'Girlfriend Experience'. The document states that this involves a service that 'blurs the boundaries between a financial transaction and a romantic relationship'. One of the websites was focused on the Boston area, and directed customers to numerous addresses, while another was aimed at areas in Virginia. On the Boston website, the opening page shows a photograph of an Asian woman, with text saying: 'Here to serve our wonderful Boston friends. Your character is in your writing. 'Please Don't Knock on the Door!! Be on time [sic] can't guarantee your wasted time.' Bulk quantities of lubricant, condoms, false eyelashes, 16 cell phones along, millions of dollars in cash and dozens of gift cards were amongst other evidence Investigators also confiscated a Corvette that one of the suspects allegedly bought with the funds The site also adds the height, weight and bust size of multiple Asian women who are available for appointments. The affidavit states that the women available on the site was updated and changed frequently. The group are said to have had three apartments inside one building in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well another one in Watertown. In Virginia, the ring is said to have operated out of two apartment buildings in the towns of Fairfax, and Tysons. Bulk quantities of lubricant, condoms, false eyelashes, 16 cell phones, millions of dollars in cash and dozens of gift cards were amongst other evidence presented by the Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Zachary Mitlitsky. An apartment search of the suspected leader revealed the damning evidence and more - including lingerie, UTI kit and pregnancy tests. Investigators also confiscated a Corvette that one of the suspects allegedly bought with funds from the network. The Department of Justice said they know exactly who the clients were because they had to fill out an application with their name, a picture of their license and their employer. Militsky described Han Lee as the 'leader' of the network and revealed in the filing that she 'concealed over one million dollars in prostitution proceeds'. A fugitive considered the biggest arms trafficker in Latin America has been arrested in his native Argentina by Interpol after more than a month on the run. Diego Dirisio and his wife Julieta Nardi, a native of Paraguay and model in the 1990s, were taken into custody during an operation in the central province of Cordoba, according to Brazilian news outlet G1. The couple have been on the run since December after they avoided being captured by authorities at their home in Paraguay, where they are wanted by authorities. Interpol learned of Dirisio's and Nardi's location after they received an anonymous tip. Diego Dirisio was taken into custody by Interpol in Cordoba, Argentina on Friday. Dirisio and his wife Julieta Nardi, who was also arrested, are accused by authorities in Paraguay and Brazil of purchasing weapons and ammunition from Europe and then funneling them to gangs in Brazil Julieta Nardi, according to investigators, funneled more than 25,000 weapons to Brazilian gangs. Nardi, a native of Paraguay, was a former model in the 1990s Paraguayan and Brazilian authorities accuse Dirisio of utilizing his Paraguay-based business, International Auto Supply, to purchase $242 million worth of weapons and ammunitions from companies in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey. Guns, rifles, machines guns and ammunition were shipped to Paraguay and then funneled to some of Brazil's most powerful criminal organizations. Nardi is accused of selling at least 25,000 weapons to Brazilian gangs. Flavio Albergaria, the chief of the Federal Police department in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, told G1 that the apprehension was the product of 'intense investigative efforts and the fluid exchange of information with the Brazilian and Argentine police.' Dirisio became came a target of Brazilian authorities in November 2020 when a man was caught transporting two rifles and 23 pistols during the search of a bus. Paraguay and Brazil authorities accused Diego Dirisio (pictured) of using his Paraguayan-based company, International Auto Supply, to purchase $242 million worth of weapons and ammunitions from companies in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey Diego Dirisio and his wife Julieta Nardi escaped capture in December when authorities raided their home in Paraguay Although each serial number had been deleted from the firearms, Federal Police agents were able to track their origin. Investigators found Dirisio's company purchased 7,720 guns from Croatia, 2,056 rifles were purchased from the Czech Republic from November 2019 to December 2022, The trans-Atlantic weapons smuggler also bought an 5,000 rifles, pistols and revolvers from Turkey and an additional 1,200 pistols purchased from a factory in Slovenia. The weapons were then sold to Brazilian criminal factions, Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho. Most of the weapons were destined to members in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. 'He is the owner of the company, who coordinates all the company's actions,' Albergaria said. 'He made direct arrangements for the sale and resale with the knowledge that these weapons should be scrapped and destined for organized crime. 'This was proven in the investigation and this was the biggest difficulty in starting the operation.' Dirisio and Nardi are facing extradition to Paraguay. Hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers will line the streets of London tomorrow as the force gets ready for a pro-Palestine march in the capital. The protest is set to work its way across the West End from noon on Saturday before arriving in Whitehall where speeches will take place. Police said that they will deal swiftly with any participant who makes statements or holds banners and placards that 'cross the line into religiously or racially aggravated offences'. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who are organising the march which is demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, said on Wednesday that police were 'threatening to put obstacles in the way' of their demonstration. A pro-Palestine protest is set to work its way across the West End from noon on Saturday before arriving in Whitehall where speeches will take place (pictured: a pro-Palestine demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament on January 13) Earlier in January, more than 200,000 Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through London for the first major demonstration of 2024 (pictured) with the Met having to make six arrests Protesters on January 13 waved Palestine flags, chanted 'Free Free Palestine' and lit flares as they marched from Queen Victoria Street towards Parliament Square, calling for a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza The group said that it had told the Met Police on Monday that the protest would culminate in speeches at two stages, in Trafalgar Square and in Whitehall. Despite having not given permission at the start of this week, the force have now given the green light for the march albeit under heavy police presence. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward, who is leading the policing operation, said: 'We respect the right of people to protest but other Londoners and visitors have rights as well. The latest march comes just days after hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators descended on Barclays branches across the UK to protest its alleged funding of Israel's attacks last Saturday Police said that they will deal swiftly with any participant who makes statements or holds banners and placards that 'cross the line into religiously or racially aggravated offences' (pictured: pro-Palestine protests on January 6) The Met added that it would 'not compromise on enforcing the law' and that they were considering banning face coverings at the march as well as introducing extra dispersal powers (pictured: an arrest being made on January 14 of a man allegedly shouting 'Free Palestine' while driving across Trafalgar Square) 'I understand the cumulative impact of repeated protests since October on businesses, residents and those who want to travel into the West End. 'Getting the balance between competing rights can be difficult but we will do it independently, impartially and always within the law.' The Met added that it would 'not compromise on enforcing the law' and that they were considering banning face coverings at the march as well as introducing extra dispersal powers. The force also said that the protest could start no earlier than 11am and end no later than 5.30pm on Saturday. The march comes just days after hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators descended on Barclays branches across the UK to protest its alleged funding of Israel's attacks last Saturday. Demonstrators organised a 'day of action' where they protested outside 54 branches of the bank, demanding an end to what they claim is Barclays 'bankrolling' Israel's attacks on Palestine. And earlier in January, more than 200,000 Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through London for the first major demonstration of 2024 with the Met having to make six arrests. Some protesters appeared to agree with Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea, chanting: 'Yemen, Yemen, make us proud, turn another ship around' as they marched through the capital. Others waved Palestine flags, chanted 'Free Free Palestine' and lit flares as they marched from Queen Victoria Street towards Parliament Square, calling for a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. Three people have been arrested for allegedly blowing fentanyl smoke in the face of a 19-day-old baby in an attempt to pacify her cries over several days in a Texas hotel. Robert Mason, 33, and Jennifer Trevino, 32, were identified as the parents of the child. The pair along with Aracely Rocha, 22, are now facing felony charges of child abandonment and endangerment, according to the Taylor County sheriff's office. Law enforcement authorities also made the chilling discovery of 56 fentanyl pills in their vehicle last Thursday - with some strewn within a newborn baby's diaper bag. Mason, Trevino, Rocha, along with a fourth adult and four children, lived in two adjoining rooms at the Frontier Inn & Suites in Abilene, as detailed in an arrest affidavit obtained by DailyMail.com. During a search of their hotel rooms, the cloud of smoke was so thick that officers had to put on breathing masks, abc7 reported. Three people have been arrested for allegedly blowing fentanyl smoke in the face of a 19-day-old baby in an attempt to pacify her cries over several days in a Texas hotel. Pictured: Jennifer Trevino, 32, the mother of the children The suspects are now facing felony charges of child abandonment and endangerment, according to the Taylor County sheriff's office. Pictured: Robert Mason, 33, the father of the children Law enforcement authorities also made the chilling discovery of 56 fentanyl pills in their vehicle last Thursday - with some strewn within a newborn baby's diaper bag. Pictured: Aracely Rocha, 22 The trio were initially pulled over by agents for allegedly littering in front of the hotel on January 25. Upon searching their vehicle, officers found four adults, a two-week-old infant, Fentanyl pills along with burnt foils, smoking pipes and straws used for smoking and according to the arrest record. Agents later searched their hotel rooms filled with fentanyl smoke and recently burned foil. The three suspects intentionally blew smoke of fentanyl into the face of the newborn baby to stop her crying, the affidavit alleges. The infant was having difficulty breathing when she was found by officers. 'Interviews revealed three of the four adults were actively involved in smoking fentanyl in the presence of the children for at least the last two days,' the affidavit reads. 'Interviews also revealed the adults had knowledge of at least one of the adults blowing fentanyl smoke into the face of the infant to get the child to stop crying.' Authorities also allege that the fourth person was aware of the other three suspects smoking fentanyl in the presence of four children but took no action to prevent it. 'The fourth adult did nothing to prevent or stop the children from being exposed to the fentanyl smoke filled the environment'. Mason, Trevino, Rocha, along with a fourth adult and four children, lived in two adjoining rooms at the Frontier Inn & Suites in Abilene (pictured), as detailed in an arrest affidavit obtained by DailyMail.com The two-week-old baby was rushed to the emergency room at Hendrick Medical Center, where the other three children were also examined. Mason, Trevino, Rocha were each charged with four counts of second-degree child abandonment and endangerment. Rocha was also charged with possession of fentanyl and possession of amphetamine, according to the affidavit. Mason is facing an additional charge of obstruction/retaliation. They were arrested and booked into the Taylor County Jail on bonds totaling over $100,000 each. Caitlin Culpepper with the county sheriff's office told DailyMail.com they are still currently in jail. The fourth adult has not been identified, and it's unclear what charges they may face as of Friday afternoon. Angela Rayner put the boot into Nicola Sturgeon yesterday as she described her deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages as terrible. The Labour deputy leader, sporting a pair of tartan Dr Martens boots, raised concerns about Scottish Government secrecy during a visit to Scotland. She told STV News during a visit to Glen-kinchie Distillery in East Lothian: If you deleted those messages, youre not giving the full picture and of course [the public] are going to think, cynically, why did you delete them? Ms Rayner said Covid families are right to be concerned Boot girl Angela Rayners natty tartan footwear Did you not want to give people a full and transparent view of what happened over that period? I think it was wholly irresponsible and its this secrecy. I think its terrible that it was deleted and the families are absolutely right to question why did you do that and question the motives for that. He is currently being held in Van Buren County Jail and was denied bail He was arraigned on Friday on nine felony charges, including human trafficking of a minor and criminal sexual conduct in the first-degree, among other charges Keith Freerksen was arrested on Wednesday at his home in South Haven, Michigan where the missing girl was found, according to the authorities A 30-year-old Michigan man and convicted sex offender has been charged with kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old Washington State girl after 'grooming her online for months.' Keith Freerksen was arrested on Wednesday at his home in South Haven, Michigan, where the missing girl was found three weeks after vanishing, according to the authorities. He was arraigned on Friday on nine felony charges including human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity, criminal sexual conduct in the first-degree, accosting a child for immoral purpose and using a computer to commit a crime. He is currently being held in Van Buren County Jail. The judge denied him bond after the court deemed him a flight risk and possible danger to the public, WWMT News reported. Freerksen faces life in prison if convicted on criminal sexual conduct in the first-degree. The other felony charges can carry sentences of between four and 20 years. He was previously convicted in 2017 on 10 felony charges of child pornography in Florida, according to the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. Pictured: Keith Freerksen, 30, was arraigned on Friday on nine felony charges including human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity, criminal sexual conduct in the first-degree, accosting a child for immoral purpose and using a computer to commit a crime The South Haven, Michigan home where the 14-year-old girl was kept for nearly three weeks before she was located by the authorities Freerksen appeared in a South Haven courtroom via video where he was arraigned. The Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Keeley told the judge Freerksen is 'an extreme risk to the public.' 'This individual is a convicted sex offender who groomed a 14-year-old girl online for a significant period of time. 'He then took it upon himself to travel across the country, take this 14-year-old from her home state of Washington, and kept her here in Van Buren County for roughly three weeks.' Before his arraignment, Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott and County Prosecutor Susan Zuiderveen held a news conference on Friday afternoon. Abbott said they identified the suspect's vehicle and waited for it to return to the property before executing the search warrant. Abbott said that Freerksen had spoken to the victim online 'over an extended period of time,' before she took a ride share to the suspect's Michigan home. The young girl was later found at Freerksen's home, where he lived with his father, cops said. Sarah Merill, the girl's mother, spoke at the press conference and expressed her gratitude to law enforcement for locating her daughter. 'I get to bring my daughter home,' she said. 'The past three weeks have been nothing short of a nightmare and one I hope no other parent has to experience.' The teen was last seen on January 5 leaving her home in Mount Vernon, a city in Washington State, before she vanished. Authorities said that based on the evidence collected the teen had traveled across multiple states. The Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD) received information on the suspect's identity, who was publicly referred to as 'Keith.' They learned during their investigation that Jones may have potentially used a rideshare service, and were able to narrow their search and locate a particular ride Jones may have used. Investigators were then able to identify a man named 'Keith' who ordered a ride-share with a South Haven, Michigan address. The search for the teen involved multiple jurisdictions including federal, state and local law enforcement. Last week, the missing girl's mother told DailyMail.com she believed her daughter was talking to an older man online who was possibly in their 30s. For nearly three weeks Merill frantically searched for her daughter who left home without her cell phone and laptop. Fearing for her daughter's safety, Merill could not bear to think of the nearby I-5 Corridor which she says is 'the most heavily sex trafficked route in the world.' 'We live in between Portland and Vancouver, BC near the I-5 Corridor, the most heavily sex trafficked route in the world. 'It is the highway that runs from Canada to Mexico - there are ports all over. I live an hour from the border.' The mom said that when she first learned her daughter was talking to an older man she took away her phone and set up the parental controls giving her limited access. But she said when her daughter found the phone she was still able to send messages using the TextNow app. He was previously convicted in 2017 on 10 felony charges of child pornography in Florida , according to the Michigan Sex Offender Registry A Facebook photo of Freerksen from May 2013 Merill said she filed a missing person's report on January 6 with Mount Vernon PD after she went to wake her child up for breakfast and found her room empty, with the window open. A note was left behind telling her mom she loved her but had to go. The teen had also left her cell phone, house keys and computer at home but taken her electric toothbrush, blowdryer and her yarn and crocheting needles. Merill said when she spoke to her daughter's friends many gave conflicting information but all knew she was talking to an older man online named Keith. Her friends told Merrill she had she been talking to him since October and that 'she trusted him.' She told DailyMail.com she thought daughter was being groomed over the last few months and was being held against her will. She said tips came in from all over and that investigators had been to two different apartments and pulled over a bus while looking for her. Officials have released footage of massive cracks in a frozen Wisconsin lake and warned residents to steer clear of the thin ice. The Harrison Fire Department posted two videos of one and half miles of cracks and floating ice in Lake Winnebago on Facebook on January 30. The first video is about 2,200 feet from shore off Firelane 8 and shows an enormous crack running from east to west one side of the lake. On the other side, viewers can see small pieces of ice chipping away and floating in the semi-frozen lake. The first video is about 2,200 feet from shore off Firelane 8 and shows a massive crack running from east to west one side of the lake On the other side, viewers can see small pieces of ice chipping away and floating in the semi-frozen lake Footage shows multiple, deeper cracks overlapping in the lake as the drone travels further from the shore Footage also shows multiple deeper cracks overlapping in the lake as the drone travels further from the shore. In a second video, which is from Lower Cliff, a massive crack with open area to the north of the landing can be seen. Smaller cracks with clear tension points are also visible in the footage. Video also showed huge areas of semi-frozen water in the lake. The fire department said the weather over the past two weeks has seen temperatures above freezing, resulting in deteriorating ice conditions. 'We highly advise staying off the ice if possible. Remember that no ice is 100 percent safe,' it added. In the second video, which is from Lower Cliff, a massive crack with open area to the north of the landing can be seen Smaller cracks with clear tension points are also visible in the footage The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends placing your hands on the unbroken surface as well as kicking your feet and digging in your ice picks to get back onto the solid ice if you fall into a frozen lake. From the moment she reveals herself in the corner of a hangar in a quiet rural airfield, Sophie the Strutter commands attention. Startlingly different from the sleek fibreglass uniformity of the modern light aircraft ranged beside her, she bears all the hallmarks and distinctive decals of a First World War biplane that ruled the skies more than a century ago. Take a closer look, though, and all is not as it seems. The organic cloth expertly cut and stretched and stitched as tight as a drum over her boxy frame looks too new; the freshly turned and oiled wood and gleaming metal rods that hold her together bear none of the rust of times past. But then, despite her classic looks, Sophie is no museum piece. Rather, she is a unique piece of aviation history the world's only fully working replica of a 1916 Sopwith 1 Strutter, an aircraft that would have engaged in deadly dogfights with German air aces in France and chased down Zeppelins over the Firth of Forth. Sophie is also much more than that. She is a living testament to the power of hope. For the past 23 years, a group of retirees have spent thousands of man hours painstakingly constructing her from scratch. And just as their 'warbird' is no relic of history nor, insist the men who built her, are they. Having felt written off by society when they retired, the volunteers many of whom are in their twilight felt a rediscovered purpose in life through their involvement in this grand project, run by the Aviation Preservation Society of Scotland (APSS). Sophie- the world's only working replica Sopwith at East Fortune airfield. The aircraft would have engaged in deadly dogfights with German air aces in France and chased down Zeppelins over the Firth of Forth 21-year-old Ellie Carter, who will pilot the Strutter, said: 'I've only just turned 21 so they have been building her (the plane) since before I was born it's kind of like their child and I don't want to break it' The project has been running so long that nine of them have sadly died before seeing Sophie take to the air. But now, after setbacks, delays and a protracted funding crisis, she is just weeks away from her first test flight. In a separate twist, award-winning director Alex McCall is trying to get a film off the ground documenting the remarkable story of the build, which will hopefully culminate with Ellie Carter, once Britain's youngest female pilot, taking the controls for the plane's maiden trip in honour of the women who built the originals but were banned from piloting them. For the APSS it will be a defining moment. The group of around 20, who meet once a month at the APSS base near East Fortune airfield in East Lothian, has included retired medics, teachers, civil engineers, filmmakers and signwriters none of whom had any experience of building planes. It didn't hold them back as they gradually hammered, sawed, filed and stitched the warplane into shape with meticulous precision using a facsimile of the original drawings and the varied skills they had acquired during their working lives. Alastair Noble, 75, is a typical example: 'I joined in 2009. I was a teacher in Prestonpans, teaching woodwork, metalwork and tech drawing, but I also had a lifelong interest in flying an aircraft and even had a private pilot's licence,' he said. 'When I heard about this project, I decided to come along. My first job was on one of the Strutter's wings. 'I would build test rigs for stress-testing things like wheels and engine mounts with other people. We do everything as a team.' He added: 'Before the Strutter I found that, having retired, every day was the same and you started to wonder what day of the week you were at. Whereas, coming down here every Wednesday, you built your week round it. It became an anchor for the week.' Allan Cairns, 81, who has been a part of the group for 17 years, was at least a former aircraft technician with the RAF and later British Airways. When he retired from BA, a friend who was a member of APSS encouraged him to join. 'Sophie was already under way when I got there. It's a great bunch of people and we just get on with it. 'I've loved aircraft ever since I was a boy. When I lived at Oxgangs in Edinburgh I'd see 603 Squadron flying Vampires overhead and I always wanted to do that. 'I wasn't academic enough to be a pilot so I joined the RAF in 1959, at 17-and-a-half, and did 15 years as an airframe technician before joining British Caledonian which was taken over by BA. It was a good life, travelled the world. 'I have flown in biplanes before, but I would love to fly in this. I just want to see her take off.' For Mr Cairns and others, the group has always been as much about camaraderie and friendship as precision sanding wing spars or wiring in the delicate navigation instruments. When his beloved wife Nicky started to become ill, his friends were there to offer support: 'Nicky has the start of dementia, which is very difficult. Going on a Wednesday really helps me with all that. It's very sociable. You need that.' Other wives have quietly encouraged their spouses' hobby: 'I think secretly they're quite happy that you're involved in something, especially a project like this that is so meaningful,' said Alan Campbell, 69, a lift engineer by trade. 'The chats over a packed lunch can be fascinating. 'A lot of it is about flying, but some of the guys are quite talkative about the past and sharing memories. 'And you learn so much from each other everybody's got different skillsets but we all have the same mindset.' Before he found the APSS, its current chairman Mike Harper, 64, had tinkered with cars and motorbikes in his own workshop after a career with Honda he became one of the go-to men on general mechanics. For Mr Harper, though, the project became a kind of surrogate family when his 35-year marriage broke down. 'The guys were really supportive,' he said. 'They could tell I'd been hit pretty hard and they were always asking how I was. And, of course, having the Strutter to focus on helped as well.' Others in the group have similar stories. John Guy, a retired orthopaedic surgeon, joined the APSS soon after it launched the project and had used his prosthetic and surgical skills to fashion stunningly realistic copies of the Sopwith's original Vickers machine gun. The group undertaking the build, with Sophie behind them. The project has been running so long that nine of them have sadly died before seeing Sophie take to the air. But now, after setbacks, delays and a protracted funding crisis, she is just weeks away from her first test flight But APSS meetings helped him to cope with the loss of Doreen, his wife of more than half a century, who died following a battle with Alzheimer's. Mr Guy, who carried out a thousand hip replacements in his career, found adjusting to retirement a struggle: 'Surgeons are seen as very important but when you retire, a line is drawn and you know nothing at all.' The APSS has been described as a 'Men's Shed on steroids', after the Australian-born phenomenon that offers a lifeline for older men to meet up, have a chat and tinker in a workshop. The slogan of the 'shedder' movement is 'Shoulder to shoulder', shortened from 'Men don't talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder'. The APSS has helped some cope with life-threatening conditions that come with age. Jim Mattocks, a former industrial chemist and one of the original volunteers, would turn up at the shed soon after an operation for skin cancer. Sadly, he died in 2017. Peter Forsyth collapsed in the workshop in 2021, but kept coming back until his death last year. Their commitment to the project is typical as they have connected up all of the Strutter's 2,775 parts. 'There is not a drop of glue on this she can be completely dismantled if need be,' said Mr Harper proudly, although the prospect of Sophie being dismantled is one that worries the APSS as, so close to her test flight, her future hangs in the balance. The Sopwith 1 Strutter so named after the long and short cabane struts that support the top wing was a plane packed with invention. It was the first British two-seater fighter plane to have a machine-gun synchronised with its propeller, allowing the pilot to aim the plane rather than the gun at the enemy. It came into service in 1916 and, at a time when the notorious Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, was enjoying notable success in the skies over Europe, it helped tip the balance in favour of the Allies. As the conflict dragged on, the Strutter was superseded by more nimble fighters and it evolved into a reconnaissance aircraft. In Scotland it was deployed to protect the Forth coastline and Rosyth dockyard against German Zeppelins and submarines. Two squadrons were stationed at East Fortune Airfield, 20 miles east of Edinburgh. Sophie is painted in the livery of Vice-Admiral Richard Bell Davies, the first man successfully to take off and land the Strutter from a flat-deck ship at sea in the Forth thereby crediting Scotland with the invention of the aircraft carrier and changing the face of inter-national warfare. East Fortune is now part of Scotland's National Museum of Flight and it was here in 2000 that Adam Smith, the museum's then-curator, decided the collection needed a truly show-stopping artefact from the First World War. The Strutter was the obvious choice given its local connections, but commissioning professionals to build a replica would have cost in excess of 100,000. Instead he asked volunteers to help. The budget was 5,000 plus 50 a month for lighting and heating. In 2018, the volunteers were told there was no longer space for Sophie at East Fortune and they would have to leave. Mr Smith, the project's commissioner, had moved on and the new museum administration decided that it wanted to focus its funding on maintaining current exhibits. The boys' dream of the Strutter sitting in the same museum as a Concorde, as bookmarks in aviation history, was gone. When a nearby farmer's fruit store came up for rent at 8,000 a year the volunteers had to dismantle their pride and joy, load it onto a truck and reassemble it. Since then, they have survived on donations, fundraisers and their own money. Then, their farmer landlord announced he was selling up and they have been given a six-month deadline to find the 100,000 asking price for their shed. 'Unless we can generate significant interest after the maiden flight, I don't see a future for Sophie in Scotland and she may disappear down South,' said Mr Harper. For now, the aircraft is based at an airfield west of Edinburgh awaiting final tests before she is cleared by the Light Aircraft Association as airworthy. Fittingly, the name of their nine dead friends are etched on a plaque fitted to the cockpit. While the volunteers move on to their next First World War era build a Sopwith Pup they are tantalisingly close to seeing their first plane take to the skies, while a film about their story is also in the pipeline, which could generate the public interest they need to keep Sophie in Scotland. Alex McCall, who won a Bafta for his documentary, The Boy David, about a Scottish plastic surgeon's efforts to help a Peruvian child born with a severe facial disfigurement, has started work on a film called Ellie and the Time Machine. The Ellie of the title is pilot Ellie Carter, who contacted the volunteers around 18 months ago after hearing about Sophie in the hope of becoming the first woman ever to pilot a Sopwith Strutter. The originals were built by women while the men fought at the Western Front, yet for decades women were not allowed to train as pilots as they were not considered reliable aviators. Ellie, from Devon, who combated years of bullying to realise her flying ambition aged just 16, said: 'My dream has always been to fly warbirds I don't have much interest in modern planes so when I heard about this project on the grapevine I had to get in touch. 'I've only just turned 21 so they have been building her since before I was born it's kind of like their child and I don't want to break it.' Ellie, who has a half-share in a Piper L4 Cub, a Second World War liaison aircraft which flew on D-Day, said: 'When you're flying in a warbird it's kind of got a feeling about it; you know that somebody has flown that potentially into battle and they may not know if they're coming home. There's something about it that's very humbling.' She is equally humbled by the 'brotherhood' of volunteers who built Sophie. 'I went up to see them and we all had lunch together and they took me under their wing and were just lovely. 'What they have done is absolutely amazing. And I think the APSS is building more than an aeroplane for them, it's building a community.' The U.S. has launched a devastating wave of airstrikes on Iran's Revolutionary Guard and militants in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three U.S. troops. Multiple long-range bombers and drones hit 85 targets with 125 bombs over 30 minutes in the widespread military operation on Friday night ordered by President Joe Biden. As explosions rang out across the Middle East the president said the payback strikes will continue 'at times and places of our choosing' and warned militias: 'If you harm an American, we will respond'. Two B-1- bombers flew from the U.S. for the mission hitting seven facilities - three and Iraq and four in Syria - linked to the IRGC and Iran-backed militias. The targets included command and intelligence centers and warehouses where missiles and drones were stored. Shocking footage from Al-Qaim, an Iraqi border town, showed rockets flying from a munitions factory believed to have been hit by American bombers at midnight local time. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said at least 18 pro-Iranian fighters were killed in eastern Syria and Iraq called the strikes a 'violation of sovereignty'. The huge operation is the first from the U.S. striking back after Iran-backed militias' deadly strike on the Tower 22 base near Jordan's border with Syria and Iraq last Sunday. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, were killed and more than 40 troops were injured in the attack that sparked further tensions in the Middle East. Biden ordered the strikes just hours after he attended the dignified transfer ceremony for their remains at Dover Air Force Base. The U.S. has launched a devastating wave of airstrikes on Iran 's Revolutionary Guard in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three U.S. troops. He held his hand over his heart as he watched their flag-draped coffins being carried across the tarmac after arriving back on home soil. A short time after the solemn ceremony finished, he authorized the huge response he has threatened for days. 'This past Sunday, three American soldiers were killed in Jordan by a drone launched by militant groups backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC),' Biden said on Friday. 'Earlier today, I attended the dignified return of these brave Americans at Dover Airforce Base, and I have spoken with each of their families. 'This afternoon, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces. 'Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing. The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. 'But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.' It's unclear what the next steps will be or when they will take place, or whether the days of U.S. warnings have sent militia members scattering into hiding. But the recent statement released by Kataeb Hezbollah, one of the main Iran-backed militias, saying it was suspending attacks on American troops had no impact on the administration's plans to retaliate. National Security Council John Kirby said earlier in the week response to the deadly drone strike will be 'tiered' and could 'potentially include multiple actions over a period of time.' After the strikes, he said: These targets were chosen to degrade and disrupt the capabilities of the IRGC and the groups that they sponsor and support. 'The goal here is to get these attacks to stop. We're not looking for a war with Iran'. National security officials insisted the attacks were not not timed to coincide with the dignified transfer, even though they took place an hour after the ceremony finished. The clear weather, they said, made Friday night the ideal time to launch the strikes across the Middle East. Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims said the B-1 bombers, that can 500-pound bombs and eight air-launched cruise missiles, made it the Middle East on a non-stop flight. 'Initial indications are we hit exactly what we meant to hit, with a number of secondary explosions associated with the ammunition and logistics locations' the US targeted, he said. 'We know that there are militants that use these locations,' he added. 'We made these strikes tonight with an idea that there would likely be casualties associated with people inside those facilities.' Shocking footage from Al-Qaim, an Iraqi border town, showed rockets flying from a munitions factory believed to have been hit by American bombers at midnight local time Two B-1- bombers flew from the U.S. for the mission hitting seven facilities - three and Iraq and four in Syria - linked to the IRGC and Iran-backed militias Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia (left) and Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, died in the drone strike of a US airbase in Jordan Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia has been identified as one of the soldiers killed in the drone strike 'At 4:00 p.m. (EST) Feb. 02, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups,' U.S. Central Command said in a statement. 'U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. 'The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. 'The facilities that were struck included command and control operations, centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aired vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces.' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who returned to work at the Pentagon this week after his secret hospital trip for prostate cancer treatment, reiterated that the U.S. did not want wider war. 'Following the attack on U.S. and Coalition Forces in northeastern Jordan this past Sunday that killed three U.S. service members, at President Biden's direction, U.S. military forces today conducted strikes on seven facilities, which included more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militias use to attack U.S. forces,' Austin said Friday. 'This is the start of our response. The President has directed additional actions to hold the IRGC and affiliated militias accountable for their attacks on U.S. and Coalition Forces. 'These will unfold at times and places of our choosing. We do not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else, but the President and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces. 'We will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our forces, and our interests.' A federal judge in Washington has formally postponed Donald Trump's March trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday officially vacated the trial date of March 4 and did not immediately set a new date. It comes as a federal appeals court has yet to resolve a pending appeal from Trump arguing that he is immune from prosecution for actions he took in the White House. The move by the judge was a dramatic intervention that will push Trump's blockbuster trial closer to the 2024 election. onald Trump's trial over his involvement in January 6 has been delayed while the courts decide if he is immune from prosecution Judge Tanya Chutkan vacated the March 4 trial date The case was brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. It is one of four indictments Trump faces, comprising a total of 91 felony counts. 'The court will set a new schedule if and when the mandate is returned,' Judge Chutkan wrote in an order Friday. Trump is looking to push his criminal cases back as he enjoys frontrunner status in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Supporters pf President Donald Trump gather on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021 Special counsel Jack Smith has brought an indictment against former President Donald Trump over January 6 Smith's team, meanwhile, is hoping to be able to prosecute Trump this year before the November election. The Washington case had been expected to take place first, but it has already been delayed for weeks by Trump's appeal on immunity grounds. An appeals court heard arguments on January 9, and though it had said it intended to work quickly, it has not yet issued a ruling. The D.C. Circuit court found that some of Trumps public criticisms 'pose a significant and imminent threat' to the case, but also narrowed restrictions initially imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (pictured) The latest development means a separate case in New York by DA Alvin Bragg, charging Trump in connection with hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, may proceed first. Last week, a federal appeals court kept a gag order against Donald Trump in place that restricts him from criticizing witnesses and prosecutors in the January 6 election subversion case. Trump's lawyers asked for a three-judge panel to reconsider its December ruling that followed Judge Tanya Chutkan barring him from making statements that could 'target' witnesses. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied both requests. Trump can appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The D.C. Circuit court found that some of Trumps public criticisms 'pose a significant and imminent threat' to the case, but also narrowed restrictions initially imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (pictured) The Republican frontrunner could ask the justices to review the gag order and put it on hold until they make a final ruling. It's his last remaining hope of overturning limits on his public statements about potential witnesses, government lawyers or court staff. The Supreme Court has already taken up Trump's appeal of the Colorado ruling kicking him off the state's ballot under the 14th Amendment. Trump has argued that the restrictions violate his free speech rights as he moves closer to clinching the Republican presidential nomination. The D.C. Circuit court found that some of Trumps public criticisms 'pose a significant and imminent threat' to the case, but also narrowed restrictions initially imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. Trump has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts accusing him of a multi-pronged conspiracy to hinder the counting and certification of his 2020 defeat to Democrat Joe Biden . Bodycam footage shows the moment Vermont police officers restrained a 14-year-old-boy on the ground after his mother called the cops on him for stealing electronic cigarettes. Cathy Austrian wanted to teach her child a lesson after he stole from a local gas station and phoned Burlington police in May 2021. But a video of the incident shows five officers handcuffing her son and pinning him to the ground as he screamed and struggled. The teenager, who is black and has behavioral and intellectual disabilities, was eventually injected with a ketamine, a sedative, then taken to a hospital. Now Austrian is suing the police force over claims officers used excessive force and discriminated against her unarmed son. Bodycam footage shows the moment Vermont police officers restrained a 14-year-old boy on the floor after his mother called the police on him for stealing electronic cigarettes Cathy Austrian wanted to teach her child a lesson after he stole from a local gas station and phoned Burlington police in May 2021 But a video of the incident shows five officers handcuffing her son and pinning him to the ground as he screamed and struggled The teenager initially refused to hand over the last of the stolen e-cigarettes before two officers physically forced him to do so. Austrian's son then screamed and tried to wriggle free as he was handcuffed and pinned down, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Chittenden County Superior civil court on Tuesday. The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont shared footage of the police body-camera video. It shows two officers talking calmly to the teen, who is sitting on a bed. His mother tells him to cooperate; she goes through drawers and finds most of the remaining e-cigarettes and tries to get the last one from him. Officers say if he turns the e-cigarettes over, they'll leave and he won't be charged. He doesn't respond. After about 10 minutes, the officers move in to forcibly remove the last of the e-cigarettes from his hand by pulling his arms behind his back and pinning the 230-pound teen against the bed. 'The police chose to respond to my son with unprovoked violence and use of force, when they could and should have followed their own procedures and used safe, supportive methods,' Austrian said in a statement provided by the ACLU of Vermont, which is representing her case. Burlington police officers had visited the home before and were aware of the teen's disabilities, the lawsuit says. Austrian fostered the child, who had developmental and intellectual disabilities like his birth mother, since he was five months old and adopted him at age two. Austrian's son then screamed and tried to wriggle free as he was handcuffed and pinned down, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Chittenden County Superior civil court on Tuesday Now Austrian is suing the police force over claims it used excessive force and discriminated against her unarmed son When the two officers arrived to speak to the teen, Austrian told them her son was acting erratically and had a rough week. She said he had an MRI of his heart that week, and his medicine for ADHD had been increased the week before. She said he left the house with a hammer and scissors and returned with a bag full of e-cigarettes he admitted he'd stolen from a Cumberland Farms convenience store. He gave her half of them but wouldn't give up the others, she said. After officers got the final stolen item, they said in their police reports, the teen tried to kick and punch them. The lawsuit says the teen 'reflexively rose from the bed and flailed his arms haphazardly at the officers.' That response 'is typical of individuals with his disability and trauma history who are placed in unnecessary physical restraints and denied space,' the lawsuit says. The officers handcuffed him and eventually pinned him to the floor on his stomach. The teen thrashed, screamed and swore. Officers told him to stop spitting, and paramedics, who police called, placed a spit hood over his head. They then injected the teen with ketamine. They said the teen's distress was 'excited delirium,' a term the medical community has rejected, the ACLU said. He was carried out of the house unconscious on a stretcher and spent the night in the hospital, the lawsuit states. In calling the police, his mother was looking for help in getting him to do the right thing, said Pointer, the attorney. 'Instead of getting that type of help, her kid was brutalized,' said Pointer. 'Her kid was handcuffed, man-handled, a spit bag placed over his head, and administered a very powerful and deadly sedative, and now she's left to pick up the pieces.' Adante Pointer, a civil rights attorney in the San Francisco Bay area, said officers were doing the appropriate thing at first discussing consequences and trying to establish rapport. 'The turning point in this chain of events is when officers decided to go hands-on,' he said. The teenager, who is black and has behavioral and intellectual disabilities, was eventually injected with a ketamine, a sedative, then taken to a hospital Adante Pointer, a civil rights attorney in the San Francisco Bay area, said officers were doing the appropriate thing at first discussing consequences and trying to establish rapport 'There wasn't any urgency here, there wasn't any emergency where they had to force physical confrontation,' said Pointer, who noted the teen was contained in a room with his mother and wasn't a violent felon trying to flee. The lawsuit seeks punitive damages against the city and monetary damages and relief for the teen. It also seeks an order for the city to accommodate people with disabilities in policing interactions, including implementing officer training and modifying policies on ketamine use. A city spokeswoman said Burlington investigated and found that officers and fire department EMTs acted according to city policy and state law and regulations. 'We expect to vigorously and successfully defend against the allegations,' Samantha Sheehan said in a statement Wednesday. After the investigation, Mayor Miro Weinberger ordered the Burlington Fire Department to review the use of ketamine, Sheehan said via email. The state has updated protocols to require doctor permission for all sedation of patients with combative behavior, which wasn't required at the time, although responding paramedics did get a doctor's permission, she wrote. A directive on dealing with people with diminished capacities is being reviewed and is expected to be rewritten by the Police Commission, according to Sheehan. The ordeal underscores the need for sufficient police training in dealing with people with disabilities and mental health challenges, and raises questions about whether police are best suited to respond to such situations, advocates say. A growing number of US communities are responding to nonviolent mental health crises with clinicians and EMTs or paramedics, instead of police. DailyMail.com has contacted Burlington Police for comment. There are broadly four fashion ages, starting in your teens with 'Love It, Don't Care What It Looks Like On Me'. The second age is 'I Love It But Should I?' During this phase you discover whether you are more in the 'Must Look On Trend' or the 'Just Want To Look Gorgeous' camp. It's the longest fashion phase and you bend more one way than the other until, eventually, you find the spot where you're most comfortable. The third age is 'Does My Bum Look Big In This?' It's not that you've never considered whether your bum looks big before, but now it's your first consideration along with does anything else look big and do my legs look shorter. You still care a lot about fashion but more about how you look. And finally there's the fourth stage - the one we're in now - when the overriding priority is Not Looking Our Age. In this phase you're still fashion conscious, body conscious, gorgeous-rating conscious, susceptible to the odd mad purchase, but everything starts with trying not to look the age we are or older. The question, Where did it all go wrong? is one that haunts many a politician, celebrity and business leader. If Nicola Sturgeon was asking it as she left the UK Covid Inquiry session held in Edinburgh this week, she can at least be reassured that there is no shortage of answers. Faced with an implacable interrogator in the form of Jamie Dawson, KC, our former First Minister sought initially to employ her famously effective communications skills to justify her decision to delete hundreds of WhatsApp messages, despite having promised the grieving families of Covid victims that she would hand them over to the inquiry. But Mr Dawson was having none of it. He persevered with a line of questioning that even Ms Sturgeon found daunting. Eventually she was forced to use her last resort a cracking voice and even a tear, presumably in the hope that even if she couldnt justify her actions, she might at least elicit some sympathy for her plight. Her appearance at the inquiry confirmed in most Scots minds that not only has Ms Sturgeon destroyed her own political legacy, she has helped expose the secrecy, cynicism and lethal opportunism of her party in government. Its been nearly a decade since the entirely unnecessary and divisive independence referendum of 2014. In 2012, when Prime Minister David Cameron gave in to Alex Salmonds demands for a vote, support for change was stuck at 30 per cent of Scots. But still he allowed the referendum to go ahead, a campaign so bitter and divisive that even now, Scotland has yet to heal the splits it caused among families, friends and co-workers. Nicola Sturgeon in pensive mood amid growing troubles last year On one level, the nationalist cause has made some progress since then. Support for independence hovers at around the 50 per cent mark. But more significantly, that figure far outstrips support for the SNP, which looks to be heading towards its first electoral defeat since 2010. The latest polling for the general election, expected by the end of this year, gives Labour in Scotland a three-point lead over Humza Yousafs party. Translated into seats, that would mean 28 Labour MPs heading to Westminster from Scotland, and only 18 for the Nationalists 30 fewer than the total the party bagged at the 2019 election and a colossal loss of 38 of the 56 seats the party won at its height at the 2015 election. If Sir Keir Starmer is to form a Labour government in 2024, he can expect to be helped in that by a substantial number of MPs from Scotland. Even the Conservatives, struggling in the popularity stakes at a UK level, could win back a few seats from the SNP. The scenario could hardly be grimmer for the nationalist movement. The past 17 years in office at Holyrood were supposed to have demonstrated the advantages of having nationalists make the big decisions on Scotlands behalf, filling Scots with confidence that they could do an even better job in the event of full independence. Instead, voters see a party that is every bit as cynical and untrustworthy not to mention as incompetent as any of its UK rivals. After the headline-grabbing initiatives of free prescriptions, the scrapping of bridge tolls and the continuation of Labour policies such as free university tuition and free personal care, the actual job of governing effectively was shown to be beyond SNP ministers. Under the SNP, Scotlands shameful record on drug deaths the highest in Europe has only worsened. Morale in the cash-strapped national police force has never been lower, while two of the most important devolved areas of policy health and education are in a perilous state. Neither has the SNP in recent years shown any ability to actually build anything. The embarrassing and scandalous saga of the two ferries that were supposed to have been delivered years ago but which seem no nearer completion, despite a trebling in the assumed costs, seems never ending. And how many times have Nationalist MSPs promised the dualling of the treacherous A9, with little or no progress forthcoming? If day-to-day governing and delivering capital projects are beyond the SNP, is its record in legislating any better? The Named Person Scheme, which would have usurped parents vital role in caring for their own children by giving the state an unprecedented role in every childs upbringing, was first decreed unlawful by the Supreme Court and then abandoned by the Scottish Government. And it was the same court that dealt Ms Sturgeons party its greatest blow, ruling in November 2022 that the Scottish Government could not, after all, legislate for a second independence referendum without the approval of the UK Parliament. Ms Sturgeon resigned three months later. But it is the SNPs determination to go even further than Westminster when it comes to cultural issues that resulted in Ms Sturgeons most significant humiliation during her tenure as First Minister. Following the parliamentary agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens, Scottish ministers were under pressure to deliver on the Greens number one priority self-identification for trans people. Despite receiving cross-party support at Holyrood, the Gender Recognition Reform Act was prevented by the UK Government from receiving Royal Assent because of concerns about its impact on UK-wide equality legislation a decision later upheld by judges. A third high-profile piece of legislation came to grief when the Scottish Greens minister Lorna Slater tried to introduce a bottle Deposit Return Scheme, which caused Scottish businesses to complain of its costs and unworkable nature. It too was later abandoned. But below the headlines about an inability to govern effectively, there is a deeper concern about the cultural impact of long-term nationalist influence. In most developed countries there exists a healthy scepticism in the art world actors, musicians, writers and performers towards their government. This is not the case in Scotland, where celebrities have in the past queued up to endorse the political establishment under the SNP. Worryingly, such collaboration has spread across Scottish civic society. Public bodies have been flooded with SNP supporters; from business groups to trade unions, the desire for ministerial patronage and public money has transformed them into mouth-pieces for nationalism. Even in the civil service itself, it is now accepted practice for men and women paid for by the public purse to work on producing policy documents to support independence. Such politicisation is unhealthy enough for a democracy where the neutrality of the civil service is an important principle, but it raises all sorts of difficult questions as to how those same civil servants would be able to serve new political masters in the event of a change of administration at a future Holyrood election. Having thrown away their reputation for professionalism, civil servants might find it difficult to win it back. Such behaviour has made it easier for the UK Government in some ways; Alister Jack, the Scottish Secretary, has been able to portray himself as the champion of devolution despite Nationalist squeals to the contrary by forcing the Scottish Government to govern strictly within the terms as laid out in the Scotland Act which established devolution in 1999. And Mr Jack has found that his no-nonsense muscular Unionist approach has found favour with more Scots than the SNP might have assumed. Sturgeon receives rapturous applause at the SNPs 2019 spring conference SNP strategists are justifiably gloomy about the partys short-term prospects. Political events are, by their nature, unpredictable, but there is no event in this years calendar that Nationalists can anticipate with optimism. In fact, there could be more bad news on the way for Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon as Police Scotlands Operation Branchform, examining the SNPs finances, comes to a conclusion. The reputational damage inflicted on the Holyrood administration and on Ms Sturgeon specifically at the Covid inquiry can hardly be overstated. For nearly two years of lockdown drama, as daily infections rose and fell, as families lost loved ones, as pupils lost out on an education and everyone was forced either to stay at home or face draconian restrictions when outside, Ms Sturgeon won plaudits for her leadership, taking to our TV screens almost every day to offer calm reassurance and advice. Her personal ratings shot up and even her political opponents had to acknowledge her ability to communicate with Scots during an unprecedented crisis. And now that reputation has been thoroughly destroyed. As First Minister, Ms Sturgeon personified the kind of openness and transparency that the SNP has always insisted was the central philosophy of the party and government. Now we see the truth. In August 2021, she publicly promised that all her WhatsApp messages, as well as all other relevant communications, would be handed over to a future public inquiry. There was no ambiguity about that pledge and it was welcomed by the whole nation, particularly those who had lost loved ones and who wanted to understand the process by which ministers had made Covid policy decisions. Now we know that even as Ms Sturgeon made that promise, she had already deleted hundreds of relevant WhatsApp messages. This was down to Scottish Government policy on data management that had been in place for the whole time she had been a minister, she claimed. But her predecessor as First Minister, Alex Salmond, has stated that no such policy existed when he was in charge. So if such a policy was in operation, why didnt she mention that when she was asked about her willingness to hand over her Whats-App messages? Ms Sturgeon told the inquiry that no decisions were made using WhatsApp and that all relevant information was officially recorded and handed over to the inquiry. READ MORE: EMMA COWING: I don't believe they were crocodile tears, but did Sturgeon cry for herself? Nicola Sturgeon wipes tears from her eyes at the Covid inquiry Advertisement Yet she must know that that judgment is not hers to make; it is the inquirys job to decide what is relevant and what is not, and thanks to Ms Sturgeons actions, it cannot now do so. But those WhatsApp messages that have survived Ms Sturgeons virtual paper shredding antics paint a grim picture of what was actually happening behind closed doors at the Scottish Government during that period. Given the symbiotic relationship that now exists between the SNP and the Scottish civil service, it is hardly surprising that senior civil servants such as Ken Thomson, director general for strategy and external affairs during the pandemic, should issue friendly warnings to ministers about how to avoid nosy Scots making successful Freedom of Information requests. But for him to joke that his middle names were plausible and deniability was an insult to bereaved Scots who want to get to the truth. The inquiry has uncovered another scandal: the so-called Gold Command meetings of a small, elite group of ministers, and which made important decisions on how to handle the pandemic, were never recorded in official minutes. Even worse, then-Deputy First Minister John Swinney has admitted that the decision to close all of Scotlands schools at the start of the pandemic was taken only by him and Ms Sturgeon and not by the full Cabinet. During her evidence session, Ms Sturgeon affected indignation at the very suggestion she would even consider using the pandemic to advance the case for independence. Yet we know that Cabinet agreed to consider how the pandemic could be used to boost support for independence. Meanwhile, in an internal message, a civil servant warned that if Scots were prevented from travelling to Spain, that country might consider vetoing a future independent Scotlands application to join the EU. And so Nicola Sturgeons reputation as Mother of the Nation was dealt a short, sharp, terminal and long-delayed blow. She was brought to tears as she gave evidence (or, perhaps more accurately, she brought herself to tears) and she was forced to confront the truth of her own leadership. And that truth is that after nearly nine years of self-righteous grandstanding, of leading her party to unprecedented political dominance while advancing the nationalist cause not an inch, she stands exposed as an empty vessel. She told everyone else how to behave during the pandemic where to go, where not to go, when (and if) we were allowed to take exercise, drink a coffee, have a meal or meet friends. She told us when our children might be allowed back to school and she decided how many might attend funerals. And even as she did so, she conspired to hide the vital information she knew would get into the public domain unless she pressed the delete button. The demise of the SNP at the very hands of the woman who led it to such electoral glories a decade ago inevitably means the end also of independence itself. How can it hope to prosper if the individual on which its success now depends is Humza Yousaf? Never before has any politician had so much reason to regret being portrayed as the continuity candidate. After Alex Salmonds defeat at the referendum, he resigned as First Minister, defiantly reminding the nation that the independence dream will never die. He was wrong. Under his successor, the dream became a nightmare. And now, at last, Scotland has finally woken up. Wright groomed three underage girls and encouraged one to take her own life A sadistic labourer who lied that he was a multimillionaire to lure teenage girls into sending him nude photos before he threatened them with violence - and even told one to kill themselves - has been jailed for nine years. Jake Wright, 29, groomed three girls, aged between 15 and 17, on Snapchat by claiming to be a wealthy playboy with 300m in his bank account and access to a string of luxury homes. In reality, he was a labourer getting by doing odd jobs while living in east London. Shameless Wright pressured one of his victims into taking an overdose while on a video call after telling her that she should take her own life. Wright, among a string of shocking lies that he told his victims, claimed that he had terrorist connections and promised one of the girls 60,000 to meet him at a hotel and have sex with him. He subsequently refused to pay her. Jake Wright pretended to be a playboy millionaire to groom girls, when he was in reality a labourer picking up odd jobs Wright was jailed for nine years at Snaresbrook Crown Court, and has been given a further four years on extended licence In addition to his nine year sentence, he has been give a further four years on extended licence, according to the Metropolitan Police. Wright, who had been living in Chingford, east London, was jailed for causing sexual exploitation of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, paying for sexual services of a child, making indecent photographs of a child and threats to kill, at Snaresbrook Crown Court. A Met Police spokesman said the court ruled that Wright posed a high risk of harm to children and the general public. As well as the prison sentence, he was made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order - which limits future use of the internet and contact with children. The judge also issued indefinite restraining orders preventing Wright from having future contact with any of the four victims - and the defendant was also barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. The force spokesman added that forfeiture and destruction orders were issued for seized digital devices, decommissioned firearms and a swastika flag. Wright used screenshots of fake bank statements to give the impression that he had millions of pounds and was living the life of a wealthy playboy. Read More: Pervert who posed as model to blackmail dozens of girls as young as nine is jailed for 18 years Advertisement But Wright's lies unravelled at the end of a police hunt that began in September 2022, when the family of a teenage girl he had groomed made a report to the Metropolitan Police. Four months earlier, he had contacted her on Snapchat, gradually gaining her trust until he offered her 12,000 for sexual photographs of herself, later getting her friend to feature in the images too. As his demands continued the victims eventually refused to take more photos, but he threatened them over video calls, sending photographs of him holding a gun, and lied that he had a brother with terrorist connections. He sent them horrifying videos of beheadings, and threatened to send the obscene images to their family and friends, which he subsequently did. The victims did not know who Wright was, but once detectives identified him they realised he was linked to two other cases, one in the West Midlands and one in the City of London. He had used the same tactics to target the victim in the Midlands in March 2022, but gave her the ultimatum of either coming to London to be raped by him; having the obscene images sent to her family and friends; or to kill herself. This led to the harrowing video call in which she took an overdose and was lucky to survive. Detective Constable Samantha Thompson, the investigating officer, said: 'I would like to commend the victims in this harrowing case, who have been truly traumatised by Wright. 'The memory of these horrific crimes will remain with them and their families for the rest of their lives. I hope this sentencing will bring them some peace. 'We will continue to do everything we can to ensure sexual predators who make our streets unsafe for women and girls are brought to justice. Jake Wright groomed the three girls over Snapchat, where he gained their trust and requested nude photographs 'If you have been a victim of a sexual offence, we would urge you to speak to police so that you can get the support you deserve.' The City of London case in October 2022 involved a 17-year-old girl who was also groomed via Snapchat. Wright offered the girl 60,000 to meet him at a hotel and have sex with him, but he then refused to pay her. He was arrested days later and when police searched his home they found four decommissioned guns. Detective Chief Inspector Jo Lloyd from the Met's Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation team, said: 'Our priority is to safeguard children at risk and pursue offenders who orchestrate this abuse through grooming and/or direct contact abuse. 'Prevention is key and we know we cannot do this alone. 'We are working with education and schools officers to ensure schools, parents and children have the information available to identify any potential risks and support age appropriate conversations around keeping children safe. 'We want to continue to encourage parents and young people to take appropriate steps to remain safe online. 'The internet can be a great space for young people to play, socialise and learn, and offers wonderful opportunities. However, it can be used by offenders to prey on young people and commit serious offences. 'I want to urge parents to have conversations with their children about online safety, learn how their children use the internet and, if they notice any behavioural changes in their child, ask questions and explore if there is something worrying them. 'If you have any concerns about online child abuse we would urge you to call police on 101, or 999 in an emergency - we have specially trained officers who will listen and investigate where needed.' The billionaire co-owner of Asda has left his wife of thirty years and is engaged to a high-flying accountant who used to work at the grocer's auditor. News of the relationship between Mohsin Issa and Victoria Price follows speculation that it has caused a major rift between Mr Issa and his brother and business partner Zuber. Mr Issa is said to have moved out of the family compound near Blackburn and into a nearby mansion, which he bought for 18.2million in 2022. Father-of-two Mr Issa, 52, met Ms Price, 41, at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester in 2018 when she presented him and his brother with an entrepreneur of the year award at a ceremony. The award was sponsored by Big Four accountancy firm EY, where Ms Price was a partner specialising in tax. Mohsin Issa (right), billionaire co-owner of Asda, has left his wife of thirty years and is engaged to high-flying accountant Victoria Price (left) who used to work at the grocer's auditor News of the relationship between Mohsin Issa (right) and Ms Price follows speculation that it has caused a major rift between Mr Issa and his brother Zuber Issa (left) Mr Issa and Ms Price first met at the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 North awards (pictured with Jeremy Vine) The Issa brothers made their fortune in petrol station retailing, founding EG Group initially called Euro Garages in 2001. The billionaire Issa brothers and the rise and rise of EG Group 1970s - Mohsin and Zuber Issa's parents arrive to the UK from Gujarat, India, and the brothers are born not long afterwards in Blackburn, Lancashire. They work at their parents' petrol station before it closes. 2001 - The brothers buy their first filling station in Bury, Greater Manchester. 2015 - Private equity firm TDR Capital acquire a 50 per cent stake in their Euro Garages chain. 2017 - Euro Garages buys EFR Group, a Dutch-based forecourt operator, and is renamed EG Group. The new company buys 1,000 garages from Esso in Germany. 2018 - EG Group announces it will buy 800 Kroger convenience stores in the US before buying 1,200 sites in Italy from Esso. Later that year it buys 97 fuel stations in the Netherlands and 540 from the Australian retailer Woolworths. 2019 - In another US expansion, EG buys 54 Fastrac sites in the US and 69 from Certified Oil. 2020 - EG becomes KFC's largest franchisee in Europe after buying 145 KFC outlets in the UK & Ireland. 2021 - The Issa brothers buy Asda from Walmart for 6.8billion, bringing the supermarket back under British control. Advertisement In 2021 they led a 6.8billion buyout of Asda. But MPs investigating the deal questioned their 'opaque' accounts and ownership structure, and raised concerns over Mohsin Issa's lack of experience in food retailing. He is understood to be in process of divorcing his wife, Shamim, whom he married three decades ago. They have two children in their twenties; daughter Mariya and son Sauban. Ms Price divorced her second husband, Alastair Nuttall, in December 2021, citing irreconcilable differences. She had met him in 2015 when they both worked at EY's Manchester office. He helped raise her two children from previous relationships. The accountant began working at EY in 2006, rising through the ranks to become a partner heading up its private tax unit. Her relationship with Mr Issa raised questions of a conflict of interest, as he was the director of a firm, Asda, being audited by EY. But lawyers for the couple have stressed that Ms Price never worked on the Asda audit and made 'all appropriate disclosures' to its ethics and compliance committee. Her affair with Mr Issa was also disclosed, they added. Ms Price left EY last July the day after the firm resigned as Asda's auditor. EY said they did so after the supermarket bought EG Group's UK business a month earlier, citing the increased scale and complexity of the business. Ms Price recently took up a high-powered job with management consultants Alvarez & Marsal, posting on LinkedIn this week that she was on an induction course in Florida. According to the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, the Issa brothers have a combined net worth of more than 5billion. The feud between them has resulted in Mohsin running Asda and Zuber taking charge of the rest of the EG Group. The Issa brothers made their fortune in petrol station retailing, founding EG Group initially called Euro Garages in 2001. In 2021 they led a 6.8billion buyout of Asda (File Image) The Issa brothers bought Asda from Walmart in 2021, bringing the supermarket back under British control In 2001 the brothers bought their first filling station in Bury (pictured, file image) In 2020, the brother's became KFC's largest franchisee in Europe after buying 145 KFC outlets in the UK & Ireland (File image) A source close to the brothers said: 'Since the acquisition of Asda was cleared in the summer of 2021, Mohsin has overseen the supermarket day-to-day focusing on the separation from Walmart supported by the experienced leadership team he has built, while Zuber has been doing the same for EG Group in Blackburn.' Asda is Britain's third-largest supermarket but has been losing market share to Aldi and Lidl. Saddled with debts of over 4billion, it has spent nearly two years looking for a chief executive after Roger Burnley quit following the brother's buyout. The billionaire Issa brothers' petrol garage starting point in Bury Brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa founded EG Group, one of Europe's largest independent fuel retailers. The company began as one petrol station that the brothers ran in Bury, Greater Manchester. It then became Euro Garages, with locations across the UK, before private equity giant TDR Capital came onboard. The business then became EG group, and expanded into Europe. The EG Group has acquired brands including Cooplands, Cumberland Farms, Go Fresh, Leon and Loaf 'N Jug. The Issa brothers separately bought supermarket giant Asda with TDR Capital. Earlier this year, the brothers lost out on bids to acquire corner shop chain McColl's, and the Walgreens Boots Alliance. Advertisement But Mohsin Issa told MPs in December that he is 'best qualified' for the Asda job despite struggling at times to answer their basic questions about the finances of the grocer. Brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa founded EG Group in 2001, one of Europe's largest independent fuel retailers. The company began as one petrol station that the brothers ran in Bury, Greater Manchester. It then became Euro Garages, with locations across the UK, before private equity giant TDR Capital came onboard. The business then became EG group, and expanded into Europe. The EG Group has acquired brands including Cooplands, Cumberland Farms, Go Fresh, Leon and Loaf 'N Jug. The Issa brothers separately bought supermarket giant Asda with TDR Capital. The billionaire brothers agreed to buy the Co-op group's petrol stations for 600million in 2022. The sale saw five per cent of Co-op's entire retail estate including 129 petrol stations and three development sites handed over to Asda, which already ran 323 petrol stations across the UK. Brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa saw off a number of rival bids to seal the deal, reportedly increasing their offer from 450million to 600million. Co-op, known for its supermarket chains and funeral care operations, said that offloading its petrol forecourts will allow it to focus on its convenience business as well as raising important cash for the business. For Asda, the move is part of its plans to become 'the UK's second largest supermarket' and to move further into the country's convenience store market. Asda will pay 438million in cash and take on around 162million of lease liabilities as part of the deal, with the final amount set to be confirmed on completion later this year. Billionaire Issa brothers, who own Asda, have bought the Co-Op's petrol stations for 600million The deal is expected to free up cash for the Co-op, which last month announced it would cut around 400 jobs in the face of tough trading conditions worsened by rising inflation The deal also freed up cash for the convenience chain, which in 2022 announced it would cut around 400 jobs in the face of tough trading conditions worsened by rising inflation. The cash will go towards funding new convenience stores in the heart of more communities, and reducing its net debt, the Co-op said. Co-op Group which owns supermarket chains and funeral care operations has offloaded a number of its divisions over the past decade, including its chain of pharmacies and travel shops. Asda which runs 320 petrol stations across the UK was taken over by the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital last year Mohsin and Zuber Issa's parents arrive to the UK from Gujarat, India, and the brothers are born not long afterwards in Blackburn, Lancashire In April 2022, the firm revealed that its annual profits were slashed in half following supply chain disruption and higher costs. Shirine Khoury-Haq, Co-op's newly-appointed chief executive, said at the time: 'This transaction is in line with our strategy to move away from operating petrol forecourts and supports our vision of co-operating for a fairer world while building our core leading convenience business.' Mohsin Issa, co-owner of Asda, said: 'We have always been clear in our ambition to grow Asda and are hugely excited to create this new and distinct part of our business, giving us the opportunity to bring Asda value in fuel and groceries to even more customers and communities across the UK. 'We see convenience as a significant growth opportunity for the business. 'This acquisition accelerates our strategy in this area and forms part of our long-term ambition to become the UK's second-largest supermarket. In June 2022, the US owner of pharmacy chain Boots has abandoned its plans to sell the UK high street chemist despite interest from the Issa brothers. Walgreens Boots Alliance decided to keep both the pharmacy chain - which has 2,260 stores in the UK and employs around 55,000 - and the No7 beauty brand after 'market instability' put a stop to its plans to sell. The 172-year-old feature of British high streets merged with Walgreens through deals in 2012 and 2014 and was valued at about 9billion at the time. It was set for a sale of 5billion after a bid by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani through a consortium of Apollo Global Management and Reliance Industries. However there were other takeover approaches from the Issa brothers' Mohsin, and Zuber who promised to invest 1billion to improve Asda since buying that business. In May 2022, the Issa brothers also lodged last-minute bids to take control of the collapsed corner shop chain McColl's. But Morrisons won the battle to take over, securing the future of 16,000 jobs and 1,100 shops. The supermarket giant fended off competition from the billionaire brothers, after a takeover tussle. McColl's lenders initially rejected an offer from Morrisons that would have seen it take on the firm's debts and repay them over time. Yet the supermarket chain returned with an improved deal that would see the lenders repaid in full immediately, satisfying one of McColl's key demands. The brothers story is an extraordinary one of rags to riches. The two billionaire brothers turned a single petrol station in Bury into an empire of 5,900 branches before they bought Asda. Mohsin Issa, 49, and his brother Zuber, 48, whose parents came to Britain from India 'with nothing', built EG Group from one site bought for 150,000 in 2001 into a 9billion giant employing 44,000 staff. The brothers were worth an estimated 3.56billion, which included a 25million Kensington townhouse and a private jet that kept in a hangar at Blackpool Airport alongside Donald Trump's personal helicopter. The brothers holding trophies at an awards ceremony in London in 2018, which saw them named EY Entrepreneur of the Year As the children of immigrants who moved to Blackburn from Gujurat, India, in the 1970s, Mohsin and Zuber Issa - who were born in the former mill town - quickly learned the importance of hard work. Their first experience of business was selling petrol from their parents' filling station, where they would have their big idea that would revolutionise the industry and make their millions. Petrol sales were in decline and fuel duty on the rise, cutting into already wafer-thin fuel margins and leading to hundreds of operators leaving the market. At the time most garages - if they sold food at all - offered a measly selection of pre-packaged sandwiches, crisps, sweets and chocolate. But the Issas realised fuel sales still had a purpose in creating a captive market at petrol stations, who could then be offered appetising food rather than the gruel offered elsewhere The brothers struck franchise agreements with brands including Starbucks, Subway and KFC, before embarking on a buying spree to snap up sites that had previously become vacant. Describing the secret of their success, Zuber told the Financial Times: 'We wanted to create a destination where you could get fuel, food-to-go and shopping. 'This is the formula and it works. 'We were fortunate that the big players were leaving the market just as we were growing.' The 115,000 terraced house where the brothers grew up in Blackburn. They were born in the town after their parents moved from Gujurat, India A wider view of the road in Blackburn where the brothers grew up. Their company is still based in the town They are now worth an estimated 3.56billion, including a 25million Kensington townhouse (pictured) and a private jet that is kept in a hangar at Blackpool Airport alongside Donald Trump's personal helicopter Asda history: How Britain's third-largest supermarket began as a Yorkshire family butcher 1950s: The Asquith family (W.R. Asquith) open a butcher's shop in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, which was eventually expanded to seven shops. 1958: They travel to the USA to visit Piggly Wiggly, probably the world's first supermarket. 1963: The Asquiths open the UK's first self-service supermarket in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The first Asda supermarket, which was opened in 1965 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire 1965: Peter Asquith built his first new supermarket from scratch, next to a large car park, knowing that cars would change the way people shop. Associated Dairies were employed to run the in-store butchery operation and the name Asda was born by combining ASquith and DAiries. 1966: Asda becomes the first major food store to sell general merchandise. 1968: Associated Dairies buys out the Asquith Brothers. A newspaper article about one of the first ever Asda stores 1999 Asda is bought by Walmart. 2020 (February): Walmart says it is looking for a buyer. Advertisement 'They never in their wildest dreams would have imagined 5,500 gas stations in nine markets,' senior executive Ilyas Munshi told the American trade magazine CSP. 'If they had only 20 sites, they would have felt they had done their job.' As proud Lancastrians, the brothers have insisted on keeping EG Group's headquarters in Blackburn, and recently unveiled a new 35million headquarters. 'People are always asking when we will move to London or Manchester,' Zuber told the FT. 'But the quality of life here is great. A lot of people do a few years in London then come to the North West. 'They want to raise a family and have less pressure. We have got a lot of fantastic people that way.' Mohsin has a wife Shamim, and their son and a daughter both work for EG. Both brothers rarely give interviews and have adopted a low-key public profile. They are now building five identical 'super-sized' homes three miles from their childhood home. Despite the fierce opposition, which saw the council face 30 letters of complaint, eight old houses have now been demolished and builders have laid foundations for the five 5,000 sq ft mansions. Plans for the large houses, which are located on a quiet rural road outside Blackburn where houses sell for up to 1million, were lodged in April 2018. They sparked an uproar, with the properties described as 'not in fitting with the local area' as the homes stand over 4.5 metres taller with 1,500 square metres of floor space. But planning permission was granted and pictures taken earlier this year showed builders had already moved in. In 2017, the pair purchased a 25million mansion in Knightsbridge, which estate agents said could be worth 80million when planned renovations are carried out according to estate agents. Their Grade II listed Georgian house is also at the centre of a long-running planning row. The previous owner began digging a basement and left a vast 30ft-deep crater the size of two tennis courts, described by horrified neighbours to 'Hitler's bunker'. When finished the luxury 22,000 sq ft home will have a huge underground car park, a swimming pool, spa, and cinema. The brothers donate 2.5 per cent of their earnings to charity through the Issa Foundation, which funds hospitals and provides free breakfasts for children in Lancashire. They emerged as favourites to buy Asda in 2020. The decision confounded the City who believed owners, US grocer Walmart, was ready to sign a deal with Apollo Global Management, which was headed up by former Debenhams boss Rob Templeman. When Lone Star Funds, which was working with former Asda executive Paul Mason, dropped out Apollo were seemingly left with a clear run. Yet it is thought Walmart was wooed by the Issas' entrepreneurial flair and the potential to put Asda convenience stores in EG's petrol stations. The Issas are backed by private-equity firm TDR Capital, which has owned half of EG Group since 2016, and a series of lenders including Barclays and Lloyds. A British aristocrat and wife of a top Hollywood producer who committed suicide on Monday was a forever friend, adored, bright and charming, her sister-in-law told DailyMail.com. Isabelle Thomas, 39, fell from a high balcony of Hotel Angeleno in Los Angeles on Monday evening, in what authorities are describing as a suicide. The mother of two leaves behind her husband, Killers of the Flower Moon producer Bradley Thomas, 58, and her two young daughters. Thomas sister, Diana ODonnell, told DailyMail.com that Bradleys mother and niece had flown to LA to look after him and she would soon follow, while his four male friends are waking the kids up in the morning and feeding them breakfast and reading them stories as he grieves. It was really easy with her. She just felt like a forever person in my life, a forever friend, and a wonderful sister-in-law. Were all really sad and broken. Its just such a horrific loss to all of us, she said. Isabelle Thomas, 39, pictured with husband Bradley, 58 fell from a high balcony of Hotel Angeleno in Los Angeles on Monday evening. Her death was ruled a suicide. Isabelle was described as adored, bright and charming. She is survived by her two young daughters The aristocrat's suicide was described by family members as a 'horrific loss' but said her husband is being supported by his mother and friends Izzy, as she was known to her friends, was the daughter of Sir Henry Lawrence, 7th Baronet of Lucknow and his ex-wife Penelope Nunan. She met Bradley in LA while working as a documentarian and married in 2018. Diana, 59, said she knew what her brother was going through, as she lost her husband to suicide 20 years ago. Its hit our family more than once, she said. We don't realize how vulnerable and how fragile we are. There's no trying to understand it. It's just chemical imbalance, or whatever you want to call it. Its really hard being a single parent. Hes extremely lucky because hes very well-liked and loved by so many. We're very fortunate to have this circle of friends around us and family. I had the luxury of having things very quiet, not so public. I worry about these little girls growing up one day and Googling their mom. These little girls are gonna grow up without their mom and have a lot of questions and a lot of sadness, because mom's not there to watch them grow and celebrate all their milestones that they're going to have in their life. Her sister-in-law Diana ODonnell (pictured) described Isabelle as a 'forever friend'. O'Donnell also previously lost her husband to suicide The Thomas family have suffered a succession of devastating losses, including their father Charlie (pictured) who died of pancreatic cancer in 2022 age 81. Diana was full of praise for her late sister-in-law. We adored Izzy, she was bright. She was charming. She was just always lovely. She never had anything bad to say about anyone, the Maryland native said. Izzy was just happy to have a piece of you, no matter what you gave her. She was really easy and simple in that regard, she never put demands on anyone. Bradleys sister declined to comment on Isabelles mental health, saying her health situation was private, but added that obviously someone is struggling mentally, to be able to go to the extreme of taking their own life. The Thomas family have suffered a succession of devastating losses, after Dianas husbands suicide, her and Bradleys young aunt who was raised like a sibling to them but died of lung cancer in recent years, and their father Charlie who died of pancreatic cancer in 2022 age 81. Bradleys older sister is intensely proud of her brothers achievements, listing on Facebook the Oscar Best Picture nomination for Killers of the Blood Moon and its lead Leonardo DiCaprios Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a drama. Bradley has also produced hit movies There's Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber. Diana posted lovingly about her late sister-in-law, sharing Isabelles wedding photos in 2018 and a photo of her in March 2021 with her two baby daughters. O'Donnell declined to comment on Isabelles mental health, saying her health situation was private, but added that obviously someone is struggling mentally, to be able to go to the extreme of taking their own life. The LA County Medical Examiners Office listed the cause of death as suicide, citing multiple traumatic injuries Isabelle reportedly jumped from a balcony on a high floor at the Hotel Angeleno in LA Monday and didnt leave a note, though police have not confirmed those details. The LA County Medical Examiners Office listed the cause of death as suicide, citing multiple traumatic injuries. The LAPD told DailyMail.com police responded to the scene about a deceased woman found in the pool area. On Friday they declined to comment further, saying the case was being handled by the Medical Examiner. The Medical Examiner says they will issue a report when the case is closed. The feud between Prince William and Harry is a war that continues to rage in the royal household. But palace insiders claim that the origins of the brothers' disagreement predates the Duke of Sussex's relationship with Meghan Markle. Instead they trace the royal rift to the brothers' differing approach to wildlife conservation. A source told the Times that, despite sharing a passion for preserving protected species, the pair had opposing views on how to manage projects in Africa. They said while the Prince of Wales was said to support community-led initiatives to help local people conserve the land, the Duke of Sussex favoured a more interventionist approach. Prince Harry's feud with brother William is rooted in the brothers' differing approaches to wildlife conservation, sources claim The Prince of Wales is set to favour a community driven approach geared towards assisting local people in protecting the land Prince Harry was the president of African Parks for six years until moving to the governing board of directors last year Harry's hands-on methods came under scrutiny this week following reports that he was warned about rapes and human rights abuses by rangers employed by African Parks, a charity of which he was President for six years, before moving on to the governing board of directors last year. Since then, he has faced calls to quit the role amid outrage from Survival International, which advocates the rights of indigenous peoples. The claims, which were also reported by The Mail on Sunday, included allegations of park rangers raping a young mother while she held her two-month-old baby, and another sex attack on an 18-year-old boy. African Parks, which manages national parks in 12 African countries through government partnerships, has been confronted by first-hand testimonies that the Baka an indigenous people have been subjected to disturbing intimidation. It is claimed they have been stopped from entering forests where they have foraged, fished, hunted and found medicine for millennia. Survival International wrote in its letter to Prince Harry last May about 'violent intimidation and torture' that had taken place, including the rape of a young mother by a guard. The strong-grip approach favoured by Harry is reliant on large contributions from western donors. Prince Harry was the president of African Parks for six years until being elevated to the governing board of directors The Duke of Sussex's hands-on approach is reliant on funding from western donors Harry himself described 'almost coming to blows' with William in front of childhood mates in his autobiography Spare. In response to a question about why the two brothers both worked in Africa, the Prince of Wales is said to have replied 'Because rhinos, elephants, that's mine!'. The Duke of Sussex is not paid for his work with African Parks, but enjoys considerable influence over how 49.4million acres of protected land is managed, and is able to network with the charity's large donors, including Walmart's Walton family and the Oppenheimers. African Parks said on Saturday that it had a 'zero-tolerance' policy for any form of abuse and is 'committed to upholding the rights of local and indigenous people'. Republicans say President Biden should respond even more forcefully to extract revenge on Iran after its proxies killed three Americans in a drone attack on a base in Jordan last weekend. The Pentagon confirmed long-range bombers and drones hit 85 targets with 145 bombs in Iraq and Syria during the widespread military operation on Friday night. But Republicans are expressing concern that the Biden administration hasn't targeted Iran directly enough. GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez went after President Biden on a post on X just minutes after the strikes were made public saying oil sanctions must 'immediately' be reimposed on Iran in addition to military action. Rich Goldberg, who served as the director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction on Trump's National Security Council, said the U.S. should have hit Iranian commanders. 'Notably missing targets: IRGC commanders,' he wrote on X. The GOP leaders also criticized Biden's 'weakness' that some say invited the deadly attack on U.S. troops. The U.S. has started conducting airstrikes in Syria in response to the drone strike in Jordan that killed three American soldiers, reports suggest. The Pentagon confirmed long-range bombers and drones hit 85 targets with 145 bombs in Iraq and Syria during the widespread military operation on Friday night GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez went after President Biden on a post on X just minutes after the strikes were made public Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia (left) and Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, died in the drone strike of a US airbase in Jordan 'President Biden is weak and our enemies know it. His misguided foreign policy has invited these attacks against the United States,' continued Gimenez, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said the retaliatory strikes should have occurred on the 'same day' that troops were killed. 'The weakness that Biden has shown towards Iran over the past 3yrs has empowered bad actors across the Middle East. Trump's Maximum Pressure campaign WORKED. Economic sanctions will box Iran back-in.' Rep. Mike Waltz, who also serves on the Armed Services Committee, says he wants a briefing on whether 'targets' were able to escape or 'harden themselves' over the five days since U.S. troops were killed. 'It's a huge expenditure of precision munitions from increasingly depleted stockpiles that are needed,' he continued. Similarly, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, called the strikes 'long overdue' and 'allowed our enemies to prepare.' 'The Biden admin must be decisive with sustained retaliatory strikes and begin to enforce oil and other sanctions to cut off the source of terror funding,' he told DailyMail.com. Former combat veteran Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said Iran 'needs to know' the 'price for American lives.' The targets included locations linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard such as command headquarters and munitions depots. The huge operation comes a week after Iran-backed militias struck Tower 22 base near Jordan's border with Syria and Iraq. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, were killed and dozens of troops were injured. President Biden said that the U.S. response to the deadly attack 'began today' and promised that it will continue 'at times and places of our choosing.' 'The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.' White House aide John Kirby confirmed that the U.S. airstrikes against three facilities in Iraq and four in Syria were successful Friday evening. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also said that 'additional actions' directed by Biden will unfold. 'This is the start of our response. The President has directed additional actions to hold the IRGC and affiliated militias accountable for their attacks on U.S. and Coalition Forces. These will unfold at times and places of our choosing.' President Biden is weak and our enemies know it. His misguided foreign policy has invited these attacks against the United States. In fact, Biden lifted President Trumps sanctions on Iran which were among the most effective in history. (2/3) Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) February 2, 2024 Notably missing targets: IRGC commanders. https://t.co/9qDhJM2WBb Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) February 2, 2024 These strikes should have occurred the SAME DAY our servicemembers were killed. The weakness that Biden has shown towards Iran over the past 3yrs has empowered bad actors across the Middle East. Trump's Maximum Pressure campaign WORKED. Economic sanctions will box Iran back-in. pic.twitter.com/5BYP8QDlE2 Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) February 2, 2024 Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia has been identified as one of the soldiers killed in the drone strike The strikes come almost a week after the strike by Iran-backed militias on the Tower 22 base near Jordan's border with Syria and Iraq Biden has warned militias who've attacked US troops and commercial ships hundreds of times in recent months that they won't be hit just once. The president attended the dignified transfer ceremony for the three slain troops earlier on Friday at Dover Air Force Base. He held his hand over his heart as he watched their flag-draped coffins being carried across the tarmac after arriving back on home soil. Despite the American aggression, Biden has insisted he doesn't want a wider war in Iran. President Joe Biden has addressed the U.S. military strikes that pummeled militia targets inside Iraq and Syria indicating more displays of military might were on the way. The president began by referencing his attendance at the dignified transfer ceremony for three U.S. troops killed in the drone attack in Jordan, then only briefly described the complex air assault the U.S. had orchestrated days later in response. 'Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing,' Biden said, in just the latest instance of language telegraphic a sustained response. The White House sent out the statement while the president was at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, after attending the ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. 'Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing,' President Joe Biden said in a written statement after the U.S. unleashed strikes on militia targets in Iraq and Syria 'This past Sunday, three American soldiers were killed in Jordan by a drone launched by militant groups backed by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Earlier today, I attended the dignified return of these brave Americans at Dover Airforce Base, and I have spoken with each of their families,' Biden began. 'This afternoon, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces,' he said. Amid concerns about the expansion of a wider war and warnings by Tehran, Biden said that 'The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.' Lt. Gen. Arthur Sims, director for operations for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, told reporters on a national security call Friday evening that the U.S. hit 85 targets, relying on B-1 aircraft sent from within the continental United States. 'This was designed around the weather when we had our best opportunity related to the weather.' Lt. Gen. Arthur Sims, director for operations for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, told reporters on a national security call Friday evening that the U.S. hit 85 targets 'This was designed around the weather when we had our best opportunity related to the weather,' said Lt. Gen. Arthur Sims, director for operations for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon 'We made these strikes tonight with the idea that there would likely be casualties with people located inside those facilities,' he said. He said targets would 'impact their ability to conduct future strikes against Americans.' National security spokesman John Kirby said Biden was kept informed about the operation throughout the afternoon. Kirby said targets were 'carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties.' He said there was 'clear irrefutable evidence that [the targets] were connected to attacks.' The targets 'were carefully chosen as facilities that we knew were involved and used by the IRGC and these militant groups in attacks against U.S. personnel,' he said. There have been 'no communications' with Iran since the drone attack in Jordan, he said, although the White House is clearly hoping the strikes will not draw an escalation from Tehran. 'We do not seek a target with Iran,' Kirby said, when asked why targets inside Iran weren't selected. Instead, the targets backed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps outside of Iran were selected. Kirby cited the weather and other factors for why the strikes were carried out Friday,. 'It had no connection none whatsoever with the timing of the dignified transfer today at Dover Air Force Base,' he said. 'The attacks have got to stop,' Kirby said, when in reference to repeated attacks on U.S. troops and interests overseas since Israel began its war against Hamas. 'These responses began tonight. Theyre not going to end tonight.' The comments from the White House and the military came after the U.S. launched a devastating wave of airstrikes on Iran's Revolutionary Guard in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three U.S. troops. Multiple long-range bombers and drones hit 85 targets with 125 bombs in the widespread military operation on Friday night. Two two B-1- bombers flew from the U.S. for the mission hitting multiple targets linked to the IRGC and Iran-backed militias, including command and intelligence centers and areas where rockets, missiles and drones were stored. The huge operation is the first from the U.S. striking back after Iran-backed militias' deadly strike on the Tower 22 base near Jordan's border with Syria and Iraq last Sunday. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, were killed and dozens of troops were injured in the attack that sparked further tensions in the Middle East. President Joe Biden ordered the strikes just hours after he attended the dignified transfer ceremony for their remains at Dover Air Force Base. Biden mentioned attending the dignified transfer of the remains of Army Reserve Sergeants William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders and Breonna Moffett, three U.S. service members who were killed in Jordan during a drone attack Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia (left) and Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, died in the drone strike of a US airbase in Jordan He held his hand over his heart as he watched their flag-draped coffins being carried across the tarmac after arriving back on home soil. A short time after the solemn ceremony finished, he authorized the huge response he has threatened for days. 'This past Sunday, three American soldiers were killed in Jordan by a drone launched by militant groups backed by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC),' Biden said on Friday. 'Earlier today, I attended the dignified return of these brave Americans at Dover Airforce Base, and I have spoken with each of their families. 'This afternoon, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces. 'Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing. The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. 'But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.' It's unclear what the next steps will be or when they will take place, or whether the days of U.S. warnings have sent militia members scattering into hiding. But the recent statement released by Kataeb Hezbollah, one of the main Iran-backed militias, saying it was suspending attacks on American troops had no impact on the administration's plans to retaliate. National Security Council John Kirby said the response to the deadly drone strike will be 'tiered' and could 'potentially include multiple actions over a period of time.' Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia has been identified as one of the soldiers killed in the drone strike The strikes come almost a week after the strike by Iran-backed militias on the Tower 22 base near Jordan's border with Syria and Iraq 'At 4:00 p.m. (EST) Feb. 02, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups,' U.S. Central Command said in a statement. 'U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. 'The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. 'The facilities that were struck included command and control operations, centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aired vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces.' A leader of an Australian neo-Nazi movement is taking steps to overturn Victoria's Nazi salute laws in a constitutional battle headed to court. Jacob Hersant, 24, had just walked free from the County Court of Victoria when he allegedly performed the recently outlawed gesture to a waiting pack of reporters. He was promptly charged over the salute and on Friday appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court where his plan to fight the charge was revealed. Jacob Hersant noted the salute was illegal immediately after he allegedly performed it His lawyer Sandra Gaunt told Magistrate David Starvaggi her client planned to defend the charge on 'constitutional grounds'. 'There's another issue that's been raised in regards to a constitutional argument,' she said. 'With respect to that the issue is that there is notice that needs to be given with regards to notifying the Attorney General's Office regarding that particular argument and that's obviously going to take some time to do.' Under Australian law, the Commonwealth Attorney-General has a right to intervene on behalf of the government in cases raising constitutional issues. Ms Gaunt said attorney generals across the country would need to be notified before the matter returned to court. The planned action could see the case drag out for months or even years should the argument land in the High Court. Hersant appeared in court via video link despite Mr Starvaggi's complaints that he ought have appeared in person. Jacob Hersant (right) allegedly performed the Nazi salute while talking to reporters outside a Melbourne court in October (pictured) 'Heil Hitler', Hersant had proudly exclaimed while seemingly lifting his hand to perform the vile salute Hersant stunned reporters in October on exiting the court building after he was sentenced for a violent attack on campers. 'Heil Hitler', Hersant had proudly exclaimed while seemingly lifting his hand to perform the vile salute. Camera footage captured by various news outlets showed Hersant quickly pull out of the salute after he remembered it was now illegal. 'Nearly did it its illegal now, isnt it?' Hersant said while still smiling for the cameras. The incident was promptly reported to police, who confirmed it was the first reported incident since the ban in Victoria went into effect just a week earlier. Hersant is facing up to a year in prison for allegedly making the gesture. Last month, Hersant remained defiant when he was made to front court over the salute. 'I just think that it is absurd that we are supposed to live in a democracy, yet the government is trying to jail me for moving my arm in a particular way, in a particular gesture,' Hersant told reporters. 'They didnt think there was a chance of imprisonment, but the prosecutor made it clear that there is a chance of imprisonment, so I presume I will get legal aid now.' Jacob Hersant is pursued by reporters after leaving court in October Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Dr Dvir Abramovich, slammed Hersant's latest court moves. Mr Abramovich spent seven years spearheading the national campaign to outlaw the public displays of the Nazi swastika, salute and the trafficking of Nazi items. 'What we witnessed in court is a lame attempt by this avowed neo-Nazi, who fantasises about an Auschwitz in Melbourne and an Australian Hitler, to avoid jail,' he told Daily Mail Australia following the hearing. 'I have full faith that the laws that I advocated for in a seven year campaign, which have resulted in Mr Hersant being charged, will stand any legal test. 'A democracy is not just about the rights that we have, it's also about what we are willing to tolerate. And our nation cannot allow white-supremacist to weaponise the Nazi salute to terrorise the community.' Mr Abramovich said the continued use of the Nazi salute would come as a further insult to those Australians who fought to destroy the Nazi regime. 'I'm sure that the diggers who sacrificed their lives to defeat the Third Reich would be proud of these bans, as well as the victims and Holocaust survivors. This is a battle between good and evil, and one that we are determined to win. Never Again is now,' he said. Victoria Police had come out strong after charging Hersant over the alleged salute. 'Police are taking a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of the prohibition on performing Nazi salutes or displaying Nazi symbols in public,' a spokesperson said at the time. Under the new laws, anyone who displays or performs a Nazi symbol or gesture in public will face penalties of up to $23,000, 12 months jail or both. The salute is also banned in Tasmania and New South Wales. Victorias Police Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson had warned Victorians not to even think about performing the salute in public. 'If any member of public, including the National Socialist Network attend any of those rallies and undertake a Nazi salute then police will be pursuing those individuals to ensure that we enforce the new law,' Deputy Commissioner Paterson said at the time. 'I'm putting people on notice that if that was to occur, as of today police will be taking action against those individuals.' Ohio Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Firebombing a Church that Planned to Host Drag Show Events An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to 216 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to burn down a church because of its support for the LGBTQ+ community. Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio, was arrested and charged last year with one count of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials, and one count of possessing a destructive device. On Oct. 23, 2023, Penny pleaded guilty to the church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony. According to court documents, on March 25, 2023, Penny made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland (CCC), in Chesterland, Ohio. Angered by the churchs plan to host two drag events the following weekend, Penny threw two Molotov cocktails at the church, hoping to burn it to the ground. Through Pennys guilty plea, he admitted to using force through fire and explosives, intending to obstruct CCC congregants in their enjoyment and expression of their religious beliefs. This sentence holds Mr. Penny accountable for carrying out violence against an Ohio church because he disagreed with the way congregants chose to express their beliefs, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. Such acts of extremist violence have no place in our communities and the Justice Department is committed to bringing to justice those who would use or threaten violence to prevent their fellow citizens from freely exercising their fundamental rights. We hope this significant sentence sends a clear and resounding message that this type of hate-fueled attack against a church will not be tolerated in our country, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. This defendant tried to burn down a church simply because its members created space for and provided support to the LGBTQ+ community. The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute such senseless, bias-motivated violence against people exercising their constitutionally protected right to practice their religion and express their beliefs. Aimenn Penny will spend the next 18 years in prison because he committed crimes fueled by hate, attempting to burn down a church because its members supported the LGBTQI+ community, said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. Hate crimes like Pennys hurt not only the individual target, but the entire community, causing people to fear attack based on who they love and undermining the sense of safety within places of worship. Violent, bias-motivated extremism has no place in our country, and our office will aggressively prosecute those who commit such crimes. Aimenn Penny is being held accountable for trying to burn down a house of worship because he disagreed with the church hosting certain events, said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBIs National Security Branch. Individuals who commit acts of violence, destroy property, and interfere with the free exercise of religion will face justice for those crimes. As in this case, the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will use our lawful authorities to protect our communities from such violence, and ensure those responsible pay the price. The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Deckert and Matthew W. Shepard for the Northern District of Ohio, Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section, and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Divisions Criminal Section prosecuted the case. This story has been published on: 2024-02-02. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. IOC president Bach praises Gangwon 2024 brilliant success Xinhua) 10:51, February 02, 2024 Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), speaks at the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) GANGNEUNG, South Korea, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games has been made "brilliant success" with the efforts of athletes, the organizing committee and the volunteers on Thursday in the closing ceremony of the event. Bach appreciated all the athletes' engagement and expressed congratulation to their performance. "What I saw and heard from you [is that] you're really like this Winter Youth Olympic Games. You have played an important part of this," the IOC chief said. Bach said: "All this would not have been possible without the great work of our [South] Korea friends--the organizing committee, the [South] Korea people, the volunteers, the different level of governments. All of them have been very much engaged to make this Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 brilliant success." After Bach's speech, the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games concluded with the Olympic cauldron extinguished in the closing ceremony. 1,802 athletes aged 14 to 18 from 78 countries and regions competed for the past two weeks at the fourth Winter Youth Olympics featuring seven sports, 15 disciplines and 81 events. The United States topped the medal table with five golds, 11 silvers and five bronzes. The mascot Moongcho (C) and volunteers prepare to put out the digital cauldron at Gangneung Olympic Park during the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Volunteers are seen during the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) Representatives of athletes and volunteers take photos during the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) Members of the Chinese delegation enter the site before the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) A choir sing while the Olympic flag is lowered during the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) A member of the delegation of the Czech Republic is seen during the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Choi Jong-ku, executive president of the organizing committee for Gangwon 2024, speaks at the closing ceremony of Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, Korea, Feb. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The news that Queen Camilla and the Princess Royal are holding up the ceiling (as one insider described it to me this week) during the familys current health crisis is no surprise to anyone in royal circles. For the King has long been surrounded by a team of strong, loyal and formidable female figures both in front of, and behind, the scenes. And their influence will continue to shape both His Majestys reign and the institutions ability to survive in the difficult decades to come. Their presence is particularly important given the towering legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, whose passing means we are unlikely to see another female monarch for at least three generations. The Kings long-standing admiration for an iron fist in a velvet glove can almost certainly be traced back to his adored grandmother, the late Queen Mother. As the two youngest working women in the family the Princess of Wales, 42, and the Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, have also formed a particularly dynamic duo in recent years Not for nothing was she dubbed the steel marshmallow (a moniker that many believe the Princess of Wales has more than inherited). Crucified emotionally by the frequent absences of his own parents due to the weight of expectation and duty on their shoulders, young Charles gravitated to his grandmother of whom he said when she died: For me, she meant everything. I adored her. One former aide who has worked closely with the King for several decades, is absolutely convinced her influence has had a lasting effect on the man he has become. The King is not frightened of powerful women, although he occasionally pretends he is, they say with a laugh. Whats interesting, however, is that he wont promote for the same of it. He doesnt mind where the best talent is coming from as long as they are as passionate about the issues that matter as he is. One well-placed source said this week that they firmly believe Sophie will become Kates Anne when she eventually becomes Queen Hes always liked a diverse set of voices around the table. At the head of that table is, undoubtedly, his wife, Queen Camilla, who can do more with half a raised eyebrow than many a courtier could ever hope to achieve, according to one insider. Another source adds that Her Majesty has a very common sense approach to the business of monarchy and has developed a good instinct for what matters as her keep calm and carry on approach to royal duties this week has demonstrated. She also very good at cooling a furrowed royal brow and because she has one foot still very much in the real world, thanks to her family, can bring a welcome sense of perspective, they continue. Thankfully, as I revealed in todays Daily Mail, Princess Anne also shows no sign of slowing down. Anne has just appointed five new Extra Ladies in Waiting and a new private secretary to cope with her still admirable workload of more than 400 engagements a year at the age of 73 In fact she has just appointed five new Extra Ladies in Waiting and a new private secretary with military experience to cope with her still admirable workload of more than 400 engagements a year at the age of 73. She will always stand shoulder to shoulder with her brother and never gets drawn into drama. She is quite formidable as a person but also just rather bloody brilliant, says one who knows her well. As the two youngest working women in the family the Princess of Wales, 42, and the Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, have also formed a particularly dynamic duo in recent years (indeed one well-placed source told me this week they firmly believe Sophie will become Kates Anne when she eventually becomes Queen). Its worth noting the princess has become increasingly confident in using her voice and proffering an opinion on the direction of travel for the family in recent years. Indeed, according to some sources it was Kate who urged the palace to stand firm in issuing their robust recollections may vary statement after Harry and Meghans infamous Oprah interview, arguing that history would judge the family on what they were prepared to accept as truth. She is, say those who know her, genuinely lovely and also subtly steely. No bad combination, you might think. The Queens office is awash with female talent, led by her private secretary, mother-of-two Sophie Densham, who has worked for Camilla for more than 15 years And its not just front of house where the Windsor women are making their mark. Behind the scenes, the sister squad is very much in evidence too. The Queens office is awash with female talent, led by her private secretary, mother-of-two Sophie Densham, who has worked for Camilla for more than 15 years, assisted by her much-liked deputy, Belinda Kim. Theres also her coterie of Queens Companions replacing the more traditional ladies in waiting all close friends and country sorts whose company the King also enjoys immensely. Thats not to say there isnt more that could be done in promoting strong female and diverse voices within the Royal Household. While his former operation at Clarence House when Prince of Wales was pretty egalitarian with an almost equal male/female ratio, according to one staff member, the same cannot be said at Buckingham Palace. Not one of the four most ancient and senior roles there (the Lord Chamberlain, Master of the Household, Private Secretary and Keeper of the Privy Purse) have ever been held by a woman, a glaring omission in this day and age. One of the most senior female figures now at the court of King Charles is the director of community engagement, Eva Omaghomi The good news, however, is that there is a wealth of brilliant women in positions of power and authority on the way up. One of the most senior female figures now at the court of King Charles is the director of community engagement, Eva Omaghomi. Indeed, she is so well regarded by him that her new role was created especially for her and she can often be seen travelling at his side on official engagements. With a masters degree from the School of Oriental and African studies, supremely well-connected Ms Omaghomi, who is of British Nigerian, Ghanaian and Sierra Leonian heritage, is in charge of all of the Kings grass-roots work. She has a good eye for the issues that matter and an even keener interest in how Charles can best make a difference to the most marginalised in society. READ MORE: Royals don't tend to visit each other in hospital, so there can be no stronger signal of Charles and Kate's bond than his trip to her bedside before his prostate operation. The family are more united than ever, says REBECCA ENGLISH Advertisement The King also relies on a trusted coterie of impressive female sounding boards including Dame Martina Milburn, his former chief executive at The Princes Trust, who continues to work with the sovereign on issues including youth violence and food waste. Elizabeth Buchanan, his former rural affairs adviser, is, apparently, still very much on the scene, as is the Anglo-American business executive Dame Amelia Fawcett and green business guru Polly Courtice. Dame Julia Cleverdon (clever both by name and nature) is another trusted sounding board, particularly on efforts to support British business, as is Baroness Louise Casey who recently led a damning view of the Metropolitan Police. While we may have the first King on the throne for 70 years, Buckingham Palace continues to display a formidably feminine touch, it seems. And few would argue it wont be a better place for it. A Border Patrol center for migrants in Eagle Pass, Texas was evacuated after threats to burn it down were made by people who joined the 'Take Back Our Border' trucker convoy to protest the Biden administration's border policies. Up to 175 migrants were relocated to other holding centers in Texas on Thursday after law enforcement learned of the threats, sources confirmed to DailyMail.com. The Border Patrol's version of SWAT units, BORTAC, and a separate mobile response team were activated to provide additional security, the sources added. 'As far as everyone knows, this is the first time something like this has happened,' said one Border Patrol agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Everyone keeps hearing they want to burn Firefly - that's what the threat was, so that's why they were moved,' the agent said. The US Border Patrol's Firefly migrant center outside of Eagle Pass, Texas received threats from people wanting to burn the center down and kill migrants, sources tell the DailyMail.com Less than 200 migrants were evacuated from the facility Thursday after the threats were made, federal sources tell DailyMail.com Texas National Guard soldiers patrol the entrance to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas. The land, owned by the City of Eagle Pass, was taken over by the state on Jan. 10 and federal agents were kicked out Two migrants, carrying thermal blankets, struggle to cross Rio Grande River on the Mexico-US border in Eagle Pass, Texas, United States on January 30 US Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of the Border Patrol confirmed the danger. 'Threats of violence against law enforcement personnel and migrants are unacceptable and CBP takes all threats very seriously,' a CBP spokesperson said. 'As such, we are taking appropriate and necessary actions to keep our employees and migrants in our custody safe. We will remain vigilant and continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners.' The threat comes after a staggering 2.48 million migrants were detected crossing into the United States illegally over the past year. Many more have entered the country undetected. Those who are intercepted by Border Patrol are usually released into the United States while awaiting their case being heard by a court. Firefly is one of the facilities where migrants are taken after they're arrested. Once there, a record of their illegal entry is made, a background check is done and biometrics are taken. This is also where some migrants make asylum claims, triggering a legal process that forces Border Patrol to release them into the country so they can await their court dates. The facility is a few miles outside of the city of Eagle Pass, home to 28,000 residents. Border Patrol's soft-sided facility, known as 'Firefly' is a series of tents, located miles outside of Eagle Pass, Texas, but easy to access since it's just off the side of a public road A view of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass during a historic surge of migrants in late December. The town of just 28,000 residents was overwhelmed with 23,000 migrants in just one week Texas has remained defiant, refusing to give federal immigration officer access to the park where illegal immigrants used to cross into the country illegally The city has been a point of entry of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in recent years. On January 10, under the direction of Gov. Greg Abbott, the state took over Shelby Park, a city owned park migrants where migrants were crossing into the country in droves. The state ordered that the federal Border Patrol agents be kicked out of the park and the 2.5 mile stretch of land the state seized. Abbott has accused the Biden Administration is not doing enough to secure the border. A trucker convoy of people from all over the country called 'Take Our Border Back' announced it would be heading to three locations across the southern border of the US to rally in support of Texas - including Eagle Pass. The convoy is expected to arrive in a ranch outside of Eagle Pass in a tiny town called Quemado on Friday afternoon. An aerial view of the 'Take Our Border Back' Convoy leaving Virginia on Jan. 29 The trucker convoy and other supporters who are arriving from across the country will be gathering outside of Eagle Pass at Cornerstone Children's Ranch in Quemado, Texas The ranch where the convoy will gather is a private ranch and participants are being asked to stay away from Eagle Pass and gather peacefully On Thursday night, people who traveled on their own to Eagle Pass to rally with the convoy started trickling into town. Many drove straight to Shelby Park to see ground zero for themselves - including some convoy supporters who drove in from Kerrville, Texas. 'I'm sorry, but it's time to start shooting - literally,' one woman told DailyMail.com about illegal immigrants. 'If they would come over legally, it would be fine, but not illegally.' The woman refused to give her name because she believes that anyone associated with the convoy is being tracked by the FBI. 'None of us are happy about it,' she said of her town, which has seen a spike in migrants being smuggled across the border. Kerrville residents had a meeting with the local sheriff about what to do if migrants were on their property. Three Texans who live near the town of Kerrville, Texas drove in to support the convoy in Eagle Pass Thursday night. The woman to the right did not want to be identified as she believes the FBI could be tracking her. Supporters of the 'Take Our Border Back' Convoy started to trickle into Eagle Pass ahead of the group's arrival on Friday. Thursday, trucks like the one pictured above could be seen driving around Shelby Park in Eagle Pass Groups from across the country, including Moms for America, are arriving in Eagle Pass to join the convoy, however is the concern is that violent, extremist may mix in with peaceful protestors 'All I can tell everybody is everybody in our area is gunned up and ready. They better not even think about it.' Language like hers and the potential for violence is scaring locals, with many getting their shopping done before the convoy arrives. 'I told my wife to get everything before Friday because I didn't want her at Walmart or HEB while those people were here,' one man told DailyMail.com. Additionally, the non-profit that works with the state to bus migrants from Eagle Pass to sanctuary cities like New York and Chicago has shut down for the weekend. Mission Border Hope also stopped taking migrants in for the days leading up to the convoy's arrival and is closed as a security measure. There was also visibly increased security at Shelby Park Friday. Danny Masterson's estranged wife Bijou Phillips has found his move to a maximum security prison 'very triggering', according to insiders, who claim she is taking 'forever to heal' and is 'dreading' celebrating their daughter's birthday for the first time without him later this month. The That '70s Show star was sentenced to 30-years to life with the possibility of parole for two counts of rape with force, violence or fear of bodily injury on September 7 and was being held at North Kern State Prison up until this week. The 47-year-old was moved to Corcoran State Prison in Central California, the longtime holding place of Charles Manson, a move that has reportedly taken 'an emotional toll' on Bijou, as she prepares for their daughter Fianna's 10th birthday on February 14. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, an insider said: 'The move that Danny has made to his new prison was very triggering for Bijou and stirred up past emotions that she is still trying to deal with. Danny Masterson 's estranged wife Bijou Phillips (pictured in October 2023) has found his move to a maximum security prison 'very triggering' Danny, 47, was sentenced to 30-years to life with the possibility of parole for two counts of rape with force, violence or fear of bodily injury The former TV star has recently been moved to Corcoran State Prison in Central California, which houses some of the state's most dangerous prisoners 'She has been able to go out and also vacation which has been a stress relief to get back to a somewhat normal life, but it still hurts her inside that her life is forever changed.' The source continued: 'It is going to get better but also it will take forever to heal from it all. She has had a very stressful life dealing with this and what her father has been accused of. It has been an emotional toll that has taken her to places of extreme stress and heartache. That is going to continue for a long time.' In September 2009, Bijou's sister Mackenzie revealed that she and their father, John Phillips, had a incestuous sexual relationship for 10 years from when she was 19. Bijou defended her father, who died in March 2001, and said in an interview at the time: 'I'm 29 now, I've talked to everyone who was around during that time, I've asked the hard questions. I do not believe my sister. Our father [was] many things. This is not one of them.' She also stood by Danny throughout both of his trials, but filed for divorce in September 2023, just 12 days after he was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for raping two women. Now, she is focusing on the future with their only child, Fianna, and is very much in 'mama bear mode.' The insider explained: 'Birthdays are going to be so hard, and Bijou is dreading upcoming ones because it will make her think of all that she has lost and that her family has lost. 'Her daughter's birthday is on Valentine's Day and Danny and hers are in the next few months, and they would all be enjoying it together in years past. Bijou is said to be 'dreading' their daughter Fianna's upcoming 10th birthday on February 14 The 43-year-old publicly stood by her husband during his rape trial. Couple are pictured arriving at a Los Angeles court in May 2023 Danny and Bijou got married in October 2011, but she filed for divorce just 12 days after he was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison Danny pictured with his That 70's Show co-stars Topher Grace, Wilmer Valderama, Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon, and Ashton Kutcher 'Fianna's birthday, especially being on a day known for love is something that is throwing her off her game and she is going to be in mama bear mode, as she has been but it still is devastating for her to go through this, not enough time has passed.' Last month, the actress was pictured looking downcast as she ran errands with her daughter Fianna after DailyMail.com revealed she had quietly quit Scientology. Less than a week later, the former Men at Work star had his request for bail denied. The source revealed: 'Danny remains adamant that he did nothing wrong and dreams of the day to be released. His feelings have not changed and is awaiting his appeal process.' However, now that his bail request has been denied, his conviction is pending an appeal. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said Danny will 'likely remain in custody for decades, and perhaps the rest of his life' if his sentence is upheld on appeal. Olmedo, who oversaw his trial, said that he is a flight risk. This is in part owing to Bijou filing for divorce after 12 years of marriage. The order said: 'In light of the fact that defendant has no wife to go home to, defendant now has every incentive to flee and little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful.' Married At First Sight bride Ellie Dix's cousin Jordan is quickly becoming one of the most hated men on TV after he almost ruined her wedding to Ben Walters on Thursday night. During the episode, Jordan bombard groom Ben, 39, with blunt questions about his reasons for appearing on the show and his intentions with Ellie. Viewers have taken to social media to lash out at Jordan after he accused Ben of only taking part in the experiment to promote his podcast. 'The cousin was the biggest mood killer. Just them them go, it's an experience, they'll figure it out,' one person wrote. 'Why interrogate someone you've just met when they're eating? OMG, seriously,' a second person added. Married At First Sight bride Ellie Dix's cousin Jordan is quickly becoming one of the most hated men on TV after he almost ruined her wedding to Ben Walters on Thursday night 'The only red flag I see is the cousin,' a third person chipped in and a fourth added: 'Jordan reminds me of a kid's movie villain'. Ellie was thrilled when she walked down the aisle to greet tour guide Ben during Thursday's episode of MAFS. But despite the couple hitting it off at the altar, Ellie's overprotective cousin Jordan threw some doubt over the seemingly happy union. During the episode, Jordan bombard groom Ben, 39, with blunt questions about his reasons for appearing on the show and his intentions with Ellie At the reception, Jordan made it clear that he was there to grill Ben. 'Ben seems like a nice guy, but I'm really nervous for Ellie because she always looks for the positives in people,' he explained to producers. 'She's had a history of some terrible relationships and I don't want to see her get hurt again, so I'm here to interrogate him,' Jordan continued. Viewers have taken to social media to lash out at Jordan after he accused Ben of only taking part in the experiment to promote his podcast 'I hope he has the right intentions to be a good, loving husband. We'll see,' he cautiously added. Confronting Ben, Jordan first asked what the strapping groom does for a living. 'I do some tour guiding and I do my podcast as a hobby,' he replied. Jordan then suggested that Ben may only be on MAFS to find fame and to promote his podcast. Kaley Cuoco has revealed her beloved rescue dog King has died - 18 months after he was adopted by the actress and partner Tom Pelphrey. The Big Bang Theory star, 38, announced the loss of her senior dog on Thursday - King was the first dog she had adopted with Pelphrey, 41. The couple rescued him from a shelter in Atlanta while Cuoco was pregnant with their daughter Matilda and Pelphrey was shooting in the city. Cuoco wrote: 'There are no words to describe our dearest little Kingy. He was the first dog @tommypelphrey and I rescued together and honestly the most special.' 'I saw him online shaking in a shelter in Atlanta while I was away in Germany, and asked the shelter to hold him because we just had to have him. 'A month later we were in Atlanta for Tom's work, and we spent an entire day driving hours to go pick up King. It was !" Kaley Cuoco has revealed her beloved rescue dog King has died - 18 months after he was adopted by the actress and partner Tom Pelphrey The Big Bang Theory star, 38, announced the loss of her senior dog on Thursday - King was the first dog she had adopted with Pelphrey, 41 Kaley shared several photos of King's life, including a snap with Matilda and one with King hanging out with the couple's other dogs Miss Opal, Ruby, Blueberry, Larry, Red and Shirley. Kaley added: 'We did not have him nearly long enough. What started as a 6 pound, skinny, wouldnt drink water, fur less, scared dog, turned into a chubby, hilarious, side plopping, eye kissing part of our family. 'The hardest part about adopting seniors with medical issues, is we truly dont know how long we have. All I know is Kingy gave us the most joy over the last year in a half and we could not love him more. 'To everyone that helped with Kingys journey along the way, thank you. I urge you to rescue your next best friend,He has left his paw print on our familys hearts forever.' Over the summer King had emergency surgery to remove a foxtail from his insides which was hours away from killing him. At the time the founder of Oh Norman shared a dire warning to 'all my dog lovers out there' on her Instagram Stories. 'This is a foxtail,' she wrote over an image of the plant laying on her leg. 'They are extremely dangerous to animals esp dogs. We spent the last 2 months trying to figure out what was wrong [with] our King,' she continued. 'He had been violently ill and nothing was working,' she continued. 'Many vet appts, surgery and endless meds. Finally found a specialist who found 2 of these in his body days away from piercing his heart !!' 'He is doing soooo much better but as u can see he has tons of stitches from a super intense surgery ...,' she wrote over the photo. 'Also please note these must be surgically removed. They do not heal on their own!' 'Take care of your pets or don't have one!' she wrote. 'We are so grateful he is OK and will live a long happy life,' she wrote. In a post for her company Oh Norman, Cuoco introduced King, calling him 'From Rescue to Royalty, the one and only King Cuoco-Pelphrey.' The couple adopted him from a shelter in Atlanta while Cuoco was pregnant with their daughter Matilda and Pelphrey was shooting in the city 'There are no words to describe our dearest little Kingy. He was the first dog @tommypelphrey and I rescued together and honestly the most special,' The Flight Attendant actress wrote in her post Kaley shared several photos of King's life with their family including a pic with their nearly one-year-old daughter Tildy and one with King hanging out with the couple's other dogs Miss Opal, Ruby, Blueberry, Larry, Red and Shirley 'I saw him online shaking in a shelter in Atlanta while I was away in Germany , and asked the shelter to hold him because we just had to have him. A month later we were in Atlanta for Tom's work, and we spent an entire day driving hours to go pick up King. It was !" She continued her Instagram tribute, writing: 'We did not have him nearly long enough. What started as a 6 pound, skinny, wouldnt drink water, fur less, scared dog, turned into a chubby, hilarious, side plopping, eye kissing part of our family' The hardest part about adopting seniors with medical issues, is we truly dont know how long we have. All I know is Kingy gave us the most joy over the last year in a half and we could not love him more' 'To everyone that helped with Kingys journey along the way, thank you. I urge you to rescue your next best friend He has left his paw print on our familys hearts forever,' the post concluded She revealed his nicknames were Kingggggggyyyy, Kingsley and Kingdom and shared his adoption story, writing: 'Tom and I found King while Tom was working on a show in Atlanta. I was pregnant and wanted to rescue a dog who truly needed rehab. It was love at first sight!' Kaley said his personality was 'hilarious, quirky and stubborn and his favorite activities included 'Lounging next to daddy while he reads, enjoying peanut butter treats and getting belly rubs.' 'King insists on being carried to his bed every night, embracing his royal treatment,' she wrote, adding: 'He doesnt walk, he prefers to be carried.' And finally, King had the superpower of: 'Spreading lots of laughs & love.' Naomi Campbell looked stylish as Burberry kicked off Harrods' 175th anniversary by taking over the department store on Thursday evening. The supermodel, 53, caught the eye in an electric blue cropped jacket, in keeping with the event's theme, as she posed for photos outside the Brompton Road shop. She joined guests including actress Eleanor Tomlinson and Editor-In-Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour at the star-studded month-long event. Naomi teamed her crepe jacket with a checked nigh-neck top, smart black trousers and heeled boots. The shop floor was transformed for the immersive brand experience, complete with new uniforms for the doormen designed by the British brand. Naomi Campbell, Eleanor Tomlinson and Editor-In-Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour attended the first day of Harrods' 175th anniversary celebrations on Thursday The supermodel, 53, caught the eye in an electric blue cropped jacket, in keeping with the event's theme, as she posed for photos outside the Brompton Road shop Also at the event was Eleanor, who looked stunning in a green check trench coat that tied at the waist. Meanwhile, Conde Nast media executive Anna looked as chic as ever in a long cream jacket and her signature sunglasses. Legendary actress Joanna Lumley was also in attendance and wore a highneck trench with patent heels. Elsewhere, Mary Berry was spotted as the event as she stopped for a photo with a doorman. Olivia Coleman looked incredible as she debuted her new blonde short hair do at the event held at the Brompton Road shop. She turned heads in a green and white check trench coat which she donned over a coordinated dress. The Crown star toted her belongings around in a matching patterned handbag and wore a glamorous palette of makeup. Olivia elevated her frame in a pair of beige leather boots and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold earrings. Naomi teamed her crepe jacket with a checked nigh-neck top, smart black trousers and heeled boots Meanwhile, Conde Nast media executive Anna looked as chic as ever in a long cream jacket Also at the event was Eleanor, who looked stunning in a green check trench coat that tied at the waist Legendary actress Joanna Lumley was also in attendance and wore a highneck trench Elsewhere, Mary Berry was spotted as the event as she stopped for a photo with a doorman Mary looked stunning in a blue jacket and black wide legged trousers Modelling the brands clothing, Emma Weymouth showcased her incredible figure as she went braless under a tied shirt She teamed the number with a pair of matching trousers and a scarf Modelling the brands clothing, Emma Weymouth showcased her incredible figure as she went braless under a tied shirt. She teamed the number with matching Burberry trousers and draped a scarf off her shoulders. Elsewhere Jourdan Dunn looked stylish in a green patterned jumper and wide legged trousers. Liam Gallagher's children Lennon, Molly and Gene enjoyed a rare night out together as the party. Molly, 25, cut a stylish figure in the brands iconic beige trench coat which she donned over an all black ensemble. Gene showed off his uncanny resemblance to rockstar father Liam by keeping a straight face with his long brown mop of hair. Meanwhile son Lennon, 24, looked smart as he donned an all black ensemble with a round neck jumper and long coat. Naomi's appearance comes after she was revealed as starring on the cover of ELLE UK's March issue. She went braless as she modelled a variety of stylish looks for the new cover shoot on Friday, as she admitted to 'turning down jobs' to be with her children. Naomi wore a quirky crochet gown before changing into denim hot pants for the Elle cover shoot. Jourdan Dunn looked stylish in a green patterned jumper and wide legged trousers Olivia Colman debut her stylish short blonde tresses at the glamorous event She looked chic in a patterned long trench coat which she teamed with a matching handbag Liam Gallagher's children Lennon, Molly and Gene enjoyed a rare night out together as they attended the opening night of Burberry's takeover at Harrods on Thursday (pictured Molly and Gene) Meanwhile son Lennon, 24, looked smart as he donned an all black ensemble with a round neck jumper and long coat Mary was all smiles as she tucked her black handbag under her arm Naomi donned a pair of sunglasses as she departed the event Wallis day turned heads in a beige trench coat which she donned over a green jumper and black trousers In the accompanying interview Naomi, who has a daughter, two, and a seven-month-old son, admitted she's 'no different from any other parent' in a rare interview about motherhood. Naomi, who rarely talks about her children, and is yet to reveal the name of either, spoke of how her priorities have changed since becoming a mother. She explained: 'Things change when you become a mother, and Im no different from any other parent. Ive had to make decisions in my life. 'Since my daughter started going to school, there have been things Ive been offered that Id love to do and would if I could. 'But I have to be there on the first day my daughter is starting school. That is very important. I have to be there to pick her up. 'My children come first. And my daughter is really cool. She understands mommy works. But, for me, it's important to be there, especially when I tell her, "I'm coming to get you." If I say I'm there, I'm there. And in friendships, if I say I'm there, I'm there.' Naomi, who previously revealed her daughter is well-versed when it comes to travelling around the world with her, explained how she hopes to instil a 'limitless sense of possibilities' for her children. She added: 'I want my kids to see the world and get to understand different cultures like my mom did with me.' Naomi became a mum for the first time in 2021 when she welcomed her daughter. Molly seemed in high spirits as she beamed while departing the iconic store Jourdan showed off her sensational figure in the eye catching number Bianca Jagger looked effortlessly chic in a black coat which she donned over a beige tracksuit and blue scarf Her arrival sparked widespread speculation that she used a surrogate, a popular approach among older celebrity mothers, because she was not spotted with an obvious baby bump in the months leading up to the birth. She has previously hinted at surrogacy, claiming science has given her an opportunity to start a family 'whenever she wants'. The London-born model announced in June that she had become a mother again at the age of 53 after welcoming a son in Los Angeles. A source close to her told the Daily Mail: 'It came as a surprise to her wider circle as she only told a handful of people that she was becoming a mum for a second time. 'Suddenly she postponed a work commitment because she needed to be at her surrogate's side and the next moment, she had a beautiful baby boy. 'There was a lot of surprise, and of course happiness. This is what Naomi has always wanted. She is so very happy. 'She is so excited for her little girl to have a brother. She is looking forward to the years ahead with so much pride.' Larry David surprised the hosts of NBC's Today show when he crashed their set and spontaneously attacked Elmo on live TV, before being asked to apologize to the Sesame Street character. The Curb Your Enthusiasm star, 76, and Elmo were set to have separate interviews on Thursday morning, with Elmo present on stage alongside hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin. All was going well until Larry who banned the hosts from asking him about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce strolled on stage and proceeded to grab Elmo's face and jokingly take swings at him, much to the shock of the hosts. 'Oh my god!' exclaimed Savannah, as Hoda and Craig put their hands over their mouths in shock. 'Larry, you've gone too far this time!' Guthrie quipped. Elmo then extended an olive branch to Larry, telling him, 'Come back to the couch and let's talk about how you feel,' to which Larry fired back, 'Somebody had to do it!' Larry David surprised hosts of NBC's Today show when he crashed their set and spontaneously attacked Elmo on live TV, before being asked to apologize to the Sesame Street character Larry, 76, strolled on stage and proceeded to grab Elmo's face and jokingly take swings at him, much to the shock of the hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin Meanwhile Elmo's dad, Louie, who stood next to him, quipped, 'Ask permission before you touch people, Larry.' A surprised Al Roker, who was set to do a weather report, also chimed in, stating, 'Didn't see that coming.' 'He's going to sue y'all for the teaser, I'm going to sue him for assault,' Louie added. Then, during Larry's interview, Guthrie and Hoda asked David to apologize to Elmo, 'from the heart,' to which he responded, 'from where!?' 'What organ are you talking about?' he continued to joke. However, he then looked at the camera and said, 'Elmo, I just want to apologize.' Elmo said he accepted David's apology while Louie added that it was 'very big' of him. During that same interview Larry also announced that he 'doesn't give a s**t' about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce - and banned Savannah and Hoda from asking him about them. During his sit-down, Larry started off by telling Savannah, 52, and Hoda, 59, that he was open to discussing 'anything they wanted to talk about.' 'It's funny that you say that,' Savannah told him, before Hoda interjected and revealed that the Curb of Enthusiasm star had given them one 'rule' ahead of the interview regarding the topics that they could bring up. 'Oh my god!' exclaimed Savannah, as Hoda and Craig put their hands over their mouths in shock. 'Larry, you've gone too far this time!' Guthrie quipped Elmo then extended an olive branch to Larry, telling him, 'Come back to the couch and let's talk about how you feel,' to which Larry fired back, 'Somebody had to do it!' Elmo's dad, Louie, who stood next to him, quipped, 'Ask permission before you touch people, Larry' Then, during Larry's interview, Guthrie and Hoda asked David to apologize to Elmo, 'from the heart,' to which he responded, 'from where!? What organ are you talking about?' However, he then looked at the camera and said, 'Elmo, I just want to apologize' Elmo said he accepted David's apology while Louie added that it was 'very big' of him It's been a busy week for Elmo, who recently went viral on X (formerly Twitter) after he asked his followers 'How is everybody doing?' causing a barrage of existential dread responses Even President Joe Biden wrote back asking people to 'be there for each other, offer our help to a neighbor in need, and above all else, ask for help when we need it' 'You said, "Let's talk about anything, but there's one thing I don't want to talk about,"' Savannah reminded him. 'So let's start there - what do you think about Travis and Taylor?' An annoyed Larry chuckled before responding, 'You really got some nerve.' 'You bring it out of us,' Jenna told him with a giggle. 'I used the S-word once on this show years ago and I'm prepared to use it again during my answer to that question,' the Seinfeld co-creator warned. 'I don't give a s...' he trailed off, before adding, 'A shnoodle.' David has been busy promoting the upcoming 12th and final season of his HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is coming to an end after 24 years. He recently listed off all of the fantastical things he wants to achieve in his retirement. 'I think I'm going to take some ayahuasca. I'm going to get in a dark room. I'm going to blow my f***ing mind. I can't wait to do that! That's gonna be amazing!' the creator and star joked at the 12th season premiere in LA in a seven-minute speech captured by Deadline. David admitted ending his (mostly) improvised series was 'very sad, very sad' and acknowledged a few cast and crew members in attendance - including his beloved regulars Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, and JB Smoove. The 10-episode 12th and final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm premieres this Sunday on Max. It's also been a busy week for Elmo, who recently went viral on X (formerly Twitter) after he asked his followers 'How is everybody doing?' causing a barrage of existential dread responses. The Tweet received 202.4M views and 17,000 responses. 'Elmo, we are tired,' was the general response. Larry has been busy promoting the upcoming 12th and final season of his HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is coming to an end after 24 years He recently admitted ending his (mostly) improvised series was 'very sad, very sad'. The 10-episode 12th and final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm premieres this Sunday on Max 'The world is burning around us, Elmo,' another added. 'I'm at my lowest. Thanks for asking,' someone else chimed in. 'I did not have us all trauma dumping on elmo on my bingo card,' another added. Elmo followed that up writing, 'Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends! Elmo loves you. #EmotionalWellBeing.' That prompted a response from President Joe Biden, who wrote, 'I know how hard it is some days to sweep the clouds away and get to sunnier days. Our friend Elmo is right: We have to be there for each other, offer our help to a neighbor in need, and above all else, ask for help when we need it. Even though it's hard, you're never alone.' Maya Jama will be joined by seasoned presenters Roman Kemp and Clara Amfo when the BRIT Awards get underway at London's O2 Arena on March 2. The pair will take to the stage alongside Maya, 28, who's acquisition was confirmed in January, after signing contracts to compere the ceremony. BRIT Awards organisers will be hoping for instant chemistry after previous hosts faced a mixed response from viewers, notably comedian Mo Gilligan, whose efforts fell short during last year's event. A source told The Sun: 'Getting three people hosting the Brits is really retro but bosses think itll go down a storm. 'The last time there was a trio on stage was in 2009, when Kylie Minogue presented the show with James Corden and Mathew Horne. Maya Jama will be joined by seasoned presenters Roman Kemp (left) and Clara Amfo (right) when the BRIT Awards get underway at London's O2 Arena on March 2. 'Maya, Roman and Clara are all very good broadcasters and the BRITs are in good hands with them at the helm. 'Each of them will have different roles on the night and itll keep the ceremony really fresh and upbeat. 'All three are also well known to the audience at home, so the BRITs and ITV think its going to work perfectly.' Maya and Clara are the latest female broadcasters on the ITV primetime roster. Since Maya joined Love Island in January 2023, other female hosts on the network have included AJ Odudu on Big Brother, Davina McCall on My Mum Your Dad, An Audience with Kylie Minogue, Hannah Waddingham hosting the Olivier Awards, Jane McDonald hosting the British Soap Awards, Emma Willis on The Voice UK and the Voice Kids, Zoe Ball hosting Mamma Mia I Have A Dream, and Abbey Clancy on Celebrity Homes. Maya, who has been hosting the Love Island's winter and summer editions, as well as the spin-off AfterSun for over a year, has been a huge hit with audiences. The TV and radio personality, who took over as Love Island presenter from Laura Whitmore, 38, has previously hosted BBC makeup series Glow Up, Walk the Line and Crouchy's Year-Late Euros: Live. She also garnered heaps of praise for her red-carpet reporting role at the music awards in 2022 and is said to have impressed ITV bosses. Maya Jama is being lined up to host the 2024 BRIT awards (pictured at the BRITs in 2022) The TV personality garnered heaps of praise for her red-carpet reporting role at the music awards two years ago and is said to have impressed ITV bosses An insider told The Sun: 'She is the hottest presenter in the UK right now and is ideal for the presenting cast. 'There has been six years of solo male hosts, so it's time to mix up the formula and there is a lot of buzz about the new line-up.' If Maya - who is dating rapper Stormzy - took on the role, she would be the first female presenter since 2017 when Emma Willis hosted alongside Dermot O'Leary. MailOnline have contacted ITV and Maya's reps for comment. The organisers of the music event declined to comment. The BRITs, which are taking place on Saturday March 3 at London's O2 Arena have been hosted by comedian Mo for the last two years but he stepped down from the role in November. Maya is already a fan favourite, being a regular on TV screens and had a small stint when she took to the red carpet speaking to stars like Aitch and Bree Runway (pictured here) She is currently dating rapper Stormzy who has previously won the gongs for British Male Solo Artist and British Album of the Year in 2018 and British Male Solo Artist in 2020 The funnyman revealed the news in a statement on Instagram, writing: 'I've had the most incredible time working on The Brits but unfortunately as I'll be in the US for my first World Tour next spring, I'm sorry to say that I'll be stepping down from hosting duties for 2024 and handing over the baton. 'It's been phenomenal to work on this iconic event. I've loved getting to know all the remarkable people who run The Brit Trust and the outstanding Brit School. 'The tireless work you do to improve lives through the power of music and the creative arts is sensational and I promise to continue supporting wherever I can. 'Thank you to ITV for making a young man's dream come true and to all the brilliant performers, guests, production team and most importantly, the viewers at home for all your amazing support. 'It's been an honour. See you on Tour.' She's the lovable nurse who married aspiring podcaster Ben on Married At First Sight this week. So it's no surprise that brunette beauty Ellie couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she frolicked on a beach in Sydney's Bronte. The 32-year-old showed off her incredible figure in a pair of blue bottoms and a busty black top that showcased her cleavage. She looked overjoyed to be out and about in the summer sunshine. Despite the inviting water, Ellie opted to just splash around the shore before going in to her waist and retreating again. Married At First Sight's Ellie couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she frolicked on a beach in Sydney's Bronte The 32-year-old showed off her incredible figure in a pair of blue bottoms and a busty black top that showcased her cleavage The brunette beauty and her groom Ben hit it off at the altar on Wednesday, but Ellie's overprotective cousin Jordan threw some doubt over the seemingly happy union. At the reception, Jordan made it clear that he was there to grill Ben. 'Ben seems like a nice guy, but I'm really nervous for Ellie because she always looks for the positives in people,' he explained to producers. 'She's had a history of some terrible relationships and I don't want to see her get hurt again, so I'm here to interrogate him,' Jordan continued. 'I hope he has the right intentions to be a good, loving husband. We'll see,' he cautiously added. Ellie's derriere was on display as she made her way into the salty seawater The glamorous beauty only went in waist deep before retreating back to the shore Confronting Ben, Jordan first asked what the strapping groom does for a living. 'I do some tour guiding and I do my podcast as a hobby,' he replied. 'Oh, you have a podcast?' Jordan shot back. 'How many subscribers do you have?' Jordan continued to grill the 39-year-old, next asking bluntly, 'Why are you here? Are you looking for a long-term relationship?' Trying to break the tension, Ellie interjected: 'They're trying to suss you out to see if you're here to start an OnlyFans!' 'Nobody would pay to see this,' Ben chuckled. The black bra could barely contain Ellie's sizeable cleavage as she splashed around The brunette bombshell is a registered nurse, but may soon swap her day job for a career in the spotlight Ellie is already one of the most memorable participants from this year's season of MAFS Complaining to producers, Jordan said, 'I can always see the red flags in people and I'm getting bad juju vibes. 'I just have it in my mind that Ben might be here for the wrong reasons,' he added. Jordan then suggested that Ben may only be on MAFS to find fame and to promote his podcast. He eventually pulled Ben aside to interrogate him, and quickly discovered that he had applied to be on MAFS several times before. The brunette beauty and her groom Ben hit it off at the altar on Wednesday Ben then confessed that he'd been contacted about doing a different dating show as well. Fed up, Jordan finally snapped and said, 'I'm going to be completely frank with you. I have concerns that you might be here to promote your touring business, to promote your podcast - you're just here for fame.' Instead of getting defensive, Ben admitted that fame would be a 'silver lining' from the experience, but stressed that he was also interested in finding love. Jordan later spoke to Ellie privately and told her that he suspected Ben had joined the show to promote his podcast. Roux Down The River Rating: Isle Of Wight: Jewel Of The South Rating: Elvis lives! And if you believe chef Michel Roux, the King isn't down on Lonely Street at the Heartbreak Hotel he's tucking into asparagus and poached egg at the Waterside Inn. Dropping in by boat at the triple Michelin-starred Thames-side restaurant opened in 1972 by his father and uncle, Michel was making some grand claims, on Roux Down The River (Food Network). 'There was no fine dining outside London,' he declared, 'so it was quite a gamble but it was a risk that paid off, as over the years diners from Elvis Presley to Jackie Onassis and Robert Redford have eaten here.' Most fans believe that a young Prez made only the briefest stop- over in Britain and never returned. By the 1970s, though, he was known to travel 1,000 miles by private jet from Memphis in search of his favourite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Could he really have crossed the Atlantic for a poached egg in the trademark Roux hollandaise sauce? Uh-huh-huh...I suspect Michel has been fooled by an Elvis impersonator. These are easy to spot: if he offers you a cut-price wedding in Las Vegas, it's not the real Elvis. Dropping in by boat at the triple Michelin-starred Thames-side restaurant opened in 1972 by his father and uncle, Michel was making some grand claims, on Roux Down The River Michel made some grand claims, including that even legendary star Elvis Presley ate at the Michelin-starred Thames-side restaurant A pop chronicler he isn't, but Michel makes an engaging guide on a gentle journey up the river from Cookham to Bray in Berkshire. As well as whipping up dishes on his boat, he was leaping out to operate the lock gates, combining the knowledge of a Rick Stein culinary excursion with the whimsy of Tim West and Prunella Scales on their canal barge. The segment on his family restaurant, now run by cousin Alain Roux, threatened to become an extended advert. But he balanced this with a visit to the neighbouring Hind's Head, run by rival Heston Blumenthal, to tuck into an oxtail and kidney pudding in a suet crust. Michel's demonstration of the techniques and critiques of the flavours are precise explanations, much better than the vague noises of appreciation we get from most food shows. Viewers are taken on a seaside tour in Isle Of Wight: Jewel Of The South (Ch5) His history, though, keeps veering towards the inventive. Prince Philip, he said, staged a secret second stag do at the Hind's Head. And downstream at the Bounty pub, Bourne End, he said: 'In the 1930s, story has it that Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson secretly met with German Nazi sympathisers here, landing their planes in the field behind the pub.' Half-shells of the week A children's classic is rebooted by Hollywood's Seth Rogen, with the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Paramount+). For a while in the 1990s, to call them 'Ninja' was non-PC. Seems the Turtles are less sensitive now. Advertisement Who was their pilot Elvis? Alan Titchmarsh's tales were less racy as he took us on a seaside tour in Isle Of Wight: Jewel Of The South (Ch5). The closest we came to adventure was a picnic in a replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with a couple and their grandchildren. It's a faithful copy of the car, built by grandad Nick for his wife because she's always had a soft spot for Dick van Dyke. Nick can count himself lucky that she doesn't expect him to go dancing on rooftops dressed as a chimney sweep, a la Mary Poppins. We also met farmers Neil and Michelle, who breed alpacas near Yarmouth. Tourists can hire the animals for countryside walks, leading them on reins. Originally the couple intended to own three, and now they have more than 100. Alan didn't explain the economics behind this but alpaca holidays must pay well, because a stud male called Luca had arrived all the way from New Zealand. Within seconds, the preliminaries were out of the way and a compliant female called Flossie was looking surprised but pleased by his attentions. 'Luca's down here on his holidays,' explained Neil. 'Coming to the Isle of Wight is a bit like Ibiza for alpacas.' Jerry Seinfeld and his wife Jessica were a vision of style as they attended an event for Chase in Miami Beach on Thursday. The couple held hands as they descended upon the star-studded affair with radiant smiles on their faces. Jessica donned a sophisticated white suit along with cream heels, elegant tortoise sunglasses, and layers of necklace. She added a pop of color with a canary yellow blouse and slung a 'Miami' tote on her arm. Her husband - who recently hinted at a reboot of his iconic Seinfeld series - kept it smart with a crisp blue blazer thrown over a navy shirt. Jerry Seinfeld and his wife Jessica were a vision of style as they attended an event for Chase in Miami Beach on Thursday The comic finished off the look with belted blue jeans an dapper suede shoes. Jerry has been married to Jessica since 1999 and together they share three children together - daughter Sascha, 23, and sons Julian, 20, and Shepherd, 18. The comedy icon rose to fame thanks to his hit series Seinfeld, which has remained a fan favorite 25 years after it aired its controversial finale. The power couple were one of many big names attending the stylish soiree. Paris Hilton showed up to the event with her husband of two years, Carter Reum. The hotel heiress clasped hands with Carter as they strolled through the boardwalk together. Paris wore a bold blue dress that flashed a hint of leg and was belted at her trim waist. The couple held hands as they descended upon the star-studded affair with radiant smiles on their faces Jessica beamed with happiness as she strode out in the sunshine with a 'Miami' tote on her arm The Seinfeld alum lovingly held hands with his wife Paris Hilton attended the soiree with her husband Carter Reum She styled her blonde locks into romantic, full waves and shielded her eyes with stylish white sunglasses. Ramping up the sophistication factor, she carried her belongings in a Louis Vuitton handbag. Her husband kept it smart in a white button down paired with taupe slacks. Karlie Kloss made a fashionable arrival on the arm of her husband, Joshua Kushner. The socialite looked stunning in a bold blue dress with a Louis Vuitton bag on her arm Karlie Kloss attended the bash with her husband Joshua Kushner Ashton Kutcher donned a smart blue suit along with a casual green top and trainers Alex Rodriguez smartened up in a crisp blue suit Petra Nemcova was the picture of sophistication in a sleek all-black look Jeffrey Katzenberg and Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair were also in attendance JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon pictured at the bash Ashton Kutcher donned a smart blue suit along with a casual green polo top and trainers. Alex Rodriguez sharpened up in a blue suit and glossy leather shoes. Petra Nemcova looked stunning in a chic all-black look consisting of a blazer that cinched into her waist with a glossy ribbon and a matching pair of trousers. She strutted down the sidewalk in flats and carried a leather purse. Jeffrey Katzenberg and Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair were also in attendance. Alex and Jaclyn held hands while enjoying the event together Former talk show host David Letterman sported a thick white beard at the event Ashton opted for the casual chic look with a jacket and trainers The actor has raised his public profile after apologizing for a letter he wrote to the court in support of convicted rapist Danny Masterson Matt Damon, 53, looked sharp as he attended the event in a dark grey suit and white dress shirt sans tie. The Hollywood actor heavily promoted cryptocurrency starting in 2021, while JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, 67, has been a consistent critic of the digital currency. Jamie back in 2017 described bitcoin as a 'fraud' and in December 2022 slammed cryptocurrencies by calling them 'pet rocks', according to MarketWatch. Matt spearheaded a January 2022 commercial for cryptocurrency likening purchasing Bitcoin to landing on the moon. In the commercial, which aired during Sunday NFL games, the action star strolled down a sci-fi-esque hallway talking about how 'history is filled with almosts' as vignettes of history-altering achievements appeared around him. Matt continued as he walked past explorers sailing the world and climbing Mount Everest, as well as nods to the Wright Brothers' plane - the first of its kind - and astronauts landing on the moon: 'With those who almost adventured, who almost achieved but ultimately, for them it proved to be too much. 'Then, there are others. The ones who embrace the moment and commit. And in these moments of truth, these men and women - these mere mortals, just like you and me - as they peer over the edge, they calm their minds and steel their nerves with four simple words that have been whispered by the intrepid since the time of the Romans: Fortune favors the brave.' Matt Damon, 53, looked sharp as he attended the event in a dark grey suit and white dress shirt sans tie The Hollywood actor heavily promoted cryptocurrency starting in 2021, while JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, 67, has been a consistent critic of the digital currency New York City native Jamie has been chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase since 2005. The billionaire banker has has been on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and has been included in Time's list of the world's 100 most influential people in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2011. Jamie has been married since 1983 to Judith Kent and they have daughters Julia, Laura and Kara. He was awarded in 2022 with France's Legion Of Honour. Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's permanent replacements on This Morning have finally been revealed, it has been reported. The presenters, 42 and 61, both left the ITV daytime show last year and since there has been a rotating group of stars at the helm. But now a new report suggests that Cat Deeley - who guest presented last November - and Good Morning Britain's Ben Shephard will take over for the Monday to Thursday slot. It has been reported that their launch pictures ahead of the official announcement will be shot later this month along with new promotions for the show. A source told The Mirror: 'The cat's out of the bag - they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March. Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's permanent replacements on This Morning have finally been revealed, it has been reported A new report suggests that Cat Deeley (left) - who guest presented last November - and Good Morning Britain's Ben Shephard (right) will take over for the Monday to Thursday slot 'Obviously Ben is well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa. Cat is also a very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids' TV, although she's been over in the US for a long time. 'People were very impressed with her guest presenting stint last year alongside Rylan and thankfully the timing has all come together. Everyone is delighted.' It comes after it was reported late last year that Cat had 'turned down' the job offer. It's possible the reason for the sudden U-turn is financial, with Cat set to nab a bumper payday as the new host. When reports of her joining the show first emerged last year it was claimed she and Ben would receive an annual salary of 555,000. While hefty, the salary still paled in comparison to former hosts Holly and Phil, who were said to have been paid 700,000 annually for their role. However, Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode. The new series is set to air in March and Cat has been dividing her time between the States and the UK for filming. Therefore it stands to reason that if Cat has changed her mind about appearing on This Morning her contract would either allow her to continue juggling her LA gig. If she does decide to keep both jobs it won't be for financial reasons, however, as brand and culture expert Nick Ede revealed she could double her This Morning salary with brand deals online. The presenters, 42 and 61, both left the ITV daytime show last year and since there has been a rotating group of stars at the helm It has been reported that their launch pictures ahead of the official announcement will be shot later this month along with new promotions for the show (Cat with Craig Doyle guest presenting on Nov 15 2023) Ben, 49, joined GMB in 2014 and has been with them ever since and is one of their most loved stars (seen with Charlotte Hawkins on the show) Nick told MailOnline: 'Cat is popular in the style stakes and I can see her making a lot of money partnering with brands like John Lewis and M&S who will be vying for her to wear their items. 'She could earn over 200,000 from fashion collabs and she also has her own fragrance which I am sure will fly off the shelves. 'I can also see her potentially collaborating with a brand like Charlotte Tilbury or L'Oreal and for these she could earn a cool 250,000. 'Cat is the perfect presenter for This Morning. She has a big fanbase of people who grew up with her on a Saturday morning and she's always been a safe pair of hands. 'She has a great reputation for being lots of fun but she can also balance difficult discussion points too which is why she will make a winning pairing with Ben. 'What's also really great for a brand about Cat is that she has a big appeal in the USA as the host of the hit show So You Think You Dance so if they are looking to expand or create brand deals in the UK and US she's the perfect person to do it.' Cat, Ben and ITV have been contacted by MailOnline for further comment. Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond look set to continue as the show's regular Friday and school holiday presenters. It comes after Holly left the show last October 'for the sake of her family' after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnap and murder plot and has since not been replaced permanently. It came five months after Phillip Schofield's departure after his affair with a young male showrunner was made public, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host. Cat, 47, - who is married to fellow presenter Patrick Kielty - began her career as a co-presenter for the ITV children's show SMTV Live, for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK. Meanwhile Ben, 49, joined GMB in 2014 and has been with them ever since and is one of their most loved stars. It comes after earlier this week it was claimed that This Morning staff are 'livid' that a regular presenting team has not been put in place yet since Holly and Phillip's departure from the show last year. Alison and Dermot, and Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle have stepped in to front the show for now, while Sian Welby and Rochelle Humes have also appeared. It was previously claimed Alison was a front-runner for the regular spot but she declined to focus on other projects and is said to be backing Josie for the job. Cat began her career as a co-presenter for the ITV children's show SMTV Live, for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK (seen in 2000 with Ant and Dec) Alison and Dermot, and Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle have stepped in to front the show for now, while Sian Welby, Rylan Clark and Rochelle Humes have also appeared (Josie and Rylan seen) It comes after Sian Welby impressed viewers as she took the helm with Dermot last week. A source told the Mail: 'Sian has done a fantastic job and everyone totally loves her. 'She is a massive breath of fresh air, she has come along and just wowed everyone. She has been a joy to watch for the viewers but also editor Martin Frizell and other executives on the show and they think she has the ability to grow and grow on the show and become the next Holly. 'It mustn't be forgotten that Holly was like her once and look what happened to her, she was the host for 14 years. 'Martin and Emma are both agreed that she has got what it takes to be a star, it is really exciting and she is very much in a pole position for the job now. 'Sian is seen to be by far better than some of the presenters who have hosted the show in recent months.' Meanwhile, Holly is reportedly being eyed-up for presenting roles in the US after making her way back on to UK screens. The TV host returned to the airwaves this month on Dancing On Ice. It is now claimed she could head over to America for work, with the star hopeful it will also boost her lifestyle brand. An insider told The Sun: 'Holly's a free agent and for the first time in years she's free to be courted by these huge streaming platforms. 'A number of US networks and production companies have been interested in her for a while and she's caught the attention of some major brands. It comes after Holly left the show last October 'for the sake of her family' after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnap and murder plot and has since not been replaced permanently It comes after Sian Welby impressed viewers as she took the helm with Dermot last week from Monday to Thursday 'She has true star pulling power and as well as being glamorous she is a polished professional in front of the camera. It's an exciting time in her career.' It is claimed Holly is hoping to use any boost of exposure in the United States to push her lifestyle brand Wylde Moon, which has been compared to Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop. The source added: 'Holly has made it no secret that she is following the Gwyneth Paltrow brand model. Launching herself Stateside could make those dreams a reality.' MailOnline contacted a representative for Holly for comment. Olivia Colman rocked her blonde short hair do as she attended the Burberry takeover at Harrods for the department stores 175th anniversary on Thursday. The actress, 50, looked incredible in a green and white check trench coat for the event, held at the Brompton Road shop. Olivia, who dyed her hair blonde late last year for the Wonka premiere, teamed the designer trench with a green gingham dress. The Crown star toted her belongings around in a matching patterned handbag and wore a glamorous palette of makeup. Olivia elevated her frame in a pair of beige leather boots and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold earrings. Olivia Colman rocked her blonde short hair do as she attended the Burberry takeover at Harrods for the department stores 175th anniversary on Thursday The actress, 50, looked incredible in a green and white check trench coat for the event held at the Brompton Road shop The shop floor was transformed for the immersive brand experience, complete with new uniforms for the doormen designed by the British brand. It comes after Olivia reflected on filming sex scenes with onscreen lover Michael Ward in Empire of Light - and spoke about the moment she discovered his mother is five years younger than her. The actress and the Top Boy star, 25, discussed a few 'slightly embarrassing' moments during filming while speaking on The Graham Norton Show that was broadcast on New Year's Eve. The 1917 Sam Mendes-directed romantic drama stars Olivia as a cinema manager, Hilary, who develops a relationship with a ticket-seller, Stephen, played by much younger Michael. Olivia said of the intimate scenes: 'There was one particular moment when I was astride Michael in a compromising and slightly embarrassing situation and he said, ''It's my mum's birthday today.'' When he said she was 43, I was like, ''OK, stop talking!'' When asked if the role was written specially for her, Olivia said: 'Apparently it was. But Sam is so nice he would say that anyway. He was watching The Crown at the time and thought of me. 'We had a Zoom conversation during lockdown and I said 'okay, yes' before I even knew what it was. It is an incredible accolade for him to write something for me.' She turned heads in a green and white check trench coat which she donned over a coordinated dress Olivia elevated her frame in a pair of beige leather boots and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold earrings The Crown star toted her belongings around in a matching patterned handbag and wore a glamorous palette of makeup Olivia showed off her bold new look at the Wonka world premiere at The Royal Festival Hall in London last year (left), just 24 hours earlier she had her brown locks (right) It comes after Olivia reflected on filming sex scenes with onscreen lover Michael Ward in Empire of Light 'It was an amazing part thank god can you imagine if it had been rubbish!' Michael, talking about working with Olivia, said later in the show: 'It was an amazing experience. It was incredible just to share the same space. I learnt so much about being a real person everyone had a real sense of humanity. 'If Olivia had been rude I might have thought that's how I need to be to reach a certain level of success but the fact she is so lovely showed me I can be a good person and still be successful.' Empire Of Light is a love story 'set around a beautiful old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s'. Filming on the project began in early February in Margate. The seaside town was transported back to the 1980s as builders transformed the area surrounding the Dreamland amusement park. Ashton Kutcher joined stars at a Chase Bank function in Miami this week - marking his first public event since he and his wife Mila Kunis were slammed for supporting That '70s Show co-star and convicted rapist Danny Masterson. Masterson, 47 - who was recently moved to a maximum security prison that previously housed cult leader Charles Manson - was convicted last May of raping two women in the early 2000s and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison. It was uncovered in September that Ashton, 42, and Mila, 40, had penned letters to the judge on Masterson's behalf begging for 'leniency' after the trial. In response to the backlash, the couple issued a poorly-received video apology and Ashton stepped down as chair of his anti-sex trafficking organization Thorn. And now, some five months later, the actor returned to the spotlight on Thursday with powerhouse talent manager Guy Oseary, 51, by his side. Ashton Kutcher joined stars at a Chase Bank function in Miami this week It marks his first public event since he and his wife Mila Kunis were slammed for supporting That '70s Show co-star and convicted rapist Danny Masterson; seen together in 2000 Masterson, 47 - who was recently moved to a maximum security prison that previously housed cult leader Charles Manson - was convicted last May of raping two women in the early 2000s and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison Guy is pop superstar Madonna's longtime business partner and manager. He also manages comedian Amy Schumer and the rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Ashton partnered with Guy in 2015 to create the venture-capital firm Sound Ventures. Last year they launched a $240million AI investment fund, as per Variety, to invest in 'AI businesses at the foundation model layer.' For the Chase Bank event, Ashton looked smart in a navy blue suit styled with a green polo shirt and black sneakers. Despite being an A-list star, the Butterfly Effect star wore a paper name tag. Guy sported a similar blazer which he styled with black pants and white button down shirt. Other event attendees included: Jerry Seinfeld, Karlie Kloss, Paris Hilton and Alex Rodriguez. Missing from the action was Ashton's wife Mila, who was seen out in Los Angeles two weeks ago. Following the Danny Masterson backlash, insiders claimed Mila and Ashton were worried that the 'damage of it all' could be detrimental to their careers. 'We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,' Ashton began in their short Instagram apology video. 'We support victims,' Mila, added. 'We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.' The comments on the post were disabled. Critics were quick to take to X to unleash their dismay over the 'lawyered' apology. The couple reportedly chose to stay out of the spotlight for the last several months in the hopes that people would 'forget' about the ordeal. The situation also saw their own relationship called into question, with many highlighting that Mila was only 14-years-old when she was cast in That 70's Show, alongside a then-19-year-old Ashton. Ashton and Mila tied the knot in 2015 and share two children: daughter Wyatt, nine, and son Dimitri, seven. Ashton returned to the spotlight on Thursday with powerhouse talent manager Guy Oseary, 51, by his side Ashton looked smart in a navy blue suit styled with a green polo shirt and black sneakers Ashton partnered with Guy in 2015 to create the venture-capital firm Sound Venture It was revealed on Wednesday that Masterson has been moved to a maximum-security facility that was the longtime holding place of Charles Manson. He was sentenced in September by a Los Angeles jury to 30-years-to-life behind bars with the possibility of parole for two counts of rape with force, violence or fear of bodily injury. Since sentencing, Masterson, who was denied bail last week, has been held at the North Kern state prison. He was recently moved to Corcoran State Prison in Central California. The disgraced actor's current location is where he will likely serve the bulk of his sentence. Records indicate that the once-prominent member of the Church of Scientology will first be eligible for parole in 2042, when the now-42-year-old is 66. Masterson, who shares a pre-teen daughter with actress Bijou Phillips, will reportedly live in the maximum-security prison's Level 4 housing unit - the highest tier of security available at the facility. In addition to cult leader Manson, Corcoran was also the prison where Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated RFK was held. The prison, which was built in 1988, houses some of California's most dangerous prisoners and has a sizable population of Level 4 inmates in need of extra protection and/or supervision. If Masterson is still in danger or otherwise showing signs of severe 'mental distress,' the prison has a small wing called the Protective Housing unit for inmates who remain in danger of being harmed. Manson infamously spent nearly ten years in Corcoran's Protective Housing wing. Following Masterson's sentencing, it was reported that he was under round-the-clock surveillance due to potentially showing signs of 'mental distress.' Deputies would come by his cell every half hour to check on him 'with the goal of keeping tabs on his mental state and making sure he's safe.' It was uncovered in September that Ashton, 42, and Mila, 40, had penned letters to the judge on Masterson's behalf begging for 'leniency'; Ashton and Danny seen in 2017 In response to the backlash, the couple issued a poorly-received apology and Ashton stepped down as chair of his anti-sex trafficking organization Thorn Ashton and Mila tied the knot in 2015 and share two children: daughter Wyatt, nine, and son Dimitri, seven; seen in April 2023 Masterson's legal team is currently attempting to appeal his conviction. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said last week that Masterson will 'likely remain in custody for decades, and perhaps the rest of his life' if his sentence is upheld on appeal. The judge, who oversaw his trial and subsequently denied him bail, said that he is a flight risk in part because his now-ex-wife Bijou Phillips filed for divorce following his guilty verdict last year. The judge's order read: 'In light of the fact that defendant has no wife to go home to, defendant now has every incentive to flee and little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful.' The denial comes after Masterson's attorneys Clifford Gardner and Eric Multhaup wrote in a motion on January 17 asking for the court to grant the disgraced actor bail. Their motion read: 'Defendant requests that this Court grant bail on appeal, and offers to comply with any relevant terms and conditions imposed by the Court that enable him to be an at-home parent and financial provider for his family, including house arrest and/or participation in an electronic monitoring program administered by the probation department.' After his conviction for the two rapes, Masterson was and declared a 'suppressive person' - or 'SP' - which the church defines as someone whose behavior seeks to impede the spiritual progress of those around him. Kelsea Ballerini clung to her boyfriend Chase Stokes of Outer Banks fame as they surfaced in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The sizzling hot couple were attending a private party four days before the Grammys, where Kelsea is nominated for best country album. Her latest EP Rolling Up The Welcome Mat was released last Valentine's Day and featured material focusing on her recent divorce from Morgan Evans. During her latest sighting, Kelsea walked arm in arm with her hunk-tastic new man as they stepped out into the Los Angeles night. She betrayed a hint of her taut midriff in an aquamarine crop top and a matching floor-length skirt that fluttered as she walked. Kelsea Ballerini clung to her boyfriend Chase Stokes of Outer Banks fame as they surfaced in Los Angeles on Wednesday night The sizzling hot couple were attending a private party four days before the Grammys , where Kelsea is nominated for best country album Meanwhile Chase wore a checked suit perfectly fitted to emphasize his sculpted arms, teamed with a white t-shirt with a tantalizingly low neckline. The couple's outing comes two months after Kelsea candidly confessed that sex felt 'performative' for her - until her steamy romance with Chase. Kelsea was previously married to her fellow country star Morgan Evans, whom she started dating when she was just 22 years old. In the wake of her divorce in 2022, Kelsea took up with Chase in January 2023 after sliding into his DMs while 'drunk with my friends at a bar.' This past November, nearly a year into their relationship, Kelsea appeared on Call Her Daddy and lifted the curtain back on their sizzling sex life. She glowingly divulged she was 'having a nice time' with Chase and has finally discovered why making love is 'a connector for people.' When host Alex Cooper asked Kelsea about her sex life, she jokingly acted scandalized and turned to the camera, telling her mother to stop watching. In a more serious mode, Kelsea shared that sex 'was something that I always felt was very - like my experience with it was very performative, and like for the other person.' Her latest EP Rolling Up The Welcome Mat was released last Valentine's Day and featured material focusing on her recent divorce from Morgan Evans; the couple are pictured in 2019 As a mischievous smile broke out across her face, Kelsea spilled that 'it don't be like that anymore,' adding: 'I'm having a nice time.' Before sex with Chase, she 'didn't understand how it could be a real, like, connector in a relationship. I never understood that,' Kelsea admitted. 'I always thought it was just something that you did 'cause that's who you do it with, you know? And no, no, no, it's like - I, now I realize, like, it's a connector for people.' She rhapsodized that 'the safety it gives you is like so beautiful,' adding that 'then you get to know yourself, and then you're like, it's a whole new world.' Elsewhere in the interview, she praised Chase as 'the most emotionally intelligent man I've ever met in my life. I keep telling him he's a man written by a woman.' Kelsea explained that 'he was raised by his mom and he's very close with his sister - like he's just so in tune with his emotions and is not afraid to be vulnerable.' She and Morgan went public with their split in August 2022, less than five years after their wedding at the luxurious Esperanza Resort in Cabo San Lucas. They finalized their divorce that November - less than one week before they both found themselves walking the red carpet separately at the CMA Awards. In the wake of her divorce in 2022, Kelsea took up with Chase in January 2023 after sliding into his DMs while 'drunk with my friends at a bar'; the pair are pictured in October While on the red carpet Morgan told Access that 'one of the hardest' aspects of going through a divorce 'is how lonely it feels.' After his split from Kelsea, Morgan released an emotional song called Over For You in which he spilled his feelings about the last stages of his marriage. 'I would have searched the whole world over for you, took a flight through the night o be that shoulder for you, and I would've let go if you wanted me to,' he crooned. 'How many times did you say you loved me when it wasn't true?' he asked plaintively in the lyric. 'I'm just wondering: how long has it been over for you?' Kelsea shot back last February, saying she and Morgan split multiple times and endured 'years of couple's therapy' as the marriage disintegrated. The couple's outing comes two months after Kelsea candidly confessed that sex felt 'performative' for her - until her steamy romance with Chase; pictured in November During an appearance on Call Her Daddy, she admitted there had been 'many a night of sleeping on the couch' due to a 'sense of disconnection' between them. 'We hadn't seen each other, there was a lack of effort to see each other. I was getting resentful because any time we did see each other, I felt like I was carrying that load, and I was tired,' said the Tennessee native. In a fiery response to his breakup song, she marveled: 'As he's putting out a song about being blindsided, he's taking half the house that he didn't pay for.' She wondered: 'How was I married to this person for this long and I had no idea that that bit of character was tucked within that human being?' Morgan retorted on Instagram: 'Its really sad for me to see this person, who I spent so much of my life with, and loved with all my heart, saying things that arent reality and that leave out what really happened.' A judge in Las Vegas issued an arrest warrant for incarcerated rapper Blueface on Thursday for allegedly violating terms of his probation. Clark County District Court Judge Kathleen Delanay ordered Blueface, real name Johnathan Porter, to turn himself in even though he remains in custody in Los Angeles County's Men's Central Jail for a probation violation related to an assault case. The 27-year-old rapper's Las Vegas attorney Kristina Wildeveld told local station 8 News Now the probation violation was related to a video that circulated last December after a show in Salt Lake City. Blueface in the video was seen bringing a female fan onto the stage only to shove her into his entourage while apparently shouting: 'Get her!' The Los Angeles native was given a suspended prison sentence of two to five years in October 2023 for a 2022 shooting outside a Las Vegas strip club. A judge in Las Vegas issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for incarcerated rapper Blueface, shown in June 2022 in Beverly Hills, California, for allegedly violating terms of his probation Blueface could be required to serve the prison sentence if it's found that he violated the terms of his probation. The rapper is scheduled to be released from LA County Jail on July 2 and his lawyer said he plans to turn himself into Las Vegas authorities after serving his time in California. Chrisean Rock, 23, has been supporting Blueface and recently showed off a massive new face tattoo of the rapper's mugshot on social media. Over the weekend, Rock unveiled the tattoo drawn out on the right side of her face on Instagram. With her eyes almost completely shut, the rapper showcased the piece, which looks like a spot-on replica of Blueface. Blueface and Rock dated for about three years, beginning in 2020, until their split in 2023. They have four-month-old boy Chrisean Jesus Malone, Jr. together. Blueface signed Rock to his BluefaceLLC label after he witnessed how popular she had become with her OnlyFans platform. In 2020, she released her debut single Lonely, a collaboration with the label head. The 27-year-old rapper, shown in a November 2022 mugshot in Las Vegas, was given a suspended prison sentence of two to five years in October 2023 for a 2022 shooting outside a Las Vegas strip club The rapper, shown performing in November 2019 in London, is scheduled to be released from LA County Jail on July 2 and his lawyer said he plans to turn himself into Las Vegas authorities after serving his time in California Chrisean Rock, 23, has been supporting Blueface and recently showed off a massive new face tattoo of the rapper's mugshot on social media Rock shortly later then released her popular tune Vibe, which has garnered over eight million streams on Spotify. Blueface is best known for the 2019 remix of his song Thotiana featuring Cardi B and YG that peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He released his debut studio album Find The Beat in 2020. The rapper opened a soul food restaurant in 2021 called Blue's Fish and Soul in Santa Clarita, California. Blueface previously was arrested in November 2018 in California and charged with shooting at an occupied vehicle after he fired at a gas station robber. He also was arrested in February 2019 for felony gun possession after law enforcement recovered a loaded, unregistered handgun in his possession. Married At First Sight star Domenica Calarco has revealed she will be undergoing a major hair transformation to raise money for The Leukaemia Foundation. The makeup artist, 30, shared a video to her Instagram on Friday, revealing she is an ambassador for the World's Greatest Shave. 'I am honoured to announce I am a 2024 World's Greatest Shave ambassador which is a huge moment for me,' she said. 'I did go into the jungle [on I'm A Celebrity] to raise funds and I am so proud to be working with The Leukaemia Foundation.' Domenica said she's 'excited and emotional' to join the fundraising campaign. Married At First Sight star Domenica Calarco has revealed she will be undergoing a major hair transformation to raise money for The Leukaemia Foundation 'I'm excited and emotional. I'm going to be changing up my hair. I can't wait to raise as much money as I can,' she added. Domenica's announcement comes after she launched a scathing tirade against creepy men who try to pick up women in public. The Married at First Sight star recently posted a video to TikTok to share her disgust after an elderly gentleman acted suggestively towards her in public. 'It's happened again. I'm in Ashfield, Sydney and an old man has just winked at me. Excuse me sir?' she began. Domenica then expressed disbelief that she would still receive unwanted attention from random men despite not dressing up for her trip to the local shopping centre. The makeup artist shared a video to her Instagram on Friday, revealing she is an ambassador for the World's Greatest Shave 'This is what I'm dressed in, I have oil stains on my shirt. Another day, another random old man with the most obscure mating call.' Domenica's fans were divided over the man's behaviour, with some calling him out and others saying she overreacted. 'A cheeky old man,' one user wrote and a second person added: 'I'm sorry this happened to you.' 'He was just saying hello. Older men still wink for a greeting,' a third person argued and a fourth wrote: 'The guy's being friendly, wasn't a pick up.' Kim Kardashian made her mini-me daughter Chicago West's sixth birthday one to remember by throwing an extravagant party last month. And on Thursday, the SKIMS founder, 43, shared new photos from the Bratz-themed bash held at her $60million mansion in Calabasas. She had a custom Bratz doll of Chicago made and she displayed it around the party in the form of life-sized cardboard cutouts. Rocking a white shift dress with fuzzy pink trim, the six-year-old posed on a custom catwalk with a large archway with her name plastered across it in pink letters. Balloons covered the floor and a DJ booth was situated directly beside the runway, where Chicago and her guests would model a slew of funky costumes. Kim Kardashian made her mini-me daughter Chicago West's sixth birthday one to remember by throwing an extravagant party last month And on Thursday, the SKIMS founder, 43, shared new photos from the Bratz-themed bash held at her $60million mansion in Calabasas Kim made sure to wrangle all four of her kids - North, Psalm, Chicago and Saint - together for a family photo There was an adorable candy sushi bar, with each party guest receiving chopsticks and a bamboo mat. As for her cake, the little girl blew out the candles on a heart-shaped cake with a Bratz doll placed on top. Chicago showed off her spunky personality as she stomped around in pink cowboy boots. She posed for photos with Kim and big sister North West, 10, on her bubblegum pink runway. 'Chi Chi's 6th Bratz birthday party,' captioned the SKKN by Kim founder, followed by a pink-heart emoji. Kim made sure to wrangle all four of her kids together for a family photo. The Kardashians star shares Chicago, North, Saint, eight, and Psalm, four, with ex-husband Kanye West, 46. They divorced in November 2022 after getting married in Italy in front of daughter North in 2014. She had a custom Bratz doll of Chicago made and she displayed it around the party in the form of life-sized cardboard cutouts She posed for photos with Kim and big sister North West, 10, on her bubblegum pink runway 'Chi Chi's 6th Bratz birthday party,' captioned the SKKN by Kim founder, followed by a pink-heart emoji The little girl blew out the candles on a heart-shaped cake with a Bratz doll placed on top There was an adorable candy sushi bar, with each party guest receiving chopsticks and a bamboo mat Balloons covered the floor and a DJ booth was situated directly beside the runway, where Chicago and her guests would model a slew of funky costumes Kim and Kanye - who is now married to Yeezy employee Bianca Censori, 29 - reunited for a dinner date at the celeb-loved Nobu restaurant in Malibu this week. North and her cousin Penelope, 11, were also there but Bianca was nowhere to be found. Kim previously confessed that co-parenting with her scandal-plagued ex is 'really f***ing hard.' Kanye did not appear to attend his daughter's recent birthday party. Chicago is often referred to as Kim's 'twin' due to their striking resemblance. And last month Kim shocked fans when she shared side-by-side photos of herself as a child next to Chicago. Although the six-year-old girl already has a remarkable resemblance to adult Kim now, the comparison was even stronger when her photo was juxtaposed against one of Kim at around the same age as her daughter. 'My twin,' the reality star captioned the image she shared to her Instagram Stories, although she didn't specify exactly how old she was in the photo. Chicago is often referred to as Kim's 'twin' due to their striking resemblance And last month Kim shocked fans when she shared side-by-side photos of herself as a child next to Chicago The Kardashians star shares her four children with ex-husband Kanye West, 46; seen in 2019 Young Kim sported modest studded earrings, unlike her daughter, and her dark hair was styled straight, while Chicago had her curly long locks styled in cute top knots. The photo of Chicago was taken from the KardashianJenner family's 2023 Christmas Eve bash. The photo previously set Kim's fans and followers buzzing over the shocking lookalikes when she posted the snaps. Back in October of 2018, when Chicago was just eight months old, Kim already was certain that her youngest daughter was her spitting image. After calling Chicago 'such a doll' on Ashley Graham's now-defunct Pretty Big Deal podcast, Kim said Chicago, 'looks like, honestly, my twin mixed with Saint.' The influencer added: 'It's like the two of us in her.' Celebrity Big Brother star Ekin-Su Culculoglu threw Lorraine into chaos on Monday morning when she inexplicably cancelled an appearance on the show last minute. The reality veteran, 29, who won Love Island in 2020, was ejected from CBB on Friday night, after which she caused a social media storm by insisting she was badly-edited on the show without a true depiction of her behaviour. As Lorraine Kelly teased her upcoming show on Good Morning Britain, she told host Susanna Reid that her planned appearance was cancelled under mysterious circumstances - leading to a snide dig from Susanna. Gigi Hadid and her boyfriend Bradley Cooper were the picture of happiness as they stepped out in New York City together on Thursday. The couple - who recently were spotted holding hands in London - flashed wide grins as they strolled across a busy street together in Midtown Manhattan. Gigi, 28, followed Bradley, 49, down the intersection and looked stylish as usual in her effortlessly fashionable look. The catwalk queen threw on a trendy leather jacket over a plain white T-shirt tucked into belted black jeans. She rocked a messy bun, edgy silver shades, and trendy black loafers from Santoni. Gigi Hadid and her boyfriend Bradley Cooper were the picture of happiness as they stepped out in New York City together on Thursday Bradley led the way and rocked a black jacket over a red hoodie. He finished off the laid-back look with blue jeans. His hands were plunged into his pockets as he strode across the street in his rugged trainers and a pair of sunglasses over his eyes. Though they weren't showing any signs of affection, they certainly looked happy to be in one another's company. Last week the couple were captured holding hands in their first-ever public display of affection while out in London together. The Maestro star who was snubbed by the Oscars in the Best Director category cemented their relationship as they walked hand-in-hand, which is a notable gesture for the famously private pair. The supermodel displayed her off-duty style as she slicked her long blond locks into a fuss-free braid set at the back of her head. Gigi and Bradley sparked up a romance in October after they were reportedly 'introduced' by Bradley's ex Irina Shayk, 37. In December Page Six reported that Bradley purchased a home near his girlfriend's family horse farm in Pennsylvania. Hadid followed Cooper across the busy intersection Bradley led the way and rocked a black jacket over a red hoodie Hadid kept it effortlessly stylish in a trendy black leather jacket and billowing jeans A source told the outlet that the A Star Is Born actor who is a Pennsylvania native recently bought a house in Bucks County. The residence is reportedly close to Gigi's mother Yolanda Hadid's $4million farm in New Hope, which has a population of less than 3,000. Yolanda moved into the 32-acre property in 2017 and it has since become a safe haven for Gigi and her younger siblings models Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid. They both wore fashionable sunglasses Their outing came after they were seen holding hands in London in what was their first public display of affection Hadid followed the Silver Linings Playbook actor across the street She rocked a messy bun, edgy silver shades, and trendy black loafers The outing also comes after Cooper was snubbed for an Oscar nod for Best Director The pair's affectionate outing comes after Cooper was snubbed again for a Best Director Oscar nomination for Maestro. Despite the overlooking of his directing, the film scored numerous other nods. The Netflix film received seven Academy Awards nominations Best Picture, Best Actor for Cooper, Best Actress for Carey Mulligan, Achievement In Sound, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Original Screenplay. Cooper directed and starred in Maestro, the critically-acclaimed biopic about composer Leonard Bernstein. She's the popular television presenter who hosted The Project for 13 years. And Carrie Bickmore looked unrecognisable when she posted a photo of herself in her twenties on Friday. The TV and radio star was taking part in 'This is 21' viral Instagram challenge. The ageless beauty shared two throwback photos of herself posing with a gal pal. In the image, Carrie looked baby-faced and had long blonde locks. Carrie Bickmore looked unrecognisable when she posted a photo of herself in her twenties on Friday The TV and radio star was taking part in 'This is 21' viral Instagram challenge 'This is 21,' she captioned the images. Carrie's post comes after she was left red-faced on Wednesday after she shared a hilarious photo fail to social media. The former Project host posted a gallery of snaps to Instagram which captured her partying up a storm with her friend Romanie as she celebrated her mate's birthday. The first photo showed a beaming Carrie and her bestie rocking their best angles for the camera at a concert they attended. However, the second picture, which was taken moments later, captured a blurred Carrie with her facial features distorted. Carrie's striking looks were out of focus as the camera snapped the picture a moment too soon. Carrie is the popular television presenter who hosted The Project for 13 years This is not Carrie's first Instagram photo fail. Last month, Bickmore was left fumbling for the delete button recently when she accidentally posted a makeup-free selfie online. The Hit FM radio star shared more than she hoped to when she uploaded a reel of summery bikini snaps to her Instagram Stories just a few weeks ago. The typically glammed-up television presenter quickly deleted the photo. The candid selfie was only visible to her followers 'for about 10 seconds', one keen-eyed social media user told Daily Mail Australia. The door is open for both Beyonce and Taylor Swift to take the stage at Sunday's 66th annual Grammy Awards stemming from the Crypto.com Arena, according to one of the show's executive producers. Raj Kapoor, Ben Winston, and Jesse Collins will, for the fourth consecutive year, produce the award show, which will air live on CBS and Paramount+ at 8:00 p.m.- 11:30 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. PT. Kapoor told Rolling Stone Thursday that talks have been ongoing as to whether Beyonce, 42, would take the stage during an extended tribute to the late Tina Turner for the show's In Memoriam segment. 'We've definitely had conversations, and we know how much Tina and Beyonce loved each other,' Kapoor said. Kapoor declined 'to directly confirm or deny rumors that Beyonce will appear' in the Turner tribute, the publication noted. The door is open for both Beyonce, 42, and Taylor Swift, 34, to take the stage at Sunday's 66th annual Grammy Awards stemming from the Crypto.com Arena, according to one of the show's executive producers Kapoor told the outlet that organizers 'are really excited' about the tribute to the late musical icon, who died at the age of 83 last May at her home in Switzerland. 'The Tina Turner tribute will be amazing,' Kapoor said. 'It may be a little unexpected, but it's going to be absolutely amazing.' Swift, 34, who is nominated for six awards, will be in attendance Sunday. Grammy organizers have not said she will be taking the stage for the occasion, but Kapoor said that due to its nature, plans can always change for the event. 'We've had a lot of last-minute things come in on the show,' Kapoor said. 'Sometimes they've happened days before, and yeah, we're always open to the idea.' He added: 'There's honestly surprises throughout the entire night. They will pop up at the most unexpected times.' Kapoor told the outlet that one featured showcase will be between Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlile, with artists Jacob Collier, Allison Russell, Sista Strings, Lucius, and Blake Mills involved in the outing. 'It will be a song that I think everybody knows and if you are a Joni Mitchell fan, it's the song that you want to hear,' Kapoor said. Grammys organizers on Thursday released images of how the room and stage is set up The ceremony's gold-plated gramophone statuette serves as an inspiration for the aesthetic Designers said that the golden aesthetic pays homage to the long legacy of the show Grammys organizers on Thursday released images of how the room and stage is set up with the ceremony's gold-plated gramophone statuette serving as an inspiration for the aesthetic. The set-up incudes a 20-foot-tall mirrored gramophone placed in the center of the stage, and a video screen that is more than 100 feet wide. The gramophone statuette has been a staple of the musical award show since it was founded in 1959. The set was designed by the New York-based Yellow Studio for the third year in a row, 'I am honored to unveil Yellow Studio's modern and bold approach to this year's Grammy Awards stage,' Yellow Studio founder Julio Himede said in a news release Thursday. He continued: 'Our design pays homage to the long legacy of the show and celebrates the making of music with a 20-foot-tall monumental gramophone at center stage. The grand circular shape will crown the winning artists and commemorate their achievements.' Kylie Minogue, 55, exuded a youthful radiance as she made her latest public appearance in Los Angeles this Thursday. The Australian pop diva was part of a glittering guest list at Variety's Grammy cover party, thrown by TikTok three nights before the award show itself. Thrown at the French restaurant Mes Amis in Hollywood's Vinyl District, the party played host to a parade of musical personalities all glammed up to the hilt. Among the partygoers was Andra Day, who a few years ago earned an Oscar nomination for her movie debut The United States vs. Billie Holiday. The celebs in attendance included R&B songstress Victoria Monet, whose work includes the duet Monopoly with Ariana Grande. Kylie Minogue , 55, exuded a youthful radiance as she made her latest public appearance in Los Angeles this Thursday The Australian pop diva was part of a glittering guest list at Variety's Grammy cover party, thrown by TikTok three nights before the award show itself However the showstopping presence in the crowd was Kylie, who has enjoyed thunderous international stardom for decades However the showstopping presence in the crowd was Kylie, who has enjoyed thunderous international stardom for decades. She cut an electrifying figure in a gleaming blue frock that was perfectly fitted to emphasize her statuesque figure as she posed up a storm on the red carpet. Accented with black embroidery, the dress featured a slit up one side, allowing the Padam Padam hitmaker to hint at her sculpted legs. Sharpening her unmistakable features with makeup, the blonde bombshell flashed her world-famous megawatt smile for the cameras. Her flaxen hair cascaded over her shoulders in elegant waves as she strutted her stuff through the fete on a pair of towering silver heels. Victoria on the other hand slid herself into a slinky walnut brown gown, featuring leather corsetry that highlighted her hourglass frame. Monochrome ropes made to resemble snakes were wound around the dress, curling up to become the straps over her shoulders. She accentuated the look with a large and ornate pair of gold hoop earrings that served as a perfect complement to her glinting ensemble. Among the partygoers was Andra Day, who a few years ago earned an Oscar nomination for her movie debut The United States vs. Billie Holiday Andra on the other hand was dressed in a pink corset that plunged to serve up a generous helping of cleavage as she posed up a storm for the cameras The celebs in attendance included R&B songstress Victoria Monet, whose work includes the duet Monopoly with Ariana Grande Victoria slid herself into a slinky walnut brown gown, featuring leather corsetry that highlighted her hourglass frame The attendees at Thursday night's party included such names as Maeta, whose sleeveless white cocktail dress featured a trendy mock turtleneck Andra on the other hand was dressed in a pink corset that plunged to serve up a generous helping of cleavage as she posed up a storm for the cameras. The corset matched her casual shorts, which put her sculpted legs on display, and the coat she threw fashionably over her shoulders. Heightening the leggy effect of the ensemble with a sky-high pair of stilettos, she shot a smoldering supermodel stare at the photographers. The attendees at Thursday night's party included such names as Maeta, whose sleeveless white cocktail dress featured a trendy mock turtleneck. Tammy Hembrow has dropped the biggest hint yet that her wedding to Matthew Zukowski will be held in the very near future. The fitness influencer posted to Instagram on Friday, sharing several photos and videos from a day at Vera Wang's Sydney boutique, where she attended a wedding dress fitting. Over a photo she shared of a consult room, Tammy wrote that she spent the morning at the fashion brand, which is known for its high-end bridal-wear: 'It was so perfect. So many tears and such a special day.' She then shared an image of a Vera Wang-branded cookie, followed by a close up of the consult room's coffee table with two mimosas, a plate of macaroons, and a rack of bridal gowns in the background. Tammy then shared images of her walking up the stairs towards more gowns, turning back to smile at the camera. Tammy Hembrow has dropped the biggest hint yet that her wedding will be held in the very near future. Pictured with fiance Matthew Zukowski The fitness influencer posted to Instagram on Friday, sharing several photos and videos from a day at Vera Wang's Sydney boutique, where she attended a wedding dress fitting In the caption to the image, Tammy wrote 'Always dreamt of this day. I'll remember this forever. Thank you, Vera Wang Australia.' Tammy later reshared a story from her sister Emilee Hembrow's Instagram account showing the Vera Wang shopfront. Over the picture, Emilee wrote 'here we go, dress fitting for our girl's big day,' confirming that Tammy has taken the next step to her wedding day. Tammy has sparked concerns she is racing down the aisle with her new fiance Matthew Zukowski too quickly. In the caption to the image, Tammy wrote 'Always dreamt of this day. I'll remember this forever. Thank you, Vera Wang Australia' Tammy wrote that she spent the morning at the fashion brand, which is known for its high-end bridal-wear. Among the images she shared was a Vera Wang-branded cookie She recently made headlines when she posted a video to Instagram capturing the heartwarming moment Matt proposed to her while on holidays in the Maldives. The footage showed the precious moment Matt got down on one knee at the beach and pulled out an engagement ring for Tammy. Even though the influencer and the Love Island Australia star became engaged a matter of weeks ago, they're already planning their wedding. Earlier this month, Tammy shared a video to Instagram in which she asks her sisters to be her bridesmaids at the upcoming nuptials. She also shared a close up of the consult room's coffee table with two mimosas, a plate of macaroons, and a rack of bridal gowns in the background Tammy later reshared a story from her sister Emilee Hembrow's Instagram account showing the Vera Wang shopfront. Over the picture, Emilee wrote 'here we go, dress fitting for our girl's big day,' confirming that Tammy has taken the next step to her wedding day 'Asked my sisters to be my bridesmaids. Such a special day and so lucky to have four amazing sissys' she wrote. Tammy has been engaged two times before. Her first time was with fellow influencer Reece Hawkins. In November 2021, the fitness guru became engaged to restaurateur and former Ironman Matt Poole. The pair split in December 2022. Larry Emdur could not have looked prouder as he walked his little girl down the aisle on Friday. The Morning Show host, 59, gave his daughter Tia, 24, a kiss as she stepped out of a white limousine at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, where she exchanged vows with her groom Rowell Jauco. Tia was flanked by bridesmaids as he father gently took her arm and walked her into the cathedral. The father and daughter shared a very tender moment as they pressed their foreheads together briefly before the ceremony. The bride looked absolutely stunning in an off-the shoulder ivory gown with a single puffed sleeve. Larry Emdur (pictured) could not have looked prouder when he walked his little girl down the aisle on Friday The Morning Show host's daughter Tia, 24, was celebrating her big day Larry gave Tia a kiss as she stepped out of a white limousine at a Sydney church She exchanged vows with fiance her Rowell Jauco The gown featured gathering at the waist and through the bodice, which was decorated with sparkling embroidery. The floor length dress featured a long, layered train and it clung to the beauty's figure before flaring out. Tia's dainty lace veil sat along her hairline and flowed down her back. She opted for a sculpted makeup look with a pink lipstick and peachy tones with her dark hair swept off her face. Tia was flanked by bridesmaids as he father gently took her arm The pair had a private moment before heading inside Larry held onto Tia's hands as they had a brief chat before the ceremony Father and daughter shared a very tender exchange The bride looked absolutely stunning She opted for an off-the shoulder ivory gown The dress featured a single puffed sleeve Larry took Tia's hand and guided her to the church The gown featured gathering at the waist and through the bodice Her new husband looked dapper in an olive green suit with a white dress shirt and tie. Larry opted for a classic tuxedo with a shirt and tie, and could not have looked happier before and after the wedding. The TV star and his wife Sylvie watched the proceedings with massive smiles on their faces as they chatted animatedly. Sylvie looked absolutely glamorous in a slinky silver dress that showed off her fit figure, along with heels. Tia and Larry pressed their heads together during one sweet moment The bodice of the dress was decorated with sparkling embroidery The floor length gown featured a long, layered train It clung to the beauty's figure before flaring out Tia's dainty lace veil sat along her hairline and flowed down her back She opted for a sculpted makeup look with a pink lipstick and peachy tones Tia's older brother Jye, 30, walked along with his parents, looking chic in a brown suit and clearly proud of his little sister. The bridesmaids filed in wearing olive green satin gowns that matched the groom's outfit. Larry previously revealed he was moved to tears when his daughter Tia's boyfriend asked for his permission to marry her. The Channel 7 star admitted it was a 'tough time' in a parent's life when their child began dating and seeing Tia get engaged overwhelmed him with emotion. 'It's tough because you want them to be safe and happy. But seeing her get engaged to Rowell was easy as we love him,' he said at the time. Her dark hair was swept off her face Tia's older brother Jye, 30, (pictured) held up the bride's dress Larry previously revealed he was moved to tears when his daughter Tia's boyfriend asked for his permission to marry her He said seeing Tia get engaged overwhelmed him with emotion 'It's tough because you want them to be safe and happy' he said 'But seeing her get engaged to Rowell was easy as we love him,' he added The bridesmaids filed in wearing olive green satin gowns that matched the groom's outfit 'He is a lovely guy. To see them in a relationship, that's meant to be. They're balanced and beautiful together.' Larry then said that years of planning went out the window the moment Rowell asked for permission to marry his daughter as he was immediately moved to tears. 'I had all these questions for the guy that would ask me this, about his intentions and bank balance and what car he drove. 'But what happened... I cried straight away, like a blubbering mess.' Larry opted for a classic tuxedo with a shirt and tie He could not have looked happier before and after the wedding The TV star was accompanied by his wife Sylvie (right) 'I had all these questions for the guy that would ask me this, about his intentions and bank balance and what car he drove' he said Flower girls in sweet pink frocks could be seen outside the church Back in November 2022, Larry shared the exciting engagement news with his Instagram fans by posting a heartwarming photo of the lovebirds. 'All a father like me can hope and pray for is that one day his baby girl finds a partner who will love and adore, respect and admire, cherish and protect her the way he's tried to,' Larry wrote in the caption. 'Well, that partner has arrived and we feel very very blessed. Congratulations on your engagement you two,' he went on. 'Rowell thank you for being a bit old fashioned and asking me if you could ask Tia for her hand in marriage. Tia's new husband looked dapper in an olive green suit with a white dress shirt and tie (pictured) The newlyweds were the picture of bliss The bride carried a bouquet that included baby's breath flowers The husband and wife couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces Larry and his wife watched the proceedings with massive smiles on their faces as they chatted animatedly Sylvie looked absolutely glamorous in a slinky silver dress that showed off her fit figure, along with heels She carried a gold clutch purse Sylvie added a pearl necklace to her ensemble Larry donned sunglasses as he stood outside with Sylvie 'I was trying to be a mature, tough dad but I think I just cried. Welcome to our crazy family, we're looking forward to millions of special moments with you two.' Larry and Sylvie met in the 1990s on a plane while she was working as a flight attendant. The television host and his wife have been married since 1995 and have two children, son Jye and daughter Tia. The daughter of the TV personality shared photos of her hugging Rowell to Instagram after he got down on bended knee. Back in November 2022, Larry shared the exciting engagement news with his Instagram fans by posting a heartwarming photo of the lovebirds Sylvie added gold heels that matched her purse Larry and Sylvie shared a sweet kiss at one stage The chuffed parents embraced outside the church Jye walked along with his parents looking chic in a brown suit 'All a father like me can hope and pray for is that one day his baby girl finds a partner who will love and adore, respect and admire, cherish and protect her the way he's tried to,' Larry wrote on Instagram 'Well, that partner has arrived and we feel very very blessed. Congratulations on your engagement you two,' he went on '11.11.22. Word of the day: Yes,' she wrote alongside images of the couple celebrating in Sydney. Larry and Sylvie celebrated their 29th anniversary last year. The loved-up couple looked just as infatuated with one another as they did when they first met in a sweet photo shared to Instagram. Holding his wife's hand as the pair lounged back and looked out over a gorgeous beach, The Morning Show star penned a lengthy and emotional tribute to his love. 'Rowell thank you for being a bit old fashioned and asking me if you could ask Tia for her hand in marriage' he added 'I was trying to be a mature, tough dad but I think I just cried. Welcome to our crazy family, we're looking forward to millions of special moments with you two' he concluded Larry and Sylvie met in the 1990s on a plane while she was working as a flight attendant The television host and his wife have been married since 1995 and have two children, son Jye and daughter Tia The daughter of the TV personality shared photos of her hugging Rowell to Instagram after he got down on bended knee in 2022 '11.11.22. Word of the day: Yes,' she wrote alongside images of the couple celebrating in Sydney Larry and Sylvie celebrated their 29th anniversary last year Guests filed into the church in the afternoon '29 years today. 29 years of holding hands and watching sunsets, 29 years of love and laughs, 29 years of ups and downs but mainly ups,' he began. 'And 29 years of me loving you more than anything... Happy Anniversary, Sylvie. Apparently the present for 29 years is furniture.' He went on to joke that he 'was going to take you out for a fancy nice dinner, but lets go to IKEA instead'. In an interview for The Sunday Telegraph's Body+Soul, the couple revealed they have a pact to create memories by doing something crazy every year while they can. The glamorous bridesmaids carried white bouquets A sizeable crowd gathered for the happy occasion Guests wore an array of dressy ensembles Friends and family mingled on the stairs of the church 'We decided we need to do at least one completely crazy thing each year so that we'll have some ridiculously good stories to remind each other about when we're in the nursing home,' he said. The presenter also said he has never been one to start an argument or to engage in conflict. 'I'd love to be one of those people who can puff their chest out and have a good solid argument but I'm just not. Once I screamed at our son and I ran off and threw up,' he added. Meanwhile, Sylvie revealed Larry's positivity and optimistic attitude has meant their relationship hasn't had any major problems. 'You never know what you're going to get with him but it's always spontaneous and fun. We're very lovey-dovey,' she said. Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield showcased their chic sense of style as they stepped out to Loro Piana's annual Record Bale Award in London on Thursday. The British actress, 39, best known for her role as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown, looked sensational as she went braless for the glitzy event. She commanded attention in a striking power suit, which featured a daring low-cut jacket and no shirt. Highlighting her cleavage, Claire wore the black blazer, which detailed an asymmetrical cut and a single button, with no bra. She cut a trendy figure and paired the look with some dramatically flared trousers which detailed sharp ironed stems down the centres. Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield showcased their chic sense of style as The Crown star went braless as they stepped out to Loro Piana's annual Record Bale Award in London on Thursday Spiderman star Andrew exuded glamour as he donned a navy blue pin-striped suit, which he paired with a matching blue shirt Adding inches to her statuesque frame, she finished off her stunning ensemble with a pair of black satin pointed-toe stilettoes. To accessorise, she donned a simple black clutch and a pair of bold gold earrings, which featured diamond detailing. Also in attendance at the star-studded event was American actor Andrew, 40, who looked as ever in a well-tailored suit. The Amazing Spiderman star exuded glamour as he donned a navy blue pin-striped suit, which he paired with a matching blue shirt. Adding a hint of casualness to his look, he opted to also show a bit of skin as he left his top two buttons undone. He finished off his trendy look with a striking pair of bright white trainers and a quirky lantern necklace. The swanky event saw the A-listers sit down for a private luxurious dinner, which was set with stunning pink roses and elegant long-stemmed candles. Loro Piana's annual event, which was established in 1997, serves to recognise the efforts of the most elevated wool producers in the world. The swanky event saw the A-listers sit down for a private luxurious dinner, which was set with stunning pink roses and elegant long-stemmed candles The centre for the competition is Australia and New Zealand, where the world's finest merino wool has been sourced for time immemorial, and its focus is to inspire these breeders to produce an ever-finer grade of wool year-upon-year. 'The award was never about simply setting a record, it was instrumental in proving that we could evolve and improve the fibers to reach superior quality,' said Loro Piana to WWD, deputy chairman of his namesake company, which has been controlled by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton since 2013. The award is bestowed on two farms, one in Australia and one in New Zealand, successfully producing the finest bale of Merino wool. 'This challenges farmers to continuously strive for excellence, they are incredibly committed and nothing is left to chance,' he added. The Australian farm Pyrenees Park, with Pamela, Robert and Bradley Sandlant, secured a new World Record Bale with a Merino wool fibre of only 10.2 microns, surpassing the 2013 record of 10.3 microns - a human hair measures 80 microns. Georgia Love is returning to Melbourne radio with a plum role on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on KIIS FM. The Bachelorette star is rumoured to have inked a three-month deal to deliver the news alongside Byron Cooke, the fill-in breakfast presenter for KIIS FM Melbourne. The contract length for the fill-in role would seem to imply that Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson's breakfast show would be coming to Melbourne mid-2024. The launch date for the hit breakfast show has still yet to be confirmed, but Love's contract would seem to coincide with KIIS FM's hints at a start later in the year. Before landing the newsreading job for the radio station, Love has jumped around a number of high-profile media jobs in the last few years. Georgia Love (pictured) is returning to Melbourne radio with a plum role on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on KIIS FM The Bachelorette star's contract could be a clue as to when the Sydney breakfast duo will take over down south. Pictured: Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson She began her career in journalism at WIN News, before her profile skyrocketed in 2016 when she was cast on Channel 10's The Bachelorette. She went on to become a casual reporter for Ten Eyewitness News in Melbourne, later rebranded 10 News First, but was let go due to budget cuts in early 2021. The role was what she described as her dream job, before jumping ship to rival network Channel Seven in February 2021. But Love's TV career came to a grinding halt seven months later after she made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The former reality star is rumoured to have inked a three-month deal to deliver the news alongside Byron Cooke (pictured), the fill-in breakfast presenter for KIIS FM Melbourne In September 2021, Love posted a video to her Instagram account asking whether a cat was on the menu at a Chinese restaurant after seeing the animal in the window. 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' she captioned her post at the time. She also posted a similar 'joke' about pets and Chinese restaurants in 2013. Critics claimed the footage was offensive and perpetrated a harmful stereotype about Chinese people. Love deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing 'offence', but at the time denied the post had any racist 'insinuation'. Love's TV career came to a grinding halt seven months later after she made headlines for all the wrong reasons Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email later that week that Love had been 'counselled' and reassigned to an off-camera role 'effective immediately'. Last year, Love finally addressed the scandal after staying silent in the wake of the backlash. Speaking to Stellar magazine, the media personality called out cancel culture while also apologising for her actions. 'I hate the term cancellation. To think that we have the ability to cancel somebody whether that means from their industry, their job, their family and friends. We don't have the ability to do that,' she said. Georgia sparked backlash in September 2021 for sharing footage (above) of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' Love said cancel culture is unfair because people aren't afforded the opportunity to defend themselves in the 'heat of the moment'. She also lamented about the fallout from the scandal, telling the magazine: 'I had my dream job. I felt so lucky every day to be doing what I loved and what I had dreamed of for so long. 'So to have lost that on-air job I stayed working at Seven, but I was taken off air in the fallout was probably the hardest thing for me, because I've always put a lot of emphasis and focus on my work and my career.' Georgia and husband Lee Elliot were later called out for promoting tourism to Saudi Arabia. The Middle Eastern country has been condemned globally in recent years for its abuse of human rights on its people. Karl Stefanovic has paid tribute to his wife Jasmine Stefanonic (nee Yarbrough) on her milestone 40th birthday. The Today show host, 49, posted to Instagram on Monday to post a sweet tribute to Jasmine. Xavier Rudd's song Follow the Sun played over the top of a montage of photos from Karl and Jasmine's life together, with plenty of pics from their various holidays. Jasmine looked stunning from the photos over the years and the couple beamed together in multiple happy snaps. 'We will follow you and the sun forever. Happy birthday you exquisite woman,' Karl wrote in the caption. Karl Stefanovic has paid tribute to his wife Jasmine Stefanonic (nee Yarbrough) on her milestone 40th birthday. Both pictured The Today show host, 49, posted to Instagram on Monday to post a sweet tribute to Jasmine Plenty of pics were taken from their various holidays, including one where they larked around on the beach Jasmine will celebrate with a blowout 40th birthday party in Noosa over the weekend. But in the meantime, other family members have paid tribute to her online. Sylvia Jeffreys, who is married to Karl's brother Peter Stefanovic, posted to social media to acknowledge her sister-in-law's 40th as well. 'Happy fizzy 40 to our beautiful Jasmine provider of huge love and even bigger laughs. We love you,' Sylvia wrote. One image showed Jasmine relaxing in a black swimsuit Several images had not been seen by the pair's fans before Jasmine looked stunning from the photos over the years and the couple beamed together in multiple happy snaps Sweet family moments could be seen with Karl's older children at dinner Jasmine looked ethereal on one older image Thee couple looked sensational in formal wear Karl's 18-year-old daughter Willow also shared a sweet birthday tribute to her stepmother. Willow, whose real name is Ava but prefers to go by her middle name, has maintained a strong bond with Jasmine since the shoe designer married Today host Karl five years ago. Posting to Instagram Stories on Monday, the brunette shared a photo of the pair cuddling up at a cafe, adding the caption: 'Happy birthday step mommm.' Willow's parents Karl and Cassandra Thorburn split in 2016 after 21 years of marriage and three children- Willow, Jackson and River. In one photo the TV host cracked up during a night out with friends This Morning bosses have reportedly begged Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard to take over as Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's permanent replacements on This Morning. Holly, 42, and Phillip, 61, both left the ITV daytime show last year and since there has been a rotating group of stars at the helm. Cat, 47, impressed viewers with her presenting skills when she appeared on the show in November and was said to have left bosses devastated when she then turned down the main gig. However, new reports claim that producers went back to the drawing board to try and woo the former children's TV star and are set to announce as her the new Monday to Thursday host alongside Ben Shephard. It's possible the reason for the sudden U-turn is financial, with Cat set to nab a bumper payday as the new host. As This Morning bosses 'pursue Cat Deeley for a permanent hosting role' could the chance to DOUBLE her already lucrative earnings be too tempting to turn down? (pictured on the show in November) Producers reportedly went back to the drawing board to try and woo the former children's TV star and are set to announce as her the new host alongside Ben Shephard (pictured on the show in September) When reports of her joining the show first emerged last year it was claimed she and Ben would receive an annual salary of 555,000. While hefty, the salary still paled in comparison to former hosts Holly and Phil, who were said to have been paid 700,000 annually for their role. However, Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode. The new series is set to air in March and Cat has been dividing her time between the States and the UK for filming. Therefore it stands to reason that if Cat has changed her mind about appearing on This Morning her contract would either allow her to continue juggling her LA gig. If she does decide to keep both jobs it won't be for financial reasons, however, as brand and culture expert Nick Ede revealed she could double her This Morning salary with brand deals online. Nick told MailOnline: 'Cat is popular in the style stakes and I can see her making a lot of money partnering with brands like John Lewis and M&S who will be vying for her to wear their items. 'She could earn over 200,000 from fashion collabs and she also has her own fragrance which I am sure will fly off the shelves. 'I can also see her potentially collaborating with a brand like Charlotte Tilbury or L'Oreal and for these she could earn a cool 250,000. 'Cat is the perfect presenter for This Morning. She has a big fanbase of people who grew up with her on a Saturday morning and she's always been a safe pair of hands. 'She has a great reputation for being lots of fun but she can also balance difficult discussion points too which is why she will make a winning pairing with Ben. 'What's also really great for a brand about Cat is that she has a big appeal in the USA as the host of the hit show So You Think You Dance so if they are looking to expand or create brand deals in the UK and US she's the perfect person to do it.' Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode It's claimed Cat and Ben will receive an annual salary of 555,000 which pales in comparison toPhillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who were said to have been paid 700,000 Cat and Ben's decision to join the show was reported by The Mirror on Thursday, with a source saying: 'The cat's out of the bag - they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March. 'Obviously Ben is well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa. Cat is also a very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids' TV, although she's been over in the US for a long time. 'People were very impressed with her guest presenting stint last year alongside Rylan and thankfully the timing has all come together. Everyone is delighted.' It comes after it was reported late last year that Cat had 'turned down' the job offer. Cat, Ben and ITV have been contacted by MailOnline for further comment. Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond look set to continue as the show's regular Friday and school holiday presenters. It comes after Holly left the show last October 'for the sake of her family' after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnap and murder plot and has since not been replaced permanently. It came five months after Phillip Schofield's departure after his affair with a young male showrunner was made public, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host. Cat - who is married to fellow presenter Patrick Kielty - began her career as a co-presenter for the ITV children's show SMTV Live, for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK. It has been reported that their launch pictures ahead of the official announcement will be shot later this month along with new promotions for the show (Cat with Craig Doyle guest presenting on Nov 15, 2023) Ben, 49, joined GMB in 2014 and has been with them ever since and is one of their most loved stars (seen with Charlotte Hawkins on the show) Cat began her career as a co-presenter for the ITV children's show SMTV Live, for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK (seen in 2000 with Ant and Dec) Meanwhile Ben, 49, joined GMB in 2014 and has been with them ever since and is one of their most loved stars. It comes after earlier this week it was claimed that This Morning staff are 'livid' that a regular presenting team has not been put in place yet since Holly and Phillip's departure from the show last year. Alison and Dermot, and Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle have stepped in to front the show for now, while Sian Welby and Rochelle Humes have also appeared. It was previously claimed Alison was a front-runner for the regular spot but she declined to focus on other projects and is said to be backing Josie for the job. It comes after Sian Welby impressed viewers as she took the helm with Dermot last week. A source told the Mail: 'Sian has done a fantastic job and everyone totally loves her. 'She is a massive breath of fresh air, she has come along and just wowed everyone. She has been a joy to watch for the viewers but also editor Martin Frizell and other executives on the show and they think she has the ability to grow and grow on the show and become the next Holly. 'It mustn't be forgotten that Holly was like her once and look what happened to her, she was the host for 14 years. 'Martin and Emma are both agreed that she has got what it takes to be a star, it is really exciting and she is very much in a pole position for the job now. 'Sian is seen to be by far better than some of the presenters who have hosted the show in recent months.' Meanwhile, Holly is reportedly being eyed-up for presenting roles in the US after making her way back on to UK screens. The TV host returned to the airwaves this month on Dancing On Ice. It is now claimed she could head over to America for work, with the star hopeful it will also boost her lifestyle brand. An insider told The Sun: 'Holly's a free agent and for the first time in years she's free to be courted by these huge streaming platforms. 'A number of US networks and production companies have been interested in her for a while and she's caught the attention of some major brands. Alison and Dermot, and Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle have stepped in to front the show for now, while Sian Welby, Rylan Clark and Rochelle Humes have also appeared (Josie and Rylan seen) It comes after Sian Welby impressed viewers as she took the helm with Dermot last week from Monday to Thursday 'She has true star pulling power and as well as being glamorous she is a polished professional in front of the camera. It's an exciting time in her career.' It is claimed Holly is hoping to use any boost of exposure in the United States to push her lifestyle brand Wylde Moon, which has been compared to Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop. The source added: 'Holly has made it no secret that she is following the Gwyneth Paltrow brand model. Launching herself Stateside could make those dreams a reality.' MailOnline contacted a representative for Holly for comment. Dakota Johnson has revealed she receives fan letters from men in prison and 'very strange things in the post'. Appearing on Friday's episode of The Graham Norton Show, the Fifty Shades Of Grey actress, 34, revealed her unusual caliber of fandom when actor Sterling K. Brown divulged that he is lauded by fans for 'changing their lives'. Speaking about his show This is Us, he said: 'People still come up to me to hug and to tell me that the show changed their lives. How it provided them with some form of catharsis. I didn't know it would have such an impact. It was really lovely.' A stunned Dakota hilariously countered: 'That never happens to me. I just get letters from men in prison and very strange things in the post!' Her anecdote comes after her Fifty Shades Of Grey co-star Jamie Dornan confessed he had received letters claiming he had fathered a child with Dakota. Dakota Johnson has revealed she receives fan letters from men in prison and 'very strange things in the post' Appearing on Friday's episode of The Graham Norton Show, the Fifty Shades Of Grey actress, 34, revealed her unusual caliber of fandom when actor Sterling K. Brown divulged that he is lauded by fans for 'changing their lives' (pictured in Fifty Shades Of Grey) A stunned Dakota hilariously countered: 'That never happens to me. I just get letters from men in prison and very strange things in the post!' Back in 2020, he said: 'Someone saying that it was my kid, and my wife should know that I have this kid who's 7 years old... 'I think they were trying to say that the kid was mine and Dakota Johnson's, and we'd had this baby while we made the first Fifty Shades movie. It piqued our interest, let's say. It was a bit freaky.' Dakota was on the show to discuss joining the Marvel Universe and her role as Madame Web. She said: 'She is a new character, and this is a new version of a Marvel movie. It's different and grounded and from an entirely female perspective... 'It's totally stand alone.' Asked about performing her own stunts, she went on: 'I had a one-day stunt driving course and it was the most fun I have ever had.' When asked if this is the first of many stunts, she coyly stated: 'Maybe'. Sterling, who has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for American Fiction,. meanwhile said of the film: 'It is a very funny satire on how mainstream media often see black people in very narrow perspectives, which isn't the whole story... Her anecdote comes after her Fifty Shades Of Grey co-star Jamie Dornan confessed he had received letters claiming he had fathered a child with Dakota Sterling K Brown, Dakota Johnson, Colman Domingo, Domhnall Gleeson and Paul Russell (L-R) appeared on the show 'Every experience is different, and the film tries to show the humanity that exists in all of us.' Asked if he is enjoying his Oscar nomination, he says, 'There's no losing yet. It will happen in its own good time. But I know I am not going to win, and I am totally fine with that. Robert Downey Jr. is going to win, and he is incredibly deserving... 'The fact that I get to be nominated along with him, Robert De Niro, Ryan Gosling, and Mark Ruffalo is incredible, I am just happy to be in the room.' Talking about This is Us, he went on: 'People still come up to me to hug and to tell me that the show changed their lives. How it provided them with some form of catharsis. I didn't know it would have such an impact. It was really lovely.' Also appearing was Colman Domingo, who was discussing playing the title role of the 1960s civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in Rustin. He said: 'He is not well known in the US as he'd been pretty much erased from history because he was openly gay... 'His story is great, and he was an awesome person in every way. I truly hope this film puts him back in the history books. I think that the more I am amplified, so is he and that is a beautiful thing.' Dakota was on the show to discuss joining the Marvel Universe and her role as Madame Web. She said: 'She is a new character, and this is a new version of a Marvel movie. It's different and grounded and from an entirely female perspective' Asked about the Obamas' approach to producing the film, he says: 'They were very hands on. They gave notes on the script and on the cuts of the film and, because we were shooting during Covid, they made sure we were taking care of ourselves and each other. We became very close and warm.' On hearing the news of his Oscar nomination, he said: 'I was cleaning the bathroom to distract myself when I got a text from my manager... 'When my husband heard the news on the TV he bursts into tears and laid on the floor and I thought, 'I guess that was what I should have done.' I didn't know what to do because I was so shocked.' Domhnall Gleeson appeared to speak about his new Channel 4 romantic drama series Alice & Jack, he said: 'It's about love and how good people can hurt other people. It is beautiful and moving and I am really, really proud of it. It's gorgeous.' Asked about his fans, he joked: 'People seem to remember me most for a comedy sketch I did years ago when I pooed in a lemonade bottle. They shout at me in the street. I want to shout back, 'I've been in The Revenant god damn it!' The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 2nd February 10.40pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer This Morning's new permanent host Cat Deeley is in a stand-off with ITV bosses over her new post and her long-time role on So You Think You Can Dance. On Thursday, insiders revealed Cat, 47, and Ben Shephard, 49, had scooped the coveted roles of permanent hosts in the wake of stalwart stars Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's departure last year. It has now been claimed that Cat wanted Rylan Clark as a co-host rather than Ben and will 'not receive special treatment' to permit her Monday to Thursday role on This Morning and continue her 344k-a season role on the American dance show. Sources revealed: 'Cat will not get any special treatment... She will absolutely not be given time off to film the next series of So You Think You Can Dance. So she has to make that decision, its one or the other, end of. Cat is said to have 'really wanted the job' but had concerns over her husband Patrick Kielty's commitments in Ireland and how they would juggle the jobs. This Morning's new permanent host Cat Deeley is in a stand-off with ITV bosses over her new post and her long-time role on So You Think You Can Dance (pictured on the show in November) Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode. It has now been claimed that Cat wanted Rylan Clark as a co-host rather than Ben and will 'not receive special treatment' to permit her Monday to Thursday role on This Morning and continue her 344k-a season role on the American dance show The insider continued: 'Cat told friends that she wanted the job, if she could make it work. However, she also feared that Patricks commitments in Ireland made things very tricky for her to take the job. She also really, really wanted to do it with Rylan.' When reports of Cat joining the show first emerged last year it was claimed she and Ben would receive an annual salary of 555,000. While hefty, the salary still paled in comparison to former hosts Holly and Phil, who were said to have been paid 700,000 annually for their role. However, Cat isn't short of cash as she currently earns at least 344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid 43,000 an episode. The new series is set to air in March and Cat has been dividing her time between the States and the UK for filming. Therefore it stands to reason that if Cat has changed her mind about appearing on This Morning her contract would either allow her to continue juggling her LA gig. If she does decide to keep both jobs it won't be for financial reasons, however, as brand and culture expert Nick Ede revealed she could double her This Morning salary with brand deals online. On Thursday, insiders revealed Cat, 47, and Ben Shephard, 49, had scooped the coveted roles of permanent hosts in the wake of stalwart stars Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield 's departure last year (pictured on the show in September) It's claimed Cat and Ben will receive an annual salary of 555,000 which pales in comparison toPhillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who were said to have been paid 700,000 Nick told MailOnline: 'Cat is popular in the style stakes and I can see her making a lot of money partnering with brands like John Lewis and M&S who will be vying for her to wear their items. 'She could earn over 200,000 from fashion collabs and she also has her own fragrance which I am sure will fly off the shelves. 'I can also see her potentially collaborating with a brand like Charlotte Tilbury or L'Oreal and for these she could earn a cool 250,000. 'Cat is the perfect presenter for This Morning. She has a big fanbase of people who grew up with her on a Saturday morning and she's always been a safe pair of hands. 'She has a great reputation for being lots of fun but she can also balance difficult discussion points too which is why she will make a winning pairing with Ben. 'What's also really great for a brand about Cat is that she has a big appeal in the USA as the host of the hit show So You Think You Dance so if they are looking to expand or create brand deals in the UK and US she's the perfect person to do it.' Cat is said to have 'really wanted the job' but had concerns over her husband Patrick Kielty's commitments in Ireland and how they would juggle the jobs Good Morning Britain got off to a tricky start on Friday as Charlotte Hawkins was forced to address an on air blunder. As the presenter and her co-host Robert Rinder were joined by Iain Dale and Jacqui Smith to discuss the latest headlines the feature didn't quite run to plan as the sound cut out. As Iain started talking the audio suddenly cut out before returning later. Addressing the technical issue, Charlotte, 48, said: 'We may have had a bit of sound issue there, I can say you weren't censored midway through, we're just working out what happened.' 'He said a rude word last week,' Jacqui joked before Charlotte reassured the broadcaster: 'It wasn't anything to do with that, don't worry! But we're pressing some technical buttons, hopefully it's all sorted!' Good Morning Britain's Charlotte Hawkins, 48, was forced to address awkward on air blunder during Friday's episode As the presenter and her co-host Robert Rinder were joined by Iain Dale and Jacqui Smith to discuss the latest headlines the feature didn't quite run to plan as the sound cut out Meanwhile fans were delighted to see Rob Rinder appearing as a guest presenter on the show for Friday's episode. Taking to Twitter, fans sung the criminal barrister's praises as they begged for the star to be given a permanent role on the show. One wrote: 'Great to see Rob Rinder wish he could be a permanent presenter,' while a second penned: 'Gmb. Love Rob Rinder on show so professional'. A third commented: 'What a joy to wake up and see Rob Rinder back on GMB! Lovely eloquent interview regarding the post office scandal. Please GMB give Rob a permanent placement, and get rid of the embarrassment that is Madeley!!!' Another added: '@GMB please have Rob Rinder on more often. His legal expertise and insights are fascinating and educating. Great guest host. Morning show is much better with him'. Another wrote: 'What a breath of fresh air Rob Rinder on GMB hope he will be on more often'. After the show both Charlotte and Rob joined their fellow colleagues at the ITV breakfast show for Derek Draper's funeral at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill. Kate Garraway today said goodbye to her beloved husband at his funeral with their 17-year-old daughter bravely carrying the coffin as her mother proudly watched on. Addressing the technical issue, Charlotte said: 'We may have had a bit of sound issue there, I can say you weren't censored midway through, we're just working out what happened.' 'He said a rude word last week,' Jacqui joked before Charlotte reassured the broadcaster: 'It wasn't anything to do with that, don't worry! But we're pressing some technical buttons, hopefully it's all sorted!' Taking to Twitter, fans sung the criminal barrister's praises as they begged for the star to be given a permanent role on the show Kate Garraway today said goodbye to her beloved husband Derek Draper at his funeral at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill Kate's Good Morning Britain colleagues Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid were amongst the first to arrive at the north London church Richard Arnold and Charlotte Hawkins came to say a final farewell Fiona Phillips and her ITV exec husband Martin Frizell also attended the service Kate clutched the hands of her two children as they waited for the coffin to arrive outside the church, which was packed with some of Britain's most famous people. Her teenage daughter Darcey was among the six pallbearers as her mother watched on. The GMB presenter tightly clutched her son Williams hand as they followed the coffin into the church. Members of Mr Drapers family followed behind. Derek's death following a long battle with Covid-19 moved the nation and today's funeral was packed with big names who were friends and colleagues of him and his wife. Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid were amongst the first to arrive followed by Piers Morgan and Charlotte and Richard Arnold. Fiona Phillips also attended as she was seen in public with her ITV exec husband Martin Frizell for the first time since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Lauren Goodger has suggested she will be homeschooling her two year-old daughter when the time comes as she shared a controversial video to her Instagram on Friday. The former TOWIE star, 37, took to social media as she posted a video on the often debated topic of home education. The mother, who is a single parent to daughter Larose, hinted she agreed with the principles of the video which stated that 'the fear [of homeschooling] is much greater than the reality'. Taken from the account of digital creator Charlotte Millar, the narrator explained: 'People are afraid of homeschooling because they think they can't do it. It's not true. The fear is much greater than the reality. 'There are so many sites and groups now to help you. You put in as much or as little time as you want into the homeschooling of your child. Lauren Goodger, 37, has hinted she wishes to homeschool her daughter Larose, two, as she shares controversial video to her Instagram Story on Friday The mother, who is a single parent to daughter Larose, hinted she agreed with the principles of the video which stated that 'the fear [of homeschooling] is much greater than the reality 'You can have people teach them, you don't have to be the teacher. I couldn't teach algebra just as an example. But there is no doubt in my mind that that's what I would do.' Detailing the benefits of homeschooling the video continued: 'When I meet homeschooled kids I almost always can tell they are a homeschooled kid. They are happier, they are more polite, which means nothing to a lot of people today, but it's a big deal. 'They're deeper, they're more mature. They have more wisdom. I am as advocative of it as possible.' While Lauren's support of the post suggested she may be considering homeschooling for her daughter, the logistics could present a challenge after the reality star confirmed in December that she would be returning to the cast of TOWIE after an 11-year absence. The influencer told OK! that she plans to return to the reality show in February and has already started thinking about potential storylines. Lauren was part of the original 2010 line-up for the programme, which partly focused on her long-term relationship with Mark Wright at the time, before she left in 2012 after their break up in series six. She returned briefly in 2015 for The Only Way Is Essexmas and, looking to the future, said she wants to 'meet up with Amy Childs and go for lunch with the kids!' Since departing TOWIE, Lauren welcomed both Larose and second daughter Lorena, who sadly passed away just after birth. Taken from the account of digital creator Charlotte Millar, the narrator explained: 'People are afraid of homeschooling because they think they can't do it. It's not true. The fear is much greater than the reality' Detailing the benefits of homeschooling the video continued: 'When I meet homeschooled kids I almost always can tell they are a homeschooled kid' Since departing TOWIE, Lauren welcomed both Larose and second daughter Lorena, who sadly passed away just after birth after the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck The star gave birth to her second child in July 2022, but her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and she tragically lost her life. Lauren shares both children with her Charles was charged with inflicting actual bodily harm on Lauren on August 4, 2022, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. He is also charged with engaging in 'controlling or coercive behaviour' against Lauren between August 1, 2020 and August 5, 2022. Charles pleaded not guilty to the charges during a brief preliminary hearing at the court in the east London borough of Redbridge. Judge Oscar Del Fabbro adjourned the case ahead of a further pre-trial hearing at the same court on February 12, 2024, followed by a trial, listed for five days, starting on March 18, 2024. Lauren isn't the only celebrity to consider homeschooling after Joe Wicks revealed last July that he had taken his four-year-old daughter Indie out of reception to homeschool her. The fitness guru, 38, explained he made the choice so that he and his wife can spend more time as a family - and have the 'freedom to travel more and explore the world'. He and his model wife Rosie, who would like six children, plan to do at least one year of home educating at their 4 million mansion in Surrey. 'There's really nothing more to the decision than we just love being together as a family and want to spend more time with the kids while we can,' he wrote in a post on Instagram. Holly Willoughby sent warm birthday wishes to her gal pal Christine Lampard, as the TV host rang in her 45th birthday on Friday. Taking to social media, the former This Morning host, 42, who celebrates her own birthday next week, shared a stunning snap of the duo enjoying a drink. Dressed to the nines in stunning black gowns and clutching cocktails, the duo looked sensational in the shot shared with her 8.5million followers. She added a caption on the stunning shot reading: 'Happy birthday to my beautiful friend @christinelampard heres to my fellow Aquarian! Love ya'. Adding to Holly's birthday wishes, the official Instagram account for Loose Women also paid tribute to the frequent panellist on the show. Holly Willoughby sent warm birthday wishes to her gal pal Christine Lampard, as the TV host rang in her 45th birthday on Friday Taking to social media, the former This Morning host, 42, who celebrates her own birthday next week, shared a stunning snap of the duo enjoying a drink Adding to Holly's birthday wishes, the official Instagram account for Loose Women also paid tribute to the frequent panellist on the show Holly and Christine are part of the same girl gang and last month, Holly headed on her first girls' night out after retreating from the limelight in the wake of her terrifying kidnapping ordeal in October. She took a three month hiatus after stepping down from This Morning when she learned she was a victim of an alleged 'kidnap and murder plot'. But after returning to ITV for DOI last month, Holly took to social media to share a slew of snaps as she partied with her girl gang for Emma Bunton's 48th birthday. Holly has been best pals with Emma, Nicole Appleton and Christine for many years, along with PR guru Niki de Metz and music talent manager Shiarra Bell. The TV host posted on Wednesday to give an insight into the girl gang's latest get together as they celebrated Baby Spice's 48th birthday early. Holly shared a smiling selfie of the group as they enjoyed a catch-up. Emma is set to mark her 48th birthday on Sunday and the close friends made sure to get their celebrations in early ahead of the big day. Alongside the sweet snap, Holly gushed: ''Happiest of birthdays Baby! Wishing a very happy (early) birthday love ya!' Holly and Christine are part of the same girl gang and last month, Holly headed on her first girls' night out after retreating from the limelight in the wake of her terrifying kidnapping ordeal in October (pictured for Emma's birthday celebrations last year) The group share occasional insights into their meet-ups, and posted a group snap last January as they reunited for Emma's birthday in what has become an annual tradition. Holly and Christine's meet-up comes after the former returned to Dancing On Ice on Sunday after taking a break from TV in October in the wake of an alleged kidnap and murder plot. She quit her This Morning role after the alleged plot emerged, which followed Phillip Schofield leaving as her co-host after his affair with a younger show runner came to light. Gavin Plumb, 36, has pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting murder and incitement to commit kidnap the former This Morning host. The security guard will remain behind bars after being denied bail. During a short hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, Gavin Plumb, from Harlow, Essex, who was not present, was refused a bail application. He has a trial date fixed for June 24 next year. Eric Bana has revealed the how brutal the price of Hollywood fame can be. The Australian actor, 55, made the comments to the Daily Telegraph on Friday ahead of the release of his new film Force of Nature: The Dry 2. While promoting the upcoming film, the movie star was asked about the secret to his success after he shot to fame in 2003's Hulk. The Chopper star said that it was mostly hard work, luck, and collaborating with talented people, but that he had to be careful as his fame grew. 'You are only a couple of bad performances away from no one talking about you again,' Bana said. Eric Bana has revealed the how brutal the price of Hollywood fame can be. The Australian actor, 55, made the comments to the Daily Telegraph on Friday ahead of his new film Force of Nature: The Dry 2. Pictured with wife Rebecca Gleeson The former comedian turned actor said he keeps himself grounded by visiting remote pubs in Australia. 'They have no interest in talking to you about work or you being you,' he explained of Aussie locals in small towns. 'It's just about "where did you come from? What road did you use? Where you going?" They want to tell you what track you should ride. It just gets rid of all that.' Bana's new film Force of Nature is another murder mystery and like its predecessor The Dry, is based on a bestselling novel from Australian author Jane Harper. Eric will reprise the role of Aaron Falk, the dogged detective fans know from 2020's The Dry. The movie star was asked about the secret to his success after he shot to fame in 2003's Hulk (pictured). Bana said he keeps himself grounded by visiting remote pubs in Australia This time, the sleuth heads into high country to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a corporate whistleblower played by Anna Torv who goes missing on a corporate hiking trip. Amongst the prime suspects in the case are Lucy Ansell (Utopia), Homeland's Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer from Mortal Kombat and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole star, Deborra-Lee Furness. Force of Nature was filmed in locations in Victoria's Yarra Valley, the Otways and the Dandenong Ranges and is produced by Sydney company Made Up Stories with Connolly's Arenamedia and Bana's Pick Up Truck Pictures. The production makes another collaboration between Eric and his friend and colleague, producer-director Robert Connolly. Force of Nature: The Dry 2 will be released in cinemas across Australia on Thursday, February 8. Force of Nature: The Dry 2 will be released in cinemas across Australia on February 8 Wendy Williams has been seen for the first time in over a year, as she prepares to open up about her personal struggles in a new Lifetime documentary. The TV star, 59, has appeared in the first trailer for her upcoming special, over two years after leaving her chat show, citing health problems. The documentary, which will be released on Lifetime in the US as a two-night event, will follow Wendy as her health continued to decline. While the trailer offered a glimpse at the special, it was deleted just minutes after being posted on social media. In the trailer, obtained by The Sun, Wendy broke down in tears as she struggled with both mental and physical illness after her talk show came to an end. Wendy Williams has been for the first time in over a year, as she prepares to open up about her personal struggles in a new Lifetime documentary The TV star has appeared in the first trailer for her upcoming special, over two years after leaving her chat show, citing health problems The veteran TV star was last seen in public in February 2023 (pictured) 'Since I was six years old, all I wanted was to be famous,' she told the cameras, as footage ran showing the radio host at the peak of her career. The documentary included a glimpse of Wendy back in her presenting heyday, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, it then cut to show Wendy in the present day, the first time she's been seen publicly in over a year. It showed Wendy's son Kevin Hunter Jr., who told the camera she's 'done a really good job at making it seem like everything's OK, but in reality, there's something wrong going on.' Footage showed a frail Wendy in the backseat of a car, with the producer asking her: 'Have you seen a neurologist?' and she replied, 'To see if I'm crazy? Mhm.' Clips showed the star struggling to even stand without assistance, while a male family member said: 'She was put in front of a judge and given a guardian. That was when they took her away from us.' Speaking directly to the camera, Wendy then said: 'I have no money. And let me tell you something, if it happens to me, it can happen to you.' Another scene in the trailer showed one of Wendy's loved ones asking if she drank an entire bottle of vodka 'today.' In the trailer, Wendy broke down in tears as she struggled with both mental and physical illness after her talk show came to an end Footage showed a frail Wendy in the backseat of a car, with the producer asking her: 'Have you seen a neurologist?' and she replied, 'To see if I'm crazy? Mhm' Intercut with scenes from the height of her fame, the trailer showed Wendy's family cliaming she seemed to be 'losing memory' Speaking directly to the camera, Wendy then said: 'I have no money. And let me tell you something, if it happens to me, it can happen to you' She then snapped at the man to 'keep the bottle there' while lying in bed. Kevin Jnr asserted that Wendy is still planning to 'return to TV,' despite believe his mother has 'worked enough' in her career. Wendy's family also claimed that she seemed to be 'losing memory,' after the star admitted she 'didn't know' where she was while driving around New York, where she has lived for years. In a conversation with her niece Alex Finnie, she told the host that there have been 'random people around,' to which Wendy added, 'Stealing money from me.' Wendy has not been seen publicly for over a year, however back in March she was seen drinking during a raucous night out in NYC - five months after leaving rehab. She went club-hopping in Manhattan where she visited venues including Fresco by Scotto and gay bar The Townhouse, with a source telling Page Six: 'She kept saying she wanted to get drunk tonight.' Naughty But Nice podcast host Rob Shuter told the publication the star 'looked lonely' sat by herself but then 'lit up like a Christmas tree to see someone she knew.' Talking about their meeting on his podcast, he said: 'We had a bite, we had some drinks, but then when we were getting ready to say goodbye, Wendy didn't really want us to leave' before allegedly suggesting going to a bar. In October 2022 it was revealed the star was 'home and healing' after going back to rehab to focus on 'health and wellness' following a streak of erratic behavior (pictured February 2023) At the time, a source told Page Six that Williams' substance issues had 'gotten worse,' as 'she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka' (pictured in February 2023) A diner also told the publication: 'She kept saying she wanted to get drunk tonight. She wasn't hiding [her drinking]' before claiming the star said she is moving to LA in three weeks. The source added that Williams said: 'She told this table that she was looking for love and like in Sex and the City, she's willing to f***.' Ex Real Housewives of New Jersey star Kim DePaola greeted her at the restaurant before the group went to The Townhouse where Williams is said to have asked the doorman: 'Do you watch 'The Wendy Williams Show?' I'm Wendy Willams.' The star's presence at the club saw her pose for photos with fans. DailyMail.com has contacted Wendy Williams' representative for comment. Wendy suffers from a raft of medical issues including lymphedema and Graves' disease, but is reportedly determined to keep her TV career going. In October it was revealed the star was 'home and healing' after going back to rehab to focus on 'health and wellness' following a streak of erratic behavior and claims of substance abuse. 'Wendy is excited about the road ahead and looking forward to releasing her many projects,' the former talk show host's publicist Shawn Zanotti said in a statement to E! News on Tuesday. Zanotti continued: 'She wants to say, 'thank you to my fans for your love, support and many prayers, I am back and better than ever.'' Zanotti confirmed the previous month that Williams had entered a 'wellness facility' in an effort to 'manage her overall health issues.' She was 'being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world,' Zanotti told the outlet, adding that Williams was preparing 'for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast.' No details about the facility or its location were revealed. Williams has past been in treatment at locations in New York and Florida. At the time, a source told Page Six that Williams' substance issues had 'gotten worse,' as 'she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka.' Williams has had difficulties in controlling her drinking, to the detriment of her overall health, which one source described as 'failing. They added: 'She can't stop drinking and she needs to stop drinking; it's just making her health worse.' The talk show host told a photographer recently that she was 'formerly retired' amid reports about her comeback, Page Six reported. Wendy 'is working on several projects,' her rep told the outlet, adding that she 'is ready to get things rolling and get back to being Wendy Williams.' Wendy suffers from a raft of medical issues including lymphedema and Graves' disease, but is reportedly determined to keep her TV career going (pictured in August 2022) Her publicist previously confirmed the previous month that Williams had entered a 'wellness facility' in an effort to 'manage her overall health issues' The outlet reported that her podcast called The Wendy Williams Experience was still in the works, which Shawn confirmed: 'Yes, the podcast is still in the works.' Wendy is focused 'on her overall wellness' a source previously revealed, with the star ready to get back to work. The star told a photographer while on a grocery run that she is 'formerly retired' and is hoping to appear on The View and Late Night with Seth Meyers, via Page Six. Last week, the outlet reported that Wendy was filming a project inside Manhattan restaurant Fresco by Scotto. 'Basically it was a regular night... and then all of the sudden the Wendy Williams train arrived,' an insider said. 'She had a huge crew that basically turned Fresco by Scotto into a movie set... approximately 30 people in the crew. Lights, cameras, audio, producers, etc. [It] looked like a reality show.' The upcoming project will mark Wendy's first return to media since The Wendy Williams Show wrapped last June. Sherri Shepherd, who filled in for the star during the final season due to the former host's medical issues, took over the time slot with her own show, Sherri. It remains unclear when The Wendy Williams Experience will premiere on podcast platforms. It all comes after Wendy's son Kevin Hunter Jr. spoke out about his concerns for his mother, from fears of her entourage taking advantage of her to her drinking. Speaking with The Sun, Kevin described how his mother's drinking impacts her body differently than others. His mother, who suffers from various health issues, is unable to process the alcohol the same way an average individual can, Kevin claims. 'I know the rate that she uses alcohol isn't like a normal person- and we've spoken about it. I've said, "This is one thing where you don't know how to approach it normally, and that's fine." 'And it's gotten to a point where yes, it could have that effect that it might be fatal because it affects her way worse than a normal person, since it stays in her system,' he said. 'There are a lot of people who are very aware that there is an issue with her drinking, and how that issue may be helped, but I think these people are taking advantage of it while allowing it to play out to make it look like they aren't causing the issue,' he said. Kevin also took aim at Wendy's team, claiming they have been 'taking advantage' of Wendy during a time of vulnerability. 'What's been made more important by the people around her is that while her health may not be great, she needs to keep on earning income, and in my opinion that should not be a priority at all,' he said. 'And whoever has been hired, they are taking advantage of someone who needs to get better.' In his eyes, Wendy's inner circle have only encouraged her drinking. 'If they aren't providing it, they are definitely enabling a type of personality and giving her the green light to drink,' he claimed. Wendy's documentary arrives on Lifetime on February 24 and 25. Ashley Roberts flaunted her flat midriff in a stylish outfit as she was joined by her elegant co-presenter Amanda Holden leaving Global Radio Studios in London on Friday. The former Pussycat Doll, 42, went braless in a grey crop top flashing her flat stomach. She teamed it with a pair of chic white wide-leg trousers and a matching maxi coat, adding to the look with a handbag and stiletto heels in the same colour. Ashley styled her locks into a half updo and accesorised with a pair of quirky white squared shades. Meanwhile, Amanda, 52, proved less is more as she dazzled in an all-grey outfit. Ashley Roberts flaunted her flat midriff in a stylish outfit as she was joined by her elegant co-star Amanda Holden while the duo departed Global Radio Studios in London on Friday The former Pussycat Doll, 42, went braless in a grey crop top flashing her flat stomach The radio host turned heads in a knitted midi dress which hugged her enviable figure, and added a maxi coat. The BGT judge added stiletto heels and carried the essentials in a croc handbag - both matching the grey ensemble. She smiled happily into the lens, rocking her trademark oversized shades as well as dainty earrings, while her blonde hair were kept neat with a side parting. It comes after Amanda gushed over her lookalike daughter as she took to Instagram on Tuesday to share some snaps from Lexi's 18th birthday earlier this month. The radio presenter pulled out all the stops to celebrate her eldest child's milestone birthday and has now shared some more snaps from the party. Taking to her Instagram Story, Amanda posted a special tribute to Lexi with a black and white snap of the two of them as she penned: 'My baby is all grown up'. The two blonde bombshells showed off their uncanny resemblance as they stood side by side at the bash as Amanda informed her followers that there would be more pictures to come. 'Prepare to be spammed with last weeks party pics,' she joked as she reposted Lexi's Instagram post. Lexi put on a glamorous display as she wowed in a red mini party dress adorned with sparkly beads and silver tassels. She teamed it with a pair of chic white wide-leg trousers and a matching maxi coat, and displayed her sense of fashion by matching a handbag and stiletto heels of the same colour Ashley kept her lock into a half-do and caught the eye accessorising with a pair of quirky white squared shades, while waving on her way out Meanwhile Amanda, 52, seemed to be jumping on the new mob-wife aesthetic as she stunned in a total grey outfit The radio host turned heads in a knitted midi dress which hugged her enviable figure, and added a maxi coat She smiled happily into the lens, rocking her trademark oversized shades as well as dainty earrings, while her blonde hair were kept neat with a side parting Meanwhile Amanda showed off her incredible physique in as she donned a sparkly white pair of trousers covered in sequins and a coordinating backless top to show off some extra skin. The Britain's Got Talent judge looked to be having the time of her life as she showed off her dance moves at the party. Amanda stood behind the DJ decks with a microphone and took the opportunity to play Sophie Ellis-Bextor's hit Murder On The Dancefloor. As the familiar tune began, she began dancing seductively against the wall, while Lexi's friends all cheered. The birthday girl could be seen singing along in the crowd in the showstopping beaded minidress. Amanda then made her way through the crowd to find her lookalike daughter and hand her the microphone. The star carried on moving through the teenagers and encouraging them to dance along. Amanda gushed over her lookalike daughter Lexi as she took to Instagram with snaps after she celebrated her 18th birthday earlier this month Abbie Chatfield was testing Instagram's censors on Friday night. The radio star posed in her new outfit from Los Angels brand Rezek Studio in a racy Instagram Stories post. The ensemble, which had a retro, 1970s style silhouette, consisted of a blue satin shirt which she wore open and a pair of short shorts. Abbie went braless under the top and left little to the imagination as she worked her angles for the camera. In her caption, Abbie raved about Rezek Studio, discussing how much she loves the brand. Abbie Chatfield (pictured) was testing Instagram's censors on Friday night. The radio star posed in her new outfit from Los Angels brand Rezek Studio in a racy Instagram Stories post It comes after her latest rant about how 'overrated' Byron Bay has become. The television personality, 28, launched an extraordinary tirade against NSW's popular tourist destination Byron Bay, despite moving there just two years ago. The former reality star slammed the renowned coastal town in the latest episode of her It's A Lot podcast, claiming the way it is perceived does not reflect its reality. 'Everyone acts like Byron Bay has the nicest beaches in the world. Have you been to Perth or Tamarama or literally anywhere else in Australia?' she began. 'People says it's so beautiful but you can't actually think that. No Ubers, no reception and everything closes at 2pm. There's nowhere to get a facial.' It comes after her latest rant about how 'overrated' Byron Bay has become Chatfield said you 'can't chill' in Byron Bay because there's nothing to do there, before mocking the town's beauty industry. 'The only facials are like turmeric and goo. Give me a f**king needle in my face!' she raged. 'Everyone thinks Byron is what it used to be, when in fact it is just... fine. When I was younger it was like Yamba, it used to be very chill, very quaint. There were lots of crochet shops.' Byron Bay has a population of just 6,500 and is a popular tourist destination due to its stunning beaches and laidback atmosphere and typically would not be a place a person would consider if they wanted a bustling environment. Abbie appears to have recently soured on Byron because in 2021 she liked the area enough to purchase a $1.45million cottage there. Sharing footage from inside her new home, Abbie revealed that her first purchase for her new property was a custom timber table for her kitchen. Located in the Byron Bay Hinterland of NSW, her new home was described as a private retreat. She has also been spotted holidaying there on several occasions, most recently at the start of this month when she was seen walking her dog in a white crop top. Alison Hammond has revealed the sweet message sent to her by Julian Clary, after she was announced as the new host of ITV's For The Love Of Dogs. The former Big Brother star told how comedian Julian gave her Paul O'Grady's blessing to front the popular series, after his death last March. Paul became an ambassador for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2012 following the success of the award-winning programme, which he hosted for 11 series. Alison recalled the recent heartfelt interaction between Julian and herself, while anchoring Friday's instalment of This Morning with Dermot O'Leary. She said: 'I've always wanted a dog, you know that, but you have to take it very, very seriously,' with Dermot adding: 'And Paul loved dogs, obviously. You got the sweetest message didn't you, from Julian Clary?' Alison Hammond has revealed the sweet message sent to her by Julian Clary , after she was announced as the new host of ITV's For The Love Of Dogs The former Big Brother star told how comedian Julian gave her Paul O'Grady 's blessing to front the popular series, after his death last March, telling her: 'he will be so happy' Despite Alison's lovely message from Julian, it seemed that This Morning viewers were not keen on her being given the hosting gig, noting how she doesn't even own a dog Alison responded: 'Yeah, he text me yesterday and he just said... Firstly he told me he was in The Maldives, I was a little bit jealous... 'And he said, ''I'm so happy you've got the job and Paul actually thought a lot of you, Alison, thought very highly of you, and he will be so happy, as am I'', and it really got me. 'I'm so so happy I just want to make him so proud in his legacy of Battersea and carry on that work because the charity does so much good work. 'We just wanna find some amazing homes for some wonderful dogs. I have fell in love with about three.' Despite Alison's lovely message from Julian, it seemed that This Morning viewers were not keen on her being given the hosting gig, noting how she doesn't even own a dog. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one person wrote: 'Disappointing to see Alison Hammond taking over For the love of Dogs. 'I'm sure she's a lovely person but she surely doesn't have the personality for it, it's about the animals not the presenter. Apparently she doesn't even have any pets. Gutted I won't be watching it. #itv.' Another tweeted: '#ThisMorning #AlisonHammond #Fortheloveofdogs the joy and pleasure of watching For the love of Dogs was watching Paul OGradys pure love and compassion with the dogs, also his quick wit and humour. Something Alison Hammond will never have. The wrong choice !!' A third disgruntled viewer fumed: 'Well #ThisMorning you can try and fob of us and go all #TeamHammond - BUT NO!!! She is STILL the worst choice for, FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS. A f**king Loud Cat Lover. Prediction THE RATINGS WILL BOMB! Not watching it.' Someone else wrote: 'Laughing my a** off at #ThisMorning trying so hard to make #AlisonHammond seem like a dog person. She ain't. We all know it. And I won't be watching For The Love Of Dogs with her fronting it.' Paul, who died last March, became an ambassador for the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2012 following the success of the award-winning programme, which he hosted for 11 series When Alison was confirmed as the new host for The Love Of Dogs at the end of last month, she admitted that she 'can never replace the iconic Paul. Alison said: 'I am very aware that I can never replace the iconic Paul in this wonderful series, but if I can continue to shine a light on the brilliant work done at Battersea and help to tell the stories of these beautiful dogs, then it will be an absolute privilege to give it my all. 'I can't wait to share the joy of their searches for new, loving, forever homes and hopefully make lots of furry friends of my own along the way.' Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer and Melissa McCarthy have been seen for the first time in the Netflix film Unfrosted. The movie is about the creation of the breakfast treat, the Pop-Tart. The images were shared as part of a sizzle reel from Netflix that was promoting their slate of 2024 projects. All of the stars were in period costume. Seinfeld is not only starring in the project, but he also wrote, directed and produced it. Also on the writing team were Spike Feresten and Barry Marder. The script was inspired by a joke Jerry later deconstructed in a piece for The New York Times. UNFROSTED: THE POP-TART STORY. Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan and Fred Armisen are seen in the film for the first time The comedian is also set to produce Unfrosted, a film he co-wrote with Spike Feresten and Barry Marder which was inspired by a joke he later deconstructed in a piece for The New York Times 'Stuck at home watching endless sad faces on TV I thought this would be a good time to make something based on pure silliness,' he told Deadline. 'So we took my Pop-Tart stand up bit from my last Netflix special and exploded it into a giant, crazy comedy movie.' Seinfeld's no stranger to the streaming giant as he signed a lucrative deal with Netflix in 2017 for his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee series. His Jerry Before Seinfeld show and 23 Hours to Kill were also released on Netflix. Jerry recently made a global deal to stream his most famous work to date, his self-titled 30-minute sitcom Seinfeld, for five years beginning later this year. 'Stuck at home watching endless sad faces on TV I thought this would be a good time to make something based on pure silliness,' he told Deadline Schumer looks elegantin red as she holds on to a martini Seinfeld's no stranger to the streaming giant as he signed a lucrative deal with Netflix in 2017 for his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee series In the NYT video, Jerry briefly discussed his writing style and offered a glimpse into the process of creating the perfect joke. 'In comedy, what you do is you think of something that you think is funny and then you go from there,' he said. 'When I was a kid and they invented the Pop-Tart, the back of my head blew right off and that got the whole thing started. That specific part of my head blew off, not just my head but just the back.' He continued: 'It was the '60s and we had toast, we had orange juice that was frozen years in advance that you had to hack away at with a knife to get a couple of drops and it felt like you were committing a murder before you got on your school bus.' (l-r) Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes, Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld He went on to talk about his least favorite breakfast foods and what spawned the idea for the questionable pastry. 'How did they know that there would be a need for a frosted fruit-filled heatable rectangle in the same shape as the box it comes in, and with the same nutrition as the box it comes in?' Seinfeld said at the time. 'In the midst of that darkness and hopelessness, the Kellog's Pop-Tart appears,' he said as he broke down how to present the joke for the best laughs. 'They can't go stale because they were never fresh,' he added. 'In my world- the wronger something feels, the righter it is. So to waste this much time on something this stupid, that felt good to me.' Duncan Bannatyne celebrated his milestone 75th birthday with a lavish party on Thursday, as he danced the night away with his beloved wife Nigora Whitehorn. The acclaimed entrepreneur enjoyed the special day as Nigora, 43, documented the celebration on her Instagram page, sharing a stunning shot of the couple posing together. Taking to her Stories, the former dental surgery receptionist recorded herself next to Duncan during their lavish outing. Another snap captured Nigora posing inside the sumptuous location as she beamed next to her husband. The Uzbekistan-born beauty exuded fashion wearing Versace from head to toe, sizzling in a chic gold print co-ord from the house brand. Duncan Bannatyne, 75, celebrated his milestone 75th birthday on Thursday alongside his beloved wife Nigora Whitehorn, 43, and some other friends Taking to her stories, the former dental surgery receptionist recorded herself next to her husband during their fun celebrations It included a zipped mini skirt with front zip pockets, teamed with a matching buttoned cropped jacket. Not shying away from displaying her jaw-dropping physique, Nigora added a white crop top underneath flashing her sculpted midriff. The bombshell risked to steal the show during her husband's special day, towering herself in a pair of matching Versace print stiletto heels. She oozed style adding a Louis Vuitton bag handbag, and sported a glamorous make-up with her chocolate tresses in a flawless blow-dry. Another video captured the Dragon's Den star enjoying his time as he was seen busy chatting to one of his friends, showing a live band on stage in the background. Duncan was in high spirits and appears to have fully recovered from his recent injury, after he was seen using a walking stick and wearing a knee brace. Right after New Year's celebrations, the philanthropist was seen boarding a plane to depart St Barts' Gustaf III Airport - after spending the festive season on the island alongside his beloved wife. The TV favourite was seen using a walking aid and wore a large black knee brace as he headed towards the plane. Nigora put n a leggy display in an eye-catching Versace co-ord as she and Duncan celebrated his birthday in style Another video captured the Dragon's Den star enjoying his time as he was seen busy chatting to one of his friends, showing a live band on stage in the background Duncan seemed in jovial sprits and appears to have fully recovered from his recent injury, after he was seen using a walking stick and wearing a knee brace It appeared Duncan hurt himself while 'strutting his stuff on the dance floor at the Gyp Sea resort', Richard Eden exclusively revealed a day after It appeared Duncan hurt himself while 'strutting his stuff on the dance floor at the Gyp Sea resort', Richard Eden exclusively revealed a day after. 'He broke his leg in London eight weeks ago and was making a great recovery until his active holiday in the Caribbean, which involved dancing until 4am. 'He used his leg brace to get back in recovery for his flight and is feeling fine now,' Duncan's spokesman told Richard. 90 Day: The Single Life's Miss Debbie Aguero is on a journey to find love again after her failed romance with Oussama Berber. On season 4 of TLC's hit spinoff of 90 Day Fiance, the reality star, from Sugar Hill, Georgia, revealed it's 'been 14 years since' she's 'had sex.' 'Is it physically possible I turn back into a virgin? Sometimes I wonder,' she declared during a confessional on the series. She went on to open up about how her ex, Oussama, who she met online and flew to meet his native country after connecting over art and poetry. 90 Day: The Single Life's Miss Debbie Aguero is on a journey to find love again after her failed romance with Oussama Berber, who is 43 years years her junior 'Oussama tried to have sex with me several times in Morocco before our upcoming marriage,' she told the cameras. 'I told him, 'No,' several times,' she said. 'You ain't getting any of this ice cream, honey.' While reflecting on her decision not to get intimate with Oussama, who is 43 years years her junior, Debbie said she was 'so glad' not to have 'given her virtue and honor to that young punk.' In the sneak peak of Mondays episode of 90 Day: The Single Life, obtained by People, Debbie enjoyed a night out with a sweet 58-year-old, who she nicknamed 'Ruben the Cuban from Miami.' During their date, the duo hit the dance floor, had mojitos and cozied up to each other in a booth. 'I think were definitely hitting it off. Were giggling and enjoying ourselves all night. I think thats a great vibe,' Ruben said. He also shared that he was looking for more than a 'quick, hot weekend' fling. 'Im looking for somebody that I can have fun with, somebody thats my best friend, that I can talk to about anything,' he continued. 'Im not looking just for sex, I want to make love. I would rather take my time, be a gentleman and just enjoy ourselves and build from that.' On season 4 of TLC's hit spinoff of 90 Day Fiance, the reality star, from Sugar Hill, Georgia, revealed it's 'been 14 years since' she's 'had sex' 'Is it physically possible I turn back into a virgin? Sometimes I wonder,' she declared during a confessional on the series During their date, the duo hit the dance floor, had mojitos and cozied up to each other in a booth Earlier this season, Debbie teased that she and Ruben had 'been talking everyday for a couple of weeks.' 'Hes Cuban, hes got that exotic flare that Im looking for,' she said. 'You know, it sounds romantic: 'Ruben the Cuban from Miami.'' 'And hes age-appropriate, and he likes to travel. And he ran with the bulls. Its like, you know, hes got my spirit,' Debbie added. Previously, she admitted to feeling hurt over the end of her relationship with Oussama, who she claimed was only looking for a U.S. green card. Karlie Kloss was joined by her husband Joshua Kushner during a walk through Miami Beach on Friday morning. The 31-year-old model cut a fashionable figure as she made her way through the city's streets after picking up coffee with her 38-year-old husband. The fashion industry figure - who also maintains a career as an angel investor - stood out while wearing a brown double-breasted jacket and a matching pair of slim-fitting pants. Kloss also donned a pair of leather shoes, and she accessorized with a chic purse and a pair of black sunglasses. The former Victoria's Secret Angel's beautiful brunette hair cascaded onto her shoulders as she stepped out. The day before the two were seen at a Chase Bank event which Ashton Kutcher also attended. Karlie Kloss was joined by her husband, Joshua Kushner, during a walk through Miami Beach on Friday morning The fashion industry figure - who also maintains a career as an angel investor - stood out while wearing a brown double-breasted jacket and a matching pair of slim-fitting pants Kushner kept it casual in a blue crewneck sweater and a pair of slim-fitting black trousers, and he completed his look with leather boots. Joshua is a businessman, heir, and investor. He is the founder and managing partner of the venture capital firm Thrive Capital, co-founder of Oscar Health, and the son of real estate developer Charles Kushner. His brother Jared is married to Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump. Kloss and her husband initially began seeing each other in 2012, and they waited for six years before they became engaged. The model and the entrepreneur went on to tie the knot in upstate New York in October of 2018, and they held a second wedding ceremony in Wyoming the following year. It was revealed that the fashion industry figure and her husband were planning on starting a family in October of 2020, and she gave birth to her son Levi, two, the following March. Kloss subsequently revealed her second pregnancy to the public during the 2023 Met Gala, which took place last May. She announced that she had given birth to her second son, whom she named Elijah, in July of last year. The television personality has since shared several photos featuring her boys on her Instagram account. The runway regular recently opened up about motherhood during an interview with People and told the media outlet that she found the experience of parenting to be particularly 'special.' Kloss also donned a pair of leather shoes, and she accessorized with a chic purse and a pair of black sunglasses The former Victoria's Secret Angel's beautiful brunette hair cascaded onto her shoulders as she stepped out The runway regular recently opened up about motherhood during an interview with People and told the media outlet that she found the experience of parenting to be particularly 'special' Kloss also spoke about how her eldest son had quickly established a bond with his younger brother, stating: 'It's so special to see my two little ones together.' The model did admit, however, that motherhood came with its own set of difficulties. She remarked: 'I don't know how moms do it every single day. I have two and my mom had four.' The social media figure then stated that learning about parenthood was easier with the support of '[her] friends like Ashley Graham.' Jim Carrey will star in Sonic The Hedgehog 3. The new logo for the film was shared on Friday with Jims laugh being heard in the final moments of the clip. Variety then confirmed the 62-year-old has signed on for the third installment of the popular franchise. The Ace Ventura actor plays the strange-looking Dr Robotnik. The star is Ben Schwartz as the iconic blue-haired racer. For the past few months there have been questions about whether the comedian would return to Sonic as he stated last year he wanted to take a break from acting after Sonic The Hedgehog 2, which premiered in April 2022. Jim Carrey will star in Sonic The Hedgehog 3; seen in Hedgehog 2 The new logo for the film was shared on Friday with Jims laugh being heard in the final moments of the clip Variety announced that Jim would reprise the role, confirming that Dr. Robotnik had survived what once seemed to be a perilous fall. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 premieres in theaters on December 20. The movie is being directed by Jeff Fowler. This comes after Carrey responded in November to rumours he's returning to the Grinch sequel. It was been claimed that a follow-up to 2000 Christmas film - How the Grinch Stole Christmas - was being planned, according to Giant Freaking Robot. They also alleged Jim was set to make a comeback to the titular Grinch role from the Ron Howard film. The publication claimed: 'Jim Carrey is returning to Universal Pictures for The Grinch 2, once again playing Dr. Seuss's most famous and ill-tempered creation.' Variety has also claimed the 62-year-old signed on for the third installment of the popular franchise. The Ace Ventura actor plays the strange-looking Dr. Robotnik But it appears all is not what it seems. The thespian's representative told People: 'There is no truth to Jim reprising his role as the Grinch in a sequel to The Grinch.' This comes after speculation The Mask actor would be returning to Whoville to portray the ill-tempered, green-furred creature who hates Christmas. But it may not come as a surprise to some that the actor is not reprising the 23-year-old role, as he previously revealed he was not a fan of sequels. Speaking to CinemaBlend in 2017, the actor said: 'I find sequels are a function of commerce for the most part. 'At least the two I've done, they were characters I enjoyed doing, but I did find myself almost parroting myself at that point. 'When you put 10 years between you and the last time you did it, suddenly you're going, 'How did I do that again?'... So, you're imitating your original inspiration.' The Batman Forever actor notably announced that he was planning on 'retiring' from acting last year in April following the release of Sonic The Hedgehog 2, and explained that he feels he has 'done enough.' It comes after earlier this year Jim listed his 'sanctuary' Los Angeles mansion for a whopping total of $28.9 million, which has been his place of residence for nearly 30 years. Jim's representative confirmed in November he no plans to return to the role of The Grinch Character: The actor, 61, originally starred in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas as the titular Grinch character in 2000 Not a fan! Perhaps the news may not be a surprise to some as Carrey previously told CinemaBlend that he was not a fan of sequels The Golden Globe winner initially purchased the lavish estate in 1994, but informed The New York Post in a statement published on Monday that he was ready for 'changes' in his life. Jim opened up about his reasoning to list his long-time home in a statement to The New York Post, and expressed, 'For three decades it's been a sanctuary for me but I don't spend a lot of time there now and I want someone else to enjoy it like I have.' He humorously added that he was ready for, 'Cha cha cha cha Changes,' referencing to a hit David Bowie track titled: Changes. According to the outlet, Carrey had purchased the home, which is located in the Brentwood neighbourhood in L.A., for $3.8 million in 1994. The talented star also talked to The Wall Street Journal in regards to selling the sprawling 12,704 square-foot mansion. He expressed that the house had been, 'a place of enchantment and inspiration.' While reflecting on his years there, he stated, 'Every night the owls sang me lullabies and every morning I sipped my cup of joe with the hawks and hummingbirds, under a giant grandfather pine.' Listing his mansion was a positive step for the star who is ready for a change in his life, not long after Jim revealed that he had plans to retire from acting last year in April. Fufilled: The star added that he felt that he had 'done enough' in his career, and was 'fairly serious' about retirement During an interview with Access Hollywood at the time, the Bruce Almighty star discussed his plans after being asked if he was 'serious' about the decision. 'Well, I'm retiring. Yeah, probably. I'm being fairly serious.' 'It depends. If the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink that says to me that it's going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road, but I'm taking a break.' The star, who gained recognition in the early 90s, admitted that, 'I really like my quiet life and I really like putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life,' adding that in regards to his acting career, 'I have enough. I've done enough. I am enough.' Victoria Beckham was the epitome of chic as she stepped out to the launch celebration of her collaboration with luxury watch brand Breitling in New York City on Friday. The fashion designer, 49, gave a glimpse of her midriff in a sheer black top with a plunging neckline at the Indochine restaurant. Victoria was joined by Helena Christensen, 55, and Katie Holmes, 45, for the launch of her Breitling Chronomat 36 Victoria Beckham Collection, with prices that range from 4,700 to 23,750. Posh complemented the look with a pair of flared trousers and posed while casually standing with her hands in her pockets. Helena, meanwhile, wore a snow white satin dress with ruched short sleeves and an asymmetrical hem. Victoria Beckham (left) Helena Christensen (centre) and Katie Holmes (right) showed off their chic senses of style at the Breitling x Victoria Beckham launch celebration on Friday She wore a pair of flared trousers and posed while casually standing with her hands in her pockets The garment reached down to her ankles and she carried a white handbag with her to match the dress. Danish designer Helena completed her look by opting for some black heels for the event. Meanwhile, Katie put on a leggy display as she posed in a black and white dress which featured cut out detail to the front and a ruffled mini skirt. A length of material hung down to the front and she wore a black jacket to match the rest of her ensemble. The actress added a few inches to her stature by wearing some black heels. Katie was seen posing alongside former Spice Girl Victoria as well as some of the other guests at the event. Victoria has teamed up with luxury Swiss watchmaker Breitling to produce her first ever watch offering called The Victoria Beckham Collection. The line features six styles of Breitling's modern-retro inspired Chronomat 36 design. Only 1,500 pieces are being made, with the watch faces being coloured in the shares from Victoria's Spring Summer 2024 collection including peppermint, midnight blue, dove gray, and sand, with a subtle inclusion of discreet Victoria Beckham and VB logos. Katie put on a leggy display as she posed in a black and white dress which featured cut out detail to the front and a ruffled mini skirt Model Helena, 55, wore a snow white satin dress with ruched short sleeves and an asymmetrical hem The former Spice Girl was seen alongside Katie as well as some of the other guests at the event (L-R: Katie, Victoria and CEO of Swiss watchmaker Breitling Georges Kern) Victoria has teamed up with luxury Swiss watchmaker Breitling to produce her first ever watch offering called The Victoria Beckham Collection (L-R: Katie, Victoria, ballet dancer Misty Copeland and Georges) The line features six styles of Breitling's modern-retro inspired Chronomat 36 design. Prices range from 4,700 to 23,750 (L-R: model Annemary Aderibigbe and Victoria) Victoria has jetted to the Big Apple in time for New York Fashion Week, which kicks off on February 9. The fashion designer can proudly say her once-floundering brand is turning a handsome profit. In October the designer told Vogue France her self-titled brand has finally made a profit, some 15-years after launching her own fashion label. 'This is just the beginning. I have lots of ambitions, and I work hard to achieve my goals. I never wait for things to just fall into my lap,' she said. 'It's such an exciting time. This year, we made a profit! This takes time, especially for an independent brand. My perfume isn't a license - I own it. 'Now that I have laid down the groundwork for the house, the real work can begin.' In an interview with industry bible Women's Wear Daily (WWD) in March to celebrate the news, her brand's investor, David Belhassen, shone a rare spotlight on the inner workings of Victoria's empire. Only 1,500 pieces are being made, with the watch faces being coloured in the shares from Victoria's Spring Summer 2024 collection (L-R: Influencer Isabela Grutman and Victoria) Victoria and Helena posed for a selfie at their table The fashion designer also shared a fun snap with Isabella (centre) and He said revenues were up by a huge 42 per cent to 58 million and predicted that when the business filed accounts for the 2022 financial year in December, the former Spice Girl would make her many critics eat their words. In January 2023, accounts for Victoria Beckham Holdings Ltd revealed losses of 5,887,036 in 2021, down from 8,581,944 in 2020. The figure meant overall losses for the firm stood at 66.3m since its launch in 2008 and directors of the firm - including Victoria and her husband David - were not paid a dividend. The luxury fashion business has expanded to Europe and the Middle East, with the annual accounts saying the brand was also expanding into new products, with the launch of leather goods and the VB Body range. Despite big losses, the Beckham's global empire has reportedly doubled its profits. American fashion designer and businesswoman Jenna Lyons looked stylish in a beige trouser suit for the event Annual accounts filed with Companies House in London showed the pair made 11.6m in the year ending December 2020 despite the pandemic compared to 4.5m in 2019. In accounts submitted in 2021, auditors warned of 'significant doubt' about Victoria's fashion company's ability to continue operating when it was reported the company had racked up debts of more than 46million since it launched. Friends of the star said at the time Victoria was determined to continue with her company even though her detractors have dismissed it as a vanity project. One said: 'This is what gives Victoria her identity, she loves it and despite its obvious obstacles, she is a grafter and hugely passionate about it.' Strictly Come Dancing star Angela Rippon was forced to pull out of the tour's glitzy show in Leeds on Thursday evening. The broadcaster, who made history last year as the competition's eldest contestant aged 79, missed the perfomance due to a 'medical precaution'. However after taking some time to recover she was said to be hoping to return to the stage with pro partner Kai Widdrington on Friday. A source told The Sun: 'She has been giving the tour her all but needed to take a break from dancing'. 'It's incredible what Angela can do on the dancefloor but her health is always a priority'. Strictly Come Dancing star Angela Rippon was forced to pull out of the tour's glitzy show in Leeds on Thursday evening (pictured on Thursday) The broadcaster, who made history last year as the competition's eldest contestant aged 79, missed the perfomance after struggling with a 'medical issue' (pictured on the show in September) 'She was advised to rest and miss a show and then see if she was up to coming back for the final night in Leeds tonight.' MailOnline have contacted Angela's representatives for comment. It comes after Angela revealed she was planning to celebrate her 80th birthday with three 'crazy days' in Las Vegas later this year. The newsreader, 79, will toast the milestone age in October and has admitted dancing has made her 'stronger' following her age-defying stint on Strictly. The journalist doesn't seem to have any plans to slow down, as she told Platinum magazine about her birthday blowout in Vegas: 'I'm still thinking about how to celebrate my 80th this October. 'I had a big party when I was 60 and I said that would be the last of my parties. When I was 70 I took myself off alone to Oman and stayed in a beautiful hotel in Muscat.' The Strictly sensation will enjoy a great company, as six of her pals promptly said yes when she mentioned the idea of a trip to Vegas trip for her 80th. She said: 'At my age I should be allowed the latitude to do what I like and if I want to spend three crazy days in Las Vegas that's what I'll do. However after taking some time to recover she was said to be hoping to return to the stage with pro partner Kai Widdrington on Friday With a source said: 'She has been giving the tour her all but needed to take a break from dancing' (pictured during the tour) Angela joins the star-studded line up alongside winner Ellie Leach, Bobby Brazier and Annabel Croft Angela previously hosted Come Dancing on BBC1 (pictured on the show in 1988) 'In my head I've never grown up. I may not be quite as strong as I was in my 40s or 50s but I am still flexible and the dancing has made me stronger.' The BBC star previously spoke about her age while on Strictly and said: 'I don't want people to concentrate on my age, it shouldn't be a factor in what I'm doing. 'If it's something that encourages people to think more positively about themselves as they get older, then I think that's probably a good thing, but personally in my head, I've been 30 for the last 40 years. It's not something that really concerns me. During a candid chat, Angela previously admitted she is feeling in the 'best shape of her life' after appearing on the BBC series. The broadcaster revealed: 'I feel in the best shape of my life. I've lost about a stone from when I started the show.' The TV star also admitted she may have even made dance her career if there had been more options when she was young. She told The Mirror: 'I don't care how late it's come. I'm loving it. So many people go through life with a 'what-if' moment through Strictly now I get to scratch that itch.' Speaking of the tour she said: 'The 17-year-old me who would love to have been a professional dancer, she's been 60 years in the wings, waiting patiently. Now I'm unleashing her. In my head I'm still only 30. I really am having the time of my life.' A Place in The Sun's Jonnie Irwin has tragically lost his battle with lung cancer aged 50, his wife Jessica Holmes announced in a heartbreaking tribute on Friday. Taking to Instagram, Jessica described her beloved partner, with whom she shares sons Rex, five, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac, as 'truly remarkable'. TV host Jonnie revealed in November his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020. He passed away on Friday. Sharing a sweet snap of her and Jonnie to his account, the tribute read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage'. 'Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit'. A Place in The Sun's Jonnie Irwin has tragically lost his battle with lung cancer aged 50, his wife Jessica Holmes announced in a heartbreaking tribute on Friday Sharing a sweet snap of her and Jonnie to his account, the tribute read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing 'At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnies family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated'. 'As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on'. 'Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten'. Jessica later took to her own account to share a snap of her late husband beaming and confessed to wishing this devastating day would never come. She wrote: 'Goodnight my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldnt come. Its with all the the sadness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today. 'His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys'. 'I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end.' 'It really wasnt fair and you didnt deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx'. The TV host revealed in November his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020 (pictured with wife Jessica in 2023) The late TV host and his wife share sons Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac (pictured in 2023) Jessica later took to her own account to share a snap of her late husband beaming and confessed to wishing this devastating day would never come Writing: 'Goodnight my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldnt come. Its with all the the sadness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today' Jonnie's former A Place In The Sun co-presenter Jasmine Harman led the tributes and shared some heartfelt words on social media. Sharing a picture of them looking off towards a sunset, she penned: 'Jonnie Irwin - I will always remember the first time I heard your name. When I was doing a screen test for a new show, they said we definitely want Jonnie, but we need to find another presenter. I wondered who this mysterious Jonnie was'. 'We met in Cape Town, filming the pilot. You were so charismatic and energetic, so confident and fun. I understood immediately why they had to have you. 'Your cheeky-chappy persona and naughty sense of humour always broke the ice and made people laugh. Everyone warmed to you and you had the incredible ability to connect with people, making them feel like theyd known you for years. 'To begin our TV careers together was a pleasure and a privilege I will be eternally grateful for. Almost twenty years ago, as two nervous new presenters (me perhaps more nervous than you!) little did we know we know about the adventure we were about to embark on, and the friends we would become'. 'Professionally, you were well suited to life in front of the lens. But for years, you always talked about wanting to settle down and become a dad. Your wish was granted when you met Jess. Never were you happier than in your role as husband and Dad to the most awesome three boys you are a legend. His former A Place In The Sun co-presenter Jasmine Harman led tributes and shared some heartfelt words on social media She shared a snap of them looking off into the sunset with a tribute She penned: 'Jonnie Irwin - I will always remember the first time I heard your name' Fellow television presenter Nicki Chapman also paid tribute to Jonnie Former Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah wrote: 'I feel so lucky to have known Jonnie. Sending you love xxx' Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning said: 'Jonnie Irwin was an extraordinary man and wonderful presenter. He brought such warmth and fun to Escape to the Country' (Jonnie pictured on Escape to The Country in 2023) The Tv host made a surprise return to the series amid his cancer battle 'Life is simply not fair. We cant reason with it; there are no answers to the question Why? 'We can, in your memory learn to cherish every hug, every conversation, every moment, for the priceless time we have. Enjoy every breath, every sunrise and sunset, never take anything for granted, because tomorrow is not promised. 'Jonnie, youve taught me so much in our time as work colleagues and as good friends. I have never admired you more than over the last few years as youve faced life with cancer with positivity, determination and bloody mindedness. Ive never known anyone as strong as you. You have done yourself, your loved ones and all of us proud. 'The world is a little darker today without you, but I will always smile when I think of you. My partner in crime, my OG co-presenter Jonnie, I will miss you.' Fellow television presenter Nicki Chapman also paid tribute to Jonnie. In the comments section under Jessica's post, the Wanted Down Under host wrote: 'Heartbroken. Sending love to Jess & the family.' Former Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah also wrote: 'I feel so lucky to have known Jonnie. Sending you love xxx.' Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning said: 'Jonnie Irwin was an extraordinary man and wonderful presenter. He brought such warmth and fun to Escape to the Country, where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too. 'More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for Morning Live about his illness, tackling taboos around end of life care, and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did. In his last social media post last month, Jonnie revealed he hasn't slept for six nights in a row as he gave an update on his health from hospital The presenter was at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital for a full MRI scan and he looked exhausted as he shared a picture on Instagram from hospital revealed his anxiety of having the full body scan due to it being claustrophobic Jonnie found fame as the host of Channel 4's property show A Place In The Sun (pictured) and presented over 200 episodes between 2004-2021 'His kindness will be hugely missed by everyone he worked with, and we are sending all of our thoughts to his family and friends at this sad time.' John Comerford, Head of Naked West and Executive Producer, Escape to the Country said: 'We are incredibly saddened to hear the news about Jonnie. 'He has been at the very heart of Escape to the Country for 14 years and will be a huge loss to our production team and all the viewers who have loved watching him on the show. 'Jonnie was clever, warm and funny, never short of a mischievous and insightful line and always put the programmes contributors at ease. All the teams he worked with loved him. 'He is an unimaginable loss to the Escape family. We send our love and heartfelt condolences to Jess and his beautiful boys.' In his last social media post last month, Jonnie revealed he hadn't slept for six nights in a row as he gave an update on his health from hospital. The presenter was at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital for a full MRI scan and he looked exhausted as he shared a picture on Instagram from hospital revealed his anxiety of having the full body scan due to it being claustrophobic. Jonnie said: 'This is look of a man whos not slept for 6 nights and awaiting a full body MRI scan of at least an hour. 'If you havent had one theyre claustrophobic and claustrophobic and omit loud random noises. Joy. 'Take note on attempt of a jaunty not on my gown! Im expecting to come out to news of India all out 195!'. Jonnie celebrated his 50th birthday in November and said he felt 'really privileged' to mark the milestone after doctors had given him six months to live two years earlier. The TV presenter marked the occasion in Costa Del Sol with his wife Jessica and their sons. He celebrated his 50th birthday in November and said he felt 'really privileged' to mark the milestone after doctors had given him six months to live two years earlier Jonnie revealed he had a birthday party earlier in the year as he 'didn't think he'd make it' to the big day Just weeks before his death, Jonnie shared a photo of him and his son Rex on Instagram as he marked the New Year amid his cancer battle In December he took Rex to enjoy the pantomime ahead of his final Christmas with his family He also revealed in December that he had been using an electric physiotherapy machine to help build up his leg muscles He revealed he had a birthday party earlier in the year as he 'didn't think he'd make it' to the big day. Speaking to Hello!, he said: 'I feel really privileged to be able to celebrate my birthday looking at blue skies and with sand between my toes. 'I had an early birthday party at the start of the year because I didn't think I'd make it. It was like being at my own wake; lots of fun, lots of dancing. But here I am. I view it as a complete triumph.' Jonnie went on to say the life threatening illness had forced him to really appreciate everyday. He added: 'Every little thing is so valuable to me, even kicking the ball against the wall for half hour,' he told the publication. It's so special and being away with my wife and kids for my 50th is brilliant.' The broadcaster was diagnosed with terminal cancer after a tumour in his lung spread to his brain but was allowed out of hospital while his liver function showed signs of improvement. Back in November he was being observed every four hours after having jaundice, fever and pains in his right hand side, but was later released. Just weeks before his death, Jonnie shared a photo of him and his son Rex on Instagram as he marked the New Year amid his cancer battle. The TV star was seen beaming at the camera while Rex sat on his lap enjoying a slice of Bakewell tart. He penned: 'Just the 3 portions of homemade Bakewell tart for the lad!' The presenter went public with his cancer battle in 2022 after keeping it a secret for two years. The television presenter had been filming A Place In The Sun in Italy when he began to see 'weird gold spots' when he was driving. Jonnie was given just six months to live when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which has spread to his brain, in August 2020 (pictured with wife Jessica and their children) Back in November he was being observed every four hours after having jaundice, fever and pains in his right hand side, but was later released (pictured in June 2023) A crew member with him in the car was concerned at the time and took him straight to hospital where he was told he had nodules around his brain. Jonnie got a flight straight back to the U.K and went to hospital. He said: 'Within a few hours I got told I had cancer. And I was like "right". 'Then a few hours later, my good friend Rahul was sat with me when they said it is terminal cancer and I had six months to live. 'Do you ever hear the phrase it knocked the wind out of you? Nothing had ever done that to me and that it did it. 'I was just battered.' The father-of-three walked home in a dazed state as he struggled to comprehend the diagnosis and the daunting prospect of telling wife Jessica. 'I didn't think I was shakable like that,' Jonnie said through tears. 'I was really shaken up. I had to go home and I had to tell my wife and that's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. 'How do you tell a woman who only two month before has had twins? How do you tell them that you're not going to be there anymore? 'I can remember it like it was yesterday. I've got no memory since I've had brain therapy but that b****y memory stays in my head and it is brutal. Jonnie revealed the reason why he kept his battle with cancer a secret for two years was to 'pay the bills' (pictured on A Place In The Sun with co-host Jasmine Harman) He said: As soon as I told A Place in the Sun about my diagnosis they paid me for the rest of the season but didnt renew my contract 'All I can remember is hugging her and just saying sorry and I still feel sorry now.' Jonnie had weeks of tests and bad news, but was given a two to three year lifeline when doctors found his cancer had a mutation. Jonnie revealed the reason why he kept his battle with cancer a secret for two years was to 'pay the bills'. He said: 'The only reason I kept it secret is because I've got to earn, I've got to feed my babies, pay the bills. 'And as soon as you say you've got cancer, people just write you off. 'I had to live with it as a secret. It was really difficult living with such a massive cloud above me and pretending to everyone else. 'For the first year and a half I could work. Unfortunately, one of the companies claimed they couldn't insure and didn't renew my contract. It left a massive hole in my income. 'I felt like I'd been thrown on the scrapheap. They'd recruited within a week and then I could see some else doing my job.' He told The Sun: As soon as I told A Place in the Sun about my diagnosis they paid me for the rest of the season but didnt renew my contract. They knew I wanted to carry on. That hurt. That broke my heart. When approached for comment, Channel 4 said at the time no stone was left unturned to find a way for Jonnie to stay but they could not get insurance. The host said it was when he was hiding from photoshoots and taking selfies with fans that he decided to speak out about his terminal diagnosis. He said: 'The day came when I decided I'm going to tell the world and I just thought as well I might get some money for the family. 'It's been a massive weight off my shoulders. The day I came out and told the world I have terminal cancer is the day I started living again. I started being Jonnie Irwin again. 'I actually feel alive.' A Place In The Sun presenter Jasmine Harman has led the tributes for her co-host Jonnie Irwin following his death at the age of 50 from cancer. Jonnie tragically lost his battle with lung cancer aged 50 on Friday, his wife Jessica Holmes announced in a heartbreaking tribute. Taking to Instagram she described her beloved partner, with whom she shares sons Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac, as a 'truly remarkable husband'. The TV host revealed in November 2022 that his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020. Shortly after news of his death was announced, Jasmine shared some heartfelt words on social media. A Place In The Sun presenter Jasmine Harman (left) has led tributes for her co-host Jonnie Irwin (right) following his death at the age of 50 from cancer Jonnie tragically lost his battle with lung cancer aged 50, his wife Jessica Holmes announced in a heartbreaking tribute on Friday (Jonnie and Jasmine pictured) Shortly after news of his death was announced, Jasmine shared some heartfelt words on social media Sharing a picture of them looking off towards a sunset, she wrote: 'Jonnie Irwin - I will always remember the first time I heard your name. When I was doing a screen test for a new show, they said we definitely want Jonnie, but we need to find another presenter. I wondered who this mysterious Jonnie was. We met in Cape Town, filming the pilot. You were so charismatic and energetic, so confident and fun. I understood immediately why they had to have you. 'Your cheeky-chappy persona and naughty sense of humour always broke the ice and made people laugh. Everyone warmed to you and you had the incredible ability to connect with people, making them feel like theyd known you for years. 'To begin our TV careers together was a pleasure and a privilege I will be eternally grateful for. Almost twenty years ago, as two nervous new presenters (me perhaps more nervous than you!) little did we know we know about the adventure we were about to embark on, and the friends we would become. 'Professionally, you were well suited to life in front of the lens. But for years, you always talked about wanting to settle down and become a dad. Your wish was granted when you met Jess. Never were you happier than in your role as husband and Dad to the most awesome three boys you are a legend. 'Life is simply not fair. We cant reason with it; there are no answers to the question Why? 'We can, in your memory learn to cherish every hug, every conversation, every moment, for the priceless time we have. Enjoy every breath, every sunrise and sunset, never take anything for granted, because tomorrow is not promised. 'Jonnie, youve taught me so much in our time as work colleagues and as good friends. I have never admired you more than over the last few years as youve faced life with cancer with positivity, determination and bloody mindedness. Ive never known anyone as strong as you. You have done yourself, your loved ones and all of us proud. 'The world is a little darker today without you, but I will always smile when I think of you. My partner in crime, my OG co-presenter Jonnie, I will miss you.' Jasmine and Jonnie presented A Place In The Sun alongside one another from 2004 to 2019 A Place in The Sun's Jonnie tragically lost his battle with lung cancer aged 50, his wife Jessica Holmes announced in a heartbreaking tribute on Friday Taking to Instagram she described her beloved partner as a 'truly remarkable husband' Jonnie's wife Jessica announced the sad news of his death on social media on Friday. Sharing a picture of her and Jonnie, Jessica wrote on Instagram: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage 'Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit. 'At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnies family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. 'As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on.' 'Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.' Sharing a picture of Jonnie laughing at a dinner party, Jessica wrote separately in another post on Instagram: 'Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you. 'The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldnt come. Sharing a picture of Jonnie laughing at a dinner party, Jessica wrote separately in another post on Instagram: 'Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you' 'Its with all the the sadness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today. 'His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. 'He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys. 'I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. 'Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end. It really wasnt fair and you didnt deserve any of this. 'You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. 'I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx.' Under the post, Jasmine also wrote: 'My heart is broken.' Bosses of Jonnie's television show A Place In The Sun shared a tribute on Instagram. Under a picture of the broadcaster, a message read: 'Jonnie Irwin 1973 - 2024. We are heartbroken. Jonnie was a much-loved part of the A Place in the Sun family for more than 18 years - he brought joy, wit and bundles of energy to the show. 'We will miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with Jess and the boys ad the rest of the family.' Bosses of Jonnie's television show A Place In The Sun shared a tribute on Instagram Sharing a picture of Jonnie in front of the camera in a sunny location, Scarlette Douglas, who presented A Place In The Sun between 2015 and 2022, paid tribute Danni Menzies, who joined the A Place In The Sun presenting team in 2016 shared a quote on her Instagram Stories Fellow television presenter Nicki Chapman also paid tribute to Jonnie Former Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah wrote: 'I feel so lucky to have known Jonnie. Sending you love xxx' Astrologer and media personality Russell Grant wrote on Twitter: 'I am so deeply deeply upset that Jonnie Irwin has left us' Sharing a picture of Jonnie in front of the camera in a sunny location, Scarlette Douglas, who presented A Place In The Sun between 2015 and 2022 wrote on Instagram: 'May the sun always shine on you Jonnie. RIP.' Danni Menzies, who joined the A Place In The Sun presenting team in 2016 shared a quote on her Instagram Stories. It read: 'When we die, I want to believe that we are scattered throughout all the people that have ever loved us. That we will continue to exist in them. In their bloodstream. For generations. For lifetimes.' She added: 'You will Jonnie xxx.' Fellow television presenter Nicki Chapman also paid tribute to Jonnie. In the comments section under Jessica's post, the Wanted Down Under host wrote: 'Heartbroken. Sending love to Jess & the family.' Former Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah wrote: 'I feel so lucky to have known Jonnie. Sending you love xxx.' Astrologer and media personality Russell Grant wrote on Twitter: 'I am so deeply deeply upset that Jonnie Irwin has left us. One of the brightest most brilliant TV talents he made the programmes he presented with his light, bright, witty warmth a joy to watch. May his wife, sons and family be comforted on this sad day.' Many of Jonnie's fans also took to the comments section of Jessica's post and other social media platforms Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning said: 'Jonnie Irwin was an extraordinary man and wonderful presenter. He brought such warmth and fun to Escape to the Country, where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too. 'More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for Morning Live about his illness, tackling taboos around end of life care, and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did. 'His kindness will be hugely missed by everyone he worked with, and we are sending all of our thoughts to his family and friends at this sad time.' John Comerford, Head of Naked West and Executive Producer, Escape to the Country said: 'We are incredibly saddened to hear the news about Jonnie. 'He has been at the very heart of Escape to the Country for 14 years and will be a huge loss to our production team and all the viewers who have loved watching him on the show. 'Jonnie was clever, warm and funny, never short of a mischievous and insightful line and always put the programmes contributors at ease. All the teams he worked with loved him. 'He is an unimaginable loss to the Escape family. We send our love and heartfelt condolences to Jess and his beautiful boys.' Social media was flooded with tributes for Jonnie after news of his death broke Many of Jonnie's fans also took to the comments section of his wife Jessica's post, with one writing: 'This was the news I never wanted to read, RIP you beautiful soul. You fought so hard to live, and because of that I truly believe you brought yourself that extra year with your beautiful family. You will never be forgotten.' While someone else shared: 'Absolutely devastated to hear this, by god did he put a fight and still with smile on his face and a determined look in his eye. May he rest in peace free from pain. Truly sorry for your loss thinking of all the family at this heart breaking time.' Another person wrote: 'Oh Jonnie. We've followed your brave journey and always thought you were winning, even though we knew.... rest easy beautiful soul. Love and hugs to your brave family.' 'So sorry for your loss. And selfishly our loss too. A mainstay on our screens for years.. loved him and his energy and never stopped fighting,' wrote someone else. While another person shared: 'This really is so so sad. He was doing so well, I thought we would have the pleasure of him for much longer. Sincere condolences to his family.' 'Im heartbroken reading this. What a wonderful man, a warrior in the way he kept himself busy with the work on the house and the wonderful hours of fun he gave his three beautiful boys. I am truly sorry for his wife, children and family and friends. God bless you Jonnie Rest in peace. You were amazingly brave,' wrote someone else. The TV host revealed in November that his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020 (pictured in 2023) The late TV host and his wife share sons Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac (pictured in 2023) And another follower posted: 'So sad to hear this. Rest in Power Jonnie , a truly remarkable man with a smile on his face during the most trying times. Sending strength , healing and love to all the family.' Another fan shared: 'Oh gosh Im so sorry to read this, I was hoping beyond hope for a miracle. As someone else has put, so sorry for your loss - and selfishly ours too. The world is a dimmer place without Jonnies bright light shining Xx. On Twitter, someone wrote: 'So very sad to hear of the passing of TV presenter Jonnie Irwin. During lockdown, A Place in the Sun brought enormous joy to our household and he was a wonderful, funny, smart host. He was only 50 years old, which is no age.' 'Jonnie Irwin was such a nice fella, and genuinely likeable and talented. Horrid news about his passing, as inevitable as it was. The saddest thing is he's got such a young family, my heart really goes out to them. Heartbreaking,' posted someone else. A Place In The Sun presenter Jonnie will be best remembered for helping couples buy their dream homes inside and outside the UK following his death aged 50. The property expert started off presenting what was then called A Place In The Sun: Home Or Away? with Jasmine Harman in 2004. The Channel 4 show helps couples who want to move from the UK to find a home abroad with sun, sea and sand. In his last social media post last month, Jonnie revealed he hasn't slept for six nights in a row as he gave an update on his health from hospital The presenter was at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital for a full MRI scan and he looked exhausted as he shared a picture on Instagram from hospital revealed his anxiety of having the full body scan due to it being claustrophobic He also featured on other property shows, such as I Escaped To The Country and Escape To The Country on the BBC, and Dream Lives For Sale on Sky. The Country property series is set in the UK and sees families try to find their dream home in rural locations with the help of experts. Jonnie also starred in Channel 4's Renovation Game, which ran for three seasons from 2011, and saw builders and designers put their fees on the line if they do not raise the property value of a house during a revamp. Outside presenting, Jonnie regularly contributed to a blog for the legal firm, Judicare Group, which specialises in overseas property, and has been a director at the company since March 2017. He also wrote in A Place In The Sun magazine and A Place In The Sun Live, where he gave presentations on buying property abroad. In November 2022, the presenter revealed his lung cancer was terminal and had spread to his brain. Irwin said the first warning sign of his illness came while he was filming A Place In The Sun in August 2020 in Italy, when his vision became blurry while driving. 'Within a week of flying back from filming, I was being given six months to live,' he told Hello! magazine. 'I had to go home and tell my wife, who was looking after our babies, that she was on her own pretty much. That was devastating. 'All I could do was apologise to her. I felt so responsible.' Jonnie found fame as the host of Channel 4's property show A Place In The Sun (pictured) wand presented over 200 episodes between 2004-2021 Jonnie defied his initial six months' odds and opened up about his story in the last months of his life to encourage others to make the most of every day. He also offered tips on life insurance policies and how he is helping protect his young family for the future, encouraging others to consider taking out a critical illness policy to help cover periods you are unable to work if you become ill. In March, he revealed he had celebrated his 50th birthday earlier than his actual November date with a big bash surrounded by 170 friends and family. 'It was a great night. I chose a playlist with some great tunes from the 90s and 2000s and people came from all over the country and abroad,' he told The Sun. 'I didn't know the extent of the loyalty and generosity that my friends would exhibit. 'I've been dumbfounded and spellbound by their support, as well as that of our families, who have been amazing.' He reportedly underwent traditional cancer-blocking drugs as well as trialling alternative therapies including infusions of vitamin C, a cocktail of daily vitamins, a strict diet and treatment in an oxygen chamber. A year after revealing his diagnosis, he celebrated his birthday on holiday in Spain with his children and told his followers in November 2023 that he was admitted to hospital. He wrote on Instagram: 'Back in hospital - been in since Friday with jaundice. I had a fever and acute stabbing pain in my right hand side. 'Turns out I probably had an infection and other issues which I won't bore you with. Been on drips, regular bloods taken and have observations every 4 hours through day and night.' He celebrated his 50th birthday in November and said he felt 'really privileged' to mark the milestone after doctors had given him six months to live two years earlier He subsequently said 'my liver function is heading in the right direction' after having blood tests. On the Conversations with Jane McLelland podcast in January 2024, he said his 'rich kaleidoscope of help' also included hyperbaric oxygen treatment and Japanese alternative therapy Reiki. 'This positive attitude buys you days, buys you weeks and buys you moments with people like my kids,' he added. In his last social media post last month, Jonnie revealed he hasn't slept for six nights in a row as he gave an update on his health from hospital. The presenter was at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital for a full MRI scan and he looked exhausted as he shared a picture on Instagram from hospital revealed his anxiety of having the full body scan due to it being claustrophobic. Jonnie said: 'This is look of a man whos not slept for 6 nights and awaiting a full body MRI scan of at least an hour. 'If you havent had one theyre claustrophobic and claustrophobic and omit loud random noises. Joy. 'Take note on attempt of a jaunty not on my gown! Im expecting to come out to news of India all out 195!' The presenter went public with his cancer battle in 2022 after keeping it a secret for two years. The television presenter had been filming A Place In The Sun in Italy when he began to see 'weird gold spots' when he was driving. A crew member with him in the car was concerned at the time and took him straight to hospital where he was told he had nodules around his brain. Jonnie revealed he had a birthday party earlier in the year as he 'didn't think he'd make it' to the big day Jonnie got a flight straight back to the UK and went to hospital. He said: 'Within a few hours I got told I had cancer. And I was like "right". 'Then a few hours later, my good friend Rahul was sat with me when they said it is terminal cancer and I had six months to live. 'Do you ever hear the phrase it knocked the wind out of you? Nothing had ever done that to me and that it did it. 'I was just battered.' The father-of-three walked home in a dazed state as he struggled to comprehend the diagnosis and the daunting prospect of telling Jessica. 'I didn't think I was shakable like that,' Jonnie said through tears. 'I was really shaken up. I had to go home and I had to tell my wife and that's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. 'How do you tell a woman who only two month before has had twins? How do you tell them that you're not going to be there anymore? 'I can remember it like it was yesterday. I've got no memory since I've had brain therapy but that b****y memory stays in my head and it is brutal. 'All I can remember is hugging her and just saying sorry and I still feel sorry now.' Jonnie was given just six months to live when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which has spread to his brain, in August 2020 (pictured with co-host Jasmine Harman) Jonnie had weeks of tests and bad news, but was given a two to three year lifeline when doctors found his cancer had a mutation. Jonnie revealed the reason why he kept his battle with cancer a secret for two years was to 'pay the bills'. He said: 'The only reason I kept it secret is because I've got to earn, I've got to feed my babies, pay the bills. 'And as soon as you say you've got cancer, people just write you off. 'I had to live with it as a secret. It was really difficult living with such a massive cloud above me and pretending to everyone else. 'For the first year and a half I could work. Unfortunately, one of the companies claimed they couldn't insure and didn't renew my contract. It left a massive hole in my income. 'I felt like I'd been thrown on the scrapheap. They'd recruited within a week and then I could see some else doing my job.' Jonnie said it was when he was hiding from photoshots and taking selfies with fans that he decided to speak out about his terminal diagnosis. He said: 'The day came when I decided I'm going to tell the world and I just thought as well I might get some money for the family. 'It's been a massive weight off my shoulders. The day I came out and told the world I have terminal cancer is the day I started living again. I started being Jonnie Irwin again. 'I actually feel alive.' He leaves behind his wife Jessica and children Rex, Rafa and Cormac. Cat Deeley will have to quit her lucrative job as the host of the American reality programme she has hosted for 18 years if she wants to replace Holly Willoughby as This Morning's host, ITV bosses have said. The star, who has been pursued by the channel's executives since Ms Willoughby quit last October, will not be allowed to take time off to film the next series of So You Think You Can Dance later this year so she faces a dilemma over her future. Sources at the network say that she will be allowed the standard - and generous - holiday allowance enjoyed by Ms Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, and others before them which is six weeks leave in the summer and a fortnight at both Christmas and Easter. One told the Mail: 'Cat won't be given any special treatment, if she signs up then she won't be given the time off to go back to America. 'So You think You Can Dance is a huge commitment. She will absolutely not be given time off to film the next series of So You Think You Can Dance. Cat Deeley (pictured) will have to quit her lucrative job as the host of the American reality programme she has hosted for 18 years if she wants to replace Holly Willoughby as This Morning's host, ITV bosses have said The star, who has been pursued by the channel's executives since Ms Willoughby quit last October, will not be allowed to take time off to film the next series of So You Think You Can Dance later this year so she faces a dilemma over her future The Mail can also reveal that Ms Deeley, 48, also told friends that she wants to host the embattled ITV daytime series with popular Radio 2 host Rylan Clark (pictured, left) after she anchored the programme with him for two episodes last November 'So she has to make that decision, it's one or the other, end of. 'Like all of those hosts before her she will get the summer holidays, two weeks at Christmas and the same at Easter and that's all.' The Mail can also reveal that Ms Deeley, 48, also told friends that she wants to host the embattled ITV daytime series with popular Radio 2 host Rylan Clark after she anchored the programme with him for two episodes last November. However, ITV want her to work with Ben Shephard, who they had initially hoped to team up with Ms Willoughby from last month before she quit after it emerged that there was an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her. Mr Shephard, who hosts Good Morning Britain twice a week, is understood to not want to put pen to paper on a deal until he knows who he will be working with. ITV's upper echelons are desperate to sign Ms Deeley but sources there say that there are 'several obstacles' to get through. They gave up all hope of luring her at the end of last year. Ms Deeley also says that despite wanting the job 'if she could make it work,' say friends of hers, her husband Patrick Kielty's commitments as the presenter of Ireland's Late Late Show make childcare difficult for them. He has to be in Dublin from Tuesday until Friday, while Ms Deeley would be required to host This Morning from Monday to Thursday. ITV want her to work with Ben Shephard (pictured), who they had initially hoped to team up with Ms Willoughby from last month before she quit after it emerged that there was an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her This Morning bosses have had a headache finding a replacement for Ms Willoughby, 42 (pictured). After they decided they couldn't get Ms Deeley they tried to get Emma Willis to take the job but she could not commit to the four day week Waiting in the wings is former Channel 5 weather presenter Sian Welby who impressed the programme's editor Martin Frizell when she stood in two weeks ago alongside Dermot O'Leary. Insiders on the show say that the daytime television Svengali fell for the starlet 'hook, line and sinker'. This Morning bosses have had a headache finding a replacement for Ms Willoughby, 42. After they decided they couldn't get Ms Deeley they tried to get Emma Willis to take the job but she could not commit to the four day week. Jonnie Irwin's widow Jessica Holmes has paid a heartbreaking tribute to the star after announcing his death. The A Place In The Sun host tragically lost his three-year-long battle with lung cancer aged just 50 on Friday. Taking to Instagram Jessica, who married Jonnie in 2016, described him as her 'everything' and said how much their sons Rex, five, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac, still need him. The TV host revealed in November 2022 that his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020. Sharing a snap of a beaming Jonnie, she penned: 'Goodnight my favourite. Thank you for everything. Jonnie Iriwin's widow Jessica Holmes has paid a heartbreaking tribute to the star after announcing his death from cancer on Friday (pictured with their sons in 2023) Taking to Instagram Jessica described her late husband as her 'everything' and said how much their sons Rex, five, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac, still need him Sharing a snap of a beaming Jonnie she penned: 'Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything' 'I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldnt come. Its with all the the sadness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today'. 'His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys'. 'I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end. 'It really wasnt fair and you didnt deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx'. When announcing the sad news hours earlier on Jonnie's account, the family described him as 'truly remarkable'. The statement read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage'. 'Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit'. 'At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnies family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated'. The TV host revealed in November 2022 that his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020 (pictured in January) Jonnie was given just six months to live when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which has spread to his brain, in August 2020 (pictured with wife Jessica and their children) Just weeks before his death, Jonnie shared a photo of him and his son Rex on Instagram as he marked the New Year amid his cancer battle 'As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on'. 'Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten'. His former A Place In The Sun co-presenter Jasmine Harman led the tributes and shared some heartfelt words on social media. Sharing a picture of them looking off towards a sunset, she penned: 'Jonnie Irwin - I will always remember the first time I heard your name. When I was doing a screen test for a new show, they said we definitely want Jonnie, but we need to find another presenter. I wondered who this mysterious Jonnie was'. 'We met in Cape Town, filming the pilot. You were so charismatic and energetic, so confident and fun. I understood immediately why they had to have you. When announcing the sad news hours earlier on Jonnie's account she described him as a 'truly remarkable husband' (pictured with wife Jessica in 2023) Writing: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage' 'Your cheeky-chappy persona and naughty sense of humour always broke the ice and made people laugh. Everyone warmed to you and you had the incredible ability to connect with people, making them feel like theyd known you for years'. 'To begin our TV careers together was a pleasure and a privilege I will be eternally grateful for. Almost twenty years ago, as two nervous new presenters (me perhaps more nervous than you!) little did we know we know about the adventure we were about to embark on, and the friends we would become'. Professionally, you were well suited to life in front of the lens. But for years, you always talked about wanting to settle down and become a dad. Your wish was granted when you met Jess. Never were you happier than in your role as husband and Dad to the most awesome three boys you are a legend. His former A Place In The Sun co-presenter Jasmine Harman led tributes and shared some heartfelt words on social media She penned: 'Jonnie Irwin - I will always remember the first time I heard your name' Fellow television presenter Nicki Chapman also paid tribute to Jonnie Former Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah wrote: 'I feel so lucky to have known Jonnie. Sending you love xxx' Life is simply not fair. We cant reason with it; there are no answers to the question Why? We can, in your memory learn to cherish every hug, every conversation, every moment, for the priceless time we have. Enjoy every breath, every sunrise and sunset, never take anything for granted, because tomorrow is not promised. Jonnie, youve taught me so much in our time as work colleagues and as good friends. I have never admired you more than over the last few years as youve faced life with cancer with positivity, determination and bloody mindedness. Ive never known anyone as strong as you. You have done yourself, your loved ones and all of us proud. The world is a little darker today without you, but I will always smile when I think of you. My partner in crime, my OG co-presenter Jonnie, I will miss you. Fellow television presenter Nicki Chapman also paid tribute to Jonnie. In the comments section under Jessica's post, the Wanted Down Under host wrote: 'Heartbroken. Sending love to Jess & the family.' Former Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah also wrote: 'I feel so lucky to have known Jonnie. Sending you love xxx.' A few months ago, a young Lance Corporal called Harry Clark asked his commanding officer if he could take some personal leave to participate in a television show. 'He was taking the mickey saying, 'Clarky thinks he's off to become a movie star'. There was a lot of banter,' Harry remembers. As his army colleagues now know but didn't at the time Harry was off to take part in Traitors, the reality show where treachery and backstabbing are the order of the day. Few surely would have banked on their 22-year-old cherub-faced colleague in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers deploying the requisite cunning to see off his 21 fellow competitors and bag both coveted title of 'top Traitor' and the 95,000 cash prize. They certainly had no idea when he returned to his army life, sworn to secrecy about his victory until the programme aired. But then deceit is something he's discovered he's rather good at. 'So I had to lie while I was in the castle and then carry on lying when I came back,' he says. 'I've had messages from the lads saying they can't believe I let them pay for a round but, as I told them, I only got the money this week.' Harry Clark, a lance corporal in the army, had to ask his commanding officer if he could take personal leave so as to participate in the BBC1 hit 'The Traitors' He's been with Anna Maynard, a former children's presenter turned YouTuber and influencer, for two years, after they met in a nightclub in Brighton Only his parents and girlfriend knew about his participation and success in The Traitors, which was filmed in August. He had to keep his victory a secret His commanding officer's joke about him becoming a 'movie star' might not turn out to be that wide off the mark: Harry's good nature (capacity for duplicity aside) and boyish looks have meant offers have been flooding in from production companies. He's been mobbed in the street and inundated with fan mail. 'It seems everyone in the UK was watching this,' he says, shaking his head in bewilderment. Not quite everyone, but certainly a great many: last Friday's thrilling finale drew in 5.5 million viewers almost double the number that tuned in for the last series. For the uninitiated, the show consists of 22 contestants gathered in a Scottish castle, a small group of whom become the titular 'Traitors' and must work together to eliminate the other contestants the 'Faithful'. In turn, the Faithful must discover and banish the Traitors by voting them out. Should the Faithful contestants have eliminated all the Traitors, they would have shared a grand prize fund, but if any Traitors make it to the end, they win the money instead. When we meet in the quiet room of a London pub he appears the same cheerful, slightly goofy presence that endeared him to his fellow contestants and viewers. But then I'm reminded of the way he dispatched other players, and also the warning of Traitor's host Claudia Winkleman that the show teaches you not to trust your instincts after all. 'At the end of the day it's a game, isn't it?,' he says. 'I'm going to try my hardest to beat everyone. And then hopefully afterwards we go and grab a beer.' After weeks of subterfuge, Harry pulled off a final treacherous coup-de-grace in the finale, deceiving disability model Mollie Pearce, 21, into thinking he was a fellow Faithful. 'I did feel a sense of guilt because of the way she supported me,' he says. 'She's amazing. She didn't have to forgive me and she does.' His victory is all the more fascinating when you consider that until June last year, Harry was one of the very few people who hadn't even heard of the BBC1 series. Then a casting agent who had seen him dancing 'like an eejit', as he puts it, on his friend's TikTok contacted him on social media. Harry assumed he was being scammed. But after they explained the show, he loved the idea of being able to get away with it 'because I am someone who tells little white lies'. Ah, here it is. Are we finally getting to see Harry's dark, true nature? Almost. 'When I play Monopoly with my little brother and sisters, I will nick a 500 out of the bank when they're not looking. I always have an ace in my pocket playing poker, or something similar,' he grins. Harry comes from a large and loving family. There's older brother George, 27, a lorry driver about to become a father. After Harry comes 20-year-old Delilah, 18-year-old Alf and 16-year-old Matilda. After four weeks of no contact due to filming, Harry rang his girlfriend and asked her: 'Please tell me you still love me' Harry was one of the standout characters from the BBC1 show, which came to its thrilling conclusion in front of 5.5m viewers on Friday Harry, far left, said that he enjoyed every moment of being on the Claudia Winkleman fronted-show All five were raised in a council house in Slough by parents Daniel and Georgia. 'Dad had multiple jobs and when we were kids Mum went to university and got a degree, so she now works in A&E as a nurse,' Harry says. Two years ago there was a horrific 'drama' his word, although brutal assault seems more appropriate when he was pounced upon while walking through Windsor in a case of mistaken identity. 'I had footprints on the back of my head, they crushed my skull and knocked my front teeth out so the ones I have are fake,' he explains. While he was hospitalised, he emerged largely unscathed front teeth aside and was able to continue with his army career, which he had been inspired to embark on by his grandfather Dave, a former member of the Parachute Regiment. An army career also attracted Harry because he wanted to see a bit of the world. He's enjoyed every minute. 'It grew me up massively,' he says. 'I'm still a kid at heart but I had to learn how to keep my mouth shut and how to treat people in different situations, and adapt to different environments.' All useful skills for Traitors too. Only his parents and girlfriend knew about his participation and success in the show, which was filmed in August. He's been with Anna Maynard, a former children's presenter turned YouTuber and influencer, for two years, after they met in a nightclub in Brighton. He's clearly besotted. 'She's amazing. I can't speak highly enough of her,' he says. 'The first thing I said when we rang each other after four weeks of no contact was, 'Please tell me you still love me' because we hadn't spoken for so long.' Their relationship, he says without a hint of irony, is based on 100 per cent trust, although I wonder how Anna feels about that now she has seen his almost perfect navigation of the Traitor's playing field. It was meeting Anna, he says, that had got him thinking about leaving the Army, a deal sealed by his Traitors win, and he handed in his notice after filming ended. He's certainly got a nice nest egg with which to start his new life, and while he's got a hankering for a fancy watch, he's yet to spend a penny. He's also received some advice from former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville, whom he met on BBC Breakfast earlier this week. 'He's been on the phone to me, helping me out with keeping my head screwed on. I owe him massively, even though all he wants from me is to support Manchester United, but it's never going to happen as I'm a massive Chelsea fan.' He's already experienced one of the more unpleasant sides of instant fame with online trolls grumbling that his humble background isn't all it's cracked up to be, given there are pictures of him aboard a private jet and sipping cocktails in a swanky foreign resort on his social media feeds. 'People don't realise that Instagram's not reality, you post the best bits. I'm not going to post a selfie of me on the bunk bed in my council house,' he says. Whatever he wants to do is on pause for a while in any case: he's due to return to barracks, although his superiors are trying to negotiate an early release so he can circumvent the year's notice he would otherwise have to serve. In the meantime he's back at the family home, sleeping on the couch. 'My feet haven't touched the ground yet to be honest,' he says. Who knows where he will end up but one thing's for certain. We've not seen the last of 'Clarky'. Ekin-Su Culculoglu made her first public appearance after her shock split from Davide Sanclimenti. The Love Island 2022 winner, 29, stunned in a busty pinafore in Northern Ireland on Thursday, just a day after Davide, 29, flexed his muscles in a shirtless thirst trap. Ekin-Su embraced her new-found single status as she opened the revamped BPerfect Cosmetics megastore at the Foyleside Shopping Centre in Derry. The television personality completed her sexy outfit with an unbuttoned white shirt, sheer black tights and pointy black heels with silver detailing. It marked Ekin-Su's first public appearance since she announced on Tuesday that she and Davide had split for a second time. Newly-single Ekin-Su, 29, stunned in a busty pinafore in Northern Ireland on Thursday, just a day after ex Davide Sanclimenti, also 29, flexed his muscles in a shirtless thirst trap The Love Island 2022 winner, 29, opened the revamped BPerfect Cosmetics megastore at the Foyleside Shopping Centre in Derry Fans have even speculated that the couple's break up is just for show, and they will both appear on Love Island: All Stars and dramatically get back together. Taking to her Instagram Story on Tuesday, the former Dancing On Ice contestant wrote: 'The last 18-months have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, just like every relationship. 'Davide and I both wanted to make this work as we cared deeply for each other. Unfortunately I have recently made the decision to end our relationship and to go our separate ways.. 'Breakups are never easy. For any couple. And we hope that our privacy will be respected. I enjoyed our time together and the memories we made. 'Thank you for your continued support. It's been so lovely to have you follow our Love Island journeys together since the villa and we hope you'll continue to follow our careers as we go off in our own directions. Love always, Ekin-Su.' Davide released his own statement later that same day also on his Instagram story, and used the same font and colours as Ekin-Su. He wrote: 'Life sometimes reserves surprises and suddenly wakes you up... 'Ekin and I, just after the ski holidays, decided to go different ways. It was a joint decision, but I was waiting to make it public to respect her time in the show.' She completed her sexy outfit with an unbuttoned white shirt, sheer black tights and elegant pointy black heels with silver detailing It marked Ekin-Su's first public appearance since she announced on Tuesday that she and Davide had split for a second time Davide showed Ekin-Su what she was missing when he flexed his muscles in a shirtless thirst trap on Instagram just two days after she announced their split Neither Ekin-Su nor the Italian Stallion have removed the other from their respective Instagram pages, so the two may be on good terms (pictured the November image both still have up) Just hours before on Tuesday Ekin-Su's statement read: 'The last 18-months have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, just like every relationship' Now Davide has had his say in his own Instagram Story statement which said they had 'grown apart', after previously believing in a 'future together' Davide said: ''I loved every moment, from the first time I knew her in the Villa until the life outside. I really believed in us and saw a future for us' Hinting at foul play from Ekin-Su, he said: 'I don't know why the agreed statement changed last minute, but continued: 'I agree, it was a beautiful story even with its ups and downs like all couples. 'I loved every moment, from the first time I knew her in the Villa until the life outside. I really believed in us and saw a future for us. 'But sometimes in life people need to grow apart. Is just the direction of life. I will treasure our moments forever.' He signed off by saying: 'Now it's time to focus on myself. I love you all always, thank you for the unconditional support everyone showed me from the beginning. Davide.' Jonnie Irwin last shared an Instagram post just six days before he lost his battle to cancer aged 50. The A Place In The Sun presenter's death was announced by his family on Friday, three and a half years after he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Heartbreakingly, one of Jonnie's last Instagram posts, on January 25 was of him in hospital. The Escape To The Country shared a photo of him in hospital where he revealed he hadn't slept in almost a week, but was determined to keep fighting. Jonnie was at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital for a full MRI scan. Jonnie Irwin 's last shared an Instagram post just six days before he lost his battle to cancer aged 50 He captioned it: 'This is look of a man whos not slept for 6 nights and awaiting a full body MRI scan of at least an hour. If you havent had one theyre claustrophobic and claustrophobic and omit loud random noises. Joy. 'Take note on attempt of a jaunty not on my gown! Im expecting to come out to news of India all out 195! #alwaystrying #mri #livingwithcancer #nhs'. Then, the following day, he shared a reel of himself admiring his new windows and kindly tagged the company responsible - R Stanley Windows & Doors. Jonnie had been working tirelessly to do a home renovation for his wife Jessica and their three children. He captioned his final post: 'I was tempted to spray the remaining windows, but after interviewing someone that actually knows what theyre talking about I changed my plans. 'This more than any other Reno has been a fluid process! Check out the film we made on Morning Live on @bbciplayer, its worth a watch . Look out for the episode on 13/11/23 Or go straight to Richard whos tagged.' Then, the following day, he shared a reel of himself admiring his new windows and tagged the company - R Stanley Windows & doors The A Place In The Sun presenter's death was announced by his family on Friday, three and a half years after he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer (pictured with his wife Jessica) The caption which announced his death read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer' Jonnie revealed his lung cancer diagnosis in November 2022, saying the cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed with the disease in 2020. He returned to television days later to present a home renovation programme for BBC Morning Live in Newcastle. Announcing his death on Friday, a statement read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit' She continued: 'At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnies family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated'. 'As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on'. 'Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten'. Jonnie presented A Place In The Sun from 2004 to 2021 (pictured with co-host Jasmine Harman) The late TV host and his wife share sons Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac (pictured in 2023) Jessica later took to her own account to share a snap of her late husband beaming and confessed to wishing this devastating day would never come. Writing: 'Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldnt come. Its with all the the saddness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today'. 'His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys'. 'I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end.' 'It really wasnt fair and you didnt deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx'. Jonnie Irwin heartbreakingly kept his terminal cancer battle a secret from his three sons with his wife Jessica Holmes. The A Place In The Sun presenter, 50, whose death was announced on Friday, is survived by his wife Jessica, 41, and their sons Rex, five, and twins Cormac and Rafa, two. Just before Fathers Day 2023, Jonnie revealed his and Jessica's decision to not tell his young children that he was dying. He reasoned that the information would be too complex for his young children to process and understand. Jonnie hoped that keeping his kids none-the-wiser would mean the family could create more happy memories together. Jonnie Irwin, whose death at 50 was announced on Friday, heartbreakingly kept the fact he was ill from his three sons with his wife Jessica Holmes (pictured) The A Place In The Sun presenter is survived by his wife Jessica, 41, and their sons Rex, five, and twins Cormac and Rafa, two (pictured in November 2023) Jonnie told Hello! at the time: 'I keep being asked: "Are you going to tell them? but tell them what? 'It would be horrible news that theyd have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex hes got a shocking enough day coming. Lets bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible.' Jonnie's death was announced via an Instagram post on his official page. It read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing. 'A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage'. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit. 'At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnies family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. 'As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on'. It finished: 'Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten'. Jessica wrote her own tribute on her Instagram page and many celebrities joined in with theirs. Just before Fathers Day 2023, Jonnie revealed his and Jessica's decision to not tell his young children (pictured in December 2023) that he was dying Jonnie hoped that keeping his kids none-the-wiser would mean the family (pictured in October 2023) would mean they create more happy memories together He said of his decision: 'Lets bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible' (Jessica and children pictured in November) Jonnie's death was announced via an Instagram post from his official page . It read: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnies passing' Police were called to a Sydney music venue after the line for the concert of former One Direction star Liam Tomlinson took an ugly turn. Specialist officers, including from the public order and riot squad, were called to Qudos Bank Arena just before 7am on Friday following reports of a crowd issue. A NSW Police spokesperson said one person was removed from the venue with a broken wrist and two more were taken away with heat exhaustion. No incidents were recorded, but police were on high alert after reports of injuries in a stampede at Tomlinson's concert in Brisbane on Tuesday. Hordes of fans waited outside Qudos arena before Louis Tomlinson's Sydney concert. Picture: TikTok The crowd was estimated to be in the thousands. Picture: TikTok One social media user said it was 'insane' to see 'so many riot control guys' and police officers at the Sydney venue while they were waiting outside. However, they understood the necessity after hearing threats being issued among frustrated fans. 'There were a lot of, honestly, death threats going around, which is crazy,' the fan said on TikTok. Hordes of eager fans arrived at the Qudos Bank Arena, in Sydney's Olympic Park, before dawn in hopes of securing a wristband to mark their place in line for when the gates open. One video showed a massive crowd of people sitting outside the arena at 4am on Friday morning as they waited in line for the wristbands in the hopes of getting closer to Tomlinson. But the waiting actually began on Thursday morning - more than 24 hours before the concert was scheduled to begin. Louis Tomlinson is playing Sydney for the first time on Friday It was 100 people long at 11am on Thursday but grew to an estimated 3,000 people on Friday. A fan shared a video showing hundreds of concertgoers lined up at 10am waiting for the wristbands. 'Help us, I'm dying of heat,' she captioned the TikTok followed by a crying face. Young music lovers could be seen with scarves draped over their heads to protect themselves from the baking heat as they waited to progress in the line. However, it looked as though many of the hopefuls were thwarted by long lines and the heat on Friday. Scores of Louis Tomlinson fans took to social media to express their disappointment with the system and the lack of support for waiting fans. 'This is not for the faint hearted,' one TikTok user wrote as a voiceover declared. 'It's hell in there. It's horror.' Another young fan slammed Qudos as 'the absolute worst venue to exist'. 'We love Louis but we do not love everything that happened today,' she wrote. Two people were treated for heat exhaustion. Picture: TikTok Some fans waited for hours but still missed out on the precious wristbands. Picture: TikTok Many of the passionate fans were turned away without wristbands or with wristbands that had such high numbers that they wouldn't make a difference. Photos of overheated and frustrated crowds mirror similar scenes in Brisbane earlier this week, where young fans reportedly came to blows over the wristband allocation system. 'Girls were in tears because they lined up for hours and didn't get anything,' Annie said on TikTok. The concert in Sydney is the first of three Tomlinson will perform in the city. Hangovers may be a thing of the past. For alcohol-free beer and wine that leaves users tipsy but skips the dreaded after effects the following day could be coming to Britain as soon as this year. SENTIA, a spirit that mimics the effects of alcohol but, crucially, doesn't contain any alcohol, was launched last year by Hertfordshire-based GABA Labs. The team behind the drinks, headed by ex-Government drugs tsar Professor David Nutt, has now revealed plans to bolster their product range in 2024, which will include alcohol-free beer and sparkling wine. While other non-alcoholic drinks simply attempt to replicate the taste of the real thing, GABA Labs' products contain a secret mix of botanicals that effectively trick the brain's internal chemistry into thinking it's drunk. Last year the non-alcoholic drink, SENTIA, which mimics the feeling of downing a few pints by tricking the brain's internal chemistry was launched by GABA Labs. But the team, led by ex-Government drugs tsar Professor David Nutt, has now revealed it plans 'to release additional products during 2024' including beer and sparkling wine A SENTIA bottle, which costs just shy of 30, shows it includes around a dozen more ingredients than your normal tipple - magnolia, sage, orange peel, star anise, ginseng, black cardamom, thyme, cinnamon, pennywort, rosemary, Nigerian ginger, ginkgo, wormwood and more. The label also features a warning common to many of the drinks it seeks to emulate, do not consume if pregnant or breastfeeding Gaba Labs, co-founded David Orren, told MailOnline: 'We do have a number of products which we would like to bring to market during 2024 and we're very, very excited. 'Potentially a beer or a range of beers, and also sparkling wine it's a very champagne-like beverage, which has gone down really well with the limited testing that we've done. 'There is also the potential for some ready to drink carbonated [products] but that's quite a big opportunity.' GABA Labs' products already available are SENTIA in two flavours red and black. For serving, they recommend having it neat or mixing it with a soda or ginger ale. What causes a hangover? If you've ever had a hangover, you'll know some of the unpleasant effects alcohol can cause. From headaches, nausea and dizziness to feeling exhausted, hangovers can ruin your day. We all know alcohol is to blame, but there are several factors that make you feel groggy. Firstly, alcohol is toxic and every time you drink your liver works to get rid of it. Substances created as by-products of your body getting rid the alcohol could create hangover symptoms by causing inflammation and temporary changes to your immune system, says Drinkaware. One of these substances is acetaldehyde a toxic by-product produced by your body when you drink alcohol that is partly responsible for that groggy feeling. Dehydration is another big cause of hangovers. Because alcohol makes you pee more and it can make you feel dizzy, lightheaded and tired if this fluid is not replaced, warns Drinkaware. Lack of sleep after a night out can also make matters worse, and not just because you have gone to bed late. Alcohol disturbs your sleep meaning you don't get enough Rapid Eye Movement (REM), which is an important sleep stage in making you feel refreshed. Source: Drinkaware Advertisement The exact miracle ingredient that emulates alcohol is a closely guarded secret. But how it works is in the manufacturer's name. SENTIA's potent concoction activates a neurotransmitter in the brain known scientifically as gamma-aminobutyric acid (Gaba), in the same way as a few shots of tequila, glasses of wine or bottles of lager. While you might not know the name you'll recognise the effect, as Gaba receptors help relax the brain. This is why you may feel more sociable, light and bubbly after a few tipples. But unlike alcohol, the effects of SENTIA stop after around two to three drinks, meaning people can't get too 'drunk'. Additionally, it doesn't lead to the build-up of other chemicals in the body that alcohol causes and is behind hangovers. It also doesn't carry any of the long-term health woes that regular and excessive alcohol use can bring, like cancer, liver problems and obesity. Mr Orren told MailOnline: 'David's research has shown that Gaba is the first neuron receptor that alcohol activates. That's what provides that initial sense of wellness and relaxation that people enjoy from alcohol. 'It's everything else that follows that tends to be not so useful. And we're trying to avoid that by focusing on Gaba. 'Quickly after releasing SENTIA Red, we realized that we could take some of the ingredients some of the knowledge that we had from SENTIA and actually create a beer that is non-alcoholic, and which feels very much like a good strong beer. 'We showed this at a trade show, never really thinking it was more than a clever way to communicate with the public. But actually people loved it. And we realized that there's a real opportunity here. 'Our mission is to bring to market a disruptive ingredient that can be used to make any type of drink. So that's our number one goal.' He added: 'Zero alcohol wines two years ago were very, very thin. It reminded me more of stale grapefruit juice than a good wine. 'When you take out the alcohol from a wine, it loses body, it loses palette, it loses mouthfeel. It's very difficult to sustain the quality of the wine when you take out the alcohol. 'But by adding Gabyr [shorthand for the secret ingredient], we were able to return that mouthfeel and the effect.' Ingredients in SENTIA's spirit include: magnolia, sage, orange peel, star anise, ginseng, black cardamom, thyme, cinnamon, pennywort, rosemary, Nigerian ginger, ginkgo, wormwood and more. Separate research by the University of Portsmouth, University of Exeter and University of East London on the efficacy of 'different ingredients' used to emulate the effects of alcohol on the gut and brain is also expected 'in the next three or four months'. 'We've targeted plants, which we know produce molecules which can enhance the effects of Gaba,' Professor Nutt, who is also chairman in neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, told MailOnline. He was fired as chair of the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) in 2009 by Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson after producing a paper for the Home Office which claimed Class A drug ecstasy is safer than equestrian sports. He also recommended that cannabis, ecstasy and LSD should be considered less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes. His GABA Lab research now, however, has focused on plants known to accelerate the uptake of molecules on Gaba. 'That's important because we want SENTIA to work like alcohol quite quickly, we don't want people to be waiting half an hour to have an effect,' he said. 'So we want to accelerate the uptake and we've achieved that with some of the plants. READ MORE: How to avoid a hangover, according to scientists Advertisement 'The second thing is it's not just a question of getting the active molecules across from the stomach into the blood, but it's also getting from the blood into the brain.' It comes as data released last month showed changing attitudes to alcohol mean Britain is drinking 15 per cent less than 15 years ago. Young people especially are turning their backs on alcohol with two in five aged under-25 saying they are non-drinkers. The poll, carried out by YouGov for industry body the Portman Group, found the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who label themselves non-drinkers is up from 27 per cent to 39 per cent in just a year. By contrast, only 24 per cent of over-55s say they do not drink. Meanwhile, some of the best-selling no or low alcoholic brands have seen record sales this year, including Heinekens 0.0, while sales of Guinness 0.0 have more than doubled. Despite this, more than a quarter of UK adults regularly binge drink, and government estimates suggest there are over 600,000 dependent drinkers in England alone. Mr Orren told MailOnline: 'We're a small organisation, I think our strength is in the science and there's been a great development of ingredients but we have limited bandwidth. He added: 'We are open to partnerships. We're interested in working with drinks manufacturers that have that see these products as being potentially important for their product range for their zero-alcohol initiative.' It can brighten your under-eyes, de-emphasize wrinkles, rebuild collagen, and repair UV damage. It restores and revitalizes the skins barrier to keep environmental stressors out and moisture in. The best part: It's not nearly as expensive as other anti-aging products - in fact, it's free. While your bathroom counter may be cluttered with retinol, acids, and serums that promise to 'turn back the clock on aging,' the true anti-aging super ingredient is beauty sleep. Getting a healthy seven to nine hours of sleep gives the body enough time to combat environmental and oxidative stress that ages cells and tissues, including skin cells Many people may not consider sleep a key component of their skincare arsenal and many don't get the recommended eight hours per night, but consistently getting too little sleep can have a huge impact on your beauty routine. A lack of sleep results in higher levels of cortisol, the bodys stress hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol can lead to premature sagging and wrinkling because it degrades collagen, which works with other substances like elastin to maintain the skins volume, hydration, and elasticity. Dr Quynh-Giao Sartor, a board certified Dermatologist in Houston, said: During sleep, the body is restoring proteins such as collagen and elastin that repair and strengthen the skin. Good quality sleep allows the body more time to produce [elastin and collagen] at healthy levels. When well rested, several benefits become evident on the skin, including fewer wrinkles, brightened complexion, and reduced puffiness or dark circles around the eyes. Conversely, consistent sleep deprivation can accelerate aging on the skin, including droopy skin. One of the most common beauty and skincare buzzwords is anti-aging. Attempting to stave off the effects of time on ones face is a $50 billion industry with an endless supply of new products and potions that target perceived problem areas, such as the forehead, the areas around the eyes where the skin is especially delicate, around the mouth and the neck. But it takes more than a super-strength retinol or lactic acid to address lines, dullness, and sagging skin. When the body 'shuts off' for seven to nine hours, the hormone melatonin kicks the skins repair mechanisms into gear. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that fights against free radicals that damage cells and cause them to age faster. When there are more free radicals than antioxidants in the body, the resulting imbalance leads to oxidative stress, which can lead to cellular damage and has been associated with various health issues, including aging, inflammation, and the development of chronic diseases The hormones ability to combat oxidative stress makes it particularly powerful for reversing signs of sun damage such as age spots. Dr Melanie Palm, a board-certified dermatologist in San Diego, told Vogue: This process helps to stave off wrinkles, age spots, skin laxity, and other signs of aging in the long run, which is why getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night and having a dialed-in circadian rhythm is essential for great skin. The body also produces human growth hormone (HGH) that helps to repair tissue damage while asleep. HGH is a naturally occurring substance in the body that the pituitary gland produces and is responsible for stimulating cell growth, reproduction, and regeneration. HGH secretion tends to peak during deep sleep while the body is undergoing the process of repair and regeneration. A persons body produces less and less HGH with age. Dr Jacob Teitelbaum, an internist specializing in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and pain management, told NBC News: Also known as the Fountain of Youth hormone, optimizing growth hormone keeps us young. 'It keeps our muscles toned, and our skin at its full thickness. Think of it as a healthy facelift for your entire body, including face, breasts and abdominals. Healthy beauty sleep takes between seven and nine hours. For the best beauty sleep, experts recommend shutting down technology and sleeping in a dark, cool room, which facilitates a natural drop in core body temperature as we prepare for sleep. Doctors have warned against copying the bizarre behavior of a new Instagram star who has pledged to eat raw chicken everyday until he gets sick. The influencer known only as John has wracked up more than eight million views on his Instagram videos which see him consuming the uncooked meat in various styles. In one clip, he can be seen washing a raw chicken breast down with a cup of raw eggs. In another, he attempts to fashion a chicken-based pizza, topping the breast with tomato and cheese. In another video, he washes blends chicken breasts with orange to make an unappetizing-looking smoothie. It is unclear why the social media star, who has 300,000 Instagram followers, has embarked on the potentially deadly 'experiment', which he refers to as 'eating raw chicken everyday til I get a tummy ache [sic].' He is now on day 14 of the 'experiment', and has shared shots of himself drinking blood from raw chicken as well as turning chicken breast into smoothies. Doctors have warned people against trying the stunt at home, saying it could lead to a serious infection But doctors appear horrified at the stunt, warning that eating raw chicken could be fatal due to the risk of contamination with a number of deadly bacteria like listeria, salmonella and E.coli. About one in five people who catch listeria die from the disease. Posting a warning on one of his videos, Dr Idrees Mughal a surgeon based in the UK said: 'For the love of all things sane, do NOT attempt what this man is doing. 'This is so stupid.' An amateur chef also posted a warning, saying: 'I'm just gonna say you are playing Russian Roulette with your life. 'Two of the biggest killers, Campylobacter and salmonella, are a high risk here especially from undercooked/raw chicken. 'This isn't a science experiment... this is just plain stupidity.' The influencer says he started eating raw chicken to help ease complaints including back pain, dizziness and cystic acne a severe type of inflammationary acne that causes pus-filled acne cysts deep under the skin. There is no scientific evidence supporting the theory that eating raw meat can help to relieve back pain or has any benefits at all. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against eating raw meat, saying it could make someone sick because of the risk of germ contamination. 'Eating raw and undercooked meat and poultry can make you sick,' the body says. 'Poultry includes chicken and turkey. Some germs commonly found in poultry include salmonella and campylobacter.' In another clip, the man shows himself pouring out chicken blood and then drinking it in a glass of raw eggs as though it is a jagerbomb Other disgusting videos show the man eating raw chicken drumsticks (left) and eating raw chicken liver This bacteria as well as listeria live in the intestines of animals, but can end up on the raw cuts of meat during the slaughter process. Companies wash meat products using chlorine to avoid contamination but it does not always destroy the bugs. In fact the CDC estimate that around one in every 25 bags of chicken at the grocery store are contaminated with Salmonella. To eliminate the risk, chicken should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165F (74C), which kills the bacteria, the body say. It is also recommended to use separate cutting boards for meat and poultry in order to avoid contamination. The influencer who says he is 6ft 1in and weighs 199lbs admitted 'one or two doctors' have called him stupid over the habit. He says he is eating the chicken to help solve back pain he has, as well as to fight an acne that he had previously 'Some people think this page is strictly a science experiment,' he said, 'and some think this is strictly a meme'. 'The answer is, of course, yes [to both]. 'I'm basically Bill Nye the raw chicken guy and we are here to entertain as well as to see what happens.' He added: 'I'll just keep doing my best to eat raw birds and to keep track of any findings. 'So far I haven't noticed anything bad. 'Please don't copy this. It may seem like a meme, but it's also possibly dangerous which is why it's gaining attention.' The same individual also went viral last year for posting content showing himself eating other types of raw meat including beef and kangaroo as well as veal. More than 100 Quaker products have now been affected by the recalls It comes amidst fears the products are contaminated with salmonella Quaker Oats has issued its third product recall in less than two months amid fears of salmonella contamination. The company, owned by PepsiCo., is urging customers to throw out packets of Quaker Chewy Dipps Llama Rama bars which have a best before date of February 10 or 11. The product was discontinued in September 2023. It comes after the US Food and Drug Administration issued two recalls - one on December 15 and another on January 11 - affecting more than 100 products. Salmonella, which causes 420 deaths each year in America, is a bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Quaker Oats has issued its third product recall in less than two months amid fears of salmonella contamination It comes after the US Food and Drug Administration issued two recalls - one on December 15 and another on January 11 - affecting more than 100 products Some of the recalls affect multiple variations of the same product - so on our list below you will see under 100 items. For example, the Quaker Chewy Bars and Dipps Variety Pack affects both 13 ounce and 58.6 ounce packets. For full details, please visit: www.quakerrecallusa.com. While the initial alert affected just granola bars and granola cereals, the second included additional products such as snack mixes and cereal products. Salmonella is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract, with symptoms including diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates salmonella bacteria causes 1.3 million infections every year in the US and causes 420 deaths. Vulnerable people such as children, older adults or those with weakened immune systems, are most likely to get serious infections. It can be caught from a variety of sources including contaminated food and water. Consumers who own any of these recalled products should contact Quaker Consumer Relations or visit QuakerRecallUSA.com for more information. Any customers affected by the recall can claim a recall from Quaker Oats. The company is still processing previously submitted reimbursement requests. Balancing global climate efforts requires nuanced policies, considering socio-economic differences for equitable and sustainable solutions The global policing community's approach to climate change has been a significant challenge thus far. Hotspot events driven by the warming of the Earth's upper crust in both land and water, commonly known as 'Global Warming,' have given rise to extremism. The warming of water on Earth's surface, accounting for 91 per cent of climate heating, is a major contributor, followed by land at approximately 5 per cent, alongside ice loss and atmospheric warming. The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), obliges all member states to adhere to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. NDCs aim to solidify individual state contributions in combating global environmental challenges. Consequently, nations bear the responsibility to implement policies and regulations, working towards achieving net-zero emissions globally by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement's objectives. The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), akin to the Emission Trading System (ETS), seeks to dissuade carbon-intensive economies from producing high-carbon products. To avoid 'carbon leakage,' high-value carbon products face significant taxes for their export. This mechanism aligns with the polluter pays principle and the precautionary principle, as articulated in Article 191(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Developing nations, recognizing the impact of globalisation, anticipate a decline in demand for their products in the EU market due to reduced competitiveness. Countries like India and China, reliant on carbon-based manufacturing, generated $8.2 billion in export revenue in the EU market in 2022, as reported by the Global Trade Research Initiative. The steel industry, a cornerstone of India's development, faces significant challenges. The global climate effort must consider the interests of the global south. While objections can be addressed in international bodies like the World Trade Organisation, fostering long-term bilateral relations necessitates domestic policies aligned with global socio-economic aspirations. A thorough socio-economic audit is essential to evaluate the proportionality and impact of imposing a heavy carbon tax burden on third-world countries. The polluter pays and the precautionary principle are crucial in attributing responsibility, considering factors such as size, area, population, industrial activities, and mitigation efforts. However, applying bilateral disincentives uniformly across states with disparate economies undermines the equity principle, placing high-polluting nations on par with those contributing less. The stringent nature of CBAM poses challenges for countries like India unless they can negotiate more favourable terms. In conclusion, addressing the complex challenge of climate change requires a nuanced and collaborative approach that considers the diverse socio-economic landscapes of nations. The burden of combating climate change should be shared proportionately, acknowledging the unique circumstances and contributions of each nation. A careful balance between environmental responsibility and economic development is crucial to ensure equitable and sustainable solutions. Moreover, the international community must actively involve and accommodate the concerns of developing nations in policy-making processes. In the pursuit of a greener future, a holistic and inclusive approach is paramount. As the world collectively addresses this urgent issue, finding common ground that aligns with both environmental and developmental aspirations is the key to building a sustainable and resilient future for all. (The writer is a research scholar; views are personal) Relaxation begins and ends in the mind, enabling it to withstand the vagaries of life Summer was simmering, temperatures were rising in Delhi, and the beer-guzzling husband and wife duo, and their college-going children fed on junk food, were looking forward to their first overseas trip together. Meanwhile, a message flashed on the pretentious mobile of the husband. Eureka, he screamed, Leave sanctioned. Trip to Chiang Mai will now be a reality, screamed the children and wife. The husband had clambered up the corporate ladder with a bloated ego, riding roughshod over his colleagues; however, at the cost of his deteriorating health condition. This is a familiar tale of several upper-middle-class families and the ones who mimic them as they crave to keep up with the Joneses. The prana levels of such individuals are low. Just as an architect designs buildings, we humans can construct an oasis of peace in our minds where we can luxuriate on a genuine holiday. Humans should develop a mental state where they can appreciate and embrace nature and its myriad flavours. Many years ago, there was an old farmer. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbours came to commiserate. Maybe, the farmer replied laconically. The next morning the horse returned, bringing along with it three other wild horses. Taken aback at the turn of events, the neighbours congratulated the farmer. Maybe, was the reply. His son tried to ride one of the untamed horses and was thrown off the saddle and broke his leg. The neighbours expressed their grief. Maybe, answered the farmer. Shortly, some military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. The wounded son was not recruited. Soon congratulatory messages poured in from the neighbours as the son escaped the hazardous employment. Maybe, said the farmer. The stoic farmer remained unfazed in all situations. He was neither egoistical nor judgmental or given to hyperbole or despondency. The mind remained quiet and was in a perpetual state of positivity and holiday. The supercilious family from Delhi was so full of themselves and hurtling towards imminent disaster that it would undeniably benefit by learning a few secrets from the old farmer. They could discard their pomposity; and erase egos and narcissistic tendencies. Instead of planning an annual holiday, the family ought to create a sacred space within their hearts and minds where positivism mushrooms and develop a delicate balance of detachment like the old farmer. It would be sagacious to dwell on the inner self and practice deep faith and prayer to connect with the self by sublimating noise and ego. They could visualize and connect to a soothing terrain in their minds, which would restore equilibrium to their disoriented lifestyles. This topography could upend the pyramid and radically alter a desultory lifestyle to a more harmonious one. Imagine the mind conceptualizes a retreat within its containments. This chamber would generate abundant energy and an aura that the individual would like to revisit hundreds of times. Pranayama and the practice of yoga be it for the propertied or poor, healthy, or unhealthy help in mental reconfiguration, rejuvenation, and revitalization, which soothes frayed nerves and makes individuals joyous and happy. This is a harbinger of a sanctuary of radiance. This should be the springboard for the family to rekindle and construct their holiday home where their prana levels are indeed high. (The writer is a CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd. and is a faculty of the Art of Living; views are personal) Tank Zorawar is expected to dominate the proceedings of war with its fleet-footedness, adaptability and instinct for battle on punishing high altitudes Legendary (and sadly unsung) Dogra General, Zorawar Singh, is arguably the boldest, noblest and most successful Indian warrior whose unparalleled conquests entailed far-flung regions of Ladakh, Baltistan, Skardu and even areas up to Western Tibet (Ngari Khorsum). Military historians who realise the audacity and incredibility of his valour refer to him as Napoleon of India. History is rife with heroics of horse-mounted Dogra cavaliers, who were especially effective in mountain warfare at unforgiving heights of what is current-day Chinese territory. Unbeknownst to most Indian citizenry, the name Zorawar struck fear in those distant lands and indeed there was a fearless and dashing Indian General who conquered large tracts of lands that are today in the control of either the Chinese or the Pakistanis. Recognising the surreal spirit of Zorawar, the local Tibetans built a Chorten (cenotaph) calling it Singh ba Chorten (Cenotaph of the Singh Warrior). Today, Zorawars forts silently dot the rugged and unforgiving heights of the region. His gallant Dogra clan celebrate his memory with statues of a horse-born Zorawar wielding a sword in the Duggar land (Dogra region of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Punjab). Zorawars proud progeny bear his bust with pride and josh in Regiments like the Dogra Regiment and the direct inheritors of J&K State Forces i.e., Jammu & Kashmir Rifles. With time, the territories that Zorawars legendary horsemen conquered were lost to the proverbial other and the evolution of time ensured that the dynamics of warfare changed too. Soon, the metaled battle tanks became the new horse, in terms of daring spirit, mechanized efficacy and fine lineage. Horse cavalry gave way to the Armoured Corps. The advent of the Twentieth Century saw the tanks make their roaring entry with decisive roles with the likes of fabled Panzer divisions of the German Army. While Panzer then itself was a relatively light tank (25 tons), the platform of tanks soon became deadlier, larger and more powerful, and therefore decidedly heavier with the likes of T-90 (48 tons), M1A2 (63 tons), Leopard (67 tons) to our very own Arjun MK 1-A (69 tons). Even though the French-built AMX light tanks (17 tons) acquitted themselves with great utility and efficacy against the Chinese forces in the Chushul sector, preventing the Chinese advance to Leh the concept of light tanks soon gave way to more loaded heavier tanks. Secondly, the morphing of Pakistan as the enemy number one in sovereign imagination and the consequential impact of thinking shifted the tank territories to the deserts of Rajasthan or the plains of Punjab and Jammu region necessitating import, manufacture, or development of tanks like T-54/T-55, T-62, T-72 and later the Arjun. After multiple hitches and improvements, the Arjun was ultimately believed to have fared well when equated to T-92 but it also became suspect for certain roads, bridges, and canals along the Pakistan border, given its weight. To deploy the same in the higher reaches of battlegrounds once conquered by Zorawars cavalry was impossible. Recent years have seen a clear revision of the primary enemy and the same is now China, with the bloody face-offs happening in the Summer of 2020. Eerily, much of the tense Sino-Indian theatre is the same as the one that was once ably dominated by the band of Zorawars Dogra Army. Criticalities of war preparedness and its starting deficiencies threw up the issue of tanks and mechanized elements in the said region the Chinese had tellingly deployed their purpose tanks (Type 15 light tanks) to boost their offensive capacities for high-altitude warfare. The relative ease of transportability, deployment, mobility and operability in mountain environs (along with technological advancements like being informationised with other platforms) adds to the overall formidability of force. The heavier Indian tank armoury other than weight and accompanying transportability and mobility issues were not intended to operate in such regions with rarefied air, high-altitude terrain and -40 degrees Celsius conditions. Therefore a Request for Information (RFI) for light tanks to meet the looming Chinese threat states, new generation combat vehicle platform, approximately 350 Light Tanks in a phased manner, along with performance-based logistics, niche technologies, engineering support package, and other maintenance and training requirements was importantly issued in 2021 towards fast-tracked development. This urgency bore expression in Zorawar, a lightweight tank (25-ton, air transportable with amphibious capabilities) jointly made by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with a private company, Larsen & Toubro (L&T). It is expected to meet the requisite and critical power-to-weight ratios, as indeed other competitive parameters of communication (e.g., integration with drones), firepower, artificial intelligence, surveillance, protection et al, to outmatch the Chinese T-15. Essentially the sacred spirit of Zorawar comes back to the region, albeit, in the form of a light tank for trials before the final induction of the initial batch of 59 tanks. The tank Zorawar is not a replacement for the heavier tank, but only to complement the existing armoured tanks. Like its nomenclature predecessor and legendary warrior, this Zorawar too is expected to dominate the proceedings of war with its fleet-footedness, adaptability, and instinct for battle in the punishing high altitudes. (The writer, a military veteran, is a former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. The views expressed are personal) For the first time after confirming her ekla chalo policy in Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directly attacked the Congress party on Friday, said that with all the yatras and rallies they were undertaking in the country, they would not be able to win even 40 seats in the Parliamentary elections. Launching a scathing attack on the Bengal leg of Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, where Banerjees arch-rival CPI(M) made a full-blast appearance, the West Bengal Chief Minister said, I had told them, as a constituent of the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), that the Congress should contest from 300 seats, and the remaining 245 seats the INDIA partners will fight. There, the Congress must not interfere. But what we saw here, without informing me, they have come here in a Yatra. Directly refuting the Congress claims that it had repeatedly requested Banerjee to join the Yatra in Bengal, Banerjee said, Why dont you go to Rajasthan, UP, and MP where you used to be strong and which places you have lost to the BJP? You have come to disturb us here as vote cutters.She continued, You may be a bigger party, but such is your arrogance that you do not even have the courtesy to respect others. Banerjee asked, Where were you when women were being raped and killed in Manipur? Instead of going to the right places, you have come to weaken the constituents of INDIA. Why did you start your Yatra from Bengal and not any other place? Comparing Rahul to Vasant Kokil (cuckoo) or any other bird, Banerjee said, Some people appear during or before the elections and then simply vanish, whereas we work for the people throughout the entire year. Here, some people are going to bid workers as though they are bidders, and indulge in selfies, but such tactics will not work in Bengal because only the TMC can take on the BJP here and no one else. Stating that the Congress had rejected her proposal on seat sharing, she said, We had offered them two seats, which they cannot win alone, but they are asking for many more seats. Then I told them to contest from all the seats and came out of the discussion, deciding to contest alone. Meanwhile, Rahuls Yatra of Bengal ended on Friday when it entered neighbouring Jharkhand via Birbhum district. The demand for a separate nation comprising the southern States of India by Congress Lok Sabha member DK Suresh created a hornets nest on Friday, with the ruling party BJP and the Opposition Congress engaged in a war of words both inside and outside Parliament. This also led to protests by BJP members who alleged that the grand old party has a tradition of dividing the nation, which still persists. The BJP said Congress leader DK Suresh has no right to remain an MP even for a minute, as it accused him of openly talking about breaking India, violating his oath to protect the countrys unity and sovereignty. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded an apology from Congress Parliamentary Chairperson Sonia Gandhi over Sureshs demand for a separate nation comprising southern States, alleging bias in budgetary allocations. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, condemned the statement made by his party colleague, although he mentioned that the MP has already clarified. We will not tolerate any statement that calls for breaking the country. That statement may be from any party, be it from my party or their (BJP) party, or somebody else. Whether someone says it or not, I, Mallikarjun Kharge, will say that India is one from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and will remain one. It is for this cause that Indira Gandhi gave the supreme sacrifice of her life, and Rajiv Gandhi gave his life. Can such a party talk of breaking the country? We will not tolerate such a thing. It is not correct to repeat in the House what Suresh has not said, he added. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in Parliament, Joshi said that Congress member Suresh had demanded a separate nation comprising southern States. He said that the remarks were an insult to the Constitution and its architect, Babasaheb Ambedkar. I condemn the statement of the Congress member and demand that the matter be referred to the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha, Joshi asserted. Members of the Opposition INDIA bloc, including the Congress and the DMK, were on their feet trying to make some point as Joshi made the statement in the House. They later walked out for a brief while. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called the Opposition members to make their point after the laying of parliamentary papers on the table of the House. I think they have boycotted the proceedings, the Speaker remarked, referring to the empty Opposition benches. As the Speaker moved to the next item on the agenda, the opposition members returned to the House. I had signaled to you that you would be allowed to speak after laying the papers. Now, you can make your point in the debate on the Presidents address, Birla said. Joshi added that the Congress leadership should clarify whether it subscribes to the views of Suresh, the brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. The Congress traditions of dividing the country still persist. I demand that Sonia Gandhi take action against the member and also clarify whether the party supports the views of the Congress member, the parliamentary affairs minister said. Joshi added that he also hails from a southern state, as does his colleague External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and neither of us feels in the manner as the Congress member has claimed. Congress member Suresh, who represents Bangalore Rural in the Lok Sabha, had claimed that injustice was meted out to the southern states in the allocation of a share in tax collection, while the tax money is distributed to North India. Our tax money is being distributed to North India; if we dont condemn it, there might arise a situation where we will have to demand a separate nation, Suresh said on Thursday while commenting on the interim budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, at a press conference, criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with their India bloc allies, for maintaining a conspicuous silence over his shameful and unconstitutional comments. Prasad emphasised that before contesting an election and after winning it, anyone takes an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and the countrys unity and sovereignty. He has committed a gross impropriety as an MP by openly talking of the breakup of India. It is a clear violation of the constitutions main point of unity and integrity, he said. In a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, who had led his partys Bharat Jodo Yatra earlier and is now spearheading the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the BJP leader said that he is supposedly working to unite the country but has now disowned the comments of his partys MP. Rejecting the Congress MPs charge of discrimination, he mentioned that Modi had recently inaugurated a Boeing facility in Karnataka, and the state has been given a tax share of over Rs 1.35 lakh crore during 2014-19, against Rs 53,996 crore during 2009-14 when the Congress-led UPA was in power. Union Minister Piyush Goyal also sought an apology from the Congress for the controversial statement by the party MP. Kharge said Suresh is not a member of the Rajya Sabha, and therefore, his conduct cannot be debated in the House. However, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that his earlier rulings had made it clear that the statement by a Lok Sabha MP can be discussed in the Upper House. Congress leaders have made sacrifices for the country, he said, adding that the MP in question has clarified on TV that he did not state what is being reported. If he has said anything, the matter should be looked into by the privileges committee (of Lok Sabha), Kharge said. Goyal had read out the English translation of the statement Suresh made in Kannada on Thursday. The MP from the Bengaluru Rural constituency had purportedly stated that southern states are not receiving their dues as taxes collected from them are being distributed in the north. He purportedly said that the southern states would be forced to demand a separate nation if the injustice was not rectified. Calling himself a proud Indian, Congress MP DK Suresh issued a clarification for his separate country for South India remark, saying the intention behind his statement was to bring to notice the injustice in funds distribution by the BJP-led central government. A BJP leader from Dakshina Kannada lodged a complaint against Suresh at JMFC Court in Mangaluru and Mangaluru North police demanding action against the Congress MP under section 124A (Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and six-time MLA Champai Soren took the oath of office and secrecy on Friday, becoming the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand. In a simple ceremony at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhawan on Friday, Governor CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath to Champai Soren and two ministers Congress Legislature Party leader in the State Alamgir Alam and the lone MLA of Rashtriya Janata Dal, Satyanand Bhokta. The swearing-in ceremony followed 40 hours of political uncertainty in the State, as the former Chief Minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate after resigning from his post. There was no government in the State between Wednesday at 8 pm and Friday at 12.15 pm. According to sources, there were discussions about the possibility of former CM Hemant Sorens brother, Basant Soren, being sworn in as a Minister, but the decision could not be finalised until the last moment. Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, Chief Minister Champai Soren and two ministers visited Sido Kanhu Park, where they paid tributes to the martyrs of Santhal Pargana. Soren, along with the ministers, also went to Birsa Chowk to pay respects to Bhagwan Birsa Munda, offering flowers at his statue. Later in the day, the Champai Soren Cabinet held its first Cabinet meeting. During the meeting, a decision was made to convene a special session of the Assembly on February 5 and 6. The government will undergo a floor test during this session. Notably, Champai Soren has submitted a signed letter of support from 43 MLAs to the Governor to claim a majority in the House. The ruling coalition asserts having the support of 48 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly. Meanwhile, 37 members of the JMM-Congress-RJD combine were transported to Hyderabad in two chartered flights today. The legislators stated that this move was aimed at avoiding attempts of horse-trading by the opposition. The MLAs are scheduled to return to Ranchi on February 4, a day before the floor test. Popularly known as the Jharkhand Tiger, Champai Soren is one of the senior leaders of his party. Soren also holds the position of Vice President of JMM. He hails from a farmers family in Seraikela-Kharsawan district of the State. A long-time associate of Shibu Soren in the Jharkhand movement, Champai was born on September 15, 1978, in Dumka, Jharkhand. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Sido Kanhu Murmu University, Dumka, and is married to Manko Soren. Champai has four sons and three daughters. Though starting his career as an independent MLA in a bye-election from Seraikela seat, Champai Soren joined Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in the later stage. He was given a cabinet ministers post in the Arjun Munda led government. He also held the post of the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and Transport in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government led by Hemant Soren. In 2019, Champai Soren was made the Minister of Transport, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare. Bhopal Crime Branch police has seized a large quantity of cough syrup containing codeine worth Rs 26 lakh, police have seized 127 boxes of intoxicating cough syrup after raid was conducted at a godown in Shahjahanabad area, seized syrup is worth Rs 25,90,800. The entire action has been carried out on the information of Maihar Police. Cough syrup worth Rs 12,09,250 has also been recovered in Maihar. It is being claimed that the main accused Ankit Bang used to supply this narcotic substance across the state. The accused is being interrogated. Bhopal and Maihar police have arrested three accused. DCP Shritkirti Somvanshi said that accused Ankit Bang, son of Raman Bang (27) of Shahjahanabad, has studied till class 12th. Here he has taken a rented room and made a godown. In which a large number of cough syrups containing codeine were stocked. Police raided the godown of the accused and seized a large quantity of cough syrup. The value of the seized 127 boxes of cough syrup is said to be more than Rs 25.90 lakh. Manish Saket alias Nandu, Sampat Kumar Mishra and Santosh Kushwaha have been arrested from Maihar. The accused were carrying intoxicating cough syrup for smuggling in Maihar by car. From their possession 15 cartons have been recovered from them worth Rs 12.9 lakh. The action was taken on the information of Maihar Superintendent of Police Rajeev Pathak. He had told the Bhopal Police that a large number of cough syrups were being brought from Bhopal and distributed in the surrounding districts including Maihar, 15 carton cough syrups have been seized from the possession of the accused arrested from Maihar. They used to do this work for Ankit. In the state of Jharkhand, the BJP has organized a workshop for the designated "Let's Go to the Village" campaign. The workshop took place in the community building of the Gandhajor Ashram, under the leadership of the Mandal President, Pannalal Kandu, in the Chas Nagar Northern region. Inaugurating the workshop, Sanjay Tyagi, BJP District President and In-charge of the Chas Nagar Northern region, mentioned that as part of this campaign, BJP workers will engage in grassroots outreach in every village and ward concerning central schemes. A list of village in-charges has been prepared for all villages, and during this initiative, the workers will connect people with the BJP, interact with the enlightened class, and engage in wall-writing activities in every village. The appointed village in-charge will undertake a journey to dedicate themselves to their duties in the aforementioned village. Through their efforts, the completion of 16 tasks designated by central leadership will be achieved in the village. In a meeting, various BJP leaders were present, including Ganesh Rai, the district vice-president of the BJP Kisan Morcha, Mahendra Rai, BJP district media co-incharge, Buddheshwar Ghoshal, Tara Shah, the district head of BJP's minority cell, Haru Jhariyat, Hare Krishna, Prakash Pramanik, Ranjeet Barnawal, Arvind Rai, Babita Devi, Mantosh Rai, Vikki Rai, Kamta Prasad Thakur, Dinesh Mahato, Vimal Kumar, Gulab Kumar Mahato and others. BJP legislature party meet was held at BJP state office today under the chairmanship of State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi. Congratulating and expressing best wishes to the newly appointed Chief Minister Champai Soren, Marandi said that this government should take decisions in public interest and work for the welfare of the people. In the meeting, Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri along with MLAs Neelkanth Singh Munda, CP Singh, Biranchi Narayan, Bhanu Pratap Shahi, Ramchandra Chandravanshi, JP Patel, Raj Sinha, Manish Jaiswal, Amit Mandal, Shashibhushan Mehta, Kedar Hazra, Anant Ojha, Dhullu Mahato, Randhir Singh, Neera Yadav, Aparna Sen Gupta, Pushpa Devi, Kishun Das, Kedar Hazra, Samri Lal, Koche Munda, Alok Chaurasia, Narayan Das were present. Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri congratulated newly appointed Chief Minister Champai Soren. Bauri said that there is a festive atmosphere in the family of Champai Soren ji today. He has got this opportunity because of the BJP's fight from the House to the streets against the power-supported corruption prevalent in the state and the support given by the people of the state in the BJP's fight against corruption. He said that BJP's fight against nepotism has given him the opportunity to hold the highest post in the state. Bauri said that he should use this opportunity to serve the people of the state. Bauri said that the Champai Soren government should not become a shadow of the Hemant government. He said that Chief Minister Champai Soren should immediately order registration of FIR against the corrupt officials sent by ED. He said that a CBI investigation into the recently cancelled JSSC exam should be recommended, only then the people of the state will have confidence that this government is fighting against corruption. He said that this government should not become a hanger-on but should create its own independent identity. Said that but the conspiracy of the Congress party will continue. Congress has an old history that it wants to save itself by implicating the government of its allies. The Congress party has met anti-national forces. Therefore, it implements its entire agenda by keeping the mask forward. He said that the Chief Ministers of governments running with the support of Congress have met the same fate as Hemant Soren. Therefore, Champai Soren should be cautious about this. They have been agitators, so they should work with their own thinking. He said that it seems that this government is formed to implement the appeasement agenda like the previous government. Bauri said that there is infighting among the ruling MLAs for posts and chairs. There is infighting in the Soren family. Earlier also the Hemant government had sent its ruling party MLAs to jail. He said that that is why all the MLAs of the ruling party are blaming BJP to hide their infighting. They are busy hiding their infighting. The Union Territory of Delhi was allocated Rs 1,168 crore in the 2024-25 interim Budget on Thursday, the same as in 2023-24, with the AAP Government accusing the Centre of giving it step-motherly treatment. The transfer to Delhi from the Union Home Ministry included Rs 1,168 crore under the revenue head and Rs 0.01 crore under the capital head. In the 2022-23 budget, Delhi was allocated Rs 960 crore. It was increased to Rs 1,168.01 crore in 2023-24 and remains the same for 2024-25. There were no grants in lieu of share in central taxes and duties for Delhi. It was Rs 325 crore in the 2022-23 budget. In the interim budget for Delhi, Rs 2 crore was also allocated as enhanced compensation to the victims of the 1984 riots. Grants towards contribution to the UT Disaster Response Fund allocation was Rs 15 crore and an additional central assistance of Rs 200 for externally aided projects (Chandrawal water treatment plant) was also there like the previous year budget. The grants in return of Delhis share in the pool of central taxes and duties was clubbed in the central assistance to Union Territories in the budget estimates of 2023-24 and has remained so this year, the budget document said. The allocation under central assistance to Delhi in the budget 2024-25 estimates was Rs 951 crore like the previous budget for 2023-24. It is provided for financing the schemes of the Delhi government. Delhi Finance Minister and AAP leader Atishi alleged that this budget has once again proved that the BJP-led central government is actually a government of hollow promises and step-motherly treatment has been meted out to Delhi. Delhi has a share of Rs 15,000 crore in central taxes but it has only been allocated Rs 1,100 crore by the Centre. Like every time, we have been given step-motherly treatment. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has not been given a single penny, she said. The government has provided central assistance of Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 16,000 crore to urban local bodies but no allocations has been made for the MCD. They do not have money for the Delhi government or the MCD, Atishi said. On Sitharamans announcement that the government has decided to enhance the target for creating Lakhpati Didis from two crore to three crore, the AAP leader said that at a time, when women are worried about atta, dal and buying LPG cylinders, this is a huge joke that women will be made lakhpatis. Where are jobs and business opportunities for women? she asked. The Lakhpati Didi scheme is aimed at training women in self-help groups (SHGs) so that they can earn a sustainable income of at least Rs 1 lakh per annum.Targeting the central government, Atishi said, I want to tell the Centre and the BJP to stop jumlebaazi. The entire country has seen how in the last 10 years, you have done nothing to curb price rise, unemployment and bring about the countrys economic growth. This budget has once again proved that the Modi government is actually a jumlewali government (a government of hollow promises). There is no relief in cost of LPG cylinder and no relief in income tax slabs. There is nothing for creation of jobs. There is no relief on GST on food items like atta, pulses, she said. Atishi welcomed the hike in the defence budget to Rs 6.21 lakh crore for 2024-25 from last years Rs 5.94 lakh crore. She said the defence forces should get the best of facilities but stressed that the allocated funds should reach them. We had seen how one jawan raised questions over the quality of food served to them. The food quality did not improve but the jawan lost his job. We hope that the bravehearts who guard our borders get those funds in reality, she added. Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the Modi Governments last interim Budget before the Lok Sabha elections was totally disappointing as it was silent on the the worst affected sectors like jobs, employment and price rise. He said that the Budget was a clear indication that BJPs Achhe Din was not for the common people of the country, but a few chosen ones. Lovely said that it was disappointing that the BJP Governments last budget before the Lok Sabha elections have neglected employment generation, small and medium industrialists and traders, factory owners, women, youth, labour and farmers who dont figure in the scheme of things of the BJP Government. He said it was foolish to expect anything new from the Modi Government which had done nothing for the welfare of the struggling masses for the past 10 years.Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri showered effusive praise on the interim budget presented by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, the last before the Lok Sabha polls this year. Bidhuri said that this budget presents a picture of the way the country is moving on the path of development under the leadership of PM Modi. The budget also has taken a revolutionary step by proposing a housing scheme for the middle class, he said. The BJP leader said the budget accurately captures PM Modis unwavering pursuit of inclusive development centred around people. Bidhuri said that the budget has focused on women, poor, youth and farmers. Sabka Sath Aur Sabka Vishwas in the Modi government is clearly reflected in this budget. It has been told in the budget that in the country under Mudra Yojana, loans worth Rs 30 crore were distributed to women in 10 years, one crore youth were given training, free ration was provided to 80 crore poor people and 4 crore farmers were benefited through crop insurance scheme. In Madhya Pradesh, class 10th board exam is going to start from February 5 and class 12th board exam would start from February 6, in the exams 9,92,101 boys and 7,48,238 girl students will appear, examination would be conducted by the Board of Secondary Education. A total of 7,501 examination centers have been set up in the entire state. The examination of both the classes will be held at 137 centers in Bhopal. The last paper of class 10th will be held on 28th February and that of class 12th will be held on 5th March. MP Board has issued toll free number 18002330175 to save students from exam phobia. The ESMA Act has been implemented for board exams. Under this Act, teachers will not be allowed to protest and take leave during board exams. The School Education Department has issued an order. It says that no teacher will be able to take leave during the 10th-12th examination. Both the exams will be conducted at 7,501 centres. In which there are 3,863 examination centers for high school and 3,638 for higher secondary. There are 302 sensitive and 309 highly sensitive examination centres. The Education Department has made special preparations to stop cheating. This time students will have to reach the center about an hour before the exam time. Where the students will be examined and given admission in the class. Collector representatives and policemen will be appointed at each center to prevent paper leaks and copying. Apart from this, each center will also be monitored through videography and CCTV cameras. According to the new guidelines, a copy of 20 pages will be given for vocational and Sanskrit subjects. Whereas for the practical exam, 10th class students will be given 8 pages and 12th class students will be given 12 pages answer sheets. In the Mathematics subject, graph copy of 32 pages will be given. Please note that this time supplementary copy will not be given. These days, more than a thousand calls are being received in the helpline center run by the Board of Secondary Education. In this, students can get solutions to their problems from 8 am to 8 pm. For this you will have to call the toll free number 18002330175. Let us tell you that 18 counselors have been appointed here by the board. Education Minister had said that not a single paper will be out (leaked). School Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap has made a big claim in the 'Pariksha Pe Charcha-2024' program at Excellence School, Bhopal. He said, not a single paper will be out (leaked) in the upcoming examinations. A system has been developed to ensure that the paper does not leak. A strict law will also be implemented from the next session. A case of a class 4 girl student being made to clean the toilet in a government school in Bhopal has surfaced after the video went viral. The video of the incident that took place on January 30 has surfaced on Friday. In which an 8 year old student is seen holding a broom in the toilet. The family members present with her said that 'This is the government primary school of Hathakheda. In which the teacher makes students clean the toilet and they will complain about this at a very high level. The school's assistant teacher Mary Priscilla Toppo said All this has been done by the student's brother himself. We do not make the girl clean the toilet. At the same time, the girl said that Madam had asked her to clean the toilet. I did not tell anyone in the family because of fear. The student's elder father (aunt) Premnarayan Yadav told that that day his brother's son had gone to school to give tiffin to his daughter. When I found the girl inside the class, she came and told me that her sister was not in school. I reached school immediately. After searching, the girl was found in the toilet. She was cleaning there. I asked teacher Mary Priscilla Toppo whether there are no maids (cleaners) in the school? You make the children study or make the children clean the toilets. On this the teacher replied I will not do it from now on. The girl's uncle Premnarayan Yadav said that the school teacher had been warned four times for not making the girl clean the toilet. At the same time, the girl's father has also lodged a complaint in the police station. In which he has said that his daughter studies in the primary school of Hathaikheda. She was made to clean the school. When I complain, the teacher said that she will get the cleaning done. After this, sanitation worker Savita came to my house with her boys. They scuffled and threatened to implicate him in a case. Bhopal District Education Officer (DEO) Anjani Kumar Tripathi says that an investigation has been conducted into the matter of the student being asked to clean the toilet. Initial investigation found that the student's brother had made the video after getting her to clean the toilet. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has a campaign will be launched enlising greater public participation for the conservation of ponds and water resources across the state. He said that efforts will be made to get ponds of Indore and other wetland areas designated as Ramsar sites. Dr. Mohan Yadav India's philosophy holds that all creatures, rivers, mountains and hills are manifestation of Almighty. He said that Nobel laureate late Hargobind Khurana proved that plants have life. It is a common belief in India that trees and plants too have life. Today we have enough scientific evidence. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav was addressing a programme organized at Ramsar Site Sirpur in Indore on World Wetlands Day 2024. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav inaugurated an exhibition of various materials and products obtained from the wetlands and appreciated outstanding work in the field. He expressed concern that natural resources got polluted. Sirpur pond, built 300 years ago in Indore, was supplying drinking water. Following change in lifestyle household wastes have polluted many water resources resulting in ecological imbalances besides threatening trees, plants and birds. The water resources need to be conserved at all cost. Yashwant Sagar was already a Ramsar site and Sirpur got second. Now efforts for Indore to be designated as Ramsar City are a welcome step. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that conservation of water resources will improve the ponds in and around Indore also improve water quality of Kshipra river. Increasing misuse of water is a matter of grave concern. He expressed the need for a coordinated action plan of concerned departments with public participation. The state government will extend all possible support to Ramsar Secretariat for pond conservation. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav released books including journey of Wetland Conservation in India, a booklet focussing on Ramsar Sites of India and Botanical Survey of Indian Floral Documentary of Ramsar Sites, a guide on wetland maintenance. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also digitally released the Wetland Amrit Dharohar and training material for wetland guides. He also released the teaser of the film festival to be held on the theme Wetlands for Life. A street play on positive attitude towards wetlands was presented by the children of Baloda Bazaar, Chhattisgarh. Minister for Urban Administration Kailash Vijayvargiya said that respect for wells, ponds and water resources have been a part of India's culture. He said that awareness towards conservation of water resources. Prime Minister Modi's vision has changed peoples outlook. There is a need to encourage public participation in the conservation of water resources. Indore has become a clean city. Indore gets recognized as a wetland city. Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silawat said that whatever Indore does is known the nationwide. Indore will also set an example in conservation of ponds. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of Ramsar Secretariat, said that there were only two Ramsar sites in India in 1982, but the number has increased to 80. The ongoing work to conserve water and save biodiversity in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is commendable and inspiring. Soon Indore will be known as Ramsar City. More than 200 experts, Environment and Forest Minister Nagar Singh Chauhan, Minister of State for Environment and Forest Dilip Ahirwar, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, local MLA Malini Gaur and officials of all the state wetland authorities of the country, scientists and managers of Ramsar sites across the country were present. Days after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP was attempting to buy seven AAP MLAs to destabilise his Government, a team of Delhi Police Crime Branch visited the Chief Ministers residence to serve him a notice in the case. But the notice could not be served to him because he was not present at his residence. However, the Chief Ministers Office said that the crime branch sleuths returned without handing over the notice as they were ready to take the notice. A team of crime branch of Delhi police also visited Delhi minister Atishis residence but returned without serving her notice as she was not at her residence. The sudden visit by the cops to Kejriwals residence comes at a time when Kejriwal is on the radar of the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the liquor scam. Kejriwal skipped five summons by the agency so far calling the summons unconstitutional. The Crime Branchs action comes after a BJP delegation met the Commissioner of Police, seeking an inquiry into Kejriwals misleading allegation of BJP luring AAP MLAs. However, the Delhi BJP had rubbished these allegations and challenged AAP to name the MLAs and the people who allegedly contacted them with the offer. Reacting on the development, Delhi BJP president Virendra sachdeva said that Kejriwal has been exposed and now he refused to take the notice of the crime branch. Sachdeva said now that the Crime Branch has served notice to Kejriwal, he should either submit evidence to support his allegations or be prepared to face criminal proceedings. We fail to understand why Kejriwal has refused to accept Crime Branch notice as he had said we have evidence of BJP luring hos MLAs, he added. Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP made an offer of Rs 25 crore each to buy out seven of his MLAs. The BJP had filed a police complaint in the matter. The Delhi Police reports to the Union Home Ministry. On January 27, Kejriwal took to X and said they contacted 7 MLAs of AAP and said Kejriwal would be arrested shortly and after that there would be horse-trading of MLAs. During a press conference held last week, Delhi Minister Atishi made allegations against the BJP, asserting that the party had offered Rs 25 crore each to seven of AAPs MLAs to encourage them to leave the party. Additionally, she claimed that the BJP had issued threats to overthrow the Kejriwal government. In a bid to foster cultural understanding and language appreciation, Delhi Public School Ranchi organized an engaging Interactive Programme centered around the Japanese language and Japan itself. The event aimed to provide students with a holistic experience of Japan's rich heritage and contemporary aspects. The program kicked off with an immersive Virtual Tour of Japan, allowing students to explore the picturesque landscapes, historical sites, and modern urban areas. This visual journey provided a firsthand glimpse into the country's diverse and captivating beauty. A stimulating Quiz Competition related to Japan followed, testing the students' knowledge about Japanese history, traditions, and contemporary society. This interactive session not only promoted learning but also added an element of friendly competition among the participants. To deepen the cultural exchange, native speakers from Japan took center stage, offering demonstrations and insights into the intricacies of the Japanese language. The students were treated to a showcase of Japanese culture, including traditional customs, art forms, and the ever-popular Japanese Anime. Moreover, the Japanese speakers shared valuable information about Japanese companies operating in India, shedding light on economic ties and opportunities for collaboration between the two nations. The highlight of the event was the Rapid Question round, where students enthusiastically posed queries related to Japan, language nuances, and cultural aspects. This dynamic exchange showcased the students' curiosity and eagerness to learn more about Japan. Principal Dr. Ram Singh delivered an address, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and language learning in the globalized world. He commended the efforts of both students and organizers in making the event a resounding success. The Interactive Programme concluded on a high note, leaving the students with a deeper appreciation for the Japanese language and culture. Such initiatives not only broaden horizons but also promote cross-cultural understanding among the future global citizens of DPS Ranchi. Dr Mahesh Maheshwari, Professor Pediatrics & In charge division of Pediatric Endocrinology in department of Pediatrics, AIIMS Bhopal has been invited by Central Indian Academy of Pediatrics (CIAP) as faculty in 61st National Conference of the Indian academy of Pediatrics (PEDICON 2024) at Lullu Bolgatty Convention centre, Kochi Kerala. The conference was attended by more than seven thousand Paediatricians from India and across the world. Prof. Dr. Mahesh Maheshwari is also the President elect of MPIAP and executive Board member of Indian Society for Pediatric & Adolescent Endocrinology (ISPAE). Dr. Mahesh Maheshwari delivered his talk on delayed puberty in boys and also moderated a panel discussion with experts in the fields of Pediatric Endocrinology on Pubertal disorders. Pubertal disorders including precocious puberty, delayed puberty, gynaecomastia, Micro penis, Disorder of sexual differences are very common medical problems seen in children & adolescents and commonly missed by general Paediatricians. The Enforcement Directorate has arrested a retired chief engineer and a contractor in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the tendering process of the Delhi Jal Board. Jagdish Kumar Arora, a retired chief engineer, and contractor Anil Kumar Aggarwal have been taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and produced before a special court which remanded to four day custody on Thursday. Special judge Bhupinder Singh sent Jagdish Kumar Arora, a retired chief engineer, and contractor Anil Kumar Aggarwal, both arrested on Wednesday, to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate after the federal agency claimed that their custodial interrogation was required to unearth the larger conspiracy. In its application seeking accuseds seven-day custody, the ED submitted that the accused were required to be confronted with the digital data recovered during investigation. The ED further claimed that some other people are being summoned in the case and the accused were required to be confronted with them. The federal agency had conducted raids in this case in July last year. The ED is conducting investigation in two separate matters of irregularities in the tendering process of the DJB and its criminal case stems from an FIR of the CBI and from the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government. The CBI FIR alleged that officials of the DJB gave undue advantage to NKG Infrastructure Limited while awarding tender to the company for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of electro-magnetic flow metres in connivance with officials of NBCC (lndia) Limited. The second allegation pertains to the ACB complaint of November, 2022 where it was stated that DJB awarded a tender for setting up automotive bill payment collection machines (kiosks) in its different offices for facilitating consumers in bill payment. Criticising the AAP government, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva has said that Kejriwal government has become synonymous with corruption and now every day a new scam comes to light. Sachdeva said that between 2012 and 2015, Arvind Kejriwal used to call auto magnetic water meters as loot meters and never got tired of accusing the then Sheila Dikshit government of corruption, but under the rule of Kejriwal government, new scams are coming out daily in the Delhi Jal Board. It would not be an exaggeration to say that today the Kejriwal government has become synonymous with corruption, he said. The BJP leader said the people of Delhi are shocked to know about the auto magnetic meter scam of Rs 38 crore in Delhi Jal Board during the Kejriwal regime in which ED has made 2 arrests today. Moving a step closer towards implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the expert committee set up by the Pushkar Singh Dhami government submitted its report to the CM at his residence on Friday. The government will now prepare the draft of the bill on the basis of this report. The bill on UCC will be tabled in the State Assembly on February 6. The chairperson of the expert committee justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai handed over the draft of its report to the CM. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, "Ahead of the Assembly elections in 2022 we had made a promise to the people of the state that UCC will be implemented in Uttarakhand." He said that the expert committee started its public interaction programme from the first village of India Mana and the last interaction was held in New Delhi in which the members of the committee interacted with the natives of Uttarakhand residing in New Delhi. Expressing gratitude to the members of the committee, Dhami said that their contribution will prove to be a milestone not only for the State but for the entire country. The CM said that the government will now study the report of the expert committee and prepare the draft of the bill on UCC which will be tabled during the special session of the State Assembly. He averred that the government will move in the direction of implementing the UCC in the State at a fast pace. The chief secretary Radha Raturi, secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram, secretary Vinay Shankar Pandey, special secretary Parag Madhukar Dhakate, member secretary of UCC committee Ajay Mishra and director general of Information Banshidhar Tiwari were also present on the occasion. Indian Institute of Management Ranchi is paired with Central University of Punjab, Bhatinda in Yuva Sangam Phase IV. Yuva Sangam is an initiative by the Government of India, under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) campaign, to strengthen people-to-people connect between youth belonging to different States/UTs of India. To explore the vibrant sociocultural diversity of Punjab, 45-50 youths from Jharkhand will be hosted by CU Punjab and will have the scope to visit different places in the state. Under this exchange programme, IIM Ranchi will host youths from Punjab for a similar visit in Jharkhand. IIM Ranchi, the leading B school in India invites applications from Jharkhand youths in the age group of 18-30 years (UG, PG, Ph.D., NSS, NYKS volunteers and other youths) to participate in the forthcoming Phase of this unique initiative. Registrations through the YUVASANGAM portal will be accepted till 04th February 2024. Prof. Jagan Kumar Sur, Nodal Officer, Yuva Sangam IV, IIM Ranchi stated We are excited to be part of this prestigious programme that will enhance the multidimensional exposure and strengthen the bond among the youths of Jharkhand and Punjab. Prof. Deepak Kumar Srivastava, Director of IIM Ranchi, expressed his enthusiasm and emphasised on the five Ps of the programme: Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect), and Prodyogiki (Technology). He also quoted It is a great opportunity to showcase Jharkhands distinct tribal culture, picturesque natural beauty along with contemporary developments in various areas. With the Lok Sabha elections looming ahead, political activities in Punjab have reached a fever pitch. It is anticipated that the polls, likely in April or May, are prompting parties to intensify their efforts by consolidating support and strategizing their campaigns with key political figures making significant moves. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), too, is gearing up with accelerated rally campaigns as part of its election strategy. On the other hand, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge is scheduled to visit the state on February 11; while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday launched a state-wide yatra against AAP-led Punjab Government. AAPs mega rally, slated to be held in Khanna Vidhan Sabha segment on February 10 or 11, will be addressed by the partys national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. Besides, Kharge is set to visit Punjab on February 11 to participate in the Congress convention, primarily with the aim to quell the opposition brewing over the INDIA bloc within state unit in the upcoming elections. Despite being the major players of the pan-India opposition bloc INDIA, the state leaders of both AAP and Congress have all along been opposing the move to join hands for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in Punjab where AAP is in power and Congress is the principal opposition party. Moreover, top leaders from both the parties, including Chief Minister Mann, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Partap Singh Bajwa, among others, have openly rejected the idea of contesting general elections in coalition, while pressing to go solo. However, after the two parties agreed to stitch an alliance in Delhi and also neighbouring Haryana for 2024 polls, the Congress high command wanted to give another chance. Kharge, during his visit, would make efforts to mitigate the opposition revolving around INDIA in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Sources informed The Pioneer that the party high command intended to contest the elections in Punjab under the INDIA coalition. And partys national presidents visit to Chandigarh is aimed at persuading the Punjab unit to ally with AAP for the Lok Sabha elections. Notably, a meeting of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) was held on Thursday in Chandigarh to discuss the alliance alongside election strategies, attended by the state party affairs in-charge Devendra Yadav, PPCC chief Warring, CLP leader Bajwa, district unit heads, halqa (constituency) in-charges, and party legislators. The meeting primarily focused on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with discussions covering various constituencies in Punjab. In addition, the recent conflicts in Sri Anandpur Sahib and Amritsar, regarding candidates selection, were also discussed. During the meeting, Warring insisted on the need to announce candidates for all 13 parliamentary seats two months prior to the elections to ensure adequate preparation time. He also assured that the candidate selection will be done professionally after thorough surveys. Notably, during Yadavs recent meeting in parliamentary segments in Amritsar, discussions were held regarding the conflicts between supporters of sitting MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and former Deputy Chief Minister Om Prakash Soni, resulting in heated exchange with Aujlas supporters. Congress Screening Committee member Pragat Singh emphasized the importance of awarding tickets to winning candidates in Punjab without considering religion or caste. He stressed the need to avoid creating internal rifts within the party over these issues. AAP Plans Mega Rally Next Week AAP is set to hold a mega rally next week in Khanna assembly constituency where AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann will participate. A senior party leader said that the final date for the mega rally in Khanna is yet to be confirmed. The leader said deliberations are ongoing for either the February 10 or 11, and an official announcement is expected within a day or two. For the rally, the leader said, a sprawling venue has been selected on Samrala road, near the Raun Anaj Mandi, where ample parking space is available. Several acres of land will be covered with tents for the event. AAP MLA from Khanna Tarunpreet Singh Sandhu, accompanied by police and civil administration officials, inspected the venue on Thursday. Security maps of the venue have also been sent to both Punjab and Delhi Government ahead of the rally. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has accorded permission to the Anti-Corruption Branch for registration of a case against an executive engineer of the city governments PWD for allegedly misusing his official position, Raj Niwas officials said on Friday. The LG has accorded approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) for registration of case against the executive engineer for allegedly causing undue loss to the government exchequer in the work of strengthening of road at the Guru Harkishan Marg from Britannia Chowk of the Outer Ring Road at West Enclave. The LG had earlier granted permission to register case against four other officers of the Public Works Department (PWD) in the same matter. The LG had earlier granted permission to register case against four other officers of the PWD in the same matter. A complaint filed on 19.05.2017 alleged that the payments were made to the contractor Mohd Iqbal, owner of M/s MHA Construction Pvt Ltd without proper verification of work at the site, as no work was undertaken, rather it has been just a paper exercise. It was also alleged that the work of strengthening of Road No 43 Guru Har Kishan Marg was awarded for Rs 11,59,66,020/- which was 24.31 per cent below the estimated cost of Rs 15,32,11,811/- to the contractor and was to be executed between 20.12.2013 and 09.07.2014. However, the work was never carried out and was fraudulently shown to be completed on 10.04.2015. In the same matter, the ACB had after conducting the preliminary enquiry, registered a complaint against other PWD officers - Ajay Kumar, Amar Singh (both Assistant Engineers), Sunit Singh and Narender Kumar (Both Junior Engineers) - against whom the LG had earlier accorded permission for registration of case u/s 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Lieutenant general Sandeep Jain took over as the new commandant of of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on Thursday. He replaced lieutenant general VK Mishra who retired on Wednesday. After taking over the reins of the prestigious academy, Jain paid his tribute at the war memorial in a solemn ceremony, recognising the supreme sacrifice of the brave soldiers for their nation. Lieutenant general Jain was commissioned into 13 Mahar regiment of Indian Army June 1988. In a career spanning over more than 35 years, he has held important command appointments in varied sensitive operational sectors. He served as the DG CD, IHQ of MoD (Army) prior to assuming the command of 16 Corps. Jain has attended various prestigious courses such as the Defence Services Staff College, Senior Command, Higher Command and has also had the distinction of attending National Defence College in Kenya. For his exemplary leadership and devotion to duty he was awarded with Sena Medal in 2022 and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card in the year 2007. Palamu BJP MP Vishnu Dayal Ram has urged the railway ministry to expedite works for the already sanctioned Gaya - Sherghati - Imamganj - Daltonganj via Rafiganj railway line. If and when this railway project gets ready it will help coal transportation in a big way, opined the MP. The government of India has sanctioned 20 crores of rupees for the survey for the above mentioned railway line in the interim budget of the financial year 2023 -24 presented on February 1. This railway line will boost the economy of the Harihurganj, Paton, Chhaterpur and Naudeeha Bazar blocks in Palamu as these blocks have no rail connectivity as for Harihurganj block people the nearest railway station is Anugrah Narayan Road junction in Bihar which is 38 kms while for people of Paton, Chhaterpur and Naudeeha Bazar the nearest railway station is Daltonganj which is in the range of 63 kms to 27 kms. Patanjali's research on herbo-mineral medicine, Melanogrit, has found place in the noted journal Bioscience Reports. This international research journal falls under the aegis of Biochemical Society, UK, an institution with over a century of establishment that actively contributes to the advancement of biological sciences and plays pivotal roles in advocating for government policies and supporting academic systems. Acharya Balkrishna of Patanjali Yogpeeth said that the achievement is a significant milestone highlighting the intensive research conducted by scientists at the Patanjali Research Foundation on skin white patches, leveraging the principles of Ayurveda. In this hallmark study, the therapeutic potentials of the herbo-mineral medicine Melanogrit were determined to potentiate the melanin production in B16F10 cells (melanocytes) that are responsible for the process of melanogenesis. Emphasising the scientific perspective of the study Balkrishna stated that Melanogrit effectively enhanced the expression of crucial melanogenesis pathway genes leading to an observable rise in cellular tyrosine activity. Patanjali has been treating thousands of patients suffering from vitiligo and leucoderma for years, and now, its cellular validation has been acknowledged scientifically by the UK and the entire world, he said. Previously deemed rather incurable, these diseases are now effectively addressed and resolved at Patanjali. The recognition of this research symbolises the success of India, Balkrishna added. With the Lok Sabha elections looming on the horizon, Punjab Congress is embarking on robust preparations, marked by a series of meticulously planned meetings and engagements across the State for the first-ever Punjab Congress Convention, scheduled to take place on the February 11 at Bondli village in Samrala. During the convention, Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will interact with a wide spectrum of attendees, including MLAs, MPs, candidates, district presidents, block presidents, mandal presidents, and various Committees from districts, blocks, and mandals. These meetings aim to formulate a comprehensive roadmap that will guide our efforts in the coming months. We have been engaging with office bearers from each parliamentary seat across the State, with these consultations extending throughout the month of February, said the partys spokesperson. We are currently gearing up for the first-ever Punjab Congress ConventionKharge ji will make a special visit to address and guide the states office bearers in preparation for the upcoming elections, said the state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Reflecting on the significance of these preparations, Punjab Congress spokesperson said: Our focus is on establishing a robust foundation for Punjab Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Therefore, maintaining an ongoing dialogue with all office bearers is imperative to comprehend ground realities and facilitate substantive discussions for effectively communicating our party's message to the masses. Highlighting the efforts of state unit president Warring, the party spokesperson emphasized the organizational transformation witnessed under his leadership. For the first time in a decade, Punjab Congress has structured its grassroots presence, ensuring representation at the booth level across the State. This structured foundation has empowered our partys endeavors, evident in the overwhelming participation in Congress-led protests across Punjab, added the spokesperson. Under the new organizational structure, Punjab Congress boasts 2,145 mandal presidents, 24,570 mandal committee members, 289 block presidents, 8,959 block committee members, 29 district presidents, and 2,675 district committee members reflecting the party's concerted efforts to bolster its grassroots presence, said the spokesperson. The convention, with Mallikarjun Kharge, is poised to serve as a catalyst, providing momentum to Punjab Congress workers and office bearers as they gear up for the electoral battle ahead. We are confident in our endeavours and look forward to a successful 2024 Lok Sabha election, followed by a decisive victory in the 2027 Vidhan Sabha elections, said the spokesperson. Embarking on a month-long journey, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday commenced its widely-publicized Punjab Bachao Yatra from the Attari border in Amritsar, with plans to traverse five parliamentary and 45 assembly constituencies in the first phase. Commencing the yatra, Sukhbir paid his respects at the Sri Akal Takht Sahib Sikhs highest temporal seat and officially flagged off the yatra from the Attari region. The yatra will navigate through constituencies, providing Sukhbir opportunities to connect with the voters ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. Sukhbir, during the launch, called for the reopening of the international border at Attari for trade and demanded increased compensation for farmers cultivating land beyond the barbed wire fence in Indian territory. Thousands gathered at Attari to join the yatra, which received enthusiastic support along its route through Attari and Raja Sansi constituencies. SAD chief also engaged with border farmers during the yatra, discussing the impact of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) closure at Wagah on their livelihoods. The farmers expressed grievances about the lack of compensation for land beyond the barbed wire fence and called for moving the fence closer to the zero line. They demanded a compensation increase to Rs 35,000 per acre for all 21,600 acres of land beyond the fence. Sukhbir affirmed the SAD's commitment to the farmers, pledging efforts to secure increased compensation for losses incurred in borderland cultivation. He also expressed the party's intent to facilitate the resumption of trade at the international border for the overall economic rejuvenation of the region. Punjab Bachao Yatra aims to unveil alleged falsehoods of the AAP and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann while laying the groundwork for a pro-people government led by the SAD, he said. In February, the yatra is scheduled to cover the parliamentary constituencies of Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Ferozepur, Faridkot, and Bathinda, encompassing 45 assembly constituencies. Further areas will be included in March. As a part of the campaign, SAD also unveiled a 4.48-minute protest song Utth Jaag PunjabiyoPunjab Bacha Lo (Arise Punjabis, save Punjab) set to resonate during the entire yatra. Days before, Sukhbir had also unveiled a calendar, featuring himself with his father and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, with a caption Vikas Purush. The calendar also showcased the achievements of the previous SAD-led Governments. Protests by the BJP and the AAP a few hundred metres apart on the DDU Marg here left commuters stranded in long traffic jams in Central Delhi as police barricaded roads and diverted vehicles. Bumper-to-bumper traffic was also witnessed on the National Highway-24 and National Highway-9 near Akshardham. There were long jams near India Gate, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, Minto Road near Connaught Place, NH-24, Kashmeri Gate ISBT, road connecting Anand Vihar to Shahdara border, Marginal Pusta Bund road,Mathura road. The commuters also posted on X on the heavy traffic at Sarai Kale Khan, on Vikas Marg near Preet Vihar and at Dayanand Vihar. The traffic was also affected near Town Hall Chadni Chowk. Commuters in Central, East and north Delhi faced major disruptions as traffic movement was restricted on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg due to ongoing demonstrations by AAP and BJP workers. While the AAP staged a protest outside the BJP headquarters over alleged cheating in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, the BJP protested near the AAPs head office against corruption in the Kejriwal government. The police official said arrangements have been made in such a way that the workers of both the parties cannot come face-to-face. The headquarters of both the parties are on the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg and the distance between them is less than 800 metres. As the DDU Marg has been barricaded between ITO Chowk intersection and Minto Road crossing, traffic is being diverted on alternate routes for commuters travelling to and from New Delhi railway station from Ajmeri Gate side. Those coming from eastern parts of Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Noida or Sarai Kale Khan side are being asked to reach the railway station either via Delhi Gate or from Connaught Place circle, said a police officer. The officer added traffic personnel have been developed in sufficient numbers to assist commuters. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic on Vikas Marg connecting central Delhi with east Delhi via Laxmi Nagar, the Ring Road from Sarai Kale Khan and Delhi-Meerut Expressway, the Delhi-Noida Direct flyway, Pragati Maidan tunnel, Purana Quila Road, Mathura Road towards ITO Chowk from Delhi Zoo, Netaji Subhash Marg from Daryaganj towards the ITO Chowk, and Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg from the Ring Road towards Ajmeri Gate. With barricades put up on several areas in Central Delhi, other roads too saw bumper-to-bumper traffic. Diversions have been made for smooth flow of traffic. We are witnessing traffic on GT Karnal road and some parts of central Delhi. Staff have been deputed to manage the traffic jams, a senior official of the Delhi traffic police said. No traffic advisory regarding the traffic diversions or closure of the DDU Marg was issued until Friday afternoon. The social media handles of the traffic police were responding to the complaints regarding traffic disruptions. Though the expert committee on UCC headed by justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai submitted its report to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday and the government will table the bill on UCC in the Assembly on February 6, the contents of the expert committee report have not been made public. However it is learnt that the committee in its report has recommended sweeping changes in the personal laws relating to marriage, inheritance, divorce, multiple marriages, adoption and guardianship. The committee has learnt to recommend a complete ban on polygamy. The UCC draft would ensure that both husband and wife will have the same grounds for divorce proceedings. As of now husband and wife have different grounds for divorce under the personal laws. Similarly the registration of the marriage will be compulsory without which one will not be able to avail the benefit of any government facility. To make marriage registrations easy the government could make arrangements for registration at the village level. Both girls and boys will get equal rights in inheritance laws under the UCC. In an important recommendation the committee is learnt to have recommended that in case of death of an earning son, the compensation to his widow will have the condition that she will have the responsibility of taking care of the old parents of the deceased. The parents of the dead son will get a portion of compensation if his wife gets remarried. The law on UCC is also likely to give the right to adoption to everyone. The Muslim women will also get the right for adoption under UCC. The process of adoption will also be made easy. The UCC will also bring uniformity in the marriages in the country and Halala and Iddat practice in Muslims are likely to be banned. The UCC is also likely to give legal status and recognition to live-in relationships. The partners will have to submit a declaration for having such relationships. The process of guardianship is likely to be made easy in the case of orphan children. In another important measure the custody of the children can be given to their grandparents in the case of dispute between husband and wife. The age of marriage of women which at present is 18 years is also likely to be raised. The Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature which begins on February 2, is poised to set the tone and tenor of the Lok Sabha elections, with opposition parties highlighting government failures and the treasury benches talking about the achievements. The Budget session is also important because through the annual budget, which is to be presented on February 5, the UP government is gearing up to allocate resources for education, health, development, youth, women and farmers in the forthcoming budget. Governor Anandiben Patel is scheduled to address the joint sitting of both houses of the UP legislature on the first day of the session on February 2. The Business Advisory Committee that met early in the morning on Thursday has decided the details of the proceedings according to which the budget will be presented on February 5 and the budget will be put to vote on February 12. Interestingly, the House will hold meetings on Saturdays too. An all-party meeting was also held in which Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana appealed for cooperation from all political parties to ensure seamless functioning of the upcoming assembly session. Speaking at the all-party meeting held at Vidhan Bhawan, Mahana emphasised the indispensable role of collective effort in the effective functioning of the House. Mahana stressed that addressing public concerns necessitates reasoned, and fact-based and high-quality dialogue within a conducive environment. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is also leader of the House, lauded the assemblys track record, noting its exemplary parliamentary practices that have bolstered democratic principles nationwide. He credited the collaborative efforts of party leaders for fostering a culture of constructive discourse within the House. Under the leadership of the legislative assembly speaker, a series of modernisation has been initiated, including digitisation, gallery beautification and hall renovation, setting a benchmark for legislative bodies across the nation, the chief minister said. The chief minister said that these endeavours had garnered recognition, attracting visits from speakers of various state assemblies and ministers of parliamentary affairs. Yogi Adityanath pledged the full support of the ruling party to ensure the smooth conduct of proceedings, emphasising the importance of upholding the dignity and decorum of the House to reinforce public trust in democracy. Furthermore, discussions during the meeting touched upon the consecration of Ram Lalla on January 22, with plans underway, under the speakers guidance, to facilitate public representatives pilgrimage to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya. The chief minister also unveiled a commemorative postage stamp series related to Lord Shri Ram, released by the Government of India, which will be made accessible to all MLAs. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna stressed on cooperation for the efficient functioning of the House, a sentiment echoed by representatives from various political parties present in the meeting, including the Samajwadi Party, Apna Dal (Sonelal), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Bharatiya Samaj Party, Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal NISHAD Party, Congress, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik and Bahujan Samaj Party. In a display of remarkable archery skills and sportsmanship, Vedanta ESL Archery Academy organized the annual inter-centre archery competition Vedanta Challenge Trophy. The competition witnessed enthusiastic participation from 92 skilled archers representing five renowned Archery Academies from Bokaro and Dhanbad Districts. This competitive event, held at Vedanta ESL Archery Academy, Siyaljori, has become a much-anticipated platform for archers to showcase their prowess and compete at the highest level. The 5 participating Archery Academies this year included SAIL Day Boarding Archery Center, Bokaro; Chandankiyari Day Boarding Archery Center; Dhanbad District Archery Center; Anjala Archery Center, Bokaro apart from Vedanta ESL Archery Academy, Siyaljori. The unfolding events of the day were closely monitored by Dr. Lambodar Mahato, MLA from Gomia and the President of Bokaro District Archery Association, Ajay Singh, Senior Vice President of Bokaro District Archery Association, Anjala Singh, Secretary of Bokaro District Archery Association, and M. D. Khasim, a trailblazing archer and a prominent figure in the archery community of Jharkhand. Khirod Kumar Barik, Deputy CHRO at ESL Steel Limited said while addressing the crowds at the tournament, We at ESL Steel Limited feel that such competitions promotes the spirit of sportsmanship and provides archers with the experience of participating in competitive tournaments In the concluding ceremony of the Vedanta Challenge Trophy, which featured the Prize Distribution in the evening, Vedanta ESL Archery Academy secured the leading position with a remarkable tally of 36 medals (comprising 13 Gold, 14 Silver, and 9 Bronze). The Runner-Up position was secured by Dhanbad Archery Academy, clinching 12 medals (including 7 Gold, 4 Silver, and 1 Bronze). The day witnessed competitive events across various age categories, encompassing distances such as 10m for participants under 9 years, 20m and 30m for those under 14 years, and 30m and 40m for the under 17 years category, along with 30m and 50m competitions for participants under 21 years. Police in the US are investigating the death of an Indian-American student in the state of Ohio, the fourth such case within a month in the country. The Consulate General of India in New York said on Thursday that no foul play is suspected at this stage in the death of Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a student of the Lindner School of Business, Cincinnati. Deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of Mr. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a student of Indian origin in Ohio," the Consulate said in a post on X. "Police investigation is underway. At this stage, foul play is not suspected, the Consulate said, without divulging any further details of the incident. The Consulate continues to remain in touch with the family and is extending all possible assistance to them, it said. Benigeri's family in India has been informed about the tragedy and it is understood that his father is expected to arrive from India soon. The incident comes just days after Neel Acharya, an Indian-origin student pursuing a double major at the prestigious Purdue University, was found dead near the varsity airport. Earlier, 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia state's Lithonia city by a homeless drug addict. Another Indian-American student, 18-year-old Akul B Dhawan at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia. Dhawan reportedly went missing in the early hours of January 20 and was found dead almost 10 hours later on the back porch of a building near the university campus in west Urbana in the US state of Illinois. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday demanded an apology from Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over her party's Lok Sabha member D K Suresh demanding a separate nation comprising southern states by alleging bias in budgetary allocations. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in Parliament, Joshi said Congress member Suresh had demanded a separate nation comprising southern states. The remarks were an insult to the Constitution and its architect Babasaheb Ambedkar, he said. "I condemn the statement of the Congress member and demand that the matter be referred to the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha," Joshi said. Members of the opposition INDIA bloc, including the Congress and the DMK, were on their feet trying to make some point as Joshi made the statement in the House. They later walked out for a brief while. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called the opposition members to make their point after laying of parliamentary papers on the table of the House. "I think they have boycotted the proceedings," the speaker remarked, referring to the empty opposition benches. As the speaker moved to the next item on the agenda, the opposition members returned to the House. "I had signalled you that you will be allowed to speak after laying of papers. Now, you can make your point in the debate on the President's address," Birla said. Joshi said the Congress leadership should clarify whether it subscribed to the views of Suresh -- the brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. "The Congress traditions on dividing the country still persists. I demand that Sonia Gandhi take action against the member and also clarify whether the party supports the views of the Congress member," the parliamentary affairs minister said. Joshi said he also hailed from a southern state as does his colleague External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and "neither of us feel in the manner as the Congress member has claimed". Congress member Suresh, who represents Bangalore rural in the Lok Sabha, had said that injustice was meted out to the southern states in allocation of share in tax collection, while the tax money is distributed to north India. "Our tax money is being distributed to north India, if we don't condemn it there might arise a situation where we will have to demand for a separate nation," Suresh said on Thursday while commenting on the the interim budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group has been receiving significant support from Al Qaeda and other militant factions for executing attacks in Pakistan in addition to support from the Afghan Taliban, a media report on Thursday quoted a UN report as saying. Dawn News reported that this information was disclosed in the 33rd report submitted to the United Nations Security Council Committee by ISIL (aka Daesh) and Al Qaeda/Taliban Monitoring Team. The collaboration includes not just the provision of arms and equipment but also active on-ground support for the banned TTPs operations against Pakistan.Islamabad has repeatedly expressed its frustration over the Afghan Talibans inaction against the outlawed TTP, which has been responsible for major terrorist attacks within Pakistan. Afghan Talibans failure to curb TTPs activities has led to strained relations between the two countries. Pakistan views Kabuls reluctance to tackle the TTP as a direct threat to its national security. The report noted that despite the Afghan Talibans official stance discouraging the TTPs activities outside Afghanistan, many TTP fighters have engaged in cross-border attacks in Pakistan without facing any substantial repercussions. Citing reports, it said that some Taliban members, driven by a perceived religious duty, have joined TTPs ranks, bolstering their operations. Moreover, TTP members and their families are said to receive regular aid packages from the Afghan Taliban, signifying a deeper level of support. The Afghan Talibans temporary imprisonment of between 70 and 200 TTP members and their strategy of moving personnel northward, away from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions, is perceived as an effort to alleviate Pakistani pressure to tackle the banned TTP activities. In mid-2023, it recalled that the banned TTP established a new base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where a large number of individuals were trained as suicide bombers. Additionally, Al Qaeda core and Al Qaeda in the subcontinent have been instrumental in providing training, ideological guidance, and support to the outlawed TTP, illustrating the intertwined nature of these militant networks. Reported orders from Al Qaeda to allocate resources to the banned TTP indicated a deep-rooted collaboration aimed at destabilising the region, the report said. Also, the formation of TJP (Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan) as a front to provide the outlawed TTP with plausible deniability, and the involvement of other groups like ETIM/TIP (East Turkestan Islamic Movement/Turkestan Islamic Party) and Majeed Brigade in joint operations with TTP, underscore the multifaceted and transnational threat posed by these militant alliances, according to the Dawn report. Outbound tourism growth, inbound recovery projected 13:10, February 02, 2024 By Cheng Si ( China Daily A police officer at an immigration inspection station greets inbound tourists at Sanya Phoenix International Airport in Sanya, Hainan province, on Wednesday. [ZHAO YINGQUAN/XINHUA] Experts and industry insiders are confident of the steady development of the Chinese mainland's outbound and inbound tourism, and are calling for more measures to improve international travelers' experiences to revitalize the stillweak inbound tourism market. The China Tourism Academy estimates that the number of outbound visits exceeded 87 million in 2023, a twofold increase compared with the previous year. The figure is more than half of that in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. The number of outbound visits is projected to jump to 130 million by the end of this year, allowing the Chinese economy to recover further and paving the way for more international flights and continuous optimization of visa policies, according to the academy. "The recovery of and boom in outbound tourism were expected after China optimized its COVID-19 control measures starting early last year," said Yang Jinsong, director of the academy's international institute, at a news conference on Thursday. The Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions remained the top choices for outbound tourists in the first half of 2023, while the traditionally popular overseas destinations among Chinese travelers, such as Japan and South Korea, saw some European and African rivals, including France, Italy and Egypt, according to the academy. "We are optimistic about China's outbound tourism development, because we see an improving macroeconomy, and people's disposable incomes have also increased," said Yang. "More international flights, further optimized visa policies and the recovery of outbound tourism service chains will contribute to the sector's development." Beijing Capital International Airport handled 1.05 million international passenger trips last month, recording an eightfold increase compared with last year, according to data released by the airport authorities on Thursday. The peak was hit on Jan 28, when more than 40,000 international trips were made, reaching a nearly four-year high, data showed. With the Spring Festival holiday approaching, the number of outbound visits is expected to rise. Data showed that the number of searches for outbound international flights from Beijing Capital airport for the eight-day holiday period this year surged more than 2.5 times compared with the same period last year. The inbound tourism market has not performed very well so far, but industry insiders expect a good recovery and have called for more effective measures to attract international travelers. The tourism academy estimates that the number of inbound visits for 2023 reached 60 to 70 percent of the figure in 2019. Inbound visits by residents of Hong Kong and Macao witnessed a faster recovery last year compared with those by foreign travelers. The number of inbound visits from Hong Kong and Macao was 81 percent of the level in 2019, while that from foreign countries was 36 percent, according to the National Immigration Administration. The inbound tourism market showed some structural imbalance in 2023, as most visits were for business purposes rather than tourism. The academy estimates that inbound visits by residents of the Hong Kong and Macao SARs and the Taiwan region will see a full recovery this year, while visits by foreign travelers will recover to 50 percent of the level in 2019. Dai Bin, president of the academy, said that increased flights and optimized visa policies are key to attracting more international travelers. The authorities should announce effective measures, including steps to improve communication, transportation, accommodations and payment services, in order to improve travelers' experiences. Luo Wangshu contributed to this story. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) #Peru brillo en FITUR 2024! ????? Nuestro pais exhibio todo su potencial turistico en una de las ferias de turismo mas importantes del mundo que se llevo a cabo en Madrid, Espana. Conoce mas de nuestra participacion aqui ?? https://t.co/6o7rHCGg2j#MarcaPeru #FITUR2024 pic.twitter.com/YcaM44uUCP JPMorgan Chase & Co. is the 5th largest bank in the world and the largest in the U.S. The current company is the result of a series of mergers that began in the earliest days of American banking history and include more than 1,200 original banks. The oldest predecessor is The Bank Of The Manhattan Company which was founded in 1799 by Aaron Burr. At the time, The Bank Of The Manhattan Company was the 3rd oldest bank in the U.S. and the 31st oldest in the world. The Chase Manhattan Bank, a precursor to JPMorgan Chase, was later formed when The Bank Of Manhattan Company purchased Chase Bank which was established in 1877. JPMorgan & Co came to life in 1895 in order to finance the United States Steel Corporation. Itself a result of merger, the company also financed other early American businesses as well as aided the federal government by backing a bond offering. It wasnt until the year 2000 and after several more mergers that JPMorgan Chase & Co was born. It will be four more years before the merger with Bank One which is notable because it brings CEO Jamie Dimon into the picture. JPMorgan Chase & Co was instrumental in aiding the US government during the 2008 financial crisis. It backed the accounts of several major banks including Bear Stearns and eventually took over their operations. Today, JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide with operations on every continent and in more than 60 countries. JPMorgan Chase & Co operates through four segments that are Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). Services are available in branches in 48 of the 50 US states and around the world. Services are available via ATM, online, mobile, and telephone. The CCB segment offers traditional banking services to consumers that include but are not limited to deposits, loans, mortgages, and lines of credit. The CIB segment provides investment banking products and services to businesses, institutions, and governments that range from prime brokerage, insurance, corporate strategy, and access to capital markets, to lending, cross-border financing, and derivative instruments. The CB segment provides financial services for small, medium, and large businesses including commercial real estate banking of all types. The AWM segment provides investment management solutions to institutional and retail investors. This segment also provides retirement products, brokerage, trusts and estates, and investment management products. #INPEInforma Que el procesado, Sergio Tarache Parra, ha sido clasificado al Establecimiento Penitenciario Ancon I, conforme a los procedimientos establecidos por el #INPE. pic.twitter.com/SKOJfdlY9q The following companies are subsidiares of Roper Technologies: AC Analytical Controls B.V., AC Analytical Controls Holding B.V., AC Analytical Controls Services B.V., Abel Pump, Acton Research, Acumen PM LLC, Aderant Canada Company, Aderant Company, Aderant Holdings Inc., Aderant International Holdings LLC, Aderant Legal (UK) Limited, Aderant Legal Holdings (AUS) Pty Ltd, Aderant Legal Holdings (NZ) ULC, Aderant Legal Holdings Inc., Aderant North America Inc., Aderant Parent Holdings Inc., Advanced Sensors Limited, Advanced Sensors Ltd., AiCambridge Ltd., Alpha Holdings of Delaware I LLC, Alpha Holdings of Delaware II LLC, Alpha Technologies B.V., Alpha Technologies GmbH, Alpha Technologies Japan LLC, Alpha Technologies Services LLC, Alpha Technologies U.K., Alpha Technologies s.r.o., Alpha Trust Corporation, Alpha UK Holdings LLC, American LegalNet Inc, Amot Controls Corporation, Amot Controls GmbH, Amot/Metrix Investment Company Inc., Amphire Solutions Inc., Amtech Systems (Hong Kong) Limited, Amtech Systems LLC, Amtech World Corporation, Antek Instruments, Archisnapper BV, Ascension Technology Corporation, Assureweb Limited, Atlantic Health Partners Inc., Atlas Database Software Corp., Avitru, Bellefield Systems, BillBlast, C/S Solutions Inc., CBORD Holdings Corp., CBORD Holdings Corporation, CIVCO Holdings Inc., CIVCO Medical Solutions B.V., Centurion Research Solutions LLC, Chalwyn Limited, Civco Holding Inc., Civco Medical Instruments Co. Inc., Clackamas Pump LLC, CliniSys Group, CliniSys Group Limited, Clinisys Scotland Limited, Clinisys Solutions Limited, Cointec Ingenieros y Consultores S.L., Commerce Pump LLC, Compressor Controls (Beijing) Corporation Ltd., Compressor Controls Corporation B.V., Compressor Controls Corporation Middle East, Compressor Controls Corporation S.r.l., Compressor Controls LLC, Compressor Controls Mauritius Ltd., Compressor Controls Pty Ltd., Compressor Controls Saudi Arabia LLC, ComputerEase Software, ConceptShare, ConstructConnect, ConstructConnect Canada Inc., ConstructConnect Inc., Cornell Pump Company, DAT Solutions LLC, DATSolutions Private Limited, DCMH Group Holdings Inc., DCMH Group Holdings LLC, DCMH Holdings Inc., DI Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., DI Dutch Holdings LLC, DI Hong Kong Limited, Data Innovations, Data Innovations Canada Ltd., Data Innovations Cooperatief U.A., Data Innovations Europe S.A., Data Innovations LLC, Data Innovations Latin America Ltda, Dawning Technologies LLC, Deltek, Deltek Ajera Inc., Deltek Asia Pacific (HK) Limited, Deltek Australia Pty Ltd., Deltek Danmark A/S, Deltek France SAS, Deltek GB Limited, Deltek GmbH, Deltek Inc., Deltek Nederland B.V., Deltek Netherlands B.V., Deltek Norge AS, Deltek Sverige AB, Deltek Systems (Canada) Inc., Deltek Systems (Colorado) Inc., Deltek Systems (Philippines) Ltd., Deltek TNSCore Holdings LLC, Deltek WST LLC, Dominion I Inc., Duncan Technologies, Dynamco Inc., Dynamic Instruments Inc., Dynisco Enterprises GmbH, Dynisco Enterprises LLC, Dynisco Europe GmbH, Dynisco Holding GmbH, Dynisco Instruments LLC, Dynisco Instruments S.a.r.l., Dynisco LLC, Dynisco Parent Inc., Dynisco S.r.l., Dynisco Viatran LLC, Dynisco Viatran (M) Sdn Bhd, Dynisco-Viatran Instrument Sdn Bhd, EPSI, FMS Purchasing & Services Inc., FSI Holdings Inc., FTI Flow Technology Inc., Flow Technology, Fluid Metering, Fluid Metering Inc., Foodlink Holdings Inc., Foodlink Holdings Inc., Foodlink IT India Private Limited, Foundry, Foundry Visionmongers (Ireland) Limited, Freight Market Intelligence Consortium, Gatan, GeneInsight Inc., Getloaded Corporation, HRsmart Canada Inc., HRsmart France SAS, HRsmart Germany GmbH, HRsmart Inc., HRsmart International, HRsmart International Holdings LLC, HRsmart Mexico, HRsmart SA (Pty) Ltd., HRsmart Talent Management Solutions Europe Limited, HRsmart Ventures LLC, Handshake Software Inc., Handshake Software Inc., Hansco Automatisering B.V., Hansen Technologies, Hansen Technologies Corporation, Harbour Holding Corp., Hardy Process Solutions, Horizon Lab Systems LLC, Horizon Software International LLC, IDS, INPUT Inc., IPA Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., ISL Finance SAS, ISL Holding SAS, ISL Scientifique de Laboratorie - ISL S.A.S., Impact Financial Systems, Industrial Products Investment Company, Innovative Product Achievements LLC, Innovative Product Achievements LLC, Inovonics Corporation, Instill Corporation, IntelliTrans Limited, Intellitrans LLC, Intellitrans Sweden AB, JLT Mobile Computers Inc., Job Access LTDA, Laser App Inc., Link Logistics Holding LLC, Loadlink Technologies Corporation, Logitech, Logitech Limited, Lumenera Corporation, MASD, MED Professional Services LLC, MEDTEC Inc., MEDTEC LLC, MHA Long Term Care Network Inc., MHA Long Term Care Services Inc., MIPS Austria GesmbH, MIPS Deutschland GmbH, MIPS France Sarl, MIPS Nederland B.V., MIPS Schweiz AG, MIPS Software Iberica SL, MPR Readers Inc., Managed Health Care Associates Inc., Media Cybernetics L.P., Medical Information Professional Systems NV, Medina Acquisition LLC, Metrix Instrument Co. L.P., NDI Europe GmbH, NDI Holding Corp., Navigator Group Purchasing Inc., Neptune Technology Group (Canada) Co., Neptune Technology Group Holdings Inc., Neptune Technology Group Inc., Neptune Technology Group Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Services Inc., Nippon Roper K.K., Northern Digital Inc., Omega Legal Systems Inc., On Center Software LLC, Onvia Inc., PAC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PAC Denmark ApS, PAC GmbH, PAC Instruments (Thailand) Company Limited, PAC Instruments Asia PTE. Ltd., PB Bidco Limited, PB Holdco Limited, PB Midco Limited, PB Topco Limited, PGP UK Limited, PMC/Beta, Petroleum Analyzer, Petroleum Analyzer Company L.P., Petrotech, Phase Analyzer Company Ltd., Photometrics, PowerPlan, PowerPlan Canada ULC, PowerPlan Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Inc., PowerPlan Intermediate Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Operations ANZ Pty Ltd, PowerPlan Operations Ltd., Princeton Instruments, Project Aloha Merger Sub Inc., Project Diamond Intermediate Holdings Corporation, Project Torque Intermediate Holdings Inc., Project Viking Holdings Inc., Project Viking Intermediate LLC, QSC 1208 Limited, QSC 1209 Limited, Quantitative Imaging Corporation, RF IDeas, RF IDeas Inc., RI Marketing India Private Limited, RIL Holding Limited, RMT Inc., RT Merger Sub Inc., Rebate Tracking Group LLC, Redlake Imaging Corporation, Resonant Software Inc., Roda Deaco Valve Inc., Roper Acquisitions Holdings Inc., Roper Brasil Comercio E Promocao De Productos E Servicos LTDA, Roper Canada Holdings LP, Roper Canada UK Limited, Roper Denmark UK Limited, Roper EUR Pte. Ltd., Roper Engineering s.r.o., Roper Europe GmbH, Roper GM Denmark Holdings ApS, Roper Germany GmbH, Roper Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Roper Holdings Limited, Roper IH LLC, Roper Industrial Products Investment Company, Roper Industries Denmark ApS, Roper Industries Deutschland GmbH, Roper Industries Inc., Roper Industries Limited, Roper Industries Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Roper Industries Mauritius Ltd., Roper Industries UK Limited, Roper International Holding Inc., Roper International Holding Limited, Roper International Holding SCS, Roper LLC, Roper Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Roper Middle East Ltd. FZCO, Roper NL1 UK Limited, Roper NL2 UK Limited, Roper Operations Company I LLC, Roper Operations Company II LLC, Roper Pte. Ltd., Roper Pump Company, Roper Scientific B.V., Roper Scientific SAS, Roper Scot LP, Roper Singapore Holding LLC, Roper Southeast Asia LLC, Roper Swiss Finance GmbH, Roper T1 LLC, Roper T1000 Corp., Roper T2 LLC, Roper Tech. Middle East Ltd. FZCO, Roper Technologies (Ireland) Limited, Roper Technologies (Scot) LP, Roper UK Investments Limited, Roper UK Ltd., Roper-Mex L.P., Ropintassco Holdings L.P., SHP Group Holdings Inc., SIRA LLC, Shanghai Roper Industries Trading Co. Ltd., Sinmed Holding International B.V., Societe de Distribution de Logiciels Medicaux, SoftWriters Inc., Softwriters Holdings, Softwriters Holdings Inc., Sohnar Pty Ltd, Star Purchasing Services LLC, Strata Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., Strata Decision Technologies LLC, Strata Decision Technology LLC, Strata Parallel II Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker 2 Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs Holdings LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs Holdings LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs L.L.C., Struers, Struers (Shanghai) International Trading Ltd., Struers A/S, Struers GmbH, Struers Inc., Struers K.K., Struers Limited, Struers SAS, Sunquest Europe Limited, Sunquest Holdings Inc., Sunquest Information Systems (Europe) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (India) Private Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (International) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems Inc., Sunquest Information Systems Pty Ltd, TLP Holdings LLC, Team TSI Corporation, Technolog Group Limited, Technolog Holdings Limited, Technolog Holdings Ltd., Technolog Limited, Technolog SARL, The CBORD Group Inc., The Foundry Topco No.2 Limited, The Foundry USCo Inc., The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd., The Tidewater Healthcare Shared Services Group Inc., The Washington Management Group Inc., Torque Acquisition Holdco Inc., Transcore Atlantic Inc., Transcore CNUS Inc., Transcore Holdings Inc., Transcore ITS LLC, Transcore LP, Transcore Nova Scotia Corporation, Transcore Partners LLC, Trinity Integrated Systems Limited, Trinity Integrated Systems Ltd., UHF Purchasing Services LLC, Union Square Software (International) Limited, Union Square Software Inc., Union Square Software Limited, Union Square Software Pty, United Controls Group Inc., Uson L.P., Uson Limited, Utilitec Limited, Utilitec Services Limited, Utility Data Services Limited, Verathon Canada Holdings Inc., Verathon Holdings (Delaware) Inc., Verathon Inc., Verathon Inc., Verathon Medical (Australia) Pty Limited, Verathon Medical (Canada) ULC, Verathon Medical (Europe) B.V., Verathon Medical (France) SARL, Verathon Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Verathon Medical (Japan) K.K., Verathon Medical (UK) Ltd., Vertafore, Vertafore Canada Inc., Vertafore Inc., Vertafore India Private Limited, Viastar Services LP, Viatran Corporation, WELIS, Walter Herzog GmbH, WorkBook APAC Ltd., Workbook Software A/S, Zetec (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zetec Canada Ltd., Zetec France, Zetec Inc., Zetec Korea Inc., Zetec Services Inc., iPipeline, iPipeline (TCP) Limited, iPipeline Canada Inc, iPipeline Co. Ltd., iPipeline Holdings Inc, iPipeline Inc, iPipeline Limited, iSqFt Holdings Inc., iSqFt Parent Corporation, iSqFt Sub Inc., iTradeNetwork Inc., and mySBX Corporation. Read More A man has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrates Court charged with assault of a healthcare professional in Altnagelvin Hospital. Richard McCrossan (34) of Glenview Manor was charged over the incident that occurred on August 19 last year. Police were called to Altagalvin Hospital after McCrossan was said to have assaulted a healthcare professional that was taking him back from x-ray. McCrossan was said to have started swinging his arms and knocked the victim into the wall. She was uninjured but was left in fear. McCrossan claimed to have no memory of the incident but a defence solicitor told the court that he felt 'remorseful', saying that the incident was 'out of character' for him. He added that McCrossan had a 'very limited record' with none of it for assault, and that he had accepted his offence at a 'very early stage'. He was sentenced to four months in custody, suspended for two years. An arrest warrant has been issued for a man who assaulted two police officers who were responding to a report of a domestic incident. Jason Villa (36) of Elaghmore Park in Derry did not appear to answer charges of two assaults on police and one of resisting police on June 3 last. The court heard that police were called to a report of a domestic incident and identified themselves as police when they arrived. The occupant of the address refused to open the door and the defendant could be seen through a window. At one stage a brush shaft was poked through the door and two officers were struck. Eventually police forced their way in and arrested the defendant. He said he chose not to open the door and said he did not intend to strike any police officers. Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that in his client's absence all he could say was that there was no history of violence towards police. District Judge Barney McElholm said that this was 'a serious incident' and it was not clear what exactly was going on. He issued an arrest warrant for Villa. Management at Derrys North West Regional College (NWRC) have been accused of bullying and harassing teaching staff in an attempt to break ongoing strike action. The claim, from a lecturer who contacted Derry Now, followed receipt of a threatening letter signed by Principal and Chief Executive, Leo Murphy. In his letter, Mr Murphy referenced the Action Short of Strike being undertaken by members of the University and College Union (UCU) in the college. Lecturers are taking the action, which may escalate to withholding assessment and examination marks from college systems and awarding bodies, in pursuit of their 2023/24 pay claim. The lecturer said: I was shocked when I received this letter last week. However, on reflection, maybe I shouldnt have been. Our ongoing strike action for decent pay and conditions is legally mandated by our union, which is why I consider the closing paragraphs of Mr Murphys letter to be extremely threatening. Essentially, management at NWRC is bullying and harassing us in an attempt to break our more than justified strike action. It will not work. Concluding the letter to lecturing staff, Mr Murphy wrote: We are of the view that withholding assessment and examination marks, non-participation in open days and other recruitment activity and the ongoing action regarding continuous non-use of EBS [Educational Business System], constitutes a breach of the employment contract. As a result, if we cannot resolve matters with UCU and the LRA [Labour Relations Agency], the College will write again to explain what we propose to do about that breach of contract. Derry News understands lecturers at all further education colleges across the North, members of UCU and other unions, have subsequently received similar letters from their principals. Martina Donald, who is the UCU Branch Secretary in NWRC described Mr Murphys letter as a deliberate action to undermine the escalation of Action Short of Strike. She said: It is a scaremongering tactic aimed at newer members of staff in particular who fear for their employment. They are uncertain as to what could happen. They may have the mistaken idea pay can be deducted immediately, without any information going to UCU. The letter has caused great concern among the newly appointed, younger members of staff. It is also of concern to the substantial number of part-time staff we have in the college, who feel that their jobs are in jeopardy if they participate in the escalation of Action Short of Strike. However, the letter has just angered many of our members. Effectively it has strengthened their resolve to ensure this action is going to be participated in fully. In fact, at the minute, a lot of the progress boards dont have any results because lecturers have made the statement they are withholding marks on the basis of the escalation of the industrial action. Ms Donald said she wanted to reassure lecturers their ongoing industrial action was legal. Lecturers cant be penalised on the basis of their union asking them to participate in legal industrial action, she added. Yes, it is a breach of contract and the college can do partial performance however, UCU has to be notified prior to that. I would also encourage members to attend the information sessions I am delivering on the whole subject. Supporting the union is paramount. It shows the strength within our union at NWRC. Traditionally that is something we have always had. Whether it is in the Derry water or not I dont know. According to Ms Donald, government legislation protects members participating in UCUs lawfully balloted industrial action. She said: The letter stipulates management cant negotiate on the basis of pay. We have already advised them on terms and conditions and they have refused to engage with it. Therefore they are putting the cart before the horse even mentioning a conciliation process. To embark on a conciliation process, they need to have an offer on the table. In addition, we havent had any public statements from any of the principals of the further education colleges in support of our action. If you look at the post-primary schools, their principals are on their picket lines. Our principals are audibly silent despite the fact they are saying they are in support of our action. I am also aware the NEU [National Executive Union], which represents managers and principals, has advised its members not to undermine the industrial action. The UCU Branch Secretary said Further Education managers and principals need to take a proactive stance. They need to be more vocal. They need to be lobbying the politicians, she said, although politicians have refused to speak to them to be quite honest, on the basis they are not being proactive in support of lecturers. Ms Donald said she found it ironic the Chair of the NWRC Board of Governors had sanctioned Mr Murphys letter. The chairperson took exactly the same Action Short of Strike at Ulster University, Magee, when their dispute was ongoing, yet, he was not threatened with breach of employment contract by his employers. She added: It is all a threat and it is despicable. Any time there is a deficit or there are efficiencies to be made, it is always the lecturing staff who are targeted. Management tells us: We cant afford to pay you, We want to change your local agreement, We want to change your terms and conditions, We want you to teach more, We want to change your sickness pay. Our members are very angry. In fact, one member in particular said to me he was delighted to get such a letter because it clearly revealed how management treated staff. I would go as far as to say, the mood among UCU members at NWRC, as a result of this letter, is, Bring it on. Derry News also contacted North West Regional College regarding Mr Murphys letter to UCU staff. We asked: How does NWRC management and Board of Governors respond to allegations of bullying and harassing staff? What action is NWRC management and Board of Governors proposing to take against UCU members engaged in legally sanctioned UCU action? In terms of a 'conciliation process', what offer is NWRC management and Board of Governors bringing to such a process for UCU staff to consider? Why has NWRC management and board of governors not supported its UCU lecturers in their demands? Derry News received the following reply from Brown/OConnor communications consultancy. A spokesperson for the college said: At NWRC we value our staff and their commitment to our students. We also fully recognise their need for a pay increase. Further Education Colleges, however, like many public bodies in Northern Ireland, are now operating in some of the most challenging circumstances we have ever faced. It is against these difficult fiscal challenges, and the limiting current NI public pay policy guidelines, that colleges must currently operate. The College respects the right of any union to take action. Where students are impacted, however, we have a right and responsibility to speak out. Should this proposed action go ahead, we believe it will have a detrimental impact on our students. Both teaching and assessment are core parts of a lecturer's contract and large parts of assessment are conducted by college staff in the first instance. Student grades must pass through exam bodies and their formal quality assurance mechanisms to be validated. We are asking that no student has their future studies or career put at risk by the withholding of grades as part of any such action short of strike. We remain committed to working with Trade Unions to find a resolution and hope that potential movement in the broader Northern Ireland context will provide a breakthrough to this unfortunate impasse that has gone on much too long. A huge in-tray awaits the Stormont Assembly and executive, outgoing speaker Alex Maskey has said. Mr Maskey met party whips at Stormont on Friday in one his last official duties before devolved government is returned to Northern Ireland. Mr Maskey, a former Sinn Fein MLA, did not stand in the 2022 Assembly elections, but has retained his role as the two-year boycott of the institutions by the DUP has prevented the election of a new speaker. When the Assembly meets on Saturday, the election of a new speaker will be the first order of business. In his departing message to MLAs, Mr Maskey said it had been a tremendous honour to hold the office of speaker. He said: In January 2020, the Assembly got back to business quickly, only for us to face the Covid pandemic, a sobering time of loss across our community. Against that difficult backdrop, and in a shortened mandate, the Assembly still managed to process a significant amount of legislation. The public focus on many of those Bills underlined to me that, despite understandable public frustration, there is a great public desire to see the Assembly deal with local priorities. He added: When I first became speaker, I recognised that the Assembly was on probation and had to prove itself to an expectant public. The Assembly which begins its business tomorrow faces the same circumstances, arguably even more so. Undoubtedly, a huge in-tray awaits the Assembly and new executive. Mr Maskey said the potential for improving how the Assembly does its day to day business should not be overlooked. He said: There are a range of areas, from introducing electronic voting to developing how the Assembly scrutinises legislation, which are worthy of the Assemblys consideration. Sony Bravia X64L 4K Smart TV is an entry-level Smart TV from Sony in India. These TVs offer affordable access to Sonys approach towards picture quality and colours, which we think is tuned to be appealing to regular Indian customers if not purists. We have spent some quality time with the TV and before we get to our Sony Bravia X64L review, we will answer some questions based on our experience and testing. If you have been thinking of buying the Bravia X64L, these will hopefully give you a clearer picture and will help you decide. Sony Bravia X64L 4K Smart TV Review: Specifications Panel Size: 43-inch, 50-inch Panel Type: LED LCD Panel Resolution: 3840 x 2160 4K UHD Panel Refresh Rate: 60Hz Supported HDR Formats: HDR10, HLG Speakers: 20W open baffle speakers Audio formats: Supports Dolby Audio Software: Google TV Smart Features: Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Airplay, Apple Homekit, Chromecast Built-in HDMI Ports: 3x HDMI ports (one with ARC) HDMI 2.1 features ALLM (HDMI 3) Other connectivity options: one USB port, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Optical output, Bluetooth, Ethernet, Antenna input, AV in the adapter, Headphone out Processor: Sony 4K Processor X1 Built-in storage: 16GB Sony Bravia X64L Design and Remote How is the design of the Sony Bravia X64L? The Sony Bravia X64L has narrow bezels and looks elegant for an affordable TV. Our unit didnt ship with a stand but the same was provided during installation. The side-facing ports on the rear are easy to access. The power chord is removable but it is not the standard power chord and also has a bulky adaptor. Standard power chords are relatively easier to manage and replace. Also Read: Sony Bravia A80L 65-inch Review premium OLED TV in a competitive market Does the Sony Bravia X64L have a metallic build? Yes, the TV has a solid metal chassis. The outer frame and stand are mostly plastic. Does the Sony Bravia X64L have a hard button? Yes, the TV has a hard button behind the LED indicator. How is the Sony Bravia X64L remote? This TV ships with Sonys standard remote. We quite like this remote which looks elegant and is also extremely ergonomic. There are 6 hotkeys for Prime Video, YouTube, Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, Bravia Core and Sony Liv. Also Read: Samsung Crystal Vision 4K TV CUE70 FAQ Everything you need to know! Sony Bravia X64L: Display and Picture Quality What type of display panel is Sony using in the Sony Bravia X64L? Our unit is most likely using an ADS-type LED LCD panel. We measured a native contrast of 2530:1 in the custom mode. Does the Sony Bravia X64L have any dimming technology? Yes, the TV has frame dimming which is essentially the same as global dimming, where the brightness of the entire panel can be adjusted based on the content on the screen. What is the peak brightness of the Sony Bravia X64L display? We recorded a peak brightness of approximately 325 nits on our review unit. Does the Sony Bravia X64L have a 10-bit panel? The TV comes with an 8-bit panel but supports 10-bit content using FRC. Does the Sony Bravia X64L support a wide colour gamut? We recorded 95% sRGB coverage, 76% DCI-P3 coverage, and 58% BT2020 coverage. This is a decent colour gamut as compared to other affordable LED LCD TVs. Does Sony Bravia X64L have Filmmaker mode? No, Sony doesnt add a Filmmaker mode on its Bravia TVs. Cinema mode and Custom mode offer white points closest to cinema standard D65. How is the colour accuracy of the Sony Bravia X64L? The Bravia X64L is tuned for viewing in brightly lit rooms. Most regular consumers are accustomed to cool, bluish whites and accurate D65 white point can feel a little too warm. Most consumers thus end up using less color-accurate profiles on their TVs. Sony Bravia X64L bridges the gap with a cooler white point in colour-accurate profiles (Cinema and Custom). We tested the TV using Spectracal HDR2000 colourimeter in the custom mode after disabling the Live Colour and contrast enhancer. In SDR mode, we recorded an average delta error of 2.3 which is excellent. In HDR we recorded an average delta error of 4.4. The TV follows gamma 2.2 and we noticed that shadow details were a bit off. Overall, the colours and contrast on the Sony Bravia X64L are quite good for the price. How do voice commands work on Sony Bravia X64L? The TV has support for both Alexa and Google Assistant and ships with a voice-enabled remote (no far-field microphones). We didnt face any issues operating the TVs using voice commands. What HDR formats does Sony Bravia X64L support? The TV supports HDR10 and HLG. Dolby Vision HDR is not supported. How is the HDR performance of Sony Bravia X64L? Despite the modest peak brightness, the Sony Bravia X64L manages to create a decent HDR impact in dark and moderate APL scenes. Bright HDR or high APL scenes however turned out flat as expected. The black level is slightly raised. As mentioned above, we recorded an average delta error of 4.4 in HDR colours, which is decent. How wide are the viewing angles of the Sony Bravia X64L? Viewing angles on the Bravia X64L are not very wide. You will need to be in front of the display for the best experience. How is motion smoothing and upscaling on the Sony Bravia X64L? Motion smoothing and upscaling on the Sony Bravia X64L are quite impressive. These are aspects that Sony has consistently excelled in. Sonys Contrast Enhancer can also help subtly enhance the clarity of the content. How effective is Sonys Live Colour engine? The Live Colour engine enhances colours, making them appear richer. While it may not appeal to purists, it does create more pleasant colours without being overly vivid. Surprisingly, skin tones dont look unnatural with the Live colour enabled. Users can choose from three levels of enhancement. Sony Bravia X64L Connectivity and Gaming Does the Sony Bravia X64L support Dual-Band Wi-Fi? Yes, the TV supports dual-band Wi-Fi. Does the Sony Bravia X64L TV support HDMI 2.1? No, the TV doesnt support full HDMI bandwidth. Among HDMI 2.1 features ALLM is supported. What connectivity ports are available on the Sony Bravia X64L? The TV comes with 3 HDMI ports, 1 USB port, 1 Optical out, a LAN port, an audio jack and an RF input port. What is the Bluetooth version supported on the Sony Bravia X64L? The TV has Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. How is the gaming experience on the Sony Bravia X64L? This is not a TV meant for gamers. We tried a few games via PS 5 and the panel felt responsive enough. Unless you are a hardcore gamer, gaming responsiveness shouldnt be an issue. Does the Sony Bravia X64L support HGiG? No, HGiG is not supported. Sony Bravia X64L Performance and Software How is the Sony Bravia X64L performance? The UI transitions on the TV are not fast and snappy, but the overall performance exceeded our expectations when compared to TVs from other brands in this price segment. How is the Sony Bravia X64L software? The TV runs Google TV software, which to me feels a little lacklustre. It still offers widespread connectivity and works well with both Android and iOS ecosystems. How is the Sony Bravia X64L Audio Quality? The audio from 20W speakers is well-balanced. Dialogue clarity is also decent. If you need impactful surround sound effects or more bass-heavy output, you will need to invest in an external audio system. Should you buy it? The Sony Bravia X64L provides a well-balanced content viewing experience, likely to appeal to a broad spectrum of Indian consumers. With accurate colours and a decent HDR experience within its class, the TV stands out. While there are alternatives with superior specifications and larger displays in the same price range, if you prioritize a reliable option from a tier-1 brand that delivers decent picture quality, the Sony Bravia X64L is certainly worth considering. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in Kazakhstan, his office said. Pashinyan will chair the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session, a prime ministerial meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), on February 2 in Almaty. He was met by Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov at the sessions venue. Armenia holds the EEU presidency for 2024. Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ will leave his post as the Bishop of Raphoe. It has been confirmed that Bishop McGuckian has been appointed by Pope Francis as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Down and Connor. Bishop McGuckian was publicly announced as Bishop of Down and Connor at Mass on Friday morning at Saint Peters Cathedral, Belfast by chief celebrant Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Down and Connor. He will succeed Archbishop Noel Treanor, who was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union in 2022. In June 2017, Bishop McGuckian was appointed as the Bishop of Raphoe and he was ordained on August 6, 2017. I would not be telling the whole truth if I did not say that it will be a terrible wrench for me to leave the priests and people of Raphoe, Bishop McGuckian said. I have been very privileged to serve among many people deeply committed to the faith; they show it in their daily lives, in the ways they look after one another in community and it was a bittersweet source of pride to me that Donegal uniquely had a pro-life majority in the abortion referendum some years ago. Donegal people took me into their hearts and have inspired me and I will miss them greatly. In 1972, he joined the Jesuit novitiate in Clontarf in Dublin having studied a year of First Arts in Queens University, Belfast, where he studied Irish and Scholastic Philosophy. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1984 and worked in County Kildare before spending time in India and the Philippines. From 1992-2003, Father Alan served as appointed as Director of the Jesuit Communication Centre in Dublin and from 2012-2017 he worked closely with the Diocese of Down and Connor in the Living Church project. He said: My roots are entirely in the Diocese of Down and Connor. Father Gerry Park baptised me and Father Vincent McKinley gave me my first Holy Communion in Cloughmills. Bishop Philbin confirmed me in Dunloy. This is where I come from and I am humbled and privileged that, after all my wanderings, the bishop of Rome has chosen to send me home. Bishop McKeown welcomed the arrival of Bishop McGuckian to his native soil. He said: He is no stranger. He is now coming back to his native soil the diocese where he was born and went to school and the diocesan family where he served as part of the Jesuit community in Belfast for 12 years. Ryanair has said it flew more passengers in January, but revealed it had to cancel more than 950 flights due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Dublin-based budget airline said it had 12.2 million customers last month, an increase of 3% on the 11.8 million people it flew during the same month last year. It ran about 71,000 flights during January, but was forced to cancel flights as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The firms load factor an important measure for airlines of how well they are filling the seats on their planes dipped from 91% to 89% year-on-year. Ryanair said the load factor reduced because of the removal of its flights from some pirate online travel agents in December. Websites including Booking.com, Kiwi and Kayak decided to take Ryanair off their website, a decision which the airline previously said it welcomed because it complained the sites sold its flights without permission. But it flagged that the move would impact upon ticket revenues as it is forced to slash fares to fill seats, leading it to cut its full-year profit outlook. Meanwhile, rival low-cost airline Wizz Air revealed it flew 4.7 million passengers during January, a jump of 14.2% year-on-year. Its load factor dropped from 86% to 82%, which it said was a result of an increase in one-way traffic and as it also responded to conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the airlines CO2 emissions soared by nearly a quarter year-on-year in January, outpacing the rise in passenger numbers. But it said it continues to report the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger per kilometre among rival airlines, at about 52 grams on average over the past year, describing itself as Europes greenest low-cost airline. The firm previously announced that it will restart flights to Tel Aviv in Israel from the beginning of March, from locations including London, Rome, and Budapest. The Irish premier said he has some difficulties with the new rules that will allow for smooth post-Brexit trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, but that they do not cross any red lines. Leo Varadkar also said the command paper, titled Safeguarding The Union, contains negative language. The document, published on Wednesday, contains details of the agreement between the UK Government and the DUP which paved the way for the party to end its boycott of the power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland. The measures remove checks on goods travelling from Great Britain that are to stay in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Assembly is due to meet on Saturday. Speaking in Dublin on Friday, Mr Varadkar said: I think its really good news that the Assembly and the Executive will be back up and running on Saturday. Fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong between now and then. I really look forward to working with the new First Minister and the new Deputy First Minister, and the new Executive, on issues of common interest. Ive read the command paper, I would have some difficulties with some aspects of it. I dont like the negative language about the all-Ireland economy and I think it very much puts the British government in the place of being advocates of the Union, whereas in the past theyd signed up to rigorous impartiality. But none of those things crossed any red lines in my view. When Brexit happened, we set out our objectives. One was to make sure the Good Friday Agreement was respected, it has been, and there was to be no hard border between north and south, and that our position in the European Union and the single market wouldnt be diminished, and none of those red lines are crossed. If this is the price, if this is what has to be accepted in order to allow power-sharing to resume, I think thats worth it. There is opposition from nationalists and unionists, but I think the majority of both communities will accept this. Mr Varadkar said that after reading the document, there were no red flags raised about its details. He said that while there are no changes to the Windsor Framework, there are some changes to how it is going to operate. The Fine Gael leader said he spoke to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen about the agreement when he travelled to Brussels on Wednesday and that the EU Commission will study its contents. Anything that results in seamless trade, whether its north-south or between Northern Ireland and Britain, Im all for, he added. Ive never wanted any of these barriers in the first place one of the reasons why I wasnt in favour of Brexit. I spoke to President (Ursula) von der Leyen about this Wednesday and I know (Foreign Secretary) Lord Cameron spoke to Maros Sefcovic, the Tanaiste had some calls too. So, the commission is studying what was agreed between the UK Government and the DUP, so far no red flags have been raised, so far no particular concerns arise. Im fairly confident that it is totally consistent with whats been agreed previously in the Withdrawal Agreement and with the Framework, but it is the European Commission who has to make that assessment, not us as the Irish Government. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Irelands International Policing Unit arrested two men on Wednesday 31st January. The first arrest was of a 27 year old man, wanted in the Republic of Ireland, to stand trial for an offence of dangerous driving causing death that occurred in County Louth in July 2022. He was detained by virtue of an international warrant by officers from Waterside Neighbourhood Policing Team in Derry/Londonderry on Wednesday evening and was brought before an extradition court in Belfast yesterday Thursday 1st February. The second was of a 47 year old man, wanted in Romania, to serve a five year prison sentence for a number of road traffic offences committed there. He was detained by virtue of an international warrant by officers from Antrim Local Policing Team at Belfast International Airport on Wednesday evening and will also be brought before an extradition court in Belfast today. Sergeant Davey from the International Policing Unit said: Last nights arrests are further examples of how we effectively identify and arrest those sought for extradition. The Police Service will continue to work with our partners and bring offenders before the courts. "Our message is clear that there is nowhere to hide in Northern Ireland and that we will actively pursue all wanted persons believed to be in this jurisdiction. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Russia has said that it shares Armenias priorities as President in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and is ready to support the country in implementing them. Armenia holds the EEU presidency for 2024. Good luck to our Armenian colleagues, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at the EEU meeting in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Weve closely studied the priorities for further development of integration proposed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. They mostly match with Russias position. We are ready to provide full support for their implementation, TASS quoted Mishustin as saying. Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan chaired the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting in Almaty on February 2. Emma Doran, one of Irelands best-loved comedians, is hitting the road with her brand new show, DILEMMA. Fresh from appearing on the extremely popular show, Last One Laughing Ireland, fronted by Graham Norton, Emmas 21-date nationwide tour is set to kick off in March and will conclude with two nights in Vicar Street in May, before she brings the shows to UK audiences in October. It's the post-apocalyptic world. There's only one contraceptive pill left. Do you give it to your 20-year-old daughter or keep it for yourself? Is it better to be a 40-year-old grandmother or a 40-year-old new mam? These are the dilemmas facing Emma Doran, aged 39 and 7/8s, even though the most obvious outcome is neither. If turning 40 is the start of something new, what is it the end of? "Ah here, where's me vape?" Join Emma Doran for a night of belly laughs where critics have raved about her performances, with the Evening Standard declaring, "Youd be mad to miss her," and The Guardian praising her "Pleasing streak of wickedness." Emma said today: I am so excited to be bringing my new show around Ireland this spring. We are hitting almost every county across Ireland and doing even bigger venues. I am so excited to be returning to Vicar Street; we sold it out the last time I was there, so its going to be great craic performing there again. Emma has made appearances on Celebrity Gogglebox Ireland, The Late Late Show, and most recently on Last One Laughing Ireland on Prime Video. Principals and Deputy Principals from across Irelands Education & Training Boards (ETBs), including Louth & Meath ETB, have called for an increase in the allocation of Deputy Principals in ETB post primary schools with DEIS designation, at their national conference this week. Over 300 delegates were joined by Dr Katriona OSullivan, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Science in Maynooth University, and bestselling author of Poor, who challenged them to expect and support excellence from all their students. Education is all about relationships, Dr OSullivan told the ETB Principals and Deputy Principals, and relationships require time and space. The allocation of more Deputy Principals can transform a school, freeing up school leaders to support students and teachers develop relationships where talent can shine. Paddy Lavelle, General Secretary of Education and Training Boards Ireland agrees: ETBs have the highest proportion of DEIS post-primary schools in the country, 129 in total, and their young people need and deserve adequate supports. "The Deputy Principal role is a crucial one: the high administrative burden placed on Principals means the Deputy Principal is, typically, the staff-member available to identify challenges or risks for the student body or individual students; to provide support to students experiencing difficulties; to keep a watching eye on at-risk students and to liaise with other support services to ensure all students get the care and attention they need. We are appealing to the Department to increase the allocation by between .5 and one Deputy Principal per school, depending on its size and believe this will make a significant impact on outcomes for our learners, some of whom are the most vulnerable young people in Irish society. "From the feedback weve received from our Principals, this increase will help relieve the administrative burden and free them up for a greater focus on Teaching and Learning, providing increased support for student support and wellbeing, and professional support for their teachers." This years ETBI Principals and Deputy Principals Conference was also addressed by Dr Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children and Prof Selina McCoy, Associate Research Professor ESRI. Delegates also attended workshops on meeting the challenges of vaping, hidden bullying and the new Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. The heralder of Irish springtime and the Patron Saint of nature, healing and creativity, celebrations will take place across Ireland this week, marking the 1500th anniversary of her passing. Who was St. Brigid? Believed to have lived during the 5th century, legends about St. Brigid's life are full of tales of her compassion, creativity and healing miracles. As a Celtic goddess of fire and fertility, she also came to represent the rebirth of nature and the colour and vibrance of Ireland in springtime, as well as becoming a figure head for strong and creative Irish women. The Monday following St. Brigid's feast day on 1st of February was declared a new annual public holiday in 2023, the first women in Ireland to be recognised with one. St. Brigid's Day also marks beginning of spring in the Irish calendar. Known as 'Imbolc', it is one of the four key festivals in the Celtic calendar, and falls between the shortest day and the spring equinox and was a time when people look forward for a good growing year ahead. Nowhere is St. Brigid's legacy felt more so than in the Counties Louth and Kildare in Ireland's Ancient East. In Brigid's birthplace of Louth, the annual Brigid of Faughart Festival illuminated Dundalk with a multisensory light show called Northern Lights. Designed by Irish artist Friz the light show complements her mural of the Saint which resides permanently in the town of Dundalk. Whilst over in Kildare, where Brigid spent most of her life and founded a Cathedral, the Brigid1500 Festival has been hosting a series of events including concerts with trailblazing female Irish musicians Una Healy, Denise Chaila, Imelda May, Gemma Hayes and more. Two grand fiery processional events to celebrate St Brigid will also take place in the towns of Maynooth and Kildare over the bank holiday weekend. Across the country too people are celebrating by crafting iconic St. Brigid's Crosses, a tradition that has travelled throughout the world, as well as taking part in processions featuring light and fire. Springtime in Ireland is a time to fill your heart - full of promise, new life, rolling green grass, explosions of yellow daffodils and fields of lambs across the country; not to mention the longer days ending in colourful sunsets. The Taoiseach has said it wouldnt be fair to ratify the EU-Mercosur trade deal in its current form, as farmers in Ireland protested in solidarity with EU-wide demonstrations. Convoys with hundreds of angry farmers driving tractors created chaos outside the European Unions headquarters on Thursday, as they demanded leaders at a summit provide relief from rising prices and bureaucracy. Farmers pelted police in Brussels with fireworks, eggs and beer bottles through thick smoke from burning bales of hay. Security forces used water cannons to douse fires and keep a farmer from felling a tree on the steps of the European Parliament. Protests were staged in various locations across Ireland on Thursday evening. One of the major demonstrations took place in Athy in Co Kildare. Thursdays events mark the culmination of weeks of protests around the EU, with farmers saying it is becoming harder to make a decent living as energy and fertiliser costs surge because of Russias war in Ukraine, more and cheaper farm imports make it hard to compete, and climate change-fuelled droughts, floods and fires destroy crops. The president of the Irish Farmers Association said that while Irish farmers are pro-EU, they wanted to show their frustration with EU policies by expressing solidarity with their European counterparts. Francie Gorman added: Farmers here have been watching the protests across Europe. They are just as frustrated by what is happening as farmers in other countries. They feel they are being regulated out of business by Brussels bureaucrats and Department of Agriculture officials who are far removed from the reality of day-to-day farming. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the protests were discussed by EU leaders at a memorial service on Wednesday night to remember former president of the European Commission Jacques Delors. The issue of farming and agriculture isnt on the agenda for this meeting but was discussed by leaders last night given the protests that are occurring, the Taoiseach said on Thursday. Id be among one of quite a number of heads of governments here who understand the pressures that our farmers are under. Whether its increased energy costs or fertiliser costs, new environmental regulations, its kind of been layer upon layer for farmers. Certainly I think the priority for us should be implementing existing rules and regulations and not imposing new additional ones on farmers over the next couple of years. Farmers have criticised the proposed trade agreement struck with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in 2019, which aims to streamline the multibillion-euro trading relationship between the EU and the Mercosur countries. The trade deal, if it came into effect, would lift duties on products between the two regions, and could see cheaper beef, poultry and pork imported to the EU from South America. The deal has been heavily criticised by environmental groups and beef farmers in Ireland, who believe it will allow beef produced in a less sustainable way into the EU market at the expense of Irish farmers. Mr Varadkar said he agreed with French President Emmanuel Macrons comments on Mercosur, who said changes need to be made. The French government aimed to disperse disruptive protests held by unhappy farmers during the week by promising emergency aid and controls on imported food. Speaking from Brussels, Mr Varadkar said: I also would echo President Macrons comments in relation to Mercosur, that this trade agreement cant be ratified in its current form. We cant have a situation whereby we impose environmental regulations on farmers and then allow imports from countries that dont have those same regulations, that wouldnt be fair. I think it cant be ratified in its current form so what we would need is legally binding and legally enforceable changes around the environment, and that would be crucial for us. Speaking at a press conference after the special European Council meeting, president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said other countries had urged the EU to not talk at us, but talk with us, talk to us. She added: I heard what the Taoiseach said and its something that we will continue to discuss with him, that we need to also bring this into how we are going to retain our competitiveness, how are we going to discuss with our sectors that feel that they will be directly hit by any deals with third countries or partnerships, but at the end of the day, trade remains one of our most important tools that we need to continue to work on. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The Spring Festival, Chinese New Year, was solemnly celebrated at the Chinese Embassy in Armenia. China's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia, Fan Yong, addressed the audience, extending his best wishes to all the Chinese individuals working, studying, and living in Armenia, including teachers, students, employees of enterprises financed by China and their families. Photos by Hayk Badalyan "During the past year, thanks to the involvement and joint efforts of both sides, bilateral relations between China and Armenia have developed in a new way. Governments, academic institutions, enterprises, as well as cultural and art figures of the two countries, have continuously engaged in close exchanges and visits. The cooperation in various fields has flourished. China remains Armenia's primary trade partner, main export market, and source of imports. January-November 2023.The volume of trade between China and Armenia reached 1.93 billion US dollars, increasing by 23.1% per year," Fan Yong said. The Ambassador highlighted the projects implemented by China in Armenia, which play an important role in improving the quality and modernization of Armenia's infrastructure. "Chinese language learning is on the rise in Armenia, and interest in the Chinese language and culture continues growing," said the Ambassador. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the People's Republic of China Sergey Manasaryan noted: The year 2023 essentially marked the first year of the post-COVID period, with intense contacts at all levels being recorded, and somewhat frozen programs were resumed. The preceding year was also significant for trade and economic relations, as the regular session of the intergovernmental economic commission was convened. If the current pace of cooperation is maintained, this year we will exceed the threshold of two billion dollars in turnover. The political dialogue in the format of international organizations has also seen positive development, brilliantly demonstrating the high level of stable, friendly relations," said Manasaryan. Chinese, Bulgarian officials voice confidence in bilateral ties Xinhua) 13:14, February 02, 2024 SOFIA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Bulgarian officials expressed satisfaction with the state of bilateral relations and confidence in their continued development, at a Spring Festival reception held here on Thursday. Calling China "an extremely important and valuable partner", Bulgaria's Vice President Iliana Iotova said she is confident in the potential for the two countries to further develop their relations. "With China's help, we strive to turn Bulgaria into a bridge between the East and the West," said Tsoncho Ganev, deputy speaker of parliament and chairman of the parliamentary friendship group "Bulgaria-China." "Bulgaria, as one of the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China and establish diplomatic ties with China, is a good friend and partner of our country," said Wang Min, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, which hosted the reception. Wang said that 2023 witnessed the deepening of the China-Bulgaria strategic partnership. "Pragmatic cooperation in various fields has achieved remarkable results," she said, highlighting the fruitful cooperation in agriculture, new energy and finance sectors. "With joint efforts, the political mutual trust between the two countries will continue to deepen, more practical cooperation results will gradually come to fruition, and the friendship between our two peoples will become even more profound," Wang said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Wagner played a large role in some of the fiercest fighting in eastern Ukraine (AFP/Getty ) As the drumbeat of war continues across the Middle East, with clashes in multiple countries raising fears of a wider conflict, the mercenaries of Russias Wagner Group are once again getting back to action. Eight months after Wagners march on Moscow ultimately failed; six months after Yevgeny Prigozhin and his senior commanders were blown out of the sky in Vladimir Putins retribution, the fighters are being recalled to arms with the Kremlins blessing. The snowy fastness of Ukraine has been replaced by the sand and savanna of Africa. There is a new banner to fight under Africa Corps, a name echoing Field Marshal Erwin Rommels German Afrika Korps which took part in the momentous campaign against British and allied forces in Libya in the Second World War. The Hamas attack on Israel three months ago has led to combat across land, air and sea around the region, with carnage continuing in Gaza and missile strikes and targeted assassinations in the Gulf, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and even Pakistan. In this increasingly incendiary scenario, the former Wagner Group is consolidating its presence in Libya and Sudan, part of a highly volatile region, as well as reinforcing in African states where it has replaced departed Western forces. A flag bearing the logo of the Wagner mercenary group (AFP via Getty Images) Many former Wagner fighters are said to have expressed interest in joining the Corps. Sergey, a fighter who had served with Wagner in Syria and Ukraine before leaving just before the attempted coup, said: They seem serious people, well organised, and so a lot of the men are considering the offer. They are using good psychology. They point out that many soldiers find it very hard to adjust back to civilian life: we know, of course, that is the case. They warn about what happened to some who had served in Afghanistan, Chechnya. They got into drinks and drugs, ended up in prison, their marriages ended. Getting back into service is a way of avoiding this. There are a lot of people who miss being with Wagner." he added. "It was a special group at the beginning. Not what happened to it in Ukraine with the convicts and other useless people conscripted, but what it was like at the start, formed by professional soldiers, many from Special Forces. But Africa Corps is also a special name in war isnt it? A historic name. Story continues Yevgeny Prigozhin is said to have recruting fighters to work in Africa before his death (Razgruzka_Vagnera telegram channel) Moscow is keen to take advantage of opportunities that crisis presents, capitalising on the current instability, say Western officials who have been observing Russian activities in North Africa and the Sahel. There is renewed focus on a projected Russian naval facility at Port Sudan on the Red Sea, where the Houthis are in combat with US and UK warships protecting a crucial global trade route. Wagner had carried out initial work on the port project. The group has long established links with Sudan, supplying, it is believed, arms to both sides in the current civil war and enriching from involvement in illicit gold trade. The Kremlin is also positioning itself, officials say, for the aftermath of the Middle East conflict. One proposed scenario for a Gaza ceasefire is for what is left of the Hamas leadership to move to Algeria a reprise of Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) retreating to Tunisia after being forced out of Lebanon by the Israeli invasion of 1982. The Israeli government has, so far, rejected the Algeria option, vowing to destroy Hamas in Gaza. But if the plan, drawn up by France and Saudi Arabia, was to be implemented, Russian mercenaries in Libya would be in close proximity to the remnants of Hamas. Former Wagner commanders, it is claimed, have been spotted in Libya arriving recently at the al-Khadim airbase in the east, and Sirte and al-Jufrah in the central region, areas controlled by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the rebel commander who has been backed by Moscow in the countrys internecine conflict which erupted after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. Wagner fighters in Bakmut (PRIGOZHIN PRESS SERVICE) Moscow is also said to be exploiting the anger in the Global South over the perceived failure of the West, especially the US and UK, to condemn Israel for what has unfolded in Gaza with more than 26,000 lives lost so far, according to the Palestinian health ministry. South Africa has taken the lead in accusing Israel at the UN's highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of intent to commit genocide in Gaza. An allegation that Israel has vociferously denied. Russias deputy defence minister, Yunus-bek Yevkurov and Major General Andrei Averyanov, from GRU, the Russian miliary intelligence agency, are playing key roles in the Kremlins new Africa push. The two men travelled to Libya to meet Haftar in Benghazi and have also visited the Central African Republic (CAR), Burkina Fasso, Mali and Niger all countries into which Wagner has moved in, or is seeking to move, in after their military regimes forced the withdrawal of French led Western forces. One Western security official said: Russia has obviously been focused on Ukraine and its influence in the Middle East, which was pretty significant, had markedly diminished. They are now seeing a way back and Wagner, whatever name its called now and the future, is a very useful proxy. The difference from before is that now itll be much more under direct Kremlin control rather than people like Prigozhin and his associates. There is no denying that there is a bit of a vacuum now security wise with what happened with the French in West Africa, and Russias trying to fill that using a PMC [private military company]. Men holding a Wagner flag during demonstrations in Niger last year demanding the French army leave the country (AFP via Getty Images) The announcement of the Africa Corps being formed, as a successor to Wagner, originally came from Russian military bloggers. It was confirmed by Igor Korotchenko, a former army colonel and editor-in-chief of the magazine Natsionalnia Oborna [National Defence] who is close to the Ministry of Defence in Moscow. The Corps is seeking to take over the role of Wagner which had extensive interest in Africa providing security to regimes and strongmen rulers in return for payment, often in the form of lucrative mineral rights. After President Putin had seemingly forgiven him for his attempted putsch, Prigozhin took part in a tour of Africa to assure clients that normal service will continue with the support of the Russian government. Riley Moeder, a senior analyst with the US-based New Lines Institute think tank, said: Prigozhin was filmed in that region before his plane crashed. The region is looking for support, so now Moscow wants to assure them that it remains committed to the region. Both Yevkurov and Averyanov knew Prigozhin but the association was anything but amicable. Yevkurov was pictured as Prigozhins prisoner when Wagner forces moved to the Russian city of Rostov in the first stages of the attempted coup--a public embarrassment the Deputy Defence Minister has not forgotten. Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the Russian public during the attempted coup by Wagner (Sputnik) Averyanov and the GRU have been accused of being part of the plot to assassinate of Prigozhin and his senior officers, which is alleged to have been organised by Nikolai Patrushev, the head of the Kremlins National Security Council. The Africa Corps, in Telegram posts, presented a "window of opportunity to potential recruits that had emerged in Africa due to countries turning away from the West. Among examples given were the withdrawal of French forces from Mali and Niger. "Now, when Russia has become strong and has challenged the whole world, it needs professional warriors more than ever," said one post. The Corp wanted to stress that its leadership was composed of experienced commanders who had served in elite and specialist units of both Russias armed forces and private military companies. Some of them, it is said, have been with Wagner. Former members of the Group were welcome to apply for jobs; they would be valued and allowed to wear Wagner insignias on their uniforms alongside that of the Africa Corps. The recruitment campaign promised high salaries, paid in foreign currencies when necessary, competent and professional command and control and medical care and social benefits including generous compensation for families of fighters who are injured or die on active duty. Sergey, the former Wagner fighter, who is currently living in a central European country, said: They have also been very positive on one issue. A lot of people who left Wagner were worried that theyll be blamed for the mobilisation [the attempted coup] even if they didnt have anything to do with it. These guys are saying that having been in Wagner is not a problem, but actually something good. The only rule, as far as we can see, is that Wagner people who joined Rosgvardia Russia's national guard after [the coup] must stay there, they cant simply transfer over. What happens to the Africa Corps in the ruthless world of the Kremlin and Russian mercenaries remain to be seen. Its namesake, the Afrika Korps, surrendered with the rest of Axis forces in north Africa in 1943, most of its members were sent to camps in the US as prisoners of war. Rommel, idolised by his soldiers and admired by the enemy, took part in a failed plot against Adolf Hitler as Prigozhin had against Putin. The Fuhrer wanted to avoid a trial, worried about the reaction that would provoke with Rommels popularity with the army and the public. He was offered the choice by his Nazi captors of committing suicide in return for his family and his staff being spared. The Field Marshal put on his Afrika Korps field uniform and took a cyanide capsule. Our website uses cookies We are always working to improve this website for our users. To do this, we use the anonymous data provided by cookies. Learn more about how we use cookies Tell us about yourself: Hi! My name is Hannah Im a 22-year-old independent artist from Cork who goes by HANNAHBELLA. Im currently in my final year at the Cork School of Music which has been such a life-changing experience! I have been releasing music since 2021, releasing my first single during lockdown with my stepbrother Joe Keniry. Ive been songwriting all my life, and nothing brings me more peace or makes more sense to me, so, when we released CNTRL it all clicked. Since then, Ive been working hard on my production skills, meeting fellow artists and creatives to collaborate with, and generally finding ways to better myself as an artist and at my craft. Creating music and performing is my birthright. The goal? To create melodies that reflect the complexities of human emotion. I embrace the roots of electronic music, punk, synth-pop, and the richness of other cultures to create music that has universal appeal. Although it can be a lonely field, nothing beats the feeling of excitement when a release does well or when performing with bandmates! What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night? My ideal Friday night would be going to a gig or playing a gig! I love going to local artists or bands shows it fills me with hope and such pride! I have to say though, nothing beats a drink at OSho. Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you? Honestly both, Im definitely a night owl but who can deny a lie-in (when I dont have a lecture). Hannah Thornton. Does work creep into your weekend at all? Of course, it does when Im not doing college assignments or rehearsals, Im writing songs and working on a beat. If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you? Oh god! I would go to as many places as I could! I definitely would love to visit New York, and Tokyo or go back to my favorite places Ive been, like Trogir in Croatia or Brussels in Belgium. Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries? My granny is from Valentia Island so, when I visit some weekends, nothing beats a walk along the shore or to Glanleam Beach! Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend? Yes. My friends and family keep me sane haha! They are my biggest supporters and encourage me. Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator? I love to watch films and, of course, make music, that is more of a personality trait than a hobby at this point. Entertain or be entertained? If its the latter do you have a signature dish? Both! I love to cook for my friends and make them feel at home. I make a banging halloumi curry. Hannah Thornton. We have so many places to eat out in Cork where are your go to spots for coffee/ lunch/ special meal? Izz cafe is definitely a fav of mine along with the Quay co-op, Sakura, and Raj Gaylord Indian. Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it? Generally by taking time to get ready for the week ahead, I try to ground myself and keep my anxiety at bay. I like to take Sundays slow, see whos around for a coffee, or watch a movie with my boyfriend. What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning? Well lucky me Ive no early classes on Mondays anymore so Im gonna say 10am because that sounds realistic even if its 12pm some days you didnt hear that from me. Anything else you are up to right now... Well, I have a few gigs in Dublin lined up over the next couple of months which will be class! I love gigging in Dublin and seeing new faces. Hannah Thornton. I also just released a new single called Spin (shameless plug I know) its about the overwhelming feeling you get when you allow yourself to be fully vulnerable with someone. The song is built around catchy synths, groovy basslines, and an addictive beat switch at the end! For more on HANNAHBELLA see: Instagram and Twitter hannah_bella_ TikTok @hannahbellamusic Her songs are available to stream on all streaming platforms under the name HANNAHBELLA CORK County Council is inviting members of the public to have their say on early-stage plans for two new greenway projects in Cork County. Public consultations for both the Skibbereen sections of the West Cork Greenway and the Cork to Kinsale Greenway are now open for submissions. Both projects, funded by Transport Infrastructure Irelands (TII) Greenway Programme, are at Phase 1 -concept and feasibility stage. This involves the development of the study area, investigating the constraints within the study area to examine the feasibility of the project and optioneering of the proposed route, and these initial public consultations are designed to provide information on the projects and to invite feedback. Cork County Council said that it welcomes as many people as possible to view the information online and to submit their feedback on the study area, the constraints and opportunities located within and any other features that the design team should consider. For the West Cork Greenway, it is proposed that all routes will originate in Skibbereen and connect to the communities of Baltimore, Schull and Drimoleague, while the Cork to Kinsale Greenway is proposed to develop a suitable route creating connectivity between Cork city and Kinsale while acting as an active travel route for local communities and an alternative to commuting by car. Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank OFlynn, said: The community plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of these projects. We encourage feedback and input to ensure these greenways align with the needs of residents and businesses in the area. Our common goal is to provide greenways that are sustainable, accessible, safe, and attractive for locals and visitors alike. Submissions can be made by post to Greenways, Cork National Roads Office, Richmond, Glanmire, Cork, T45 WA44. The first public consultation for the West Cork Greenway - Skibbereen Sections will be online until February 23 at www.wcgskibbereen.ie, and information will also be available to view at Skibbereen Library. The first public consultation for the Cork Kinsale Greenway will be online until February 29 at www.corkkinsalegreenway.ie, with in-person events held at the Viaduct Restaurant on Wednesday, February 7, from 2pm to 8pm, and in Kinsale Library the following day at the same time, with information available to view in the library during the consultation period. The son of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier is set to be interviewed on the Late Late Show on RTE 1 tonight. In a video message on social media, host Patrick Kielty said that Pierre-Louis Baudey Vignaud plans to talk about what the death of Ian Bailey means for his mothers case. Mr Baudey-Vignaud is a frequent visitor to Ireland and travelled from France to this country three times last year. His 39-year-old film producer mother was murdered at her holiday home at Toormore, near Schull in west Cork in the early hours of December 23rd, 1996. Her body was found in a laneway near her cottage. Following the death of 66-year-old Ian Bailey earlier this month Mr Baudey Vignaud sent a video message to RTE News. The late Ian Bailey had on two occasions detained by Gardai for questioning in relation to his mother's murder. In the message, he said that his family planned to continue to seek truth and justice regarding the murder. Appeal to community In 2019 Mr Baudey Vignaud had asked locals in West Cork to travel to Paris to testify at the then-upcoming French trial of English journalist Ian Bailey. Speaking in Goleen, in West Cork, Pierre-Louis Baudey Vignaud said that it was imperative that the relevant parties travel to France for the four-day murder trial which got underway in late May 2019. Mr Baudey Vignaud travelled to Goleen with his uncle Betrand in order to attend a mass in memory of his mother. He told massgoers that his idyllic childhood had been blighted by the violent killing of his mother in West Cork in 1996. He stressed that Sophie was a real flesh and blood person whose life ended in a horrifying manner. He spoke of his pride at her resilience' in her final moments. "My mother, Sophie is not a ghost, she is the victim of human cruelty and violence which has no place here. Sophie fought like a lioness against the most atrocious violence there is. The violence used by a monster that nothing stops -- the one that struck her for no reason, for nothing. "I still come back here every year because it is the only way for me to defy this violence and to destroy it. Pierre Louis stated that his life became a 'prison" overnight after his mother's death and that it was impossible for him to come to terms with what had happened to her. "I have been coming to Ireland for 30 years. I was eight years old the first time I came here and I was 15 years old when my mother was brutally killed. I cant bear the thought of her blood seeping into your soil." He claimed that the killing of his mother was not in keeping with the soul of Ireland. "This is a trial of a crime that does not fit with what Ireland is like and does not fit with what you, Irish people, are. "This is a trial of a crime that no one, especially myself but also you, would have wanted to know about. This is a trial of a crime that you and I did not deserve, whether it takes place here or in France." He said that Sophie travelled to Ireland for "peace of mind, serenity and trust" and never would have thought that she was at risk in her "haven of peace." Pierre Louis said that he decided to keep his mother's home in Toormore near Schull because he preferred to "believe in the trust that my mother had when she opened her door. " "I could have given up my mothers dream of peace of mind. I could have abandoned this country, this house, her house, mine and your house. I could have chosen not to bring my children here, I could have believed in curses and in a kind of predestination. I could have been afraid but here I am standing before you. "I preferred to desire her Ireland, your Irish way of life that tranquility that she could not find either in Paris or in the glitter that so many others imagined." Ian Bailey questioned on two occasions Mr Bailey always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire The late Ian Bailey was on two occasions detained by Gardai for questioning in relation to the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Mr Bailey always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder of the mother of one who had a holiday home in West Cork. Mr Bailey was convicted in absentia after a trial in France in 2015. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. However, officials in France were unable to extradite Mr Bailey to Paris to serve the sentence handed down by the courts. Mr Bailey fought two attempts by the authorities in France to extradite him to the country. A group of four friends from Cork, dubbed The Irish Rovers, are set to drive the length of the UK on four vintage tractors to raise funds for CRITICAL, the emergency medical response charity. Kieran O'Donoghue, Paddy Ryan, Tom Fitzgerald, and James Keohane will embark on the journey in May, covering 1,450 miles in 22 days. In 2022, we completed the Malin Head to Mizen Head challenge in memory of our dear friend Joe Butler. The UK run seemed like the natural progression for our next adventure, Tom Fitzgerald from Rathcormac said. You get a unique vantage point travelling on a vintage tractor and really get to experience the countryside and all the elements. Were taking the scenic route which means were also travelling a longer route. We estimate it will take us just over three weeks to complete. We will be keeping our supporters updated with videos and photos on our Facebook page throughout. Their vintage tractor quartet, consisting of a 1952 Nuffield DM4, a 1964 Fordson Super Major, a 1984 Ford 7610, and a 1978 Leyland 2100, will set off from John o' Groats in Scotland and conclude their journey at Lands End in England. They will be joined by a dedicated support crew on the journey, including Declan Carey, Charles McCarthy, Lar Fanning, and Donal OLochlainn. CRITICAL community and events officer, Marie Kennedy, paid tribute to The Irish Rovers for their efforts saying their support will go a long way in aiding our emergency medical response efforts across Ireland. We have a growing network of volunteer doctors, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and community first responders who give up their time to attend calls in their local areas. Fundraisers like this and donations from the public allow us to provide these volunteers with the equipment they need to be able to respond quickly and potentially save lives, she added. To make a donation to the fundraiser visit www.idonate.ie/event/greatvintagetractortour2024. Sydney swimmers are facing a new wave of delays at one of the harbours most popular beaches with the NSW government announcing a further setback to the reconstruction of a new stone seawall. Its been almost two years since Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in the upscale suburb of Vaucluse was shut for the replacement of the 160-metre barrier, which had been built in the 1930s, after it was significantly damaged by weather in recent years. The project, which began in March 2022, was initially meant to take nine months. But after the wettest start to a year on record, construction was delayed so badly that the December completion date was pushed back to 2023. Then there was a dispute with the original contractor over the $6,713,993 contract and a new contractor had to be brought in pushing back the now $11 million works to April 2024. It's been almost two years since Shark Beach was closed for the reconstruction of the damaged stone seawall. Source: Facebook New delay in Nielsen Park project But now the NSW government has revealed a further two-month delay due to a building blunder. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said the project was delayed when defects were found in recently constructed steel-reinforced concrete piles. From June to October last year, the contractor constructed 217 steel-reinforced concrete piles across the foreshore to hold a capping beam and bleachers in place and support the seawall. Unfortunately, during the quality assurance inspections, it was discovered that some of the piles had insufficient concrete coverage and were therefore considered defective. While the spokesperson said the necessary remediation work has been conducted at the cost of the contractor, its also cost time. The contractors program now indicates completion of the bleachers in May, with overall completion in June 2024, excluding any inclement weather or latent site conditions, they added. Story continues Outraged Sydney swimmers The local community is fed up with the delays to the seawall reconstruction at Nielsen Park, Allegra Spender, Federal Member for Wentworth, told Yahoo News Australia, saying Shark Beach was one of her familys favourite places for a dip. These setbacks are so disappointing and have led to another lost summer at one of our most beautiful public swimming spots. People are extremely disappointed, and I share their frustration. Spender said she will be writing to the minister to make the voices of the Wentworth community heard and press for further action to ensure that Nielsen Park is opened to the public as soon as possible. Desperate need for netted beaches after Sydney shark attack Due to its large shark net and protection from ocean swells, Shark Beach is touted as one of the safest beaches in the area for swimming, made all the more vital after the recent shark attack in nearby Elizabeth Bay in which a 29-year-old woman was mauled on Monday night. The recent shark attack highlights the need for community access to as many netted harbour beaches as possible, there are so few as it is! one person wrote on Instagram. After the recent shark attack in the harbour, [I am] wanting this beach with the nets back even more than ever!! another commented. While others called for immediate ministerial intervention. This continues to be an appalling mismanagement of such an important Sydney asset and needs to be thoroughly examined so it never happens again. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Farmers protests took place in every county in Ireland last night, including at six locations around Cork - Clonakilty, Mitchelstown, Carrigtwohill, Ballincollig, Ballinhassig and Blarney. Colm O'Leary, Ballincollig, Robert Desmond, Inniscarra and David Dennehy, Cloghroe, all members of the Irish Farmers' Association taking part in a protest in Ballincollig, Cork. Conor OLeary, the lead farmer of the protest told The Echo that around 550 tractors participated altogether, with 250 of these driving into the city centre from the bridges on approach roads. He said, The background is that weve had a very difficult 2023 with the application of new regulations that dont work. He explained that they had already held several protests around Cork, including in Bandon and Carrigaline, last year. Jerry Forde, Waterfall, Tom Desmond, Ovens and Tim Forde, Waterfall, all members of the Irish Farmers' Association taking part in a protest in solidarity with their EU counterparts, in Ballincollig, Cork. European farmers went out protesting, reflecting many of the same issues weve been having, so our farmers just wanted to do something to show solidarity and to show people what the situation is like for us. Nitrates, late payments, refusal on VAT, nature restoration, and the issues with the new regulations is that theres a lot of mixed messaging coming at us, so frustration levels are very high," he said. He added that the protest came together very quickly, saying the farmers wanted to do it, and we said wed do it immediately rather than waiting around, so it was agreed the evening before at about 9pm, and planning went into operation at 9am yesterday morning. It was an extraordinary turnout for such a quick turn around, he said, adding that it was a peaceful protest. We were very taken by the support we received, people applauding from the footpaths and taking videos, so there was a very exciting atmosphere in the city last night. MEMBERS of a church that was significantly damaged following a fire this week are turning to the public for help as they scramble to find a new venue to celebrate Chinese New Year. On Monday, emergency services were called to a blaze at the church on Princes Street which destroyed the buildings interior. Cork-born Buddhist nun Mary OConnor was among those due to mark the event at the Unitarian Church on Saturday, February 10. The festival celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. Celebrating Chinese New Year Practitioners travel from across the globe to celebrate Chinese New Year at the church every year. The majority of visitors normally comprise of senior teachers or lamas. Guests preparing for this years offering include a group of eight Buddhist monks who have already booked flights to attend the event. Several UK Buddhist nuns will also travel to Cork for the festival which includes the lighting of 1,000 candles each year. Mary O'Connor described their predicament. The flights are booked so they are coming regardless of whether we find another venue or not, she said of the Buddhist monks and nuns attending. There are long chants so we need people who are very accomplished chanters. They need to have been practising for a very long time. We fly around the world to support each other so having the fire happen just before their visit was devastating. We normally have a service there every Sunday. However, we can't do that now because the fire officer said the building is completely unusable for the moment. Venue where members can light candles She described their hopes for Chinese New Year. What I'm looking for is another venue where we can light candles. We have been offered the option of using LED lights. However, having LED candles is a bit like asking a priest to have a virtual host. People light candles and make a wish for their loved ones and themselves for the year which is why they are so important. This theme is peace and love because the world is in such a terrible state at the moment. The Cork woman reiterated their desperation for help. What happened was a disaster but Im throwing it out into the universe and trusting that the people of Cork will come together to help. She emphasised the importance of the event. Buddhism is open to everyone. You dont have to convert to practise. You can be anything from a Catholic Buddhist to a Muslim Buddhist or even an atheist Buddhist. Everyone is welcome because thats what Buddhism is all about. We have representatives from all the major faith groups coming for the Chinese New Year event. A young man who got addicted to prescription tablets including Benzodiazepines was jailed for four months for shoplifting. Leigh Moran, 29, of St. Vincents hostel, Anglesea Terrace, Cork, was caught stealing alcohol at Lidl on Cornmarket Steet on December 18 last and stealing runners at TK Maxx nearby on an earlier occasion, October 18, 2023. He had 16 previous convictions, Sergeant John Kelleher said at Cork District Court where the accused pleaded guilty. Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the accused was studying Spanish and woodwork in prison and attending at Narcotics Anonymous to deal with what was described as a significant addiction. Fortunately, he has completely detoxed in prison and is on a drug-free landing. And he intends to continue with his rehabilitation on his release from prison, Mr Buttimer said. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a four-month jail term on the accused. The sentence will run concurrently with another jail term imposed previously for assaulting a security officer apprehending him for a shoplifting incident. The switching off of lighting on the Ballincollig bypass is causing road traffic accidents, a Cork city South Central councillor has claimed. Independent councillor Mick Finn contacted the TII in December, saying that there had been at least two multiple car pile-ups since the removal of the street lights. Since then, another incident occurred, with a Garda spokesperson confirming that emergency services attended an incident on January 24 where a man was injured. Different strategy Mr Finn told The Echo: Im asking for a different strategy taking out whole sections of lights is reckless, and contrary to other road safety campaigns. TII confirmed that the street lights have been switched off on the N40/N22 Ballincollig Bypass (mainline plus N40 junctions 1 and 2, and N22 junctions 2 and 3) for environmental reasons. Mr Finn stated in an email to TII: The decision to remove all lighting in one area instead of perhaps some lighting in a wider stretch seems to me at best reckless, and while it may be a climate target induced decision, it is contrary to other Government campaigns and investments to make our roads safer. There should be no compromising road safety infrastructure, including proper lighting, and I am asking that this move is examined and reversed or dilute where possible and particularly on the N40. Mr Finn told The Echo: Making roads as safe as possible for motorists is a role of TII and plunging stretches into darkness is not the way to do that. A different solution to achieve climate targets is required ... perhaps more selective switch-offs across a wider area where the impact for drivers can be negated/diluted. Report A spokesperson for the TII shared with The Echo a report compiled during the pilot phase of the streetlight removal, explaining: An evaluation of the pilot study was carried out looking at An Garda Siochana Pulse collision data for time intervals before and after the pilot study began. Collision data records for 32 months before, and 16 months after the lighting change implementation were examined. The report explains: The results of the pilot study indicate that there is no significant safety difference between the control sites and the treated sites. There was no significant change in the proportion of collisions occurring during the hours of darkness observed in the before and after data examined. Further collision analysis looked at both injury and material damage collisions. The statistical analysis found that there is no significant difference in injury and material damage collisions from the before and after periods of the pilot study. Limitations to this study include a small sample size of junctions to pilot the lighting switch-off as well as a lack of exposure data, which means that any changes to traffic volumes were not part of the analysis, and a shorter than anticipated after period of collision analysis due to the impacts of covid-19. Monitor The report added: However, TII Safety and Network Operations sections continue to monitor the performance of all junctions, with no trends emerging which would contradict the analysis to date. A TII spokesperson confirmed to Mr Finn: Reducing route lighting consumption will continue to play a significant role in TIIs efforts. Over one month after he contacted TII, Mr Finn said that the streetlights are still off, and that the road is still pitch black. Mr Finn added: The lighting scenario on a stretch of the N40 in Ballincollig is just not good enough and is totally at variance with other Government measures to improve road safety. Rather than creating a black hole, surely theres a way of reducing the lighting footprint in a more gradual, targeted way the TII practice being deployed here is unsafe, in my opinion, and needs immediate reversal. A 39-year-old Cork woman shouted at a man in the centre of Cork city to f*** off back to your own country at a time then there was a lot of people on the street. Now at Cork District Court, Jennifer Rodgers has pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and being drunk and a danger at the time. Drink brings out a side of me I really dont like, she said. Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said, that from the end of 2022 to the middle of 2023, Ms Rodgers did stay off alcohol against a background of a longtime difficulty with drink. Mr Burke said a traumatic event sent her back into the spiral of alcohol addiction again. In relation to this incident, she would be the first to say that the language used was very unsavoury to say the least but she was in the depths of intoxication. Some of her other intoxication charges relate to times like 8.30 in the morning, showing how bad she was in terms of her addiction. Housing First are very good to her. And she has engaged with Coolmine. She could not handle the trauma that beset her family and got into these difficulties. She is planning to go back to Crosshaven when she is released from prison, Mr Burke said at Cork District Court. Arrested Ms Rodgers, who was living with Cork Simon Community, was arrested on Sunday morning, January 14, for stealing a bottle of vodka valued 22 from Tesco on Paul Street that morning shortly after 11am. She was charged at the Bridewell with shoplifting arising out of this and then released on station bail to turn up at Cork District Court on Wednesday, January 17. However, she was arrested again later that Sunday afternoon and charged with stealing another bottle of vodka valued 22 this time from Dunnes Stores on Patrick Street. Now she has pleaded guilty to those and other thefts and public order offences. She stole a small item from Phelans pharmacy on Patrick Street on September 20, 2023, and she made the remark to the man about going back to his own country during a drunken incident on December 5 2023 at Oliver Plunkett Street. She also called a garda a f***ing c***t and said to him, F*** off, your rookie, go back to Templemore. At The Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street, on New Years Day, she went behind a counter and stole a 40 bottle of Martini. She has 65 previous convictions for theft, 18 for being drunk and a danger and five for engaging in threatening behaviour. At Cork District Court, the defendant said: I really really really want to get back on track. Compensation Mr Burke said she would gather that 125 in compensation for the various thefts. The solicitor asked for a probation report to be prepared on the accused when she is in custody. Judge Mary Dorgan said: As I have said before, these (shoplifting offences) are not victimless crimes. The judge also asked for a prison governors report on the defendant, reminding her: When you are sober you are not offending. Ms Rodgers said: I have had time to reflect. I am a completely different person when Im on alcohol. I am not getting any younger. Drink brings out a side of me I really dont like. Sentencing was put back until February 14. MOST children play video games and many parents have concerns about it - including children being able to talk to strangers or becoming a target of bullying. And now a new worry has been added to that list of concerns a large new review has found video gamers, including children and teenagers, are at risk of irreversible hearing loss and tinnitus. The review of 14 global studies involving more than 50,000 people found that sound levels on video games are often near, or exceed, safe limits. The study, published in journal BMJ Public Health, concluded that gamers who are listening at high-intensity sound levels and for long periods of time may be at risk of permanent sound-induced hearing loss and/or tinnitus. So is this extra evidence that children and young people should be discouraged from gaming? Not necessarily, says Dr Sangeet Bhullar, founder of WISE KIDS, which promotes digital literacy and wellbeing in children. Online gaming can have both health risks and benefits for children and young people, he stresses. Risks can include disrupted sleep and increased aggression, with excessive gaming also being linked to attention problems and depression. Conversely, we also know gaming can have benefits such as improving mood, promoting relaxation, reducing anxiety, and strengthening social connections, social and cognitive skills. The key here is balance and moderation, and ensuring children and young people have physically active lives with good friendships and support networks. Parental involvement is particularly important for parents of younger children, and gaming together can be a really important way to bond. But although there are clearly risks and benefits to gaming, its important for parents to at least be aware of the health risks. They include 1. Hearing problems Excessive gaming for your child can present various health risks, particularly when it comes to ear health, says Christina Kourie, a clinical audiologist at Pindrop Hearing. One significant concern is the potential for hearing loss. When exposed to loud gaming sounds or music through headphones for extended periods, your childs hearing may be at risk. Gamers often near, or exceed, permissible safe limits, which can cause permanent hearing loss in the near future. She stresses its crucial to monitor usage particularly in younger children and encourage them to use headphones at a reasonable volume to safeguard their hearing over time. 2. Repetitive stress injuries Overuse injuries of the hands and arms are rampant among gamers, says Dr Peter Grinspoon, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School in the USA. An example of these repetitive stress injuries is carpal tunnel syndrome, which involves inflammation of a nerve in the wrist, causing pain and numbness. Theres also gamers thumb, which happens when the tendons that move the thumb become inflamed, leading to swelling and limited movement, and trigger finger, when a finger gets stuck in the bent position due to chronic inflammation. 3. Obesity A study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found video game playing increases food intake in adolescents, and it concluded: A single session of video game play in healthy male adolescents is associated with an increased food intake, regardless of appetite sensations. Add to that the fact that teenage gamers are sitting in front of a screen for hours every day without getting exercise, and its not surprising that obesity may be a consequence. Gaming is associated with obesity in teens, says Grinspoon. This is due to the obvious phenomenon that if a teen is sitting in front of a screen for hours every day, he or she isnt getting much exercise. The obesity is also thought to be due to increased food intake while playing video games. Excessive use of video games is linked to sleep disorders and poor sleep quality. 4. Disrupted Sleep Various studies have associated gaming with sleep deprivation, insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders, and Bhullar says: A study published in Scientific Reports indicated that video gaming may disrupt sleep by displacing sleep time, leading to reduced sleep duration and delayed bedtimes. And he says another review published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions reported that excessive use of video games is linked to sleep disorders and poor sleep quality. 5. Addiction The number of people aged over 13 being treated for gaming disorders when someone struggles to control how often they play video games increased by more than half from 2021 to 2022, according to the National Centre for Gaming Disorders in the UK. In addition, the number of family members of those suffering from a disorder receiving treatment increased by 46%. The National Centre for Gaming Disorders founder and director Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones says: Gaming disorders can have a significant impact on children and their family to the extent it can take over and stop them from living their normal daily life. From avoiding school or work, engaging in violence, to family breakdowns, the harms to those suffering can be significant. We also know as with other addictive and mental health disorders, the earlier they are identified and treated, the more successful the outcomes will be for both the individual but also for the wellbeing of the family members who are also impacted negatively by someones excessive gaming. Simona Skripkauskaite. See PA Feature FAMILY Gaming. 6. Impaired wellbeingor not? A 2022 University of Oxford study found that although many school-age adolescents are spending considerable time gaming, its not usually having a negative impact on their wellbeing. The studys lead author, Dr Simona Skripkauskaite, says: Intensive video game use in itself does not necessarily equate to mental health problems. Although traditionally studies on video game or digital media use have found negative associations with wellbeing, a growing body of recent evidence shows that direct links between time spent engaging with digital technology and adolescent wellbeing or mental ill-health are either non-existent or weak. She says her study found most heavy gamers were experiencing no negative wellbeing effects, and 44% reported higher wellbeing than those who played games less or didnt play them at all. The few gamers whose wellbeing was poorer were more likely to be female and report gaming on their mobile phones, Skripkauskaite explains. They were also more likely to report previous experiences of abuse or anxiety and aggressive behaviours, suggesting that those with traumatic experiences and mental health issues may turn to gaming as a coping mechanism. Big dance music events in Cork have been fairly sparse in recent years but things are certainly looking up. This summer Bicep, Joy Orbison, Belters Only, Jazzy, Becky Hill, and more will touch down, and theres a lot of excitement about these shows. Nearly 30 years ago Cork hosted its version of one of the country's first big huge music festivals, in Feile, which welcomed the likes of The Prodigy, Underworld, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, Moby, The Orb, and Orbital to what is still considered to be one of the best festival line-ups this country ever had. Lots of these acts were big at the time, but some went on to become much bigger over time, and many returned to Cork in much bigger venues too (many of the dance acts played in a tent next to Pairc Ui Chaoimh). It was a line-up that was years ahead of its time and dance music in Cork was in rude health in that era. The bar and club scene was vibrant and the Feile after-parties in Sir Henrys and other venues were packed. In 1995 we didnt really have much of a festival culture in Ireland and this was still a few years before Homelands and Creamfields helped bring a dance festival culture which really exploded in the 2000s. Dance music has been mainstream for many years now and it is now dominating the pop charts and commercial radio. This is reflected in the announcements that are already in place for the big shows this summer in Cork and elsewhere. Last June both the Chemicals and Prodigy returned to Independent Park (now Virgin Media Park), and this summer the Turners Cross venue welcomes Becky Hill, Belters Only, and Jazzy. Weve intermittently had the likes of Justice, Sonny Fodera, Orbital, and Faithless at the Marquee, but apart from this, and the odd big show at Indiependence Festival, Cork has been relatively starved of huge dance shows in recent years. There have been some big acts in the clubs (Kerri Chandler returns to Cyprus Avenue soon) but ultimately, the kind of acts that attract 5,000-plus cant play here outside the short window of the Marquee and Virgin Media Park. The Bicep news is therefore really welcome and they have programmed a one-day party that also features the legendary Joy Orbison. The Belfast duo are also welcoming Sally C and Shee to the bill which is part DJ set part live show with lights and visuals designed by David Rudnick. Added to those previously announced Belters Only, Becky Hill, and Jazzy shows over in Virgin Media Park, it really does elevate the status of Cork as a dance music destination this summer. The club scene isnt amazing at the moment but theres a lot of promoters and DJs doing their thing in bars and other venues, and theres a good buzz amongst the young people regarding dance music at the moment here. Lets hope we get even more big shows soon. Weve recently had a number of dance music events in Cork City Hall, which hosted techno and house on Culture Night and at the jazz weekend. It was also used by the Good Room over Christmas. Cork Opera House has a lot of other commitments, but it was at least open to us for the Cork Jazz Festival, and there were some great nights there during the October Bank holiday weekend. I wrote recently about how we can utilise other venues a bit better, and Im sure our dance community would support this too. Many of the big live music promoters have been a little more cagey since covid and this is reflected in the way that some festivals are running less regularly and with smaller line-ups. Indie at Mitchelstown takes a well-earned break this summer while Longitude, another huge rite of passage festival for the post-Leaving Cert crowd, has a more stripped-back line-up these days. Its now a two-day event rather than a three-day one and its line-up is full of big hitters. Doja Cat, Central Cee, 21 Savage, D-Block Europe, Joel Corry and Becky Hill are on the bill, as are Dubliners Belters Only and Jazzy. Its great to see Irish acts playing the big stages of such festivals. Jonathan McCambridge, PA From a background steeped in republicanism, Michelle ONeill has risen to the cusp of making history as Northern Irelands first nationalist first minister. When MLAs gather at Stormont on Saturday, 47-year-old Ms ONeill will finally be nominated to the position she became entitled to by leading Sinn Fein to victory in the 2022 Assembly elections. Her ascent has been delayed by the DUPs boycott of the powersharing institutions. Since the collapse of Stormont, Ms ONeill has been the face of her partys long campaign to have the Assembly restored, repeatedly promoted as a first minister for all. When she appeared with party leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Great Hall of Stormont this week, after the DUP agreed to end the political impasse, the two women were quick to point out the huge political significance of the moment, stating that their ultimate strategy of Irish unity is within touching distance. Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle ONeill (Sinn Fein/PA) Ms ONeill and Ms McDonald have forged a formidable partnership. Ms McDonald leads Sinn Feins electoral charge in the Republic, while Ms ONeill has grown in prominence as the Stormont leader. Together, their public appearances are often cheerful and personable, a departure from the men in grey suits image of politics in past years. Also, both women come from a generation of republicanism which had no direct role in IRA activities, unlike previous leaders such as Martin McGuinness. While the symbolism of having a republican first minister at Stormont will not go unnoticed, the political reality is that the first and deputy first minster posts hold equal authority. It is often cited in Northern Ireland that one cannot send a letter without the signature of the other. Michelle ONeill and Arlene Foster led the Stormont response to the Covid pandemic (Mark Marlow/PA) Ms ONeill knows this better than most, having previously served as deputy first minister alongside the DUPs Arlene Foster and Paul Givan when they occupied the office of first minister. During that time, however, Stormonts overwhelming priority was dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. When devolved government returns to Northern Ireland on Saturday, Ms ONeill and her new team of ministerial colleagues will be tasked with dealing with a budget crisis and crumbling public services. Born Michelle Doris on January 10th, 1977, in Fermoy, Co Cork, Ms ONeill was raised in the village of Clonoe in rural Co Tyrone in a family of prominent republicans. Her father, Brendan Doris, was a former IRA prisoner who later became a Sinn Fein councillor in Dungannon. Her uncle, Paul Doris, was the president of Noraid, a republican fundraising group. She had her daughter Saoirse at the age of 16 and her own mother gave up work so she could continue her education. In a 2021 interview, Ms ONeill spoke about the difficulties of being a teenage mother from a Catholic background. She said: Certainly I had some very, very negative experiences when I was pregnant. The school that I went to werent particularly supportive at times. Certainly not all of them, but some in the school. I went to a Catholic grammar. You were nearly made to feel girls like you cant be at school, that kind of a thing. She had her second child, Ryan, five years later. Last year she became a grandmother. Her political career began when she replaced her father on Dungannon Borough Council in 2005, later becoming the first woman to hold the post of mayor in the borough. Martin McGuinness with Michelle ONeill (Liam McBurney/PA) She was first elected to the Stormont Assembly in 2007, alongside party veterans Mr McGuinness and Francie Molloy, as representatives for Mid Ulster. Mr Molloy, now the areas MP, said of her: She is not one of these people who rushes into commentary on things, she would be a good listener and sit back and observe and take account of things, so she would not be a reactionary sort of person. She would certainly be more on the lines of consideration and looking at all the effects of it and looking at the good points of people as well as the issues. Ms ONeill soon became Sinn Feins Stormont spokesperson for health and sat on the education committee. Her rapid rise within the party continued when she was appointed agriculture minister in 2011. In 2015, she took on her more high profile role of health minister, where one of her first actions was to lift the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood. By the time Sinn Fein collapsed powersharing institutions in 2017, in protest at the DUPs handling of the bungled green energy scheme, then deputy first minister Mr McGuinness was in poor health and Ms ONeill had been identified as his replacement. Following Mr McGuinnesss death later that year, she became Sinn Feins Stormont leader and the following year was elected as vice president. She then led her partys team in the talks process which led to the restoration of Stormont in 2020. In January of that year, Ms ONeill became Stormonts deputy first minister, just months before the Covid pandemic struck. The powersharing executive was to be in place for just two years before the DUP collapsed it again in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. In 2022, Sinn Fein, with Ms ONeill at the forefront, made history when it became the biggest party in Northern Ireland during the Assembly elections for the first time, a result repeated in the 2023 council elections. Michelle ONeill was one of a number of Sinn Fein leaders criticised for attending the funeral of Bobby Storey (Liam McBurney/PA) However, Ms ONeill has also faced criticism in the past for her attendance at events commemorating IRA members. In 2020, she faced calls to resign as deputy first minister after attending the funeral of republican Bobby Storey in Belfast in 2020 at a time when strict limits on such events were in place due to the pandemic. In 2022, ONeill said in an interview there was no alternative to the IRAs armed campaign during the Troubles. She said: I dont think any Irish person ever woke up one morning and thought that conflict was a good idea, but the war came to Ireland. I think at the time there was no alternative, but now, thankfully, we have an alternative to conflict and thats the Good Friday Agreement. Michelle ONeill at the coronation of Britain's King Charles III (Phil Noble/PA) However, Ms ONeill has also broken new ground for republicans through her attendance at the funeral of Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and the coronation of the King Charles in 2023. She said: We live in changing times, and it was the respectful thing to do, to show respect and to be here for all those people at home [to whom] I had said I would be a first minister for all. Attendance here is about honouring that and fulfilling my promise. By David Young and Jonathan McCambridge, PA The new Stormont powersharing executive will be united in dealing with the unfinished business of funding for public services in Northern Ireland, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said. Party leaders met at Stormont Castle to discuss the key priorities for the incoming executive ahead of it being formed on Saturday. The DUP has given the green light for the recall of the Assembly on the back of its deal with the Government, which the party leader says has effectively removed the so-called Irish Sea border for goods moving from Great Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland. On Thursday, two pieces of legislation contained in the agreement to resurrect devolution were fast-tracked through the British House of Commons. DUP leader Sir Jeffery Donaldson said the new executive needed to have a sense of what its priorities are (Brian Lawless/PA) Speaking following the meeting with other parties, the DUP leader said: It is important when the executive meets that we have a real sense of what those priorities are for everyone in Northern Ireland. We are looking forward to the Assembly meeting tomorrow, going through the formalities, getting devolution restored. He would not be drawn on who his party will nominate for the role of deputy first minister an office that wields the same powers as the first minister. However, there has been speculation that Lagan Valley MLA Emma Little-Pengelly will take on the role. The UK government has offered a 3.3 billion (3.9 billion) package to secure Northern Irelands finances when the Assembly returns, including 600 million to settle public sector pay claims. However, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson indicated that the parties would be working together to secure more cash from the Treasury. He said: We had a really good discussion around the table with the other parties. We agreed with the other parties that this is a priority, you will hear more about that in the coming days. There is agreement about what we need to get from the Government. You will not have to wait long to see the new executive in action, making those priorities clear to the Treasury and pressing them for additional funding which is required. The finance piece is unfinished business which we intend to finish. He also has said he will hold the Governments feet to the fire to ensure it delivers on the deal which has restored devolution, set out in a command paper titled Safeguarding the Union. There is undoubtedly a trust issue here, the DUP leader told BBC Radio Ulster. I will hold the Governments feet to the fire, there are new mechanisms. Im not just relying on the UK Government. Theres a new independent monitoring panel to be established under this agreement, which will hold the Governments feet to the fire as an independent body. Doug Beattie, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party speaks to the media outside Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie confirmed his party will enter the Northern Ireland executive when it is restored. He said he saw a sense of cohesion among the parties which would form the executive. When the Northern Ireland Assembly does reconvene at Parliament Buildings on Saturday, it will witness the historically significant moment of the appointment of its first nationalist First Minister, Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill. Ms ONeill and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long also attended Fridays meeting, but left without speaking to the media. Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle ONeill and MLA Conor Murphy leave Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) While Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has secured the backing of a majority of party colleagues to accept the deal, there are those within the DUP who remain deeply sceptical of the proposed agreement to restore powersharing. The DUP leader is also facing opposition outside his party. However, the DUP leader was given a significant boost on Friday when a high-profile Orange Order chief declared his personal support for the package. Grand Secretary of the Orange Order Mervyn Gibson, writing in the Belfast Telegraph, said while the deal was not perfect, it was a win for unionist determination and unity, and needs to be accepted as such. On Friday a former attorney general for Northern Ireland rejected the contention that a Government deal to restore Stormont had removed an Irish Sea border. Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson and TUV leader Jim Allister on the steps of Stormont (Brian Lawless/PA) John Larkin KC was commissioned by several vocal opponents of the agreement to assess the legal effect of the measures. The legal opinion was commissioned by TUV leader Jim Allister, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib and Baroness Kate Hoey. But Sir Jeffrey said he fundamentally disagreed with the conclusions of Mr Larkins legal opinion. The UK government has faced questions in Parliament from Brexiteer backbenchers who have expressed concern that the deal agreed with the DUP would place limits on the UKs ability to diverge from EU regulations. Ministers have sought to reassure MPs that the measures will not affect the UKs capacity to diverge. The paper commits to replacing the Windsor Frameworks green lane process at Northern Ireland ports, which requires percentages of goods to be checked as they arrive from Britain, with a UK internal market system that will govern the movement of goods that remain within the UK. The Stormont Assembly will return on Saturday following a two-year deadlock (Liam McBurney/PA) Checks would still be carried out but on a risk-based/intelligence-led model to combat illegality and disease, rather than routine stops of disembarking lorries. Businesses using the internal market system would also need to be signed up to a trusted trader scheme. The measure to reduce checks on British/Northern Irish trade is part of a wide-ranging deal agreed between the DUP and the UK government that would bring about the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland after a two-year hiatus. TESTEX - your partner for OEKO-TEX certification SPONSORED CONTENT - TESTEX is a globally operating and independent Swiss testing and certification institute. Our expertise lies in testing, analysing and certifying textiles and leather, and we are one of the official OEKO-TEX representatives. From the raw material to the finished product we set standards and support brands, retailers and manufacturers in achieving their environmental, social responsibility and quality goals. OEKO-TEX certification enables consumers and companies to protect our planet by making responsible decisions. With its modular system, OEKO-TEX offers independent certifications and services to have products tested for harmful substances, to protect the environment and to ensure fair working conditions for people working in the textile and leather supply chain. OEKO-TEX RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS: a step ahead of regulatory requirements OEKO-TEX RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS is a management tool to meet due diligence requirements in the textile and leather industry. It certifies the management system of a company with a step-by-step approach to integrating human rights and environmental criteria into their management processes, allowing them to fulfil their due diligence obligations along their supply chains and identify risks at an early stage. The RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS certification fulfils the requirements of the new German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettengesetz), which aims to protect the rights of people who produce goods for the German market, including garments and other textiles. The bill also covers environmental protection. To guarantee better human rights protection, companies must ensure human rights along their entire supply chain and set up grievance mechanisms and report on their activities. Find out everything you need to know in our OEKO-TEX RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS Q&A and video: www.testex.com Australia has a problem and it keeps getting worse says rental advocate Jordie van den Berg after witnessing the "dangerous" conditions some tenants are forced to live with and the latest incident is especially "confronting". Three tenants have been forced to live in a three-bedroom sharehouse in Melbourne's inner-city without a ceiling after part of it came crashing down unexpectedly narrowly missing one by a few centimetres. Two months later, the damage is yet to be repaired, the tenants claim. They've also been made to pay their full $2000-a-month despite the property's sub-par condition. What's more, the SES who were called to inspect the damage discovered the lounge room roof was being held up by the air-conditioning unit, which was covered in mould and it could fall down at any moment. Melbourne tenants living in a three-bedroom sharehouse say their roof collapsed unexpectedly, but nothing was done about it for two months, Source: Jordie van den Berg Tenants 'don't feel safe' in own home One of the tenants Dyxi Mohammed told Van den Berg they were "very lucky" no one was injured but said they no longer feel safe in their home. "My housemate was getting ready in her bedroom then walked out of her doorway and it just collapsed behind her," she told Van den Berg, who is renowned for calling out problem rental properties. "Shes pretty lucky because one second beforehand she would have been KOd." Mohammed said it was a "huge shock" and remembers clearly "big pieces of the ceiling came crashing down onto the bed". "All the dirt and fibres were everywhere, the bedsheets were covered, the whole room was black and dust lined the house," she told the ABC."Being here at home, is just not a safe feeling". Advocates 'mad' about serious rental problem Van den Berg told Yahoo News Australia it was "quite confronting" after visiting the property last week and while it's certainly shocking and "dangerous" for the tenants living there, he said he's "seen far worse" which speaks to a larger problem. Story continues "It's really sad. It's depressing and I'm mad about it. We shouldn't have this in Australia. We're better than that," he told Yahoo on Friday. He said tenants are often "powerless" when it comes to landlord inaction, and Mohammed and her housemates are a prime example of that. The Melbourne tenants were allegedly told the property was "still safe to live in" and their request for a rent reduction was rejected. "We sent a lot of e-mails to the real estate demanding more action the response we received was quite underwhelming," the frustrated tenant told ABC saying they didn't consider the "gravity of the situation". Rental advocate Jordie van den Berg visited the property where Dyxi Mohammed feels 'unsafe' after the ceiling collapsed. Source:Jordie van den Berg Real estate agency responds to tenant's claims After sharing his video online outing the real estate Bekdone Rochards who manages the property, Van den Berg said the tenants were finally made an offer, and questioned the timing. However, Bedkon Richards director Paul Richards told Yahoo conversations about compensation "were had prior to any social media posts existing". He said the "urgent issue was acted upon immediately" and that "further steps have been taken to ensure the safety of the renters". This includes a "make-safe, building and structural inspection, asbestos inspection, insurance assessment and various quotes for rectification whilst adhering to all legislative requirements we are governed by". "Discussions regarding compensation to the renters are in process with the rental provider to determine a fair and reasonable amount," Richards said. "Additional offers have also been made to assist in finding an alternative suitable rental property, along with the offer of a rent-free period to assist with moving costs which as of close of business yesterday was yet to be accepted or declined by the renters." The roof has remained unfixed for more than two months. Source: Jordie van den Berg Renters encouraged to seek advice during housing crisis The rental advocate encourages renters to speak up and seek advice where needed, starting with each state's tenant organisation or local MP. He said property managers often"don't have any incentive to do anything until they're forced to". "It's quite obvious we've got a problem here in Australia and it's a problem that keeps getting worse," he said. "The government's solution at the moment is to build a couple of houses 10 years from now, which is not going to help anyone who was evicted yesterday. "We do need a long-term solution, but we also need short-term relief because people are struggling now". Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Cows graze in the shadow of the coal-fired Chalk Point Generating Station in Benedict, Maryland on May 29, 2014. Authors of a new study advocate for reducing livestock and fossil fuel emissions instead of seeking to offset them. Mark Wilson / Getty Images A new study highlights the risk of depending on soil carbon sequestration as a way to offset the emissions produced from raising livestock. The study found that offsetting the methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the global livestock industry would require 135 gigatonnes (135 billion metric tons) of carbon stocks. According to the authors, that amount is nearly double the carbon stored in managed grasslands globally. Some regions would require an increase in carbon sequestration in the soil of up to 2,000% to match livestock emissions. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. Peter Smith, co-author of the study and chair of the Plant and Soil Science at University of Aberdeen, said the study is a nail in the coffin for the suggestion that carbon sequestration can offset the methane emissions produced by the global livestock industry, as reported by DeSmog. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on its website that a single cow emits around 154 to 264 pounds of methane per year. While methane doesnt last as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it is about 28 times more potent. Methane is linked to about 30% of global warming, according to the International Energy Agency. Nitrous oxide, another commonly emitted gas from livestock, is a long-lasting greenhouse gas that is about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In total, livestock emissions are estimated to make up around 11.1% to 19.6% of total global emissions, The Breakthrough Institute reported. Another study published in March 2023 revealed that veterinary antibiotics used for livestock can further limit the ability of soil to sequester carbon. Further, the March 2023 study noted that the microbial carbon use efficiency on soils under livestock areas was 19% lower than areas with native herbivores. In New Zealand, the agriculture industry is already looking toward other methods to minimize emissions, knowing that depending on carbon stocks in soil wouldnt be sufficient. Professor Louis Schipper at Waikato University told Farmers Weekly, We already have high soil carbon stocks and no evidence of gains on flat land. A possibly more important consideration is avoiding losses of existing soil carbon stocks, such as from drained peat soil, excessive periodic cropping with bare ground and large offtakes. The authors of the new study said the primary goal is to reduce emissions, rather than offset them. In addition to phasing out fossil fuels, the authors suggested solutions such as reducing the number of livestock, improving animal health and better managing livestock waste. Additionally, the authors wrote that there will need to be more efforts to restore grasslands, preserve their stored carbon and continue to increase carbon stocks. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. A first-of-its-kind study by researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) has found that older elephants will have less chance of survival as the climate warms, and this will reverberate throughout the surrounding landscape. The research team has developed models for potential mitigation scenarios, which have already begun to be implemented by WCS, a press release from UMass Amherst said. We found that the older elephants will be massively affected by warming under every scenario, said lead author of the study Simon Nampindo, WCS Ugandas country director, in the press release. The Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL) of Africa is a 6,062-square-mile region of mountains, lakes and savannas in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The land home to Africas largest land animals is 88 percent protected and contains three wildlife reserves, three tropical high-forest preserves and seven national parks. Three of the conservation areas are world heritage sites. The African elephant population living in this collection of nature reserves has experienced such a decline in the last century that its members are on the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List as a critically endangered species. Elephants are matriarchal their leaders are the older cows, and the herds depend on their wisdom, long memories and ability to outsmart prey, and if they are lost to changing climate, it will wreak havoc on the surviving, younger herds, as well as change the genetic profiles and structures of the herd. There will also be ripple effects through the GVLs landscape, Nampindo said. Elephants are considered important ecosystem engineers because the way they modify their habitats helps to sustain the landscape. They uproot trees, which then become habitat for thousands of insects and small mammals, disperse seeds from the plants they eat and enrich soil with their dung. They are also culturally important to many Africans. Not many studies have taken an in-depth look into the interplay between elephant demography, climate change, the environment and how these gentle, intelligent mammals are influenced by their changing habitat over long periods of time. In order to get a more comprehensive idea of what the future has in store for elephants and what can be done to best safeguard them, Nampindo and Timothy Randhir, a UMass Amherst professor of environmental conservation, put together a systems dynamic model. This model can look at all the different environmental and population dynamics within a system. For the first time, were able to get a comprehensive vision of what the future might look like for African elephants in the face of climate change, Nampindo said. The study, Dynamic modeling of African elephant populations under changing climate and habitat loss across the Greater Virunga Landscape, was published in the journal PLOS Sustainability and Transformation. To build their model, Randhir and Nampindo used data on historical landscape changes, elephant numbers and various future climate change scenarios with warming of 1.6 degrees, 2.8 degrees and 4.3 degrees Celsius over the course of the next eight decades. Then they charted each climate scenarios effect on five different age ranges: less than 10 years old; 11 to 30; 31 to 40; 41 to 50; and more than 50. [A]ny impact on one age class has a community effect throughout the entire population. But this model not only tells us what the threats are, we can also use it to tell us which policy possibilities will be most effective in helping African elephants to survive, Randhir said in the press release. Because elephants have such a wide range that can cross national boundaries, understanding how different policies may affect future herds is important so that responses can be coordinated by management agencies. Randhir and Nampindo found that a locally, regionally and nationally coordinated GVL management plan is necessary to address threats from poaching. They emphasized the importance of education and programs led by communities in villages and towns where interactions between humans and elephants is common, in addition to well-funded anti-poaching strategies. These results are very important to WCS, Nampindo said. If we can do a good job at protecting elephants, our efforts will reverberate to other species, such as lions and mountain gorillas. The landscape of the GVL itself also requires proper management to reduce fires, habitat fragmentation and invasive species. More broadly, the most exciting thing about this systems dynamic modeling is that it can be adapted to any migratory species that move across political boundaries, from fish to birds to lions, Randhir added. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, speaks during a plenary session on day thirteen of the UNFCCC COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Dec. 13, 2023. Fadel Dawod / Getty Images In a speech in Azerbaijan on Friday, United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell said the world needs at least $2.4 trillion each year to keep global climate goals within reach. Stiell, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, gave a timeline of the measures and funding that will be needed to implement Paris Agreement goals and keep Earths temperature below 1.5 degree Celsius. We must spend the year working collectively to evolve our global financial system so its fit-for-purpose, with a clear plan to meaningfully execute the climate transition, Stiell told students at Bakus Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Looking at the numbers, its clear that to achieve this transition, we need money, and lots of it. $2.4 trillion, if not more. Azerbaijan is set to host the COP29 climate summit this November. It was the first major speech Stiell had given since COP28 in Dubai last year, reported Reuters. $2.4 trillion is what the High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance estimates is needed every year to invest in renewable energy, adaptation, and other climate-related issues in developing countries, excluding China, Stiell said in the address. Whether on slashing emissions or building climate-resilience, its already blazingly obvious that finance is the make-or-break factor in the worlds climate fight in quantity, quality, and innovation. The major focus of the climate conference in Azerbaijan will be climate finance. Governments will be asked to come up with a new goal for raising capital after 2025 for developing countries efforts to adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce fossil fuel emissions, Reuters reported. Just last year, nations met their 2009 goal of $100 billion annually for climate finance by 2020. [W]ithout far more finance, 2023s climate wins will quickly fizzle away into more empty promises, Stiell said. We need torrents not trickles of climate finance. By next years COP30 in Brazil, nations will need to have new, more forceful pledges ready for reducing emissions, as well as the funds to make them a reality, UN climate officials said, as reported by The Associated Press. Climate finance must not be quietly pilfered from aid budgets, Stiell said in the speech. 2024 is the year multi-lateral development banks must demonstrate with concrete actions their centrality in the worlds climate fight, and their determination to deliver impact at scale. They should take bold steps towards financial innovation that will double, if not triple, their collective financial capacity by 2030 particularly with respect to grants and concessional finance. Stiell warned against taking victory laps following the Global Stocktake agreement at COP28 in Dubai, considering there is so much work to be done. It will take an Olympian effort over the next two years to put us on track to where we need to be in 2030 and 2050. In fact, the action we take in the next two years will shape how much climate-driven destruction we can avoid over the next two decades, and far beyond, Stiell said. CP Foods' broiler farm recognised for smart farming excellence by Asian Productivity Organisation Thailand's Department of Livestock Development, in collaboration with the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), recognised CP Foods' Kroksomboon broiler farm for its exceptional adoption of smart farming technology, Asia Food Journal reported. The farm, celebrated for its commitment to animal welfare and sustainable practices, has become a key learning hub for APO members from 19 countries. In a recent visit, government officials, lecturers, farmers, and experts from the Asia Pacific region commended Kroksomboon Farm for its successful integration of digital solutions to enhance productivity in broiler farming. The collaborative effort aims to share valuable insights and best practices with small-scale farmers across the Asia Pacific, contributing to regional food security. Ratchada Asisonthisakul, director of the Special Project Promotion Division at the Thailand Productivity Institute, highlighted the educational significance of the farm visit. APO members gained practical insights into the implementation of smart farming systems and best practices in broiler farming. The knowledge acquired is expected to modernise livestock farming practices and policies in the region, fostering the development of the next generation of farmers. Dr Mukund Marotrao Kadam, associate professor at the Poultry Research and Training Centre, praised CP Foods' management and biosecurity measures. He said that the expertise shared by CP Foods will benefit farmers, students, and stakeholders, promoting growth in the livestock industry. Surachate Pinklao, senior director at CP Foods, underscored the company's dedication to creating advanced smart farms with a strong focus on animal welfare. Kroksomboon Farm, recognised by the Livestock Development Department for its innovative practices, showcases CP Foods' commitment to producing high-quality, safe, and chemical-free poultry. Kroksomboon Farm, known for being antibiotics-free and not using growth promoters, is a pioneer in poultry farming. Its flagship product, Benja Chicken, represents CP Foods' premium offering, raised under animal welfare practices without antibiotic use throughout its entire lifespan. The farm utilises cutting-edge digital technology and IoT systems for effective farm management and animal care. The Asian Productivity Organization (APO), a key international body dedicated to enhancing productivity in the Asia-Pacific region, included the visit to Kroksomboon Farm as a critical component of their international seminar on Smart Poultry Farming. This event facilitated knowledge sharing among government representatives, educational experts, and small and medium enterprise (SME) leaders in the livestock sector. - Asia Food Journal Peter Schiefer, President of Infineon's Automotive Division Infineon Technologies announced that Infineon and Honda Motor have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a strategic collaboration. Honda selects Infineon as semiconductor partner to align future product and technology roadmaps. The two companies also agreed to continue discussions on supply stability, as well as to encourage transferring mutual knowledge and collaborate on projects aimed at accelerating the time to market of technologies. Infineons system understanding, our broad product portfolio and outstanding quality have made us an appreciated partner to Japans automotive industry, said Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division at Infineon. We are honored to be the semiconductor partner for a strategic collaboration with Honda. Intensifying a long-standing partnership even further is always a confirmation of the added value created and at the same time an expression of the trust in contributing to future successes. Infineon will support Honda with technologies to enable competitive and advanced vehicles. The technical support will focus on the area of power semiconductors, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), and E/E architectures, where both parties will collaborate on new architecture concepts. Lesen Sie mehr zum Thema Doctors say a one year old toddler is "very, very lucky" to be alive after he was accidentally strangled by his mum's hair while laying in bed beside her, with his parents waking to their son unconscious between them. In the early hours of Tuesday morning the youngster climbed into bed and fell asleep between his parents when they were "woken by some quiet but very distressing crying". Despite attempting to turn and soothe her child, the mum was unable to move from her sleeping position. "I tried to look over my shoulder as my son always steals my pillow, but I couldn't move my head. Something was pulling me down," she recalled to Tiny Hearts Education. The one year old was strangled by his mum's hair while he lay beside her in bed. Source: Instagram Able to freely move, her partner was horrified to find her long hair was wrapped around their son's neck restricting his airways. He began to "rip" the hair from around his son's neck in attempt to free him. "His neck had a deep strangulation mark from my hair and he had Petechiae (broken blood vessels) all over his face and neck... He stopped breathing, and we really thought he was gone," the mum said. Parents 'shaken' by 'rare' incident The child suffered from hair tourniquet a loss of circulation caused by a tightly wounded strand of hair around a body part. The risk is often greater to young child given their bodies are smaller, according to Healthline. After rushing their son to hospital, doctors confirmed it had been a "near-death experience" and the family are "very, very lucky he is still here with us." The boy got tangled with his mum's hair when it wrapped around his neck, restricting his circulation. Source: Instagram Tiny Hearts co-founder Nikki Jurcutz child safety educator and paramedic called the incident "rare" but admits even as an experienced educator she got a shock when hearing the story, sharing she will be "much more mindful" of her own hair around her children. Story continues It is often children's finger and toes at risk of hair tourniquets, with one baby's toe becoming necrotic in China several years ago after a hair got caught wrapped around it. However, it is not only children at risk with a 57-year old man from Geelong nearly losing his penis after one of his pubic hairs got caught wrapped around it. 'Cautionary tale' against co-sleeping, Kidsafe says While confirming incidents like these are indeed very "rare", Kidsafe explained this is why parents are often warned against co-sleeping. Babies are unable to alert parents they are in danger unlike toddlers, but it is still considered a risk regardless of the child's age. "Experts caution against co-sleeping as, luckily, a one-year-old will make a noise, but smaller children won't," Christine Erskine from Kidsafe told Yahoo News Australia. "Co-rooming is recommended instead." "It's certainly one of those cautionary tales which is so rare but can happen," she said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Key systems in Fulton County, Georgia have been offline since last week when a 'cyber incident' hit government systems. While the county has tried its best to continue operations as normal, phone lines, court systems, property records and more all went down. The county has not yet confirmed details of the cyber incident, such as what group could be behind it or motivations for the attack. As of Tuesday, there did not appear to be a data breach, according to Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts. Fulton County made headlines in August as the place where prosecutors chose to bring election interference charges against former president Donald Trump. But don't worry, officials assured the public that the case had not been impacted by the attack. All material related to the election case is kept in a separate, highly secure system that was not hacked and is designed to make any unauthorized access extremely difficult if not impossible, said Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Despite this, Fulton County election systems did not appear to be the target of the attack. While Fulton County's Department of Registration and Elections went down, there is no indication that this event is related to the election process, Fulton County said in a statement. In an abundance of caution, Fulton County and the (Georgia) Secretary of States respective technology systems were isolated from one another as part of the response efforts. So far, the impact of the attack ranges widely from delays getting marriage certificates to disrupted court hearings. On Wednesday, a miscommunication during the outage even let a murder suspect out of custody. A manhunt continues after officials mistakenly released the suspect while being transferred between Clayton County and Fulton County for a hearing. The county has not released information on when it expects systems to be fully restored, but it is working with law enforcement on recovery efforts. In the meantime, while constituents have trouble reaching certain government services, Fulton County put out a list of contact information for impacted departments. Fulton County also released a full list of impacted systems. While the government IT outages occurred, a local student also hacked into Fulton County Schools systems, according to StateScoop on Friday. The school system is still determining if any personal information may have been breached, but most services came back online by Monday. One of Google Search's oldest and best-known features, cache links, are being retired, Google's search liaison said in an X post seen by The Verge. Best known by the "Cached" button, those are a snapshot of a web page the last time Google indexed it. However, according to Google, they're no longer required. "It was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldnt depend on a page loading, Google's Danny Sullivan wrote in the post. These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to retire it. Hey, catching up. Yes, it's been removed. I know, it's sad. I'm sad too. It's one of our oldest features. But it was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldn't depend on a page loading. These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 1, 2024 Nowadays, however, the feature is used for more than just a web page backup. Many people rely on it to check to validity of a site, and SEO managers can employ the feature to check their pages for errors. Many users, particularly news professionals, use the cache to see if a website has recently been updated, with information added or removed. And sometimes, a cache can let you check a site that's geoblocked in your region. Previously, clicking on the three-dot menu next to a result would open an "about this result" dialog with the Cached button at bottom right. Now, however, it opens a much larger menu showing a website's "about" page, a Wikipedia descrtipoin, privacy settings and more. The cached button is now nowhere to be seen. None of the comments in Sullivan's replies were positive, with one SEO user saying "come on, why delete the function? It's really helpful for all SEO." Sullivan did say that Google may one day add links to the Internet Archive where the cache link button used to be, within About This Result. However, that sounds like it's far from a done deal, and would shift a massive amount of traffic over to the Internet Archive. "No promises. We have to talk to them, see how it all might go involves people well beyond me. But I think it would be nice all around," he wrote. AI-generated voices mimicking celebrities and politicians are making it harder for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fight robocalls. FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel wants the commission to recognize calls that use AI-generated voices as artificial, making the use of voice cloning technologies in robocalls illegal. Under the FCCs Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), artificial voice or recording calls to residences are against the law. If AI-generated voice calls are recognized as illegal under the existing law, itll give state attorneys general offices nationwide new tools to crack down on scammers. The FCCs proposal comes shortly after some New Hampshire residents received a call impersonating President Joe Biden, telling them not to vote in their states primary. A security firm performed a thorough analysis of the call and determined it was created using AI tools by a startup called ElevenLabs. The company subsequently banned the account responsible for the message. Mat Smith You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest stories you might have missed Snap is recalling its Pixy drone after battery fire Google reveals another text-to-image generative AI tool, ImageFX Niantic is bringing an AR skateboarding game to Apple Vision Pro Meta Quest headsets get spatial video playback, just in time for the Apple Vision Pro launch Hulu is the latest streaming service to crack down on password sharing Elgato introduces its first-ever HDMI 2.1 capture cards Because Comcasts internet isnt that much faster than rivals. Comcast is discontinuing its Xfinity 10G Network branding to describe its internet service after a National Advertising Review Board (NARB) panel found the term could mislead consumers into thinking that Comcasts cellular and broadband services would offer much faster speeds than current-generation networks. Continue reading. Bots to help you get there. Google is adding generative AI to Maps. The features in early access and only available in certain areas and for select Local Guides members. It allows you to speak to the app using natural language to discover new places. Ask the app what youre looking for, like a specific kind of restaurant, and the companys large-language models will analyze information from all of its listings, along with insights from community members. The recommendation engine will also recall what youve asked in the past, hopefully honing future suggestions. Continue reading. The company made good on its promise following a breakdown in negotiations. Evan Agostini After threatening to do so earlier this week, Universal Music Group (UMG) is pulling the catalogs of performers it represents, including Taylor Swift, Drake, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd and others. There are no longer tracks listed in the profiles of some of the worlds most notable artists, and any UMG music featured in TikTok videos will be muted going forward. Universal had previously said TikTok wanted to pay a fraction of the rate paid by other social media sites. Continue reading. You read that right. JOSH EDELSON via Getty Images This is the perfect picture for this story. Reality Labs, Metas division for AR, VR and the metaverse, generated more than $1 billion in revenue during the final quarter of 2023, thanks to its Quest headsets and the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The division, however, still lost $4.6 billion in the quarter and more than $16 billion in 2023. Legs are expensive. Continue reading. Hoda Kotb got one of her contact lenses stuck in her eye, and it was documented in one episode of her show with Jenn Bush Hager. On Thursday's episode of "Today With Hoda & Jenna," Kotb shared that she had a contact lens stuck in her left eye. Kotb told her co-host that she took off her contact lenses the night before but couldn't find one of them, so she thought that it was still on. "Is this a medical emergency?" Bush Hager joked. "Well, it feels like it's in there. I'm not kidding, I was going to go to the eye doctor, but I didn't have time," Kotb replied. Hoda was able to take out one of the contacts! Thanks everyone for your advice pic.twitter.com/fOgatFFVbu February 1, 2024 Kotb then turned to the camera and asked the audience for help. "Maybe people have tricks to how to get it out! I'm sure people have had contacts that have rolled up. If you guys know, can you post on X?" Kotb said. "Can we help our girl get her contact out?" Bush Hager added, encouraging the people to share tips for removing contact lenses. Kotb was later seen with a large hand mirror after the commercial. She was still trying to locate her contact lens while they navigated to proceed with the "Girl Code" segment. "We have breaking news," Bush Hager jokingly announced when they were back on the air. "Hoda's now lost all eyesight because her other contact fell out." Kotb insisted that there were two contacts stuck in her eye. Her co-host added that "both [were] lost in the eye cavity." It wasn't clear when or how the other lens got stuck in the same eye. Kotb asked Bush Hager to read the teleprompter since she could not read it. But before Bush Hager started to read the teleprompter, Kotb read one of the recommendations from X. "Someone said, pull your lid and look down," and she did as told and successfully removed the eye contact lens. "Oh wait! That's one or two [contacts]? That's one," Kotb said as she inspected it. "That was so crazy! That was the best advice." Bush Hager was ecstatic with Kotb's progress. She clapped her hands while exclaiming, "Oh my god, it came out!" She encouraged Kotb to do it again since the latter said there were two lenses stuck in her left eye. Bush Hager continued with the "Girl Code" segment and answered questions about how to navigate social dilemmas. Meanwhile, Kotb still struggled to read the teleprompter. "I can only see you. Everything is super fuzzy, it looks like a bunch of mushed-up colors," Kotb said. Both struggled during the "Girl Code" segment until Bush Hager announced they had to move on and jokingly added, "Let's hope a doctor arrives and Hoda will be able to see." "Today with Jenna and Hoda" airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC. Sangeeta Dasguptas Reordering Adivasi Worlds: Representation, Resistance, Memory examines the complex, contingent and dynamic nature of Adivasi identity in India and shows how the past, especially, the structures of the colonial state, played a major role not only in constructing the Adivasi identity but also in reordering the rural and social landscapes of the Chhotanagpur region. Dasgupta asks: How did the Adivasis assert/exercise their agency? In particular, what were the ways and mechanisms through which the Adivasis expressed their identities, engaged with politics and negotiated with the state and non-state institutions? Moreover, how did the colonial interventions impact the remaking of the agrarian landscape and the politics of Adivasi representation? Addressing these questions, Dasgupta makes an in-depth historical and anthropological analysis of Adivasi identity and resistance, and shows how contemporary Adivasi protest draws upon memories of the past (p 4). Specifically, drawing on colonial ethnography, missionary narratives and anthropological writings, Dasgupta makes two major interrelated arguments: first, it is vital to recognise the changing role of Adivasi agency in structuring the idea of tribe (p 12); and, second, understanding the Adivasi social world through just the idea of the political or the language of the modern is in itself self-limiting (p 181). What is therefore required, argues Dasgupta, is to recognise the multiple life worlds and belief systems, fractured identities and social hierarchies, and pluralist forms of protests and demands that reorder the Adivasi worlds in India in general and Chhotanagpur region in particular. Prominent vegan activist Tash Peterson has brushed off recent threats made by a "gutless and pathetic" stranger who she claims poured bodily fluids of a "murdered animal" all over her car. The controversial vegan, who's known for her bold and disruptive protests, took to social media on Thursday admitting her vehicle smelt like dead fish with the putrid smell escaping from her air-con before revealing private messages she'd received by a hater not long after. "You f**k with me mates, I will f**k with you," the Instagram messages said. "Give the AC time. The tortured animals need to marinate," the "nameless and faceless coward" continued. But Peterson told Yahoo News Australia it's not the first time this has happened and she's not at all bothered by who she riles up. Vegan activist Tash Peterson was targeted by a stranger who apparently poured bodily fluids of animals on her car. Source: Tash Peterson "This isn't the first time someone has come to my home and put animal body parts and secretions on my vehicle, but it's definitely not making me reconsider what I do," the Perth woman said on Friday. "In fact, all of these people only fuel my fire to continue to fight even harder for the rights of non-human animals. It doesn't bother me on a personal level, but I am absolutely disgusted that someone would pour the bodily fluids of murder victims onto my vehicle". Planned protest again controversial vegan It comes as more than 500 people plan to gather outside her home for a barbeque in protest on May 24, which has been organised by Sydney resident Ben DArcy. Ben said people are sick of Peterson's antics and called her a "serial pest". He hopes to give the activist a "taste of her own medicine". Peterson was arrested following her latest stunt at a Perth shopping centre on Christmas Eve. Source: Instagram Peterson said while she's received "hundreds of death threats over the years," she's noticed the hatred for her "has definitely grown". "There are now multiple hate groups dedicated to me on Facebook, some with tens of thousands of members," she told Yahoo. "They talk about me every day and encourage people to stalk and harass me." Story continues "I've learned over the years, to not let these things worry me as most of these people are just all talk no action," she continued. "I don't feel in danger, but sometimes can't help but wonder if there is someone dangerous out there that hates me." Peterson is known for her disruptive protests inside various businesses. . Source: Instagram/vganbooty Activist notorious for wild public outbursts Peterson has frequently made headlines for her disruptive protests throughout Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, often appearing near naked, covered in fake blood and body paint or wearing lingerie to her public protests. The 29-year-old is originally from Perth but was forced to temporarily relocate to Melbourne after she was slapped with a 12-month statewide ban from licensed venues in Western Australia. The ban followed her protest outside celebrity chef John Mountains restaurant, where she disrupted diners by playing audio of squealing pigs and shouting animal apocalypse. On Christmas Eve, Peterson staged a protest outside a Belmont butcher's shop in Perths eastern suburbs. The well-known activist poured fake blood on the stores display cabinet, prompting two employees to perform a citizen's arrest. Police arrived at her home and arrested her hours later. with NCA Newswire Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Farms are among millions of businesses that lawyers say have, on average, had their gas and electricity bills falsely inflated by around 10 percent. Energy firms had secretly added third party broker commissions to customers bills, according to law firm Harcus Parker. Thousands of energy bills have been reviewed as the it progresses its group legal action to recoup up to 2 billion of undisclosed broker fees for businesses across the UK, including farms. So far, Harcus Parker is representing ten farms but believes there are thousands more who could join. It said some claims for farms would go back ten years in total. Millions of non-domestic energy customers had their bills inflated for more than a decade when the unit cost of their gas and electricity supply was increased to pay secret third-party broker commissions. Harcus Parker said its research revealed that energy companies, on average, added a cost of 1.7p to each unit of gas and electricity to pay brokers commissions. The law firm said this additional amount was frequently paid during a time when the cost of energy was only 10p per kWh, or even less. It found some brokers were allowed by suppliers to add as much as 6p per kWh. Harcus Parker has so far signed up more than 6,500 businesses and organisations to the claim, with "numbers growing every day". The company said: "When you hear the energy companies have added 1.7p per unit in third party broker costs it doesnt sound much. "But if youre only paying 10p per unit in total for your energy thats a hefty percentage. On average, it works out at about ten per cent." Harcus Parker has urged more farmers to join the actions, with the firm "convinced thousands more must be eligible". "Were well aware of the increasing costs that have been faced by farmers and in a time of uncertainty we hope to be able to help them recoup significant sums. "The claims are fully funded and insured and, as a result, we are able to act for clients who ordinarily would not have the resources to access justice in a claim of this kind, on a no-win, no-fee basis." Tougher powers for the police to tackle livestock worrying have taken a step forward today with the announcement of government backing for new legislation. The police will be given greater powers to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively as part of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill. The legislation aims to make it easier for them to collect evidence and, in the most serious cases, seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further attacks. The National Sheep Association has frequently called for more action from the government to tackle livestock worrying. The crime can result in significant injury and suffering and in the worst cases, the death of the animals involved. These incidents are also distressing for farmers and livestock keepers, and can have significant financial costs. The new legislation is a Private Members Bill sponsored by Dr Therese Coffey, who was the Defra Secretary between October and November 2023. Since the original 1953 Act was brought in, the number of livestock in England and Wales has doubled with more people visiting the countryside. By supporting the Bill, the government said it was delivering on pledges made in its Action Plan for Animal Welfare, while recognising the financial and emotional impacts farmers faced as a result of dog attacks. Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: Livestock worrying has a devastating impact, causing distress to farmers and their animals, as well as the financial implications. This Bill will crack down on this issue, widening the scope to protect more farm animals covered by law and giving police more powers to act. We will do all we can to support its swift passage through parliament. The Bill seeks to modernise existing legislation to ensure it remains fit for purpose, including extending the livestock definition to include alpacas and llamas and widening locations where enforcement can be taken to roads and paths. It will also address current enforcement challenges and give the police more powers to seize dogs after serious incidents and greater powers of entry, as well as the power to take evidence samples from livestock and dogs to help investigate crimes. Dr Therese Coffey said: We have heard from the police that they need more up to date powers to help them identify the dogs that are attacking and worrying livestock, and subsequently their owners. "It is great to get out and enjoy nature, but dog owners should be careful and ideally put their dogs on a lead when on or near a working farm to avoid such attacks. Machinery auctioneer Cheffins will conduct a live onsite auction on behalf of Lincolnshire dealer Irelands Farm Machinery, with its founders stepping down after three decades. Jonathan and Fiona Ireland, who founded the company in 1994, will step back from day-to-day management of the dealership in April and hand over the reins to a younger team. The move also involves a restructure of the hire fleet, which offers the business a chance to sell items such as tractors, telehandlers and other machinery via the auction. The sale will include 20 modern John Deere and Kubota tractors that are in excellent condition and range in size up to 250hp. Mr Ireland said: Following this decision, we have decided to restructure the hire side of business, streamlining and selling some of our current stock of tractors, forklifts and implements, along with machines that we had planned to replace and update later this year. "The hire business will still operate, and the reorganisation of our fleet will be beneficial for the new team. Established in 1994, Irelands Farm Machinery has grown into a respected dealership, selling major machinery brands such as Kubota, Bunning, Stewart, Kverneland and Spearhead among several others. It has effectively expanded its area over the years to three depots across Lincolnshire in Carrington, Sutterton and Market Rasen. Alongside the 20 tractors for sale are four JCB telehandlers; 16 grain and root crop trailers; implements including mowers, cultivation equipment and fertiliser spreaders; and several UTVs. Oliver Godfrey, director at Cheffins, said the company should be praised on its progressive management to secure a bright future for the three depots. This is great example of where a clear and well executed succession plan has allowed a successful business to continue supporting its customer base with an experienced new team at the helm. "Holding an auction provides an effective way for the business to streamline current stock and offer the new team a fresh start. The sale takes place on 28 February 2024 at Irelands Carrington depot in Lincolnshire. Humans have already littered on Mars despite never visiting the Red Planet. Humans have littered the surface of Mars Space junk has piled up on the surface with debris from missions including landing equipment, heat shields and parachutes all left behind. There is thought to be over 15,000 lbs of human trash on Mars from human spacecraft that have landed over the past half a century - including the lost British Beagle 2 spacecraft that touched down in 2003. Dr. James Blake, a researcher of space debris at the University of Warwick, has argued that future human missions to Mars should be "designed with sustainability in mind". He said: "There's still an unfortunate balance that needs to be struck between scientific discovery and the impact of missions on the natural environment of these remote worlds." Dr. Blake proposes that missions to Mars could collect the space junk from the planet. The scientist said: "It's likely that future colonies would go in search of these relics as historical artefacts. "By that point, though, it's likely we'll be making a mess of the planet in other ways." With emergency medical services providers facing challenges across New York, state lawmakers are proposing a legislative package they say would "rescue" these agencies. The six bills include legislation proposed by state Sen. Rachel May and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo to exempt EMS from the property tax cap. The sponsors say this would help municipalities support EMS and provide short-term relief. The other bills include a measure sponsored by state Sen. Shelley Mayer and Assemblyman Steven Otis to recognize EMS as an essential service and allow for the creation of taxing districts, similar to how fire districts can be established to fund local fire departments. State Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assemblywoman Anna Kelles are seeking a change to the Medicaid fee schedule for ambulance services, which would ensure EMS agencies are reimbursed for providing care. State Sen. John Mannion and Assemblywoman Didi Barrett want to allow volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel to claim state income and local property tax credits. The legislators worked with the New York State Association of Counties to draft legislation and address a problem facing many communities across the state. EMS providers face increasing costs and other hurdles, including staffing woes. In Cayuga County, one EMS provider AMR pulled out due to equipment costs and reimbursement rates. May, D-Syracuse, said she recently held office hours in Auburn. Half of the constituents who met with her were there to discuss EMS. "This is an issue on everybody's mind," she said. "We assume that it's essential, but we have to make sure that the state recognizes it's essential." The legislative push is backed by other organizations, including the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. John D'Alessandro, the group's secretary, told reporters at a news conference in Albany that "we are in a fire and EMS response crisis in the state of New York" due to the personnel and finance issues plaguing these agencies. D'Alessandro is hopeful that legislators will address the problems to ease the stress placed on EMS and fire departments. "We should not be spending an inordinate amount of our energy trying to figure out how to be financially viable or our efforts to make sure that there is enough first responders," he said. "That takes away from our mission." Sir Paul McCartney feared he'd be "finished off" when he was robbed at knifepoint. Sir Paul McCartney was robbed at knifepoint The 81-year-old musician has recalled the terrifying moment when he and wife Linda were recording Wings' 1973 album 'Band on the Run' in Lagos, Nigeria, and were ambushed with all their cameras, tape recorders, cassettes in a bag, and Lindas photographic equipment. In an interview for his record label, seen first by The Sun newspaper, he said: Wed been visiting some of our crew at their house and someone said, Do you want a lift home? We said, Its such a beautiful night, well walk. Adopting a "desperado" spirit, the couple wandered into a no-go area and thought they were being offered a lift when a car stopped and the driver wound down his window. Paul recalled: I just say, No, listen man, very nice of you but we dont need a lift. The vehicle, which contained 2five or six local guys" drove off but then suddenly stopped again. The Beatles legend continued: All of them get out. I said, Holy cow. Wait a minute, theyre not offering us a lift. The penny drops. One of the guys is holding a knife at me. We give them all our stuff and they get back in the car. Screech off. They go the wrong way. They come back and were going, Oh no, theyre going to finish us off! Anyway, they zoomed off. Eventually Linda and I walked home. We just got into bed and said, Forget it. " And the 'Live and Let Die' hitmakers were told afterwards they were "lucky" to have made it out alive. He added: The next day, we went to the studio and the manager said, Man, youre lucky youre white. If you were black, they could have killed you because you might have recognised them. Despite losing the original demos to the robbers, Paul wasn't too concerned because of a "rule" he and late Beatles bandmate John Lennon had "always had". He explained: It meant I had to remember the album,. We didnt have cassettes or recording devices back then [in The Beatles]. We used to say, If you cant remember it, how will the people remember it? To read the full story, become a PRIME member today. PRIME Unlimited Access to Insightful Industry Information All Corporate Members and TexPro Subscribers are eligible to access F2F PRIME CONTENT using the same login credentials. The Economic Confidence Index in Turkiye witnessed a remarkable upswing in January 2024, reaching 99.4, marking a significant increase from the previous month's 96.4. This surge reflects a robust 3.1 per cent rise in economic confidence, highlighting Turkiye's positive economic outlook, as per the Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat). Breaking it down further, the consumer confidence index also saw a substantial boost, rising by 3.9 per cent to attain a value of 80.4. In contrast, the real sector (manufacturing industry) confidence index experienced a modest decline of 0.5 per cent, settling at 102.9. Meanwhile, the retail trade confidence index decreased by 1.0 per cent, reaching a value of 115.6 in January when compared to the previous month, Turkstat said in a press release. In January 2024, Turkiye's Economic Confidence Index soared to 99.4, a notable increase from the previous month's 96.4, indicating a robust 3.1 per cent growth in economic confidence, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Consumer confidence rose by 3.9 per cent to 80.4, while the real sector confidence index fell slightly by 0.5 per cent to 102.9. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD) Ghostbusters is back with fresh and familiar faces with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. On Friday, the makers dropped the films full-length trailer.The trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire opens with strange encounters as the Ghostbusters collect some intriguing possessed possessions. We find out that all of New York City is facing a paranormal crisis and the gang is ready to fight them.Check out the trailer here:The film follows the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.The official synopsis reads, In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started the iconic New York City firehouse to team up with the original Ghostbusters, whove developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire features Paul Rudd, Bill Murray, Finn Wolfhard, Kumail Nanjiani and more.The film will arrive in cinemas on April 19, 2024. Vijay Varma: Bollywood's versatile actor Vijay Varma is back with another 'Ask Me Anything' session on his social media, and his fans cannot help but keep showering him with unlimited love. The actor's loyal fanbase, enamored by his stellar performances in films like 'Darlings,' 'Jane Jaan,' 'Dahaad,' and more, couldn't resist the opportunity to interact with their favorite star. Known for his dynamic on-screen presence, Vijay Varma has carved a niche for himself in the industry, and his social media interactions have only added to his popularity. Vijay Varms answers fans queries Netizens find his AMAs not only entertaining but also insightful, making them one of the most highly anticipated celebrity Q&A sessions among the audience. In today's AMAs, when a fan droppped his wish to see him play a lover boy, he says "Veryyyy soon! It's in the making. Till then.. enjoy jaanejaan's unsaid romance." Later, when asked by Vijay to give one word for Bebo, whom he romanced in the film Jaane Jaan, he says, "Sassyyyy." An excited fan of Vijay asked about the project Vijay Varma is working on now, and the actor shared a sneak peek of his next release, Ul-Jalool Ishq. Amid the session, Vijay Varma shared a picture with Fatima Sana Shaikh from the sets of Ul-Jalool Ishq and captioned, "Ul Jalool harkatein with @fatimasanashaikh." A fan of Vijay Varma asked to share his working experience with Naseruddin Shah, and in response to the same, Vijay wrote, "It feels like a prayer answered. He's been my biggest inspiration as an actor. I'm just making notes around him." A social media user asked Vijay whether he cried while watching a movie or series, and in response to the same, the versatile actor wrote, "I am a crier (not a liver). I cried watching 12th Fail this evening. @vikrantmassey made me weep a lot" Another fan asked Vijay to share his picture from his school days, and the actor shared an adorable picture and wrote, "Wearing sweater in summer coz fashion baby. The tummy game". Check out:- The actor's knack for connecting with his audience shines through, making these interactive sessions a true delight for fans who eagerly await the insights and anecdotes shared by their beloved star. Meanwhile, on the work front, he will next be seen in Murder Mubarak. Vijay Launches Political Party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam: On Friday, Tamil film actor Vijay announced the launch of a new political party named Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam, with himself as its president. STR 48 First Look Poster And Title Release Date And Time: Simbu's Fans In For A Treat Ahead Of Star's Birthday In an official statement, he disclosed that the party has applied for registration with the Election Commission of India. 'I humbly state here that we are not contesting in the upcoming 2024 parliamentary elections, and we are not extending our support to any party. This decision has been made by the general body and executive committee,' he stated. "Finally, politics is not just another career for me; It is a sacred people's work. To know not only the height of politics but also its length and width, I have been preparing myself for it for a long time by studying lessons from many of us. So politics is not a hobby for me; That is my deepest desire. I want to fully involve myself in it. On my behalf, I am going to complete another film related commitment that I have already agreed to, without interfering with party work, and fully engage in politics for the service of the people. I consider that as my debt of gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu." He further elaborated. The party's primary objective is to contest and emerge victorious in the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, according to the reports. Vijay's Political Entry Rumours surrounding Vijay's potential foray into active politics have persisted for quite some time. His engagement in various social activities through his fan organisation, Vijay Makkal Iyakkham, over the past few years has often been interpreted as a step in this direction. The subtle messages conveyed by Vijay through hints have been closely scrutinized by fans and the media, sparking debates and leading many to anticipate his political debut. Even during promotional events for his films, fans have eagerly awaited any indication of his political aspirations. Media reports previously suggested that Vijay's political entry might occur in the first week of February, coinciding with the unveiling of the party's name and flag. Vijay Makkal Iyakkham, a robust organisation with a strong presence across Tamil Nadu, has been instrumental in these speculations. Last year, Vijay convened meetings with the office-bearers of Vijay Makkal Iyakkham in all constituencies of Tamil Nadu, held in Chennai. Additionally, Vijay Makkal Iyakkham initiated tuition centres to support the education of underprivileged students. There were also reports of Vijay launching a scheme to provide free cattle to farmers. Vadakkupatti Ramasamy X Review: Santhanam's Movie Promises Fun-Filled Comedy Entertainment Fans eagerly awaited any hints regarding Vijay's political ambitions, with speculation mounting during the 'Leo' success meeting. While Vijay didn't directly address the question at that event, his subtle hints suggested a forthcoming entry into active politics before the assembly elections. Now all the speculation has been put to rest as Vijay has launched his political party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam. Poonam Pandey Funeral Date & Time: In one of the most heartbreaking news from the telly world, former Lock Upp contestant Poonam Pandey is no more with us. The diva, who was known for being her unabashed personality, died of cervical cancer at the age 32. The news came as a shock for everyone and the social media is abuzz with messages mourning Poonam's unforunate demise. To note, the news of Poonam's demise was confirmed with a post on her Instagram account which read as, "This morning is a tough one for us. Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer. Every living form ever came in contact with her was met with pure love and kindness". According to media reports, Poonam's manager Parul Chawla stated that the late actress was diagnosed with cervical cancer a while ago and was at the last stage. POONAM PANDEY FUNERAL DETAILS Reportedly, Poonam breathed her last in her hometown in Uttar Pradesh and her funeral is likely to take place there only today. "She got detected with cancer sometime back, and it was in the latter stages. She was in her hometown in Uttar Pradesh, and the funeral will mostly happen there," Poonam's manager told India Today. Meanwhile, Akanksha Puri took to social media and mourned Poonam's demise. She wrote, "Shocking. I really can't believe this. You were a gem of a person Poonam. You always told me that a girl needs to be strong and love herself more before loving anyone else. You told me I am beautiful and I am strong and I should remind myself this everyday when I look at myself in the mirror and not wait for any man to come in my life and tell me this !! I will always remember what you told me Poonam. You were such a pure soul Poonam @poonampandeyreal. Gone too soon. We will miss you forever beautiful. #rippoonampandey #poonampandey" OVERLAND PARK, KS / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2024 / Tortoise today announced the following balance sheet information and asset coverage ratio updates for TYG, NTG, TTP, NDP and TPZ. Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. (NYSE:TYG) today announced that as of January 31, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $487.3 million and its unaudited net asset value was $374.1 million, or $34.76 per share. As of January 31, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 652%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 440%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at January 31, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 484.2 $ 44.98 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.3 0.03 Other Assets 2.8 0.26 Total Assets 487.3 45.27 Short-Term Borrowings 23.9 2.22 Senior Notes 50.3 4.68 Preferred Stock 35.7 3.31 Total Leverage 109.9 10.21 Other Liabilities 1.2 0.10 Current Tax Liability 2.1 0.20 Net Assets $ 374.1 $ 34.76 10.76 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NTG) today announced that as of January 31, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $270.9 million and its unaudited net asset value was $214.1 million, or $42.04 per share. As of January 31, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 653%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 490%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at January 31, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $268.2 $ 52.66 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.4 0.08 Other Assets 2.3 0.44 Total Assets 270.9 53.18 Short-Term Borrowings 12.0 2.36 Senior Notes 29.2 5.73 Preferred Stock 13.7 2.70 Total Leverage 54.9 10.79 Other Liability 0.6 0.11 Current Tax Liability 1.3 0.24 Net Assets $ 214.1 $ 42.04 5.09 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (NYSE:TTP) today announced that as of January 31, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $85.8 million and its unaudited net asset value was $69.6 million, or $34.64 per share. As of January 31, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 870%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 537%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at January 31, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 84.8 $ 42.15 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.2 0.10 Other Assets 0.8 0.43 Total Assets 85.8 42.68 Short-Term Borrowings 5.9 2.93 Senior Notes 3.9 1.96 Preferred Stock 6.1 3.03 Total Leverage 15.9 7.92 Other Liabilities 0.3 0.12 Net Assets $ 69.6 $ 34.64 2.01 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NDP) today announced that as of January 31, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $66.2 million and its unaudited net asset value was $57.2 million, or $34.33 per share. As of January 31, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 750%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at January 31, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 65.7 $ 39.42 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.3 0.16 Other Assets 0.2 0.14 Total Assets 66.2 39.72 Credit Facility Borrowings 8.8 5.28 Other Liabilities 0.2 0.11 Net Assets $ 57.2 $ 34.33 1.67 million common shares currently outstanding. Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE:TPZ) today announced that as of January 31, 2024, the company's unaudited total assets were approximately $122.2 million and its unaudited net asset value was $96.9 million, or $16.45 per share. As of January 31, 2024, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 487%. For more information on the company's coverage ratios, please refer to the leverage summary web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . Set forth below is a summary of the company's unaudited balance sheet at January 31, 2024. Unaudited balance sheet (in Millions) Per Share Investments $ 120.7 $ 20.50 Cash and Cash Equivalents 0.4 0.06 Other Assets 1.1 0.19 Total Assets 122.2 20.75 Credit Facility Borrowings 25.0 4.24 Other Liabilities 0.3 0.06 Net Assets $ 96.9 $ 16.45 5.89 million common shares currently outstanding. The top 10 holdings for TYG, NTG, TTP, NDP and TPZ as of the most recent month-end can be found on each fund's portfolio web page at https://cef.tortoiseadvisors.com . About Tortoise Tortoise focuses on energy & power infrastructure and the transition to cleaner energy. Tortoise's solid track record of energy value chain investment experience and research dates back more than 20 years. As an early investor in midstream energy, Tortoise believes it is well-positioned to be at the forefront of the global energy evolution that is underway. With a steady wins approach and a long-term perspective, Tortoise strives to make a positive impact on clients and communities. To learn more, please visit www.TortoiseAdvisors.com . Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. is the adviser to Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp., Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc., Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc., Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc. and Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. For additional information on these funds, please visit cef.tortoiseadvisors.com. Safe harbor statement This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that 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. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are "forward-looking statements." Although the funds and Tortoise Capital Advisors believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the fund's reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Other than as required by law, the funds and Tortoise Capital Advisors do not assume a duty to update this forward-looking statement. Contact information For more information contact Eva Lipner at (913) 981-1020 or info@tortoiseadvisors.com. SOURCE: Tortoise View the original press release on accesswire.com DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With its grand opening in Dubai on January 29, the 49th Arab Health would last until February 1, 2024. Shanghai MicroPort Medbot (Group) Co., Ltd. ("MedBot") attended the conference with their Toumai four-arm laparoscopic surgical robot (Toumai). During the exhibition, Toumai completed the world's first cross-border 5G ultra-remote simulated surgery verification, spanning nearly 7,000 kilometers from Shanghai, China to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This achievement showcased the highly stable, reliable, and safe tele-surgical system of the Toumai. It drives the global development trend and industrial transformation of minimally invasive surgery, bringing new medical options to patients worldwide through continuous innovation. During the exhibition, numerous local medical institution managers, as well as medical experts and scholars from all over the world, visited the booth. During the verification, the staff controlled the Toumai patient's cart at the Dubai booth through the surgeon console in Shanghai, performing precise and smooth surgical actions such as dissection, traction, clamping, cutting, and suturing. Despite the nearly 7,000 kilometers of distance, and using only a small 5G SIM card, the simulation surgery proceeded without any signal lag or operational delay. The various surgical actions were almost synchronous, and the communication between the two locations was smooth and well-coordinated. On site, it was evident that the remote simulation surgery verification had clear visibility throughout the process, with stable operation of the robotic arms and flexible instruments. The cutting and suturing effects were indistinguishable from local surgeries. Even in a regular 5G network environment, the Toumai robot demonstrated its precise identification, accurate dissection, and meticulous resection capabilities, fully showcasing the system's stability, the precision of the robotic arms, and the dexterity of the instruments. So far, Toumai has performed over 100 human clinical tele-surgeries in multiple departments, covering nearly 30 cities in China and connecting more than 30 hospitals. It has achieved a series of landmark records, including the farthest surgical distance exceeding 5,000 kilometers, more than 70 surgeries of level three and four complexity, over 10 consecutive surgeries, including multiple consecutive surgeries of level four complexity such as radical prostatectomy, and more than 15 records of the world's first tele-surgeries. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/spanning-7-000-km-toumai-tm-has-completed-the-worlds-first-cross-border-5g-ultra-remote-simulated-surgery-verification-surprisingly-impressive-appearance-in-arab-health-302051425.html NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2024 / Victory Battery Metals (CSE:VR)(FWB:VR6)(OTC PINK:VRCFF) ("Victory" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has extended the expiry date of an aggregate of 10,685,278 previously issued warrants (the "Warrants") for an additional 2 years. The Warrants were originally issued as follows: Date Issued Issue Price* Exercise Price* Market Price of underlying shares Number of Warrants (post consolidation) Original Expiry Date Nov 7, 2022 $0.022 $0.45 $0.02 869,444 Nov 7, 2024 Feb 13, 2023 $0.08 $0.36 $0.105 1,866,667 Feb 13, 2025 Feb 16, 2023 $0.08 $0.36 $0.105 1,516,667 Feb 16, 2025 Feb 22, 2023 $0.08 $0.36 $0.105 2,869,167 Feb 22, 2025 Mar 10, 2023 $0.08 $0.45 $0.015 1,563,333 Mar 10, 2025 May 26, 2023 $0.05 $0.21 $0.065 2,000,000 May 26, 2025 10,685,278 Note: * - Pre-consolidation prices. The Company completed an 5-1 consolidation in October, 2023. All of these warrants are also being repriced. Each whole Warrant will now entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.05. The Warrants will also contain an acceleration clause, in that if the shares trade at or more than $0.075 for a 10 day period, the expiry date shall terminate upon 30 days notice. For further information, please contact: Mark Ireton, President Telephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 or TOLL FREE 1 (855) 665-GOLD (4653) E-mail: info@victorybatterymetals.com About Victory Battery Metals VICTORY BATTERY METALS (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The Company is also actively seeking other exploration opportunities. 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. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds,corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. 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. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. SOURCE: Victory Battery Metals Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinese automaker Chery Holding reported a stellar sales performance in January, which came in at a total of 200,992 units under its wholly-owned vehicle brands, representing a 107.5% leap year-over-year. Photo credit: Chery Breaking down the sales figures for each passenger car brands, the Chery brand achieved a monthly sales volume of 135,130 units in the first month of this year, showcasing a robust 93% year-on-year soar. The EXEED brand saw its January sales zoom up 87.9% from the previous year to 8,930 units. Meanwhile, sales of JETOUR, the SUV brand under Chery Holding, shot up 168.3% year on year to 42,956 units. Adding to the achievements, JETOUR also celebrated a production milestone in January of one-millionth vehicle. In January, Chery Holding introduced a range of hybrid electric and high-end battery-electric products, including the Fulwin A8, which rides on the KUNPENG Supernatural Hybrid C-DM technology. The A8, which underwent a 1,400-kilometer endurance test, demonstrated a remarkable comprehensive range of 1,624 kilometers, affirming its prowess in hybrid technology. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Deckers Brands (DECK) said that its President and Chief Executive Officer, Dave Powers, has decided to retire effective August 1, 2024. Powers is expected to continue serving as a member of the Company's Board of Directors through the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Stefano Caroti, the Company's Chief Commercial Officer, will be appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective upon Powers' retirement. Deckers also expects Caroti will be nominated to serve as a member of the Board at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Caroti has more than 32 years of industry experience in general management, sales, retail, product, marketing, business strategy and brand management. He was appointed as Chief Commercial Officer of Deckers in April 2023, after serving as the Company's President of Omni-Channel for nearly eight years and as Interim President of HOKA. Prior to joining Deckers, Caroti was the chief commercial officer and managing director at PUMA and held a number of senior executive positions at NIKE Inc. including vice president of EMEA commerce, vice president of EMEA footwear and general manager for Germany and Italy. 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. DUESSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - E.ON AG (EONGY.PK) provided preliminary financial results for the financial year 2023. The company projects annual adjusted earnings per share to be 1.18 euros compared to the prior outlook of 1.03 euros to 1.11 euros. Annual adjusted net income is expected to be 3.1 billion euros compared to the previous estimation of 2.7 billion euros to 2.9 billion euros. The company expects annual adjusted Group EBITDA to be 9.4 billion euros compared to the prior estimation of 8.6 billion euros - 8.8 billion euros. The company said it will publish its full financial results on 13 March 2024. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com. 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. DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United Imaging, a global leader in medical technology, has solidified pivotal partnerships with various healthcare and technology entities at Arab Health 2024. Among them, Prepaire Labs, a pioneering biotechnology company revolutionizing drug discovery and personalized medicine, will collaborate with the company to leverage United Imaging's groundbreaking product, the World's First Total-body PET/CT uEXPLORER. Carl Freer, chairman & founder of Prepaire, expressed, "The acquisition of the uEXPLORER will revolutionize the way we understand and treat diseases at a personalized level." During the event, a substantial partnership agreement was forged between United Imaging and Al Mana Group, a pioneer in the field of healthcare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This 3-year collaboration aims to benefit not only from high-end technology offerings but also from scientific cooperation and research, consistently empowering medical advancement in the Middle East. Established in 1949, Al Mana Group is recognized as a pioneer in the field of healthcare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. United Imaging and Al Mana Group have agreed to promote Al Mana Hospital as a strategic reference site and a training center for MRI & Mobile DR in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region. In the future, the two companies will seamlessly cooperate in academic collaboration, organizing workshops & seminars, as well as sharing experiences, further enhancing the medical field. United Imaging also entered into a strategic partnership with National Blood Cancer Center (NBCC), a chain radiology center duly established and existing under the laws of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This partnership covers system installations, academic cooperation, organizing seminars, and more. Additionally, United Imaging announced the introduction of the first mobile PET/CT in Iraq in collaboration with Al Warith. This tailor-made innovation is designed to provide healthcare to patients in remote regions, paving the way for enhanced accessibility across the country. Dr. Jusong Xia, President of International Business at United Imaging Healthcare, said, "It is very exciting to forge connections with outstanding healthcare professionals and institutions worldwide. The collaboration marks a meaningful step towards advancing medical innovation in the Middle East. We look forward to the impactful outcomes that these partnerships will bring, fostering excellence and progress in the field of healthcare." United Imaging's prowess in cutting-edge technology and innovation positions it strongly for these collaborations. At Arab Health 2024, the company showcased its cutting-edge medical imaging solutions, including the world's first whole-body ultra-high field 5T MR, the uMR Jupiter 5T, and the Next-Generation PET/CT System, the ultra-high-TOF resolution digital PET/CT uMI Panorama, along with a broad range of state-of-the-art medical imaging devices, capturing significant attention. These technologies set new standards in precision and accuracy, reaffirming United Imaging's dedication to advancing healthcare and medical imaging not only in the Middle East but also on a global scale. Swift Progress in the Middle East, Significant Expansion on the Global Stage United Imaging has long endeavored to foster growth in the Middle East and Africa. In 2019, United Imaging established its regional headquarters in Dubai with knowledgeable local marketing and customer service staff to satisfy consumers' demands. In 2020, the company established an in-depth strategic cooperation with American Hospital Dubai (AHD), one of the top private hospital groups in the Middle East. At Arab Health 2022, United Imaging announced a close partnership with King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) in Jordan. Last year, United Imaging forged a partnership agreement with I-ONE Nuclear Medicine & Oncology Center, and also strengthened cooperation with one of the Top 5 medical product suppliers in Saudi Arabia, Cigalah, During the exhibition, United Imaging further solidified its collaboration with Longevous Beamtech, a pioneer medical cyclotron manufacturer. Both sides reached an agreement on cooperating to provide thorough solutions in terms of nuclear medicine equipment, radiopharmaceuticals and services. "The Middle East and Africa have traditionally been among United Imaging's important overseas markets," said Dr. Jusong Xia, "Our high-end innovations have reached numerous countries in the Middle East and Africa within years. Such success by a young player may seem surprising, but we did it. In the future, we will further bond with key medical contributors and create added value for all customers, fulfilling the commitment - 'Bring equal healthcare for all'." As a global-aimed innovator, United Imaging has achieved significant expansion on the global stage swiftly. Up to now, more than 12000 hospitals and institutions in more than 60 countries and regions around the world are using more than 26000 United Imaging products in clinical settings, including the U.S., Europe, Japan, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. About United Imaging Healthcare United Imaging Healthcare was founded in 2011 with a commitment to providing high-performance medical imaging products, radiotherapy equipment, life science instruments, and intelligent digital solutions to global customers. With a mission "To Bring Equal Healthcare for All" and a vision to "lead healthcare innovation", United Imaging is continuously devoted to creating more value for its customers and improving the accessibility of high-end medical equipment and services worldwide through close collaborations with hospitals, universities, research institutions, and industry partners. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/united-imaging-announces-numerous-collaborative-relationships-in-the-middle-east-at-arab-health-2024-302049197.html Acquisition of tech center in Germany expedites EAM's plans to be first in Asia to make LFP cathode outside of China Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) today finalized the acquisition of a lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) cathode active material technology center in Moosburg, Germany, making it the first global company capable of providing manufacturers with both cathode and anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. With the purchase, EAM is poised to make India the first country in Asia outside of China to manufacture LFP cathode materials. Approximately 70% of cathode materials, and 100% of LFP cathode, for lithium-ion batteries are currently produced in China. "This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions to the evolving EV battery market," said Vikram Handa, managing director of EAM. "The advanced technology center in Moosburg strategically positions us to lead the industry in cathode material manufacturing." Acquiring the cathode active material technology center from Johnson Matthey solidifies EAM's position as a global EV battery materials provider, with the potential to reshape the landscape of electric mobility by reducing the battery market's reliance on China. Epsilon previously announced a $1.1 billion investment for the establishment of an anode battery materials manufacturing facility in Bellari, Karnataka, India. EAM also plans to build a $650 million graphite anode material manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, North Carolina, U.S. and is investing Euro 600 million to develop a graphite processing facility in Vaasa, Finland. "We are proud to announce that EAM is now ready to go to market with a proven high-performance cathode active material, marking a significant leap forward in our capabilities," said EAM CEO Sunit Kapur "Integrating the cathode expertise from the Moosburg technology center with our anode business uniquely positions us to deliver comprehensive solutions to customers, delivering anode and cathode to empower them to optimize the performance of their batteries." Battery manufacturers are increasingly transitioning to LFP cathode, which has a longer life span, offers improved discharge and charge efficiency, provides better performance in higher temperatures and is less expensive compared to other cathode materials, such as nickel and cobalt, and it also is maintenance-free, extremely safe and lightweight. EAM is scheduled to break ground on its facility in India in 2024 to build a large-scale customer qualification plant in 2025, which will scale up to 100,000 tons by 2030. The Moosburg facility, which employs approximately 25 people in its R&D and operations greatly reduces EAM's technology development and scale-up timeframe. The center is equipped to produce LFP and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) cathode in small laboratory-scale batches to up pilot-scale material. It features a versatile pilot customer qualification plant designed to validate new materials and utilizes a Hydrothermal process that provides a cleaner metal processing solution, which results in a more environmentally friendly battery-metals supply chain. About Epsilon Advanced Materials Epsilon Advanced Materials is at the forefront of battery material solutions, producing high-caliber, innovative, and environmentally conscious lithium-ion battery (LiB) materials. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mumbai, Epsilon's mission resonates with supporting the global battery industry's transition to clean and green energy. With a significant presence spanning Europe, North America, and South-East Asia, Epsilon continues to set industry benchmarks. https://www.epsilonam.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201488246/en/ Contacts: U.S. Media Contacts John Tews French/West/Vaughan 248-320-3814 jtews@fwv-us.com Earl Whipple French/West/Vaughan 215-847-2647 ewipple@fwv-us.com India Media Contact Sandeep Kumar Epsilon Carbon Pvt. Ltd. +91 22 22712800 sandeep.kumar@epsiloncarbon.com Investor Group Consists of Local and Foreign Long-Term Shareholders, Including ANDA Asset Management, City of London Investment Management and Whitebox Advisors Shareholder Proposals Include an Increased Dividend and Share Repurchase to Address Samsung C&T's Steep Discount Relative to NAV, Which Has Consistently Been Over 65% Stakeholders are Encouraged to Visit www.UnlockSCTValue.com to Share Their Views, Sign-Up for Important Updates and Learn How to Support the Group's Shareholder Proposals ANDA Asset Management Co., Ltd. ("ANDA"), City of London Investment Management Company Limited ("CLIM"), Whitebox Advisors LLC ("Whitebox") and other long-term shareholders (collectively with our affiliates, the "Investor Group," the "Group" or "we") are significant shareholders in Samsung C&T Corporation (KRX: 028260) ("SCT" or the "Company"), with collective ownership in excess of 1% of the Company's common shares. Today, the Investor Group issued a letter to shareholders detailing the two value-enhancing proposals (the "Shareholder Proposals") it has submitted for consideration at the Company's 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "AGM"). The Investor Group encourages all stakeholders to visit www.UnlockSCTValue.com to share their views, sign up for important updates and learn about the proposals to help deliver enhanced value to SCT shareholders. February 2, 2024 Fellow Shareholders, ANDA, CLIM, Whitebox and other long-term shareholders, who collectively own more than 1% of SCT's outstanding common shares, have formed a group and submitted Shareholder Proposals to address the Company's inadequate capital allocation approach and steep discount to its Net Asset Value ("NAV"). SCT possesses an exceptionally valuable portfolio of assets that includes strategic stakes in key Samsung group affiliates (notably Samsung Electronics and Samsung Biologics) and diverse business operations spanning areas such as Engineering Construction and Trading. Despite this fact and the Company's consistent growth in intrinsic value, SCT's share price has declined significantly since the 2015 Cheil Industries Inc. merger. Total shareholder returns were a disappointing -23% over this period, severely lagging the KOSPI Index, which delivered 52.4%.1 This has resulted in an unacceptable widening of SCT's trading discount to NAV, which has consistently been more than 65%.2 Rather than address local and foreign shareholder concerns about this long-term underperformance, SCT's Board of Directors (the "Board") has repeatedly dismissed or ignored our suggestions for enhancing shareholder value which is why we are writing to you today. Our Group's Shareholder Proposals: Addressing SCT's Steep Discount to NAV We believe there are clear opportunities to unlock shareholder value at SCT. That is why we have taken action to represent shareholders' interests by putting forth the following proposals for consideration at the upcoming AGM: Proposal #1: Increased Dividend Distribution: We are proposing that a dividend of KRW 4,500 per common share and KRW 4,550 per preferred share be paid in respect to FY 2023. Approximately KRW 740 billion is needed for the dividend payout, which can be sourced sufficiently from the distribution of 100% of the post-tax dividend income from SCT affiliates and 25% of free cash flow ("FCF") from operations (excluding Samsung Biologics). We believe increasing the dividend payment will help align capital allocation to shareholder expectations and set the tone for longer-term decisions to help reduce the steep "Korea Discount" SCT faces today. Proposal #2: Share Repurchase Program: We are proposing that the Company allocate KRW 500 billion to a share repurchase program. This is equivalent to approximately 50% of annual FCF from operations (excluding Samsung Biologics) per SCT's own estimates for FY 2023-2025. Based on the Company's 2023 year-end share price, approximately 3,861,000 shares can be repurchased, or 2.4% of total shares outstanding.3 This, coupled with an improved dividend yield of 3.5%, would bring the total shareholder yield to approximately 6% and help to narrow the discount. A share repurchase program will enhance both earnings and intrinsic value per share, and in our view, demonstrate SCT's commitment toward addressing its valuation problem and improving shareholder value. Unfortunately, the Board has failed to take decisive action that properly addresses SCT's long-term underperformance and persistent discount to NAV. In early 2023, the Company announced a "new" shareholder return policy for FY 2023-2025 that is largely unchanged from the preceding three-year period in terms of its ability to narrow the gap between SCT's share price and NAV. Our Group has high conviction that this view is shared by a significant portion of the shareholder base, based on our engagement with other local and foreign minority shareholders. Since the announcement of this policy, SCT's share price underperformed by an additional 5.1% relative to the KOSPI Index, while the Company's discount to NAV widened to 67%.4 This negative market reaction clearly signals the Board has been unable to present a compelling capital allocation framework that investors believe adequately balances investment for future growth with shareholder returns. In addition, while we are supportive of the cancellation of all treasury shares, without an accompanying share repurchase program, the Company's policy does not go far enough. We also do not understand the rationale for SCT's continuing position to dilute the impact of the treasury share cancellation by enacting it over multiple years and we disagree with the Company's characterization of this as a "shareholder return." In sharp contrast, the Company's discount to NAV recently narrowed as shareholders began publicly advocating for positive change at SCT.5 This reaction signals that investors are encouraged by the prospect of the Board taking action to increase shareholder returns, improve governance and help unlock the value currently trapped in the Company's shares. The Path Forward: Unlocking Shareholder Value at SCT In order to realize SCT's value for all shareholders, we believe that the Board must adopt a transparent, shareholder-friendly capital allocation framework that systematically considers the returns on different uses of capital, including growth investments and share repurchases. For as long as the discount persists at these elevated levels, this approach inevitably calls for allocating a portion of FCF to repurchasing shares. In fact, we not only believe that share repurchases should be pursued as a way to reduce the discount, but also that they absolutely make sense from a capital allocation perspective at current valuation levels. By way of illustration, shares repurchased at a 60% discount to NAV produce a return on investment of 150%, setting a high hurdle for alternative uses of cash. As long-term shareholders, our Group recognizes SCT's immense potential value and believes the Board will demonstrate its respect for investor feedback and commitment to enhancing shareholder value by including both our proposals on the 2024 AGM agenda. In the coming weeks, we will issue a presentation detailing our vision to improve shareholder returns and enhance corporate governance at SCT. Our Group firmly believes that supporting our proposals will pave the way for SCT's share price to begin to reflect the true value of its assets benefiting the Company, its employees, shareholders and all stakeholders. Thank you in advance for your willingness to evaluate our proposals. To learn more about our plans to help catalyze positive change at SCT, visit www.UnlockSCTValue.com. Sincerely, ANDA Asset Management Co., Ltd. City of London Investment Management Company Limited Whitebox Advisors LLC About ANDA ANDA Asset Management Co., Ltd. is a leading asset management firm that invests across both traditional and alternative assets in Korea. Founded in 2011 and based in Seoul, ANDA's investment philosophy is grounded in proprietary research, capital growth and preservation with a focus on delivering superior, long-term returns for our investors. About CLIM CLIM is a UK headquartered asset management firm, established in 1991. CLIM is a long-term investor in global markets via closed-end funds and other securities using a value-based approach exploiting anomalies between price and intrinsic value. CLIM has a strong focus on corporate governance and regularly engages with portfolio companies to enhance shareholder value. About Whitebox Whitebox Advisors LLC is a multi-strategy alternative asset manager that seeks to generate optimal risk-adjusted returns for a diversified base of public institutions, private entities and qualified individuals. Founded in 1999, Whitebox invests across asset classes, geographies, and markets through the hedge fund vehicles and institutional accounts we advise. The firm maintains offices in Minneapolis, Austin, New York, London and Sydney. ____________________ 1 SCT's total shareholder return ("TSR") since the 2015 Cheil Industries Inc. merger to 6 November 2023, the day prior to CLIM making public its intent to submit proposals at the upcoming AGM. Source: Bloomberg. TSR includes dividends reinvested. 2 NAV is estimated using the market value of listed assets, peer multiples for unlisted businesses, book value for other assets and net debt as of 26 January 2024. Treasury shares are treated as cancelled. 3 Based on the Company's closing share price of KRW 129,500 as of 28 December 2023. 4 Calculated from the Company's announcement on 16 February 2023 to 6th November 2023, the day prior to CLIM making public its intent to submit proposals at the upcoming AGM. 5 From 7 November 2023, the day CLIM made public its intent to submit proposals at the upcoming AGM, to the end of FY2023, SCT's share price rose by 17.8%, well ahead of the KOSPI return of 6.1%. This outperformance was primarily driven by the discount narrowing, not by an increase in value of the underlying portfolio. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201805585/en/ Contacts: Longacre Square Partners Greg Marose Charlotte Kiaie, +1 646-386-0091 SCTInvestorGroup@longacresquare.com ROUSSET, France, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- THERYQ, a French company specializing in the development of FLASH radiotherapy systems, and Gustave Roussy, the leading French and European center for cancer research, ranked 4th worldwide, are selected as part of the "i-Demo" / France 2030 call for projects for the "FLASHDEEP" project, with a budget of 38 million euros. FLASHDEEP will be the world's first FLASH radiotherapy device using very high-energy electrons (VHEE; > 100 MeV). The particle acceleration technology developed by THERYQ stems from research initiated by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV). The first clinical FLASHDEEP device will be installed in France, at Gustave Roussy, late 2026, to conduct clinical trials with eligible patients. This system will be able to treat deep solid tumors up to 20 cm thanks to a high-energy electron beam and a dose rate a thousand times higher than that used in conventional radiotherapy. FLASHDEEP represents a major technological advancement in the fight against cancer, offering the prospect of a more effective, better tolerated, shorter, and therefore cheaper treatment than conventional radiotherapy, with no equivalent on the market today. THERYQ's mission is to revolutionize cancer treatment by launching a new radiotherapy process called "FLASH." An advanced technique aiming to reduce irradiation time to just a fraction of a second, thus replacing multiple radiotherapy sessions while preserving the patient's healthy tissues. This technology offers the opportunity to treat more cancers resistant to today's radiotherapy treatments, paving the way for a more effective, less invasive, and less toxic treatment for cancer patients," says Ludovic Le Meunier, CEO of THERYQ. He also adds: "Thanks to this funding obtained following an excellent collaboration with the DGE and Bpifrance, THERYQ aims to make all types of solid cancer a manageable condition, allowing FLASH radiotherapy to unleash its curative potential. By irradiating more than 3000 times faster, we can achieve the same anti-tumor effect with fewer toxicities and fewer side effects or increase the irradiation dose on resistant tumors for cancers with less favorable prognoses. The French company THERYQ is the first to have demonstrated the "FLASH" effect based on the use of electrons emitted at very high rates. The first trials will start in 2027 and will focus on inoperable pancreatic and brain cancers. But before that, we need to deepen our knowledge in radiobiology and medical physics to develop new dose calculation methods linked to this new technology," explains Professor Eric Deutsch, head of the Radiotherapy department at Gustave Roussy. Thanks to the funding provided by Bpifrance as part of France 2030, THERYQ and Gustave Roussy will bring together biologists, physicists, and physicians to conduct the necessary preclinical and clinical studies to demonstrate the improved tolerance and efficacy of FLASHDEEP compared to conventional radiotherapy. They will also submit the CE marking application so that French and European patients in need can benefit from this new therapeutic option as quickly as possible. In parallel, THERYQ plans to build and equip its industrial platform to enable the launch of the first machines, followed by mass production of FLASHDEEP devices and the start of their commercialization in Europe. This industrial deployment project also represents a great economic opportunity for France, with the creation of more than 600 direct and indirect jobs in the country. Ultimately, it will lead to the revival of a French radiotherapy industrial sector, a field that has been neglected since the late 1980s. Media Contact: Merryl Marcout - Relations Presse - AZAPHARM mmarcout@azapharm.com Fatine Slaoui, THERYQ - fslaoui@theryq.com Claire Parisel, Gustave Roussy, presse@gustaveroussy.fr Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2332797/France_2030_CP_THERYQ_GR_Logo.jpg PDF - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2332780/EN_France2030_CP_Theryq_GR.pdf View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/theryq-and-gustave-roussy-have-been-selected-as-part-of-the-i-demo-france-2030-call-for-projects-operated-on-behalf-of-the-french-government-by-bpifrance-for-the-flashdeep-project-for-an-amount-of-38-million-euros-302051398.html TeamViewer Spatial Support helps remote users interact with lifelike 3D models and collaborate in real time GOPPINGEN, Germany, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- German company TeamViewer, a leading global provider of remote connectivity and workplace digitalization solutions, today announced TeamViewer Spatial Support, an app to experience TeamViewer's pioneering 3D visualization and real-time remote assistance on Apple Vision Pro. This app stands as a testament to TeamViewer's innovation capabilities, speed, and efficiency for entering the next era of immersive assistance, after-sales support and field service. TeamViewer's Spatial Support app on iPhone[1] uses ARKit and the built-in LiDAR Scanner to capture detailed 3D models of devices in need of support. In a shared session, a remote expert using the Spatial Support app on Apple Vision Pro can then interact with the precise visual models captured on iPhone. Together, they have a synchronized 3D experience, with the expert guiding the on-site technician via annotations and 3D elements. Brian Ballard, Senior Vice President Product Management & Solution Delivery at TeamViewer, says: "Remote support and assistance is part of TeamViewer's DNA, and with Apple Vision Pro we are bringing a new level of fidelity, visual depth, and detail to our customers that just was not possible before. These unique immersive capabilities go far beyond desktop support and help customers who deal with real-world, complex objects convey critical information to those that can help them service machines, and systems out in the field. This results in a faster response time and fewer errors. Ultimately, it addresses labor shortages and the need for easy knowledge transfer by bridging the gap between on-site challenges and remote expertise." Thanks to the leading position of its AR-enabled enterprise productivity platform Frontline, TeamViewer is uniquely positioned to launch an industry-focused solution for Apple Vision Pro. It is built on TeamViewer's profound knowledge of how to digitally transform manufacturing, after-sales and field service processes, underlined by strategic partnerships with industry giants like SAP, Microsoft, and Siemens. TeamViewer customers can already use their existing license to integrate this solution into their daily work. For more information about TeamViewer's after-sales support solutions please visit the Apple App store. About TeamViewer TeamViewer is a leading global technology company that provides a connectivity platform to remotely access, control, manage, monitor, and repair devices of any kind - from laptops and mobile phones to industrial machines and robots. Although TeamViewer is free of charge for private use, it has around 630,000 subscribers and enables companies of all sizes and from all industries to digitalize their business-critical processes through seamless connectivity. Against the backdrop of global megatrends like device proliferation, automation and new work, TeamViewer proactively shapes digital transformation and continuously innovates in the fields of Augmented Reality, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. Since the company's foundation in 2005, TeamViewer's software has been installed on more than 2.5 billion devices around the world. The company is headquartered in Goppingen, Germany, and employs more than 1,400 people globally. In 2022, TeamViewer achieved a revenue of around EUR 566 million. TeamViewer SE (TMV) is listed at Frankfurt Stock Exchange and belongs to the MDAX. Further information can be found at https://www.teamviewer.com/. Media contact Patrick Pickhan press@teamviewer.com Tel: +49 7161 60692 0181 [1] Apple iPhone 12 Pro and or higher with iOS 17 required. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2332338/Vision_Pro_iPhone.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2319619/4525938/TeamViewer_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/teamviewer-unveils-real-time-assistance-app-for-apple-vision-pro-302051235.html BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks rose on Friday as global bond yields dipped after the release of weak U.S. labor market data overnight. The U.S. January jobs report is due later in the day, with analysts expecting the employment growth to have slowed down to 180k from 216k in December. The benchmark DAX was up 107 points, or 0.6 percent, at 16,965 after losing 0.3 percent in the previous session. In corporate news, E.ON was half a percent higher. The energy group expects annual adjusted Group EBITDA to be 9.4 billion euros compared to the prior estimation of 8.6 billion euros - 8.8 billion euros. Adidas rose about 1 percent. The sportswear giant intends to sell the remaining stock of Yeezy sneakers from its discontinued collaboration with Kanye West, at a minimum of the production cost. 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. AlgoSec enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of network security in Cisco environments by providing application-centric security, automation, and compliance capabilities RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., Feb. 02, 2024 will demonstrate the quality of its application-centric hybrid network solutions at this year's Cisco Live in Amsterdam. AlgoSec will illustrate how its range of value-added product integrations enables organizations to support their business-critical applications while minimizing security risks and ensuring compliance. AlgoSec operates deep at the business application level, allowing organizations to monitor traffic patterns, identify anomalies, and prioritize security incidents. This profound application-level understanding enables network and cloud security professionals to optimize their Cisco environments and minimize the attack surface and risk of unauthorized access. As a SolutionsPlus partner, AlgoSec have fostered a strong relationship with Cisco that enables us to effectively address the needs of their customers, which have changed over time with the increasing adoption of hybrid cloud networks. The integration of Cisco and AlgoSec's solutions delivers innovation to the market and offers greater value to our joint prospects and existing customers. AlgoSec integrates seamlessly with Cisco networking and security solutions, including Cisco Firepower and Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure). This integration ensures consistent policy enforcement and centralized management, helping organizations to better secure their networks while reducing operational overhead and complexity. AlgoSec has recently introduced early availability for Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) support, underscoring a commitment to providing continuity and support for customers navigating transitions in their network infrastructure. As evidence of the company's commitment and efforts, AlgoSec was recently recognized as one of the "Meraki Picks" companies on the Meraki Marketplace. This showcases partners based on their proven track record with customers, highlighting AlgoSec's exceptional performance in Network Security and Network Automation. AlgoSec is inviting customers and partners to visit them at Booth E10 at Cisco Live from February 5-8th. For the latest information and to set up a meeting at the show, please visit the event portal. About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity and cloud-native applications throughout their multi-cloud and hybrid network. Trusted by more than 1,800 of the world's leading organizations, AlgoSec's application-centric approach enables to securely accelerate business application deployment by centrally managing application connectivity and security policies across the public clouds, private clouds, containers, and on-premises networks. Using its unique vendor-agnostic deep algorithm for intelligent change management automation, AlgoSec enables acceleration of digital transformation projects, helps prevent business application downtime and substantially reduces manual work and exposure to security risks. AlgoSec's policy management and CNAPP platforms provide a single source for visibility into security and compliance issues within cloud-native applications as well as across the hybrid network environment, to ensure ongoing adherence to internet security standards, industry, and internal regulations. Learn how AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, DevSecOps and cloud security teams to deploy business applications up to 10 times faster while maintaining security at https://www.algosec.com. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil ticked higher on Friday but headed for its biggest weekly loss since early November after reports that Hamas and Israel have come to an agreement on a ceasefire, a crucial step toward ending the conflict. Benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.4 percent to $79.04 per barrel, while WTI crude futures were up 0.4 percent at $74.14. Traders closely watched the developments regarding negotiations of a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. The Gaza ruling group Hamas has finally given 'greenlighted' the ceasefire proposal and release of Israeli hostages, but talks are still in the early stages. A weaker dollar lent some support to oil prices ahead of the all-important U.S. jobs report due later in the day. Traders were also reacting to the OPEC+ decision to keep its oil output policy unchanged. At an online review meeting on Thursday, the oil cartel signaled that it would maintain output cuts for the first quarter to avert a surplus amid easing global demand. OPEC reaffirmed its 'readiness to take additional measures at any time,' according to the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, which will meet again on April 3. 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. 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 NIO's full-range NOP+ navigation assistance coverage surpasses 650,000 km On February 1, NIO announced its full-range NOP+ (NOP stands for Navigate-on-Pilot) function achieved a cumulative coverage of 651,640 kilometers in urban areas (excluding city expressways), with new routes added in 398 cities, totaling 606 cities. Photo credit: NIO Dongfeng AEOLUS scores 129% YoY increase in Jan. auto sales AEOLUS, the wholly-owned passenger vehicle brand under Dongfeng Motor, sold 17,020 vehicles in the first month of 2024, which skyrocketed 129% from a year ago. Changan UNI-Z official images unveiled On February 2, official images of Changan Auto's new SUV, the UNI-Z, were released, showcasing a completely refreshed family design for a more youthful overall appearance. Powered by Changan's new hybrid electric system, the UNI-Z is positioned in the 150,000-yuan market segment and is expected to hit the market in the first quarter of this year. FAWs Hongqi brand boasts 82.9% YoY surge in Jan. 2024 In the first month of 2024, Hongqi, the signature passenger vehicle brand under FAW Group, sold 40,300 vehicles, representing a year-on-year spike of 82.9%. Chery Holdings wholly-owned brands post 107.5% YoY soar in Jan. sales Chinese automaker Chery Holding reported a stellar sales performance in January, which came in at a total of 200,992 units under its wholly-owned vehicle brands, representing a 107.5% leap year-over-year. ZF China receives L4 autonomous driving road test license in Shanghai ZF China has recently secured its first L4 autonomous driving test license in the country, marking the first foreign auto parts enterprise to obtain such a permit in Shanghai. YTMicro closes B2 funding round with hundreds of millions of yuan raised YTMicro, the Jiangsu-based semiconductor company, closed a new funding round with hundreds of millions of yuan raised. AVATRs monthly vehicle deliveries hit new high at 7,059 units in Jan. 2024 AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly backed by Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, reported a robust delivery volume in January that refreshed its monthly delivery record. DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's third-largest crypto exchange by volume, proudly launches the "Bybit Trader of 2024," a groundbreaking year-long initiative designed to educate, empower, and elevate traders at every stage of their development. Aligned with the values of CryptoArk, this initiative seeks to cultivate growth and development for traders at every level, fostering a community that thrives on knowledge, innovation, and strategic trading decisions. As participants engage in a diverse array of educational activities and immerse themselves in monthly competitions, they will discover tailored opportunities and themes designed to seamlessly guide them through the ranks, culminating in the prestigious status of VIP traders within the vibrant Bybit community. Skills are refined, perspectives broadened, and Bybit stands as a devoted partner, actively contributing to the establishment of a secure and flourishing trading environment. What You Can Expect in the Bybit Trader of 2024 Educational Focus Bybit is unwavering in its commitment to empower traders with knowledge, skills, and insights to navigate the ever-evolving crypto landscape. This dedication to education is prominently reflected in a diverse range of monthly activities designed to cater to traders at various levels. For those new to crypto trading, Bybit offers a series of tutorials and informative articles covering a spectrum of topics. Beginners can benefit from onboarding trading tools that simplify the learning curve and enhance their trading proficiency. These tools are strategically chosen to accommodate the diverse needs of users. The hands-on experience facilitated by interactive elements allows users to seamlessly explore and integrate these tools into their trading strategies. For traders seeking a more profound understanding, Bybit provides an extensive array of educational resources in multiple languages. This includes engaging AMA series, insightful webinars, and tutorial sessions focusing on various trading tools such as TradeGPT, Future Grid, Dual Asset, Unified Trading Account, Spot Grid, Copy Trading, and Liquidity Mining. Additionally, we delve into comprehensive insights about our products, including the VIP Program, Fiat System, P2P, and more. Whether you're a cautious HODLer, a strategic Grid Trader, a daring Risk Taker, or a seasoned High-capital Trader, the Bybit Trader of 2024 campaign ensures that you have access to the best resources that align with your trading style. The campaign's commitment to inclusivity extends to beginners, providing them with the foundational tools needed to confidently navigate and participate in the exciting world of crypto trading. Hot Topics, Industry Reports, and Tailored Insights Bybit Trader of 2024 seamlessly integrates hot topics and industry trends each month, ensuring users stay abreast of the latest developments in the dynamic crypto world. This commitment not only reflects our dedication to staying ahead of the curve but also ensures our community is well-prepared and equipped to make informed and strategic trading decisions. For traders seeking in-depth insights, our industry reports provide institutional and professional traders with invaluable knowledge, offering a deep dive into the intricacies of market dynamics. Simultaneously, new traders benefit from our hot topics and industry trend explanations, serving as a beacon of knowledge to guide them on how to interpret and navigate the ever-evolving market landscape. At Bybit, we believe that every trader, regardless of experience, should have access to the tools and information needed to make confident and informed trading decisions. Exclusive and Unparalleled Bybit VIP Experience Immerse yourself in a world of distinction with our Exclusive VIP Events, curated throughout the year to acknowledge and reward the loyalty of our top traders. Elevating beyond the ordinary, Bybit VIP events offer more than just recognition-they provide exclusive networking opportunities, rare insights from industry leaders, and unparalleled access to premium features on the Bybit platform. At Bybit, we understand that VIPs deserve a truly unique experience. Our Bybit VIPs not only gain exclusive access to these events but also unlock the full potential of our products through personalized services tailored to their individual needs. This bespoke Bybit VIP experience ensures that our top traders not only thrive in the market but revel in a privileged journey crafted just for them. Trading Competitions Bybit presents a thrilling avenue for both novice and seasoned traders to harness market opportunities through our upcoming monthly trading competitions. Participants are invited to showcase their trading skills and strategies in an atmosphere of competition and camaraderie. This is not just a chance to prove your trading prowess; it's an opportunity to win exciting prizes and assert your standing against the best in the crypto field. Join us as we set the stage for these electrifying contests, where every trade brings you closer to victory! "In the ever-evolving realm of crypto trading, empowerment and education stand as pivotal pillars for success. 'Bybit Trader of 2024' reflects our commitment to empowering Bybit users with essential knowledge and tools that will shape their trading journey." Ignite Your Trades, Seize the Crowns" summarizes the spirit of the campaign, promising a year filled with educational opportunities, cutting-edge tools, and exclusive events," added Ben Zhou, co-founder, and CEO of Bybit. "Bybit started with professional traders on derivatives in 2018, partnering traders is close to our hearts and mission. With the success of Bybit growing to a prominent exchange, it is our time to give back to the community of traders." To participate and learn more about the campaign, please visit: https://www.bybit.com/en/promo/events/Bybit-Trader-Year-2024 . 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: media@bybit.com 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 | Youtube Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2332864/Image.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2267288/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-trader-of-2024-a-beginners-gateway-to-crypto-mastery-begins-here-302051673.html CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Power SCADA Market is expected to reach USD 2.9 billion by 2028 from USD 2.1 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 7.1% during the 2023-2028 period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Key to this growth is the increasing emphasis on the modernization and digitization of power infrastructure. Acknowledging the crucial role of SCADA systems, utilities and energy providers are driven by the pursuit of enhanced operational efficiency and reliability. The market is further propelled by the rising integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, into power grids, creating a demand surge for advanced SCADA solutions. Additionally, the complexity of power networks, necessitating real-time monitoring and control, contributes to the market's expansion, with SCADA systems providing a centralized platform that effectively addresses this intricacy amid the proliferation of distributed energy resources, decentralized generation, and smart grid initiatives. Browse in-depth TOC on "Power SCADA Market" 246 - Tables 48 - Figures 270 - Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=36168289 Power SCADA Market Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $2.1 billion Estimated Value by 2028 $2.9 billion Growth Rate Poised to Grow at a CAGR of 7.1% Largest Market Asia Pacific Market Size Available for 2019-2028 Forecast Period 2023-2028 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Component, By Architecture, and By End-use Industry Geographies Covered Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South America Key Market Opportunities Convergence of power SCADA systems and wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Key Market Drivers Growing adoption of Industry 4.0 principles in various sectors. Hardware segment, by architecture, to occupy majority of Power SCADA Market share. The hardware segment, categorized by architecture, is anticipated to dominate the majority of the Power SCADA Market share for several compelling reasons. Firstly, hardware components form the foundational infrastructure of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, encompassing critical elements such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), remote terminal units (RTUs), communication devices, and sensors. These components play a pivotal role in facilitating real-time monitoring, control, and data acquisition in power generation, transmission, and distribution processes. The intrinsic nature of power systems, characterized by the need for reliability, resilience, and high-performance functionalities, emphasizes the importance of robust hardware architecture. As organizations in the power sector increasingly prioritize the adoption of advanced and sophisticated SCADA solutions, the hardware segment becomes a focal point for investments. The demand for state-of-the-art hardware is particularly driven by the evolving complexity of power networks, the integration of smart grid technologies, and the requirement for seamless operations in the face of growing energy demands. Moreover, the hardware segment's dominance is reinforced by the fact that many key players in the Power SCADA Market tend to manufacture complete SCADA systems in-house. This vertical integration allows these market players to exert more control over the supply chain, reducing reliance on external suppliers for critical components. By component, the remote terminal units (RTU) segment is expected to be the largest market. The Remote Terminal Units (RTU) segment is anticipated to be the largest market within the power SCADA landscape based on several factors that highlight the critical role of RTUs in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for power applications. RTUs serve as key data collection and control units, situated at remote sites within power networks. Their primary function involves interfacing with field devices, such as sensors and actuators, and transmitting data to the central SCADA system. Given the extensive coverage of power infrastructure, the widespread deployment of RTUs is essential for efficient and comprehensive monitoring and control. The increasing complexity of power networks, driven by factors like distributed energy resources, decentralized generation, and smart grid initiatives, amplifies the importance of RTUs. Moreover, the rising adoption of advanced technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart devices, further enhances the significance of RTUs. As power systems become more interconnected and data-intensive, the demand for RTUs capable of handling diverse data sources and communication protocols increases. The need for increased automation and real-time responsiveness in power networks contributes to the prominence of RTUs. These units play a crucial role in enabling quick decision-making by transmitting timely data to the central system, facilitating efficient control of power generation, transmission, and distribution processes. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=36168289 Asia Pacific to emerge as the largest Power SCADA Industry. Asia-Pacific is poised to emerge as the largest Power SCADA Market due to a confluence of factors propelling the region's robust adoption of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems in the power sector. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the continuous expansion of power infrastructure projects in countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea contribute to a soaring demand for advanced SCADA solutions. Governments in the region are actively promoting smart grid initiatives, emphasizing digital transformation, and investing heavily in upgrading power networks, thereby fueling the need for sophisticated SCADA systems for efficient monitoring and control. The presence of major economies with substantial technological capabilities, coupled with a proactive approach toward adopting advanced technologies, positions Asia-Pacific at the forefront of power SCADA adoption. Additionally, the increasing population and escalating energy consumption in the region further underscore the necessity for reliable and optimized power distribution, reinforcing the prevalence of power SCADA systems across diverse applications. Key Market Players Key players in the global Power SCADA Companies include ABB (Switzerland), Rockwell Automation (US), Siemens (Germany), Schneider Electric (France), and Emerson (US). Browse Adjacent Markets: Energy and Power Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: SCADA Market by Offering (Hardware, Software, Services), Component (Programmable Logic Controller, Remote Terminal Unit, Human-Machine Interface), End User (Process Industries, Discrete Manufacturing, Utilities) and Region - Global Forecast to 2027 Industrial Automation Oil & Gas Market by Component (Control Valves, HMI, Process Analyzers, Intelligent Pigging, Vibration Monitoring), Solutions (SCADA, PLC, DCS, MES, PAM), Stream and Region (2022-2025) Oilfield Communications Market by Component, Communication Network (VSAT Communication Network, Fiber Optic-based Communication Network, Microwave Communication Network), Field Site, Application, and Region - 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. 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: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/power-scada-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/power-scada.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/power-scada-market-worth-2-9-billion-by-2028---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302051714.html JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The United States has imposed financial sanctions on four Israeli settlers over their role in attacks carried out against Palestinians in West Bank. The sanctions are pursuant to an executive order that President Joe Biden issued Thursday targeting Israeli settlers linked to escalating violence against civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Executive Order establishes U.S. authority to issue financial sanctions against those directing or participating in acts or threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, or engaging in terrorist activity in the West Bank. Announcing the sanctions, the State Department said David Chai Chasdai initiated and led a riot, including setting vehicles and buildings on fire, assaulting Palestinian civilians, and damaging property in Huwara, which resulted in the death of a Palestinian. Einan Tanjil was involved in attacking Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists with stones and clubs. According to the State Department, it has video evidence of Shalom Zicherman attacking Israeli activists and their vehicles in the West Bank. Yinon Levi was designated for leading a group of settlers who engaged in actions creating an atmosphere of fear in the West Bank. 'He regularly led groups of settlers from the Meitarim Farm outpost that assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property,' the State Department said. Levi and other settlers at Meitarim Farm have repeatedly attacked multiple communities within the West Bank. A rare punitive measure by Washington on the citizens of one of its strongest allies comes in the wake of hundreds of incidents of violence against West Bank Palestinians. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had announced on December 5 visa restrictions on some individuals who were involved in violence in the West Bank. At a White House briefing, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said it's a signal to the whole world how seriously President Biden takes the settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. It's unacceptable and a detriment to peace and security in the West Bank, he told reporters. Kirby said there are no plans to target Israeli government officials with sanctions at this time. 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 TOKYO, Feb 2, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - In its showcase at MWC Barcelona 2024, Fujitsu will demonstrate how it's "connecting the world for a sustainable future" with a range of innovative network technologies, AI use cases, and transformative Fujitsu Uvance offerings for its customers and society.Fujitsu will introduce AI-enhanced network technologies critical for Open RAN deployments, including 5G virtualized radio base stations and the optical transmission system, with a variety of real-world use cases and demonstrations. Technology demos will reveal Fujitsu's initiatives for the 6G era and a preview of the next generation of innovative solutions under development, including the high-performance, low-power FUJITSU-MONAKA (code-name) processor. Fujitsu will also show how generative AI powers commercial offerings like the ESG Management Platform, which supports decision-making for both business and social sustainability, along with other AI use cases and solutions. Under its vision for Fujitsu Uvance, which aims to realize a sustainable world, Fujitsu will contribute to the realization of Sustainability Transformation (SX) together with its customers through the development of network technology utilizing AI.Exhibition highlights1. AI zone:In addition to introducing the latest applications of Fujitsu Kozuchi, an AI platform supporting a more sustainable society, Fujitsu will demonstrate Fujitsu Kozuchi VisionAI technology for real-time, high-precision tracking.2. Fujitsu Uvance zone:Demos that show how the ESG Management Platform, which utilizes data to help realize optimal ESG management from both financial and non-financial perspectives to maximize value, collects and visualizes data, as well as implements recommendations necessary for management decisions and support decision-making through interactive analysis and simulation using generative AI.3. Connectivity zone:Solutions that use proprietary technologies including generative AI to dramatically streamline network operations, presenting the root cause of a failure and the basis for proposed responses from diverse domain knowledge datasetsMulti-platform vRAN solutions supporting communications services and AI use casesORAN compliant RU solutions that work with AI-powered applications for high performance and low power consumptionThe 1FINITY optical transmission system that realizes a low-latency, high-capacity, low-power all-photonics network essential for AI applicationsDigital twin technology to support automation and efficiency of network operations life cycleExciting new technologies being developed by Fujitsu including photonic disaggregated computer solutions, 6G initiatives, and the next-generation, high-performance energy-saving processor FUJITSU-MONAKA (code-name) ahead of its 2027 market launchOverview of MWC Barcelona 2024 and Fujitsu boothDate: Monday, February 26, 2024 to Thursday, February 29, 2024Venue: Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, SpainFujitsu booth: 2G60 (Hall 2)About FujitsuFujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.7 trillion yen (US$28 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.Press ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic and Investor Relations DivisionInquiries (https://bit.ly/3rrQ4mB)Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. CHANGZHOU, China, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 2, 2024, Seraphim Energy Group unveils its latest brand creation, the introduction of its brand IP character, Freeman. This significant move in brand identity marks the advent of a new and vibrant phase for Seraphim. Freeman radiates vitality and wisdom, embodying the spirit of freedom and innovation that characterizes Seraphim. With the image of a pony freely galloping across the vast world, Freeman signifies the company's commitment to openness and creativity. The resilient and brave traits of Freeman also mirror Seraphim's professional competence and proactive approach. The overall image of this IP character encapsulates Seraphim's vision of "Shifting the future, making the world a better place," aligning seamlessly with the corporate culture that integrates sustainability, humanity, and economic benefits. This introduction of Freeman stands as a significant milestone in Seraphim's ongoing brand development journey. Each member of Seraphim resonates with Freeman's spirit, embodying an enterprising and determined attitude, contributing substantially to the progress of the solar industry and a greener world. Serving as a communicative bridge with the outside world, Freeman reinforces Seraphim's commitment to an open and appealing brand image. As a global frontrunner in the solar industry, Seraphim consistently delivers sustainable and efficient renewable energy solutions to its global clients. Leveraging Freeman's image as a medium, Seraphim is resolute in augmenting its brand influence and propelling ongoing innovation within the renewable energy industry. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2333026/ENG_Freeman.jpg Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2333028/ip___final0202.mp4 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/seraphim-launches-its-brand-ip-freeman---a-new-icon-for-innovation-and-sustainability-302051907.html ISTANBUL, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trendyol, the leading e-commerce platform in Turkiye that connects a wide array of products and producers with international audiences, is making plans for an entry into the Ukrainian market. This move follows Trendyol's recent successful launches in Germany, Azerbaijan, The Gulf States and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market. Trendyol Group President, Caglayan Cetin this week participated in a series of meetings held in Ukraine alongside First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svrydenko, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Alexander Kamyshin and Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Baykar, the leading Turkish technology company, as part of both companies international investment strategy planning. First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Yulia Svrydenko expressed her pleasure in meeting Trendyol Group President, Caglayan Cetin and Baykar CEO, Haluk Bayraktar commenting: "It's important that Turkish companies are ready to invest in Ukraine now, without waiting for the war to end. Their interest extends beyond the swiftly advancing high-tech sector and defense industry during wartime. There's also a keen interest in collaboration within the logistics and marketplace with an export focus. We explored ways to enhance our cooperation and build stronger economic ties. I believe that increased trade can help bring our nations closer together." Trendyol's commitment to providing a seamless and convenient e-commerce experience, coupled with its dedication to promoting economic growth through cross-border trade, positions the company as a key player in the ongoing evolution of international e-commerce. Trendyol sees high potential in Ukraine with its fast-developing e-commerce market, an appetite for Turkish products and an opportunity to open up both domestic and international markets to Ukrainian brands using its world-class digital infrastructure and growing international footprint. As the company ventures into new markets, Trendyol remains steadfast in its mission to connect consumers with producers, and invest in digital and logistics infrastructure, such as its warehouse in Poland, which plays an important regional role with a 3m unit stock capacity. About Trendyol Founded in 2010, Trendyol is the leading e-commerce platform in Turkiye and one of the top e-commerce platforms in the world. Trendyol, Turkiye's first decacorn, continues to create value by maintaining one of Turkiye's pioneering R&D centers, Trendyol Tech; Turkiye's fastest growing logistics network, Trendyol Express; instant grocery and meal delivery service, Trendyol Go and Turkiye's largest secondhand goods platform, Dolap. Trendyol also reaches customers in Azerbaijan, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Greece, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman and 27 European countries via trendyol.com/en and in more than 100 countries through wholesale partner platforms. Trendyol also enables domestic producers to e-export to more than 100 countries. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2333115/Trendyol.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/trendyol-makes-plans-to-enter-the-ukrainian-market-302051939.html NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Toronto based CO2 GRO Inc. ("CO2 GRO" or the "Company") (TSXV:GROW)(OTCQB:BLONF)(Frankfurt:4021) is pleased to announce that, further to its press release on January 24, 2024, it has closed the first tranche of its previously announced private placement offering of unsecured convertible debenture units (the "Debenture Units") at a price of $1,000 per Debenture Unit for gross proceeds of $121,000 (the "Offering"). The Company anticipates that it will close subsequent tranches of the Offering in the upcoming months. Under the first tranche, 121 Debenture Units were sold each consisting of $1,000 in principal of unsecured convertible debentures (the "Debentures") and 11,111 common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") of the Company. Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for a period of four years from the Issue Date (as defined below) at an exercise price equal to $0.105. The Debentures will bear interest at a rate of 13.5% per annum from the date of issuance (the "Issue Date") and will have a three-year term (the "Term"). During the first year of the Term, quarterly interest payments on the Debentures will be paid in cash. In the remaining two (2) years of the Term, the Company will have the option to (i) pay further interest payments in cash or (ii) make payments-in-kind by way of issuance of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price equal to the market price of the Common Shares at the time the accrued interest becomes payable. At any time during the Term, each holder of Debentures may elect to convert any portion of the principal amount of the Debentures into Common Shares at a conversion price equal to $0.09 per Common Share (the "Conversion Price"). The Debentures will be subject to a forced conversion provision whereby, upon delivery of such notice to holders of the Debentures, the Company is permitted to convert the principal amount of all outstanding Debentures into Common Shares at the Conversion Price in the event that the average closing price of the Common Shares listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") is greater than $0.20 for twenty (20) consecutive trading days. The Company anticipates using the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital purposes, crystallization of its sales pipeline and conversion of ongoing TAPs (Technology Adaption Projects) with clients into recurring revenue, and for hiring of additional engineering and technical staff to advance all of the above. The Debentures, the Warrants and the underlying Common Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months and one (1) day from the Issue Date. The Offering is subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV. The Debenture Units were offered and sold by private placement in Canada pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements under National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions, and in certain other jurisdictions on a basis which does not require the qualification or registration of the securities issued pursuant to the Offering. Insiders of the Company subscribed for a total of $100,000 Debenture Units under the first tranche of the Offering, which constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the Company is not listed on a specified market and the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves "related parties", does not exceed $2,500,000, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing date of the Offering as the details of the Offering and the participation therein by each "related party" of the Company were not settled until shortly prior to the closing of 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 sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and the application of state securities laws. Visit www.co2gro.ca for more information on CO2 GRO Inc. About CO2 GRO Inc. CO2 GRO Inc. is a precision ag-tech, clean-tech company with a focus on People, the Planet and Prosperity. Our vision is to become one of the leading companies enhancing global food production from protected agriculture. By helping our customers sustainably increase yield and profitability, we could help feed up to half a billion people worldwide while reducing our customers' ecological footprint. About 300 million MT of fruit and vegetables are grown annually from about 5 million hectares of protected vegetable facilities globally (6 kg/m2/year of average production). A 30% yield increase using our technology could add up to 100 million MT of fruits and vegetables per year. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual fruit and vegetable consumption of up to 200 kg per year per adult. Our Target Market: The estimated 800 billion square foot global protected grower market is comprised of 700 billion square feet of fruits & vegetables (Cuesta Roble 2019 estimate), and an estimated 100 billion square feet of protected floriculture and other medicinal plants and non-food varieties. Our Technology: CO2 Delivery Solutions enriches plants with CO2 by misting an aqueous CO2 solution directly onto plants grown in greenhouses and other protected grow facilities globally. Value Proposition: Approximately 98% of protected grow facilities globally cannot add CO2 by atmospheric gassing, missing out on up to 30% increased yield potential and 100% more gross profit. CO2 GRO's technology enables all protected growers regardless of facility or location to enrich their plants with CO2 to realize up to 30% yield increases. In addition, our technology suppresses the growth of micro-pathogens such as E.coli and powdery mildew, leading to healthier crops. Growers currently employing CO2 gassing can save up to 90% of CO2 gas used, reducing their ecological footprint and production costs. Patent Protection: CO2 GRO's CO2 Delivery Solutions technology is protected by a suite of patents and patents pending. Business Model: Our technology is sold to growers based on the cultivation area installed at prices that provide a high return on their investment and high margins for our shareholders. Global Expansion: CO2 GRO's management is rapidly expanding its international marketing partner relationships into Mexico, Spain, the EU, the UK, South Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Latin America as well as in its US and Canadian base. Environmental, Social and Governance: CO2 GRO is committed to good Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies and practices. We are an equal opportunity employer of choice and opportunity. Forward-Looking Statements and Disclaimer This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities. Forward- looking information is often identified by the words "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: statements regarding the future direction of the Company; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business and financial objectives; plans for expansion and the ability of the Company to obtain, develop and foster its business relationships; and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company, future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates that management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Such assumptions include but are not limited to: general business and economic conditions; the Company's ability to successfully execute its plans and intentions; successful completion of the Offering; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and technology offered by the Company's competitors; and that good relationships with business partners will be maintained. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; in particular, the ability of the Company to raise debt and equity capital in the amounts and at the costs that it expects; adverse changes in applicable laws or adverse changes in the application or enforcement of current laws; the biotechnology industry and the greenhouse growers market are highly competitive, and technical advances in the industry will impact the success of the Company, and other risks described in the Company's filings that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CONTACT: Soumik Roy, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Investor Relations ir@co2gro.ca (647) 502-5006 SOURCE: CO2 Gro Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Philip Morris International Inc (PMI) (NYSE: PM) is pleased to announce that it has reached a global settlement with British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BAT) that resolves all ongoing patent infringement litigation between the parties related to our heated tobacco and vapor products. Patent protection is a critical component of the innovation driving PMI's strategies and the company welcomes this settlement as the best path forward for its business plans. The settlement includes non-monetary provisions between PMI and BAT that resolve all ongoing global patent infringement litigation, encompassing all related injunctions and exclusion orders, and prevents future claims against current heated tobacco and vapor products. The settlement also allows each party to innovate and introduce product iterations. PMI is committed to continued innovation in reduced-risk products to further advance Tobacco Harm Reduction. "We are pleased that this matter has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of both parties," said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer. "There is a clear and growing global desire from adults who smoke to choose from a range of smoke-free products, and we believe continued reduced-risk category innovation can accelerate declines in the harms associated with smoking to the benefit of consumers and public health at large as we continue PMI's journey to end the sale of cigarettes." EDITOR'S NOTE A summary of the settlement between the parties will be available on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in our Form 8-K filing to be filed today. Our SEC filings are available here. Forward-Looking Cautionary Statements This press release contains projections of future results and goals and other forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected financial or operational performance; investment strategies; regulatory outcomes; market expectations; and business plans and strategies. Achievement of future results is subject to risks, uncertainties and inaccurate assumptions. In the event that risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. Pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, PMI is identifying important factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements made by PMI. PMI's business risks include: excise tax increases and discriminatory tax structures; increasing marketing and regulatory restrictions that could reduce our competitiveness, eliminate our ability to communicate with adult consumers, or ban certain of our products in certain markets or countries; health concerns relating to the use of tobacco and other nicotine-containing products and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; litigation related to tobacco use and intellectual property; intense competition; the effects of global and individual country economic, regulatory and political developments, natural disasters and conflicts; the impact and consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine; changes in adult smoker behavior; the impact of COVID-19 on PMI's business; lost revenues as a result of counterfeiting, contraband and cross-border purchases; governmental investigations; unfavorable currency exchange rates and currency devaluations, and limitations on the ability to repatriate funds; adverse changes in applicable corporate tax laws; adverse changes in the cost, availability, and quality of tobacco and other agricultural products and raw materials, as well as components and materials for our electronic devices; and the integrity of its information systems and effectiveness of its data privacy policies. PMI's future profitability may also be adversely affected should it be unsuccessful in its attempts to produce and commercialize reduced-risk products or if regulation or taxation do not differentiate between such products and cigarettes; if it is unable to successfully introduce new products, promote brand equity, enter new markets or improve its margins through increased prices and productivity gains; if it is unable to expand its brand portfolio internally or through acquisitions and the development of strategic business relationships; if it is unable to attract and retain the best global talent, including women or diverse candidates; or if it is unable to successfully integrate and realize the expected benefits from recent transactions and acquisitions. Future results are also subject to the lower predictability of our reduced-risk product category's performance. PMI is further subject to other risks detailed from time to time in its publicly filed documents, including PMI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended September 30, 2023. PMI cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not a complete discussion of all potential risks and uncertainties. PMI does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that it may make from time to time, except in the normal course of its public disclosure obligations. Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company working to deliver a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than USD 10.5 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. In November 2022, PMI acquired Swedish Match a leader in oral nicotine delivery creating a global smoke-free champion led by the companies' IQOS and ZYN brands. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized versions of PMI's IQOS Platform 1 devices and consumables and Swedish Match's General snus as Modified Risk Tobacco Products. As of September 30, 2023, PMI's smoke-free products were available for sale in 82 markets, and PMI estimates that approximately 19.7 million adults around the world had already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. Smoke-free products accounted for approximately 36.2% of PMI's total third-quarter 2023 net revenues. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, PMI announced in February 2021 its ambition to expand into wellness and healthcare areas and, through its Vectura Fertin Pharma business, aims to enhance life through the delivery of seamless health experiences. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240202036913/en/ Contacts: Philip Morris International Investor Relations: Stamford, CT: +1 (203) 904 2410 Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666 Email: InvestorRelations@pmi.com Media: David Fraser Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500 Email: David.Fraser@pmi.com EQS-News: PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a.r.l. / Key word(s): Legal Matter PlusPlus Capital AS receives Court Approval for Reorganization 02.02.2024 / 13:30 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. PlusPlus Capital AS receives Court Approval for Reorganization Tallinn, Estonia, 2 February 2024. PlusPlus Capital ("PPC"), a leading pan-Baltic and Finnish technology-driven receivables management group, has received approval from the Harju District Court in Estonia to undertake reorganization proceedings of Aktsiaselts PlusPlus Capital (the "Parent Company") under the Reorganization Act ("Saneerimisseadus"). Furthermore, the court has appointed a restructuring advisor who will support the Parent Company in the preparation of the restructuring plan. PlusPlus Capital welcomes the court's decision and the start of the reorganization proceedings. In view of the current situation, PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l. (the "Issuer") is also preparing to file for reorganization proceedings in Luxembourg. PlusPlus Capital will inform investors in a timely manner about the reorganization plan for the Parent Company as well as the filing of reorganization proceedings in Luxembourg for the Issuer. Contact: PlusPlus Capital Kaarel Raik, Member of the Management Board Email: kaarel.raik@plusplus.ee Phone: +372 56 606 148 About PlusPlus Capital: PlusPlus is a pan-Baltic and Finnish technology-driven receivables management company with offices in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and Helsinki. The Company acquires overdue loans and other non-performing exposures from financial institutions and non-financial sector merchants. With its core competence in handling claims against private individuals, PlusPlus prefers diversified portfolios balanced by geography, portfolio type, and other metrics. Since its inception in 2010, PlusPlus has bought over 120 thousand claims with nominal value of approximately EUR 300 million. The Company offers its clients affordable recovery solutions and aims to avoid litigious scenarios. In doing so, PlusPlus pursues win-win solutions that allow sellers to focus on their core business, provide affordable solutions for borrowers, and ensure adequate returns for investors. PlusPlus is a transparent and socially responsible company set to assist people in resolving problems connected with their insufficient solvency. The ambition of PlusPlus is to increase its market share and further strengthen its position as a leading player in its regional market. pluspluscapital.eu 02.02.2024 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com COQUITLAM, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Grid Battery Metals Inc. (the "Company" or "Grid Battery") (TSXV:CELL)(OTCQB:EVKRF)(FRA:NMK2) announces that its exploration team has just visited the Clayton Valley Lithium Property in Esmeralda County, Nevada. This lithium project is located in Clayton Valley, Nevada adjacent to the village of Silver Peak, Nevada, about 48 km (29 miles) southwest of Tonopah, Nevada, and 273 kilometers (170 miles) southeast of Reno, Nevada. At the Clayton Valley Lithium Project, the Company contracted the services of Rangefront Geological ("Rangefront") to perform an updated and revised NI #43-101 Technical Report prior to the 2024 mineral exploration season. The Company proposes to use the results of this Technical Report and prior soil samples, geophysical surveys and drilling on the property, to help identify structure and target areas favorable to lithium accumulation and determine next steps for its overall exploration plan. This may include, but is not limited to, a subsequent drilling program on the property. Mr. Steven McMillin P.G., Qualified Person and Field Operations Manager at Rangefront has recently visited the property. Tim Fernback, Grid President & CEO comments "Clayton Valley holds the only producing lithium brine system in the United States and also holds amazing potential for lithium clay-hosted deposits. Our lithium claims in Clayton Valley are bordering the Silver Peak Lithium Project of Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB), home to the only producing lithium mine in North America. Another neighbour of ours to the east, Century Lithium Corp. (TSXV:LCE)(OTCQX:CYDVF), has issued a pre-feasibility study referencing a 26% after-tax internal rate of return and an NPV8 of $1.03 billion. It will be great to realize the potential of this area of Nevada for lithium-hosted brine and claystones for our shareholders." It should be noted that results from any adjacent property(s) are not an indication of what may be found on the Texas Spring property. Clayton Valley Property Images and Map About Rangefront Geological Elko Nevada-based Rangefront Geological has combined in-depth expertise with cutting-edge technology to provide mining consulting services, contract labor, field crew services, and vehicular support to the mining industry. With services available across North America, Rangefront works closely with its clients to provide high-quality mineral exploration services. Qualified Person Mr. Steven McMillin, P.G. is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the technical information contained within this news release. About Grid Battery Metals Inc. Grid Battery Metals Inc. is a Canadian-based exploration company whose primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's maintains a focus on exploration for high-value battery metals required for the electric vehicle (EV) market. www.gridbatterymetals.com. About Texas Springs Property The Company owns a 100% interest in the Texas Spring Property which consists of mineral lode claims located in Elko County, Nevada. The Property is in the Granite Range southeast of Jackpot, Nevada, about 73 km north-northeast of Wells, Nevada. The target is a lithium clay deposit in volcanic tuff and tuffaceous sediments of the Humbolt Formation. A Phase 1 exploration program at the Texas Springs Property (Fall 2023) yielded results with average Lithium Grades of 2010 ppm, applying a 1,000 ppm cut-off, and up to 5,610 ppm Lithium. The Texas Spring property adjoins the southern border of the Nevada North Lithium Project - owned by Surge Battery Metals Inc. ("Surge") (TSXV:NILI),(OTCQX:NILIF) and comprised of 725 mineral claims. Surge's first round of drilling identified strongly mineralized lithium-bearing clays. The average lithium content within all near-surface clay zones intersected in the 2022 drilling program, applying a 1000 ppm cut-off, was 3254 ppm. (Press release March 29, 2023). More recent results have shown higher grade lithium up to 8070 ppm on this property after initial drilling (Press release September 12, 2023). Our exploration results are on-trend with these results. About Clayton Valley Lithium Project The Company owns a 100% interest in 113 lithium lode and placer claims covering over 640 hectares in Clayton Valley. Clayton Valley is a down-dropped closed basin formed by the Miocene age Great Basin extension and is still active due to movement along the Walker Lane structural zone. As a result, the basin has preserved multiple layers of lithium-bearing volcanic ash, resulting from multiple eruptive events over the past 6 million years including eruptions from the 700,000-year-old Long Valley Caldera system and related events. These ash layers are thought to contribute to the lithium brines extracted by Albemarle and are also likely involved in the formation of the exposed lithium-rich clay deposits on the east side of Clayton Valley. Volt Canyon Lithium Property The Company owns a 100% interest in 80 placer claims covering approximately 635 hectares of alluvial sediments and clays located 122 km northeast of Tonopah, Nevada. About the British Columbia, Nickel Projects The Mount Sidney Williams Group consists of three claim blocks with a total area of 10,569 hectares in the area surrounding Mount Sidney Williams, both adjoining and near the Decar project of FPX Nickel Corp., located 100 kilometres northwest of Fort St. James, B.C., in the Omineca mining division. Metallic mineralization includes nickel, cobalt, and chromium. At least some of the nickel mineralization occurs as awaruite. The Mitchell Range Group area claim consists of one claim block covering 8,659 hectares with demonstrated metallic mineralization including nickel, cobalt, and chromium. Nickel cobalt mineralization has not been well explored, but the presence of awaruite has been documented. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Tim Fernback" Tim Fernback, President & CEO Contact Information: Email: info@gridbatterymetals.com Phone: 604- 428-5690 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. It should be noted that results from any adjacent property(s) are not an indication of what may be found on the Company's property(s). SOURCE: Grid Battery Metals Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Beijing (Gasgoo)- YTMicro, the Jiangsu-based semiconductor company, closed a new funding round with hundreds of millions of yuan raised. Photo credit: YTMicro The latest financing, which is YTMicros second funding round within six months, was led by the China Structural Reform Fund, with participation from Wuxi Capital Group and other institutions, highlighting the continued support from key players in the industry. YTMicro has been dedicated to the R&D of high-end automotive chips, striving to pave a commercial path for the high-quality development of China-made chips. With six successful funding rounds to date, the company has garnered support from industry giants like Xiaomi's industrial fund, BAIC Capital, and Baolong Automotive, alongside backing from reputable financial institutions. In May 2023, YTMicro completed a comprehensive product layout for "General MCU + Dedicated SoC." Its YTM32B1L and YTM32B1M products have received ISO26262 ASIL-B product certification, with cumulative shipment volume reaching several million sets. The YTM32B1H, an ISO26262 ASIL-D compliant product for high-end domain controllers, entered mass production in August 2023, with several clients currently undergoing mass production validation. YTMicro's product line now spans across the five major automotive domains - body, chassis, powertrain, cockpit, and autonomous driving. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Datametrex AI Limited (TSXV: DM) (FSE: D4G) (OTCQB: DTMXF) (the "Company" or "Datametrex") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Imagine Health Centres Downtown Calgary, has shown exceptional performance in the recent Group Practice Review ("GPR") by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta ("CPSA"). This evaluation marks a significant achievement in healthcare service quality, with the clinic achieving an impressive 90% compliance rate in meeting the Standards of Practice ("SOP"), a notably high score that underscores the Company's dedication to healthcare excellence. The clinic's achievement reflects the ethos of CPSA's Physician Practice Improvement Program ("PPIP"), focusing on continuous quality improvement and personal development in healthcare practices, a key initiative for Alberta physicians since 2021. The clinic has been commended for its comprehensive approach to managing physician-patient relationships, continuity of care, and episodic care management. Their adherence to rigorous infection prevention and control policies, along with their well-managed medical device reprocessing, set a high standard in healthcare services. While the GPR identified areas for improvement, particularly in the documentation of patient history, the clinic has proactively responded by transitioning to a state-of-the-art Electronic Medical Record ("EMR") system, further demonstrating its commitment to enhancing patient care and operational efficiency. Datametrex CEO, Charles Park, commented, "We are extremely proud of the team at Imagine Health Centres, Downtown Calgary. Their dedication to maintaining high standards in healthcare is evident in these outstanding GPR results. Achieving such a high compliance rate is not only a testament to their hard work but also reflects our commitment to providing exceptional care to our patients." About Datametrex Datametrex is an innovative leader in Technology Solutions, Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare. The Company excels in delivering tools and solutions that enhance operational efficiencies and business outcomes. With a commitment to innovation, Datametrex is dedicated to supporting enterprises by setting a new standard for business protocols through cutting-edge technology. For more on Datametrex, please visit our YouTube channel and Company website. For More Information Charles Park, CFA Chief Executive Officer & Director cpark@datametrex.com (416) 901-5611 x203 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. Forward-Looking Statements All statements included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the proposed spin-out transaction. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. ### To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196597 SOURCE: Datametrex AI Limited Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQX: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0) (MUN: A0I0) (BER: A0I0) (the "Company" or "Appia") is pleased to announce its plans for drilling at the 100%-owned uranium-bearing Loranger property in northern Saskatchewan in conjunction with the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement with the Ya'thi Nene Lands and Resources Office ("YNLR"). This diamond drilling program emphasizes Appia's excitement to capitalize on the rising uranium market in collaboration with the YNLR and local Wollaston residents. The Loranger diamond drilling program is pending permitting and is slated to commence between late February and early April, and represents a pivotal step in Appia's multi-year exploration efforts to develop its five (5) uranium properties. In partnership with the YNLR and the local Wollaston community, the program will follow up by targeting some of the approximately twenty (20) favourable electromagnetic and uranium-bearing geophysical anomalies (Figure 1) of the property within the eastern Wollaston Domain, in particular the Tabbernor Fault minerals system. Situated adjacent to the renowned, uranium-rich Athabasca Basin, Appia believes the Loranger Property holds strong potential for valuable uranium deposits. Appia's Loranger winter diamond drilling program is anticipated to include 1,000 to 1,200 metres across 8 to 10 drill holes, aiming to uncover new uranium discoveries to follow-up on what was drilled in 2017 and 2019. This program's success is expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of the property's uranium mineralization and the implications for further discoveries within its complex geological terrain. The agreement between Appia and the YNLR facilitates a mutual working relationship during the Loranger diamond drilling program, allowing for respectful and timely working relationships between both parties, and a push toward the project's success. This cooperative approach ensures that the exploration activities benefit both the Company and the region's communities. "After many constructive negotiations, we are very excited to return to northern Saskatchewan this winter season to explore the economic potential of our Loranger property, just as the uranium markets have seen a surge over the past 12 months," stated Stephen Burega, President. The technical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Irvine R. Annesley, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Figure 1 - DRILL TARGET LOCATIONS, LORANGER PROJECT, SK To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/196600_3d8fcd67c4e40b8f_001full.jpg About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (Appia) Appia is a publicly traded Canadian company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and gallium on the Alces Lake property, as well as exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Otherside, Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 113,837.15 hectares (281,297.72 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 13,008 hectares (32,143 acres), with rare earth elements and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario. Lastly, the Company holds the right to acquire up to a 70% interest in the PCH Project which is 17,551.07 ha. in size and located within the Goias State of Brazil. (See June 9th, 2023 Press Release - Click HERE) The company successfully added 23,412.11 ha to the PCH project's total hectares by staking 12 new claims, bringing the overall project size to 40,963.18 ha. Appia has 136.3 million common shares outstanding, 144.1 million shares fully diluted. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For more information, visit www.appiareu.com. As part of our ongoing effort to keep investors, interested parties and stakeholders updated, we have several communication portals. If you have any questions online (X, Facebook, LinkedIn) please feel free to send direct messages. To book a one-on-one 30-minute Zoom video call, please click here. Contact: Tom Drivas, CEO and Director (c) (416) 876-3957 (e) tdrivas@appiareu.com Stephen Burega, President (c) (647) 515-3734 (e) sburega@appiareu.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196600 SOURCE: Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. ("Namibia Critical Metals" or the "Company" or "NCMI") (TSX.V:NMI)(OTCQB:NMREF) is pleased to announce that it received all laboratory assays of the RC drilling campaign for its PFS study on the large-scale "Lofdal 2B-4" heavy rare earth project. The final infill drilling campaign entailed 7 very deep (end of hole between 325 and 401 meters) reverse circulation boreholes for a total of 2,597 m in the Area 4 main deposit. Assays were received from Actlabs, Canada. Highlights are: Continuation of the rare earth mineralization at depth was confirmed by all infill drill holes in grade and width in accordance with the geological model. The last borehole drilled (L4R0218) showed an increase in grade and width of the heavy rare earth mineralization and confirmed that the rare earth mineralization is open in southwesterly direction and at depth of the Area 4 main deposit. The Company appointed Qubeka, a Namibian consultancy specialised in surface mine planning and engineering to develop the mine model and schedule for the planned Lofdal mines "2B pit" and "4 pit". Qubeka is highly recognized and produced mine plans and engineering solutions e.g. for QKR's Navachab, B2Gold's Otjikoto and Osino's Twin Hill gold mines. Darrin Campbell, President of Namibia Critical Metals stated: "Another important milestone was reached, and I am very pleased to see the boxes systematically getting ticked for the PFS of our expanded project "Lofdal 2B-4". With the drill data already at The MSA Group I'm looking forward to an updated Mineral Resource Statement towards the end of February this year, and a kick-off of the detailed mine planning for both, the planned Area 4 and Area 2B pits by the internationally highly recognized Namibian consultancy Qubeka." Final infill drilling program at Area 4 deposit A final drill program was worked out by the Company with support by The MSA Group to increase the level of resource categories as required for the PFS for the expanded project "Lofdal 2B-4". Resource infill drilling was completed in November 2023. The drilling campaign entailed 7 boreholes with the cost-efficient reverse circulation (RC) method. In total of 2,597 meters were drilled with the deepest borehole reaching a depth of 401 m. Logging of the drill core confirmed the geological model of structural zones acting as fluid channels and controlling intensity, pinching and swelling as well as splaying of the wide mineralized zones. Figure 1: Location of final seven drill collars for deep infill drilling at Area 4 and indication of the sections in the following figures Mineralized intercepts are summarized in Table 1. The intercepts were generally selected based on an assumed cut-off of 0.1% TREO1 as previously used in the PEA "Lofdal 2B-4" (see press release on 14 Nov 2022). The intercepts partly include a significant number of samples with <0.1% TREO in order to reflect the width of the mineralized zone potentially forming consecutive ore blocks (see sections in Figures 2 to 8) in a large-scale open pit operation. By including lower grade mineralization, the combined mineralized intervals may reach more than 100 m length in total as for example in borehole L4R0218 with 7 mineralized intercepts with a combined length of 127 m between 95 m and 391 m depth (for details see Table 1). Sampling, analysis and QAQC 1234 samples of average 1.8 kg per sample were collected at the drill rig's cyclone ("A-sample") and submitted to Actlab's preparatory laboratory in Windhoek, Namibia, in batches of 200 to 300 samples. The samples were dried and crushed to 2 mm, split using a riffle splitter and pulverised to 105 m. Pulverised sub-samples were homogenised in a stainless-steel riffle splitter and a 15 g sample and duplicate were drawn for analysis. The pulverised sample aliquots were shipped to the ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Actlabs analytical facility in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. The samples were assayed using lithium metaborate-tetraborate fusion and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Actlab's analytical code "8-REE" includes 45 trace elements, 10 major oxides, Loss on Ignition, and mass balance. The samples were subjected to a quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) program consisting of the insertion of blank samples, field duplicates and certified reference materials at Lofdal and the preparation of a laboratory duplicate at the sample preparation facility in Windhoek. The Qualified Person, Dr Scott Swinden, is satisfied that the assay results are of sufficient accuracy and precision for use in the future update of the Mineral Resource Estimation. 1 "TREO" refers to total rare earth oxides plus yttrium oxide; "HREO" refers to heavy rare earth oxides plus yttrium oxide; "heavy rare earths" as used in all Company presentations comprise europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu) and yttrium (Y). Light rare earths comprise lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm). Figure 2: Section through the central part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Figure 3: Section through the central part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Figure 4: Section through the central part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Figure 5: Section through the central-western part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Figure 6: Section through the central-western part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Figure 7: Section through the western part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Figure 8: Section through the western part of Area 4 (location see on Figure 1) indicating the mineralised intervals by display of TREO1 grades (grey bars) and Dy2O3 (color bands) Table 1: Summary of mineralized intervals of the final RC infill drilling program at Lofdal Area 4 About Namibia Critical Metals Inc. NCMI is developing the Tier-1 Heavy Rare Earth Project, Lofdal, a globally significant deposit of the heavy rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium. Demand for these critical metals used in permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines and other electronics is driven by innovations linked to energy and technology transformations. The geopolitical risks associated with sourcing many of these metals has become a repeated concern for manufacturers and end users. Namibia is a proven and stable mining jurisdiction. The Lofdal Project is fully permitted with a 25-year Mining License and is under a Joint Venture Agreement with Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC). The Company filed a robust updated PEA for "Lofdal 2B-4" on November 14, 2022, with a post-tax NPV of USD$391 million and an annual IRR of 28% with a capital expenditure of USD$207 million. The project is projected to generate a life of mine nominal cash flow of USD$698 million post-tax over a 16-year mine life. About Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) and the JV JOGMEC is a Japanese government independent administrative agency which seeks to secure stable resource supplies for Japan. JOGMEC has a strong reputation as a long term, strategic partner in mineral projects globally. JOGMEC facilitates opportunities with Japanese private companies to secure supplies of natural resources for the benefit of the country's economic development. Rare earth elements are of critical importance to Japanese industrial interests and JOGMEC has extensive experience with all aspects of the sector. JOGMEC provided Lynas with USD$250,000,000 in loans and equity in 2011 to ensure supplies of the Light Rare Earths metals suite to the Japanese industry. Namibia Critical Metals owns a 95% interest in the Lofdal project with the remaining 5% held for the benefit of historically disadvantaged Namibians. The terms of the JOGMEC joint venture agreement with the Company stipulate that JOGMEC provides C$3,000,000 in Term 1 and C$7,000,000 in Term 2 to earn a 40% interest in the Lofdal project. Term 3 calls for a further C$10,000,000 of expenditures to earn an additional 10% interest. JOGMEC can also purchase another 1% for C$5,000,000 and has first right of refusal to fully fund the project through to commercial production and to purchase all production at market prices. The collective interests of NCMI and historically disadvantaged Namibians cannot be diluted below a 26% carried working interest upon payment of C$5,000,000 to JOGMEC for the dilution protection. NMI may elect to participate up to a maximum of 44% by funding pro rata after the earn in period is completed. To date, JOGMEC has completed Term 2 and earned a 40% interest by reaching the C$10 million expenditure requirement. JOGMEC has approved an additional C$3,050,000 budget for Term 3 through to March 31, 2024. Total approved project funding to date is C$13,050,000 of the $20,000,000 Earn-In requirement to reach 50% interest. Other exploration projects: The Company's Exclusive Prospecting Licenses ("EPLs") prospective for gold are located in the Central Namibian Gold Belt which hosts a number of significant orogenic gold deposits including the Navachab Gold Mine, the Otjikoto Gold Mine and the Twin Hills deposit. At the Erongo Gold Project, stratigraphic equivalents to the meta-sediments hosting the Osino gold discovery at Twin Hills have been identified and exploration is progressing over this highly prospective area. The Grootfontein Base Metal and Gold Project has potential for magmatic copper-nickel mineralization, Mississippi Valley-type zinc-lead-vanadium mineralization and Otjikoto-style gold mineralization. Rainer Ellmies, PhD, MScGeol, EurGeol, AusIMM and Vice President of Namibia Critical Metals Inc., is the Company's Qualified Person and has reviewed and approved this press release. The common shares of Namibia Critical Metals Inc. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "NMI" and the OTCQB Market under the symbol "NMREF". 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 more information please contact: Namibia Critical Metals Inc. Darrin Campbell, President Tel: +01 (902) 835-8760 Email: Info@NamibiaCMI.com Web site: www.NamibiaCriticalMetals.com This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is 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. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. SOURCE: Namibia Critical Metals Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Trifecta Gold Ltd. (TSXV:TG)(OTCQB:TRRFF) ("Trifecta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its common shares have commenced trading on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol "TRRFF". The Company's common shares will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol TG. The Company expects that the listing on the OTCQB will provide greater visibility and convenience of trading for US investors, resulting in enhanced liquidity and greater reach. The OTCQB Venture Market is for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies. Companies are current in their reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process. Investors can find real-time quotes and market information for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. About Trifecta Gold Ltd. Trifecta is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration company dedicated to increasing shareholder value through the discovery and development of 100% held gold projects in Yukon and Nevada. Initial drilling at its Yuge Gold Project, located in northern Nevada, has identified multiple broad zones of gold mineralization near historical high-grade mines. The Company's Eureka Project hosts an 8 x 2.5 kilometre belt of surface showings and anomalous gold-in-soil that straddle the headwaters of two of the most productive placer creeks in Yukon's southern Klondike Goldfields. The Company's Treble Project covers a large hydrothermal system, located midway between Western Copper and Gold Corporation's Casino Deposit, the largest copper and gold deposit in the Yukon, and Rockhaven Resources Ltd.'s Klaza Deposit, a high-grade gold-silver deposit. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Richard Drechsler" President and CEO For further information concerning Trifecta or its various exploration projects please visit www.trifectagold.com or contact: Corporate Information Trifecta Gold Ltd. Richard Drechsler President and CEO Tel: (604) 687-2522 This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results. 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 news release. SOURCE: Trifecta Gold Ltd. View the original press release on accesswire.com Data showing FEops HEARTguide significantly improves efficiency of LAAO procedures presented at the 2024 AF symposium Data from the first US comprehensive single center experience at St Bernard's Medical Center and Arrhythmia Research Group, presented at a Late-Breaking session at the AF Symposium 2024 in Boston, shows that Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) procedures planned by means of FEops HEARTguideTM result in significantly improved procedural efficiency. The 178 patient US single center evaluation, led by Dr Devi Nair (St Bernard's, Jonesboro, US) aimed to assess the safety, efficiency and accuracy of FEops HEARTguide predictive pre-planning based on cardiac CT-imaging for both the Boston Scientific Watchman FLXTM and the Abbott Amplatzer Amulet device. "This is the first-ever comprehensive clinical evaluation in the US proving that Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled predictive pre-planning significantly improves LAAO procedural efficiency for both the Watchman FLX and the Amulet device. Our results confirm that the accuracy of device sizing and positioning for LAAO procedures is significantly better when using FEops HEARTguide as compared to standard CT-based planning.Our real-world evidence reinforces the excellent results from the landmark PREDICT-LAA trial [1]", said Dr. Devi Nair. In terms of procedural efficiency, the evaluation results revealed that in 97% cases a single LAAO device was successfully implanted with a single transseptal puncture. The average procedure time was 21 min compared to 55 min in the control group, the average fluoroscopy time was 4 min compared to 17 min and average contrast used during the procedure was 20 ml compared to 80 ml. "This real world evidence clearly reinforces the value of our pioneering digital twin strategy to alter the course of heart disease," said Matthieu De Beule, co-founder and CEO of FEops. "We are extremely proud of the results of this comprehensive evaluation and I am very grateful for the visionary drive of Dr Devi Nair and the entire FEops team for making this happen. Together we continue to advance how physicians access therapy options for patients at risk of stroke due to atrial fibrillation. The results support us in our mission to continue to spearhead AI-enabled predictive solutions that help treating the right heart disease patients with the right technology at the right time." [1] De Backer O, Iriart X, Kefer J, et al. Impact of Computational Modeling on Transcatheter Left Atrial Appendage Closure Efficiency and Outcomes. J Am Coll Cardiol Intv. 2023 Mar, 16 (6) 655-666. About FEops HEARTguide FEops HEARTguideTM cloud-based predictive procedure planning environment uses digital twin technology to provide clinicians and medical device manufacturers with first-ever insights into the interaction between transcatheter structural heart devices and specific patient anatomy preoperatively. FEops HEARTguide is available in the USA for use in LAAo with WATCHMAN, WATCHMANFLX, Amplatzer Amulet and in EU, UK, Canada and Australia, FEops HEARTguide is available for use in TAVI and LAAo. FEops HEARTguide has to date been used worldwide for over 8000 patients in over 300 hospitals in over 30 countries. Such insights have the power to improve clinical outcomes in real-world hospital settings, as well as to accelerate research and development of novel device-based solutions. About FEops Privately held FEops, headquartered in Gent, Belgium, is a digital health scale-up altering the course of heart disease by providing physicians with unique digital tools to treat the right patients with the right technology at the right time. FEops is supported by Valiance Advisors, Capricorn partners, PMV and the European Innovation Council (EIC). Connect with us at www.feops.com or on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/feops, or contact us via info@feops.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240202604626/en/ Contacts: Press Matthieu De Beule, PhD CEO Tel: 00 32 9 292 80 30 Email: matthieu.debeule@feops.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:SGQ)(HK:1878) ("SouthGobi" or the "Company") announces that Ms. Chonglin Zhu ("Ms. Zhu") has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, replacing Mr. Alan Ho ("Mr. Ho") who has been assigned to a new management position in the Company. The changes become effect on February 2, 2024 Hong Kong time. Ms. Zhu, aged 36, joined the Company in September 2022 as Senior Vice President of Finance and an Executive Director of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Zhu was the Chief Financial Officer of Inner Mongolia Tianyu Innovation Investment Group Co., Ltd.* (???????????????) ("Tianyu Group") from March 2015 to September 2022. Tianyu Group is an investment company based in Inner Mongolia, China with a variety of businesses including coal mining and processing. Ms. Zhu was responsible for managing the financial operations and investments of Tianyu Group. She joined Tianyu Group in 2011 and served as a business manager in the finance department of Tianyu Group between 2012 and 2015. Ms. Zhu obtained a bachelor of art degree in Japanese language and literature at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in 2009 and a bachelor degree in accounting at Harbin University of Science and Technology in 2016. She is a member of the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors. The Company's board of directors wishes to express its great gratitude to Mr. Alan Ho for his leadership, guidance and commitment to the Company in his capacity as the Chief Financial Officer between February 2021 and February 2024. About SouthGobi SouthGobi, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. It also holds the mining licences of its other metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in South Gobi region of Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China. Contact: Investor Relations Email: info@southgobi.com Mr. Ruibin Xu Chief Executive Officer Office: +1 604 762 6783 (Canada) +852 2156 1438 (Hong Kong) Website: www.southgobi.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: SouthGobi Resources Ltd. View the original press release on accesswire.com NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Imagine being offered the chance to spend a week in another country meeting new people and helping a nonprofit health care organization - all as part of your day job. That's the opportunity Boston Scientific gave 12 employees last year as part of its pilot Social Change Champions program. The mission: to help health care organizations around the world to solve the operational obstacles they face through the transfer of critical skills, rather than through one-off financial or product donations. "The Social Change Champions program is very much aligned with our focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG); our caring value; and the work we do in the health equity space," says Wendy Carruthers, executive vice president, Human Resources. "It's a way we can make an impact in a more sustainable way while providing leadership opportunities for our employees." Through its Signature Health Grant program, Boston Scientific offers financial support to boost health care communities in low- and middle-income countries around the world. For the first Social Change Champions program, the company decided to work with a recent Signature Health Grant recipient called Socios en Salud (SES). SES provides health care as well as access to food, transportation, housing and more to people living in poverty. The mission: to get more patients in Peru the care they need Twelve North and Latin American employees with experience in fields such as marketing, design, data analysis and public health were chosen to travel to Lima, Peru, for a week. There, they met with SES staff to understand the biggest challenges they were facing as an organization. (Future programs will aim to include employees across Boston Scientific sites globally.) Ultimately, the Social Change Champions broke into two working groups. The first would help define a profitable growth strategy for SES so they could attract more patients to its healthcare clinic, lab and pharmacy and potentially take on bigger projects to help the local community. "Their team works very hard every day getting help to patients, which doesn't allow them to have much time to actually do administrative work," says Analyn Esquivel, a senior Global Business Services Delivery Manager at Boston Scientific. The second group tackled the issue of how to get crucial HPV testing to people who couldn't come to the clinic to be screened by obstetricians - a major concern given the high incidence of cervical cancer in Peru. "The barriers are immense for some of these women to get to a clinic to get tested," says Cole Gibas, a senior R&D manager at Boston Scientific. The SES clinic is down a steep mountain from local houses, he notes, and many people cannot afford a vehicle to help them make the trip. After departing Peru, the Social Change Champions met virtually over nine weeks to develop action plans SES could execute once the program was over. Ultimately, they were able to recommend project management strategies and delineate employees' job roles more clearly to eliminate time-consuming inefficiencies within the clinic, lab and pharmacy and boost revenue as a result. They also created FAQs in English and Spanish to educate women on the importance of cervical cancer screening and worked with community health agents beyond the walls of SES to administer these tests to women closer to home. "Enabling them to go into the community with HPV tests really expands how many patients can benefit," says Gibas. Helping the community - and learning important lessons While the program just concluded at the end of 2023, Santiago Palomino, M.D., head of the Non-Communicable Diseases and Cancer program at SES, has already felt the impact of the Social Change Champions. "They were a tremendous group," he says. "My program now has tools to support a better process of detecting cervical cancer. But I've also learned as a physician and a program manager how to promote change and be clearer about the objectives I want." The Boston Scientific employees who were part of the pilot program were significantly affected by their experience, too. "I cannot tell you enough how many lessons I learned, including compassion," says Esquivel. "When we first visited SES, it was shocking to many of us to understand the conditions in which people lived. It was a reality slap. But we kept on going, working together. I'm a better person because of this program." Gibas concurs. "We were all thrown into a very challenging situation," he says. "We had to start from scratch and in the end, we needed every single perspective. We relied on that diversity of thought and opinion and it all worked out in the end." Learn more about how Boston Scientific is creating sustainable change around the world through our ESG strategy. View original content here. In 2023, 12 Boston Scientific employees traveled to Peru to help health care nonprofit Socios en Salud improve its operations. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Boston Scientific on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Boston Scientific Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/boston-scientific Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Boston Scientific View the original press release on accesswire.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Omai Gold Mines Corp. (TSXV: OMG) (OTCQB: OMGGF) ("Omai Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") and issued 29,467,399 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.07 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$2,062,718. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of a Common Share purchase warrant. Two such one-half warrants constitute a full warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.11 until August 2, 2025. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid cash finder's fees totalling $110,713 and issued 1,581,615 finder's warrants, each of which entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.07. 159,000 of the finder's warrants expire on February 2, 2025 and 1,422,615 expire on February 2, 2026. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund exploration of the Company's Omai Gold Project in Guyana and for general working capital purposes. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring June 3, 2024, being four months and one day after the closing of the Offering. None of the securities issued in the Offering will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. Completion of the Offering and payment of any finder's fees remain subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Omai Gold Mines Corp. Omai Gold Mines Corp. holds a 100% interest in the Omai Prospecting License that includes the past producing Omai gold mine in Guyana, and a 100% interest in the adjoining Eastern Flats Mining Permits. The Company announced an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") October 20, 2022 that includes 1.9 million ounces of gold (indicated) and 1.8 million ounces (inferred)1. Once South America's largest producing gold mine, Omai produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993 and 2005. Mining ceased at a time when the average gold price was less than US$400 per ounce. As a brownfields project, Omai benefits from good road access and a wealth of historical data that provides knowledge of the geology and gold mineralization on the property, as well as metallurgy, historical recoveries and many other relevant mining parameters. The Company is currently integrating results from the 2023 drilling and is proceeding with an updated Mineral Resource Estimate that will form the basis of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), both expected to be completed in Q1 2024. 1 The Company filed an NI43-101 technical report titled "Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate of the Omai Gold Property, Potaro Mining District No. 2, Guyana", prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. dated December 2, 2022 on the SEDAR+ website www.sedarplus.ca. Qualified Person Elaine Ellingham is a Qualified Person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" and has approved the technical information contained in this news release. Ms. Ellingham is not considered to be independent for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. For further information, please see our website www.omaigoldmines.com or contact: Elaine Ellingham, P.Geo. President & CEO info@omaigoldmines.com +1-416-473-5351 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of completion of exploration, trenching and drill programs, resource updates, economic studies, and the potential for the Omai Gold Project to allow Omai to build significant gold Mineral Resources at attractive grades, and forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the price of gold and copper; and the results of current exploration. Further, the Mineral Resource data set out in the Omai Gold news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that forward-looking 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196644 SOURCE: Omai Gold Mines Corp. Acknowledgment Highlights Outstanding Success in Navigating Dynamic Market Trends INDIANAPOLIS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Pyatt Builders proudly announces receiving the esteemed Premier Builder Award from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty. This accolade celebrates builders who excel in crafting top-tier homes, adeptly adapting to evolving market dynamics, and maximizing the potential of their businesses. Pyatt Builders Model Home at Grand Oaks Living Room at the Pyatt Builders Model Home at Grand Oaks Christopher Ashley, VP of Marketing at Pyatt Builders, expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, "At Pyatt Builders, we are honored to receive the Premier Builder Award from 2-10 Warranty, a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence. This acknowledgment reinforces our pledge to uphold the highest construction standards for our homebuyers and positions us as innovative leaders in the industry. Being recognized as a frontrunner in craftsmanship and a reliable brand delivering exceptional customer experiences is truly an honor. With this award, we commit to setting new benchmarks in building quality, customer service, and industry trust." For more information about the Builder Achievement Awards Program, please visit www.2-10.com/builders-warranty/builder-awards/. About Pyatt Builders: Established in 2009, Pyatt Builders has grown to over 50 locations in the greater Indianapolis area, achieving a milestone of over 1,000 homes sold in 2021. As a privately owned new-home builder based in Carmel, Indiana, Pyatt Builders oversees the entire home-building process with a commitment to passion and integrity. The company takes pride in contributing to the community by creating neighborhoods that stand the test of time. About 2-10: Founded and headquartered in Denver, the 2-10 family of companies boasts one in five new homes in the U.S. enrolled in their industry-leading New Home Warranty Program. Since 1980, 2-10 has covered over 6 million homes with warranties, systems, appliance home service plans, and risk management products. They remain a market leader, protecting builders, real estate agents, and homeowners against unforeseen challenges. For more information about 2-10, please visit 2-10.com. Contact Information Christopher Ashley VP Marketing cashley@pyattbuilders.com 463-273-8555 SOURCE: Pyatt Builders View the original press release on newswire.com. Leading Ergonomic Chair Offers "Gravity-Defying" Comfort; Campaign Features Exciting Prizes WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sihoo, a global leader in ergonomic furniture renowned for its popular and hot-selling ergonomic chairs, has unveiled its latest Doro S300, designed to offer breakthrough comfort that seems to defy gravity. Alongside, Sihoo has initiated the "Defy Gravity With Sihoo" campaign, offering valuable prizes. The Doro S300: Defying Gravity, Redefining Comfort At the core of the Doro S300 chair is its "Anti-Gravity Mechanism," featuring aerospace-grade glass fiber plates, a breakthrough in the industry, allowing the user to recline smoothly, stop at any angle, and return to an upright position effortlessly. Additionally, the four-axis linkage of the mechanism synchronizes the seat cushion with the backrest when the user reclines, providing coordinated and comprehensive support for the body. This combination creates a sensation of weightlessness and deep relaxation, hence the term "gravity-defying" comfort. Key Features of the Doro S300: "Anti-Gravity Mechanism" for "gravity-defying" comfort. Dual dynamic lumbar support adjustable from 90 to 105 for diverse body shapes. Four-axis linkage for coordinated body support. Independent backrest adjustment for optimal shoulder and lower back support. Italian velvet and DuPont TPEE mesh material for superior softness. Shock-absorbing suspension system with four springs. Innovative 6D coordinated armrests. Winner of the German Design Award 2023. Price and Availability The Sihoo Doro S300 chair is now available for pre-order on the official Sihoo website. Customers can secure a significant $139.99 discount by paying a $6.99 pre-order fee. The black variant costs $666.99 in total, and the white variant costs $676.99. The first batch will ship around late February. Introducing the Doro S100 Sihoo also offers the more budget-friendly Doro S100 model, featuring a similar design and support, currently discounted at $359.99. Sihoo Launches the "Defy Gravity With Sihoo" Campaign with Exciting Prizes Alongside the Doro S300 launch, Sihoo presents the "Defy Gravity With Sihoo" campaign, during which users can enjoy an exclusive discount when pre-ordering the Doro S300 and participate in activities to win valuable rewards, including free Doro S300 chairs, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), $1000 cash, and more. About Sihoo Sihoo, a leading expert in ergonomic furniture, has been providing seating solutions for over 12 years. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and households worldwide, Sihoo chairs are available in over 100 countries. For more information, visit www.sihoooffice.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2332064/Sihoo_S300_Launch.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sihoo-launches-its-breakthrough-doro-s300-chair-with-the-defy-gravity-with-sihoo-campaign-302050727.html Beijing (Gasgoo)- DEEPAL, the new energy vehicle brand under Changan Automobile, saw its January vehicle deliveries more than double from that of a year ago, according to the companys announcement on February 1. Photo credit: DEEPAL In the first month of this year, DEEPAL successfully delivered 17,042 vehicles, representing a 177.69% spike year-on-year, but a 7.07% drop over that of the previous month. As Changan Automobile previously disclosed, DEEPAL is working to realize an annual sales target of 450,000 vehicles. Introduced in April 2022 as Changan Automobile's all-new new energy vehicle brand, DEEPALs cumulative deliveries for the year of 2023 came in at 136,912 vehicles, indicating a remarkable 389.6% spike compared to that of the earlier year. The automaker currently has two models on the market, the SL03 and the S7, with both offering various trim levels and intelligent driving editions. In the second quarter of 2024, DEEPAL will put its third model, also its inaugural hardcore off-road vehicle model, the G318, onto the market. Moreover, DEEPAL plans to introduce its other new model, which features an internal code name of C857, to the public. On January 10, CHANGAN Thailand, the Thai entity of Changan Automobile, celebrated the inaugural delivery ceremony of the DEEPAL L07 and the DEEPAL S07 (SL03 and S7 in China) vehicles at Asiatique the Riverfront in Bangkok, Thailand. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Maximus As a Foundation Ambassador, a Green Bay Packers fan, and leader of the Midwest Ambassador region, Andre Price carries a mantra daily. He believes that "while one person can't help everyone, we can all help one person, giving them the support they need to pass it on and help someone else." Andre joined Maximus about 13 years ago as a Supervisor of the Cook County Child Support Modification Project-which supports the largest urban area in Illinois. Now, as the Project Manager for the Illinois Modification and Employer Related Services, he utilizes skills learned and his passion for giving back to create a meaningful impact as a Foundation ambassador regional co-lead. Andre first became involved with the Foundation through grantee partner award announcements, where employees can deliver grant award checks directly to the new grantee partners. "Given the opportunity to donate, vote, and visit future grantee partners has allowed me to impact my community by supporting local nonprofits that serve my community," he said. "It's great when you can do things to impact the community; it's even better when you can impact your community." This experience made him curious to learn more about the Foundation and its grantmaking program. In 2021, Andre deepened his impact with the Foundation from ambassador to regional co-lead when manager Nancy Kim recommended getting the Chicago office more engaged with the Foundation. "My goal was to find more ways to support the Foundation from the local level while finding ways for employees to give back whether they were in-office, remote, or hybrid," he explained. Over the years, Andre has been constantly inspired by his work as an ambassador in his community. One of his most fond memories is from a recent school supply drive held with the Chicago office. "My team and I held a school supply drive to support a classroom at a local Chicago school. After the drive, we delivered the donations, and I have never seen kids so excited for school supplies." He continued, "Teachers and parents came to tears when we walked in with the boxes of supplies. One teacher said she had never had everything needed for their classroom. As a child of a single parent myself, I was happy that I could pay it forward to help other parents." Giving back and paying it forward is essential to Andre, and he finds fulfillment knowing he is trying to help those who may need it most. "Growing up and throughout my career at Maximus, a lot of people helped me get to where I am, and they didn't have to do that," he said. "I do this work to pay it forward to help others like those who helped me." Giving back to the communities we serve The Maximus Foundation is one of the ways Maximus employees are doing something greater together. Established by the Maximus Board of Directors in 2000, the Maximus Foundation is an independent, employee-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Employee donors pool their charitable contributions together through the Foundation, double their impact on the grantmaking program through Maximus' dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, and make their voices heard by nominating and voting for future grantee partners. Though the Foundation focuses its giving strategy on grantmaking, it also helps coordinate corporate-wide humanitarian efforts and empowers employees to donate their time and skills to nonprofits. Their inspired giving and volunteerism help accelerate the missions of nonprofits on the front lines of the communities we serve. Learn more at? maximus.com/foundation. Maximus employees, Andre Price (left) and Dorian Hamilton (right), participate in the Adpot-A-Class program supporting local Chicago schools. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Maximus on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Maximus Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/maximus Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Maximus View the original press release on accesswire.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. Tap Global Group Plc - Notice of AGM PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, February 02 2 February 2024 Tap Global Group Plc ("Tap" or the "Company") Notice of Annual General Meeting Tap Global Group Plc ( AQSE: TAP ), the cryptocurrency app bridging the gap between traditional finance and blockchain technology, announces that the Annual General Meeting of shareholders will be held on 27 February 2024 at 10:00 a.m. GMT at the offices of Shakespeare Martineau LLP, 60 Gracechurch St, London, EC3V 0HR. Copies of the Notice of Annual General Meeting and Form of Proxy have been sent to all shareholders. The Notice of Annual General Meeting will be made available on the Company's website at https://investor.tap.global/investors/financial-reports-documents . The directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. Enquiries: Tap Global Group Plc David Carr, Chief Executive Officer Via Vigo Consulting Peterhouse Capital Limited (AQSE Growth Market Corporate Advisor) Guy Miller Narisha Ragoonanthun +44 (0)20 220 9795 Tennyson Securities (Broker) Alan Howard +44 (0)20 7186 9030 Vigo Consulting (Investor Relations) Ben Simons Kendall Hill Peter Jacob +44 (0)20 7390 0230 tapglobal@vigoconsulting.com About Tap Global Group Plc The Tap group of companies provide an innovative and fully integrated fiat payments and crypto settlement service. A single regulatory registration, via the wholly owned operating business Tap Global Limited, provides Tap customers with access to several major crypto exchanges through the Tap App allowing them to purchase over 40 cryptocurrencies and store them directly in the customer's wallet. The wallet can also store fiat currency denominated in Sterling, Euros and/or USD. Through the single app, Tap's over 250,000 users can access several major cryptocurrency exchanges and, utilising Tap's proprietary Artificial Intelligence middleware, customers benefit from best-execution and pricing in real time. Through the Tap card (UK and Europe only), users can also convert their cryptocurrencies to fiat to spend at more than 37 million merchant locations worldwide. Tap is one of only a handful of unified solutions operators fully regulated to provide Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) services and was the first cryptocurrency FinTech company approved by Mastercard in Europe. About Tap Global Limited Tap Global Limited is registered in Gibraltar with the registration number 118724 and the registered office of Madison Building, Line Wall Road, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA. Tap Global Limited is licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission under the DLT with license No. 25532. Learn more: www.withtap.com Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tapglobal/ Raising Awareness around Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake MIDLAND, MI / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Today, Rivers are Life proudly unveils the latest film "Life Afloat" which follows local River Hero, Sarin Roeun, and his passionate conservation efforts on Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Living in "floating villages" on the lake, just downstream from the Mekong River, the local fishing community works tirelessly to catch fish that provide 60% of Cambodia's protein intake. Local River Heroes have noticed that due to an increase in pollution, the health of the fish population that make their way down the river and into the lake is declining. With roughly six million Cambodians relying on this watershed for food, local residents are working on solutions to control the waste problem and preserve the ecosystem on which they depend. Sarin Roeun was born and raised right on Tonle Sap Lake, learning to fish with his father from a young age. As he continued fishing to provide for his family, Sarin noticed a dramatic change that could potentially affect his livelihood, an increase in trash floating down the river, and a decrease in baby fish. In an effort to change this, Sarin works closely with another River Heroe, Sophal Sea, to recruit "eco-warriors" from each village who focus on cleaning up and restoring the lake. Tonle Sap, also referred to as the lifeblood of Cambodia's economy, connects five different provinces in Cambodia, leading to around half of the population relying solely on fishing to live. Sophal Sea co-founded NGO BambooShoot Foundation in honor of his sister, which plays a crucial part in educating the community and empowering locals at a grassroots level to take action against the influx of plastic waste in the region. Sophal and his organization have remained fully committed to protecting Tonle Sap since 2018, through education, awareness and solutions for those that call the lake home. "I try to unite all the stakeholders in each community because sometimes they don't take action because they don't know how to talk together and work together," said Sophal Sea. "I organized and convinced the monks and also the fisherman to start a tree cleanup to get waste out of the vegetation and mangroves when the water recedes." Sophal and other local River Heroes continue to work to advocate for the importance of proper waste collection and removal systems, creating healthier waterways for all to benefit. "Life Afloat" inspires conservationists and others from across the globe to support clean waterways both in their local communities, as well as in impoverished communities such as Cambodia, who rely heavily on clean water systems. "Life Afloat" premieres February 2, 2024 Watch "Life Afloat" here. Contact Information Katie Horning Head of Brand, Rivers are Life Brand Division, BeAlive Inc. khorning@gobealive.com 989-491-1019 SOURCE: Rivers are Life View the original press release on newswire.com. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / In line with February's love theme, check out the newest cover girls in Manhattan City Lifestyle Magazine. Meet the Revolution Dating Matchmakers. The acclaimed matchmaking firm is captivating the interest of upscale Manhattan singles. City Lifestyle Magazine highlights Kelly Leary, M.S., the visionary CEO and Founder of Revolution Dating, powered by A List Introductions. With over three decades of experience in the dating industry and a master's degree in clinical psychology, Kelly's expertise shines brightly. Kelly's journey in the industry catapulted her to become the face of a prominent national dating service on Madison Avenue in the early 2000s. Fast forward two decades and Kelly returns to Madison Avenue, eager to share her love with vibrant New York City and the Tristate community once again. Introduced by Kelly in 2014, Revolution Dating quickly gained a devoted following among jet-setters who split their time between Florida and the Tristate Area, eagerly awaiting its Manhattan debut. Kelly's decision to expand was influenced by perfect timing, driven by the rise of Wall Street South and the migration to Florida. Singles navigating the New York City dating scene can find it challenging, but Kelly Leary is here to connect individuals with her vast connections and experience. Singles from Manhattan, the Tristate area, South Florida, Palm Beach, and the Treasure Coast can find love in their own backyard, eliminating the need to stress out with online dating or the bar scene. Revolution Dating clients and couples have passionately supported this northeastern love movement, and Kelly extends her gratitude for their unwavering loyalty, spanning 33 years. Her clients enjoy sharing their success stories when they choose to forgo the privacy rule, a testament to Revolution Dating's commitment to trust and confidentiality. Discretion is paramount, especially for these high-profile singles. Revolution Dating respects their privacy by keeping clients anonymous until they choose to meet, ensuring authenticity, a decrease in game playing, and an increase in sincerity. By Kelly's side stands Miranda Capparelli, the Head Matchmaker of Revolution Dating. Their kinship, formed years ago in a Palm Beach yoga studio, brings a dynamic blend of modern dating culture and traditional values. They advocate for offline connections in a digitalized world, emphasizing the importance of real-life interactions. Revolution Dating offers a variety of membership options, ensuring everyone can make the right choice. Clients have the freedom to choose what suits them best, with guidance from the expert team. In 2024, Revolution Dating remains the ultimate matchmaking solution, with genuine clientele dedicated to heartfelt intentions. Kelly's unwavering dedication ensures each client receives a personalized experience, spreading hope and love across the city. As Kelly aptly puts it, "Being single in the city isn't easy. It's time to Love More in 2024!" Revolution Dating is here to change the narrative. For more information about Revolution Dating and to book an appointment, please contact their local office at 646-522-3089 or visit their website at revolutiondating.com. Contact Information Kelly Leary, M.S. CEO kelly@revolutiondating.com 646-522-3089 SOURCE: Revolution Dating View the original press release on newswire.com. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Dryden Gold Corp. (TSXV: DRY) ("Dryden Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into a purchase agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire 100% ownership of 32 tenured mineral claims (the "Property") from Cross River Ventures Corp. ("Cross River"). The Property is strategically located in the historic Gold Rock Mining Camp and is contiguous to the Company's Kenwest patented claims (Figure 1). The Property is situated along the Manitou-Dinorwic Deformation Zone and hosts several cross-cutting east-west structures interpreted to be the source for gold mineralization in this orogenic gold system. The Property includes an active exploration permit for drilling and trenching. The Agreement is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") "We are excited to add such a strategically placed property to our land package in the Gold Rock Camp. While this may not be our last acquisition in the Dryden district, it is expected to be one of the most important. Our field work combined with 3-D geophysical studies have confirmed several compelling targets and because the Property has an active drill permit, work could begin as early as Q2, 2024" (Figure 2), stated Trey Wasser, CEO of Dryden Gold Corp. Figure 1: Dryden Gold property map displaying the Cross River ground and adjacent properties and companies. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9776/196654_df3550df24a889cc_001full.jpg Figure 2: Airborne geophysical map displaying the second vertical derivative with target areas from Mira Geosciences interpretation. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9776/196654_df3550df24a889cc_002full.jpg The Agreement Pursuant to an earlier agreement, the Company has previously made a $175,000 cash payment to Cross River for the acquisition of the Property in 2023. Under the terms of the current Agreement, Dryden Gold will issue 400,000 common shares of Dryden Gold at a deemed price of $.22 per share (the "Consideration Shares").. The Property is subject to 2 pre-existing net smelter royalty agreements as follows: (a) A total of five multi cell mining claims and two single cell mining claims totaling 67 cells with a 1.50% net smelter returns royalty payable to Solstice Gold. The Company can buy down 0.50%, at any time, for $500,000. (b) A total of 22 multi cell mining claims and three single cell mining claims totaling 250 cells with a 1.50% net smelter returns royalty payable to EMX Royalty. The Company can buy down 0.75%, at any time, for $500,000. Thereafter, the balance of the royalty carries a right of first refusal in favor of Dryden Gold. The Consideration Shares are being issued in accordance with an exemption from prospectus requirements under applicable security legislation and will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day. Qualified Person The technical disclosure in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Maura J. Kolb, M.Sc., P.Geo., President of Dryden Gold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. ABOUT DRYDEN GOLD CORP. Dryden Gold Corp. is an exploration company focused on the discovery of high-grade gold mineralization listed on the TSX Venture Exchange ("DRY"). The Company has a strong management team and Board of Directors comprised of experienced individuals with a track record of building shareholder value through property acquisition and consolidation, exploration success, and mergers & acquisitions. Dryden Gold controls a 100% interest in a dominant strategic land position in the Dryden District of Northwestern Ontario. Dryden Gold's property package includes historic gold mines but has seen limited modern exploration. The property hosts high-grade gold mineralization over 50km of potential strike length along the Manitou-Dinorwic deformation zone. The property has excellent infrastructure, enjoys First Nations support and proximity to an experienced mining workforce. For more information go to our website www.drydengold.com. CONTACT INFORMATION Trey Wasser CEO email: twasser@drydengold.com phone: 940-368-8337 Maura Kolb, M.Sc.. P. Geo., President Email: mjkolb@drydengold.com Phone: 807-632-2368 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the acquisition of the Property, receipt of corporate and regulatory approvals, issuance of common shares; future development plans; future acquisitions; exploration programs; and the business and operations of Dryden Gold. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings including receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval for the acquisition of the Property; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in Dryden Gold's and the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and Dryden Gold and the Company do not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from Dryden Gold's and the Company's expectations or projections. UNITED STATES ADVISORY. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), have been offered and sold outside the United States to eligible investors pursuant to Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, and may not be offered, sold, or resold in the United States or to, or for the account of or benefit of, a U.S. Person (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the United States Securities Act) unless the securities are registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available. Hedging transactions involving the securities must not be conducted unless in accordance with the U.S. Securities Act. 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 sale of securities in the state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Not for distribution to United States news wire services or for dissemination in the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196654 SOURCE: Dryden Gold Corp. The flexible electronics market is driven by several factors, including the rise in the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT), increased government concern for flexible electronics, growing demand for portable and smart electronic products, and the growth of printed electronics. WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Flexible Electronics Market by Component (Flexible Display, Flexible Battery, Flexible Sensors, Flexible Memory, Flexible Photovoltaics), Application (Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Medical and Healthcare, Energy and Power, Aerospace and Defense, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032". According to the report, the global flexible electronics industry generated $26.2 billion in 2022, and is projected to reach $57.2 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 8.21% from 2023 to 2032. Download Research Report Sample & TOC: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/1001 (We look forward to moving quickly provide the report analysis as per your research requirement, needed for your business success.) 256- Pages 127- Tables 50- Charts Prime determinants of growth The market for flexible electronics is expected to witness substantial expansion during the forecast period. This growth is primarily driven by factors such as the rise in the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT), an increase in government concern for flexible electronics, and a rise in demand for portable and smart electronic products. Additionally, growth in printed electronics is expected to further benefit the flexible electronics market. However, cost constraints present a significant restraint to the growth of the flexible electronics market during this forecast period. Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022-2032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $26.2 billion Market Size in 2032 $57.2 billion CAGR 8.21 % No. of Pages in Report 271 Segments covered Component, Application, and Region. Drivers Rise in implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) Increase in concern of government for flexible electronics Rise in demand for portable and smart electronic products Opportunities Growth in printed electronics Restraints Cost constraint The flexible display segment is anticipated to dominate in terms of revenue during the forecast period Based on components, the flexible display segment accounted for more than half of the total revenue in the global flexible electronics 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 9.33% from 2023 to 2032. The segment's remarkable growth is primarily attributed to its ability to enable the development of smaller, lighter, and more durable portable devices with advanced display technology. The consumer electronics segment is projected to retain the lion's share by 2032 Based on application, the consumer electronics segment emerged as the market leader in the global flexible electronics market in 2022, holding more than half of the market share. Simultaneously, the same segment is projected to witness the fastest CAGR of 8.84% from 2023 to 2032. This dominance can be attributed to the widespread adoption of wearable devices, smart electronics, and investments in flexible display technologies by leading market players. Inquiry before Buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/1001 Asia-Pacific garnered the major share in 2022 Based on region, Asia-Pacific dominated the flexible electronics market revenue in 2022, representing nearly two-fifths of the global market share. The same segment is projected to experience the fastest CAGR of 9.28% from 2023 to 2032, due to robust technological advancements and increasing demand for consumer electronics in the region. Leading Market Players: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated Solar Frontier Enfucell SoftBattery Cymbet Corporation Blue Spark Technologies E Ink Holdings Inc. Imprint Energy Inc. LG Electronics AU Optronics Corp. The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global flexible electronics market. These players have adopted a product launch strategy to increase their market penetration and strengthen their position in the industry. The report helps determine the business performance, operating segments, developments, and product portfolios of every market player. Key Industry Developments: May 2021 - Samsung revealed its future foldable display concepts, which encompassed a 7.2-inch double-folding OLED panel, a slidable OLED display, and a 17-inch foldable panel tailored for a potential Galaxy tablet. Additionally, Samsung demonstrated an under-panel camera (UPC) display within a concept notebook, with a focus on achieving edge-to-edge screens. These innovations showcased Samsung's unwavering commitment to maintaining a leading position in foldable technology, especially in the face of increasing industry competition. November 2021 - Japanese CIS thin-film PV module manufacturer, Solar Frontier, made a strategic decision to discontinue thin-film productions and introduced its inaugural monocrystalline solar panel, the SFB250-88A. This new panel, designed for residential markets and boasting a 250 W capacity, is part of the company's transition towards becoming a PV system provider and OEM panel manufacturer. Notably, the SFB250-88A offers a 22% higher yield compared to the company's previous CIS modules and includes a 20-year performance guarantee. Key Benefits for Stakeholders To provide an accurate view of future investment pockets, this study provides analytical estimates for flexible electronics market size along with current trends and estimations. In order to be able to achieve a more prominent position, the overall flexible electronics market analysis is based on an understanding of prevailing profitability trends. The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and flexible electronics market opportunity with a detailed impact analysis. In order to measure financial competence, flexible electronics market forecasts shall be quantitatively analyzed from 2022 until 2032. The Porter five forces analysis shows that buyers and suppliers are more powerful in the flexible electronics market. Key vendor shares and flexible electronics market trends are included in the report. Flexible Electronics Market Key Segments: By Application: Consumer Electronics Automotive Medical and Healthcare Energy and Power Aerospace and Defense Others By Component: Flexible display Flexible battery Flexible sensors Flexible memory Flexible photovoltaics 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/flexible-electronics-market Printed Electronics Market growth was valued at $9.4 billion in 2022, and is projected to reach $55.7 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20.1% from 2023 to 2032. Flexible OLED Market was valued at $4.1 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $117.7 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 40.4% from 2022 to 2031. Borescope Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 Flexible Electronics Market was valued at $26.2 billion in 2022, and is projected to reach $57.3 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2023 to 2032. Germany Flexible Electronics Market : Global 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/flexible-electronics-market-to-reach-57-2-billion-globally-by-2032-at-8-21-cagr-allied-market-research-302052068.html London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Gastauer Family Office (GFO) announced, its Founder and Chairman Michael Gastauer has allocated $1.5 billion of his family fortune to set up a nature conservation fund. Gastauer is supporting the United Nations' goal of converting at least 30% of the world's land and marine areas into protected areas by 2030. FinTech billionaire Michael Gastauer ( GFO Group) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10296/196492_7e1cad4a24fdeacb_001full.jpg In January 2024, the founder and chairman of the Gastauer Family Office (GFO), Michael Gastauer, decided to allocate $1.5 of his $11.4 billion family fortune to establish the "Gastauer Nature Fund" to protect the environment. The aim of the Gastauer Nature Fund is to combat the mass extinction of endangered animal species, to protect important ecosystems and to protect at least 30% of land and ocean areas by 2030. Currently, only 8% of our oceans and 15% of our global land areas are protected. In 2022, the United Nations published the Convention on Biological Diversity, the first draft of the new Global Biodiversity Framework. The framework contains 21 goals for 2030, including Target 3: "At least 30% of the world's land and marine areas are protected by effective, equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected protected area systems (and other effective area-based conservation measures)." (Source: United Nations Biodiversity Plan) This goal is commonly referred to as 30x30. The Gastauer Nature Fund supports the goals of 30x30 in areas critical to carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection. As part of these efforts, the Gastauer Nature Fund financially supports local partners to secure land ownership in protected areas and strengthen the management of protected areas. In addition, the fund supports the establishment of administrations and organizations to monitor the development of protected areas. Around 190 countries have agreed to the United Nations' comprehensive agreement to protect 30 percent of our planet's land and oceans by 2030 and take a range of other measures to combat biodiversity loss. Total United Nations biodiversity funding has doubled to $200 billion per year, funded from diverse sources such as governments and nonprofits. The European Union has pledged $7.4 billion in financial support by 2027. About GFO Gastauer Family Office (GFO) is a single-client private asset management firm with US$11.4 billion Assets under management. GFO is set up as an organizational structure to manage the financial and personal affairs of the Gastauer family members. Media Contact: Victoria Rand GFO Group 9 Russell Square WC1B 5EG London media@gastauer.com https://www.gastauer.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196492 SOURCE: GFO Holdings Ltd. Acquisition of tech center in Germany expedites EAM's plans to be first in Asia to make LFP cathode outside of China Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM) today finalized the acquisition of a lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) cathode active material technology center in Moosburg, Germany, making it the first global company capable of providing manufacturers with both cathode and anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201488246/en/ Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Advanced Materials (center), stands with employees at the lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) cathode active material technology center in Moosburg, Germany. Epsilon Advanced Materials acquired the facility, positioning the company to lead the electric vehicle battery industry in cathode material manufacturing. (Photo: Business Wire) With the purchase, EAM is poised to make India the first country in Asia outside of China to manufacture LFP cathode materials. Approximately 70% of cathode materials, and 100% of LFP cathode, for lithium-ion batteries are currently produced in China. "This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions to the evolving EV battery market," said Vikram Handa, managing director of EAM. "The advanced technology center in Moosburg strategically positions us to lead the industry in cathode material manufacturing." Acquiring the cathode active material technology center from Johnson Matthey solidifies EAM's position as a global EV battery materials provider, with the potential to reshape the landscape of electric mobility by reducing the battery market's reliance on China. Epsilon previously announced a $1.1 billion investment for the establishment of an anode battery materials manufacturing facility in Bellari, Karnataka, India. EAM also plans to build a $650 million graphite anode material manufacturing facility in Brunswick County, North Carolina, U.S. and is investing Euro 600 million to develop a graphite processing facility in Vaasa, Finland. "We are proud to announce that EAM is now ready to go to market with a proven high-performance cathode active material, marking a significant leap forward in our capabilities," said EAM CEO Sunit Kapur "Integrating the cathode expertise from the Moosburg technology center with our anode business uniquely positions us to deliver comprehensive solutions to customers, delivering anode and cathode to empower them to optimize the performance of their batteries." Battery manufacturers are increasingly transitioning to LFP cathode, which has a longer life span, offers improved discharge and charge efficiency, provides better performance in higher temperatures and is less expensive compared to other cathode materials, such as nickel and cobalt, and it also is maintenance-free, extremely safe and lightweight. EAM is scheduled to break ground on its facility in India in 2024 to build a large-scale customer qualification plant in 2025, which will scale up to 100,000 tons by 2030. The Moosburg facility, which employs approximately 25 people in its R&D and operations greatly reduces EAM's technology development and scale-up timeframe. The center is equipped to produce LFP and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) cathode in small laboratory-scale batches to up pilot-scale material. It features a versatile pilot customer qualification plant designed to validate new materials and utilizes a Hydrothermal process that provides a cleaner metal processing solution, which results in a more environmentally friendly battery-metals supply chain. About Epsilon Advanced Materials Epsilon Advanced Materials is at the forefront of battery material solutions, producing high-caliber, innovative, and environmentally conscious lithium-ion battery (LiB) materials. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mumbai, Epsilon's mission resonates with supporting the global battery industry's transition to clean and green energy. With a significant presence spanning Europe, North America, and South-East Asia, Epsilon continues to set industry benchmarks. https://www.epsilonam.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201488246/en/ Contacts: U.S. Media Contacts John Tews French/West/Vaughan 248-320-3814 jtews@fwv-us.com Earl Whipple French/West/Vaughan 215-847-2647 ewipple@fwv-us.com India Media Contact Sandeep Kumar Epsilon Carbon Pvt. Ltd. +91 22 22712800 sandeep.kumar@epsiloncarbon.com BORDEAUX, France & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News: IMPLANET (Euronext Growth: ALIMP, FR0013470168, eligible for PEA-PME equity savings plans), (the "Company"), a medical technology company specialized in implants for orthopedic surgery and the distribution of technological medical equipment, announces the success of the capital increase in cash with preferential subscription rights for shareholders announced on January 4, 2024 (the "Capital Increase"). This operation raised 5.5 million through the issue of 83,924,897 new shares ("New Shares") at a unit price of 0.0655, corresponding to the closing price on January 3, 2024 (0.0655), prior to the setting of the issue price by Implanet's Board of Directors. The gross income from the Capital Increase, which amounts to 5.5 million, will enable the Company, in accordance with the press release of January 4, 2024, to: Ensure the financing of the Company's anticipated cash requirements over the next 12 months (the financial resources available to the Company, at the date of this press release, do not cover its forecast 12-month requirements) and to meet its financial commitments. Based on current business assumptions and anticipated commercial developments with Sanyou Medical, the Company estimates that the net proceeds of the current issue of 5.3 million will provide it with a financial visibility of more than 12 months 1 ; ; Ensure the commercial development of the Company's medical devices around three main axes: deploy the commercial and technological partnership with Sanyou Medical for the joint development of a new European range of hybrid posterior fixation systems; Initiate distribution of the JAZZ platform in China (the world's largest spine market by volume) with Sanyou Medical; distribute high-tech medical equipment in Europe, such as the ultrasonic medical scalpel from SMTP Technology Co. Results of the Capital Increase with preferential subscription rights for shareholders The Capital Increase was the subject of a global demand of 83,924,897 New Shares at a unit price of 0.0655, with a ratio of 19 New Shares for 8 existing shares held, for a total requested amount of 5,497,080.75, representing 86.10 % of the amount of the initial offer (6,384,842.536). Subscriptions are distributed this way: 46,086,780 New Shares on an irreducible basis, representing 54.91 of the issued New Shares; 36,632,431 New Shares on a reducible basis, representing 43.65 % of the issued New Shares. The service rate for reducible applications is 100%; 1,205,686 New Shares on a voluntary basis. In accordance with its subscription commitment and following the approval of the Chinese authorities on December 28, 2023, Sanyou Medical, which held 16,841,069 Implanet shares (representing 41.03% of the share capital), subscribed for 39,997,527 New Shares on an irreducible basis and 36,338,350 New Shares on a reducible basis for a total amount of 4,999,999.9435, representing a total of 76,335,877 New Shares (or 90.96% of the New Shares issued). Sanyou Medical's subscription was fully subscribed. Following the operation, Sanyou Medical now holds 74.56% of Implanet's capital and voting rights. Sanyou Medical will thus cross the threshold of 50% of the Company's capital and voting rights, which is the threshold required to launch a mandatory tender offer. As a reminder, Sanyou Medical obtained a waiver from the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) from the obligation to file a mandatory tender offer if its share capital exceeds 50%, post-operation based on article 234-9 paragraph 2 of the AMF's general regulations ("Subscription to the capital increase of a company in financial difficulty, subject to approval by the general meeting of its shareholders"). Sanyou Medical also requested to benefit from the majority of directorships on the Company's Board of Directors as from the completion of the Capital Increase. Finally, the stake of a shareholder who held 1% of the Company's capital prior to the Capital Increase and who did not subscribe to it has been reduced to 0.328%. Settlement-delivery of the New Shares Following settlement-delivery on February 6, 2024, Implanet's share capital will amount to 1,249,684.84, comprising 124,968,484 shares with a par value of 0.01 each. Application will be made for the New Shares to be admitted to trading on Euronext Growth in Paris on the same day, on the same quotation line as the existing shares (ISIN code FR0013470168 - ticker ALIMP). Impact of the Capital Increase on the shareholder structure The following table shows the breakdown of share capital after completion of the Capital Increase: After the operation Number of shares % of capital and voting rights (non-diluted basis) Founders and historical investors 4,316 0.00% Sanyou (HK) International Medical Holding CO Limited 93,176,946 74.56% Other financial investors 2,623,966 2.10% Corporate officers, employees and consultants 571,159 0.46% Other individual shareholders 681,969 0.55% Floating 27,910,128 22.33% Total 124,968,484 100.00% Impact of the issue on the shareholder's situation Impact of the issue on shareholders' equity per share (calculated on the basis of consolidated shareholders' equity (Group share) as shown in the financial statements as of June 30, 2023, excluding interim losses, and on the basis of the 41,043,587 shares comprising the Company's share capital at that date) would be as follows: Equity per share (in euros) Non-diluted basis* Diluted basis for the exercise of all existing instruments** Before issuance of the New Shares resulting from this Capital Increase 0.1041 0.1418 After the issue of 83,924,897 New Shares resulting from this Capital Increase 0.0782 0.0907 *: Consolidated shareholders' equity amounted to 4,273,000 as of June 30, 2023. The stake of a shareholder who held 1% of the Company's capital prior to the Capital Increase and who did not subscribe to it is as follows: Shareholder stake (in %) Non-diluted basis Diluted basis for the exercise of all existing instruments** Before issuance of the New Shares resulting from this Capital Increase 1.000 0.994 After the issue of 83,924,897 New Shares resulting from this Capital Increase 0.328 0.328 **: In the event of the exercise of all outstanding warrants, BSPCE and share subscription options, whether exercisable or not, i.e. 1,581,627 BSPCE, 136,000 share subscription options and 506,898 warrants, the exercise of which would lead to the creation of 254,907 new shares. Reminder of the other terms of the Capital Increase In accordance with the provisions of Articles L.411-2-1,1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code and 211-2 of the General Regulations of the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), the present issue will not give rise to a Prospectus approved by the AMF, as it represents a total offering of less than 8,000,000, it being specified that no similar offer has been made by the Company over the past twelve months. The offer was made on the basis of the 1st and 2nd resolutions adopted by the Extraordinary General Meeting on November 16, 2023, and by the Board of Directors of Implanet on January 4, 2024, which decided on the principle of the Capital Increase with preferential subscription rights and its implementation. A notice to shareholders concerning this operation will be published on January 12, 2024, in the Bulletin des Annonces Legales et Obligatoires (BALO). Resumption of the option to exercise the right to receive shares in the Company The rights of holders of stock options, business creator share subscription warrants and share subscription warrants allocated or issued by the Company, which had been suspended by decision of the Board of Directors on February 4, 2024 from January 12, 2024 (0:01 a.m., Paris time) until and including the date of settlement-delivery of the New Shares, will be restored as from the date of settlement-delivery of the New Shares, i.e. February 6, 2024 (11:59 p.m., Paris time). The rights of holders of stock options, warrants and warrants allocated or issued by the Company who have not exercised their right to the allocation of shares in the Company by January 12, 2024 (00:00 Paris time) will be preserved in accordance with legal and regulatory provisions. Risk factors The Company draws attention to the risk factors relating to the Company and its business set out in Chapter 4 "Risk factors" of the Company's 2017 Reference Document filed with the AMF on April 16, 2018, under number D.18-0337, in the full-year financial report on December 31, 2022 and in the half-yearly financial report on June 30, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had cash of 0.25 million. Based on current cash forecasts, the Company points out that this level of cash will enable it to be financed until February 2024. Based on current business assumptions and anticipated commercial developments with Sanyou Medical, the Company estimates that the net proceeds of the current Capital Increase of 5.3 million will give it financial visibility of more than 12 months. The other main risk factors relating to the forthcoming capital increase are set out below: the volatility and liquidity of the Company's shares could fluctuate significantly; sales of the Company's shares could occur on the market and adversely affect the Company's share price; following the Capital Increase, the Company's main shareholder holds 74.56% of the Company's capital and voting rights; the Company's shareholders could suffer potentially significant dilution as a result of any future capital increases. Partners of the operation Atout Capital Advisor for this operation Bird&Bird Legal advisor Upcoming financial publication 2023 Full-Year Results, on March 5, 2024, after market About Sanyou Medical Founded in 2005, Shanghai Sanyou Medical Co, Ltd. is a company dedicated to the R&D, manufacturing and sales of innovative and independent orthopedic products. The main products of Shanghai Sanyou are spinal and trauma implants. Shanghai Sanyou is one of the few companies with the ability to make original innovations based on clinical requirements in the field of spinal implants in China. The Company has established a complete product development system with world-class R&D equipment and project management systems to ensure that its products are advanced, effective and reliable. By the end of January 2021, Shanghai Sanyou Medical had received 22 Class III medical device registration certificates and 131 patents, including 28 Chinese invention patents, 98 Chinese utility model patents, 1 US utility patent, 1 Australian invention patent, 1 Japanese invention patent, 1 German utility model patent and 1 Chinese design patent. About IMPLANET Founded in 2007, IMPLANET is a medical technology company that manufactures high-quality implants for orthopedic surgery and distributing medical technology equipment. Its activity revolves around a comprehensive innovative solution for improving the treatment of spinal pathologies (JAZZ) complemented by the product range offered by Orthopaedic & Spine Development (OSD), acquired in May 2021 (thoraco-lumbar screws, cages and cervical plates). Implanet's tried-and-tested orthopedic platform is based on the traceability of its products. Protected by four families of international patents, JAZZ has obtained 510(k) regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, the CE mark in Europe and ANVISA approval in Brazil. In 2022, IMPLANET entered into a commercial, technological and financial partnership with SANYOU MEDICAL, China's second largest medical device manufacturer. IMPLANET employs 43 staff and recorded a consolidated revenue of 7.4 million in 2023. Based near Bordeaux in France, IMPLANET opened a US subsidiary in Boston in 2013. IMPLANET is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris. For further information, please visit www.Implanet.com. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements about Implanet and its activity. Implanet estimates that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, no assurance can be given that the forecasts expressed in these forward-looking statements will materialize, as they are subject to risks, including those described in Implanet's reference document filed with the Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) on April 16, 2018 under number D.18-0337, as well as in the annual financial report for December 31, 2022 and the half-year financial report for June 30, 2023, which are available on the Company's website (www.implanet-invest.com), and to changes in economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Implanet operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks that are unknown to Implanet or that Implanet does not currently consider material. The occurrence of some or all of these risks could cause Implanet's actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Implanet does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, except as required by applicable law, in particular articles 223-1 et seq. of the general regulations of the Autorite des marches financiers. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of common shares in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful in the absence of registration or approval under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release may be subject to specific regulations in certain countries. Persons in possession of this document are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such local restrictions. This press release constitutes a promotional communication and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017 (as amended the "Prospectus Regulation"). With respect to member states of the European Economic Area other than France (the "Member States"), no action has been or will be taken to permit a public offering of the securities that would require the publication of a prospectus in any of these Member States. Consequently, the securities cannot and will not be offered in any Member State (other than France), except in accordance with the exemptions provided for in Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, or in other cases not requiring the publication by Implanet of a prospectus under the Prospectus Regulation and/or the regulations applicable in those Member States. This press release does not constitute an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom. This press release may not be published, distributed or disseminated in the United States (including its territories and possessions). This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or subscribe for any securities in the United States. The securities mentioned in this press release have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any applicable state or federal securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, registration under the Securities Act. Implanet does not intend to register the offering in whole or in part in the United States under or pursuant to the Securities Act or to conduct a public offering in the United States. This press release may not be distributed directly or indirectly in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Lastly, this press release may be drafted in either French or English. In the event of any discrepancies between the two texts, the French version shall prevail. _______________________ 1 The Company reminds that the interim financing in the form of dry bonds from which it benefited in October 2023, subject to two tranches, representing a nominal amount of 1,300,000, subscribed at 77% of the nominal value of the bond, will have to be repaid at the latest within five business days following the completion of the Capital Increase (press release of October 11, 2023). Contacts IMPLANET Ludovic Lastennet, CEO David Dieumegard, CFO Tel.: +33 (0)5 57 99 55 55 investors@Implanet.com NewCap Investor Relations Nicolas Fossiez Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 Implanet@newcap.eu NewCap Media Relations Arthur Rouille Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 Implanet@newcap.eu Reception in celebration of Spring Festival held in Vienna, Austria Xinhua) 13:31, February 02, 2024 Performers play Chinese folk music during a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival at Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, Jan. 31, 2024. A reception in celebration of the Spring Festival, co-hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna and UN Vienna Chinese Culture Club, was held here on Wednesday. It was the first such event staged at the UN Office at Vienna by the permanent mission. (Xinhua/He Canling) Ghada Waly, director-general of the United Nations (UN) Office at Vienna, speaks during a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival at Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, Jan. 31, 2024. A reception in celebration of the Spring Festival, co-hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna and UN Vienna Chinese Culture Club, was held here on Wednesday. It was the first such event staged at the UN Office at Vienna by the permanent mission. (Xinhua/He Canling) Performers dance during a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival at Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, Jan. 31, 2024. A reception in celebration of the Spring Festival, co-hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna and UN Vienna Chinese Culture Club, was held here on Wednesday. It was the first such event staged at the UN Office at Vienna by the permanent mission. (Xinhua/He Canling) Dancers perform lion dance during a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival at Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, Jan. 31, 2024. A reception in celebration of the Spring Festival, co-hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna and UN Vienna Chinese Culture Club, was held here on Wednesday. It was the first such event staged at the UN Office at Vienna by the permanent mission. (Xinhua/He Canling) Guests attend a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival at Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, Jan. 31, 2024. A reception in celebration of the Spring Festival, co-hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna and UN Vienna Chinese Culture Club, was held here on Wednesday. It was the first such event staged at the UN Office at Vienna by the permanent mission. (Xinhua/He Canling) Dancers perform lion dance during a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival at Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, Jan. 31, 2024. A reception in celebration of the Spring Festival, co-hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna and UN Vienna Chinese Culture Club, was held here on Wednesday. It was the first such event staged at the UN Office at Vienna by the permanent mission. (Xinhua/He Canling) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) CHARLESTON, W.Va./BOISE, IdahoConservative lawmakers in West Virginia and Idaho have introduced yet another round of bills that would significantly restrict access to pornographic content. In West Virginia, the state House of Delegates, controlled by the Republican Party, has advanced a bill that is technically a "copycat" proposal to what was introduced and adopted in states like Louisiana, Montana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Utah, North Carolina and neighboring Virginia. Aylo Holdings, the parent company of adult tube site Pornhub.com, geo-blocked several of these states. Article L. 238-8-II of the French commercial Code and article 223-16 of the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) general regulation Regulatory News: Corporate name of the issuer: Veolia Environnement 21 rue La Boetie 75008 PARIS FRANCE (ISIN code: FR0000124141-VIE) Information closing date Total number of shares forming the share capital Total number of voting rights January 31, 2024 725,411,667 Total number of theoretical voting rights (1): 743,417,416 Total number of voting rights that may be exercised (2): 733,189,566 Inclusion in the Veolia Environnement Articles of Association of a clause requiring a reporting obligation of the declaration of crossing a shareholding threshold, complementary to the one relating to the thresholds provided by the French law and the regulations in force (article 8). (1) Number of theoretical voting rights after taking into account the number of shares with double voting rights as of January 31, 2024 (18,005,749 shares) and the number of treasury shares held as of January 31, 2024 (10,227,850 shares). (2) Number of voting rights that may be exercised number of theoretical voting rights (or total number of voting rights attached to shares) shares without voting rights (number of treasury shares held as of January 31, 2024). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240202936065/en/ Contacts: Veolia Environnement Redde Northgate Plc - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, February 02 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 02 February 2024 REDDE NORTHGATE PLC ("Redde Northgate" or the "Group" or the "Company") Transaction in Own Shares Redde Northgate plc (LSE:REDD) announces that on 02 February 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 : 354.75 pence per share Highest purchase price paid : 355 pence per share Lowest purchase price paid : 354.5 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 18,390,071 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 227,701,352 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 Purchases - Individual Transactions (as at 02 February 2024) Number of shares purchased Transaction price (GB pence per share) Time of transaction Transaction reference number Venue 25,000 25,000 354.50 355.00 08:55:22 16:12:09 00068727270TRLO0 00068739971TRLO0 LSE 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: BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, February 02 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 2 February 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: 2 February 2024 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 165,342 Lowest price per share 363.50 Highest price per share 364.00 Trading venue London Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 165,342 Weighted average price per day per trading venue: 363.9902 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 367,405,601 Sterling Shares 6,199,259 Sterling Shares 29,762,912 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares From 2 February 2024, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 563,091,310. 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 The following is a joint announcement from The Danish Fishers PO, Danish Pelagic Producer Organization, and Marine Ingredients Denmark. Contrary to the Brexit agreement that allowed EU fishers to fish in British waters, the UK has decided to ban sandeel fishing on the British part of the Dogger Bank. The UK's reversal of the Brexit agreement is a major issue of principle and a huge blow to the fishing and fishmeal industry in Denmark, where sandeel has historically been the primary source of raw materials for factories. When the EU and the UK agreed on the terms of Brexit, a crucial element was that EU fishers could continue to fish in UK waters. An element that EU fishers paid dearly to get the UK to agree to. The UK is now reneging on that agreement and will ban sandeel fishing on the UK part of the Dogger Bank from March 26 this year. The UK is implementing the closure arguing this to protect birdlife. However, there is no scientific evidence that the closure will have the desired effect. The decision is causing outrage in the EU fishing industry, which points out that it is a major problem of principle if the UK can walk away from the Brexit agreement without consequences. "This is a humiliation of the EU. With the Brexit agreement, Danish fishers paid dearly for access to British waters. Now the UK is reneging on the agreement. This is beneath criticism. Therefore, this case must be raised at the highest level. Because it cannot be right that the UK is simply allowed to run away from the agreements they make with the EU. Especially not when there is no professional evidence," says Svend-Erik Andersen, chairman of the Danish Fishers PO. The Danish government must fight Approximately 100,000 tons of sandeel are landed annually in Denmark, worth more than DKK 300 million from the area in question. This will be felt in the fishing industry. Therefore, the government must fight, according to Danish Pelagic PO. "The closure will have major negative economic consequences for Danish fisheries. And Brexit has already hit us hard. We simply cannot accept this. Therefore, we urge the government's top ministers to contact the UK and the EU. No stone must be left unturned, and we must fight to the end," says Jens Schneider Rasmussen, Chairman of the Danish Pelagic Producers' Organization. The Brexit agreement must be respected It is not only the fishing industry that is affected by the closure. It will also have consequences for the fish oil and fishmeal industry. The landings of sandeel from the UK in particular have formed the basis for Danish exports of fish oil and fishmeal totaling DKK 2.7 billion since 2015. "It is serious if the EU, and the EU heads of state, allow the UK to renege on their agreement. It is a very critical situation. We are talking about significant values for Denmark and it is our clear conviction that this is a breach of the agreement's wording that reciprocal access to fishing in the waters of the parties must be granted. The legal implications of the British decision should be fully investigated and the possibilities for legal action clarified," says Anne Mette Bk, Director of Marine Ingredients Denmark. No scientific evidence The Danish Technical Institute (DTU Aqua) has conducted an evaluation of the sandeel fishery and concluded that there are no lasting negative effects of sandeel fishing in the marine environment, and DTU Aqua concludes that the size of the sandeel stock does not affect other fish stocks, marine mammals, and seabirds. The UK and the EU recently jointly asked the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to assess the importance of the sandeel stock as a food source for seabirds, among other things. ICES responded to this request in November 2023 by stating that the biological advice for sandeel is ecosystem-based and thus considers that sandeel also forms part of the food base for seabirds and other predators. It is therefore surprising that the results of this are being disregarded. Read about the closure here View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240202483680/en/ Contacts: Further information Kenn Skau Fischer, Director of The Danish Fishers PO, +45 51199537 Esben Sverdrup-Jensen, Director of the Danish Pelagic Producers' Organization, +45 61660978 Anne Mette Bk, Director of Marine Ingredients Denmark, +45 50477749 Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, February 02 For immediate release 02 February 2024 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 298,560 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 845.69 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 23 January 2024. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 30,530,538; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 194,460,765. The figure of 194,460,765 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 In Stockton, Calif., delivering healthy meal boxes to people with diabetes has led to encouraging results. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Abbott "Olive oil is my favorite oil," nutrition educator Alex Marapao says, her words wafting out along with the smell of herbs and greens sizzling in a pan. "I don't know if you cook with olive oil at all, but, if you don't, I recommend it the next time you go grocery shopping," she continues. "I always use olive oil when I cook, and I think it gives a good flavor." An ode to oil. Only, it's much more than that. Marapao sprinkles tributes like that into every cooking demonstration she gives at the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton, Calif. She shouts out lean proteins, leafy greens (like the ones she was sauteing in the olive oil for an omelette), whole grains - anything you would label "good for you." And that is intentional, because, in the battle against diabetes, food is medicine. The educators at the Food Bank - including Marapao, the nutrition programs supervisor there - are on a mission, along with Community Medical Centers of Stockton and several other dedicated organizations. They want to share nutrition education that takes root in the community and grows healthy habits. And they want these habits to last not only a lifetime, but for generations to come. It's a critical mission in Stockton - a city of about 320,000 people just south of California's capital city of Sacramento - where almost 60% of residents are prediabetic or living with diabetes.1 It is also a city where, like many around the United States, there are neighborhoods that are considered "food deserts" because they don't have access to neighborhood grocery stores, making it a huge challenge to access healthy, affordable food. That's why we partnered with these organizations to design a program called Healthy Food Rx that launched in 2021 and receives funding from the Abbott Fund, the philanthropic arm of Abbott. Participants in the program get a box delivered to their homes every other week. Each is packed with a rotating roster of proteins, produce and other healthy staples. (Some of the items in a recent shipment: kale, mango, pineapple and peanut butter.) What happened when we worked with our community partners to try to grow the "Food as Medicine" movement in Stockton in an organic way? The early results are encouraging. Good Things from Good Food Food as medicine? Meaning, take two heads of lettuce and call your doctor in the morning? Well, no. But That statement isn't as silly as it sounds. "Food as Medicine" essentially boils down to the idea that you can draw a straight line from healthy foods to improved health. That's why, when you hear "Food as Medicine," you also hear about things like medically tailored meals and produce prescription programs. Our Healthy Food Rx program puts a grassroots twist on that "prescription" model. After all, the other major aim of the movement is to make sure everyone has access to good nutrition. Instead of having a doctor write prescriptions or putting out medical recommendations, we tackled the problem of food insecurity head-on by delivering the food directly to people managing chronic illnesses. Already, Stockton is seeing results. We conducted a study with the Public Health Institute of the "first batch" of 450 participants in our program over the course of 12 months. And what we found was that many of them were able to lower the glucose level in their blood. Participants with uncontrolled diabetes saw their A1C levels go down by 0.8%, and the A1C level of the entire cohort decreased by an average of 0.35%. Both decreases marked statistically significant changes. On top of that, we saw evidence that healthy habits were taking hold, and that the gospel of good nutrition was spreading. Fruit, vegetable and water consumption went up. About three-quarters of the people in the study said they were still following their meal plan after a year. And almost 40% of them said they now talk to mentors and friends about healthy living. Ready for a Change "The light bulb went on for me when I started losing weight without trying," says Barbara White. White lives in Stockton and makes a mean soup. She loads it up with seafood, macaroni - and, lately, kale, cabbage or greens. "My grandson one time, I had broccoli but I forgot to put it in the soup. He called me on it," White says with a laugh. "And he was 5 years old." White was an enthusiastic member of the first cohort of our Healthy Food Rx program. Before joining, she had been contending with a post-pandemic double whammy: her diabetes, for one thing, and being able to find the healthy foods she needed to manage it. "I'm going to four different stores," she says. "You try to route it so that you hit everybody - and you get what you need and get out of there. Because, if not, you end up going over budget." Which segues into another highlight from our Healthy Food Rx 12-month data: Food security increased to 44% from 34%. All Together Now Nutrition is an important part of the solution the world needs to counteract the global diabetes epidemic, which impacts hundreds of millions of lives. But it's one part of many. Our dose of "Food as Medicine" fits into a larger strategy that people in Stockton started building with us five years ago - an initiative we called Future Well Communities. While Healthy Food Rx delivers eats and education: Community Medical Centers provides patients with health education and peer support paired with medical visits to help them stay on track. Community organizations APSARA and El Concilio connect people with diabetes to local community health workers, healthcare services and transportation to get them there. And the Stockton-based University of the Pacific runs diabetes clinics that provide free health screenings and referrals for treatment and other services they need. The closer these partners work together, the tighter the bonds they form - and the more insights they find. One example: Students from the University of the Pacific's School of Pharmacy recently presented research based on more than 800 screenings at 10 different community health fairs. What was the service they referred the most people for? Nutrition education, which the Emergency Food Bank can now provide, thanks to grants from the Abbott Fund and other organizations. Marapao and others at the Emergency Food Bank bake an educational element into every Healthy Food Rx box delivery. When Marapao talks up the flavor of olive oil, she's really speaking to the underlying benefit of cooking with a healthy fat instead of canola or vegetable oil. The staff whips up tasty recipes and brings them to life in those live cooking demonstrations from the Food Bank's test kitchen. People get the food, most importantly, but they also get to cook along at home and bond with each other over their favorite nuggets of nutrition knowledge. Given all of this - and the encouraging results we've seen early on from Healthy Food Rx - we're expanding the next group of participants in the program to 1,000. As Leonard Hansen, CEO of the Emergency Food Bank, says: "The idea is to inject at least some 'food-as-medicine' thinking into all of what we do. And we do that through the community health workers." Each food box is delivered with hope - that, with programs like Healthy Food Rx, with partnerships like Future Well Communities, we're cooking up a fresh approach to helping people live healthier lives. References 1 Kietzman KG, Bacong AM, Gutierrez B, Pourat N. Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Stockton: Abbott Fund's Strategic Plan. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research; 2018. Healthy Food Rx Recipe Pressed Kale Salad with Tofu and Pineapple Ingredients: Salad 3 cups kale 2 cups dandelion 1- cup diced pineapple 2 cups grilled tofu Pecans and blueberries (optional) Dressing cup olive oil cup balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced salt and ground black pepper to taste Directions: In a mason jar combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, shallots, garlic, salt and black pepper. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. In a big bowl combine kale, dandelion, pineapple and grilled tofu. (Optional: top with pecans and blueberries.) Add dressing and mix up until vegetables are fully coated. Serve and enjoy! View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Abbott on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Abbott Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/abbott Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Abbott View the original press release on accesswire.com BEIJING, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a village greenhouse in north China's Tianjin Municipality, vegetables and fruits are waiting to be picked and transported. Some have been packaged for delivery to be served on people's dining tables. Diliubu Village, known as the main origin of vegetables for Beijing and Tianjin, will supply agricultural products to the megacities during the upcoming Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year. With the village being the first stop of his two-day inspection tour in Tianjin, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday visited the villagers affected by severe floods last summer, and learned of the recovery of local agricultural production. "I especially care about grassroots officials and members of the public as we ring in the Chinese New Year," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, once said. For years, Xi has had a tradition of visiting ordinary people, especially disadvantaged groups, ahead of the Spring Festival, the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. Falling on February 10 this year, the festival is a time traditionally spent in the company of family. The people always on Xi's mind When delivering his 2024 New Year message one month ago, Xi listed the issues that remain at the forefront of his mind, including places hit by floods, typhoons, earthquakes or other natural disasters. When he came to visit those affected by the floods in Diliubu Village on Thursday, Xi once again made clear his concern for such group of people. "The CPC Central Committee and Party committees and governments at all levels are always thinking of everyone's safety and warmth," he told the villagers. This is not the first time the Chinese president singled out a disaster-hit place to kick off his annual inspection before the Spring Festival. In January 2022, he braved the snow to visit people in a small village called Fengnanyuan in north China's Shanxi Province that had been hit hard by autumn floods. Carrying forward traditional Chinese culture Nestled amid a multitude of ancient-style pavilions and winding alleyways, Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, which houses many renowned brands, is immersed in the lively preparations for the start of the Year of the Dragon. Its iconic ancient-style gateway, embellished with the Chinese dragon and phoenix motifs, now glows with a vibrant hue of "Chinese red," captivating visitors from all over the country. When visiting the street on Thursday, Xi stressed the importance of carrying forward the traditional Chinese culture, a message he also underscored during his last visit to Tianjin in 2019. Chinese modernization would not be possible without the inheritance and promotion of China's fine traditional culture, Xi said. Calling Tianjin a city with great characteristics and charm, he urged efforts to protect and make good use of its historical and cultural blocks to make them shine in the building of a modern metropolis. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-02-02/Spending-time-with-the-people-Xi-Jinping-s-Chinese-New-Year-tradition-1qS8w1LAwQU/p.html View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cgtn-spending-time-with-the-people-xi-jinpings-chinese-new-year-tradition-302052192.html Regulatory News: Orano Med (a subsidiary of the Orano Group), a pioneer in the development of targeted alpha therapies for oncology, today laid the foundation stone for its ATLab (Alpha Therapy Laboratory) in Onnaing (France, 59). This will be Europe's first industrial-scale pharmaceutical facility dedicated to the production of lead-212 based radioligand therapies. The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Xavier Jouanin, Mayor of Onnaing, Laurent Degallaix, President of Valenciennes Metropole and Mayor of Valenciennes, Aurore Colson, Regional Councillor for the Circular Economy, Lise Alter, Managing Director of the French Health Innovation Agency (AIS Agence de l'Innovation en sante), Guillaume Dureau, Senior Executive Vice-President Projects Innovation R&D and Nuclear Medicine for the Orano Group, Julien Dodet, CEO of Orano Med, and Guillaume Quenet, sub-prefect of Valenciennes. Targeted Alpha Therapy with lead-212 combines the natural ability of biological molecules to target cancer cells with the short-range cell-killing capabilities of lead-212 generated alpha emissions. The development of these therapies has long been hampered by the difficulty to manufacture on an industrial scale. The construction of Orano Med's ATLab Valenciennes is therefore a major step towards making these promising new treatments available to cancer patients with high unmet needs. ATLab Valenciennes, with over 3,000 m of floor space, will represent an investment of 29 million and will create 25 direct jobs. It will focus on the production of lead-212 therapies developed by Orano Med and their distribution in Europe. Orano Med is due to inaugurate a similar facility this year in Indianapolis to serve the US market. This combined capacity will enable Orano Med to manufacture 10,000 doses a year as of 2025, with the aim of producing ten times that number by the end of the decade. Given the short half-life of lead-212 (10.6 hours), the drugs need to be produced close to hospitals. The construction of further ATLabs is therefore envisaged to meet patients' needs worldwide. Guillaume Dureau, the Orano Group's Senior Executive Vice-President Projects Innovation R&D and Nuclear Medecine, commented: "The ATLab in Onnaing is a very important step in our development strategy and is situated at the very heart of the industrial fabric of the Valenciennes metropolitan area and the Hauts-de-France region. The expansion of our production capacity in the radiopharmaceutical field is part of a drive to revitalize our country's industrial and economic fabric." Julien Dodet, CEO of Orano Med: "We are convinced that radioligand therapies will soon become an essential tool in the fight against cancer. As the Phase II clinical trial of our most advanced drug AlphaMedix nears completion, we are building a global industrial platform to ensure the large-scale production and distribution of these potential treatments." The construction of ATLab Valenciennes is supported by the Hauts de France region and the Valenciennes metropolitan area. The project has also been selected under the France 2030 plan following the call for "Industrialization and health capacities 2030" projects and will receive public support of almost 3.8 million. By using a variety of biological vector technologies to target cancer cells, Orano Med's activities are perfectly aligned with the French national biotherapies bioproduction acceleration strategy coordinated by the Health Innovation Agency (AIS), which has bringing new cancer biotherapies to market by the end of the decade as one of its key objectives. About Orano As a recognized international operator in the field of nuclear materials, Orano delivers solutions to address present and future global energy and health challenges. Its expertise and mastery of cutting-edge technologies enable Orano to offer its customers high value-added products and services throughout the entire fuel cycle. Every day, the Orano group's 17,000 employees draw on their skills, unwavering dedication to safety and constant quest for innovation, with the commitment to develop know-how in the transformation and control of nuclear materials, for the climate and for a healthy and resource-efficient world, now and tomorrow. Orano, giving nuclear energy its full value. About Orano Med Orano Med, a subsidiary of the Orano Group, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of targeted therapies against cancer using the unique properties of lead-212 (212Pb), a rare alpha-emitting radioisotope and one of the most potent therapeutic payloads against cancer cells. This technology is known as targeted alpha therapy (TAT). The company is developing a portfolio of treatments combining 212Pb with a range of targeting vectors. Orano Med has 212Pb production facilities, laboratories and R&D centers in France and the United States. More information on www.oranomed.com The France 2030 investment plan France 2030 is unprecedented in its scale: 54 billion is being invested so that our businesses, our schools, our universities and our research organizations fully succeed with their transitions in these strategic sectors. The challenge is to enable them to respond in a competitive way to the world's future ecological and attractiveness challenges, and to showcase the future champions of our sectors of excellence. France 2030 is defined by two overarching objectives, which will see 50% of expenses given over to the decarbonization of the economy, and 50% to emerging key players, those at the forefront of innovation, without neglecting the environment (in the sense of the "Do No Significant Harm" principle). France 2030 is being implemented collectively: designed and deployed in consultation with economic, academic, local and European key players to establish strategic guidelines and decisive action. Project holders are invited to submit their entries via the current application process, which is a demanding and selective one, to benefit from state support. France 2030 is being led by the French General Secretariat for Investment, in charge of France 2030, on behalf of the Prime Minister, and in partnership with the relevant government ministries. France 2030 is being implemented by the French National Research Agency (ANR), the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), Bpifrance and the Caisse des Depots et consignation (CDC). More information: france2030.gouv.fr@SGPI_avenir View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240202935325/en/ Contacts: Press Office +33 (0)1 34 96 12 15 press@orano.group Investor relations Marc Quesnoy investors@orano.group Plymouth Blvd Productions brings you a must-see, action-packed, sci-fi thriller, "Lunar Lockdown", now streaming on ALLBLK Network. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / This press release is being reissued to correct the listed PR source. Lunar Lockdown Cast Premiere Photo L to R: Erica Peeples, Leila Weisberg, LisaRaye McCoy, Jhone Lucas, Cameo Sherrell, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard Plymouth Blvd Productions hosted a star-studded world premiere of their new sci-fi movie "Lunar Lockdown" at iPic Westwood on Tuesday, January 23rd. Guests were welcomed with complimentary cocktails while the movie's producers and talent walked the Black Carpet. AvianPR worked behind the scenes to produce this amazing screening. The packed-out theater boasted a happy crowd engaged in the film's synopsis, given by producer, writer and actor Damien Douglas and the film's producer Kevin Weisberg. Guests enjoyed unlimited popcorn and candy, as well as an entree of their choice, while watching the special premiere of "Lunar Lockdown". After a brief Q&A with film star LisaRaye McCoy, who shared pivotal moments featured during the process of filming, guests caravanned to Senator Jones for a fun after-party, where the extraordinary DJ Brian Henry set the tone for a jubilant night. A dessert bar was the perfect pairing for the champagne and cocktails that flowed as everyone celebrated Lunar Lockdown's premiere. Lunar Lockdown premiered on the ALLBLK network, the popular streaming service for Black television and film from AMC Networks, on Thursday, February 1st. The Lunar Lockdown World Premiere photo gallery is available here courtesy of Getty Images. Synopsis: In the year 2075, the Earth is no longer the home of the United States' most violent criminals. These convicts are sent to the moon to serve their time under the rule of Warden Felicity Myers (LisaRaye McCoy, A House Divided, Single Ladies). When inmate Christina Jenkins (Laila Odom, Salt-N-Pepa) arrives at the prison, she quickly finds out that serving her time quietly is not an option. The women of Orion Colony Prison are used in every way a human can be for personal gain. When an opportunity arises, Jenkins and a group of inmates come together to fight to regain their freedom and dignity. The film features LisaRaye McCoy, Cameo Sherrell (The Haves and the Have Nots), Leila Weisberg (Deadly Desire), Erica Peeples (All American), Jhone Y. Lucas (The Gen Zone), Janeshia Adams-Ginyard (Station 19), Damien Douglas, Mark Fleischmann (Infinite), Laila Odom (Salt n Peppa), Nari Blair-Mangat (Cinderella). ?@WatchAllBlk | www.plymouthblvd.com Contact Information Avian Watson Publicity avian@avianpr.net 470-322-6424 Related Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k6kRRvfSgw SOURCE: AvianPR View the original press release on newswire.com. IRVING, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2024 / Verizon Irving, Texas Mayor Rick Stopfer announced Verizon as the recipient of the Mayor's Corporate Award of Excellence at the 2024 State of the City hosted by the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce. The Mayor's Corporate Award of Excellence recognizes a company, organization or individual that exemplifies excellence in the work it does, the services it offers, the contributions it makes to the community and the commitment it provides to the city and its residents. "Verizon exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and corporate responsibility, values that we hold in high regard in Irving," said Mayor Rick Stopfer. "Verizon has long been a valued member of Irving's business community, contributing economically and philanthropically to the city. Their commitment to excellence, innovation and community engagement makes them a model winner of the 2024 Mayor's Award." "Verizon is honored to be recognized with Mayor Stopfer's Corporate Award of Excellence," said Verizon Market President Michelle R. Miller. "Irving has been our regional home for many years and we are proud of our long history with the city. It's where our employees work, play and serve the community and it is still a place where we see opportunity ahead of us." For more than 30 years, Verizon has had a corporate campus in Irving. Known as Hidden Ridge, the campus serves as a worksite for thousands of employees in varying functions including consumer, business and network. Hidden Ridge is one of seven engagement hubs for the company. The goal of these hubs is to create cultural centers where employees can come together, work together and connect with each other. The hub locations represent key business and talent markets for the company. "Verizon is a well-deserved recipient of the Mayor's Corporate Award of Excellence," said Beth A. Bowman, President and CEO of the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and Irving Economic Development Partnership. "The team at Verizon have been valuable partners to the Chamber and Irving Economic Development Partnership, as we strive to take care of our member-investors and attract businesses to expand or relocate home to Irving-Las Colinas. Verizon has also been a great community partner and we thank them for their investment in Irving-Las Colinas." Since 2017, Verizon has played an integral role in supporting education in Irving. Through Verizon Innovative Learning, over 24,000 students have been reached across 13 schools within the Irving Independent School District, equipping them with free technology, internet access and innovative STEM learning. 100% of eligible middle and high schools are part of the program. The district was also awarded nine Verizon Innovative Learning Labs, providing students and teachers access to emerging technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence. The multi-year initiative brings a project-based curriculum to help solve real-world problems in a custom-designed, experiential learning lab. Verizon's holistic investment in the greater Irving-Las Colinas community - and across the nation - ladder back to Citizen Verizon, the company's responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. Verizon is moving the world forward through action by expanding digital access and resources, protecting the climate, and ensuring people have the skills needed for jobs of the future. Additional local investments made by Verizon include recent major upgrades to the network serving customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. These upgrades are part of a multi-year redesign of its network architecture to stay ahead of exponential data usage increases, upgrade the technology in the network, and pave the way for personalized customer experiences. Network upgrades to DFW include deploying new cell sites to extend coverage and capacity in local communities and 5G C-Band bandwidth upgrades, which has resulted in increased speeds across the DFW Metroplex. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Verizon on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Verizon Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/verizon Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Verizon View the original press release on accesswire.com Future Market Insights, Inc. (FMI) predicts a robust future for the alpha olefins market, driven by the increasing demand for polyethylene and its diverse applications. Find out the market drivers and stakeholder advantages in our FMI report NEWARK, Del., Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alpha Olefins Market value is expected to rise from US$ 7.6 billion in 2024 to US$ 13.5 billion by 2034. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.90% over the next decade. Request Exclusive Sample Report: Alpha Olefins Industry Strategic Insights, https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-18882 Sales of alpha olefins are predicted to surge on account of the growing demand for polyethylene, which is used in multiple applications like industrial processes, packaging, consumer goods, and others. Product developers with cost and design targets opt for alpha olefin sulfonates (AOS) based formulations as they can be adjusted to function well with common secondary ingredients. Some categories where AOS-based formulations are used are mass, economy, luxury, and premium. Market leaders are expected to continuously expand their production capacity of alpha olefins to meet the rising demand for various everyday consumer products, as well as market balance and product prices. "Key players are proactively interacting with regulatory bodies and promoting industry-friendly policies to stay ahead of their competition," says Nikhil Kaitwade (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.). Key Takeaways from the Alpha Olefins Market Report The alpha olefins market grew at a CAGR of 7.6% during the historical period. Over the forecast period, the CAGR is predicted to be 5.9% through 2034. In the United States, the market is estimated to generate revenue worth US$ 2.4 billion by 2034. In the United Kingdom, the market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.1% through 2034, reaching a valuation of US$ 545.3 million by the end of the forecast period. China's alpha olefins industry is assessed to register a CAGR of 6.7% through 2034 to attain a net worth of US$ 2.1 billion by 2034. South Korea is predicted to be a highly promising market for alpha olefins, expanding at a CAGR of 8% through 2034. From 2024 to 2034, Japan is anticipated to attain a market valuation of US$ 1.5 billion by 2034. The 1-octene segment is predicted to register a CAGR of 5.7% through 2034. The synthetic lubricants segment is anticipated to record a CAGR of 5.5% through 2034. Competitive Landscape Key players are investing in building a strong brand image via customer relationship management and effective marketing campaigns to attract more customers. Additionally, industry players are emphasizing unique product performance, cost-savings, or environmental advantages of their alpha olefins than their counterparts to influence buying decisions. Manufacturers are recognizing the value of integrating technology and automation to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, making products more competitive. Additionally, players are increasing their profits and competitiveness by identifying cost-effective sources of raw materials and improving logistics management. Key Manufacturers in Alpha Olefin Market Huntsman Corporation Clariant AG P. Chemicals Kao Corporation Zanyu Technology Group Co. Ltd. Stepan Company Pilot Chemical Company Nouryon Enaspol Rohit Surfactants Private Limited Others 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 Developments in the Alpha Olefins Market In May 2021, Chevron Phillips Chemical revealed its plans to increase its alpha olefins business with a second world-scale unit to manufacture on-purpose 1-hexene. As the demand for high-performance polyethylene continues to rise in everyday products like packaging for food, pharmaceuticals, and detergents, among many others, the company is set to expand to remain a leading supplier of alpha olefins. In October 2022, Chemanol, a Saudi Arabia-based company, entered an agreement with Global Company for Downstream Industries (GDI) to manufacture specialty chemicals, including poly alpha olefins. Key Segments Covered in the Alpha Olefin Market Report By Product: 1-Octene 1-Hexene 1-Butene Others By Application: Synthetic Lubricants Detergent Alcohol Polyethylene Others By Region: North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa About the Author: Nikhil Kaitwade (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.) has over a decade of experience in market research and business consulting. He has successfully delivered 1500+ client assignments, predominantly in Automotive, Chemicals, Industrial Equipment, Oil & Gas, and Service industries. His core competency circles around developing research methodology, creating a unique analysis framework, statistical data models for pricing analysis, competition mapping, and market feasibility analysis. His expertise also extends wide and beyond analysis, advising clients on identifying growth potential in established and niche market segments, investment/divestment decisions, and market entry decision-making. Nikhil holds an MBA degree in Marketing and IT and a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering. Nikhil has authored several publications and quoted in journals like EMS Now, EPR Magazine, and EE Times. Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage in the Chemicals Domain: Ethylamine Market by Thickeners, End Use Industry & Region | Forecast 2023 to 2033. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF. by Thickeners, End Use Industry & Region | Forecast 2023 to 2033. - Alpha Olefin Sulfonates Market by Product Type, Form, Application & Region - Forecast 2022 - 2032. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF. by Product Type, Form, Application & Region - Forecast 2022 - 2032. - Biomass Gasification Market by Wood, Animal Waste, and Other Fuel Types from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF. by Wood, Animal Waste, and Other Fuel Types from 2024 to 2034. - Entrance Matting Market Forecast by Type, Application and Others from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF. 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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/rising-demand-for-consumer-products-spurs-alpha-olefins-market-expansion-valued-at-us-13-5-billion-by-2034--302051866.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") announces that, pursuant to its 10% rolling equity incentive plan, it has approved the grant of 812,500 restricted share units ("RSUs") and 812,500 stock options ("Options") to acquire common shares in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share"), to certain directors, officers, employees and consultants (the "Equity Grant"). The Options are exercisable until February 2, 2029 a price of $0.25 per Option and are subject to vesting provisions. The RSUs will vest and convert into Common Shares, for no additional consideration, in tranches. Any Common Shares issued pursuant to the Equity Grant, are subject to a hold period expiring June 3, 2024, unless written approval to issue the Common Shares without the hold period is obtained from the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company also announces the second tranche of the non-brokered private placement pursuant to an agreement with Trafigura Pte Ltd ("Trafigura"), whereby Trafigura is to invest USD$970,000 to acquire units at CAD$0.25 (each a "Unit"), is now expected to close on or around March 15, 2024, see press releases dated November 6, 2023, December 8, 2023 and December 21, 2023. Each Unit consists of one Common Share and one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Trafigura Warrant"). Each Trafigura Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share for $0.37 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. Securities issued pursuant to the private placement will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance. About Kuya Silver Corporation Kuya Silver is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company with a focus on acquiring, exploring, and advancing precious metals assets in Peru and Canada. For more information, please contact: David Stein, President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (604) 398-4493 info@kuyasilver.com www.kuyasilver.com Reader Advisory This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information," including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "propose," "new," "potential," "prospective," "target," "future," "verge," "favourable," "implications," and "ongoing," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statements, any discussion of the potential of exploration targets is forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196662 SOURCE: Kuya Silver Corporation ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS PLC [Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia] Company registration number: 771 Share Code: ZCCM-IH ISIN: ZM0000000037 ["ZCCM-IH" or "the Company"] NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Extraordinary Meeting of the shareholders of ZCCM-IH will be held on Friday 23rd February 2024 at 10:00 hours at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Kenneth Kaunda Wing, Banquet Hall Number 2, Lusaka, Zambia and virtually via Video Conferencing on the following link https://eagm.creg.co.zw/eagm/Login.aspx. The Extraordinary Meeting is convened by ZCCM-IH to: Seek the approval of the shareholders of ZCCM-IH for the transaction relating to up to a US$1.1 billion investment by International Resources Holding RSC Limited ("IRH"), through its wholly owned subsidiary, Delta Mining Limited ("Delta"), for a 51% interest in Mopani Copper Mines plc ("Mopani"). This investment will comprise of US$620 million in new equity capital and shareholder loans (the "Transaction"). The proposed transaction is to be implemented by the following steps outlined in and in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Agreements: On the Closing Date (being the date at which completion of the subscription by Delta for the Investor Shares occurs), Mopani shall issue and Delta shall subscribe for 7,181,633 ordinary shares in Mopani, comprising 51% of the entire issued share capital of Mopani, at a total price of US$620 million being a price per share of US$86.33 of which US$85.33 per share is share premium. On the Closing Date, Mopani shall issue and the Government of the Republic of Zambia shall subscribe for 1 special ordinary share which, in accordance with the terms of the Shareholders' Agreement and Mopani's new Articles of Association, shall grant the bearer of such share certain special shareholder rights in respect of Mopani. On the Closing Date, Mopani shall repay US$19 million of the bridge facility agreement dated 20 January 2023, as amended and restated from time to time, and presently between ZCCM-IH as lender and Mopani as borrower and this bridge loan agreement shall be amended and restated in accordance with the terms of the ZCCM Amendment and Restatement Agreement into the ZCCM Shareholder Loan Agreement Prior to or on the Closing Date, Delta shall pay Glencore US$400 million who shall also receive payment, in accordance with the terms of the Glencore Payment Covenant, of US$150 million and the benefit of the Glencore Royalty Agreement, as a result of which the current debt owed by Mopani to Glencore shall be dealt with as follows: facility agreements dated 25 July 2013 and 31 March 2000 as consolidated, amended and restated from time to time and both presently between Glencore and Mopani, shall be novated from Glencore to Delta in accordance with the Glencore Novation Deed and amended, consolidated and restated effective as of the Closing Date in accordance with the terms of the IRH ACRA into the Investor Loan Agreement; cathode and anode slimes offtake agreements dated 31 March 2021, as amended from time to time, and presently between Carlisa, Glencore and Mopani will be terminated effective as of the Closing Date in accordance with the terms of the Offtake Deed of Termination; a charge over all assets of Mopani shall be granted by Mopani in favour of Delta as security for Mopani's obligations under the Investor Loan Agreement, in accordance with the terms of the Investor Loan Security Agreement; and Glencore shall release the following security it holds over Mopani in accordance with the Finance Documents Release Deed: floating and fixed charges granted by Mopani in favour of Glencore dated 31 March 2021; and a share charge agreement between ZCCM-IH, Mopani and Glencore dated 31 March 2021. With effect from the Closing Date, Mopani and Delta shall enter into the Delta Trading Offtake Agreement. The Transaction is to be implemented, substantially on the terms and conditions as set out in the circular to the shareholders of the Company dated 2nd February 2024 (the "Circular") outlining the Transaction, of which this notice convening the general meeting forms part. The Circular includes: Salient terms of the Transaction;. A Competent Persons Report prepared by an independent consultant; and An Independent Reporting Accountants Report The Circular will be available to Shareholders electronically on the following link: https://zccm-ih.financifi.com/download/zccm-ih_mopani_transaction_circular/ from 2nd February 2024. The Circular will also be available from 2nd February 2024 until 23rd February 2024 at the Company's registered office ZCCM-IH Office Park, Stand No. 16806, Alick Nkhata Road, Mass Media Complex Area, Lusaka. Following the resolution passed at the 18th Annual General Meeting on 9th December 2022 concerning the distribution of hard copies of supporting documents; physical copies of the circular are only available upon request from the following offices: The Company's registered office; The Sponsoring Broker "Stockbrokers Zambia's" office at 32 Lubu road, Longacres Lusaka and The Transfer Secretary "Corpserve" office at 6 Mwaleshi Road, Olympia Park, Lusaka. As a Category 1 transaction under the LuSE Listing Rules, Shareholder approval is required for the Transaction. At the EGM, Shareholders will consider the proposed Transaction, and if deemed appropriate, pass the proposed ordinary resolution below: THAT the Transaction be and is hereby approved and: the directors of the Company (the "Directors") be and are hereby authorised to do and procure to be done all such acts and things as they consider necessary, expedient or appropriate in connection with the Transaction and to give effect to or implement the Transaction and this resolution (including for the purpose of obtaining any approval, consent, clearance or permission that is a condition to the Transaction or that the Directors consider necessary or expedient); the Directors be and are hereby authorised to agree such modifications, variations, revisions, waivers or amendments to the terms and conditions of the Transaction (provided that such modifications, variations, revisions, waivers or amendments are not of a material nature), to any documents, and arrangements relating thereto, as the directors may, in their absolute discretion think fit; and that any and all conduct of each of the Directors that amounts to a breach of the Articles resulting from, arising out of or in relation to causing ZCCM-IH to enter into the Transaction and Transaction Agreements be and is hereby ratified and confirmed and ZCCM-IH hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives, releases and discharges any and all claims or rights of action that it may have against each of the Directors resulting from, arising out of or in relation to the same. Notes: All Shareholders unable to attend in person are encouraged to make arrangements to participate in the Extraordinary Meeting through the eAGM link provided. The proceedings of the Meeting will be streamed live through the following link, and Shareholders are required to Sign Up in advance using the link below. https://eagm.creg.co.zw/eagm/Login.aspx Shareholders and proxies who will join the Meeting virtually are requested to Sign Up now. Please sign up onto the link with the credentials that shall be forwarded to you via email and phone. The key steps to follow are as given below: Sign up on the ("eAGM platform") given. Log into the ("eAGM platform") and register to attend the meeting on the day of the meeting. To sign up for the Meeting, a Shareholder must have a working email and an active cell phone number. The window for signing up for the Meeting shall be open on 5th February 2024 and automatically close at the commencement of the Meeting on 23rd February 2024. Registration will commence at 09:00 hours on the day of the meeting. A Shareholder who does not register before the start of the meeting will not be able to do so when the meeting starts. After registering, a Shareholder will be allowed to join the meeting. The voting at the General Meeting will be conducted electronically via the following link https://eagm.creg.co.zw/eagm/Login.aspx To fully participate, virtually in the EGM, a Shareholder must have a reliable internet connection and a compatible electronic device (laptop, desktop, tablet, smartphone, etc). Queries on how to log into the Meeting, registration or on the voting process can be channelled to Corpserve Transfer Agents on info@corpservezambia.com.zm or james@Corpservezambia.com.zm: Or phone 0950968435, 0979946143, 0979420470. A member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting is entitled to appoint any person (whether a member of the Company or not) to attend and to vote in his/her stead. A Proxy form has been included in the Notes and is available on the Company website www.zccm-ih.com.zm. The completed Proxy Form must be lodged at the Registered Office of the Company, ZCCM-IH Office Park, Stand No. 16806, Alick Nkhata Road, P.O. Box 30048, Lusaka or emailed to corporate@zccm-ih.com.zm before the commencement of the EGM. By Order of the Board Charles Mjumphi Company Secretary Issued in Lusaka, Zambia on 02 February 2024 Lusaka Securities Exchange Sponsoring Broker T | +260-211-232456 E | advisory@sbz.com.zm W | www.sbz.com.zm Stockbrokers Zambia Limited (SBZ) is a member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia. First Issued on 02 February 2024 ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: lWmdYcVuY5qXl25sZpmamWRqaW1mxGDIapSZlZZoa52dnHFgmGuXbseeZnFllWlu - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-84048-zccm-ih-egm-announcement-sens-02.02.2024.pdf Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - ICEBERG Financial, a pioneering investment consultancy firm in the UAE, is thrilled to announce the launch of its latest in-house algorithmic service, Prop-Glitch, on the GraySpectre Platform. This groundbreaking development marks a significant milestone in the partnership between ICEBERG Financial's UNLIMIT Department and GraySpectre, a promising startup acquired by ICEBERG Financial a year ago. Prop-Glitch is a cutting-edge High Frequency Trading (HFT) Algorithm, meticulously designed to navigate the complexities of prop trading challenges with unparalleled precision. This service caters specifically to algo prop trading firms seeking to leverage advanced technologies for enhanced trading performance. The release of Prop-Glitch underscores ICEBERG Financial's dedication to innovation and excellence in the fintech sector, following the successful launch of another service on the GraySpectre platform in late 2023. As part of its ongoing commitment to redefine the boundaries of financial technology, ICEBERG Financial is currently developing two additional fintech services slated for release by mid-2024. These initiatives are aimed at bolstering GraySpectre's offerings, catering to the burgeoning market of forex and crypto traders who recognize the immense potential of integrating AI and high-tech solutions into their trading strategies. Under the strategic guidance of ICEBERG Financial, GraySpectre is poised to significantly expand its service portfolio, targeting a wide array of fintech solutions. This aligns perfectly with ICEBERG Financial's long-term vision of investing in high-value fintech services and further solidifies its position as a high-tech wealth solution provider in the financial industry. "By leveraging the synergies between ICEBERG Financial and GraySpectre, we are setting new industry standards for fintech innovation. Our latest service, Prop-Glitch, exemplifies our commitment to providing our clients with superior, technology-driven trading solutions. We are excited about the future and the transformative impact our services will have on the forex and crypto trading communities," stated a spokesperson for ICEBERG Financial. About ICEBERG Financial: Registered in the UAE, ICEBERG Financial is a leading investment consultancy firm with over five years of profitable investment across various asset classes. With a robust track record and a recently acquired investment consultancy license, ICEBERG Financial stands at the forefront of the financial industry, offering a wide variety of investment services and fintech products. The company also specializes in securitizing and tokenization services, assisting individuals and corporates in fundraising campaigns, and providing valuation services to attract new investors. For further information, please contact: https://iceberg.financial Name: Public Relation (Sarah Travis) Website: https://iceberg.financial/ Business email: PR@ICEBERG.Financial To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196751 SOURCE: ICEBERG Financial Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 2, 2024) - Tenet Fintech Group Inc. (CSE: PKK) (OTC Pink: PKKFF) ("Tenet" or the "Company"), further to its press releases of December 12, 2023 and January 29, 2024 (the "Prior Press Releases"), announced today that it has completed the first tranche closing (the "First Tranche Closing") of its previously announced offering of the sale of securities, on a private placement basis, of the Company for gross proceeds of up to $10,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Company sold a total of 1,610 convertible debenture units of the Company (the "CD Units") at a price of $1,000 per CD Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds in the First Tranche Closing of $1,610,000. The First Tranche Closing of the Offering was completed pursuant to the terms and conditions of an agency agreement (the "Agency Agreement"), dated February 2, 2024 between the Company and Research Capital Corporation, as lead agent and sole bookrunner. In accordance with the Agency Agreement, the Company may complete additional closings on sales of CD Units pursuant to the Offering on or before March 15, 2024. The Company intends to close a second and third tranche of the Offering for additional gross proceeds of a minimum of $6,000,000. However, there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to close any further tranches of the Offering. Each CD Unit is comprised of: (i) one 10.0% unsecured convertible debenture of the Company in the principal amount of $1,000 (a "Convertible Debenture"); and (ii) 6,666 Common Share purchase warrants (the "CD Warrants"). The Convertible Debentures sold in the First Tranche Closing will mature on February 2, 2027 (the "Maturity Date") and, subject to prior conversion in accordance with their terms, will be repaid in cash at the Maturity Date. Each CD Warrant sold in the First Tranche Closing is exercisable to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.25 until February 2, 2026. From the date of issue until their Maturity Date, Convertible Debenture holders may elect to convert, in whole or in part, the face value of the Convertible Debentures into Common Shares at a conversion price of $0.15 per Common Share. At any time prior to the Maturity Date, if the volume weighted average price of the Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (or such other Canadian stock exchange on which the greatest volume of Common Shares is traded) meets or exceeds $2.50 for three consecutive trading days, any non-converted and remaining face value of the Convertible Debentures will be automatically converted into Common Shares at a conversion price of $0.15 per Common Share. Upon the conversion of the Convertible Debentures, the Company will pay to the Convertible Debenture holders, in cash, the interest accrued on the Convertible Debentures for the amount converted up to but excluding the date of conversion. The Convertible Debentures shall bear interest at a rate of 10.0% per annum from the date of issue, payable monthly in arrears in cash. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months. Tenet intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to continue the development of its Cubeler Business Hub, for working capital and general corporate purposes. For its services in connection with the First Tranche Closing of the Offering, the Company has paid to the Agent: (i) a cash commission equal to $112,700, being an amount equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds of the First Tranche Closing of the Offering; and (ii) 112.7 non-transferable broker warrants (the "CD Broker Warrants"), being such number of CD Broker Warrants as is equal to 7.0% of the number of CD Units sold pursuant to the Offering. Each CD Broker Warrant is exercisable to purchase one CD Unit at an exercise price of $1,000 until February 2, 2026. The Convertible Debentures and CD Warrants are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from their date of issuance. For further details concerning the Offering, see the Prior Press Releases. 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 jurisdiction in the United States of America. The securities described herein 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. About Tenet Fintech Group Inc.: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. is the parent company of a group of innovative financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. All references to Tenet in this news release, unless explicitly specified, include Tenet and all its subsidiaries. Tenet's subsidiaries offer various analytics and AI-based products and services to businesses, capital markets professionals, government agencies and financial institutions either through or leveraging data gathered by the Cubeler Business Hub, a global ecosystem where analytics and AI are used to create opportunities and facilitate B2B transactions among its members. Please visit our website at: https://www.tenetfintech.com/. For more information, please contact: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. Mayco Quiroz, Chief Operating Officer 514-340-7775 ext.: 510 investors@tenetfintech.com CHF Capital Markets Cathy Hume, CEO 416-868-1079 ext.: 251 cathy@chfir.com Follow Tenet Fintech Group Inc. on social media: X: @Tenet_Fintech Facebook: @Tenet LinkedIn: Tenet YouTube: Tenet Fintech Forward-looking information Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding any additional tranche closings of the Offering and the use of proceeds of the Offering. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of management of Tenet. Actual events and conditions could differ materially from those expressed or implied in this press release as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Tenet, including risks regarding the industry in which Tenet operates, economic factors, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. Additional risk factors are also set forth in the Company's management's discussion and analysis and other filings available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) under Tenet's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Tenet has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event the Company does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that the Company will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196754 SOURCE: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. Render of Spaceship Neptune over the coast of Florida (Credit: Space Perspective) Space Perspective, a Cape Canaveral, FL-based arbon-neutral spaceflight experience company, received an investment from The 100 Fundadores and IFG Capital. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts. Founded by Jane Poynter, Space Perspective is a carbon-neutral spaceflight experience company that provides a luxurious way to travel to space. Its spacecraft will take eight explorers to the edge of the Earths atmosphere in a pressurized capsule lifted gently by a SpaceBalloon. Brimming with amenities, the interior cabin features a Space Spa, a culinary program, high-end products, plush seating, and Wi-Fi all enjoyed while taking in views of planet through a large windows ever flown to space. Recently, Mercedes-Maybach partnered with Space Perspective to bring the brand to the experience that the company offers. The new all-electric Maybach will transport Space Perspective explorers to and from their spaceflights offering an end-to-end comfort and luxury experience. FinSMEs 02/02/2024 Netflix contract nearing an end for Harry and Meghan. So as they try proving themselves as independent filmmakers, will they continue to exploit their royal connections? According to an exclusive report published in Daily Mail, as a key figure in the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs company Archewell Productions had quit, suggesting that all was not well. Then, just a few days ago, the Sussexes spent time in the Caribbean with the boss of the giant Paramount Pictures a reminder that their contract with rival Netflix comes to an end next year. If they do join a rival broadcasting company, will they face the same, growing, dilemma? asks Eden in the latest edition of his Palace Confidential newsletter. Advertisement As rumours are doing the rounds on Harry and Meghan partnering with Paramount Pictures, there are reports too floating that say Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could have a future with Netflix after all, with one of the streaming services top bosses announcing they have more projects in the pipeline. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed an exclusive 80million contract with Netflix after stepping down from the Royal Family. However, the couple only signed a five-year deal, which means its due to expire next year. For a very long time Harry and Meghan are prostituting their titles to make more money. Firstpost had earlier explained that even as they turn their noses up on royal tradition, both Meghan and Harry always wanted to carry their title of princess and prince and even the tradition of hereditary privileges. According to reports as Harry put it, they always wanted their kids to have their birth rights to be Prince and he has done everything in his power. Advertisement According to Deadline report, Hollywood to announce Netflixs upcoming projects, Bela teased there are a few more things to come from Meghan and Harry before they part ways with the company. Oh, what are they working on. They actually have a bunch in development. Harry & Meghans commercial success through Netflixs show and book Spare Advertisement But we all know that Harry and Meghans biggest commercial success was through Harrys controversial memoir Spare and Netflixs show Harry & Meghan where there had literally brought out all the dark secrets of the British Royal family. About Harrys controversial book Spare In his memoir Spare Prince Harry poured out his bitterness and telling a lot about the dark secrets that we didnt get to see in the Netflixs docu-series Harry & Meghan. Prince Harry memoir Spare which has leaked will talk about his fathers second marriage to Camilla following an extramarital affair while Charles was still married to Princess Diana. Advertisement King Charles extra-marital affair is one of the darkest part of the book, Spare knowing how much the people of Britain loved Diana and we are all aware of the stress that Diana went through in the marriage, the mental health issues and finally her decision to walk out of her marriage with King Charles. Harry and William urged King Charles not to marry Camilla. Harry writes that he and William begged their father not to marry Camilla, now Queen Consort, over fears she would be their wicked stepmother. Following its worldwide premiere, Amazon Original Indian Police Force has achieved the milestone of becoming the most binge-watched first season of an Indian Original on Prime Video in the first week of its launch. The action-packed series by Rohit Shetty has been lauded by the viewers, and it continues to win hearts across India and around the world. The high-octane action series also trended in the Top 10 titles list in 65 countries globally in the launch week. Advertisement With its adrenaline-pumping action sequences, gripping narrative, larger-than-life visuals and stellar performances, the seven-episode series makes for a binge-worthy mass entertainer. Indian Police Force proudly pays an ode to the selfless service, unconditional commitment and fierce patriotism of the Indian police officers across the country who put everything on the line in their call of duty to keep us safe. Amazon Original series Indian Police Force has set a new benchmark in the streaming space. The show has received immense love and appreciation for its thrilling action sequences, edge-of-the-seat storytelling, and brilliant performances, said Sushant Sreeram, Country Director, Prime Video, India. Embraced as a fast-paced, action-packed mass entertainer, showcasing Rohit Shettys signature style of filmmaking, the series has found love worldwide, trending in the Top 10 list of 65 countries. Our collective intent with the show was not only to entertain audiences but also pay an ode to the many men and women in uniform who have contributed to building our great nation. The success of the series is a testament that the show and its intended spirit has resonated with audiences in India and globally. We are thrilled with such an overwhelming response for Indian Police Force, which truly celebrates the patriotism and relentless spirit of our police officers. Advertisement It has been absolutely wonderful to have joined forces with Prime Video and scripting a success story together with Indian Police Force. Embracing my digital directorial debut, the maiden collaboration truly gave wings to my creative vision in taking my passion project to a wide spectrum of audiences worldwide. My fans have loved my cop films over the years, and it gives me immense joy to transport my craft of storytelling and action filmography to the world of streaming through Indian Police Force. Im thrilled with the love and appreciation that the show has garnered so far not only in India but also in several other countries around the globe on Prime Video. I am grateful to all my fans, the cast and crew for making this show super successful. Kudos to all! said filmmaker Rohit Shetty. Advertisement Advertisement Directed by Rohit Shetty and Sushwanth Prakash, Indian Police Force features Sidharth Malhotra, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, and Vivek Oberoi in lead roles, along with Shweta Tiwari, Nikitin Dheer, Rituraj Singh, Mukesh Rishi, and Lalit Parimoo in pivotal roles. The series is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Thalapathy Vijay made this breaking announcement after his fan club, Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, gave a thumbs-up to the formation of the political party in a meeting last week, which was held in Chennai. Kollywood megastar Thalapathy Vijay announced the formation of his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam today stating his commitment to fundamental political change with transparent, caste-free, and corruption-free administration. The Leo star made this breaking announcement after his fan club, Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, gave a thumbs-up to the formation of the political party in a meeting last week, which was held in Chennai. Advertisement We are making an application today to the EC to register our party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam. Our goal is to contest and win the upcoming 2026 assembly elections and bring about the fundamental political change that people want, said the actor in a statement. He added, Politics is not just another career for me. It is a sacred peoples work. I have been preparing myself for it for a long time. Politics is not a hobby for me. That is my deepest desire. I want to fully involve myself in it. Advertisement Talking about the actors political move, the statement further read, You are all aware of the current political climate. Administrative malpractices and corrupt political culture on the one hand, and a divisive political culture which strives to divide our people on the lines of caste and religion on the other hand. Everyone, especially, in Tamil Nadu is yearning for a fundamental political change that can lead to a selfless, transparent, caste-free, visionary, corruption-free and efficient administration. Advertisement Vijay said that his newly launched party will not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and will not support any other party. The actor quoted in the statement, We are not going to contest the 2024 elections and we are not going to support any party. We have made this decision for the General and Executive Council Meeting. Advertisement Advertisement On the work front, Thalapathy Vijay is busy with Venkat Prabhus The Greatest of All Time. It also stars Mic Mohan, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Sneha, Laila, Jayaram, Meenakshii Chaudhary, and Yogi Babu in key roles. From getting insecure about her husband to talking about Sushant Singh Rajput, lets take a look at Ankita Lokhandes journey in Bigg Boss 17 house. Salman Khan-hosted popular show Bigg Boss recently came to an end with Munawar Faruqui emerging as the winner of season 17. While Munawar was declared the winner after he defeated finalists Abhishek Kumar and Mannara Chopra, Ankita Lokhande was the last one to be eliminated during the finale episode. The Pavitra Rishta actresss elimination came as a big shocker for many, including her fans, family members, and even Salman Khan. Advertisement One of the most talked about contestants, Ankita, who entered the show with her businessman husband Vicky Jain, grabbed attention for several reasons, mainly her fights and arguments with her husband. Despite having faced criticism as well as having a journey full of ups and downs, Ankita was believed to be among one of the strongest contestants and fans believed that she deserved to win the show. However, now that the actress didnt win the trophy, lets take a look at her journey inside the Bigg Boss house. Ankita Lokhandes Bigg Boss 17 Journey 1. One of the most talked about things related to Ankita Lokhande in the Bigg Boss house was her constant fights with her husband Vicky Jain. From fighting with each other over petty reasons to accusing each other of misunderstanding and a lack of support, there were rare instances when the two didnt fight. Advertisement Advertisement 2. Another most talked about moment was Ankitas mother-in-laws entry into the Bigg Boss house, which added a new layer of drama to the show. In one of the controversial moments, Vickys mom was seen targetting Ankita for kicking her son. 3. Ankita was also seen getting into repeated fights with other contestants including the celebrity couple Neil Bhatt and Aishwarya Sharma. Besides that, Ankita often used to get into some highly-charged showdowns with actress Mannara Chopra due to her husbands growing closeness with the actress. From verbal sparring to accusations and raised voices, a lot of things happened between them. Advertisement 4. Having maintained silence about her ex-boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput in the last few years, Ankita was seen opening up a lot about him inside the Bigg Boss house. Ankita was often seen talking to contestants, especially Abhishek Kumar about the late actor. From sharing that she was once a possessive girlfriend and was insecure about Sushants kissing scene in films to unknown deets about him, Ankita gave an insight into their relationship, their breakup, and also how she met Vicky through Sushant, among other things. Advertisement 5. Ankita was known for sharing a brother-like relationship with the Bigg Boss 17 winner Munawar Faruqui. During her stay inside the house, Ankita who fondly used to call him Munna, often chose her friendship time and again and would even get into arguments with Vicky. However, it was during the last few weeks of the show that the actress got into serious fights with him and eventually ended their friendship. Poonam Pandey was reportedly diagnosed with cancer and was in her last stage before her sudden demise. In a shocking piece of news that has sent shockwaves across social media platforms, model-actress, and internet sensation Poonam Pandey has allegedly passed away at the age of 32. In a post shared on her Instagram handle, the actress team confirmed that she is no more and was after battling with cervical cancer for a long time. According to an ETimes report, the actress publicist and team have also confirmed the news, leaving no place for speculations. Advertisement This morning is a tough one for us. Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer. Every living form that ever came in contact with her was met with pure love and kindness. In this time of grief, we would request for privacy while we remember her fondly for all that we shared, the statement read, confirming that she died on Friday, 2 February. Advertisement As soon as the news came out, fans took to the comment section and raised concerns about the same. Some even wondered whether it was an awareness camp on cervical cancer or Pandeys account was hacked. However, her team confirmed that Poonam Pandey was diagnosed with cancer recently and was in the last stage. The reports also confirm that she was in Uttar Pradesh, her hometown, at the time of her demise and her funeral is also expected to take place over there. This is a developing story and more details are yet to be received. Poonam Pandey spotted at an event Advertisement This comes just a few days after Poonam Pandey was spotted at an event, all healthy and happy. Videos of the event are now going viral on social media, showing the former Lock Upp contestant in a glamorous look, posing for the media. With a broad smile on her face, she also waved to the paparazzi. Advertisement Besides that, the actress last Instagram was shared two days back showing her taking part in an event. Dressed in a white and black ensemble, Poonam Pandey captioned the video with, White & black: the yin and yang that balance my life. Having made her debut in acting with the 2013 film Nasha, Poonam was last seen in the popular reality show Lock Upp. She was also very active on social media. In one of the videos circulating from Bigg Boss 17 finale, Ranjana Jain can be heard saying that she will take good care of Ankita after she comes out Bigg Boss 17 finally came to an end after months of high-voltage drama, fights, and controversies. Munawar Faruqui lifted the winners trophy after beating the top two contestants, Abhishek Kumar and Mannara Chopra. Munawar, along with the winners title, also took a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh and a brand new Hyundai Creta. Amid all the talk regarding the first three finalists making to the list, Ankita was the one to have been eliminated at the fourth position after Arun, who left at the fifth spot. Advertisement While all the contestants gave their best efforts to bag the finale ticket, it was Ankita Lokhande who was considered one of the strongest contenders. Every contestant at the Bigg Boss house has had an overwhelming journey of sorts but things were a bit different for Ankita, a TV celebrity, who entered the house with her happy marriage and husband Vicky Jain but their ending didnt seem to align with the beginning. The couple had endless arguments and issues between them. With Ankitas insecurity regarding Vickys friendships with female contestants to their misunderstandings, everything was at risk and the stake was too high for her. Things changed for the worse after the family members of Ankita and Vicky entered the house and spoke in detail regarding their fights and disagreements. Vicky Jains mother and Ankitas mother-in-law Ranjana Jain grabbed most of the limelight for her staunch nature and opinions about Ankita. On occasions, she accused the actress of hitting her son and treating him poorly. Advertisement During the finale episode, host Salman Khan was seen having a blast with Ankita and her mother-in-law. The actor got into a fun banter with the duo, leaving the audience in splits with his hilarious comebacks. Salman Khans banter with Ankita Lokhande In the video going viral on social media, Salman Khan can be seen taking multiple digs at Ankitas mother-in-law. Advertisement Salman Khan while sharing a video of Ankitas journey in the show did not forget her mother-in-law as he mentioned how Ranjana Ji was the major highlight of her journey, followed by uncontrollable laughter and a fun interaction with her. Later, Salman also expressed his desire to work with Vicky Jain s mother and offered her a chance to be a part of the controversial show in the future. Advertisement Advertisement In one of the videos, Ranjana Jain can be heard saying that she will take good care of Ankita after she comes out of Bigg Boss house. Given how strict and upfront Ankitas mother-in-law is, Salman uses that opportunity to grill her and say, Han han, tumko bahut pyaar denge, tum ekbaar bahar aao to sahi. He then continues saying, Ankita, tum Bilaspur aao, aao Bilaspur.." Ankita was disheartened after getting eliminated from the show and losing out on the trophy. He might have a small role in the film but he did leave a lasting impression, giving Bollywood a never-scene villain. We are talking about none other than Lord Bobby. Bobby Deol made a massive return to the big screens with Sandeep Reddy Vangas blockbuster film Animal. While Ranbir Kapoor played the lead role of the protagonist, it was Bobby who with his small yet powerful screen presence made fans go gaga. The actor otherwise known for his chocolate boy roles in the 90s received an ample amount of love from fans with his stardom touching new heights. Advertisement While his character itself became a fan favourite, how can one forget the actors entry scene where he was seen grooving to the song Jamal Kudu ? The song has now become a trending sensation in India. In the film, Bobby can be seen making an entry while dancing to the song with a glass on his head. At a time when fans are recreating the popular scene quite often, the actor has now also done it. Bobby Deol recently attended the wedding of his niece, Nikita Chaudhary in Rajasthans Udaipur where he was seen recreating the popular hook step of Jamal Kudu. Bobby Deol recreates Jamal Kudu hookstep Shared widely across social media handles, the video shows Bobby Deol performing the song Jamal Kudu with his whiskey glass on his head. As the video plays, the actor can be seen standing with the bride and groom along with other guests. As the song from the film Animal can be heard playing in the background with the crowd cheering loudly, Bobby soon starts performing the hook steps with a few others joining him on the stage. The video instantly went viral, leaving fans go excited. Advertisement Watch: Advertisement The actor looks dapper, dressed in a black kurta paired with a matching black jacket and white pyjamas. Besides Bobby, the entire Deol clan was in Udaipur to attend the wedding festivities. About Animal Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Animal features actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles followed by Bobby Deol in the role of the antagonist. Released in December last year, the film turned out to be a commercial success earning over Rs 800 crores globally, and became one of the biggest films in 2023. Advertisement The film recently also premiered on Netflix, however, faced backlash over not being the extended version. Mark Zuckerberg has accumulated a long history of public apologies, often issued in the wake of crisis or when Facebook users rose up against unannounced and frequently unappreciated changes in its service The chief executives of Meta, TikTok, X, Snap and Discord faced a tough hearing in Congress on Wednesday over the issue of online child sexual exploitation. The hearing, titled Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis, witnessed direct apology from Mark Zuckerberg to families who claimed that their children had suffered harm from social media. Advertisement Im sorry for everything youve been through, the Meta CEO said. No one should go through what you and your families have suffered. Im sorry for everything you have all been through." Watch the moment that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to the families of victims during a hearing on online child safety. pic.twitter.com/KWui21Zwod The Associated Press (@AP) January 31, 2024 But soon after he returned to corporate mode, noting Metas continued investments in industry-wide efforts to protect children. The Wednesdays apology triggered a word of war on social media. Some claim it was just a performative apology while others believed the Facebook creator was the mastermind behind all the child exploitations. Advertisement This, however, was not the first apology by Zuckerberg. The Meta CEO has accumulated a long history of public apologies, often issued in the wake of crisis or when Facebook users rose up against unannounced and frequently unappreciated changes in its service. Its a history that stands in sharp contrast to most of his peers in technology, who generally prefer not to speak publicly outside of carefully stage-managed product presentations. But its also true that Facebook has simply had a lot to apologise for. Advertisement Whether or not the public always buys his apologies, theres little doubt that Zuckerberg finds it important to make them himself. Heres a quick, and by no means comprehensive, compendium of some notable Zuckerberg apologies and the circumstances that brought them on. Blinded by Beacon Facebooks first big privacy blow-up entailed a service called Beacon, which the platform launched in 2007. Intended to usher in a new age of social advertising, Beacon tracked user purchases and activities on other sites and then published them on friends newsfeeds without requesting permission. Advertisement After a huge backlash well, it was huge at the time Zuckerberg wrote in a blog post partially transcribed by TechCrunch that weve made a lot of mistakes building this feature, but weve made even more with how weve handled them. Beacon didnt last much longer. Mocking Facebooks early users Advertisement In one of the earliest stories of Facebooks founding, a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg mocked the roughly 4,000 students whod joined his nascent service, bragging to friends in text messages about the vast amount of personal information hed collected thanks to the misplaced trust of his users. Also Read: 100,000 children sexually harassed on Meta every day. Heres what you need to know Advertisement Zuckerberg called them dumb and punctuated the word with profanity. When Silicon Alley Insider, a predecessor to Business Insider, published those messages in 2010, Zuckerberg apologised during an interview for a New Yorker article, saying he absolutely regretted those remarks. Burying a federal settlement On 9 November, 2011, the Federal Trade Commission subjected Facebook to stricter privacy oversight after finding that the company arbitrarily made private information public without notice, failed to limit data sharing with apps when users activated restrictive settings, shared personal information with advertisers after saying it wouldnt, and more. Advertisement The same day, Zuckerberg posted a 1,418 word essay grandly titled Our Commitment to the Facebook Community that didnt mention the FTC action until a third of the way in and described blunders like Beacon as a bunch of mistakes. VR tour of a disaster zone Zuckerbergs fascination with virtual reality long predated his decision to rename the company Facebook as Meta Platforms. On 9 October, 2017, he and a Facebook employee starred in a live VR tour of Puerto Rico in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The pair beamed themselves into prerecorded 3-D footage of the damage and recovery efforts; Zuckerberg described the you-are-there feeling as one of the really magical things about virtual reality, especially given, as he said, that its a really tough place to get to now. Advertisement He later expounded on Facebooks own recovery efforts, but the dissonant video drew so many complaints that Zuckerberg posted a brief apology in the video chat, explaining that his attempt to showcase Facebooks efforts at disaster recovery werent very clear and apologising to anyone who was offended. Cambridge Analytica In 2018, news broke that Facebook had allowed apps to scrape large amounts of data from user accounts and those of their friends without oversight. While hundreds of apps were involved, attention soon focused on one that captured data from 87 million Facebook users and forwarded it to a UK political data-mining firm called Cambridge Analytica that had ties to then-President Trumps political strategist Steve Bannon. That data was reportedly used to target voters during the 2016 US presidential campaign that resulted in Trumps election. Advertisement Zuckerberg first apologised for the scandal on CNN, saying that Facebook has a responsibility to protect its users data, and that if it fails, we dont deserve to have the opportunity to serve people. He gave a version of that apology later that year in testimony before Congress, saying that we didnt take a broad enough view of our responsibility while also failures in cracking down on fake news and hate speech, poor data privacy controls and not adequately addressing foreign interference in the 2016 elections on Facebook. Advertisement With inputs from AP Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is set to enter Jharkhand. The AAP will protest what it claims are malpractices in the Chandigarh mayoral election. The second test between India and England will reignite the Bazball debate. Our guide to todays big stories February 2, 2024 Its Friday. And its another big day of news. Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is set to enter Jharkhand. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to protest in the National Capital against what it claims are malpractices in the Chandigarh mayoral election. President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the annual handicrafts fair in Haryanas Surajkund today. Advertisement The second test between India and England will begin at Visakhapatnam. And the United Nations top court will make a decision on its jurisdiction regarding Ukraines genocide case against Russia. Lets take a look at todays big-ticket items: Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Jharkhand Congress Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will enter Jharkhand on 2 February. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address public meetings in Pakur district to kick off proceedings in the state. The yatra will be held in two phases, covering 804 kilometres in 13 districts over a period of eight days, Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur told PTI. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which started in Manipur on 14 January, is scheduled to cover 6,713 km in 67 days. It will pass through 110 districts in 15 states, before culminating in Mumbai on 20 March. Advertisement AAP protest in National Capital The AAP will continue its protest against what it claims are malpractices in the recently concluded mayoral polls in Chandigarh. The development comes on the heels of the civic body ruling BJP on Tuesday retaining all three posts in a clean sweep/ The Congress and the AAP alleged tampering with ballot papers by the presiding officer. Advertisement The BJP won the poll by four votes after eight out of the 36 votes were declared invalid. The election of BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar over AAPs Kuldeep Dhalor Tita representing the INDIA bloc caused a major fracas to erupt. The Congress and AAP on Tuesday held a joint protest in Chandigarh. They termed the development a murder of democracy and vowed to continue their agitation. Durgesh Pathak, Member of Delhi Legislative Assembly posted on X: Advertisement AAP :- 11 :- 2 2024 :- BJP , ITO ()#VoteChorBJP pic.twitter.com/MM8bOH7lyo Durgesh Pathak (@ipathak25) February 1, 2024 Advertisement Bazball vs Team India Will Bazball continue to reign? Or will India hit back? The fascinating tale of Team India vs England will continue at Vishakhapatnam today. Advertisement While England have mused playing an all-spin attack, the visitors will be smarting after going down to a rare defeat in Hyderabad. The positivity from the English batsmen in the first test led by a magnificent 196 from Ollie Pope left Indias spin trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel unsettled. Advertisement Making matters worse for India is that Jadeja, their totemic all-rounder, is set to miss the test as is the flamboyant KL Rahul. Meanwhile, the absence of Virat Kohli looms large. Will Ben Stokes and England pile on the pressure? Or will India make a grand comeback? Advertisement A mouthwatering battle awaits. President Murmu to inaugurate handicrafts fair President Droupadi Murmu is set to inaugurate the annual handicrafts fair in Haryanas Surajkund on 2 February. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had met Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and extended her a personal invitation for the fair. The Surajkund International Crafts Mela is scheduled to be held from 2 to 18 February. Advertisement This will be the 37th edition of the Mela. Advertisement A number of regional and international crafts and traditions will be showcased this year. More than a million people are expected to attend the Mela which is the largest crafts fair in the world. Last years fair was held at Haryanas Faridabad from 3 to 19 February. UN top court on Ukraines case against Russia The UNs top court court is scheduled to rule today on Russias objections to its jurisdiction in a case filed by Ukraine shortly after Russian troops invaded on 24 February, 2022. Advertisement The case alleges that Moscow launched its attack based on trumped-up genocide allegations. The court already has issued an interim order for Russia to halt the invasion, which Moscow has flouted. The court on Wednesday rejected large parts of a case filed by Ukraine alleging that Russia bankrolled separatist rebels in the countrys east a decade ago and has discriminated against Crimeas multiethnic community since its annexation of the peninsula. The International Court of Justice in recent weeks also heard a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Judges issued provisional measures last week calling on Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in the conflict. On this day Khushwant Singh, one of Indias most celebrated authors, was born on 2 February, 1915. Singh was born into a Sikh family in Hadali, Khushab District, Punjab which is now in Pakistan. Singhs father Sir Sobha Singh was a famed builder in Lutyens Delhi. His mother was Lady Varyam Kaur. Singh authored many famous works including classics such as Train to Pakistan and I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale. He also edited the now defunct Illustrated Weekly of India and later the Hindustan Times. His weekly column With Malice Towards One and All was very popular and was syndicated in many dailies. Singh was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the government under late Indira Gandhi. He was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Army. In 2007, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. Singh died in 2014. He was 99 years old. With inputs from agencies Indias development aid to the Maldives has gone from last years Rs 400 crore to Rs 600 crore, as per the interim Budget papers. However, revised estimates reveal that New Delhi ended up spending Rs 770 crore on the island country. This drop in funding comes when bilateral ties have turned rocky Ties between India and the Maldives have been souring over the past few months. Amid this deterioration of ties and the recent diplomatic spat, comes another bummer for the neighbouring island country. After Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim Budget in Parliament, papers revealed that the Centre has reduced its development assistance to Male in the next financial year. Advertisement We take a closer look at New Delhis funding to the Maldives, as well as which other countries are recipients of India. India as a donor India has been a constant donor of funds to neighbouring countries a move that can be traced back to the 1950s and 1960s. In those days, Indias aid programme was small and focused on building local capacities. However, in recent times there has been a change, and New Delhi is today viewed as an emerging and important donor. For instance, Afghanistans parliament building is funded by India. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced $600 million in assistance for development projects in Africa at an India-Africa Forum Summit attended by 50 African nations. An EPW report says that to a certain extent Indias benevolence is inspired by competition with China, which has used aid effectively to secure oil interests in Africa and Asia. Advertisement Indias aid to the Maldives But just how much has India allocated as aid to Maldives? Data reveals that Male has been a regular recipient of Indias foreign aid. Last years initial budget estimate for assistance to Male was Rs 400 crore. However, it ended up spending Rs 770 crore, per the revised estimates. Advertisement The interim Budget papers reveal that Indias development assistance to the Maldives this year has been pegged at Rs 600 crore. At first glance, it shows a bump in aid. However, if you take into factor how much New Delhi actually donated, it reveals a cut of 22 per cent. Indias grants to the Maldives has been rising for a few years now, until now. A look at the data shows that in 2018, the island nation received 2.1 per cent of the total grants and loans that India was giving out. This increased to a whopping 6.8 per cent in the following year. And in FY24, 6.84 per cent of the overall allocation for aid to foreign countries has gone to the Maldives. Advertisement This cut in Indias development assistance comes amid the decline of ties between the two nations. This has largely been driven by the India Out campaign that has been carried out in Male of which President Mohamed Muizzu is a big proponent. In fact, during his campaigning, he had pushed for this quite actively. Advertisement Later in January this year, Indians began ditching the island country after three leaders in President Mohamed Muizzus Cabinet made derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India. Moreover, Muizzus visit to China after his election was also viewed as giving a signal of intent on how he plans to treat the Maldives ties with India. During his visit to Beijing, Muizzu had urged Chinese to visit his country, saying: China was our (Maldives) number one market pre-COVID, and it is my request that we intensify efforts for China to regain this position. Advertisement Notably, it seems China has obliged, as Maldivian tourism data showed that tourists from the Asian giant have increased in January this year, while those from India have reduced. Muizzu has also called for the exit of Indian troops in the island country and given them a deadline of 15 March. Other nations receiving Indias grants Advertisement But its not just the Maldives that receives developmental assistance from India. Countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Myanmar among others all receive grants from India. In fact, data reveals that Bhutan is the leading recipient of Indian government grants and loans, with an allocation of Rs 2,068 crore. The development outlay for the Himalayan nation in 2023-24 was Rs 2,400 crore. Advertisement This year, India has also reduced its grant to Bangladesh by Rs 10 crore from Rs 130 crore in Budget 23-24 (revised estimate). India has also cut assistance to Myanmar; under Budget 2024, India has allocated Rs 250 crore in grants to Myanmar compared to Rs 370 crore last year. On the other hand, Nepal saw a slight increase from Rs 650 crore last year (revised estimate) to Rs 700 crore this year and so did African countries, from Rs 180 crore last year (revised estimate) to Rs 200 crore. Advertisement And keeping its special relationship with Afghanistan in mind, it has allocated Rs 200 crore for the neighbouring country. Other countries like Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Mauritius have also been allocated grants and funds as per the Budget documents. Its important to note that this year, India has cut its total allocation of aid to countries by 10 per cent from Rs 5,426 crore in the revised estimates for 2023-24 to Rs 4,883 crore in this years Budget. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Farmers threw eggs and stones at the European Parliament, started fires and set off fireworks as they demanded European Union leaders at a summit nearby do more to help them. The protests are triggered by concerns over cheap imports, taxes, rising costs, and unfair competition Europes farming sector is in crisis. Protesting farmers converged on the heart of the European Union on 1 February, coinciding with a crucial summit of leaders from across the EU, in which more funding for war-torn Ukraine was approved. Early in the morning, protesters drove their tractors into Brussels and gathered in front of the European Parliament, the site of the summit. They set off fires, hurled eggs, and blared horns. Advertisement Farmers complaints across Europe include being choked by green rules, taxes, rising costs, and unfair competition from abroad. Heres all we know about the protest. Farmers protest overshadows EU summit Angry farmers took to the streets around the European Parliament in central Brussels, holding banners, yelling slogans, throwing eggs, and burning trash to express their deep dissatisfaction with the EUs indifference to the declining economy, reduced incomes, and rising prices, with riot police spraying water cannons to disperse demonstrators, according to Reuters. A handful of tractors had been parked near the EU Parliament all week before convoys from across the country converged on Thursday morning. The protesters included farmers from Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Romania, and Greece, with nearly 1,000 tractors driven into the neighbourhood of the EU institutions. The demonstrators chanted slogans, hoping that the leaders attending the EU special summit would listen to their voices. However, agricultural issues were not included in the official agenda of the special summit that day. Advertisement One tractor displayed a banner saying If you love the earth, support those who manage it as farmers from Belgium and other European countries try to make themselves heard by EU leaders meeting later. Another banner read: No farmers, no food. If you see how many people we are here today, and if you see its all over Europe, you must have hope, Kevin Bertens, a Belgian farmer, told Reuters. You need us. Help us. Advertisement Pierre Sansdrap, a Belgian dairy farmer, told AFP that it was symbolically important to protest in Brussels. To change things, you have to come here, he said. Farmers union representatives said they were fed up in general with too much administration and rules telling them how they should farm. Olivier Devalckeneer, from the Federation Wallonne dAgriculture, said: We want a change; we want farming to be protected, not undermined. Advertisement Similar protests in different EU countries According to The Associated Press, the biggest demonstrations have been seen in France, where farmers blocked highways around Paris with their tractors. There were traffic barricades on highways around Paris amid a large police presence as French prime minister Gabriel Attal announced measures to quell the unrest. Advertisement Lines of tractors rolled menacingly across a residential street in Poland and across a German bridge while farming protesters in Italy burned spectacular nighttime fires by stone statues. Their protests have snarled traffic in cities, preventing millions of European citizens from getting to work or school, while blockades of ports and major traffic arteries meant flowers wilted in trucks and supermarket shelves were left bare. Advertisement Hungarian PM Viktor Orban even complained the endless honking of tractors kept him up at night. Why farming sector is in crisis Farmers have been lamenting for weeks that its become tougher than ever to make a decent living as prices for energy and fertiliser soar due to Russias war in Ukraine, more and cheaper agriculture imports enter the EU, and crops are destroyed by droughts, floods, or fires brought on by climate change. Protesters claimed that the EU had not given farmers in its member states adequate support at this challenging time. Advertisement For those unversed, the EU removed taxes on Ukrainian import and quotas in light of Russias invasion of Ukraine, as per CNN. The price is very high, the gasoline is very high, the fertilization is very high, so it is difficult for us to cope with these prices without any kind of help from the Union community, said Italian protester Cristina, according to Reuters. Advertisement Belgian farmer Pierre said that the farmers had been greatly disappointed that the agricultural issues were not discussed at the summit, as many local farmers had reached the end of their rope. We are currently in a state of loss. We had help from the EU to make up for the losses, but the problem now is that the subsidies are constantly decreasing, so that we cannot withdraw funds for reproduction, Pierre said. Advertisement One of the main issues farmers in Europe are facing is a free-trade agreement with Latin American nations that has been in the works for over two decades. It is now seeing increased pressure from European farmers and politicians. Farmers are concerned that the European agriculture sector would see even more unfair competition as a result of the Mercosur agreement, as per The Guardian. Advertisement We want the EU to be aware of our situation. There are too many regulations, the salaries are not high enough, and now we are facing imports because of the Mercosur deal where farmers dont even have to have the same standards as us, said Emile Herbiet, a Belgian blue cattle-breeder, according to the report. Advertisement Administrations response After the farmers protest overshadowed the EU summit, French president Emmanuel Macron said that Europes farming sector is facing a big crisis and must profoundly change its rules. He said there should be a joint EU mechanism to guarantee fair prices paid to farmers by food giants and supermarkets, and regulations should be simplified, according to The Guardian. Ahead of the EU parliamentary elections in June, most leaders at the summit were keen to win over farmers, especially as populist and hard-right politicians have latched on to their plight in recent weeks. Dont demonize the farmers. Dont send the army on them. But talk to them, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said, as per AP. To the farmers that are outside. We see you and we hear you, said Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament president. Leaders welcomed the plan of the European Commission, the EUs executive branch, to shield farmers from cheap imports from Ukraine during wartime and allow farmers to use some land that had been forced to lie fallow for environmental reasons. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also promised Thursday to prepare by the end of the month new plans to cut reams of bureaucratic rules to make sure farmers can spend more time in their fields, not in their offices. The suggested speed seemed light years faster than some other EU initiatives take. In France, PM Attal announced a new set of measures, including hundreds of millions of euros in aid and tax breaks, and also promised not to ban pesticides in France that are allowed elsewhere in Europe. In Brussels, many leaders also said they would not approve a trade deal with South American nations that is under consideration unless any imports would meet the same regulatory standards that EU farmers face, a key demand from the sector. The priority for us should be implementing existing rules and regulations and not imposing new additional ones on farmers over the next couple of years, said Irish PM Leo Varadkar, adding to a chorus of soothing words from leaders on the subject. With inputs from agencies Model-actor Poonam Pandey has not died of cervical cancer. Her PR stunt came days after FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced the governments push for vaccination against the disease for girls aged 9 to 14. Heres why it is a major concern in India A day after reports of model-actor Poonam Pandeys death due to cervical cancer surfaced, the reality TV star announced in a post that she is alive. I am alive. I didnt die of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the hundreds and thousands of women who have lost their lives due to cervical cancer, she said in a post on Instagram. Advertisement On Friday, her team had said that the 32-year-old bravely fought the disease. Pandeys fake death news comes days after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the governments push for vaccination against cervical cancer for girls aged nine to 14 as part of her Interim Budget 2024. Advertisement Heres all you need to know about the prevalent disease. What is cervical cancer? The lower, slim end of the uterus (womb) that joins the vagina is called the cervix, and this is where cervical cancer develops, according to Mayo Clinic. Before the cancer develops in the cervix, the cells undergo a process called dysplasia, in which abnormal cells begin to proliferate and enter the cervix more deeply before spreading to the surrounding areas. Advertisement How is it caused? Cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, in 99 per cent of cases, reported NDTV. There are 200 related viruses in the HPV group. This frequent sexually transmitted infection affects the skin, genitalia, and throat. The immune system eliminates the virus from the body in most situations. Persistent infection, however, can cause abnormal cells to proliferate and eventually develop into cancer. Advertisement While cancerous cells take 15-20 years to develop, women with weakened immune systems may experience this process in as little as five to 10 years. Cervical cancer is more common in young moms, smokers, people on hormonal contraceptives, and people with other STDs, the report said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that almost everyone who engages in sexual activity is infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Certain HPV infections can linger even though the majority do not result in cancer. Advertisement How common is it? According to the WHO, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer globally. Around 604,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 342,000 women die from the disease globally each year, as per the Global Cancer Observatory. In 2020, an estimated 604,000 women globally received a cervical cancer diagnosis, and around 342,000 of them lost their lives to the illness. Advertisement India is home to about 16 per cent of the worlds women, but it accounts for about a quarter of all cervical cancer incidences and nearly a third of global cervical cancer deaths. According to News18, data from the Indian government as showing that cervical cancer ranks is the second most prevalent cancer in India. Advertisement According to a WHO report published on Thursday, 17.7 per cent of Indian women are newly diagnosed with cervical cancer. As per some recent estimates, every year almost 80,000 women develop cervical cancer and 35,000 die due to it in India. The Hindu earlier reported that just one per cent of women are screened for cervical cancer in India. Advertisement What are its symptoms and treatments? Experts warn that cervical cancer sometimes does not exhibit symptoms in its early stages. However, as and when the infection spreads, the symptoms appear in form of unusual vaginal bleeding, post-coital bleeding, bleeding between periods or after menopause, or after sexual intercourse, as per India Today. Advertisement According to WHO, the common symptoms related to cervical cancer also include increased or foul-smelling vaginal discharge, persistent pain in the back, legs, or pelvis, weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite, vaginal discomfort, and swelling in the legs. To confirm that cervical cancer exists, a medical professionals diagnostic test is crucial. Cervical cancer screening should start as early as age 21 to 29. Screening intervals should be three to five years, depending on the results. Advertisement Cancerous cells in the cervix can be found with a basic pap test. This test can also identify abnormal cells that have the potential to develop into cancer. Treatment options for cervical cancer are numerous and include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Advertisement Is it preventable? It is possible to prevent and treat cervical cancer. If caught early, it can be efficiently treated and healed. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent cervical cancer. HPV vaccinations are essential and safe for preventing this kind of cancer. The most widely used vaccines are the Serum Institutes made-in-India vaccine against cervical cancer, CERVAVAC, currently available in the private market for about 2,000 a pop, and Gardasil 4 (quadrivalent vaccine), which is priced at 3,927 per dose. As per News18, the Centre is already in talks with the Serum Institute of India to lower the price. We may take steps that bring down the price of HPV vaccine, a top government source told the outlet. Dr Chirag Bhirud, Consultant, Oncology Surgery, Jupiter Hospital, Pune, told the news channel, In addition to preventing cervical cancer, HPV vaccines also protect against other HPV-related cancers, such as anal, vaginal, vulvar, and oropharyngeal cancers. What is the Centres plan to fight cervical cancer? In her speech, while presenting the Interim Budget for 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre aims to encourage vaccination for girls aged nine to 14 years for the prevention of cervical cancer. The Minister also said the Centre plans to set up more medical colleges and said that it aims to serve the people through improved healthcare services. The development comes a month after the Union Health Ministry said it is closely monitoring incidences of cervical cancer in the country and is in regular touch with states and various health departments. The Centre is slated to launch its programme in September after the SII provides six crore doses. The price for the vaccine could work out to Rs 200 to Rs 250 per dose. For young girls, the vaccine may be given free of charge, as per News18. The Indian Express also previously reported the Centre is likely to launch its programme by the second quarter of 2024. The rollout would cover all eligible girls in three phases over three years. The vaccine would also be included as part of routine immunisation for girls at age nine. With inputs from agencies The year has begun on a sombre note for Indians studying in the US. At least six deaths have been reported over the last few weeks. Nineteen-year-old Shreyas Reddy Beniger, a student in Ohio, was found dead on Thursday. Whats going on? The American Dream is inviting. Every year, hundreds and thousands of Indians migrate to the United States. Its also a preferred destination among Indian students. But now and then, questions arise: How safe is the country for desis? 2024 has started on a rather sombre note. There have been at least six deaths of Indian or Indian-origin students over the past few days. Whats behind the deaths? Advertisement The death of Shreyas Reddy Beniger The latest incident was reported on Thursday. Shreyas Reddy Beniger , a student at the Linder School of Business in Ohio, died. Authorities have ruled out any foul play or a possibility of a hate crime in the case. The Indian-American student was found dead in Ohio, the Consulate General of India in New York said on Thursday. Deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of Mr. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a student of Indian origin in Ohio, the Consulate said in a post on X. Police investigation is underway. At this stage, foul play is not suspected, the Consulate added, without divulging any further details of the incident. The Consulate is in touch with Benigeris family and is extending all possible assistance to them, it stated. The relatives in India have been informed and his father is reportedly travelling to the US. Deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of Mr. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a student of Indian origin in Ohio. Police investigation is underway. At this stage, foul play is not suspected. The Consulate continues to remain in touch with the family and is extending all possible India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) February 1, 2024 Advertisement Five deaths of Indian students in January The tragedy comes within weeks of the deaths of five other Indian students. Advertisement Earlier this week, Neel Acharya who had been missing in the US was confirmed dead by university authorities. The news came on Tuesday, a day after his mother had taken to social media to request information about his whereabouts. A computer science and data science student at Purdue University in Indiana State, Acharya had been missing since 28 January, according to a post on X by his mother Goury Acharya. He was seen when dropped at the institute by an Uber driver. Advertisement Purdue University said that Acharya was confirmed dead, without divulging the cause of death. It said that a college-aged man matching Acharyas description and carrying his ID was found dead near the Maurice J Zucrow Laboratories on the campus at about 10.30 am on Sunday (28 January). The most horrific death was that of Vivek Saini . A resident of Haryana, he died after he was hammered 50 times in Georgias Lithonia on 16 January. Advertisement The 25-year-old was pursuing an MBA and worked part-time at a convenience store that sheltered a homeless man Julian Faulkner. Saini had reportedly given the man chips, water and even a jacket. On 16 January, the student refused to give Faulkner free food, which led to the attack. The 53-year-old assailant has been arrested. Advertisement Another Indian student Akul Dhawan, was found dead outside the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) earlier in the month, according to a report on NDTV. The autopsy of the 18-year-old suggested that he died from hypothermia. However, his parents have filed a complaint, accusing the universitys police department of negligence and inaction after Akul was reported missing. Advertisement This is bizarre, that a kid is never found who was just less than a block, like one minute away, sitting there, dead, frozen to death, his father Ish Dhawan was reported as saying by the publication. Two Indian students were found dead under suspicious conditions at their Connecticut accommodation on 15 January, reported PTI. G Dinesh (22) was from Wanaparthy in Telangana and Nikesh (21) was from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh. Advertisement The duo had gone to the US for higher education nearly a month ago. Their families do not know how the students, who were roommates, died. Dineshs kin was reportedly trying to seek help from the Union government to begin an enquiry into the matter. The deaths in the US The deaths of Indian students in the US continue to grab headlines back home. Last year saw the most number of murder-suicides in the community, among the most successful diasporas in the US, according to a report in The Times of India. Advertisement Two of the most shocking cases were the deaths of two students 24-year-old Varun Raj Pucha and a 23-year-old Indian woman, Jaahnavi Kandula . Pucha was attacked at a fitness centre in Indiana with a knife by a fellow gym-goer who found him weird. In September last year, India called for a probe after footage of a Seattle cop laughing and joking about Kandula, who died after she was hit by a speeding police vehicle. The mishap occurred in January and months later a video emerged of the officer saying that the womans life was of limited value and that the city of Seattle should write a cheque. Advertisement Statistics reveal that as many as 403 Indian students studying abroad have died since 2018. Of these 36 were reported in the US, the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs V Muraleedharan told the Rajya Sabha in December 2023. The reasons include natural causes, accidents and medical conditions. Advertisement However, Indian students do face racism and have in the past become victims of hate crimes. The safety of Indian students A study from 2017 showed that Indian students in the US have a high level of concern and a large number of them worry about their physical safety and about the feeling of being unwelcome. The survey conducted by The Institute of International Education (IIE), a US-based non-profit, suggested that Indian students have a high level of concern about potential study in the United States, 80 per cent of institutions responded that physical safety was the most pronounced concern for Indian students, while 31 per cent of institutions indicated that feeling welcome was also a concern. The study warned that the concerns may lead to some Indian students accepting admission offers from other leading host countries. For those, who have been brought up in the US, the discrimination begins from school. Young Indian Americans regularly face racial and ethnic discrimination as early as preschool, which influences the development of their identities, said another new study from 2022. Second-generation Indian-American adolescents are especially vulnerable to discrimination as they explore and form their identities, according to the study by Texas A&M University School of Public Health. In September 2022, Hindu organisations raised alarms about a rise in hate crimes against the community. According to the FBIs report, the US saw 25 anti-Hindu hate offences in 2022, a jump from 12 in 2021. In 2020, there were only 11 anti-Hindu bias hate crimes. The allure of the US The IIE survey earlier warned that Indian students may not continue to grow as the second-largest international group in higher education. But desis continue to flock to the US. The number of international students in the US grew by 12 per cent in the 2022-23 academic year, the largest single-year increase in more than 40 years, according to findings from the State Department and the IIE. There was a 35 per cent jump in students coming from India , according to data released in November 2023. American colleges enrolled nearly 269,000 students from India, more than ever and second only to China. Most came for graduate programmes, often in science, technology and business. The US maintains a strong relationship with India on education, which I think is getting even stronger and even more connected, Marianne Craven, the State Departments acting deputy assistant secretary for academic exchange was quoted as saying by PTI. While studying in the US opens a window of new opportunities, safety is a growing concern. With inputs from agencies The United States has approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B drones to India at an estimated cost of $3.99 billion (Rs 33,060 crore). These unmanned aerial vehicles are a big boost to the countrys weapons arsenal with their advanced reconnaissance and strike capabilities Its finally a done deal. The United States on Thursday (1 February) approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and related equipment to India at an estimated cost of $3.99 billion (Rs 33,060 crore). The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.99 billion. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today, the DSCA said in a release. Advertisement Notably, the deal for the drones comes amid reports that the sale was being held up over the alleged assassination attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. A News18 report states that officials quashed rumours that the fate of the deal was hanging in the balance of the Pannun inquiry. The officials said that the matter is irrelevant and hardly affects the important bilateral relationship between both nations. But what are these MQ-9B drones? And how will they be beneficial to India? Salient features of MQ-9B drones The MQ-9B drones, manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, is the first hunter-killer unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for long-endurance and high-altitude surveillance. The drones are 11 metres long and has a wingspan of over 22 metres. They boast of an endurance of over 27 hours, and can operate up to 50,000 feet. Moreover, they have a 240 Knots True Airspeed (KTAS) and a 1,746 kg payload capacity, including 1,361 kg of external stores. Advertisement The drone is equipped to carry multiple mission payloads including Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Lynx multi-mode Radar, multi-mode maritime surveillance radar, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), laser designators, and various weapons and payload packages. The UAV is remotely operated by a two-member crew, comprising the pilot and an aircrew member to operate the sensors and weapons. Advertisement As per the US Air Force, the Reaper is capable of employing eight laser-guided missiles, air-to-ground missile-114 Hellfire, which possess highly accurate, low-collateral damage, anti-armour and anti-personnel engagement capabilities. The predecessor of Reaper, the Predator, came to be known for its use during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, where it caused a high number of civilian casualties in precision strikes, notes The Guardian. The RQ-1/MQ-1Predator was retired by the USAF in 2017, with Reaper becoming the forces primary unmanned aircraft. Advertisement Countries using MQ-9B Currently, the Reaper drones are in use by the US forces, NASA, the United Kingdoms Royal Air Force, the Italian Air Force, the French Air Force and the Spanish Air Force. Japan also inducted the MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones in April last year. A report published in The Guardian states that the UK Air Force has deployed these drones for at least 2,400 missions in Iraq and Syria between the years of 2014 and 2018. Advertisement Notably, Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in January 2020, which was believed to have been conducted by an MQ-9 Reaper drone. Another version of this drone, the MQ-9A Reaper, was used to kill Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul in 2022. Indias long-pending deal for MQ-9B drones Advertisement Prior to Indias purchase of the MQ-9B drones, the countrys Navy was operating two unarmed SeaGuardian drones on lease since 2020. For the unaware, the SeaGuardian drone is the maritime variant of the MQ-9B. The deal has been in the works for the past five years or so and on 15 June 2023, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cleared the procurement of 31 MQ-9B UAVs from GA, including 15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and eight Sky Guardians each for the Indian Army and Air Force, at an estimated cost of $3,072 million though the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. This development came right before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Washington for his first US State visit. Advertisement Following this, in September 2023, ahead of the Modi-Biden meeting in New Delhi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, India issued the formal request to the US government for the drones, sending a detailed letter of request (LoR). It is reported that once the deal is finalised, the deliveries will begin in three years ie 2027. Advertisement A boost for India But why is it that India wants these drones? With its long-endurance, persistent surveillance and strike capability, the MQ-9 Reapers can enhance the Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of Indias Armed Forces. According to the US Air Force, these drones are primarily used as an intelligence-collection asset and secondarily against dynamic execution targets. Advertisement Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and precision weapons, it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets, the USAF said. As per Times of India, these Predator B drones can help India in long-range surveillance and strike capabilities both in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and on the land borders. Advertisement Citing Indian military planners, India Today said in a report in January 2023 that armed drones can help Indian forces to launch remote-controlled operations and surgical strikes, such as on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and engage targets on the Himalayan borders with China. This increased reconnaissance will be useful as India continues to have strained relations with neighbouring countries, Pakistan and China. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both sides agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms in the island nation. Following a high-level meeting between India and the Maldives on the contentious issue of Indian military personnel in the island nation, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that India will replace its military personnel in three aviation platforms in the Maldives by May 10. The first phase of this process is set to be completed by March 10. These statements were made shortly after the conclusion of a meeting in Delhi between the India-Maldives core group, which primarily addressed the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives. Advertisement The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both sides agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms in the island nation. Last month, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu asked India to withdraw all its military personnel from the island nation by March 15. Both sides agreed that the Government of India will replace the military personnel in one of the three aviation platforms by March 10 and will complete replacing military personnel in the other two platforms by May 10, the Maldivian foreign ministry said. In its statement, the MEA said both sides agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of Maldives. Advertisement It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the high-level core group in Male on a mutually convenient date, it said.During the meeting, both sides continued their discussions on wide-ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation towards identifying steps to enhance the partnership, including expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects, the MEA said. Advertisement The two sides decided to set up the core group following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai in December. At present, around 80 Indian military personnel are in the Maldives primarily to operate two helicopters and an aircraft which carried out hundreds of medical evacuations and humanitarian missions. The ties between the two countries came under some strain since he came to power in November. Advertisement Muizzu, widely seen as a pro-China leader, maintained after assuming charge as the president that he would keep his election promise of evicting Indian military personnel from his country. Muizzu, 45, defeated India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential runoff held in September last year. The Maldives is one of Indias key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties including in areas of defence and security witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government in Male. Advertisement Muizzu was sworn in as the new Maldivian president on November 17. A day after taking charge of the top office, he called for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives. After the first meeting of the core group on January 14, the Ministry of External Affairs said that sides were looking at finding a mutually workable solution to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of Maldives. It is hoped that the junta will avert further bloodshed and the denigration of the country and agree to a transition to civilian rule Myanmar marks the third anniversary of its latest military coup on 1 February 2024. On its eve, the military junta announced, for the fifth time, a prolongation of the emergency provisions until 31 July. According to this decision, the National Defence and Security Council grants Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the armed forces commander, the capability to govern Myanmar for a further six months through the State Administration Council. This council can undertake judicial, executive and legislative functions. Advertisement The State Administration Council had initially stated that elections would be held in August 2023. Rising instability and conflict among ethnic groups across the country have dampened their desire, if there ever was one, to return to civilian rule. On 6 January 2024, in Naypyitaw, the idea of holding elections through regime-friendly and acceptable political parties was reiterated. Now, according to the UN, nearly 70 per cent of Myanmar is a conflict zone. Various ethnic groups with military capabilities have conducted Operation 1027 since October 2023. These reports also indicate that 34 towns are out of the control of Myanmars administration, if not controlled by the resistance groups themselves. Advertisement Some resistance groups operating across northern Myanmar cleaned up towns on the Chinese border that held scam centres. Along the Indian border, there have been clashes leading to Myanmar forces having to flee to India to escape the ethnic groups onslaught. The number of displaced people in Myanmar is now reportedly 2.6 million and the number of civilians killed in Myanmar over the years is reportedly 1,600, with more than 500 dead since the October fighting began. Advertisement There is coordination among the people and the defence forces linked to the National Unity Government, which opposes the coup leaders. The Arakan Army and the Karen resistance have gained greater strength and seized army camps near India, Bangladesh and Thailand, often disrupting border trade. Rebel action against scam centres across their border has the quiet support of China, which otherwise remains loyal to the military regime. India is perturbed about the impact of Myanmars instability and fighting on their border regions as Manipur has already been on the boil for a while. The resistance action has led to not only minority ethnic groups but even the majority Bamar taking up arms in many areas. Advertisement The UNHCR report in January of this year stated that deepening violence, rising poverty levels, and deteriorating living conditions are having a devastating impact on peoples lives. The National Unity Government has aligned with many of these ethnic groups and resistance fighters, but there is no common administration to replace the displacement of the military regime. Advertisement Harsh actions by the junta against military commanders on the Chinese and Indian borders, where troops surrendered to the rising ethnic forces are causing disenchantment among mid-level military officials. The situation is bad, but not to the point where the military regime is withering away. The major cities are not truly under threat. Advertisement As the Junta announced an extension of the emergency, the National Unity Government, along with the Chin National Front, Karen National Union (KNU), and Karenni National Progressive Party, offered a dialogue with sections of the Myanmar junta, hoping to bring an end to the military regime and facilitate a peaceful transition to a civilian government. They seek an unconditional acceptance of their political objectives. The three ethnic groups are part of the K3C group allied with the NUG, but the Kachin Independence Organization is not a signatory to this call. Advertisement Could the military regimes efforts to civilianize itself match this effort for dialogue? This is once again an opportunity for ASEAN to play a bigger role. ASEAN Foreign Ministers, meeting in Laos (the current chairman) on 29 January, decided to restart the dispatch of humanitarian aid to Myanmar for the first time since the political crisis in Myanmar three years ago. This aid is likely to cross the border with Thailand and include food and medical provisions. The town of Mae Sot is expected to be used by the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance, also called the AHA Centre. Mae Sot is an important town on the Indian-built trilateral highway. Advertisement Myanmar was represented at this meeting by a senior official, and Myanmar did not boycott this meeting. They have accepted ASEANs humanitarian aid proposal. This was the first time in two years that a Myanmar representative was at an ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting. An earlier ASEAN decision not to accept a military participant had kept Myanmar from sending anybody, but that has now changed. Advertisement Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia among others, however, remain clear that Myanmar needs to return to the implementation of the five-point consensus (5PC), which they agreed upon at the highest level during the April 2021 meeting in Jakarta. Laos, which along with Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, takes a slightly nuanced view, has appointed its senior diplomat Alounkeo Kittikhoun as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN chair for Myanmar. He quietly met with the junta on 10 January. This shows that dialogue between the Myanmar junta and ASEAN is being restored. During the preceding Indonesian chairmanship of ASEAN, a troika model to deal with Myanmar is in operation. Under this model, Indonesia, Laos, and the next chair, Malaysia, are coordinating their plans. Advertisement After the ASEAN FMs meeting, they reaffirmed ASEANs commitment to assisting Myanmar in finding a peaceful, comprehensive, and durable solution to the ongoing crisis, as Myanmar remains an integral part of ASEAN. On 31 January, the junta relaxed election registration rules for political parties. This reduces the minimum membership of a party to 50,000 from the earlier 100,000. It also reduced the need for party offices in 165 locations across Myanmar. Advertisement The junta is now witnessing the enthusiasm and power of the Myanmar youth who, since 2011, had the benefit of an open economic and political system and is not letting up on restoring it after a decade of enjoyment. These youth, across ethnicities, appear to be at the vortex of various ethnic and Bamar militias. The junta forces are losing control in many areas as they engage in a two-front war with minuscule public support. It is hoped that they will avert further bloodshed and the denigration of the country and agree to a transition to civilian rule. The writer is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_s 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 Indian Navys efforts in addressing piracy and missile threats in the Gulf of Aden during the Red Sea crisis underscore the complexities of global maritime security and the resulting economic repercussions External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that the Indian Navy (IN) has deployed 10 ships in the Gulf of Aden region due to a dual challenge. India faces both piracy and missile drone issues. In the past few days, one of our ships successfully extinguished a fire and rescued the crew of a tanker, which had fallen victim to a drone attack. Additionally, we rescued Pakistani and Iranian fishermen from pirates. Jaishankar emphasized that Indias greater capability, influence, and reputation warrant proactive assistance to others in difficult situations, earning the country great respect. Advertisement The Red Sea crisis is a spillover from the Israel-Hamas war and the complex dynamics in Yemen. The Yemen-based Houthis have initiated attacks on commercial shipping in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. The general area encompassing the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Aqaba, Southern Israel, and the airspace of Saudi Arabia and Egypt is directly affected. This disruption has led to the interference of international maritime trade in the Red Sea. In response, the US, supported by many of its Western and Asian allies, launched Operation Prosperity Guardian. Who are Houthis? The Houthi movement is a Shia Islamist political and military organisation that originated in Yemen in the 1990s. Predominantly composed of Zaidi Shias, largely from the Houthi tribe, the movement emerged as an opposition to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, whom they accused of corruption and being supported by Saudi Arabia and the United States. In 2003, inspired by the Lebanese Shia political and military organisation Hezbollah, the Houthis adopted their official slogan against the United States, Israel and the Jews. Advertisement The Houthi movement is led by the Supreme Political Council (SPC), a largely unrecognised executive body. Houthis are primarily backed by Iran, Iran-backed Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, with alleged support from North Korea. The Houthi movement attracts followers in Yemen by presenting themselves as fighters for economic development and the end of the political marginalisation of Zaidi Shias. They have a complex relationship with Yemens Sunnis. Advertisement The organisation participated in the Yemeni Revolution of 2011. In late 2014, the Houthis reconciled with Saleh, and with his assistance, they took control of the capital city of Sanaa. This takeover prompted a Saudi-led military intervention resulting in the ongoing civil war, which included missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia and its ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Following the outbreak of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, the Houthis began firing missiles at Israel and attacking ships off Yemens coast in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians and aiming to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Currently, the Houthis control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and a significant part of western Yemen overlooking the Red Sea. Their long-term goal is to govern the entire Yemen. The conflict in Yemen is widely viewed as a front in the IranSaudi Arabia proxy war. Red Sea crisis The Red Sea crisis, also known as the United States-Iran proxy war, began on 19 October, 2023, when the Houthis initiated a series of attacks, targeting Southern Israel and the ships in the Red Sea that they claimed were linked to Israel. Unfortunately, some ships with no apparent connection to Israel were also targeted. Advertisement In the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the Houthis, aligned with Hamas, launched attacks targeting Israel. They employed missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), some of which were intercepted by Israel over the Red Sea using the Arrow missile defence system. Some missiles have also been intercepted by the United States Navy, the French Navy and the Israeli Air Force. Advertisement Houthi militants have also fired on merchant vessels of various countries in the Red Sea as they passed off the coast of Yemen, in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint of the global economy that leads to the Suez Canal. This has resulted in hundreds of cargo ships and tankers being rerouted around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the attacks in the Red Sea. This has meant a huge increase in time and cost for all, including India. The United States has repeatedly struck the Houthis, launching a series of strikes alongside the British military since 11 January, 2024. Advertisement To end the attacks in the Red Sea, the Houthis have demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israels blockade of the Gaza Strip. Houthi weapons Houthi weapons primarily originate from Iran. They are known to utilise surface-to-surface missiles, artillery rockets, loitering munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The distance between Western Yemen and Israel is approximately 1,800 km. The Houthis possess several missiles and UAVs capable of reaching Israel from Yemen, including the Toufan surface-to-surface missile (1,800 km), Iranian Soumar family Cruise missiles (2,000 km), Quds-2 missile (1,350 km), Samad UAVs/loitering munitions (1,800 km), and Waid loitering munition drones (2,500 km). Advertisement Military action timeline and engagements On 19 October, 2023, the United States Navy (USN) destroyer USS Carney shot down three land-attack cruise missiles and 15 Houthi drones heading toward Israel, launched from Yemen. This marked the first action by the US military to defend Israel since the outbreak of the war. Another missile was reportedly intercepted by Saudi Arabia. Advertisement In late October, a failed loitering munitions attack occurred when one drone fell in Taba, Egypt, injuring six, and a second was shot down. Additionally, the Arrow system intercepted a ballistic missile over the Negev desert above Earths atmosphere, making it the first time it has been used in the Israel-Hamas war and the first instance of space warfare in history. Other platforms intercepted several cruise missiles fired from the Red Sea toward Eilat. One cruise missile was shot down by an Israeli F-35i Adir fighter jet. Advertisement In early November, while the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) continued to intercept missiles and drones, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down off the coast of Yemen by Houthi air defences on 8 November. The very next day, a Houthi missile was intercepted by an Arrow 3 missile, marking the first time it was used in a conventional interception. More such intercepts followed, with Israeli F-35i intercepting cruise missiles. On 23 November, 2023, the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner shot down several attack drones launched from Yemen. More US ships like destroyer USS Carney and USS Mason moved in to take on drones and missiles. The French Navys frigate Languedoc also began operating in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes started hitting targets such as Houthi arms depot in Sanaa. Advertisement In early December, Houthis launched many more ballistic missiles. On December 18, 2023, the Indian Navy stationed the destroyer INS Kolkata in the Gulf of Aden for maritime security. The destroyer INS Kochi was already deployed in the region to counter Somali pirates. On December 26, the Indian Navy deployed the destroyers INS Mormugao and Visakhapatnam in the Arabian Sea after an Israel-affiliated merchant vessel was struck off the Indian coast. These deployments were independent of the American-led operations. Later, the Pakistan Navy deployed two Tughril-class frigates, PNS Tughril and Taimur, in the Arabian Sea. As the US moved more ships, including USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Gravely and HMS Diamond, Houthis continued drone and UAV attacks. US Navy SEALs have also been active in raiding Houthi-bound ships. The USA and the UK have intensified their airstrikes on targets in Yemen. The strength of American AWACS and flight refueling aircraft has increased considerably. Denmarks frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt is already on its way to the Red Sea. Americans have been alleging direct involvement of Iran in anti-shipping operations, in addition to direct support to the Houthis. Militaries are regularly having to respond to merchant ships that are being attacked. Strikes on Iranian targets are now becoming imminent. Clearly, a major showdown is now highly likely. Global commercial impact A few hundred container ships have already been rerouted to go around Africa, each adding around 6,500 kilometres to the trip distance. This route incurs an extra 10 days, requires more fuel, and demands additional crew time. Shipping prices have increased, with the average cost of transporting a 40-feet (12-metre) container on a cargo ship rising by 161 per cent to $3,964 on 25 January from $1,521 on 14 December. The insurance costs for commercial ships going through the Red Sea have also increased, with Israeli ships experiencing a 250 per cent rise. Some are unable to obtain any insurance, and there are costs associated with delays in goods deliveries. Many shipping companies have announced the suspension of import and export services to Israel due to risk and safety considerations. Qatar has halted tankers of liquefied natural gas through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Considering that Qatar is Europes second-largest supplier of LNG, this has raised concerns as the gas is required for winter heating in Europe. While Israelis may face delays in the supply chain and price hikes, the effects on the Egyptian economy are more severe. Shipping through the Suez Canal contributes nearly $9.4 billion to the Egyptian economy, which is already suffering from a debt crisis worsened by trade disruptions with Israel due to the war in Gaza. Commercial impact on India Other than increased Somali piracy, India is heavily reliant on the Red Sea route through the Suez Canal for its trade with Europe, North America, North Africa, and the Middle East. These regions accounted for about 50 percent of Indias exports of $217 billion and about 30 percent of imports of $205 billion per year, according to CRISIL Ratings. It could cost the country more than $30 billion in exports by March 31st. Of late, Russia has been a key supplier of crude oil to India. Fortunately, that does not transit through the Red Sea. The crisis is impacting a few of Indias major exports, including Basmati rice, tea and buffalo meat. The government has set up an inter-ministerial panel to monitor the crisis, and the Indian Navy has made enhanced deployments in the region to secure our shipping. Indian Navys great rescue efforts The increase in piracy off Somalias coast is reportedly linked to the overall disruption in maritime security due to the series of Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. On 29 January, the Indian Navy rescued 19 Pakistani sailors after their fishing vessel was hijacked by pirates off Somalias coast. This marked the second rescue operation in 36 hours by the Indian warship INS Sumitra. Just a few hours earlier, the ship had rescued the 17-member Iranian crew of a vessel that was also hijacked by pirates. INS Sumitra has been deployed for maritime security operations along the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. Earlier, on 26 January, the Indian Navy deployed its warship INS Visakhapatnam in the Gulf of Aden in response to a distress call from Marlin Luanda, a tanker with links to the UK that was on fire for several hours after being hit by a missile fired by the Houthis. French and US naval ships also provided assistance to the vessel. In early January, Indian Navy commandos had rescued 21 crew members from a Liberian-flagged ship that was attacked by pirates off the Somalian coast. Military and diplomatic options ahead Israeli operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 25,000 Palestinians. Despite the ground offensive, Hamas remains heavily entrenched in South Gaza and is attempting to gain control in the north. The Israelis have acknowledged that 80 per cent of the tunnel network remains intact. While Americans and some Western countries continue to support Israel, there is increasing pressure to call for a ceasefire. Backchannel discussions are ongoing, and Israeli operations cannot continue indefinitely. A cessation of hostilities may slow down the Houthis, but Israel must prevent a recurrence of another October 07. The commitment to finish Hamas, however, seems elusive. Militarily, all arms supplies from Iran to the Houthis must be halted. Iranian ships may need to be targeted. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stationed missile and drone trainers and operators in Yemen. The Quds Force has overseen the transfer of attack drones, cruise missiles and medium-range ballistic missiles. These may have to be targeted within Iran, although direct attacks on Iranian soil could escalate the situation. If military supplies are coming from North Korea, they would need to be intercepted in shipping lanes. Even when the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution on 10 January, demanding a cessation of Houthi attacks on merchant vessels, the Houthis intensified their attacks. Meanwhile, the Houthis insist that Our battle aims to support the Palestinian people and has no other goals, stating that their operations would cease once food and medicine reach all of Gaza. Perhaps some compromise can be worked out, but in the long term, both Hamas and the Houthis need to be brought under control. Even the Somali pirates will have to be dealt with. European nations would also have to address protests from increasing Muslim populations in their countries, and India would have to secure its trade and minimize the impact. The writer is Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_s 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 recently presented interim budget has sparked discussions about its significance given that the actual budget is slated for release in July, post the general elections. This preliminary budget, often considered a teaser, provides a glimpse into the governments financial strategy. Fiscal prudence The cornerstone of the interim budget is fiscal prudence, a concept encapsulating responsible government spending. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the importance of reducing the budget deficit, the variance between government expenditure and earnings. The lower the deficit, the more sustainable the financial practices. Sitharaman asserted that the budget deficit is expected to decrease to 5.1 per cent, surpassing initial projections of 5.9 per cent. This commitment to responsible spending signals the governments dedication to avoiding unnecessary debt and safeguarding future generations from an unsustainable debt burden. Advertisement A significant portion of the budget is allocated to interest payments on old loans surpassing expenditures on defence and transport combined. The government aims to reduce this substantial expense, indicative of a concerted effort to manage and whittle down the unsustainable debt. This strategic approach demonstrates the governments commitment to financial responsibility and prudent economic management. The budget not only reflects fiscal responsibility but also exudes confidence in the current governments return to power. With a steady hand, the government appears unwilling to engage in extravagant spending to woo voters, confident that its track record will secure a return to power. This confidence resonates in the tight purse strings exhibited in the budget, even on the eve of elections. Advertisement Market reaction Despite the absence of government largess, Indian stock markets experienced a slight dip, with the Sensex falling by 0.15 per cent and Nifty by 0.13 per cent. However, this minor correction suggests a robust economy not reliant on handouts fostering stability and growth. Turning attention to Indias external affairs, the budget sheds light on the grants and loans provided to foreign governments. Notably, Indias allocation for grants to the Maldives increased, indicating a commitment to maintaining diplomatic ties despite recent challenges. Meanwhile, Bhutan witnessed a reduction in grants, although loans increased, emphasizing a shift in aid dynamics. Advertisement While external relations undergo shifts, the interim budget underscores the stability of the Indian governments domestic agenda. With a focus on fiscal prudence, debt reduction and confidence in governance, the budget sets a tone for responsible financial management, ensuring a positive trajectory for the countrys economic future. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Advertisement Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . Despite Chinas objections, New Zealand has shown keen interest in joining AUKUS, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in a changing geopolitical landscape In recent developments, the AUKUS alliance, formed in 2021 between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, is at the centre of international attention as New Zealand expresses interest in joining. The trilateral security agreement aims to enhance security in the Indo-Pacific region, but China vehemently opposes its expansion. Foundation of AUKUS Advertisement AUKUS, named after its founding members, goes beyond a traditional security pact. In addition to enhancing security in the Indo-Pacific, the alliance involves a significant arms deal. Australia is set to receive eight nuclear submarines through a deal worth nearly $370 billion with the first submarine expected to be delivered in the late 2030s. This military collaboration has broader implications for the strategic balance in the region. China views AUKUS as a direct threat with Beijing labelling the alliances expansion as a wrong and dangerous path. The Chinese government expresses concern over the alliances impact on peace and harmony in the region. As tensions rise, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin criticises the alliance accusing the United States, Britain and Australia of ignoring international concerns. Advertisement For their own geopolitical interests, the United States, Britain and Australia ignore the concerns of the international community and go further down a wrong and dangerous path, said Wang. New Zealands interest and Australias response Despite Chinas objections, New Zealand has shown keen interest in joining AUKUS, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in a changing geopolitical landscape. Advertisement Increasingly the rules-based order which we rely on as democratic countries is under threat, and in this complicated strategic environment, one thing is crystal clear: Australia is our closest friend and partner, its our family and we are stronger when we work together. said New Zealands Defence Minister Judith Collins. Australia welcomed New Zealands interest, agreeing to send a team to brief them on AUKUS developments, particularly regarding the proposed expansion known as Pillar Two. Advertisement And finally we have agreed to send a team to New Zealand to brief them on developments in relation to AUKUS and particularly AUKUS pillar two. I think the content and the manner in which weve spoken today really does reflect two countries which have a very shared view of the world and a shared sense of how both of us need to go about our business in terms of working in the world, said Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles. Advertisement As AUKUS contemplates expansion, including Japan and India in its ranks, China remains wary of the alliances growing influence. AUKUS plans extend beyond nuclear submarines, encompassing hypersonic missiles and advanced radar technology. The alliances focus on military capabilities and interoperability raises concerns for China, which finds itself increasingly isolated due to its aggressive actions in the South China Sea. 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 India emerges as a hub for AI development, the tech industrys confidence in the countrys potential is palpable In a significant development away from budget discussions, India is poised to become a prominent hub for artificial intelligence (AI) developers. Leading tech giants, Microsoft and Google, are set to embark on AI tours in India, emphasizing the nations potential to shape the future of AI. Microsofts Satya Nadella in Bengaluru and Mumbai Advertisement Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is scheduled to visit Bengaluru and Mumbai on the 7th and 8th of this month. During his visit, Nadella will deliver talks on Opportunities with AI and engage with tech industry leaders in both cities. This visit underscores Microsofts recognition of Indias pivotal role in the AI revolution. Googles Jeff Dean in Bengaluru Simultaneously, Googles chief scientist Jeff Dean is also set to visit Bengaluru. Dean will address AIs next frontier and interact with developers and start-ups underscoring Googles keen interest in Indias AI potential. The choice of India as a focal point for these high-profile visits is not coincidental. Silicon Valley is increasingly banking on India to fuel the growth of AI. Over the years, Indian computer engineers and data scientists have gained global acclaim for their expertise. Advertisement Microsoft and Google, two tech giants at the forefront of AI development, are both led by Indian-origin engineers turned CEOs Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai, respectively. Their ascent to the top positions signifies not only individual success but also a broader acknowledgment of Indias tech prowess. Indias rich pool of AI talent Advertisement India is already home to 5 million programmers, with approximately half a million specializing in AI and data sciences, according to NASSCOM, Indias technology industry trade body. Silicon Valley recognises Indias potential, with Microsofts Puneet Chandok noting, Every sixth AI researcher, AI builder, AI developer is coming from India. Ahmed Mazhari, president of Microsoft Asia, pointed out that one in four AI projects on GitHub, a Microsoft-owned platform for developers, originates from India. This statistic underscores Indias position as a crucial source of AI talent and innovation. Advertisement Mazhari predicts that by 2026, India will surpass the US in AI development. He said, India is very uniquely positioned to enable the adoption of AI at scale at home and in international markets. Indian developers are expected to lead the AI race globally. Microsofts and Googles visits are just the beginning. Microsoft has announced a training programme to transform 100,000 Indian developers into AI specialists. Indian firms like Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services have also initiated AI training to equip their workforce with AI skills. Advertisement Indias role in global growth Indias influence extends beyond borders contributing approximately 16 per cent of the incremental global GDP, according to Microsofts Puneet Chandok. This presents an opportunity for India to lead not only in AI but also in driving global economic growth. Recognising the potential of AI, the Indian government, in the recent budget announcement, revealed a $12 billion corpus aimed at incentivizing long-term tech growth. This initiative aims to provide youth with long-term, low-interest financing including up to 50-year interest-free loans. Advertisement As India emerges as a hub for AI development, the tech industrys confidence in the countrys potential is palpable. With Microsoft and Google actively investing in AI talent, coupled with government initiatives and the expertise of Indian developers, the future of AI appears to be distinctly Indian. As the world turns its attention to India, the nation is positioned to shape the trajectory of AI for years to come. 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 . Apple may unveil its AI products later this year at WWDC 2024, which is scheduled to take place in June. Apple is reportedly positioning iOS 18 as one of its most substantial updates, emphasizing deep integration of AI technologies throughout the system During its quarterly earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook provided a rare insight into the companys future product plans, specifically referencing Apples investments in AI. Cook expressed excitement about revealing the details of Apples ongoing work in the AI space later this year, fueling speculation that iOS 18, to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, will showcase extensive AI features. Advertisement Apple is reportedly positioning iOS 18 as one of its most substantial updates, emphasizing deep integration of AI technologies throughout the system. References in iOS 17.4 code hinted at Apple testing its own large language model, codenamed Ajax, alongside other technologies such as ChatGPT. On the earnings call, Tim Cook addressed Apples commitment to investing in technologies that shape the future, including AI. He mentioned, We continue to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort in [AI>, and were excited to share details of our ongoing work in that space later this year. These comments appear to respond to industry and investor narratives suggesting that Apple is lagging behind competitors like Microsoft and Google in shipping generative AI features, despite not doing so in 2023. Apples focus on AI is expected to bring significant enhancements to Siri, the companys voice assistant. A potential Siri 2.0 reimplementation, leveraging modern generative AI large language models, could reshape the perception of Siri if executed effectively. Advertisement The company also plans to incorporate AI features across the iPhone operating system, introducing smart replies in Messages, playlist recommendations in Apple Music, and more. Although Cooks remarks did not explicitly mention WWDC, the timeline of later this year aligns with Apples usual schedule of announcing major software updates, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, at the developer conference in June, with the operating systems slated for release in the fall. Advertisement Apples commitment to unveiling details about its AI advancements later this year suggests that the upcoming WWDC could be a significant platform for showcasing the companys strides in artificial intelligence. (With inputs from agencies) Unlike traditional large language models in AI, Tong Tong possesses the ability to independently assign tasks to herself, which makes it much closer to Iron Mans Jarvis than any other AI bots we have had Remember Iron Mans virtual, AI assistant Jarvis, that was instrumental in making Robert Downey Jr.s Tony Stark one of the most popular superheroes in recent movie history? A China-based AI scientist has developed the worlds first AI entity that closely resembles the iconic virtual assistant in intellect and emotions. The only difference here is that while MCUs Jarvis powered Tony Starks entire house and more importantly, helped him control the Iron Man suit, the real-world Jarvis is an AI entity formed based the characteristics on a young girl, and hence has been named, Tong Tong, or Little Girl. Advertisement Developed by the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI), Tong Tong was unveiled at the Frontiers of General Artificial Intelligence Technology Exhibition held in Beijing Tong Tong, meaning Little Girl in English, showcased advanced capabilities at the exhibition. Unlike traditional large language models in AI, Tong Tong possesses the ability to independently assign tasks to herself, as per a report by the South China Morning Post. During interactions, she demonstrated problem-solving skills, such as fixing a crooked picture frame, reaching high places using a stool, and cleaning up spilt milk. Her ability to interpret human intentions and perform tasks autonomously sets her apart. The AI entity is designed for autonomous learning and is said to have emotions such as joy, anger, and sorrow. Tong Tong is described as possessing a mind, striving to understand common sense taught by humans, discerning right from wrong, expressing attitudes in various situations, and having the power to shape the future. Advertisement In terms of general artificial intelligence standards, Tong Tongs characteristics align with those of a three or four-year-old child. Through exploration and human interaction, she can continuously enhance her skills, knowledge, and values. The aim is to create AI entities with physical and social common sense akin to humans, capable of comprehending the real world and defining new tasks autonomously. Advertisement BIGAI director Zhu Songchun, a renowned scholar in AI, highlighted the significance of advancing towards general artificial intelligence by creating entities with a wide range of skills and the ability to comprehend the real world. The exhibition also featured the Tong Test, a comprehensive AI testing platform developed by Zhus team, assessing five dimensions: vision, language, cognition, motion, and learning. Advertisement The Tong Test incorporates a value system encompassing physiological, survival, emotional, and social values, providing a complete testing regime for the development of general artificial intelligence. Zhu emphasized that the Tong Tests focus on practical abilities and values aims to guide general AI in learning and improving capabilities more effectively and safely, ensuring it serves human society better. The development of Tong Tong and the Tong Test signifies a significant step forward in the pursuit of AI that can seamlessly integrate into human environments. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) In the brand-wise breakdown, Xiaomi led with 18 per cent of the market share, followed by Vivo with 17 per cent, Samsung with 16.8 per cent, Realme with 11 per cent, and Oppo with 10 per cent According to a report by market research firm Counterpoint, smartphone shipments in India experienced a significant 25 per cent year-on-year growth in the October-December period of 2023. Xiaomi secured the top position in the quarter, capturing 18 per cent of the market share, propelled by its entry into the affordable 5G segment with the Redmi 13C. Advertisement Vivo maintained its second spot, while Samsung slipped to third after leading the market for four consecutive quarters. Realme and Oppo claimed the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. The report highlighted the role of 5G smartphones, contributing to 61 per cent of the total shipments in the quarter. Affordable 5G phones in the Rs. 10,000 - Rs. 15,000 price range made up 24 per cent of the total smartphone shipments. The premium smartphone segment saw a 51 per cent growth, with Apple leading the segment with a 17 per cent market share due to the launch of the iPhone 15 series. In the brand-wise breakdown, Xiaomi led with 18 per cent of the market share, followed by Vivo with 17 per cent, Samsung with 16.8 per cent, Realme with 11 per cent, and Oppo with 10 per cent. Advertisement Despite a strong quarter, the overall smartphone shipment landscape in India for 2023 remained flat at 152 million units, according to another Counterpoint report. The firm attributed this to challenges arising from macroeconomic turbulence, resulting in low demand and inventory build-up in the first half of the year. However, the market showed signs of recovery in the second half, driven by 5G upgrades and better-than-expected festive sales. Advertisement For the entire year, Samsung secured the top position with an 18 per cent market share, marking the first time the South Korean company led a calendar year since 2017. Vivo retained the second spot with a 17 per cent share, followed by Xiaomi, Realme, and Oppo with 16.5 per cent, 12 per cent, and 10.5 per cent of the market share, respectively. While Apple did not rank in the top five in shipments, it surpassed ten million units in revenue for the first time in a calendar year. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) Intel was set to start constructing its $20 billion AI Chipmaking unit sometime this year, anticipating a massive jump in demand for AI Chips. However, following their recent earnings call, Intel has decided push the manufacturing of the factory in Ohio Intel experienced a decline in its shares during extended trading following a report by the Wall Street Journal revealing a delay in the construction of a highly anticipated $20 billion chip facility in Ohio. Originally aiming for production to commence in 2025, Intel now faces a setback, with the facility unlikely to be operational until late 2026, as per the newspapers findings. Delays are attributed in part to the gradual allocation of funds from the CHIPS and Science Act, a legislation passed in 2022 to rejuvenate the US chipmaker industry. Advertisement While Intel did not provide specific details regarding the projects timeline, the company affirmed its commitment to the initiative, stating that it is still progressing and has achieved significant milestones. Reports suggest that the US is poised to announce substantial chip grants by the end of March, with the goal of channeling billions of dollars to semiconductor manufacturers. Intel has previously indicated that the pace of its expansion projects, including the Ohio facility, which is projected to become the worlds largest, depends on the grants and business conditions. In response to the news, Intel shares saw a decline of up to 3.1 per cent, reaching $42.01 in late trading on Thursday. Even before this drop, the shares had already experienced a 14 per cent decrease since the beginning of the year. (With inputs from agencies) Metas earnings per share surged by over 200 per cent, reaching $14 billion or $5.33 per share after it declared is earnings from 2023s last quarter. CEO Mark Zuckerberg will also be getting a massive payout of a bout $700 million a year from Metas new dividend Meta Platforms, the corporate entity overseeing popular social media networks Facebook and Instagram, has disclosed a positive financial outlook for the December quarter, buoyed by robust advertising revenues and the initiation of its inaugural dividend distribution. The companys earnings per share surged by over 200 per cent, reaching $14 billion or $5.33 per share, surpassing projections of $4.97 per share, as per data from the London Stock Exchange Group. Just days prior to the 20th anniversary of its flagship social network, Facebook, Meta Platforms announced a dividend of 50 cents per share and unveiled plans for an additional $50 billion in share repurchases. Advertisement Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive Officer of Meta Platforms Inc., is positioned to receive an annual payout of approximately $700 million from the companys maiden dividend to investors. This move by Meta to distribute dividends signifies its perspective on growth potential. Traditionally, rapidly expanding tech firms opt against dividends, preferring to reinvest earnings in product development or high-value acquisitions. Despite Metas substantial investments in artificial intelligence, regulatory challenges have constrained its acquisition opportunities. Following the dividend declaration, Metas market valuation soared by over $140 billion, a figure more than five times the entire market capitalization of its smaller social media counterpart, Snap Inc. In a prepared statement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the progress made in advancing artificial intelligence and the metaverse, emphasizing the companys commitment to its visionary goals. Advertisement Meta has projected a first-quarter revenue between $34.5 billion and $37 billion, surpassing Wall Street predictions of $33.8 billion. The company anticipates total expenses for the full year of 2024 to remain consistent at $94 billion to $99 billion. After Meta implemented workforce reductions, letting go of approximately 21,000 employees while streamlining its priorities, the companys stock nearly tripled in 2023. The announcement of the dividend and an additional $50 billion in share repurchases aims to garner further investor support for Zuckerbergs ambitious ventures in artificial intelligence and the metaverse. Advertisement The share price of Meta has been steadily recovering from a downturn in 2022, which had previously eroded more than three-quarters of the companys valuation. The rebound is attributed to revived user growth and increased digital advertising sales. Mark Zuckerbergs total compensation for 2022 amounted to $27.1 million, inclusive of private security expenses and a nominal base salary of $1, as per filings. Executive compensation details for the previous year are yet to be disclosed by Meta. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) Once valued at over $300 billion, with 50 per cent market share of the worlds total mobile phones in circulation, the brand Nokia is finally on its last legs as manufacturer HMD has decided to pull the branding from all future devices HMD Global, the exclusive licensee of Nokia-branded phones for the past eight years, announced on Thursday its decision to discontinue the use of the iconic Nokia name in future releases, marking the end of a Finnish startups experiment to reintroduce the beloved phone brand to new consumers. In September, HMD Global introduced a distinctive HMD brand. During the launch, the company announced plans to unveil a fresh lineup of HMD-branded mobile devices, alongside Nokia devices, and to establish collaborations with new partners for upcoming device releases. Advertisement Recently, the company has officially transitioned its social media handles and website from Nokia Mobile to HMD. While still actively selling Nokia phones, tablets, and accessories, HMD will maintain ongoing support. However, it is anticipated that the company will not introduce any new phones under the Nokia brand in the future. With HMD Global steering towards an independent path, Nokia finds itself alongside BlackBerry and Palmonce prominent brands in the phone segment that struggled to compete with industry giants like Apple and Google, leading to their premature exit from the market. Lars Silberbauer, CMO of Nokia Phones/HMD, shared on LinkedIn the companys vision beyond the Nokia legacy. HMD Global is transitioning from being a licensee to becoming a multi-brand company with its distinct HMD brand product line, forging licensing partnerships, and engaging in significant brand collaborations. Advertisement Nokias Historic Rise and Fall: From Market Leader to Legacy Brand Once Europes biggest tech company, Nokia commanded a 50 per cent global market share in phones by the end of 2007. Catering to all market segments, the brands portfolio included basic devices, high-end camera-centric phones, and business communicators. Despite historic hits, Nokias downfall began with the launch of the iPhone in 2007 and Googles Android OS, leading to a failure to adapt to the smartphone era. Advertisement Nokias partnership with Microsoft in 2011 to produce Windows cell phones, while producing groundbreaking camera phones, failed to halt the decline. Microsofts acquisition of Nokias mobile phone business in 2013 for $7.2 billion ended in disappointment, with a subsequent write-off and job cuts. The brand name was sold to HMD Global, which revitalized Nokia through Android-powered smartphones. Advertisement HMD Globals Struggles and Shifting Focus Despite initial promise, the failure of the Nokia 9 PureView led HMD Global to shift focus to budget-to-mid-range smartphones and aggressive marketing of feature phones. Disappointing fans, the decision not to offer flagship-grade Nokia smartphones contributed to a decline in market share. Recent efforts include the sale of repairable smartphones, gaining positive consumer response. Advertisement Nokias Diminished Glory: From $300 Billion to Independent Rebranding The Nokia brand, once valued at $300 billion, has diminished in appeal among new-age consumers. HMD Globals move to launch an independent phone brand reflects the necessity of moving beyond nostalgia. Despite a storied history and recall value, Nokias comeback story serves as a lesson, indicating that nostalgia alone couldnt match the appeal of brands like the iPhone in the current market. Nothing has confirmed that they will be launching the Phone 2a soon, and will launch the device in India as well. Leaked reports have suggested that the device will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC and will be unveiled in MWC 2024 Nothing, the UK-based brand led by Carl Pei, has officially confirmed the imminent launch of its latest smartphone, the Nothing Phone 2a, in India. Although specific details about the launch date and specifications have not been disclosed, Nothing has initiated teasers through an event page on its Indian website. The Phone 2a is expected to be a mid-range offering and is confirmed to be an upgrade over the previously released Nothing Phone 1. Advertisement In a quarterly Community Update, Nothing announced the name of its upcoming smartphone, the Phone 2a, emphasizing its commitment to delivering an optimal daily smartphone experience. The brand has set up a landing page on its India website to build anticipation for the new handset, encouraging interested users to sign up for notifications regarding the launch. While the landing page provides limited information about the Nothing Phone 2a, the company asserts that it has been engineered to focus on essential daily user needs, leveraging Nothings expertise and craftsmanship. Codenamed Aerodactyl, the phone is set to incorporate features from the previous Nothing Phone 2, promising an upgraded experience compared to the Nothing Phone 1. Advertisement Although the official launch date remains undisclosed, speculations suggest that the Nothing Phone 2a could be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (2024) event in Barcelona. The phone is anticipated to be positioned as a mid-range device, with a base variant priced at EUR 400 (approximately Rs. 37,000) for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Another configuration of 12GB+256GB is expected to be available, with colour options in black and white. Advertisement According to leaks, the Nothing Phone 2a will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC and run on Android 14-based Nothing OS 2.5. The phone is speculated to feature a 6.7-inch full-HD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Camera specifications include a dual rear setup with 50MP Samsung sensors and a 32MP selfie camera with a Sony IMX615 sensor. Paytms stock saw another dip of 20% on Friday, after the 20% dip on Thursday, following the RBIs decisions against Paytm Payments bank. The stock is now at Rs 487, nearing its all-time low of Rs 438, which it fell to in March 2022 After seeing its shares fall by 20 per cent on Thursday, the day, after the Reserve Bank of India took decisive action against Paytm Payments Bank and prohibited them from offering its core services, including accounts and wallets, effective from March, shares of the troubled fintech company, dropped by another 20 per cent. Advertisement As of writing this article, shares of Paytm hit a new low on Friday. The stock is now at Rs 487, nearing its all-time low of Rs 438, which it fell to in March 2022. Although the central bank emphasized that this move is not a direct cancellation of Paytm Payments Banks license, it significantly restricts the companys operational scope. The RBI, however, has granted customers the ability to withdraw or utilize their balances without restrictions, up to the available balance in their Paytm accounts, covering various instruments such as savings and current accounts, prepaid instruments, FASTags, and NCMC. Once hailed as a pioneer in Indias fintech landscape, Paytm Payments Bank boasts a substantial customer base of over 100 million KYC-verified users, as indicated on its website. Advertisement Regulatory non-compliances galore The regulatory intervention stems from persistent non-compliance and material supervisory concerns, prompting the RBI to bar the financial institution from accepting deposits, top-ups, or providing services like wallets, FASTags, and NCMC after February 29. The RBIs directive explicitly prohibits the offering of other banking services, including fund transfers (such as AEPS, IMPS, etc.), BBPOU, and UPI facilities after February 29, 2024. Additionally, the central bank instructed the termination of nodal accounts belonging to the parent company, One97 Communications, and Paytm Payments Services, no later than February 29. Advertisement Furthermore, the settlement of ongoing transactions and nodal accounts initiated on or before February 29 must be completed by March 15, with no transactions permitted thereafter, according to the RBI. In response to queries regarding the fate of services such as loans, mutual funds, bill payments, digital gold, and credit cards, the RBI statement remains silent, leaving uncertainty about the future of these offerings. Advertisement After Paytm shares plunged by 20 per cent on Thursday, February 1, One97 Communications Ltd, the parent company, asserted that it is swiftly taking measures to comply with the RBIs directives. The company expressed its commitment to working closely with regulators to address concerns promptly, anticipating a potential impact of Rs 300-500 crore on its annual EBITDA. Advertisement Additionally, One97 Communications announced its intention to collaborate solely with other banks, excluding Paytm Payments Bank from future dealings. The Paytm Payment Gateway business, serving online merchants, will continue providing payment solutions to existing merchants. Indias crackdown on Chinese investments? The RBIs move has raised questions about the reasons behind the action, with sources speculating concerns related to KYC compliance and IT issues. The central bank has scrutinized Paytm Payments Bank since 2018, with specific attention to information barriers within the group and data access to China-based entities holding indirect shares in the payments bank through their stake in the parent company. Advertisement Antfin, an affiliate of Alibaba, a Chinese conglomerate, holds a 9.89% stake in One97 Communications as of December 31, 2023, raising concerns amid strained India-China relations. This recent action follows a series of regulatory interventions by the RBI, including a fine of Rs 5.39 crore in October 2023 for deficiencies in regulatory compliance. In March 2022, Paytm Payments Bank was directed to halt onboarding new customers due to persistent non-compliance and supervisory concerns. Advertisement Observations by the RBI in 2018 also highlighted concerns about Paytms user acquisition processes and the proximity between Paytm Payments Bank and its parent company. Allegations regarding the payments banks failure to meet net worth criteria and exceeding deposit limits further compounded regulatory challenges for Paytm Payments Bank. (With inputs from agencies) After taking over Wistrons Apple iPhone production line last year, Tata Group is now looking to open a second iPhone production facility in India. This is going to be crucial for both Tata and Apple. Apple wants more Indian players like Tata to produce iPhones, while Tata looks to increase exports Tata Group is reportedly in advanced discussions with Taiwans Pegatron to establish a partnership for running an iPhone assembly plant currently under construction in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, according to a report in Reuters. The plant in Hosur will be Tatas second iPhone assembly facility in India, aligning with Apples and its contract manufacturers expanding operations in the country. Advertisement The potential joint venture between Tata and Pegatron would mark a significant initiative for Tata, providing accelerated support for its manufacturing plans. The Taiwanese company, Pegatron, is anticipated to contribute technical and engineering assistance to the plant, as per the sources. The success of Tatas endeavours is crucial for Apples broader objectives. Apple has been diversifying its manufacturing beyond China due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions. The proportion of iPhones manufactured in India is expected to increase from 12-14 per cent in 2023 to 20-25 per cent this year, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The proposed joint venture between Tata and Pegatron is expected to feature 20 assembly lines for iPhones, with Tata holding a majority stake in the collaboration. The move is seen as a strategic partnership, allowing Tata to leverage Pegatrons expertise, as explained by one of the sources, stating, Tata cannot build everything from scratch. Advertisement Tatas initial iPhone assembly plant, acquired from Wistron in Karnataka last year, was its first foray into iPhone manufacturing. Independently, Pegatron already operates an iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu and is exploring the possibility of adding a second facility. Currently, Pegatron contributes approximately 10% of Apples iPhone output in India, with the majority handled by Taiwans Foxconn. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) Our job is 98 per cent done, Pakistans Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad said, adding, The remaining 2 per cent is just to bring it on an excel sheet after the cabinet approves it Cash-strapped Pakistan has been carrying the burden of loss-making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). As the country, governed by caretaker administration since August last year, prepares for general elections on 8 February, it is also speeding up plans for the new administration to sell PIA. Our job is 98 per cent done, Pakistans Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad was quoted as saying by Reuters, responding to the plan to sell PIA. Advertisement The remaining 2 per cent is just to bring it on an excel sheet after the cabinet approves it, he added. The caretaker administration in Pakistan was empowered by the outgoing parliament to take any steps needed to meet the budgetary targets agreed with the IMF. The previous elected governments in economic crisis-hit Pakistan have shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of the flag carrier. But in June, the administration agreed to overhaul loss-making state-owned enterprises under a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout. The government decided to privatise PIA just weeks after signing the IMF agreement. Fawad said the plan, drawn up by transaction adviser Ernst & Young (E&Y), will be presented to the Cabinet for approval before the tenure of the administration ends following the election. The Cabinet will also decide whether to sell the stake by tender or through a government-to-government deal, he said. Advertisement What we have done in just four months is what past governments have been trying to do for over a decade, the Pakistans Privatisation Minister said, adding, There is no looking back. Progress on the privatisation of PIA will be a key issue if the incoming government goes back to the IMF once the current bailout programme expires in March. Advertisement A Reuters reported cited two sources close to the process saying a 51 per cent stake with full management control would be offered to buyers after parking the airlines debts in a separate entity, under the 1,100 page report from E&Y. Meanwhile, PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said the airline was assisting the privatisation process, extending full cooperation to the transaction adviser. Advertisement Fast sale could devalue PIAs worth The report by Reuters cited three senior airline officials saying a fast sale could devalue PIAs worth, and it would not be a transparent transaction without due diligence. We are not against its privatisation, and all we want is that you dont just throw it away, said one of the officials. Advertisement However, Singapore-based aviation analyst Brendan Sobie said PIA is in dire straits: the plan submitted to the government was essentially the only option to save the airline. The privatisation will be challenging and a sale is likely not possible unless it first undergoes a deep restructuring and the debts are cleared, he said. Advertisement As per airline records, PIA has air service agreements with more than 150 countries and generates about 280 billion rupees annually in revenues despite the EU ban. It has 10 slots at Heathrow, which, according to two PIA officials, are currently worth 70 billion rupees annually. It has a further nine slots at Manchester and four at Birmingham. Advertisement Turkish and Kuwaiti airlines have been operating 70 per cent of the slots under a business arrangement with PIA that also allows the airline to retain them, the reported mentioned PIA officials as saying. According to PIAs annual report 2023, the airlines physical assets, which include aircraft, hotels in Paris and New York and other properties, are worth 105.6 billion rupees ($375 million). Advertisement PIA officials, however, said the market value of the assets could be above $1 billion. In any case, the hotels and other properties would not be up for sale, they said. PIA liabilities As of June 2023, PIA had liabilities of 785 billion Pakistani rupees ($2.81 billion) and accumulated losses of 713 billion rupees. Its CEO has said losses in 2023 were likely to be 112 billion rupees. Advertisement Last yearin March, the Pakistan finance ministry stopped interest payments on the PIA debt, prompting the government and PIA management to consider privatisation. With inputs from Reuters The Navy on January 5 thwarted an attempted hijacking of Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea and rescued all its crew members. Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was the target of a drone attack off Indias west coast on December 23. The Indian Navy thwarted a piracy attempt targeting an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel on the east coast of Somalia, carrying 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani nationals. This incident marks the latest in a series of rescue missions conducted by the Indian Navy in the region. Officials reported that the Indian warship INS Sharda intervened to rescue the FV Omaril after seven pirates boarded the vessel and held the crew hostage. Advertisement #IndianNavy foils another #piracy attempt along East coast of #Somalia. Info on Piracy attempt on #FVOmari monitored #31Jan 24. Vessel located successfully by Indian Naval RPA, undertaking surveillance in the area & #INSSharada on anti-piracy mission diverted to intercept. pic.twitter.com/XMUcP5gqTk SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) February 2, 2024 The warship, deployed for anti-piracy mission in the region, was diverted to intercept the boat after Indian Navys remotely piloted aircraft, undertaking surveillance in the area, successfully located FV Omari, they said.The Navy received the information about the piracy incident late on January 31. Advertisement FV Omaril, an Iranian-flagged vessel, had been boarded by seven pirates who had taken the crew as hostages, Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.INS Sharda intercepted the vessel in early hours of Friday and used her integral helo and boats to coerce the pirates for safe release of crew along with the vessel, he said. Advertisement The ship has ensured successful release of the 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani crew members, he said.The ship also undertook confirmatory boarding on FV Omari to sanitise and check on the well-being of the crew who had been held captive by the Somali pirates, Madhwal said. Relentless efforts by Indian Naval platforms, mission deployed for anti-piracy and maritime security operations, continue to save precious life at sea, symbolising Indian Navys resolve towards safety of all vessels and seafarers at sea, he said. Advertisement Indian warship INS Sumitra rescued 19 Pakistani crew of a fishing vessel after their Iranian-flagged fishing vessel was attacked by pirates in east coast of Somalia a few days back. In a coordinated response, the Indian Navy along with naval forces of Sri Lanka and Seychelles, also rescued a fishing vessel earlier this week after it was hijacked in the sea lanes east of Mogadishu. Advertisement The Navy on January 5 thwarted an attempted hijacking of Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea and rescued all its crew members. Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was the target of a drone attack off Indias west coast on December 23. Besides MV Chem Pluto, another commercial oil tanker that was on the way to India came under a suspected drone strike in the Southern Red Sea on the same day. The vessel had a team of 25 Indian crew. Advertisement The Navy has already enhanced the deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations in view of the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including in the North and Central Arabian Sea. The Iran-aligned Houthi militants, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have launched wave after wave of exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels in the Red Sea since November 19, in what they say is a response to Israels military operations in Gaza. The Israeli military said its Arrow aerial defence system successfully intercepted a surface-to-surface missile fired at Israeli territory on Friday in the area of the Red Sea. The military statement did not provide details on the origin of the launch. The Iran-aligned Houthi militants, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have launched wave after wave of exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels in the Red Sea since November 19, in what they say is a response to Israels military operations in Gaza. Surrey RCMP investigators believe the shooting at the house of Simranjeet Singh was an isolated incident and officers are still working to determine the motive behind it Multiple shots were fired at a residence in South Surrey in Canada, believed to be the house of Simranjeet Singh, a close aid of slain India-designated Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Candian media reports said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed the shooting incident and said, shots fired at a residence in the 2800-block of 154 Street. Frontline officers attended the scene and located evidence consistent with a shooting. No injuries were reported. Advertisement The RCMP said it has deployed cops in the area, examining the scene, talking to witnesses and scrutinising the neighbourhood for CCTV footage, but pro-Khalistan groups allege Indian involvement, citing Simranjeets role in organising a protest outside the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on January 26. CBC News quoted Moninder Singh, spokesperson for the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council and also a prominent separatist in Canada, saying Simranjeet Singh feels like this is the Indian state, or their actors, that are playing their part here to kind of scare them off from the activism work that hes doing. Moninder further said he believed Simranjeet Singhs connection to Hardeep Singh Nijjar could have been a factor. According to Surrey detachment of RCMP, the incident of firing occurred in the early hours of Thursday (1 February, 2024) and eyewitnesses said a car parked at the residence as well as the home were riddled with bullets. Advertisement The Surrey RCMP Major Crime Section has conduct of the investigation and investigators believe this was an isolated incident. Officers are still working to determine the motive of this incident, RCMP said. India-Canada ties touched rock bottom after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last September claimed there were credible allegations that the Indian government may have been involved in the killing of Nijjar, in Surrey in June 2023. Advertisement India strongly denied the allegations, terming them absurd and motivated. The relations between the two countries have been strained ever since. In December last year, Trudeau claimed that he had made the allegations public as he expected the information to be leaked. With inputs from agencies A total of 131 migrants escaped from the Bidor immigration detention depot in Malaysias western Perak state on Thursday night. One of the migrants died following a road accident, Immigration Department director-general Ruslin Jusoh said in a statement An undocumented migrant from Myanmar lost his life in a road accident while attempting to escape from an immigration detention facility along with more than a hundred others in Malaysia late on Thursday, according to Reuters, citing officials. This occurrence marks the second reported escape from a Malaysian detention center within two years. Advertisement In April 2022, 582 ethnic Rohingya refugees from Myanmar broke out of an immigration depot in the northern Kedah state. Among them, six migrants lost their lives after being struck by vehicles on a highway. A total of 131 migrants escaped from the Bidor immigration detention depot in Malaysias western Perak state on Thursday night, Reuters quoted Immigration Department director-general Ruslin Jusoh as saying in a statement on Friday. One of the migrants died following a road accident, he said, adding that search operations were ongoing for the remaining escapees. The migrants, who escaped from the mens block of the depot, included 115 ethnic Rohingya refugees and 16 Myanmar nationals of other ethnicities, state news agency Bernama reported, citing a statement from Perak police. Advertisement Bernama reported the man who died had been struck by a vehicle on a highway. Advertisement Malaysia, which does not recognise refugee status, has long been a favoured destination for ethnic Rohingya fleeing persecution in Myanmar or refugee camps in Bangladesh. With inputs from agencies Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Amid preparations to maintain order before 8 Februarys general elections in Pakistan, the troubled Balochistan province on Thursday experienced a series of unsettling events, including at least 10 bomb and grenade attacks, resulting in one fatality Amid preparations to maintain order before 8 Februarys general elections in Pakistan, the troubled Balochistan province experienced a series of unsettling events on Thursday, including at least 10 bomb and grenade attacks, resulting in one fatality. According to a Dawn newspaper report, the attacks targeted several police stations and deputy commissioners offices, leaving six individuals wounded, including a police officer and a jail warden. Advertisement The incidents occurred across Balochistan, including its provincial capital Quetta, as confirmed by a senior official. Pakistan is set to hold its elections on February 8. A bomb, placed along a footpath on the China-Pakistan Economic Cooperation (CPEC) road in the Spinny area of Quetta, went off, killing a passerby, according to Quetta SSP (operations) Jawad Tariq. The intensity of the blast rocked several areas of the provincial capital, PTI quoted officials as saying. The police cordoned off the area and shifted the body to Civil Hospital. Hospital officials said the victims body was mutilated due to his proximity to the bomb at the time of the blast. The deceased was identified as an 84-year-old man. Advertisement SSP Tariq added that around 8kg of explosive was used in the improvised explosive device. The target of the bomb was unknown as there was no election campaign-related event scheduled within the vicinity, the SSP said, adding that security was already on high alert due to the upcoming elections. In another attack near Quettas outskirts, an assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Raza, was injured. Advertisement Unknown attackers hurled a hand grenade at the Shalkot police station, which exploded in the courtyard. The attack damaged the stations building and some vehicles in the parking area. The injured police officer was admitted to the Civil Hospital. In Mastung, the central prison was attacked by hand grenades, which exploded inside the jail, resulting in damage to the building. The jail warden was injured in the attack. Advertisement In the attacks in Quetta, Khuzdar and Turbat, the offices of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and National Party, and a joint office of Balochistan National Party Mengal (BNP-M) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) were targeted with grenades. However, no loss of life was reported. The offices of deputy commissioners in Dhadar and Panjgur were also targeted with hand grenades. Advertisement One person was injured in another grenade attack on the house of the Kachhi deputy commissioner. In a blast in the Turbat market area, one person was injured while a grenade was also lobbed at police and Frontier Corps (FC) posts, but no casualty was reported, according to the Dawn report. The attacks came as the Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday held a high-level meeting to discuss the security situation in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Advertisement The chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja told the meeting that polls would be held on time. The Feb 8 election will be held on time. Despite security challenges, the ECP is fully prepared, Raja said addressing the meeting, adding that those trying to create disturbance would be tackled with the help of law enforcement agencies, including the army. In this regard, no leniency will be shown to anyone, he said. Advertisement Raja expressed concern at the fragile law and order in the two provinces, especially at the attacks on the office of the ECP and political parties. However, he announced that the electoral process would not be affected by these attacks. With inputs from agencies Raisis comments came after days of speculation about how Washington might retaliate after three US soldiers were killed last Saturday in a strike on their base in Jordan by an Iranian-backed group. Irans President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday that his country has no intention of initiating a war but emphasised that Iran would respond strongly to anyone who tried to bully it. Raisis statement follows days of speculation regarding potential actions from Washington following the deaths of three US soldiers in a strike on their base in Jordan by an Iranian-backed group. Advertisement Reports indicate that the United States had authorised plans for multi-day strikes in Iraq and Syria targeting various sites, including Iranian personnel and facilities in those nations, CBS News, citing US officials, reported on Thursday. We will not start any war, but if anyone wants to bully us, they will receive a strong response, Raisi said in a televised speech. Before, when they (the Americans) wanted to talk to us, they said the military option is on the table. Now they say they have no intention of a conflict with Iran, Raisi said.The Islamic Republics military power in the region is not and never has been a threat to any country. Rather, it ensures security that the countries of the region can rely on and trust, Raisi added. Advertisement The United States has assessed that the drone that killed three of its soldiers and also wounded more than 40 other people, was made by Iran, four US officials have told Reuters. Sources said that Irans elite Revolutionary Guards were pulling senior officers out of Syria. Iranian advisers assist armed groups in both Iraq, where the US has around 2,500 troops, and Syria, where it has 900. Advertisement With inputs from Reuters. After Qatars foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday claimed that Hamas has given initial positive confirmation to a proposal for the cessation of fighting in Gaza and the release of hostages, the Palestinian terror group swiftly denied doing so and said that the proposal is still being studied After Qatars foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday claimed that Hamas has given initial positive confirmation to a proposal for the cessation of fighting in Gaza and the release of hostages, the Palestinian terror group swiftly denied doing so and said that the proposal is still being studied. A Hamas official told Reuters that the terror group has received the Paris truce proposal but havent given response to any of parties, it is still being studied. Advertisement We cannot say the current stage of negotiation is zero and at the same time we cannot say that we have reached an agreement, said Taher al-Nono, the media adviser to Qatar-based Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh. On Thursday, Qatars foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said at Johns Hopkins University that Hamas has given initial positive confirmation to the truce proposal, briefly triggering some celebrations in Gaza, including festive gunfire, and a drop in the price of crude oil. That proposal has been approved by the Israeli side and now we have an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas side, al-Ansari told an audience at a Washington-based graduate school. There is still a very tough road in front of us, he added. We are optimistic because both sides now agreed to the premise that would lead to a next pause. Were hopeful that in the next couple of weeks, well be able to share good news about that, said al-Ansari. Advertisement A Qatari official clarified to Reuters that there was no deal yet and that although Hamas has received the proposal positively, Qatar was waiting for their response. Additionally, Times of Israel quoted a senior Palestinian source telling Lebanese news outlet Al-Mayadeen that Qatar jumped the gun in appearing to announce that Hamas had given initial approval to the ceasefire proposal. Advertisement The statement was rushed and is incorrect, the source said, claiming that Hamass leadership had yet to schedule meetings in Cairo to discuss the proposal with Egyptian mediators. A similar quote was carried by AFP from a source close to Hamas: There is no agreement on the framework of the agreement yet the factions have important observations and the Qatari statement is rushed and not true. Advertisement In Al-Mayadeen, the source claimed the positive signals were a plot by the Israeli media to stir up public expectations about the nascent deal. With inputs from agencies Announcing Shreyas Reddy Benigeris death, the Consulate General of India in New York said foul play is not suspected at this stage Another Indian origin student, Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, has been found dead in Ohios Cincinnati, making it the third such case within a week. The cause of his death, however, is not known yet. Announcing Benigeris death, the Consulate General of India in New York said foul play is not suspected at this stage. Advertisement Police investigation is underway. At this stage, foul play is not suspected, the Consulate said in a post on X, without divulging any further details of the incident. Deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of Mr. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a student of Indian origin in Ohio, the Consulate further said. Deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of Mr. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a student of Indian origin in Ohio. Police investigation is underway. At this stage, foul play is not suspected. The Consulate continues to remain in touch with the family and is extending all possible India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) February 1, 2024 Benigeri (19-year-old), who held an American passport and an Overseas Citizenship of India, was a student of the Lindner School of Business, Cincinnati. Advertisement The Consulate said it is touch with Benigeris family and has been extending all possible assistance to them. His parents are of the Indian origin. According to reports, Benigeris father has got a visa from Hyderabad and is expected to be reaching the US on Saturday. Benigeri funeral is likely to be held on Saturday, reports said. Advertisement Third death of an Indian student in a week The death of Benigeri is the third such incident of an Indian student within a span of a week, after Vivek Saini and Neel Acharya. On 29 January, 25-year-old Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia states Lithonia city by Julian Faulkner. Faulkner, a homeless man, allegedly killed Saini with repeated blows from a hammer inside a store in Lithonia. Advertisement Also Read: Who was Vivek Saini, Indian student who died after being hammered 50 times in the US? A video of the incident went viral on social media, but the date of the incident cant be confirmed. On 30 January, the Tippecanoe County Coroner confirmed the death of Neel Acharya, a student at Purdue University. Advertisement According to the Tippecanoe County Coroners Office, officials were called to 500 Allison Road in West Lafayette for a possible dead body. Upon arrival, a college-aged male was found deceased on Purdues campus. Also Read: Indian student in US, Neel Acharya, found dead day after mother sought information on him Neels mother Gaury Acharya, in a post on X, had earlier appealed, Our son Neel Acharya is missing since yesterday Jan 28 (12:30 AM EST) He is studying in Purdue University in the US. He was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off in Purdue university. We are looking for any info on him. Please help us if you know anything. Advertisement Another student, 18-year old Akul B Dhawan at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia. He reportedly went missing in the early hours of 20 January and was found dead almost 10 hours later on the back porch of a building near the university campus in west Urbana in the US state of Illinois. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The US has approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India at an estimated cost of USD 3.99 billion, an acquisition that will bolster Indias capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation The United States on Thursday approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India, totaling an estimated $3.99 billion. The acquisition will significantly enhance Indias capacity to address present and future threats by facilitating unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in maritime zones. The substantial drone agreement was unveiled during Prime Minister Narendra Modis historic State Visit to the US in June 2023. Advertisement According to a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the State Department has officially sanctioned a potential Foreign Military Sale of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and associated equipment to the Government of India, valued at approximately $3.99 billion. The DSCA further confirmed that the necessary certification informing Congress of this potential sale was issued on Thursday. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region, the agency said. Advertisement The proposed sale will improve Indias capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation, it said. India is procuring the long-endurance drones to bolster the surveillance capabilities of its armed forces, especially along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Advertisement Under the deal, India will get 31 High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs, of which the Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones, while the Army and the Indian Air Force will get eight each of the land version SkyGuardian. Applauding that India has demonstrated a commitment to modernising its military, the DSCA said, the South Asian country will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces. Advertisement The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region, it said and added, There will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale. The principal contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Earlier on Wednesday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, Congress plays an important role in the US arms transfer process. We routinely consult with members of Congress on the foreign affairs committees before our formal notification so we can address questions that they might have, but I dont have any comment on when that formal notification might take place. Advertisement His comments came in response to a question on the timeline for the US Congressional approval as well as a media report that said Washington had blocked the drone sale to India until New Delhi carried out a thorough probe into an Indian link to the failed plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Advertisement American and Indian government officials have been holding a series of negotiations on the proposed procurement after Washington responded to New Delhis Letter of Request for the acquisition of the drones from US defence major General Atomics. The proposed procurement had also figured in US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austins talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in Delhi in November. Advertisement The Defence Acquisition Council headed by Singh on June 15 last year accorded the Acceptance of Necessity or initial approval for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones from the US under the foreign military sale route. The SeaGuardian drones are being procured for the three services as they can carry out a variety of roles including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the-horizon targeting, among others. Advertisement The High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones are capable of remaining airborne for over 35 hours and can carry four Hellfire missiles and around 450 kgs of bombs. In 2020, the Indian Navy had taken on lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones from General Atomics for one year for surveillance in the Indian Ocean. The lease period has been extended subsequently. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The U.S. has also tried more limited military responses in a series of strikes against weapons storage sites and training areas. So far, the U.S. response has not deterred the groups, which have attacked U.S. facilities at least 166 times since October. The United States has reinforced defences at a base in Jordan following an attack by Iran-backed militants a U.S. official said Friday. This move comes as the U.S. prepares for a broader response to a drone attack that resulted in the deaths of three service members. Despite indications of an impending larger military response from the U.S., certain Iran-backed factions have pledged to persist in attacking U.S. forces in the region. Harakat al-Nujaba, one of Iraqs prominent Iran-backed militias, declared its intention to continue military operations against U.S. troops in a statement released on Friday, even as other allied factions have ceased their attacks following a drone strike in Jordan on Sunday. Advertisement The U.S. response against threats by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have been firing drones and missiles at commercial and military ships in the Red Sea, continued Friday as well. A second U.S. official confirmed the military had taken self-defence strikes inside Yemen against Houthi military targets deemed an imminent threat. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said that British and American forces conducted three strikes in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah on Friday. The strikes targeted the al-Jar area, the news channel said in a short post on its Telegram page. Hajjah province is situated northwest of the capital, Sanaa, and is a Houthi stronghold. Advertisement While previous U.S. responses in Iraq and Syria have been more limited, the attack on Tower 22, as the Jordan outpost is known, and the deaths of the three service members has crossed a line, the official said. In response, the U.S. is weighing a much wider response to include striking militia leaders. The U.S. options under consideration include targets in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, where the Iranian-made drone that killed the service members was fired from, the official said. Advertisement The attack on Tower 22 led to the first deaths of U.S. service members since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. U.S. response options were being weighed as President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. CQ Brown travelled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to be with the families of those fallen soldiers as they are honoured at a transfer ceremony. Advertisement The U.S. has blamed the Jordan attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias. In the days since the attack, the U.S. has bolstered the defences around Tower 22, which houses about 350 U.S. troops and sits near the demilitarized zone on the border between Jordan and Syria. The Iraqi border is only 6 miles (10 kilometers) away. Advertisement On Thursday Defense Secretary Austin indicated that the U.S. response against the militias would widen. At this point, its time to take away even more capability than weve taken in the past, Austin said in his first press conference since he was hospitalized on Jan. 1 due to complications from prostate cancer treatment. Advertisement Austin said that Iran has had a hand in the attacks by supplying and training the militias. The U.S. has tried to communicate through backchannels to Iran over the last few months to get them to rein in the militant groups, another U.S. official said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not been acknowledged publicly. Advertisement The U.S. has also tried more limited military responses in a series of strikes against weapons storage sites and training areas. So far, the U.S. response has not deterred the groups, which have attacked U.S. facilities at least 166 times since October. At least one group, Kataib Hezbollah, another powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, which has been watched closely by U.S. officials, said Tuesday it would suspend military and security operations against the occupying forces to avoid embarrassing the Iraqi government in the wake of the Jordan attack. Advertisement With inputs from AP. The new sanctions, imposed by the Biden administration, on four Israeli nationals will block their financial assets and restrict them from visiting the United States Sanctions have been imposed by the Biden administration on four Israeli men it accused of being involved in settler violence in the West Bank. The move signals mounting United States displeasure with the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The new sanctions by the US State Department sanctions are the latest since Hamas on 7 October, 2023, carried out an attack on Israel and Israel responded with an assault on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Advertisement The latest sanctions block financial assets of these four Israeli nationals and restrict them from visiting the US. The executive order was issued by US President Joe Biden on Thursday and aims to punish ill-behaved Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians envisage a future state. Who are the order targets? The US State Department said, the order focuses on four individuals - David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjil, Shalom Zicherman and Yinon Levi - accused of directly perpetrating violence or intimidation in the West Bank. It also includes people accused of inciting and leading a riot, setting buildings, fields and vehicles on fire; assaulting civilians; and damaging property. Advertisement Who are four Israeli sanctioned by US? The US began imposing visa bans on people involved in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank since December last year. A statement issued by the US State Department on Thursday said: 1- David Chai Chasdai initiated and led a riot that included setting vehicles and buildings on fire and causing damage to property in Huwara, resulting in the death of a Palestinian civilian Advertisement 2- Einan Tanjil assaulted Palestinian farmers and Israeli activists by attacking them with stones and clubs, resulting in injuries that required medical treatment 3- Shalom Zicherman, according to video evidence, assaulted Israeli activists and their vehicles in the West Bank, blocking them on the street, attempted to break the windows of passing vehicles with activists inside, and cornered at least two of the activists and injured both Advertisement 4- Yinon Levi led a group of settlers that assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, burned their fields and destroyed their property. What will happen next? The sanction order will block the property of the individuals and financial transactions in the US. It will also restrict Americans from funding or contributing money to them. Advertisement An official said, though some dual nationals have been accused of being involved in the violence, the order is directed towards foreign nations and not the citizens of America. Issuing a statement, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the order establishes a system for imposing financial sanctions and visa restrictions against individuals who attack or intimidate Palestinians or seize their property, Advertisement Todays actions seek to promote peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike, he added. Biden and other senior US officials have warned repeatedly that Israel must act to stop violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. The US President has raised the issue directly with Netanyahu, a report by Reuters cited one senior official as saying, who further said Biden seeks a path to a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians once the Gaza conflict ends. Advertisement US will continue to take actions In a separate statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: Israel must do more to stop violence against civilians in the West Bank and hold accountable those responsible for it. The United States will continue to take actions to advance the foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution, and is committed to the safety, security, and dignity of Israelis and Palestinians alike, Blinken added. Advertisement Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state. It has built Jewish settlements there that most countries deem illegal. Israel disputes this and cites historical and biblical ties to the land. On 7 October last year, Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people and took 253 others hostages, precipitating an Israeli offensive that has laid waste to much of Gaza. Advertisement Meanwhile, health officials in the enclave Thursday said the confirmed death toll had risen above 27,000, with thousands more dead still lying under the rubble. With inputs from Reuters Gilani served as Pakistans prime minister from 2008 till 2012. Rice visited Pakistan four times while she was in office. She met Gilani in the first week of December 2008 when she made a surprise visit to Islamabad after holding talks in New Delhi soon after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that ex-US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had shared her apprehensions with his government that Osama bin Laden was hiding in the country much before American commandos killed the dreaded al Qaeda leader in Abbottabad in 2011. Gilani served as Pakistans prime minister from 2008 till 2012. Rice visited Pakistan four times while she was in office. She met Gilani in the first week of December 2008 when she made a surprise visit to Islamabad after holding talks in New Delhi soon after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. Advertisement Condoleezza Rice had visited Pakistan and her apprehensions were that he (bin Laden) was in Pakistan, Gilani told Geo News in an interview on Thursday, ahead of the general elections in Pakistan on February 8. When asked how he responded to Rices information, Gilani said: When she shared that, I said it was disinformation.Osama bin Laden, one of the worlds most notorious terrorist leaders, was killed by US Navy Seals in a stealth operation on May 2, 2011. The 54-year-old Saudi-born militant leader was hiding in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Rice, 69, is an American educator and politician, who served as the national security adviser (200105) and secretary of state (200509) to US President George W Bush. She is the current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Gilani, 71, served as the 18th prime minister of Pakistan. He is a veteran leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party and was elected as a Senator in 2021. On whether it was a shock when bin Laden was found in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad, Gilani said that it was an intelligence failure of the world. Advertisement Responding to a question whether he thought it was American intelligence that was conveyed to him via Rice, Gilani said, If they had any evidence they should have given it to us. We would have helped them because we were against terrorism and we were fighting a war against terrorism and lost many precious lives of military men and civilians who were martyred and we also lost billions of dollars. Advertisement Gilani was asked about his speech in Pakistans National Assembly, questioning bin Ladens presence in Pakistan. He answered that Pakistans motive was to stop the international media because bin Laden was not a Pakistani citizen and came from abroad. To a question if he was given a complete picture by the ISI (spy agency) regarding bin Laden or if the entire story was not shared with him, Gilani responded that he used to get briefings and they were very clear. Photo shows a view of Nansha Port in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Global Times-The US appears to be increasingly inclined to use non-market means to dodge market competition. An addiction to this approach may backfire. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo warned that Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) pose significant national security risks, as the Biden administration weighs additional tariffs on autos from the Asian country as well as a separate measure to protect Americans' personal information, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The commerce secretary's overstretching of the security concept is an unmistakable sign of Washington's attempt to target Chinese EVs, even though Chinese EVs have not entered the US market on a large scale. Her remarks came against the background of China overtaking Japan as the largest auto exporter in 2023, a milestone for the internationalization of China's vehicle industry. Japan exported 4.42 million vehicles in 2023, according to data released by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association on Wednesday, The Japan Times reported. That compared with 4.91 million vehicles shipped from China, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Under such circumstances, there is little doubt about the expectations that Chinese EVs will eventually reach all major global markets such as the US and Europe. Such a trend is inevitable, as it is determined by Chinese manufacturing capability. Chinese EV firms don't necessarily need to create trade imbalances by exporting on a large scale. Carmakers can cooperate with foreign capital to build factories overseas and produce near the target markets. Chinese EV makers rely on their production efficiency and technological progress to win the market, which is good for global consumers, including those in the US and Europe. What Chinese EV makers have done is in line with global trade and market norms, just like their Western peers have done over the decades. The US appears to be playing dirty by labeling Chinese EVs as "national security risks," an excuse the US often uses to suppress Chinese companies or industries without offering any evidence. It is not hard to see that the real nature of the US overstretching the concept of security is protectionism, with the purpose of protecting its own industries to maintain its hegemonic interests while containing others' competitiveness. But can protectionism serve this purpose, and will it consolidate or weaken US EV makers' competitiveness? At least based on past international economic and trade practices, no industry's vigorous development can be achieved by tariffs or other trade restrictions. On the contrary, the decline of many industries is often related to a country's protectionism. Also, the US attempt to spread claims of a "China threat" in the global EV market is again aimed at containing China's development by blocking the strong momentum of Chinese EVs, which highlights its growing hegemonic anxiety over its own EV manufacturing. It is not the first time for the US to abuse the security concept to attack Chinese manufacturing. Such a practice seriously undermines the market economy and the principle of fair competition, disrupting the international economic and trade order, and posing a major threat to the security of global supply and industry chains. What US politicians need to be reminded of is that China is also a big market for cars, and its importance to American carmakers has been on the rise in recent years. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has opened its market wide for various foreign carmakers, which are now allowed to set up local factories with 100 percent ownership. Instead of weakening its auto industry, China's opening-up has made it even more competitive. China's openness to American carmakers should make these US politicians blush. We are not opposed to economic competition, which is natural in itself, but we are opposed to the use of unfair means to suppress rivals. If the US really wants to compete and win, then it should do so in a fair manner, not in a shady way. A lawsuit filed against Lincoln Public Schools and two staff members at Schoo Middle School alleges the district failed to appropriately address incidents of assault and sexual harassment last school year. The lawsuit claims that a student, referred to as J.M., "suffered serious emotional distress and interference with his education" following two incidents that occurred at the school in March and May of 2023. LPS received information regarding the complaint Tuesday, according to Jim Gessford, an attorney who represents the district. "LPS takes all reports about safety concerns very seriously and we will work with staff to review information surrounding the reported incident," he said in an email. According to the lawsuit, in mid-March, J.M. came home from school with marks and bruises on his neck. A video on J.M.'s phone was later discovered by his mother showing students sticking a fork into an outlet during class. He then admitted that a few weeks earlier students had held him down and prodded him with part of an outlet, attempting to shove it into his mouth. The same students had also previously held him down, thrown objects at his genitals and choked him, the lawsuit states. J.M.'s mother then reported the incident to the school principal and was told the perpetrator would be removed from his class. However, according to the lawsuit, the student was never actually removed. More than a month later, in May, the principal informed J.M.'s mother of another assault, occurring in the same classroom. It was reported that the same student who was previously said to be removed from J.M.'s class had exposed himself to J.M. and rubbed his penis on his face while in class with a teacher present. The lawsuit claims that LPS failed to respond to each situation immediately and effectively, leading J.M. to suffer emotional damages and lose his right to a public education and his right to be free of sexual harassment and assault. "Defendants, acting under color of law, violated these rights by failing to investigate or put an end to the known harassment and assault of J.M.," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money to cover legal fees and to compensate J.M. for these damages. Top Journal Star photos for January 2024 In an effort to remove so-called pornographic materials from school libraries, a Nebraska State Board of Education member has proposed rule changes that would prevent what he believes to be inappropriate content from reaching students. Kirk Penner released a copy of his proposed changes to Rule 10 which must be followed by all accredited schools in the state on social media last month. While the long-standing rule also outlines many other regulations and procedures, Penners changes specifically target the media and technology resources portion. In his proposal, Penner, whose district encompasses much of southeast Nebraska and parts of Lancaster County, alters several current rules, including how many new reading materials schools are required to purchase each year, and creates new ones. Penners main focus, however, is on pornographic materials, aiming to stop sexually explicit materials from entering schools with the help of language pulled from a state statute intended to prevent child pornography, he said. The Board of Education held a regular meeting Friday where two people spoke during the public comment period and seven more submitted written public comments, all of them against the proposed changes. The board will vote on the measure at the next meeting on March 8. The proposal would ban books with content pertaining to sexual intercourse or related topics, whether that be in the format of text or images. Materials purchased specifically for sex education classes would be exempt. It does appear in some of our school libraries. It's just a fact, Penner said. So that's what I'm trying to do, trying to garner some type of consensus. I'm trying to work with the rest of the board to keep sexually explicit content out of our schools. However, Chris Haeffner, president of the Nebraska School Library Association, said even without this rule in place, Nebraskas school libraries are already free of sexually inappropriate materials because of the processes librarians take to vet books. Students do not come to their school libraries to find pornography. They do not use school databases to access pornography. The materials that are in our books are carefully selected by school librarians, she told the Journal Star. No, we do not have pornography in our school libraries. Because school librarians not only have teaching certificates but have also taken additional classes to receive a library certification, they are qualified to make decisions regarding inappropriate content, said Courtney Pentland, president of the American Association of School Librarians. I think there should be a deeper level of trust for educators and school librarians are educators that they can do their job because they're professionals who have been trained to do those jobs, said Pentland, who also is a current school librarian in Lincoln. But board member Sherry Jones said she feels there needs to be more eyes on content than only certified school librarians. I appreciate the work of media specialists and their knowledge, Jones said, but I dont think they can be the only safeguard to ensure that sexually explicit materials are not accessible to our students. Additionally, with Penners proposed changes, school libraries would no longer have to purchase a minimum number of new reading materials each year. As it currently stands, elementary schools are required to buy at least 25 new media resources per teacher, or up to 150 total, and middle and high school libraries must acquire at least 150 every year. Penner said the purpose of the proposed change is to get rid of an unfunded mandate. However, Haeffner said that a lack of current materials could play a role in deterring students from reading and lead them to continue to fall behind in literacy. It goes back to whether we want our kids to be readers, she said. If we have books that are old and worn out and are not keeping with the current trends of literature, then their motivation to pick those books up and actually read them is pretty low. Since the pandemic, school districts across the nation, including Lincoln Public Schools, have been working to address an early literacy crisis. Without access to the quality resources school libraries provide, Haeffner said literacy levels in the state would be greatly impacted. Kids learn how to read in the classroom, but they become great readers by practicing those reading skills. And they practice those reading skills by reading, she said. It's our libraries that offer really high-interest materials, or high-interest titles, and books that will keep kids reading. Under Penner's proposal, schools would also be required to now keep a current record of acquisition, classification and circulation of materials, and create an accurate, online catalog that can be accessed by the general public if approved. By Aug. 1, superintendents would need to send proof of the public catalog and would need to repeat this annually every October. Penners original proposal also included removing the current requirements that libraries are open and available to students throughout the entire school day, and that materials are properly cataloged and organized. However, he revised the proposal prior to Fridays meeting to maintain this rule. The proposal also states that Nebraska taxpayers would be able to file complaints to their local superintendent if they believe a district or educator has not complied with the rules. If complainants feel their issues have not been properly addressed at the district level, they can take it to the Nebraska Department of Education, which would prompt an investigation. Attempts to ban books or increase rules surrounding the content in school libraries have been on the rise across the country, Pentland said, including in Nebraska. Most notably, in January, a Plattsmouth school board member was recalled after her attempts to ban a number of books from the school libraries. We've seen an increase in challenges to materials and we've seen an increase in legislation related to materials in school and public libraries at unprecedented rates in the last few years, she said, noting lawsuits in Florida, Missouri and Texas. And there will continue to be more. But, Pentland said the top priority for both educators and school board members remains the same. At the end of the day, we all want our students to be successful. We all want them to be well looked after and taken care of and learning in the best environment possible, she said. We all want that for the students in our state. Twenty-two percent of workers say theyre worried their job will become obsolete because of technology, up from 15% in 2021. And these fears arent unfounded: 72% of Fortune 500 CHROs foresee AI replacing jobs in their organization in the next three years. Fears about AI are driven not only by the threat of losing ones job, but also the uncertainty of whether they will have the skills they need to succeed in the AI era. Employees dont want to be left behind. But the fear of becoming obsolete doesnt have to be an inevitability. If leaders help employees embrace AI, it can become an opportunity for boosted engagement and productivity. The key is development -- and the need to provide growth opportunities is now a core part of the AI revolution. Why it matters Globally, employee stress is at a record high, and AI is likely adding to it. Employees question what will happen if AI automates their job and where theyll go next. If employers fail to address these fears, workers discomfort can negatively affect their engagement and productivity. But this doesnt mean employees are resistant to change. On the contrary: 48% of American workers say they would switch to a new job if it offered them skills training opportunities. Employees are craving the opportunity for development. Plus, 42% of employees say their most valued form of career development is training that their employer offers. However, less than half of employees (47%) strongly agree they have the skills they need to be exceptional at their current job. And with only 2% of CHROs strongly agreeing their upskilling efforts are developing the skills their employees need for the future, workers are hungry for proactive leadership and training. If they dont get it, they might look for another employer who can offer the development they need. What should leaders do? Whether leaders want to attract new talent or retain existing stars, human development is now critical to the AI revolution. By focusing on building employees capabilities, organizations can ensure stability during the AI transition. An emphasis on development can also enhance productivity and engagement. Prepare workers for the change by providing training and resources to learn AI tools -- and allow employees to reskill and upskill into new roles if necessary. No one can predict exactly how the AI revolution will unfold, and conversations about the future can feel difficult when managers dont know what to expect. But investing in employee development is a great place to start. It can help organizations cope with the changes AI will inevitably bring, and because employees value their organizations efforts to help them develop, they will remain loyal and motivated. ###Embeddable### ###Embeddable### Pokemon Go's February Rewards: Here's How to Redeem Yours Whether you're an ardent Pokemon GO player or just dipping your toes into the augmented reality (AR) world, February brings a fresh batch of Prime Gaming rewards for trainers worldwide. Read Also: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League: Your Guide to Main Story, Completionist Goals Changes in Prime Gaming Update Schedule Pokemon GO has revised its Prime Gaming update schedule. Previously, players could anticipate two codes every month, but the current system now offers a single drop per month. This adjustment streamlines the process for players and sets the stage for a more straightforward redemption experience. February 2024 Prime Gaming Rewards This month's Prime Gaming rewards, available until February 9, include: x1 Incense x1 Lucky Egg How to Redeem Prime Gaming Codes in Pokemon GO It's crucial to act promptly to ensure you secure these benefits. Here's how you can redeem your Prime Gaming rewards hassle-free: Ensure an active Amazon Prime subscription. Visit Niantic's official rewards website. Sign in with your Google, Facebook, or Niantic Kids login. Navigate to the Pokemon GO section on the Prime Gaming website. Sign in to your Amazon account. Choose the active bundle. Copy the unique code and paste it into Niantic's rewards website. Sign in to Pokemon GO and tap "OK" on the pop-up screen to claim your rewards. Note for iOS users: If you usually sign in with an Apple or Pokemon Trainer Club login, you'll need to link a Google, Facebook, or Niantic Kids account to redeem your Prime Gaming rewards. Alternatively for Android users: Go to the Pokemon GO section on Prime Gaming's website. Sign in to your Amazon account. Choose the active bundle. Open Pokemon GO, tap the Shop icon in the middle of the Poke Ball menu. Scroll to the bottom of the shop and enter your unique code under "Promos." Tap "Redeem" to claim your free rewards. Regardless of the method, ensure you redeem your code within "five business days" after the rewards refresh to enjoy your Pokemon GO Prime Gaming benefits. Troubleshooting Tips: If you encounter any issues claiming your rewards, verify that your Amazon account has an active Prime subscription, and your default payment option is up to date. Following these steps will ensure a smooth process, allowing you to enhance your Pokemon GO experience with exciting in-game items. Related Article: Palworld: A Guide to Scoring the Rare Huge Dragon Egg, Elite Pals Our Savior Lutheran Church in Odell is in the final stages of a new building. The anniversary of the congregation is May 13, 1927, and the hope to celebrate it in the new building in 2024. Pastor Greg Stuckwisch said the congregation decided about three years ago to build a new church. We wanted to handicap accessibility, better bathrooms and it was more feasible to build new than to update the old building, he said. The sanctuary will be shorter, but twice as wide, Secretary Kristine Riggert said the fellowship area and the restrooms are in the basement of the current building. Structurally the building was not sound enough to add a new parish hall, she said. Joyce Kostal said there would be several other benefits of the new building. The fellowship area will be larger, she said. There will be more storage and a larger office. Technology will be improved also. Riggert said she is excited for the space near the front of the church where they can prepare communion. The pews and alter from the old church building will be moved to the new construction. Some of the work has been contracted out, but there have been several volunteers from the church helping with the work. Stuckwisch said they were both sad and happy. We are both sad to leave the old building with so many memories, he said. But we are excited for the new space. The 6,500 square foot building is expected to have a cost of approximately $1 million. The new church building is the first phase of the plan for the congregation. Although there are no specific dates planned, they hope to build a parish hall where the current building is located. Approximately 320 members attend the Odell church. Stuckwisch said there was a good group of members from each generation. We actually have a good group of people from each generation, he said. We have great-grandparents worshiping with their great-grandchildren and carrying for different generations. We also continue to grow in memberships. Kostal said there are people in the community that still need a church. We have limited space, and it is kind of daunting walking into a church, she said. The Missouri Synod Church partners with three other churches in the area. also serves Zion Lutheran near Harbine, St. Peters in Wymore, and First Lutheran in Summerfield, Kansas. Stuckwisch said they support each other. We all support each other and rejoice in what the other churches are doing, he said. Our congregations are more about what we do with the people and not the building. We have gone to each of the different congregations to worship, have fellowship and meals. The six stained glass windows are expected to be placed in the sanctuary in the next week. Photos of the progress can be seen on the Our Savior Lutheran Odell Facebook page. Feature: China-funded bakery, pastry training program sweetens lives in Myanmar Xinhua) 13:46, February 02, 2024 YANGON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- In the heart of Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon, a sweet transformation is unfolding, one dough at a time. Students of bakery and pastry courses, wearing crisp white chef's jackets and black trousers along with red caps and aprons, are eagerly delving into the learning process at their classroom kitchens in downtown Yangon. The two-year bakery and pastry training program, funded by China through the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Fund 2022, included 10 basic bakery and pastry courses and five Training of Trainers (ToT) courses in total. Each course included 20 students. The trainings, organized by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism's Center for Tourism Development, have opened up opportunities for Myanmar residents, the students said. Kay Su Zar Han, a young woman with a dream of becoming a bakery and pastry expert, shared her goal as she embarked on the ToT bakery and pastry course after having completed the basic bakery and pastry program. "I'm determined to carve a career path in bakery and pastry," Kay Su Zar Han told Xinhua. Reflecting on her journey, she said the impact of the program was transformative. "The (baking and pastry-making) methods I previously employed at home were incorrect. However, this program gave me the necessary skills and opportunities to pursue my passion," she said. "It has also given invaluable lessons in grooming and hygiene," she said. "Bakery and pastry courses elsewhere are mostly expensive. Before this program, I relied on YouTube tutorials for guidance." Among the students enrolled in the basic bakery and pastry course is 22-year-old Hein Htike Zaw who loves baking and pastry-making. "My passion for pastry brought me here," he revealed, adding that "I particularly enjoy creating puffs and cakes." "By attending the training, I have made many new friends and enjoyed many employment opportunities," he told Xinhua, expressing his gratitude towards China for the support. Another participant from batch six of the basic bakery and pastry course, 35-year-old Hay Mar La Wun told Xinhua, "Cuisine is my passion. Through this program, I've gained insights into the details of flavor, texture, and taste." "Moreover, it has equipped me with valuable knowledge of the hospitality and tourism sectors," she added, expressing gratitude towards China for its contribution to Myanmar's development. Daw Chaw Su Khine, an instructor overseeing both basic bakery and pastry courses and ToT courses, said the courses have included both theoretical knowledge and practical training. "LMC projects are advantageous, particularly for the people with limited educational opportunities and job prospects," she explained. The ministry has opened six basic bakery and pastry courses and one ToT course under the LMC-funded bakery and pastry training project which started in July 2023. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) ArtWalk Downtown Billings hosts its first of six events for the 2024 season. The 2024 ArtWalk season marks the 30th anniversary of the organization in its current iteration. In 1989 a group of artists and gallery owners came together to host a new gallery stroll throughout downtown Billings. The first art walk featured six galleries open late to allow for the community to view the works of local artists. In 1994 the group was formalized and officially named ArtWalk Downtown Billings. Over the years ArtWalk has grown to be the largest gallery stroll events in the region and has welcomed artists from around the country. The 2024 season celebrates a milestone season and kicks off with 29 different stops. ArtWalk locations across downtown will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. to host exhibits and feature artists from Billings and our region. A mobile-friendly map and more information about the February 2nd event, including images and gallery notes, can be found at artwalkbillings.com and on Facebook and Instagram @billingsartwalk. All ArtWalk events are free. Many locations host music and offer light refreshments. Often, artists attend and present gallery talks. There are a variety of parking options in the downtown area, including free on- street metered parking after 5 p.m. Gallery note and locations A&E Design, 124 N. 29th St. will be closed for the February ArtWalk. Anderson Art Studio, 2706 Minnesota Ave., will be featuring works by Keith Feely. With a wide array of works, we will feature Feely's humorous works, sculptures and plein air paintings. Gallery owner Laura Anderson will be having a "Big Sale": including two murals and large paintings. Aspinwall, 103 North Broadway, is back for the 2024 season. Aspinwall hosts Trevan Hiersche, Sean McCotter and Jessica Brophy during the February ArtWalk. Brophy does art differently. She makes custom art, which means she works one-on-one with each of her clients to create a painting or drawing around their style and what they love. Her pet portraits are wildly popular! Enjoy free beer and local art. Asylum Distillery, 2223 Montana Ave. #101, will be featuring artist Annie Kennedy for the February ArtWalk. Art has always been an important part of Kennedy's life. The vulnerable act of creating is a visual depiction of a time and place specific to her experiences. Most, if not all the paintings exhibited have two to sixty-paintings underneath what you see. A death of one to birth anew. Barjons Books, 223 North 29th Street, will be featuring artist Melissa Smith. She explores archetypal themes, in particular the growth and potential for what comes after disaster. The Barjons reception also hosts a psychic fair including intuitive readers, as well as a menagerie of handcrafted gifts. Billings First Congregational Church (BFC), 310 N. 27th St., hosts Brocade Stops Black Eagle for the February ArtWalk. Stops Black Eagle resides on the Crow Reservation where she worked as a registered nurse. At a young age she was taught beading and she has been honing these skills for over 30 years. her beadwork is inspired by old Crow geometric designs and color palette. Billings Symphony Society, 2820 2nd Ave. N., will be closed for the February ArtWalk. Bishops Cuts/Color, 108 N. Broadway, is back as a season member for the 2024 season. Ceilon Aspensen Fine Art, 113 N. Broadway #406, will be showing new paintings, new framed archival prints, and new art notecards for the upcoming gift-giving season. She will also be featuring a full array of painting classes in the coming months be one of the first 10 to sign up and receive a bonus! Join for refreshments, festive beverages, and artful fun. Century 21, 2715 1st Ave. N., welcomes local photographer Seth Royal Kroft who will be featuring a bold display of landscape and wildlife images captured from the Montana/Wyoming region. Images will include a variety of sizes and mediums including acrylic, metal, canvas, and paper. Kroft will be offering his 2024 photo calendars in support of local non-profit CLDI as well as a free print giveaway. Confetti Heart Studio, 2821 2nd Ave. N., welcomes you to "Hello, I Love You". Immerse yourself as colors dance, vibes flow, and art speaks a language only the heart can decipher. Explore diverse creativity at our upcoming group show, where local artists unveil unique styles, promising an engaging experience. Cushing Terrell, 13 N. 23rd St. Cushing Terrell (formerly CTA Architects Engineers) 13 N 23rd Street, is hosting Jim Baken, local artist, and professor emeritus of Rocky Mountain College for the February ArtWalk. Jims Dolittlism is conceptual in nature and can be found in the woods where science and art come together. Mona Lisa Fascinates is one of several of Baken's interspecies collaborations on display. He will share both print and large canvas works throughout the main floor of the Cushing Terrell office building, constructed in 1919 as a warehouse for the Marshall-Wells Company. Light refreshments will be served. Jim Baken Artist Statement: "As a kid growing up in Red Lodge, Montana next door to the See Em Alive Zoo, I developed a serious affection for animals. Several times my brothers and I had to be told stay out of the elk pen. An outdoor exhibition in the mid 90s resulted in a shy deer approaching to view the show. I was THUNDERSTRUCK, seeing her observe art as if her life depended on it! She set the bar high. Ive been showing art to animals in remote locations mainly out of curiosity. What do they see? Human figures? Faces? Eyes? Or flat surfaces covered with colors? It is well known that St. Francis, out of love and respect, preached to the birds in the 1200s. German Expressionists, Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky, painted and thought highly of animals and the German artist Joseph Beuys recognized animals superiority. All of these influences inspire me as I move forward with this experimental endeavor I call Dolittlism." Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA), 116 N. 29th St. Artist and art educator Lacie Tucker will be exhibiting at Downtown Billings Alliance. Tucker will be showcasing her bold lined and expressively chromatic series inspired by plants, flowers, and still lifes. Affordable art for sale and light refreshments provided. Electric Storm Gallery, 405 N. 24th St., is celebrating one year anniversary featuring artists Taylor Evans, Marcello Cotten, Terri Porta, Karyn Mehus, Jane Waggoner Deschner, Jon Lodge, Emily Somoskey, Carolyn Martin Kennedy, Kiyomi Eto, Phil Bell, Jon McElyea and Chaucer Silverson, with music by Locha and treats by Sweetwater Cafe. Global Village, 2815 2nd Ave. N., is featuring Tyrel Johnson and Christine Kimball during the February ArtWalk. The youngest of 16, Johnson grew up watching his father and siblings sculpt and working on castings at his fathers foundry. His destiny as a maker now plays out in bronze, stone, and wood in his studio in Billings. Whether hes sculpting a life-size lynx or a miniscule kingfisher, a sense of story informs his precise and poetic designs. "Undivided Love" portrays a horse nuzzling a girl; "Gratitude," a buffalo humbly accepting the thankfulness of a Native American woman draped in his robe; "Continuance of Action," a Shire horse making slow incremental progress pulling his load. I want my work to reach the viewer in a meaningful way, to fulfill a positive purpose in their home, Johnson said. Johnson has united his passion for sculpture and his love of woodworking to create artwork that is rich with design. His contemporary use of wood paired with a traditional approach to sculpture have limitless potential. It is his love for people that give his works their heart. Christine Kimball artist statement: "I am Christine Kimball; an oil painter sprung from a childhood with a painter mother and my past exploring far flung volcanoes and landscapes as a geologist. My travels led me to a love of simplicity and a deep appreciation for value, tone, and light. My paintings highlight this. Grassy plains, grazing herds, unexpected findings, and the doorways that lead to places only the viewer can imagine, are some of my subjects. I have built my home and my family in rural Montana, a gorgeous place informing much of my work. My paintings are grounded in both realism and whimsy and allow me the freedom to explore from within and to share my vision of the world." Harry Koyama Fine Art, 2509 Montana Ave., is dedicated to showing the work of Montana native Harry Koyama. On display will be recent paintings and newer giclee prints. For information: (406) 259-2261 email harrykoyamafineart@gmail.com. Hedden-Empire Gallery, 206 N. 29th St., is back for the 2024 season. Kirks Grocery, 2920 Minnesota Ave., hosts Jane Waggoner Deschner and Maggy Rozycki Hiltner for the February ArtWalk. Deschners new work utilizes archival prints of scanned photos to make multiple interpretations of an image. Hiltner will be showing large-scale photographs on wood of transitory wig and fur assemblages, plus a cabinet of curiosities of stitched and assembled works. McCormick Cafe, 2419 Montana Ave., is back for the 2024 season. Proof Donuts, 2715 1st Ave. N. Ste. A, is joining the 2024 season and featuring local artist Mark Ager. Sandstone Gallery, 2913 2nd Ave. N., welcomes its newest partner member and featured artist John Roberts with his wonderful acrylic landscapes. Special guest is watercolor artist, Susan Nelson. Many of the 14 member artists will be on hand to talk about their work. Refreshments from 5-9 p.m. Stephen Haraden Studio and Gallery, 2911 2nd Ave. N., Ste. 235. features the works for owner/artist Stephen Haraden. Cardboard collages, paintings of barns, nudes, and Squaralisms as well as non-objective pieces all need to find new homes. The Grand Building (Jake's Downtown), 2701 1st Ave. N., is joining ArtWalk for the 2024 season and will be featuring muralist Rilie Zumbrennen. She is a pyrography and mural artist, wife, and mother living in Billings. Born and raised in Montana, Zumbrennen is influenced by the beauty of the outdoors. She enjoys painting and burning animals and landscapes most. She uses a soldering tool to burn onto wood, as well as into western hats and fedoras. Her murals can be found across the state of Montana and in Nevada. They commonly use natural tones to reflect the nature around us, and to resemble her wood burnings. As an artist, she is interested in creating works that allow viewers to relate to the same extent as her involvement in each piece. Thirsty Street Brewing Co., is joining as a new season member for the 2024 season and featuring Ruby Hahn, Resin8us by Chelsea Pirtz, Veronica Candle Co., Grown Cozy, and Mill Iron Creations. Hahn will be performing a live painting alongside jazzy tunes performed by Mordecai's Fever Dream (around 7 p.m.). She will also show numerous pieces of her vibrant abstract and wildlife inspired paintings. Resin8us by Chelsea Pirtz, is showing intricate decorative cow skulls, plus handmade sun catchers and funky shiny resin jewelry that will make you shine. Sign up for a Massage oil candle making class! The Veronica Candle Co. massage oil candle is a blend of shea butter and soy wax that is safe and nourishing for your skin. Use it on yourself, or your partner for massage. All ingredients are natural and safe for your body. Choose from a variation of scents and fill your own cement vessel massage oil candle. Grown Cozy features chunky knit blankets, pillows and more. Mill Iron Creations is master craftsman Mitch Hayes designing unique items from reclaimed woods. This House of Books, 116 N. 29th St., will be hosting a dual-artist show, featuring Deb Goffenas bird feeders and mosaics utilizing found objects and Hank Fullers paintings, archival prints, and art magnets. Tyler Murphy Studio, 111 N. 30th Ste. 217, is back for the 2024 season and opening the studio and gallery doors. Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM), 410 N. 27th St., join the YAM during ArtWalk to kick off the festivities for the 60th Anniversary Art Auction! Celebrate the artists in this year's exhibition with live music from the Jessica Fiveland Quartet, dancing, Quick Finish Artists, food and drink, and more! The Art Auction Opening Artist Party coincides with First Friday and ArtWalk in downtown Billings, and will be free and open to the public. Saturday Night Partly cloudy in the evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers after midnight. Low 43F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. The city of Grand Junction is discussing banning the use of tents in city parks unless tent-users get a permit. The proposed rule change was presented to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Wednesday as part of a slate of rule updates. Parks and Recreation Director Ken Sherbenou said the matter will eventually be taken up by City Council. According to a presentation shared with the board Wednesday, the proposed rule would read, No assembly, structure or enclosure is to be constructed, erected, installed, attached or staked in any park facility without a permit. Sherbenou said that language is taken from the city of Denvers policy on tents in parks. He said enclosed tents are not consistent with other, more appropriate, park uses. Sherbenou declined to answer follow-up questions from The Daily Sentinel after the meeting, saying after discussions with Communications and Engagement Director Sara Spaulding, he had decided to wait to comment until the matter came before City Council, as discussing the matter with the media before that would be out of sequence. I would be much more comfortable doing an interview after we have discussions with council, Sherbenou said. Reporting on the public meeting in which the proposed rule changes were discussed is fair game, however, Sherbenou said. Sherbenou did not return a call asking if the city was concerned the rule would disproportionately affect unsheltered or otherwise vulnerable people. Asked if he was worried about the rule possibly affecting unsheltered or otherwise vulnerable people who sometimes gather in city parks, Council Member Abe Herman, who is the councils representative on the board and attended the meeting, said it was too early in the revising process for him to comment. I think its too early to have a comment at this point, Herman said. Its still in draft stages. Herman did comment during the meeting, saying theres not a use in which someone needs an enclosed tent. It creates opportunities for not good things to happen out of public view. An update on Whitman Park, which the city closed in September and was a common gathering place for unsheltered people, who would often set up tents there, was postponed to the boards next meeting. Sherbenou did give an update on Emerson Park, where some of Whitman Parks congregants have moved, and is scheduled to close to the public Feb. 26 to begin construction of a skate and wheeled park. The board is slated to discuss an updated revision of the rules in the coming weeks. Glenn Fournier evangelical pastor, former longtime Montana Rescue Mission leader, and auto repair shop owner has been charged with felony theft of a 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380 that was at his business for repairs. After Andre Linwood noticed his car had disappeared from Fourniers Metric Wrench lot, the car was found crushed beyond repair at Blue Sky Steel salvage yard with Fournier listed as the person who sold it to the yard. The car had been at Fourniers business in downtown Billings since around December 2022 because the business couldnt find a part for it, according to a statement from Linwood to police in charging documents. Linwood had given Fournier $2,000 upfront, to pay for parts. Around April, he called Fournier, who told him he still had $800 of that sum. Linwood reported the vehicle missing on Dec. 11, 2023, after driving by Fourniers shop a week earlier and noticing that his car was no longer at the business. Linwood said that Fournier told him that he had moved the car onto the street because the lot was full. He said Fournier told him he didn't know what happened after that and suggested that it could have been towed by the city, though there was no record of this having happened. In a statement to police, Fournier said that Linwood had built up over $5,000 in storage fees. He said that he had been trying to contact Linwood to tell him that he was going to have to move the vehicle, but that he could not get in contact with him. Linwood has obtained phone records from the past year, which he says prove that he had been in contact with Fournier. Fournier told police he considered the vehicle abandoned and that he parked it legally near the intersection of North Fourth Street and Sixth Avenue North. He said again that he did not know what happened next and once again suggested it could have been towed by the city. Linwood didn't buy the story and took a day off work to go to salvage yards around Billings. On Dec. 28, 2023, Linwood reported to the police that he found his vehicle with a matching VIN at Big Sky Steel, crushed beyond repair. A payment receipt obtained from Big Sky Steel, dated Dec. 6 listed the seller of the car as Metric Wrench/Glenn Fournier. Documents related to the sale included the businesss address and phone number, as well as a copy of Fourniers drivers license, which he provided when he sold the car to the business. Fournier received $175 for the vehicle, according to the receipt. Fournier is set to appear in court Feb. 13. If convicted, he could be fined up to $50,000 or be imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both. Linwood also intends to seek damages in civil court. Fournier recently moved his business to the Heights after being downtown for 50 years. He said he was forced out by crime in the area around the sixth Avenue North and 25th street business. He said his business had been frequently vandalized and he had been assaulted by people coming into the garage. Toward the end of his stay downtown he said he had started wearing a gun and a bulletproof vest. The Glasgow Elks Lodge was a happening place this past weekend as they hosted the Montana State Elks association's 2024 Mid-Winter Convention, bringing over 130 Elks members and guests from all over the state, and even some from Idaho and Oregon.... Jesse James Mullen, Democratic candidate for Montana Secretary of State, campaigned in Glasgow Jan. 24. He was joined by Lane Fourstar, Democratic candidate for State House District 31. The two met with a small group of voters and discussed issues... Houthi Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile and Iranian UAVs Shot Down in Gulf of Aden U.S. Central Command Jan. 31, 2024 USCENTCOM Jan. 31, 2024 Release Number 20240131 - 02 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. -- On Jan. 31, at approximately 8:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by the USS Carney (DDG 64). At 9:10 p.m., the USS Carney engaged and shot down three Iranian UAVs in its vicinity. There were no injuries or damage reported. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CENTCOM Self-Defense Strike Against Houthi UAVs and Ground Control Station U.S. Central Command Jan. 31, 2024 USCENTCOM Jan. 31, 2024 Release Number 20240131 - 03 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. - On Feb. 1 at approximately 1:30 a.m., (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs. U.S. forces identified the UAV ground control station and one-way attack UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region. U.S. Forces subsequently struck and destroyed the UAV ground control station and 10 one-way attack UAVs in self-defense. This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Ethiopia, UNHCR's Grandi urges more support for people fleeing Sudan UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 31 January 2024 Addis Ababa -- With nearly 8 million people displaced by the brutal conflict in Sudan, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called for urgent and additional support to meet their needs. Concluding a three-day visit to Ethiopia this week, Grandi observed first-hand the efforts of the Government of Ethiopia, supported by UNHCR and partners, to assist Sudanese refugees who have recently arrived in the country. Grandi travelled to Assosa, in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, where he met some of the over 20,000 refugees and asylum-seekers currently hosted at the Kurmuk transit centre. Since April 2023, over 100,000 people have crossed into Ethiopia from Sudan, including close to 47,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. These come in addition to some 50,000 Sudanese refugees already in the country. "I heard stories of heartbreaking loss of family, friends, homes and livelihoods, yet in the midst of this despair, I also saw refugees' determination to move forward, if given the support and opportunity," said Grandi. Grandi expressed appreciation for the Government as well as local communities for allocating land and welcoming those forced to flee despite their own challenges, including hosting a large refugee population. "Ethiopia's continued generosity to the displaced, including those who have recently arrived from Sudan, is commendable and should be matched with even greater support from the international community. Without further donor support, it will be extremely difficult to deliver much-needed help to those who need it most," Grandi added. Ethiopia is one of six neighbouring countries that continue to receive thousands of people fleeing Sudan. Last week, the number of new arrivals to Chad topped 500,000 since last April and, in South Sudan, on average 1,500 people cross daily into the country. UNHCR is supporting the Ethiopian Government, including the Refugees and Returnees Service, regional and local authorities, to provide protection and life-saving services to the new arrivals. Newly arrived Sudanese refugees are being relocated away from the border areas to new settlements. The Government, UNHCR and other partners are working towards developing settlements that support the inclusion of refugees into national systems. Services such as education, health, and access to clean water will be reinforced and benefit both host and refugee communities. The High Commissioner highlighted several other regions in Ethiopia where protection and humanitarian needs are also on the rise, such as the Somali region, which has experienced a continued influx of refugees from Laascaanood, Somalia, as well as the effects of El Nino and recent floods. He also highlighted the impact of dwindling resources on the humanitarian response, particularly in health and education. Ethiopia hosts one of the largest refugee and internally displaced populations globally. As the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, it is currently home to nearly 1 million refugees - mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan - while an estimated 3.5 million Ethiopians are internally displaced. At the end of last year, UNHCR's programmes in Ethiopia were significantly less than half-funded (36 per cent of the $431 million needed). In 2024, the overall requirements for UNHCR's response in Ethiopia totals some $426 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Special European Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell upon arrival European External Action Service (EEAS) 01.02.2024 Brussels EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Good morning, It seems that today we are going to focus - the leaders will focus - on the Ukrainian issue. And I want to stress that the war of Russia against Ukraine is the biggest threat to the European security. It has been almost two years that Russia launched this unjustified war against Ukraine, willing to destroy the country and to split the country into pieces. And they continue doing so. We can and we should do more to support Ukraine. Because I repeat: it is the biggest threat to the European security, and if we do not do it, we will pay a higher price. That is why, I will debrief the leaders about the situation on the ground and [on] my proposals to increase the military support to Ukraine, with this Ukraine Assistance Fund inside the European Peace Facility. I will urge them to reach an agreement as soon as possible because there is no more time. We have - in the next months - to increase our military support to Ukraine, as we have been doing increasing the number of ammunitions, but it is still not enough. More has to be done. I do not think we have the sense of urgency when we deal with that. So, this is going to be an intense discussion. And I hope that I will have a mandate to continue presenting the leaders with the required decisions to face this war, supporting Ukraine as much as it takes, as long as it takes, but supporting them in the urgency. Certainly, we will talk about the situation in the Middle East and the dire situation in Gaza. And I will stress how important it is to continue supporting UNRWA. The investigation has to be done, but we cannot make a collective punishment to the Palestinian people. UNRWA is something that cannot stop working, otherwise hundreds of thousands of people will be perishing. Q&A Is it what the countries that are cutting funding to UNRWA are doing, collective punishment to people in Gaza? If you cut the funding to UNRWA, you are punishing the whole Palestinian people. There is no alternative to UNRWA, as the United Nations has clearly said, if you want to keep these people alive. So, no collective punishment to the Palestinian people. No cutting [of funding] to UNRWA. Up to 10% of the people working for UNRWA allegedly worked with Hamas, that cannot be ignored. Look, an investigation is underway, but there are hundreds of thousands of people being supported by UNRWA. You cannot keep the funding to keep these people alive. An investigation has to be done, but one thing is one thing, and another thing is another thing. So, the European Union continues the funding of UNRWA? The European Union, the [European] Commission, has not decided to stop the funding to UNRWA. Will you also urge the Member States to continue supporting UNRWA? I think that at the moment, the support to UNRWA needs to continue. I am fully supporting the position of the Secretary-General of the United Nations [Antonio Guterres]. You were also asked by EU Leaders to prepare a list of countries as regards to deliveries to Ukraine. Is there a lot of bad news? We have to continue working together to support Ukraine. We have the European Peace Facility. There is a proposal on the table, in order to create this Assistance Fund to Ukraine. All Member States have been participating until now. Now, there are some Member States - Hungary, for example - who say they do not want to participate anymore, but they will not obstruct. One thing is not to participate, another thing is to oppose. For the time being, no one is opposing. There have been a lot of commitments, but not so many deliveries. I explained all the deliveries yesterday. Take my figures from my press conference yesterday. A question on Hungary, please. I already said the position on Hungary. You support the position of the 27 [Member States] but if you won't reach this agreement, should there be consequences? I already explained, one thing is not to participate, another thing is to obstruct. Hungary is not obstructing. Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-252418 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kosovo: Statement by the Spokesperson on the Central Bank regulation European External Action Service (EEAS) 01.02.2024 EEAS Press Team The European Union takes note of the regulation by the Central Bank of Kosovo, which is set to enter into force today. The regulation aims to enhance the transparency of financial flows, to ensure financial stability and to combat money laundering and counterfeiting. The EU notes that the regulation will also affect the financial support that Kosovo Serbs receive from Serbia. The EU is concerned about the consequences that this decision might have on the daily lives of Kosovo Serbs and other communities throughout Kosovo due to absence of prior consultation, in particular on its impact on schools and hospitals, given the apparent absence of alternatives at this moment. The short transition period for the regulation's implementation, combined with a lack of information and practical solutions for all affected communities, risk seriously complicating their lives. The EU urges Kosovo to ensure a sufficiently long transition period and to find a negotiated solution to this issue in the framework of the EU-facilitated Dialogue. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry's Secretary General Vseviov to Turkish deputy foreign minister: We cannot give Russia even the smallest chance to drive a wedge between Allies Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 01.02.2024 Yesterday 31 January, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkiye Burak Akcapar to discuss Russia's continued aggression in Ukraine, security in Europe and preparations for NATO's July summit in Washington. The talks covered ways of providing continued comprehensive assistance to Ukraine and preparations for NATO's July summit in Washington. "We are facing several global crises, and close relations between Allies are very important for understanding each other better and ensuring that our activities are coordinated," Vseviov said. "Russia is using our every weakness and ambiguity to sow discord among Allies. I am happy to note - also after today's extremely thorough discussions - that Estonia and Turkiye are in agreement on unreserved support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, as well as on the fundamental impact Russia's aggression has on our shared security." At the meeting, Vseviov said that Estonia highly appreciated both bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Turkiye. "The fact that last week we celebrated the centenary of our diplomatic relations is a testament to the enduring relations between Estonia and Turkiye," he said, adding that yesterday's meeting explored possibilities for even closer cooperation. They also spoke about developments in the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the cooperation of Estonia and Turkiye in international organisations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The homicide of Casper native Teree Becker has been solved after more than 48 years, the Westminster Colorado Police Department announced Wednesday. Years of effort and genetic genealogy are credited for identifying Thomas Elliott as Beckers killer. Becker grew up in Casper with her parents, a brother and a sister. She was a graduate of Kelly Walsh High School and worked for a newspaper for a time. She moved to Denver shortly after graduating. Her family said that she often lived life on the edge. They said she never met a stranger and would hold a conversation with anyone. Teree enjoyed painting, and listening to music. Her favorite bands were Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf, the statement read. Becker was last seen alive on Dec. 4, 1975 when she was hitchhiking to Brighton, Colorado to see her boyfriend who was incarcerated at Adams County Jail. Her body was found two days later in a field near 100th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard in Westminster, Colorado. It appeared that Terees body had been dumped in the field, along with her clothing and personal items. During her autopsy it was determined Teree had been raped, and her cause of death was asphyxiation, the police department said in a Wednesday Facebook post. Elliott was in and out of prison. Shortly before he murdered Becker, he committed burglary in Lakewood, Colorado and served six years. He was shuffled through the prison system and was released in Las Vegas in 1981. After his release he proceeded to commit a crime against a child and received a ten (10) year sentence, the statement read. He was released in Las Vegas in 1991 and would go on to commit another murder before committing suicide on Oct. 30, 1991. Beckers case was reviewed multiple times over the years. In 2003 a DNA sample of an unknown male was pulled from a piece of evidence. A profile was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but there was no match. Elliott had been adopted by his mothers second husband, James Elliott, making genetic tracing difficult. It wasnt until 2013 when the Las Vegas Metro Police Department submitted an unknown male profile to CODIS that matched. In 1991, a woman was found raped and murdered in her apartment. The Las Vegas Police Department was also without a suspect. In 2018, the Westminster profile was deemed a good candidate for genetic genealogy, which identifies biological relationships between people. (Its the same method that companies like 23andMe use to find a persons relatives or ancestors.) Over the next five years, through the use of department research, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Parabon Nanolabs (a genetic DNA lab), and Solved By DNA (a local Denver genealogist company) a suspect was ultimately identified; Thomas Martin Elliott, the Westminster Police Department said. The Las Vegas Police Department received consent to exhume Elliotts body, which was interred at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Two members of the Westminster Police Department went to Las Vegas to witness the exhumation and collect remains for analysis. Elliott was positively identified as the killer in December 2023. We are thrilled we were able to solve this cold case and hopefully bring closure to the friends and family of Teree Becker, the Westminster Police Department said. Palestinians entitled to decide their future: Iran FM IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian says the Palestinian people are entitled to the right to decide their future as he insists that no party or country is allowed to impose its will or political projects on the Palestinian nation. Amirabdollahian made the remarks in a phone conversation on Thursday with Ismail Haniyeh, who serves as head of the politburo of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. The minister also said that an immediate end to the Israeli crimes in Gaza is the key to establishing peace and stability in the West Asia region. In the phone call, Haniyah briefed Ismail Haniyeh about the situation in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank where people have resisted nearly four months of Israeli aggression. He said that the resistance movements will only consider initiatives for a ceasefire in Gaza if those initiatives respect the interests of the Palestinian nation. 4261 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza death toll passes 27,000: Health Ministry IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip says the number of Palestinians killed by the Zionist regime since October 7 has risen to 27,019. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the total number of martyrs in Gaza since the beginning of the aggression on the territory have risen to 27,019 and the number of wounded to 66,139. The ministry further noted that the occupying Zionist regime committed 15 mass killings and other crimes in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, killing 118 people and injuring 190 others. The Israeli regime waged a bloody war against the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas carried out a retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity for its atrocities against Palestinians. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK strikes will not change Yemen's stance: Ansarullah IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement says US and UK strikes are futile and have no impact on Yemen's stance, rather they will only cause the country to enhance its military capabilities. Seyyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi made remarks about the latest developments in the region on Thursday. He noted that patients in Gaza are suffering as Israel targets hospitals in horrific criminal acts which only show the regime's moral and political bankruptcy. The world has remained silent and just watched as the people of Gaza suffer Israeli atrocities and are deprived of medicine and even oxygen capsules, he noted. The leader of the Ansarullah movement pointed out that the occupiers are killing children and women with American, British, and German missiles and ammunition in Gaza. He underlined that as the severe blockade of the Gaza Strip continues, some displaced Palestinians are dying of starvation. In addition to the killings, destruction, and displacement, the enemy targets the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), al-Houthi pointed out. It is clear to all that international bodies are largely under American influence, he said, noting that because of US intervention, the Zionist regime is excluded from almost all the decisions and resolutions by international bodies. The Leader of Ansarullah expressed hope for spreading awareness in Western, Arab, and Islamic societies about Palestine, adding that publishing a clear picture of the oppression of the Palestinian people and their suffering affects all freedom-seeking people. Referring to the US and UK aggression on Yemen, he highlighted that the US wanted to show strength by attacking Yemen, but along with the UK, they were defeated and could not even ensure the security of their own ships. Pointing to the recent rocket attacks by the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, he described the recent attack on Tel Aviv by al-Qassam Brigades as a very important achievement. As long as the Israeli aggression against Gaza continues, Yemen will continue its actions in support of the Palestinian people, he said. The Zionist regime waged the Gaza war on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, carried out a surprise operation into the occupied territories in retaliation for the regime's ceaseless atrocities against the Palestinian people over the past seven decades. With the Israeli war continuing unabated and amid a rising civilian death toll in Gaza, resistance movements and groups in the region, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Ansarullah, and Iraq's fighters launched strikes against US and Israeli interests in an effort to exert pressure on the regime to end its genocidal war. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Three Persian Gulf islands are inseparable part of Iran: Raisi IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Bandar Abbas, IRNA -- Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has described the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf as inseparable territory of the country. President Raisi made the remarks on a visit to the southern Hormozgan province on Thursday. He underlined that the definitive and historical documents have always confirmed Iran's sovereignty over the three islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs in the Persian Gulf. Referring to the constructive role of Iran in the region, President Raisi highlighted that Iran's position in the region has always been one of ensuring sustainable security. Thanking Iran's security forces for creating lasting peace in the region, he added that the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman ensures security, while the presence of foreigners threatens the regional peace. Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized that the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs are an integral part of the country. The strategically located islands are close to the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil chokepoint. The islands have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi Islamic Resistance conducts drone attack on Haifa IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Iraqi Islamic Resistance has targeted the port of Haifa in the occupied Palestinian territories with a drone. In a statement on Thursday, the Iraqi Islamic Resistance said that its forces targeted Haifa with a drone in response to the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in the Gaza Strip and the killing of Palestinian people, including women, children and the elderly. The statement emphasized that the attacks will continue until the war stops. The Zionist regime waged the Gaza war on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, carried out a surprise operation into the occupied territories in retaliation for the regime's ceaseless atrocities against the Palestinian people over the past seven decades. With the Israeli war continuing unabated and amid a rising civilian death in Gaza, resistance movements and groups in the region, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Ansarullah, and Iraq's fighters launched military operations against US and Israeli interests in an effort to exert pressure on the regime to end its genocidal war. 3266**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fresh US-UK strikes hit northern, western Yemen IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The US and the UK have conducted fresh airstrikes on northern and western Yemen, according to news reports. Yemen's official SABA news agency reported that two rounds of airstrikes hit areas in the northern Governorate of Sa'ada early on Thursday. Yemen's Al-Masirah news network also reported airstrikes in an area north of the country's key port city of al-Hudaydah on the Red Sea, west of Yemen. Yemeni media did not disclose the targets of the US-UK airstrikes, but Russia's Sputnik news agency, citing its own sources in Yemen, said that the strikes hit a military barracks in al-Hudaydah. And, US-based CBS News reported that American strikes targeted 10 drones in western Yemen, which were prepared to launch. There were no details on possible casualties or damage caused by the airstrikes. Washington and London launched their airstrikes on Yemen on January 11 in response to what they described as threats to international shipping posed by Yemen's attacks in the Red Sea. The Yemeni Armed Forces began their attacks in mid-November, and said they only targeted Israeli vessels or those bound for ports in the occupied Palestinian territories. The operations have been described as a response to the October 7-present war that the Israeli regime has been waging against Gaza following an operation carried out by Hamas Resistance Movement from the besieged territory against Israeli positions. Yemen has called the US-UK airstrikes an act of aggression and has carried out attacks against American vessels in response. The latest such attacks took place on Wednesday when the Yemeni armed forces said that they had targeted American merchant ship KOI in the Gulf of Aden hours after firing missiles at US Navy destroyer Gravely. On Thursday, Ali al-Qahum, a member of the political office of Yemen's Ansarullah Movement, said that the operation against KOI sent a clear message that Yemen is ready to fight with its enemies. Al-Qahum spoke of "obvious activities" by the US and UK, which show that they intend to escalate tensions in Yemen and prepare for military action using their mercenaries. He warned the two Western countries of a decisive response. The Ansarullah official described the operations by the Yemeni army as an act of preparedness to defend the sovereignty of the country. Meanwhile, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening that "American Commercial ship, KOI, was targeted with appropriate naval missiles while heading towards the occupied Palestinian ports." Despite the ongoing US-UK aggression, the Yemeni Armed Forces have reiterated their commitment to providing support to the Palestinian people in Gaza by preventing Israeli navigation or vessels heading to the occupied Palestinian ports in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea until the aggression stops. Around 27,000 Palestinians, some 70 percent of whom are women, children, and adolescents, have been killed in the brutal onslaught so far. 3266**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Lockheed Martin Facility in Troy, Alabama NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 31 Jan. 2024 Last updated: 01 Feb. 2024 (As delivered) It is important for me to tell you that what you produce here, what you do here every day, is making NATO stronger and all of us safer and more secure. That has always been the case, but it's even more so now with a full-fledged war going on in Europe, a war of aggression launched by President Putin and Russia. And where weapons produced by Lockheed Martin, by you, has made a huge difference on the battlefield. I just saw how Javelins are produced. And that was important for me. But it is important that you fully realise how important those missiles were, especially at the beginning of the war, because when the invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022. Most experts feared and believed that Russia would take control over Kyiv the capital of Ukraine and the rest of Ukraine within days or weeks. That didn't happen. The Ukrainians were able to push back the Russian invaders, not least because they had the Javelins and they played a critical role in those opening weeks of the war. Weapons, HIMARS, interceptors, Javelins and other weapons systems produced by you here and also at other sites in the Lockheed Martin company, continues to make a huge difference. And maybe you sometimes believe it is far from here, Pike County to the forests in Ukraine. But it's a very close link, what you do here makes a difference there every day. So I'm here to thank you for that and to express the gratitude on behalf of NATO, on behalf of all Allies, and also the brave men and women in uniform in Ukraine. The name "Lockheed Martin" is synonymous with innovation and technical brilliance. For decades, you have helped American and NATO forces maintain their technological edge. Vital for our freedom and our security. So I come here with a simple message. On behalf of the one billion people across NATO Allied countries in Europe and North America. Thank you for everything you do. Will live in dangerous times. China is the most serious long-term challenge. It is modernising its military without limits. Trading unfairly. Bullying its neighbours - not least Taiwan. And seeking to dominate the South China Sea. But China is not the only challenge. Russia is the most immediate one. It has invaded Ukraine, a free, sovereign nation. Causing immense death and destruction. We need to remain decisive and strong in our support to Ukraine as it defends itself and our values. The Ukrainian people want the same as you. To care for their families. Earn a decent living. And to live their lives in peace and freedom. So when Russian tanks rolled over the border, the people who came did what you would have done. They fought back. With courage and determination. And with your weapons. Not least with the Javelin anti-tank missiles made right here in Pike County. From your hands to theirs. The United States leads the way in supporting Ukraine. But the United States is far from alone. Combined, European Allies and Canada actually provide more in terms of military, financial and humanitarian aid than the U.S. And measured as a share of GDP, most Allies provide more than the United States. Over many years, the United States has criticised NATO Allies for not spending enough on defence. And rightly so. And I commend U.S. leadership on this important issue. But things have changed. All Allies have increased defence spending. Adding an additional 450 billion US dollars. NATO Allies have committed to spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence. And many are already exceeding that target. With more money for defence, we are boosting our defence industry. NATO creates a vast market for defence production and sales. Over the last two years alone, NATO Allies have agreed to buy 120 billion dollars' worth of weapons from U.S. defence industry. And that also includes also from you. Including thousands of missiles to the U.K, Finland and Lithuania, Hundreds of tanks to Poland and Romania, And hundreds of F-35 aircraft across many Allied nations. So from Arizona to Virginia, Florida to Washington State, And right here in Alabama, American jobs depend on American sales to defence markets across Europe and Canada. What you produce keeps people safe. And what Allies buy, helps keep American business strong. NATO unites 31 nations from Europe and North America. We stand together. And we are committed to defending each other. To standing up for our values and our democracy. And keeping our economies resilient and strong. So once again, it's great to be in Alabama. It's great to be here in Pike County, in Troy, and to thank you for what you do because you make a difference and we are extremely grateful. So thank you for having me here today. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary General in Florida: NATO makes the United States stronger and more secure NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 01 Feb. 2024 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg concluded his trip to the United States on Thursday (1 February 2024) with a visit to the headquarters of the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in Tampa, Florida. Addressing troops, Mr Stoltenberg underscored that in a changing world with serious challenges, NATO Allies stand united "around our core cause to protect and defend each other." The Secretary General commended the troops for their service, noting that Special Operations Forces "are vital to any military operation. And therefore, so important for the whole NATO Alliance." He also paid tribute to those who have fallen in the line of duty. Mr Stoltenberg highlighted that Allies' increased defence spending will not only result in boosting national capabilities, but will also facilitate more cooperation in NATO. Pointing to the increasingly global nature of security threats and challenges, the Secretary General stressed "NATO is responding because we need to do that together." He underlined that together, NATO Allies make up half the world's economic and military might, adding: "NATO is a good deal for all Allies... NATO is a good deal for the United States." The visit to SOCOM wraps up a week of engagements in the U.S. by Mr Stoltenberg. On Wednesday, at the Lockheed Martin facility in Troy, Alabama, the Secretary General emphasised NATO's crucial role in creating a vast market for defence sales and production. Earlier that day at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C, he outlined that NATO Allies must ensure robust deterrence, prepare for enduring competition with China, and invest more in defence to keep societies safe and free. On Tuesday, Mr Stoltenberg met with US Congressional leaders and highlighted that a strong NATO is in the strategic interest of the United States, and support for Ukraine remains decisive for Ukraine's survival and Europe's stability. "Through NATO, the U.S.has more friends and allies than any other power," he said. On Monday, the Secretary General had discussions with senior U.S. officials, and at a press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he stressed that "for a tiny fraction of annual defence spending, the United States has helped Ukraine destroy a major part of Russia's combat capacity, without placing a single American soldier in harm's way." He also met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to discuss continuing the strong support for Ukraine, as well as preparations for NATO's Summit in Washington this July. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO reaffirms its long-standing support for partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 01 Feb. 2024 NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana highlighted NATO's continued, strong support to its partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina, during a visit of the North Atlantic Council to Sarajevo (from 1-2 February 2024). "Bosnia and Herzegovina is a long-standing and close NATO partner," Deputy Secretary General Geoana said. "What happens in Bosnia and Herzegovina matters for the security in the Western Balkans and what happens in the Western Balkans matters for all of us in Europe. NATO strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina," he added. The Deputy Secretary General underscored NATO's steadfast commitment to support the country's ongoing "reform efforts, including through our defence capacity-building package to help strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina's capabilities, in areas like crisis management, cyber defence, and countering terrorism. These reforms make Bosnia and Herzegovina more resilient and secure, and offer a brighter future for all of the country's citizens, as you continue on your Euro-Atlantic path." He also praised Bosnia and Herzegovina for its contributions to Euro-Atlantic security and emphasised the deepening political dialogue between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as demonstrated by the visit of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last November. Deputy Secretary General Geoana pointed out: "It's your decision, how fast and where you want to go, but there is absolutely no other truth that all our nations that joined the Euro-Atlantic family in the last 25 years since NATO and EU have enlarged, are better off, are more prosperous, are more secure, are more self-confident, and give to our citizens better lives... We hope to continue our partnership with your very important nation all the way." During the two-day visit, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, NATO Ambassadors, and invitee Sweden are meeting members of the Presidency, the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers, the Foreign and Defence Ministers, and representatives of the Collegium of the Parliamentary Assembly. They will also met representatives of a think tank and students from universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they will visit the Rajlovac military base. They will conclude their visit with meetings with the Commander of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, the Commander of the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the High Representative, and the heads of the EU and OSCE missions to Bosnia and Herzegovina. NATO's Headquarters in Sarajevo helps to coordinate support to the EU-led Operation Althea, under the Berlin Plus arrangements, to help maintain a safe and secure environment for all communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthi attacks, U.S. airstrikes escalate Red Sea crisis, disrupt global shipping People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:09, February 01, 2024 SANAA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea have boiled for nearly three months, driven by Houthi attacks on commercial ships and U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets, disrupting shipping, forcing major container companies to change routes, raising costs and stressing European and African supply chains. Analysts have also warned that the current course could make the Red Sea a "battlefield for revenge and counter-revenge," with unexpected events to possibly trigger major escalations. CYCLE OF VIOLENCE Yemen's Houthi rebels fired several missiles at a U.S. destroyer in the Red Sea on Wednesday, intensifying the two-month crisis that has disrupted global shipping and raised fears of a wider conflict in the region. The Houthis said they targeted the U.S. destroyer USS Gravely in support of Palestinians in Gaza and in retaliation for the U.S.-led aggression against Yemen. They also declared all U.S. and British warships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea as "legitimate" targets, and vowed to block Israeli vessels from passing through the Red Sea until the Gaza siege is lifted. This was the latest in a series of more than 30 Houthi attacks on ships since late October when the rebels began their campaign to disrupt maritime trade and supply chains in the strategic waterway. Yaseen Tamimi, a Yemeni political writer and analyst, said the Houthis still have enough firepower to prolong the crisis as airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition have not significantly impacted the Houthi missile capabilities. GLOBAL SHIPPING DISRUPTION Following the outbreak of the crisis, container ships, the main users of the Suez Canal-Bab el Mandeb Strait route, have become the first casualty. Major shippers like Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM have switched to the longer Cape of Good Hope route, slashing daily transits by 39 percent and cargo tonnage by 45 percent through the Suez Canal since two months ago, UN Conference on Trade and Development data showed. Shipping costs per 20-foot equivalent unit from China to Europe have soared, affecting international trade and straining European and African supply chains. Meanwhile, Tesla, Volvo, Suzuki Motors and Michilin have reportedly halted production in Europe temporarily due to component shortages caused by the crisis. Adding to mounting concerns, Houthi attacks are no longer limited to container ships. As container traffic shifts around the Cape, bulk carriers and oil tankers are more often becoming targets. The recent strike on the British oil tanker "Marlin Luanda" underscores this new risk, which could hamper oil flows from the Gulf and Indian ports to Europe. The situation has also hit insurance coverage. Major insurers are said to exclude vessels linked to the United States and Britain from coverage when crossing the Red Sea, according to a report from Bloomberg. Moreover, underwriters are increasingly asking ships to steer clear of these countries, resulting in logistics and cost challenges. With companies rushing to import goods before Asian holidays, the Red Sea crisis could worsen existing supply chain problems, Clarkson Securities said in a recent report. REGIONAL UNCERTAINTIES As tensions build up in the Red Sea, a drone attack on a U.S. outpost near the Syria-Jordan border that killed three American soldiers and injured dozens more has further destabilized the already complex situation in the Middle East. The White House blamed Sunday's attack on Iranian-backed militias. Vowing to respond, the United States is reportedly preparing retaliatory strikes against Iran and its allies. Iran, in turn, has issued strong warnings, threatening a "decisive" response to any U.S. aggression. Tamimi warned that the current trajectory could turn the Red Sea into a "battleground for retaliation and counter-retaliation." Noting the limited effectiveness of U.S. and British airstrikes against Houthi sites in Yemen, he said they haven't deterred attacks on commercial shipping. He also criticized the U.S. stance in the Gaza conflict, which he believes has further complicated efforts to end the humanitarian crisis. In the Red Sea crisis, all parties have said they want to avoid a regional war but shift responsibility for managing the risks to each other, he said, adding that lack of communication and willingness to engage in diplomacy raises concerns about the potential for miscalculation and unintended consequences. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fall and winter of 2023 started off pretty good for deer, pheasants, farmers, hunters and ranchers. Just about everyone was smiling with the soft start compared to the hard finish of last winter. But when snow, rain and ice pelted much of central and eastern North Dakota as Christmas was giving way to the new year, it was a reminder of just how fragile and brutal life can be in North Dakota. One day its open-water walleye fishing. The next day its pheasants coated in ice. The tough part about resident wildlife populations is it can take years of habitat establishment and optimal weather to foster growth. The long-earned gains can be wiped out as quickly as a bad stretch on the stock market. So how do animals survive? Some have thick winter coats, and their metabolism slows down. Bears hibernate. Sharp-tailed grouse have feathers down to their toes and other feathers that protect their nostrils from driven snow. Rabbits have large, fur-covered feet that help them move rapidly over deep snow. Many bird species, of course, migrate south. A few mammals may migrate, as well. Pronghorn on occasion will move from North Dakota into South Dakota, Wyoming or Montana in search of food that is not covered by snow. Elk in other more mountainous states will move from high elevations to wintering grounds in valleys. The hard truth is species unable to acclimate or evolve with winters no longer occupy northern latitudes. Its just the way nature works. The smart and strong survived, and the others, well, they werent so fortunate. In some winters, however, its even a struggle for the smart and the strong. And thats where humans can help. No, Im not talking about providing winter food for wildlife, like putting out corn for pheasants or hay for deer. Whats much more effective over the long term is establishing habitat that will afford native wildlife some decent shelter during the lean months. If animals dont need to burn so much energy to stay warm, they dont need to find as much food. Besides creating or preserving habitat, people can help animals conserve energy by simply keeping their distance during winter. Many of us like to get out and enjoy what winter has to offer. We hike, ski, snowmobile, bird-watch and take photographs, often in or near wildlife habitat. The best thing we can do for any animals that might be around is to keep disturbance to a minimum. For motorized machines such as snowmobiles, staying on designated trails is important. Cutting through cattail marshes or undisturbed woods can frighten mammals and birds into the open. Not only do they needlessly have to burn energy, but they might be more accessible to predators. Even cross-country skiers and hikers can interrupt an animals daily fight for survival, but machines can move the seemingly chance encounter to another level. Most often, these encounters are by coincidence, and the skiers, snowmobilers or ATV drivers do their best to move on. In a very few instances, however, the reaction is just the opposite and the snowmobiler, for whatever reason, takes off and pursues an animal. This is illegal, whether the intent is to kill the animal or just to have some fun. Giving chase with a machine not only stresses the animal but also gives the activity a bad name. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages anyone witnessing such an action to report it as soon as possible to law enforcement or the Report All Poachers hotline at 701-328-9921. Fox, coyotes, deer, pheasants, rabbits and all other wildlife that endure our winters should get special consideration during this time of year. We like to be out in the woods or riding along rivers or snowshoeing across the prairie, and that can mean incidental meetings with wildlife. Thats a big part of the reason we go outside. The key is to enjoy the moment, and then move on. Please take a moment and consider the reality of what critters endure during winter and what you can do to help. Poland strengthens military cooperation with Denmark Poland - Ministry of National Defence 01.02.2024 We have signed a memorandum of understanding, to strengthen cooperation between our countries. This is a very important decision for us, as the previous agreement predates Poland's accession to NATO. (...) Our cooperation must be even stronger. And I can say with full responsibility that our alliance with Denmark has never been as strong as it is today. (...) We will align our activities in all domains that guarantee the security of our countries, but also guarantee the security of the countries of the free world, the countries of the European Union, the countries of NATO. We will do everything to make Poland, Denmark, Europe and the world safe - this is our most pressing task" - said Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz after concluding talks with Denmark's defense minister. On February 1, a bilateral meeting between Deputy Prime Minister W. Kosiniak-Kamysz and Troels Lund Poulsen, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Defense of Denmark, took place in Warsaw. Denmark is a member of the Multinational Northeast Corps in Szczecin. Nearly 400 NATO officers, non-commissioned officers and civilian employees serve in the corps. The Multinational Northeast Corps Command plays the role of the Regional Land Component Command in the NATO force structure and is responsible for the region encompassing the so-called eastern flank. The heads of the defense ministries discussed the ongoing military cooperation between the two countries and identified directions for its development in terms of joint exercises and training. They discussed the current security situation in the Baltic Sea basin. The "Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Poland in the field of security and defense" was signed. I was assured today by the Minister of support, of continuity, of cooperation in Szczecin. Thank you very much for that. The Baltic Sea, the protection of critical infrastructure, e.g. Baltic Pipe, the gas port, everything that is extremely important to us today, critical infrastructure, is the spot we need to take special care of. (...) We talked about common priorities. Security definitely has to be a shared priority. (...) The European defense industry must accelerate. It must put all its production forces into action and come out of its lethargy. Come out of a dormant state, a sedate state. As we are in a state of imminent danger. If the war is fought so close to us, this state of imminent danger exist. The entire arms industry in Europe must accelerate, must understand that there is a time of direct danger - said the head of the Ministry of Defense. In his statement, Deputy Prime Minister also gave his opinion on cooperation in the European Union format and support for the defending itself Ukraine. We share one and the same opinion - Europe must get involved, the European Union must get involved in helping Ukraine. One must not become accustomed to war. One must not forget that people are dying every day in Ukraine, that they are fighting there for peace, for freedom, for normality, for democracy, for Ukraine to be an independent state. But also for the rest of Europe to be safe. (...) We will support Ukraine bilaterally. We appreciate what Denmark has been doing. The decision to transfer of F-16 aircraft, the multi-billion dollar commitment to military aid Ukraine that Denmark is implementing is extremely valuable to us as a neighbor of Ukraine - stressed Deputy Prime Minister W. Kosiniak-Kamysz. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthi: US call for China mediation in Red Sea a sign of failure Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 6:56 PM The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement says a US attempt to seek help from China for mediation to stop strikes on Israeli-bound ships in the Red Sea shows the US and Britain have failed in their mission. Speaking in a televised speech broadcast from the Yemeni capital of Sana'a on Thursday, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said the United States sees its power waning at home and overseas. Houthi also renewed his pledge that Yemen's anti-Israel operations will continue until the regime's campaign of genocide in Gaza ends. "One sign of its failure is Washington's attempt to seek assistance from Beijing in order to mediate and persuade us to stop our operations in support of the Palestinians against Israeli ships and those associated with the Israeli enemy," he said. "China knows what America is doing in Taiwan, and it knows what America has done in targeting China and imposing economic sanctions and seeking to limit its economic growth. China knows America's hostile policies against it, and it is well aware of the extent of the American conspiracy through the Taiwan issue. Therefore, China will not involve itself in serving America or working for its interests." Houthi also said Israel and its Western backers must realize that they cannot break the resolve of the Yemeni people by repeated airstrikes on the Yemeni territory. Houthi touched upon Israel's ongoing campaign in Gaza in the wake of the January 26 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He said international institutions cannot make just and effective decisions regarding the crimes of Israel due to the US influence. Houthi said the West's moral bankruptcy is evident in their recent move to cut funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. He also slammed Arab countries for exporting goods to Israel, calling it an act of betrayal as the Palestinians are starving to death in the besieged Gaza Strip. US and British warplanes have recently conducted several airstrikes on Yemen, targeting the capital Sana'a and several other cities in response to the pro-Palestinian strikes by the Yemeni armed forces in the Red Sea. Since the start of the Israeli hostilities in early October, the United States and its Western allies have been providing financial and logistical support to Israel in its campaign. Explosion reported near ship off Hudaydah An explosion was reported near a ship off the Red Sea coast of Yemen, British maritime security agency UKMTO said Thursday. "Master reports an explosion a distance off the vessel's starboard side" west of the port city of Hudaydah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. In a separate attack, maritime security firm Ambrey said a missile fired from Yemen hit a merchant vessel early Thursday. "A merchant vessel was reportedly targeted with a 'missile' while underway... southwest of Aden, Yemen," Ambrey said, adding that "the vessel reported an explosion" on board. "Ambrey was aware that a missile was fired from... Taez," the firm said. The statement did not identify the ship or the flag it was flying. It came after the Yemeni army said it fired missiles at a US ship in the Gulf of Aden, south of the Red Sea, heading to Israeli ports. The missiles "directly hit the vessel", which the rebels identified as "KOI," army spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement on social media. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinian resistance leaders brief Iran on Gaza ceasefire proposal Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 6:41 PM Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has held talks with Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders about a new proposal for ceasefire in Gaza, stressing that only the Palestinian people have the right to decide their future. Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was expected in Cairo on Thursday for talks on the proposed truce in Gaza, which he has said should end Israel's military invasion of Gaza and secure a full pullout of Israeli forces from the territory. In his phone talks with Amir-Abdollahian Thursday night, Haniyeh presented a report on the "indescribable resistance and resilience of the Palestinian nation and resistance groups in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and the political plans and initiatives proposed to stop the crimes of the Zionist regime and exchange prisoners". He stressed that the "resistance groups, while maintaining their unity and cohesion, will consider the proposed initiatives only if they fulfill the highest interests of the Palestinian nation". The proposal for ceasefire, described as a framework, was hammered out between Egypt, Qatar, the US and Israel on Sunday during talks in Paris. The location of the talks meant Hamas negotiators could not be present. Amir-Abdollahian touched on his recent contacts and meetings with the officials of other countries and international organizations, saying "the immediate cessation of the Zionist regime's crimes against the homeless people of Gaza" is the key to establishing stability and peace in the region. The foreign minister also praised "the heroic resistance of the Palestinian nation in the past four months". "Only the Palestinian people, as the main owners of this land, have the right to decide on their fate and future, and no party can impose their will and political plans on them," he added. Amir-Abdollahian also held talks with Islamic Jihad head Ziyad Nakhala, stressing the need for Palestinian, regional and international efforts to immediately stop the Israeli crimes, provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, and oppose a forced migration of Palestinians. He said the "resistance of the Palestinian nation in the past four months, despite the widespread crimes of the Zionist regime, is a source of pride for the entire Islamic world, freedom seekers of the world and humanity". Nakhala appreciated the support of the leadership, the president, the government and the people of Iran for the cause of the liberation of Palestine and Al-Quds. "The Palestinian people and the resistance will definitely win the current battle, and the Zionist occupiers will have no choice but to submit to the steely will of the Palestinian people," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Israeli war renders Gaza 'uninhabitable;' restoration will take 'decades' Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 11:09 AM The United Nations says the ongoing Israeli war has left the Gaza Strip "uninhabitable" and that the destruction in the Palestinian territory will take tens of billions of dollars and "decades" to reverse. In a report published on Wednesday, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) assessed the social and economic deterioration in besieged Gaza since the genocidal Israeli aggression began nearly four months ago. The report said that the war has displaced 85 percent of Gaza's population, halted economic activities and further worsened poverty and unemployment in one of the world's most densely populated areas. As of December 2023, it added, unemployment had surged to 79.3 percent while 37,379 buildings - equivalent to 18 percent of Gaza's total structures - had been damaged or destroyed by the Israeli onslaught. "The Gaza Strip, half of whose population are children, is now rendered almost uninhabitable, with people lacking adequate sources of income and access to water, sanitation, health or education," it said. "UNCTAD's assessment underscores that restoring pre-conflict socioeconomic conditions in Gaza will take decades and requires substantial foreign aid." The report also found that Gaza's gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by 24 percent after the Israeli assault and that it would take "until 2092 just to restore the GDP levels of 2022." It further noted that Gaza's dire economic situation originates from well beyond the current war. "Gaza's economic constraints, rooted in 56 years of occupation and a 17-year blockade, necessitate a thorough understanding and realistic strategies to unlock its growth potential through measures that include restoring the Gaza International Airport..., building a seaport and enabling the Palestinian government to develop the natural gas fields discovered in the 1990s in the Mediterranean Sea," it said. Meanwhile, UNCTAD economist Rami Alazzeh, who co-authored the report, said new data indicates that 50 percent of the Gaza structures are damaged or destroyed. "The longer these (military) operations in Gaza go on... the more severe the impact will be," Alazzeh warned. "Gaza currently is uninhabitable." Israel waged its brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 26,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 65,949 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli forces follow orders to occupy, burn Palestinian homes in Gaza Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 11:06 AM Israeli forces have set fire to Palestinian homes in the Gaza strip, following direct orders from their commanders to "burn Gaza", a move considered an apparent war crime in the South African-led genocide case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Wednesday reported that Israeli forces have occupied and then burned hundreds of Gaza homes and everything in them, on direct orders of their commanders, without the necessary legal permission to do so. Some Israeli troops have posted videos on social media, which showed them taking part in acts of home burning, which they described as revenge for fellow soldiers' deaths or the "October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel." "Until last month, the army's combat engineering corps mostly used mines and explosives, and in some cases heavy machinery such as D9 bulldozers, to demolish structures. Setting fire to homes belonging to noncombatant civilians, for the mere purpose of punishment, is forbidden under international law," Haaretz wrote. "Civilians and civilian infrastructure are not a target. They must be protected. Everywhere. At all times," the United Nations account on X platform posted. Previous UN reports have indicated that Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have displaced more than 90% of the territory's population and destroyed or damaged over 60% of the infrastructure there. In the occupied West Bank, the same case is happening, where settlers regularly attack Palestinian people and property and burn their houses. For decades, Israel's policy of destroying the homes of relatives of Palestinian resistance fighters has been condemned as illegal collective punishment. Meanwhile, international human rights groups have documented Israeli troops conducting systematic looting of Palestinians' homes across Gaza, stealing their property, vandalizing Palestinian businesses and even burning humanitarian aid supplies, including food. Several Israeli officials, including the deputy speaker of the Knesset, Nissim Vaturi, who is a member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, have called for the destruction, burning, and even nuclear annihilation of Gaza, advocating the policy to "Burn Gaza now." Some of their statements have been used as evidence in the South African-led genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague as deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are forbidden under international humanitarian law. The ICJ last week called on Israel to prevent genocidal acts in its ongoing war in Gaza but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire. It also ordered the regime to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches the population in Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas chief due in Cairo for Gaza truce discussions Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 9:47 AM The head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas is due in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for talks on a new ceasefire proposal, as the Israeli regime continues its brutal war against the besieged Gaza Strip. Ismail Haniyeh is scheduled to attend a meeting in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the proposal for a six-week truce plan put forward by senior Qatari and Egyptian officials during recent meetings in France. The three-stage plan would start with an initial six-week halt to the war that would see more aid deliveries into Gaza, AFP quoted a Hamas source as saying. The source further said that there would also be "negotiations around the withdrawal of Israeli forces," with possible additional phases involving more captive-prisoner exchanges. The territory's rebuilding is also among the issues addressed by the deal, the source said. In a press statement on Tuesday, Haniyeh confirmed that the movement had received an invitation to visit Cairo in order to reach an "integrated vision" on the new ceasefire proposal and discuss requirements for the implementation of a potential agreement. The Hamas chief said the movement was reviewing the proposal, stressing that its priority is to end the Israeli aggression and a full withdrawal of occupying forces from Gaza. In its latest update, the United Nations reported heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, particularly in Khan Yunis, saying 184,000 Palestinians from the city were registered to receive humanitarian assistance after fleeing their homes. The Israeli regime waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's atrocities against Palestinians. Since the start of the aggression, Israel has killed nearly 27,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the Gaza Health Ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran: US threat to re-impose oil sanctions on Venezuela contravenes UN Charter, intl. law Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 9:25 AM Iran says a threat by the United States to reinstate sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector runs counter to the UN Charter and international law. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani on Thursday condemned the US instrumental use of sanctions as a tool to interfere in other countries' affairs. "Resorting to such measures is tantamount to direct intervention in the internal affairs of countries and a violation of the United Nations Charter," he said. The Iranian spokesman warned that the continuation of such acts would strengthen the will and cooperation of independent countries to resist interventionist policies. The US on Monday threatened to restore sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector, days after the South American nation's top court upheld the disqualification of an opposition presidential hopeful. A statement by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said US companies doing business with Venezuela's state-owned mining Minerven have until February 13 to complete a "wind down of transactions" with the company. US President Joe Biden's administration broadly eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector in response to a deal reached between the government and opposition parties for the 2024 elections. On Friday, Venezuela's Supreme Court upheld a 15-year ban on opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and also confirmed the ineligibility of her possible replacement, two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address After ICJ ruling, UN chief says decisions of top court binding, no party above law Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 8:12 AM UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are binding, after the top court last week ordered all states to cease funding and facilitating Israel's military actions in Gaza. "Int'l humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality [and] precautions in attack, must always be upheld," Guterres said in his recent post on X platform on Thursday. "No party to an armed conflict is above international law," he said, adding that "the binding decisions of the International Court of Justice must be complied with." The ICJ last week called on Israel to prevent genocidal acts in its ongoing war in Gaza but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire. It also ordered the regime to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches the population in Gaza. The order by the UN's top court was part of its interim ruling on the emergency measures requested by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel over its war on the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, a group of UN experts in a statement released on Wednesday praised the ICJ's order, saying that it is a "significant milestone in the decades-long struggle for justice by the Palestinian people." "The court order is urgently needed to protect the very existence of the Palestinian people from potentially genocidal actions the Court has ordered Israel to halt and prevent," the statement said. The experts said the ruling, in which the court ordered Israel to commit to preventing genocide in Gaza, "tilts the balance toward a global order based on justice and international law." Nothing can justify collective punishment of people in Gaza Guterres said in his recent remarks on Tuesday that "nothing can justify the collective punishment of the people in Gaza," adding that the death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss, and grief in Gaza over the past 120 days are a scar on the world's shared humanity and conscience. The UN chief stated that the ongoing conflict and relentless bombardment by Israeli forces across Gaza have resulted in civilians being killed and destruction "at a pace and scale unlike anything we have witnessed in recent years." Once more, Guterres warned that the humanitarian system in Gaza is collapsing, as over two million people living in Gaza are facing inhumane conditions, as they struggle to survive without any of the basics. The remarks come as nine Western countries, including the United States, have stopped their funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), due to false allegations. Guterres has called UNRWA's aid as "the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza." Since the onset of the Gaza war, the Tel Aviv regime has killed more than 26,900 people, mostly women and children, and wounded 65,949 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi resistance forces target Haifa port with drones Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 6:44 AM Iraqi resistance forces have launched a drone attack on the port city of Haifa in the Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation for the regime's brutal war against the besieged Gaza Strip. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of anti-terror fighters, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Thursday, saying Iraqi resistance forces will continue to target the occupying regime until the complete "destruction of enemy strongholds." "In continuation of our approach to resisting the occupation and supporting our people in Gaza, our [fighters], using drones, attacked the port of Haifa in our occupied territories in Palestine," the statement said. The attack marks the fourth time the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has targeted Haifa and its vital sites in less than a month. Last month, the Iraqi resistance pledged a new phase in its operations against the Israeli regime and its American patrons, declaring that "more is to come" in solidarity with "our people in Gaza". The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has also claimed recent attacks targeting six US-occupied military bases in the region, including one on the Jordan-Syria border that left three American soldiers dead. The Israeli regime waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's atrocities against Palestinians. Since the start of the aggression, Israel has killed nearly 27,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the Gaza Health Ministry. The US, Israel's traditional ally, has backed Tel Aviv's attacks on the Palestinian territory and provided the regime with thousands of arms consignments since the onset of the war. Washington has also used its veto power to block the United Nations Security Council's resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK launch new strikes on Yemen amid frustration with anti-Israel campaign Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 5:56 A The United States and Britain have conducted new strikes on Yemen as the Arab country continues its maritime campaign in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid an Israeli genocide. Yemen's al-Masirah television network reported that the air raids targeted Yemen's western provinces of Sa'ada and Hudaydah on Wednesday evening and Thursday at dawn, respectively. Meanwhile, local sources said the American warplanes that bombed Yemen had flown from a US military base in Bahrain. In a statement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that its aerial assaults had hit an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ground control station and 10 one-way drones in Yemen. It also alleged that the targets "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region." The attacks came after the Yemeni Armed Forces struck American merchant ship KOl with several naval missiles as the vessel was heading to ports in the occupied lands. The operation followed a similar one against American destroyer USS Gravely in the Red Sea. Israel waged a genocidal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 following a historic operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group against the occupying regime. The US has offered untrammeled support for Israel during the aggression that has so far killed at least 26,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 65,949 others. In solidarity with the Palestinians in besieged Gaza, Yemeni forces have targeted ships going to and from ports in the occupied territories, or whose owners are linked to Israel, in the southern Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and even in the Arabian Sea. In response to the pro-Palestine maritime campaign, the US and its allies have launched airstrikes on Yemen in violation of the country's sovereignty and international law. The illegal raids prompted Yemen to declare American and British vessels as legitimate targets for its armed forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Japan carriers drill in the Philippines Sea amid regional tension The drill took place near the South China Sea, site of confrontations between Chinese, Philippine vessels. By RFA Staff 2024.02.01 -- Joint drills are underway in the Philippine Sea between two U.S. aircraft carrier groups and a Japanese helicopter carrier ship, the U.S. 7th Fleet said. U.S. Navy's carrier strike groups led by the flagships USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise are conducting a multi-large deck event "in accordance with international law in international waters," the fleet said in a press release. The exercise provided the two maritime forces with "an opportunity to engage in joint operations to include enhanced maritime communication operations, air warfare operations and cross-deck flight operations to strengthen maritime integrated-at-sea operations and combat readiness," it added. The drills began on Monday and will conclude on Thursday, according to a statement by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Besides the two aircraft carriers, the U.S. Navy also dispatched nine other warships to join the event. During the exercise, ships and aircraft from the allied forces conduct "air defense drills, sea surveillance, cross-deck exercises and tactical maneuvers to advance unique high-end warfighting capability," the 7th Fleet said, adding that coordinated maritime engagements and operations in the Philippine Sea are "part of the U.S. Navy's routine presence in the Indo-Pacific." The Carl Vinson and Theodore Roosevelt carrier groups are currently deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. The last time two U.S. aircraft carriers jointly participated in a similar exercise was in November with the Carl Vinson and the Ronald Reagan. U.S. and Japan's maritime forces plan to hold more large-deck exercises this year. Beijing has yet to respond to the news on the drills in the Philippine Sea, not far from the South China Sea where Chinese vessels have been entangled in confrontations with Philippine coast guard ships. Edited by Taejun Kang and Elaine Chan 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 February 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 NATO Delegation Visits Bosnia Amid Secessionist Threats By Goran Katic February 01, 2024 A high-ranking NATO delegation led by Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoana arrived in Bosnia-Herzegovina for two days of talks amid secessionist threats that could undermine the Balkan nation's aspirations to join the Western military alliance. Bosnian authorities had earlier pledged their support for joining NATO but that is on hold because of opposition from Serb-dominated Republika Srpska, which wants the nation to remain neutral. Geoana and other NATO representatives on February 1 met with two members of the Bosnian tripartite presidency, Denis Becirovic and Zeljko Komsic. The third member, Zeljka Cvijanovic, who represents Republika Srpska, did not attend. Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of Republika Srpska who is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions, has called for secession from Bosnia. Bosnia has military and political representatives in NATO headquarters in Brussels. Meanwhile, NATO has had its own staff in the country since 2004 as part of a UN mandate to help reform its armed forces. Since 2018, Bosnia has been a part of NATO's Annual National Program, which is the last step before full membership in the alliance. The NATO delegation also met with members of the Council of Ministers as well as members of parliament. Geoana pitched the benefits of NATO membership to Bosnian officials, saying those Eastern European countries that have joined the alliance since the end of the Cold War are more prosperous and more secure. The NATO delegation will visit the Rajlovac military base near Sarajevo on February 2 to discuss Bosnia-NATO cooperation. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bosnia-nato-republika-srpska- successionist-threats/32801676.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 EU Raises Concerns Over Kosovo's Move Banning Dinar Use, Urges 'Sufficient' Transition By RFE/RL's Balkan Service February 01, 2024 The European Union has expressed concern over a move by Kosovo to restrict all cash transactions anywhere in the country to euros and urged officials in Pristina to allow an extended implementation period to avoid "seriously complicating" the lives of ethnic Serbs in the country who are being forced to move away from the dinar and adjust to a new currency regime. The restrictions that took effect on February 1 ban financial institutions from using any currency other than the euro for local transactions. Even though it's not a member of the European Union or its currency zone, Kosovo unilaterally adopted the euro in 2002 to help bring monetary stability and to simplify and reduce transaction costs inside and outside the country. Belgrade, which has never acknowledged Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, still pays many ethnic Serbs at institutions in Serb-dominated parts of the country - where an estimated 120,000 ethnic Serbs still live -- in dinars. Many also hold their pensions and get child allowances in dinars. In 10 of Kosovo's 38 municipalities, where Serbs represent a majority, they have been able to make payments in dinars or withdraw dinars from the ATMs of Serbian-based banks. Kosovar officials have promised an "easy transition" to ease tensions over the move, but EU spokesman Peter Stano said on February 1 that the bloc "is concerned about the consequences that this decision might have on the daily lives of Kosovo Serbs and other communities throughout Kosovo due to absence of prior consultation, in particular on its impact on schools and hospitals, given the apparent absence of alternatives at this moment." "The short transition period for the regulation's implementation, combined with a lack of information and practical solutions for all affected communities, risk seriously complicating their lives. The EU urges Kosovo to ensure a sufficiently long transition period and to find a negotiated solution to this issue in the framework of the EU-facilitated Dialogue," he added. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he held talks with the Russian ambassador in Belgrade on February 1 over the issue as he looks for a solution to what he called an "irresponsible act" by Kosovo's government. The dominant Serbian party in Kosovo, Serbian List, which has long-running ties to radical Serbian nationalists and Belgrade, has accused Kosovar policymakers of trying to achieve the "expulsion of Serbs without the use of weapons." It said the ban on the dinar threatened "the physical survival of the Serbian people." The Central Bank of Kosovo has justified the move by saying it has a "legal obligation" to regulate the financial system, especially an issue like the currency, which "has remained unregulated for a very long time." Bashkim Nurboja, the Central Bank's chairman of the board, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service that the change "doesn't stop anyone from accepting money from any country," it just means the money is converted into euros. The new regulation also restricts foreign currencies other than the euro to safekeeping in physical form or foreign-currency bank accounts for payments abroad or foreign-exchange activities. "Currency exchange can be performed in the Republic of Kosovo only through institutions that are licensed by the Central Bank of Kosovo and offer this service," the regulation said. Dinars have routinely been accepted and disbursed by Bank Postanske Stedionica, NLB Komercijalna Bank, and the Post of Serbia, a Serbian public enterprise. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo-dinars-euros-serbia- european-union/32801389.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 Israel Releases 114 Palestinian Prisoners - Reports Sputnik News 20240201 TUNIS (Sputnik) - The Israeli authorities have released 114 Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian Information Center new website said on Thursday. There were four women among those released via the Kerem Shalom checkpoint, the news website 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. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 26,900 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kataib Hezbollah Ready to Attack Any US Base in Middle East Sputnik News 20240201 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iraqi-based militia Kataib Hezbollah is ready to retaliate against the United States with "undeclared long-range weapons" at any time and place if Washington attempts to avenge the deaths of its three soldiers at a military outpost in Jordan, a spokesperson for the paramilitary group said. On Sunday, a drone attack on a military outpost in Jordan killed three US servicepeople and left over 40 injured. Pentagon deputy spokesperson Sabrina Singh said on Monday that the attack had "the footprints" of Kataib Hezbollah, but the US was not yet ready to conclude that. On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said he had decided how to respond to the attack, but reiterated that Washington was not seeking a wider war in the region. "Kataib Hezbollah confirms that it is prepared to respond at any time and any place ... It has undeclared long-range weapons, and we can strike any [US] base in the Middle East," the spokesperson told Newsweek. The group might be preparing for a possibility of escalation by "demented" Biden, they added. "But the potential response remains not precisely defined ... as it may include a strategic assessment and various response options, including targeting American interests or taking additional military measures," the spokesperson said. Iran has denied involvement in the drone attack. Tehran has said resistance groups in the Middle East do not receive instructions from Iran. On Wednesday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the US response to the deadly attack on US troops in Jordan would be unilateral and would not include the participation of allies. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Navy Deploys 3 of 11 Aircraft Carriers in Western Pacific - Reports Sputnik News 20240201 MOSCOW(Sputnik) - The US Navy has deployed three out of its 11 aircraft carriers in the western Pacific Ocean to boost efforts aimed at deterring China and North Korea, despite rising concerns over possible expansion of the Middle East conflict, the Nikkei Asia newspaper reported on Thursday. The deployment is the first in two years and involves three US aircraft carriers, the USS Carl Vinson, USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Ronald Reagan, stationed near an island chain linking Okinawa and Taiwan with the Philippines, the newspaper reported, citing the US Naval Institute. "What I can say is that the carrier strike group is ready to execute the full range of operations ... These training opportunities where we can rapidly aggregate these large, capable, agile platforms here in the Philippine Sea is a great rehearsal opportunity for us," Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of the Carl Vinson strike group, was quoted by Nikkei Asia as telling reporters. Japan's military command said on Thursday that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the US Navy had conducted joint drills south of the Japanese island of Okinawa, involving the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Theodore Roosevelt, as well as Japanese destroyer Ise. The drills started on January 29 and are running through February 1. US missile cruisers USS Lake Erie, USS Princeton and US Navy destroyers are also taking part in the drills. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza: Aid operations in peril amid funding crisis 1 February 2024 - Lifesaving aid operations in Gaza are "in peril" amid ongoing Israeli bombardment because of the funding crisis impacting the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, top UN officials reiterated on Thursday. "It's difficult to imagine that Gazans will survive this crisis without UNRWA...(we) have received reports that people in the area are grinding bird feed to make flour," said Thomas White, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza and UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Citing "colossal" needs now facing over two million people in the enclave who depend on UNRWA for their "sheer survival", he warned the already dire humanitarian situation risks getting worse following the decision of 16 donor countries to cut the agency's funding. Terror link accusation The development follows allegations that some UNRWA staff colluded with Hamas during its terror attacks on southern Israel on 7 October that left some 1,200 dead and more than 250 taken hostage. The UN's highest investigative body is already conducting a probe into the allegations at the request of UNRWA, which plays a key role in Gaza as the largest humanitarian organization there. Of its 13,000 staff, more than 3,000 continue working. Shortly after UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini announced the immediate dismissal of staff facing the allegations and his decision to involve the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services in New York, a number of donor countries suspended $440 million in funding. Guterres appeal "UNRWA is the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza. I appeal to all Member States to guarantee the continuity of UNRWA's lifesaving work," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressing the Palestinian Rights Committee on Wednesday. Meanwhile, with no let up in Israeli bombardments across Gaza - and particularly in the southern city of Khan Younis - humanitarians warned that the exodus of people seeking shelter in the south has continued unabated. "Rafah has become a sea of people fleeing bombardments," said Mr. White, as UNRWA reported that tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee shelling and fighting in Khan Younis just this week, adding to the more than 1.4 million people already crammed in the southern governorate of Rafah. "Most are living in makeshift structures, tents or out in the open and now also fear they might no longer receive any food or other humanitarian assistance from UNRWA," the UN agency said in a statement. Pointing to longstanding obstacles to humanitarian aid access in the north of Gaza since war erupted on 7 October, UNWRA issued a new warning that famine "is looming". "We continue to coordinate with the Israeli Army to be able to go to the north, but this has been largely denied," said Mr. White. "When our convoys are finally permitted to go to the area, people rush to the trucks to get food and often eat it on the spot." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The humanitarian community appeals to donors to help millions in need in Yemen UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 1 February 2024 -- The United Nations and its partners released the 2024 Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) today to reach millions of people with lifesaving assistance and protection services. Given the critical needs, 219 humanitarian partners are appealing for urgent support for over 18.2 million women, girls, boys and men. "The HNO and the HRP give voice to civilians in Yemen, who have faced tremendous suffering daily for more than nine years due to conflict, economic deterioration, severely disrupted public infrastructure and services, as well as climate change," said Peter Hawkins, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, a.i. "They demonstrate our collective and coordinated efforts to save lives, reduce risks and support resilience." The Humanitarian Response Plan for 2024 requires $2.7 billion for a strengthened, targeted, prioritized, risk-informed and bottom-up approach to programming in Yemen. The plan is based on robust consultations across the country with affected people, authorities and institutions, humanitarian actors, and development partners at both local and national levels. It also reflects the way the humanitarian community will adapt its response in view of limited funding and access constraints. "Yemen is facing a critical juncture and has a unique opportunity to take a decisive step away from the humanitarian crisis by addressing the drivers of need," Mr. Hawkins said. "While regional conflict dynamics have introduced additional risks, the humanitarian community remains committed to stay and deliver." The Plan emphasizes the collaboration with development partners to support livelihoods, basic services, and economic conditions to build long-term solutions, as outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Yemen 2022-2025. "We must not turn our backs on the people of Yemen. I am appealing to donors for their continued and urgent support to save lives, build resilience, and also to fund sustainable interventions," Mr. Hawkins urged. After more than nine years of conflict, 18.2 million people in Yemen require support. 17.6 million people are estimated to face acute food insecurity in 2024. In 2023, child mortality slightly improved following years of sustained humanitarian assistance. However, Yemen is experiencing some of the highest malnutrition rates ever recordedwith nearly half of all children under five years experiencing moderate to severe stuntingand the situation continues to worsen. An estimated 6.7 million people are living in inadequate shelters. Limited access to critical services continues to worsen the conditions for the most vulnerable groups, including women and children. 12.4 million people lack sufficient access to safe drinking water, increasing the risk of infectious diseases, while more than 4.5 million children of school age (5 to 17 years) do not attend schools. An estimated 4.5 million people are currently displaced in Yemen, one-third of whom have been displaced more than once, eroding their coping capacity. The 2024 HRP requires $2.7 billion for live-saving assistance and protection services. The UNSDCF requires $1.3 billion to support millions with sustainable development programming. For more details, access the 2024 Humanitarian Needs Overview and 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Gaza Strip: Humanitarian crisis deepens at a time funding suspensions put UNRWA aid operations in peril UNRWA 1 Feb 2024 01 February 2024 Download UNRWA multimedia resources here AMMAN, The colossal humanitarian needs of over 2 million people in Gaza now face the risk of deepening following the decision of 16 donor countries to stop financial support to UNRWA. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee to the south due to bombardment and fighting in Khan Younis over the last week, adding to more than 1.4 million people already crammed in the southern governorate of Rafah. Most are living in makeshift structures, tents, or out in the open, and now also fear they might no longer receive any food or other humanitarian assistance from UNRWA. "Rafah has become a sea of people fleeing bombardments," said Thomas White, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza and UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory. Most of those fleeing Khan Younis have already been displaced several times, and many are forced to leave the largest UNRWA shelter in the Khan Younis Training Centre. UNRWA staff, themselves forced to flee their homes, continue to deliver food and tents to those newly displaced around them. Across the Gaza Strip, nearly 2 million people -the vast majority women and children- depend on UNRWA for their sheer survival as the Agency manages overcrowded shelters, food assistance and primary health care. Their humanitarian conditions are getting worse as the war continues and humanitarian access remains largely restricted. In the north where famine is looming, UNRWA has had very little access since the war began. According to White: "UNRWA received reports that people in the area are grinding bird feed to make flour. We continue to coordinate with the Israeli Army to be able to go to the north, but this has been largely denied," he said. "When our convoys are finally permitted to go to the area, people rush to the trucks to get food and often eat it on the spot", he added. UNRWA is the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza. Of its 13,000 staff, more than 3,000 continue working, they are the backbone of the humanitarian aid operations. "It's difficult to imagine that Gazans will survive this crisis without UNRWA," White said. When presented with serious allegations by Israeli authorities that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October abhorrent attacks on Israel, UNRWA Commissioner-General took the decision to immediately terminate the appointment of these staff in the interest of the Agency and seized the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services in New York, which launched an investigation. Full accountability and transparency are expected out of this process, should the allegations be substantiated. Shortly after the UNRWA announcement, a number of donor countries suspended US$ 440 million worth of funding to the Agency. "As the war in Gaza is being pursued unabated, and at the time the International Court of Justice calls for more humanitarian assistance, it is the time to reinforce and not to weaken UNRWA. The Agency remains the largest aid organization in one of the most severe and complex humanitarian crises in the world," said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. "I echo the call of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to resume funding to UNRWA. If the funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region." UNRWA provides assistance to Palestine Refugees in the Gaza Strip, West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. ENDs- Background Information: UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on. UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MAKO Challenge 2024 Increases Navy Readiness US Navy 01 February 2024 From U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs NORFOLK, Va. -- Reserve Sailors from U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF), U.S. 2nd Fleet, U.S. 4th Fleet, U.S. 6th Fleet, and U.S. 10th Fleet assembled at the Navy Warfare Development Center (NWDC) in Norfolk, Virginia for MAKO Challenge 2024 from Jan. 18-21. The MAKO series is designed to give Reserve Sailors hands-on experience within the Operational Level of War (OLW) environment including a Maritime Operations Center (MOC) scenario. "The MAKO series allows an opportunity for reservists to come in on their drill time to get basic reps and sets in MOC watchstanding, operational planning teams, cross-functional teams, briefing the boss, what the different watch positions are, and all things in the MOC," said Rear Adm. Kenneth Blackmon, vice commander, U.S. Fleet Forces. With limited time and high operational expectations, the Navy Reserve prioritizes training to increase warfighting readiness. That means evolutions like MAKO are designed to give Reserve Sailors in the Fleet the most realistic training they can get without actually standing on the active watch floor, the expectation when they are called out on orders for exercises or to fill in for active duty gaps. "To go straight into the watch floor, there's definitely going to be a learning curve since we don't see this on a daily basis," said Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Boda, a Reserve Sailor in the USFF Intel unit. "Even as a local driller who comes in once a month, it's still 30 days between when I walk in. With the operational environment, a lot can happen in 30 days. I think that people who go through MAKO on a regular basis, people who get the qualification, there's less of a curve. But if you don't put in the effort, you're going to have to work a lot harder when you do go on orders." Boda is one of two Reserve Sailors in his unit to stand watch alongside his active counterparts. During MAKO Boda served as a mentor to train reserve colleagues to build a bench of support. Reserve Sailors who attended MAKO make a direct impact on the readiness of the Navy as the MOC and other operational-level-of-war lines of effort are priorities by Navy leadership. "In terms of warfighting, it's been stated multiple times by the different flag officers who participated this weekend, the MOC is a key component to our Navy's success," said Blackmon. "This is where the real-time war decisions are made. So, the opportunity to do some reps and sets, to learn those processes, in a dialed-back environment where the MOC isn't operating at its fullest capability, for these new Sailors at the various Fleets, it gives them some muscle memory of how planning works, how the battle rhythm helps commanders make decisions." Senior leaders visited the watch floor and spoke with Reserve Sailors and mentors in order to better understand the training taking place and witness the active and reserve integration firsthand. "It is inspiring to see the training and collaboration between active and reserve staffs," said Vice Adm. John Gumbleton, commander, Task Force 80 and deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces. "At the end of the day, Reserve Sailors provide a valuable resource during fleet operations and exercises. They make us stronger and bring immense experience and skillsets along with a different way of thinking that adds tremendous value to the Fleets." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I am an Eisenhower Republican since 1952 when I delivered Eisenhower-Nixon pamphlets door to door. I belong to the party of Ronald Reagan, and yes, to the party of Barry Goldwater who was the first candidate for whom I voted for president. I clearly remember people told me if I voted for Goldwater, it was a vote for war; the only time what was promised actually happened. I voted for Goldwater and I got war. Amazing! Today Barry Goldwater would not be conservative enough to be endorsed; imagine that, Barry Goldwater, Mr. Conservative, not being far enough to the right for those who have taken over the Republican Party in North Dakota. I should note I completely cut myself off from the Republican Party in my campaigns for judicial office, and for the 12 years I had the honor of serving as a North Dakota state district court judge, the best job I have ever had. The Nonpartisan League could not form their own party in 1918 so they ran their candidates successfully in the Republican primary ballot. Much like today, having an R after your name on the ballot enhances your chance of being elected. That is what the Libertarians, who have taken over the North Dakota Republican Party, are counting on. They have a committed and mean-spirited base that allows no opinion in the Republican Party that is not far right Libertarian. The gall of those people to censure public servants is appalling, when all they have to do is not vote for them. The wise course of action for any Eisenhower mainline Republican is to run in the primary and expose the radical far right views that are out of step with the majority of commonsense-minded North Dakotans. It would be much more honest for the Libertarians to form their own party from which they can see and realize how far out of step they are with whats right, kind and good for North Dakota. As for me, I am not going to the GOP State Convention, as it will be stacked for the far-right Libertarians who want to masquerade as Republicans. I have given my last dollar to this Republican party. My advice for my like-minded Republican and Independent friends is to turn out and vote in the Republican primary, to not attend the Republican convention, and to never give another dollar to this Libertarian pretend Republican party. Readout of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti's Meeting with Republic of Korea (ROK) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo US Navy - Press Release 01 February 2024 Chief of Naval Operations Spokesperson Cmdr. Desiree Frame provided the following readout: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met Republic of Korea (ROK) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo at the Pentagon, today. The two leaders discussed the enduring nature of the U.S. - ROK naval alliance, as well as their shared commitment to security, peace, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific. During her discussions with Yang, Franchetti noted the value of increased ROK Navy participation in multilateral exercises. She added that she welcomes the U.S. - ROK continued commitment to improving interoperability, engaging in deeper dialogue and information sharing efforts. They also talked about regional and peninsular security, to include the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's continuous provocations such as nuclear threats and missile launches. Franchetti affirmed that the Navy's commitment to the defense of ROK remains ironclad, and that more broadly, the United States stands firm in its extended deterrence commitment, which includes the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including our conventional, nuclear, and missile defense capabilities. This was Franchetti's and Yang's second meeting as Heads of Navy. The two previously met in Busan, ROK, aboard USS Carl Vinson in November 2023. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon Hints at Stronger Response Against Iranian Proxies By Jeff Seldin February 01, 2024 U.S. forces are preparing to hit Iran-backed proxies across the Middle East with increased intensity in response to a drone attack on a base in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers and injured more than 40 others. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking to reporters for the first time since he was hospitalized January 1 for complications from prostate cancer surgery, called the attack against sleeping quarters at Tower 22 in northeastern Jordan "egregious," adding such actions will not be tolerated. "It's time to take away even more capability than we've taken in the past," Austin said Thursday, when asked why the United States has waited to respond more strongly to the more than 165 attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East dating to mid-October of last year. The U.S. defense secretary also seemed to dismiss a statement issued by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, that it was suspending military operations against the U.S. "We always listen to what people are saying, but we watch what they do," he said. "Actions are everything." Austin also suggested that following the deadly attack in Jordan, such gestures are too little, too late. "We look to hold the people that are responsible for this accountable," he said. "And we also look to make sure that we continue to take away capability from them as we go forward." Like his counterparts at the White House and the State Department, Austin said the U.S. is moving forward with a "multi-tiered response" likely to include multiple military strikes. CBS News reported Thursday that U.S. President Joe Biden has approved plans for several days of strikes on targets that include "Iranian personnel and facilities" in both Iraq and Syria. With the exception of a strike on January 4 in Baghdad that killed the leader of the Iran-backed Harakat-al-Nujaba militia, previous U.S. responses have focused on hitting sites and storage facilities instead of militia personnel. Some critics, though, have raised concerns that Washington's willingness to talk about a military response has given the Iran-backed militias, many of which have launched attacks on U.S. forces under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, time to prepare. But Austin said he was not concerned with reports that some of the militias have been evacuating bases and training facilities. "In terms of telegraphing about strikes and whether or not people leave or what is left, I won't speculate," the defense secretary said. "They have a lot of capability. I have a lot more," he said. "We're going to do what's necessary to protect our troops and our interests." The defense chief also acknowledged there has been no end to attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen despite several warnings and a series strikes on Houthi facilities and missile launch locations. "The Houthis continue to do some things that are very irresponsible and illegal," he told reporters. "So, our goal is to make sure that we continue to take away capability from the Houthis to do what they've been doing. "We would call upon Iran to quit or to cease supplying the Houthis with these advanced conventional weapons that they've used to attack ships," he said, calling it an issue of international concern. The Houthis have launched nearly 40 attacks on international shipping since mid-November, including a flurry of attacks and attempted attacks on Thursday. U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, said it started with the shootdown of a drone in the early morning hours, Yemen time, over the Gulf of Aden. Several hours later, U.S. forces in the Red Sea destroyed a Houthi naval drone packed with explosives that was headed for international shipping lanes. "It presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region," U.S. Central Command, also known as CENTCOM, said in a statement. A couple of hours after the naval drone was eliminated, CENTCOM said the Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the general direction of the M/V Koi, a Bermuda-owned cargo ship. A CENTCOM statement said the missiles missed the ship and splashed into the water. In January, the U.S. designated the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Biden Sanctions Violent West Bank Settlers By Anita Powell, Patsy Widakuswara February 01, 2024 U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday visited Michigan to meet with union autoworkers (UAW) crucial to his reelection bid in the important swing state that is also home to the highest number of Arab Americans. On the same day he issued an executive order to sanction individuals who support settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. His administration says the action reflects a "holistic approach" to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, that has bled into increasing violence in the West Bank, a separate Palestinian enclave. "President Biden has also spoken about his concern about the rise in violence that we have seen in the West Bank from extremist actors in particular the rise in extremist settler violence, which reached record levels in 2023," national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement Thursday. White House officials say the executive action had been long planned and deny that it was issued to coincide with Biden's visit amid anger from Arab and Muslim Americans, as well as young and progressive Democrats over his staunch support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Biden first expressed his concern over Palestinians in the West Bank under attack by what he called "extremist" Israeli settlers in late October, a few weeks after the Hamas attack. The financial sanctions target four Israeli men accused of fomenting and participating in settler violence. "There's no plans to target with sanctions Israeli government officials at this time," John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, told VOA aboard Air Force 1 on Thursday. Kirby denied that Biden is using the executive order to signal displeasure at hardline members of Netanyahu's government who have facilitated such violence, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. "It's a signal to the whole world how seriously President Biden takes ... the settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank," Kirby said. Immediately after the Hamas October 7 attack, Ben Gvir distributed more than 10,000 rifles to arm Israeli civilians, including those in towns near the West Bank. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre sidestepped questions why the lone Palestinian American congresswoman, Democrat Rashida Tlaib, did not join Biden on the trip. Her district is near the site of his visit, and it is customary for the president to invite elected officials to join him. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters traveled with Biden on Thursday, as did Rep. Debbie Dingell. All are Democrats. Tlaib has been vocal in her criticism of Biden's support for Israel, and in her calls for a cease-fire. In November, Tlaib posted a video online in which she accused Biden of "supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people." The Arab American community is among a growing number of Americans who have expressed concerns about Biden's steadfast support of Israel's aggressive military operation in response to the Hamas militant group's October 7 terror attack on Israeli civilians. The U.S., U.K. and EU have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. "We understand how difficult this is for many," Jean-Pierre said to VOA. "We get that." Close to 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were waiting for Biden near the UAW Region 1 building in Warren, the outskirts of Detroit, ahead of his event there. The president's motorcade bypassed them using side streets and he was largely spared from streetside protesters who in previous trips have lined his route and interrupted his events. In his last stop however, he was met with a small group waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Genocide Joe." Prominent members of the community have complained that the White House has ignored their concerns. "Since October 7th, I have received ZERO correspondence from White House, DNC [Democratic National Committee], or MDP [Michigan Democratic Party] leadership about the concerns from our community on the ongoing genocide unfolding in Gaza," said Rep. Abraham Aiyash of the Michigan state Legislature on social media ahead of Biden's visit. A New York Times/Siena College poll published in December, however, found that almost as many Americans believe that Israel should push on to total victory even in the face of mounting civilian casualties. And there is a diversity of opinion within the Muslim American community. "He's doing the best he can," Mustafa Abdullah Rahman, a U.S. Army veteran, told VOA as Biden stopped at a Black-owned restaurant near Detroit. "And I feel bad for my Palestinian brothers and sisters, because they are suffering. Both sides are suffering. And so he's doing the best he can in a very touchy, touchy situation." Biden has so far resisted pressure to call for a cease-fire, saying it will only benefit Hamas at this point. His administration is pushing for negotiations that would allow 6 weeks of cessation of hostilities for the exchange of more than 100 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas with Palestinians held in Israeli jails. While Biden continues to provide significant military and diplomatic support for Israel, analysts say there has been a shift in his approach. Since October 7, especially in the last few weeks, Biden has "visibly put pressure on Israel to limit the damage in Gaza," said Jeremi Suri, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin. And he has expressed empathy and concern for the lives of citizens in Gaza and elsewhere, Suri said. "He has moderated and balanced his language, maybe not as much as some people want," Suri told VOA. "But as we know, there's no one who's happy with it or found perfect balance on this issue." Robert Murrett, a professor in the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs at Syracuse University, said it makes sense that the administration has shifted. "I'm a military person, so we tend to put it in phases," he said. "The situation has changed. Over the last couple of months, I don't think there's any question that concerns over the level of Palestinian casualties - more than 20,000 dead in Gaza - have modified positions by a lot of people, including a White House and just about all of our allied governments and many others." As Biden was touring a restaurant meeting voters, VOA asked Biden what his message is to Arab American communities. He did not respond. White House correspondent Anita Powell reported from Washington. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Gaza Crisis Deepens as Donor Nations Cut Aid By VOA News February 01, 2024 The United Nations' relief agency for Palestinians warned Thursday of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza if 16 donor countries continue to withhold financial support while the U.N. investigates the role that a dozen aid workers allegedly played in the shock October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee south from Khan Younis in the last week to escape Israel's bombardment of Gaza's second biggest city, adding to the 1.4 million displaced already sheltering in the Rafah region near the Egyptian border, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said in a statement. "Rafah has become a sea of people fleeing bombardments," said Thomas White, director of the agency's Gaza affairs. The U.N. agency said most of those fleeing Khan Younis are living in makeshift structures, tents or out in the open. The 16 countries, led by the United States, suspended $440 million in aid to UNRWA after evidence emerged that 12 of the agency's 3,000 workers in Gaza assisted Hamas militants in the attack in which some 1,200 people were killed. Nine of the workers were immediately fired, two were reported dead and the identity of another was yet to be determined. UNRWA said its relief operations in Gaza and throughout the Middle East could be shut down by the end of February if funding is not restored, although the aid could be resumed if the U.N. investigation of the 12 aid workers is satisfactorily completed. White said famine is looming for the Palestinians who remained in north Gaza despite Israeli air attacks and its ground offensive. Gaza health officials say nearly 27,000 people have been killed throughout the territory, most of them women and children, during Israel's counter-offensive since the October Hamas attack. "UNRWA received reports that people in the (northern) area are grinding bird feed to make flour," White said. "We continue to coordinate with the Israeli Army to be able to go to the north, but this has been largely denied. When our convoys are finally permitted to go to the area, people rush to the trucks to get food and often eat it on the spot." Israel on Thursday returned 114 Palestinians, including four women, to Gaza from detention in Israel, according to Gazan authorities and Palestinian media. It appeared to be one of the largest such releases during the nearly four-month Israel-Hamas war. The Israeli military said the Palestinians had been detained on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity but were freed when they were cleared of the accusations. A spokesman for the Gaza crossings authority, Hisham Adwan, charged that many of those released had been subjected to "torture and abuse" during their Israeli imprisonment. U.S. President Joe Biden, while supporting Israel's right to defend itself, has for months pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to limit the counter-offensive to curb civilian deaths in Gaza. On Thursday, Biden targeted "extremist settler violence" against Palestinians in the Israeli-controlled West Bank. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden signed an executive order that "will allow the United States to issue financial sanctions against those directing or participating in certain actions, including acts or threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, or engaging in terrorist activity." Sullivan said the State Department would be issuing initial sanctions later Thursday. Israel said Thursday its troops are battling Hamas militants across the Gaza Strip and killing dozens of fighters in central and northern Gaza, while Israeli airstrikes hit Khan Younis in the southern part of the strip. The fighting went on as the negotiators for a proposed new cease-fire waited to hear of progress. The proposed agreement calls for a short-term halt in fighting between Israel and Hamas and the release of more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The outline for the proposal came out of talks in Paris among U.S., Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officials earlier this week. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was expected to travel to Cairo to discuss the plan. Asked about the details of the proposal during a briefing Wednesday at the White House, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said no pieces were final until the deal itself was finalized. "I will tell you that, in broad strokes, we are looking at an extended pause is the goal," Kirby told reporters. "How long? That's all part of the discussions, but longer than what we saw in November, which was about a week." More than 100 hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 terror attack on Israel were released during the November cease-fire in exchange for 240 Palestinians jailed by Israel. Hamas is believed to still be holding another 100 or so hostages. Kirby said it is possible to get more hostages out of Gaza if there is a longer cease-fire, and that a longer pause would also facilitate increasing the flow of humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza. "We want to see this deal in place," Kirby said. "We want to see it in place as soon as possible." Hamas has called for a permanent cease-fire and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, which governs Gaza and has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Britain, the European Union and others. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Analysts: Yemen's Houthi Targeting of Red Sea Shipping May Have Larger Aims By Dale Gavlak February 01, 2024 Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and disrupting one of the world's most important shipping lanes, may have other motives for their aggression beyond supporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, some analysts say. The Houthis have been harassing ships in the neighboring Red Sea especially U.S. and British vessels, but also any that they believe are headed to Israel since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October. The Houthis have additional goals, analysts say, including to maintain and expand their power in Yemen. Betul Dogan-Akkas, a researcher of the Arabian Gulf at Durham University, writing in Sada, an online journal of the Carnegie Center for International Peace, said the Houthi attacks may be a strategy to not only "reposition themselves as a key regional supporter of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation" but also to "cement their political authority in Yemen, especially amidst recent negotiations with Saudi Arabia to formally end the war," after several years of hostilities between the nations. Yemeni researcher Mohammad Ali Thamer goes even further, saying the Houthis may be trying to "divert attention from their responsibilities toward the Yemeni people." "Rather than working to achieve a lasting peace in Yemen, ensuring the payment of public employee salaries and establishing a national government, they seem to prioritize the symbolic sympathy of the Arab and Islamic world," Thamer said. In remarks to Saudi Arabia's Arab News, U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking said the Houthi rebels' attacks harm, not help, Palestinians. "This action by the Houthis is doing nothing to help the Palestinians, nothing to alleviate the suffering of Gazans at all," he said. "In fact, on the contrary, it's complicating the movement of vital supplies into Gaza." The Houthis have shown no sign of backing down, despite U.S. and British airstrikes on Yemen's military installations in response. Mideast analyst Bruce Riedel, an emeritus nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, told a recent webinar at the Washington-based Quincy Institute of the dangers of the conflict expanding. "I think the Saudis are very nervous about what they see going on here," Riedel said. "They are well aware that the Houthis could at any moment start resuming military action against targets in Saudi Arabia. "The Saudis spent nine years bombing Yemen," he said. "They understand well that bombing Yemen is not going to deter the Houthis, or significantly weaken their capabilities." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Background Press Call On Upcoming Measures to Address Actions That Undermine Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank February 01, 2024 National Security Council Via Teleconference 10:27 A.M. EST MODERATOR: Hi, everyone. Good morning, and thanks for joining today's call on measures to address actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. As a reminder, this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and it is embargoed until noon today. For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the call today we have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official]. They'll have a few words at the top, and then we'll turn it over to Q&A. [Senior administration official], I'll turn it over to you to kick us off. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, everybody. I will let me give a topper on this, and then I'll turn it over to my colleague for a little more detail on the executive order that will be issued today. So, President Biden has been clear that the United States strongly supports Israel's right to defend itself following the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred October 7th and in its effort to defeat Hamas and to make sure that we can never, ever again see a day like October 7th. And we are taking a holistic approach to this entire crisis, not just in Gaza, but the larger context Israel, Gaza, West Bank, and the larger region. I think the President spoke to this today at the prayer breakfast, if you look at his remarks, about actively working for peace, security, dignity for the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, and an enduring peace. What he is working on every single day an enduring peace, which ultimately includes two states for two peoples. So the steps we've taken include one of the tools include financial sanctions. So this includes taking steps to cut off Hamas's access to international financial systems. And since October 7th, of course, we have issued, I think, five rounds of sanctions against Hamas, including the most recent round of sanctions against Hamas just last week. The President has also spoken about his concern repeatedly and consistently, publicly and also in almost every diplomatic conversation he has with Israeli leaders, about the rise in violence that we have seen in the West Bank from extremist actors. And these actions pose a grave threat to peace, security, stability in the West Bank, Israel, and the Middle East region. And they also obstruct the realization of, ultimately, an independent Palestinian state existing side by side with the State of Israel, and by extension, the enduring peace and stability for Palestinians and Israelis alike, which, again, the President spoke to just this morning. The President has raised these issues, again, repeatedly, consistently, not only with Prime Minister Netanyahu but including on his visit to Israel at the beginning of the crisis, and regularly, including in his visit to Israel and to Bethlehem in the summer of 2022. And senior administration officials are engaged in this daily and regularly, including our team on the ground. And General Mike Fenzel, who's the head of our U.S. security our U.S. security coordinator. So, in November, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a cabinet memo, and he directed departments and agencies to take appropriate action and to develop policy options for further action against the actors responsible for this conduct and violence in the West Bank. And in December, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced visa restrictions on individuals contributing to actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. So, following on these measures, today President Biden is signing a new executive order to implement a set of new measures to address actions that undermine peace, stability security, stability in the West Bank. And under this new EO, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Treasury, in consultation with one another, have the ability to sanction foreign nationals engaged in actions that include the directing or participating in acts or threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, and acts of terrorism. These actions include, as I mentioned, directing or participating in acts of or threats of violence against civilians; intimidation; destroying, seizing property; or terrorism. And today, I think we'll kind of and I'll describe in general terms what you'll see later today but the State Department will be announcing an initial set of designations under this new EO. And these designations include individuals that have directly perpetrated violence and those who have engaged in repeated acts of intimidation, property destruction, leading to the forced displacement of Palestinian communities. I would just emphasize also this EO is non-discriminatory. It applies to Israelis and Palestinians alike. It applies to foreign nationals and those who are engaged in acts of violence on the West Bank and undermining stability there. And of course, we continue to go after, through sanctions and other means, designated terrorist groups, whether Gaza, the West Bank, or throughout the region. So just to kind of put a little bit of a descriptive nature of the types of activities that we're talking about here: Later today, the State Department will issue the initial round of designations under this new EO. And without getting into names, the types of activities for example, one individual initiated and led a riot, which involves setting vehicles and buildings on fire, assaulting civilians, causing damage to property, which resulted actually, in that incident, in the death of a Palestinian civilian. Another individual assaulting farmers and as well as Israeli activists. Direct attacks with stones and clubs, resulting in injuries that required medical treatment. Another just, again, descriptive nature attempted to break in windows of passing vehicles, blocking roads, intimidation, all of which are some of these activities recorded with video evidence. And actually, some of these individuals have been prosecuted in the Israeli system. Just finally, assaulting Palestinian Bedouin civilians, threatening with additional violence if they not leave their homes; burning fields; destroying property. Those are the types of activities that this EO covers. And I think when the individuals with the descriptions are announced later today, I think you'll see that in plain black and white. So that's what we're talking about here. Again, this is very consistent with the policies that we've laid out for some time, and builds on the cabinet memo that Jake issued last fall and then the action from Secretary Blinken regarding visa restrictions for certain types of destabilizing activities in the West Bank. And with that, why don't I turn it over to [senior administration official] to say a little bit more about the EO and some of the sanctions that it covers, and then we can open up to questions. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great. Thanks. And I think you've done a great job of outlining, so I'll be very brief. But just to underscore again that, today, President Biden is signing a new executive order which implements a new set of measures to address actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. The EO, in effect, blocks all property and interests [in property] of any person designated under this EO. And as [senior administration official] emphasized, we will be rolling out an initial set of designations today. So all property and interests in property in the United States of those individuals will be blocked. It will also prohibit U.S. persons making any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any of these persons, and the receipt or any contribution of provision of funds, goods, or services from those persons. So that is a standard set of full blocking financial sanctions. Additionally, the entry of the designated individuals under this EO will be blocked from the United States. So it is a traditional financial sanctions EO. The consequences will be to remove the individuals from access to the U.S. financial system and block any assets that are within the United States and within our jurisdiction. I will pause here and allow time for questions. But again, to emphasize, I think this is an important step to directly address the threats to U.S. national security and regional security arising from extremist violence in the West Bank, and underscores the extent to which the administration takes this threat seriously. MODERATOR: Thank you both. We'll now turn to questions. You can queue up by using the "Raise Your Hand" function on Zoom. Our first question will go to Mike Shear. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hey, guys. Thank you. Two quick questions just on how this works. One, when it comes to property, what does "blocking" mean? Does that mean that I mean, I understand what it means for cash in an account, but in terms of physical property. And can you give us some sense of the magnitude of the number of people and entities being sanctioned? Are we talking, in this first round, like a dozen, or are we talking scores? Or is there some way we can give a little bit of a sense of scale? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The second question, I'll take briefly. So, the first there'll be four names announced later today. And on the blocking and implementation, I'll turn it to [senior administration official]. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great. Thanks, Mike. And thanks, [senior administration official]. On the blocking so this is a traditional and ordinary financial sanction. The individuals who are named under this EO will be added to OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. The way that blocking works is that all U.S. persons and all persons within our jurisdiction or transiting the jurisdiction are directed to block and another form of phrase that people will use is "freeze" any interest in property. That can include any the physical property being managed; it can include financial assets. But it is a sanction that is analogous to our many other sanctions programs and includes a full freezing of a U.S. person's ability to transact. And any U.S. person in possession of or managing property or assets on behalf of one of these persons will need to follow OFAC regulations around how to treat that property and to ensure that it is blocked within the United States. MODERATOR: Thank you. Our next question will go to Tamara Keith. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi. Thank you so much for taking my question. Not to go in a slightly different direction, but I will. [Senior administration official], I know that you are involved in the talks to secure a ceasefire or extended pause and the release of hostages. And I am wondering if you can give us an update on how it's going, how soon something might come through, and how Prime Minister Netanyahu's public rhetoric might be affecting those talks. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, thanks. I won't say too much about that other than I think the President spoke to this at the prayer breakfast this morning. We are working this every single day to get the hostages home. Again, just to give you a sense of the pace: I was in the region last week, in Cairo and Doha. Bill had the meeting in Paris, which was reported in the media. We had Sheikh Mohammed, the Qatari prime minister, here on Monday. Jake and I met with the families of the hostages later that day. Yesterday, spent a couple hours with Ron Dermer, who's in town, on this and other issues. So we are doing all we possibly can to get the hostages out of Gaza. And that comes through an arrangement that would also lead to a significant humanitarian pause. And so, there is a kind of framework for that. There's an active negotiation. We continue to work it every day. I do not want to get into, kind of, the state of play beyond that, other than we are doing all we possibly can to try to facilitate this arrangement as we did back in November, with the recognition that this deal is, of course, much broader broader in scope. That makes it, on the one hand, more promising. The idea is to get all the hostages out. It also makes it, of course, more complicated because there are a number of elements. But we are just actively engaged on this. Secretary Blinken is heading out to the region again next week. And it really is a top priority as, I think, again, the President alluded to today in his remarks at the prayer breakfast. MODERATOR: Thank you. Our next question will go to Jacob Magid. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi. Thanks for doing this. Couple questions. How does this American citizens, who are highly represented in the West Bank, can they be covered through these actions? Or does it have to be something else, given that they already they don't need a visa, for example? And then, I just wanted to get a clarification on the difference between this action and then the one announced with the visa restrictions, because this also is a visa restriction. Was that announcement just, like, this is something we're going to do, or were there visa restrictions that were made already a couple months ago in addition to that? So just a clarification between those two. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, American citizens are not the intended target of this EO. The measure is focused on foreign nationals foreign nationals, again, engaged in actions that threaten peace, security, stability of the West Bank. And it is not linked to the visa restriction. It is really additive and just another tool following on the cabinet memo that Jake issued in the fall. But maybe I can turn it over to my colleague for addition. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks. Yeah, just to clarify, I think there were and to underscore what [senior administration official] just said we did issue visa restrictions, as we had announced in December, as part of our ongoing efforts to counter extremist violence in the West Bank. Those were issued under a separate State Department authority, which provides for visa restrictions, although the names of individuals under those visa restrictions are withheld and kept private. This sanctions action, like other full blocking sanctions programs that we have in other situations that threaten U.S. national security around the world, includes both financial sanctions so, additional financial sanctions and a visa restriction, and that visa restriction is public as well. So there's a slight distinction. It is complementary to and additive to the actions that we have already taken too. MODERATOR: Thank you. Our next question will go to Karen DeYoung. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi. Thank you. I wondered if you could explain how you determine responsibility for incidents. I mean, do you have people on the ground? Do you get it from the Israelis? The U.N. has recorded, I think, almost 500 settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7th. They listed 370 people killed. How do you determine these names and convince yourself of responsibility? And secondly, do you count things like, for example, this American teenager who was killed? Or do you wait for the Israelis to tell you who was responsible? Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Maybe I can take that one. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, go ahead. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, so we have a process, as we do for all of our sanctions, that requires us to build evidentiary packages that would pass judicial review. That means that we look for for each sanctions designation, it requires multiple forms of evidence and to ensure that that evidence can be corroborated from both credible sources. That evidence can include information from public reporting, information that has been passed from court documents or convictions in foreign states. It can also include intelligence reporting. But it must have multiple well-documented pieces of credible information before designating any individual. And all of our sanctions are subject to a very robust legal review process to ensure that we do have designation packages that stand up to judicial review. Like other sanctions programs, we intend to continue to pursue actions under this EO, and we'll continue to scrutinize evidence of actions that would fall under the conduct. MODERATOR: Thank you. We've got time for two more questions. Our next question will go to Zeke Miller. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Thanks so much for doing this. Can you let us know whether this was in any way briefed or reported to the Israeli government? I know Dermer was in town yesterday meeting with Jake. And then separately, what are the impacts of these sanctions on maybe let's start with these four sanctioned individuals today. What are they going to lose access to? How does it affect Americans to (inaudible) question Americans who live in the West Bank, you know, transacting business with these individuals in the West Bank, with the Israeli government supply, or American NGOs or nonprofits that have supported settlers? What's the impact real-world impact going to be for those individuals? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great. [Senior administration official], do you want to take the one on the government of Israel? And then I'll take the second question. MODERATOR: I think we've lost audio there. So, [senior administration official], if you want to take that second question first, then we can circle back to [senior administration official]. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sure. Great. So I think in terms of the practical implications of these sanctions, like other sanctions, these are designed to deny individuals access to the U.S. financial system. They are designed to ensure that these individuals, if they have property within the United States if they, for example, had a savings account or were transacting, making payments through the U.S. financial system, those funds would be frozen and blocked, so not returned to them but instead held pending any lifting of the designation due to them changing behavior. It would also prohibit U.S. persons, unless otherwise authorized via the licenses that can be issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, from making contributions, from providing services to these persons. So it does, like other financial sanctions that we impose, absent a specific license and we are able to issue licenses to make sure that our sanctions have the desired effect without having unintended consequences these individuals would be prohibited from making financial transactions with, from receiving contributions from, or receiving services from U.S. citizens anywhere in the world. OFAC has a robust licensing program to be able to work through any issues that that would cause. And we'll be issuing standard general licenses this morning to make sure that this does not, for example, impede the ability of organizations to conduct humanitarian work, the U.S. government to continue to conduct its work in the West Bank and elsewhere. But the immediate impact is to restrict these individuals' access to the U.S. financial system and also restrict their ability to receive services, including financial services, from U.S. persons. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Hey, guys, I'm back. I dropped for a couple of minutes. Sorry. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think there was a question about whether we had notified the government of Israel. Did you want to take that one? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes, we have. MODERATOR: Thank you. Our last question will go to Yuna. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi, thank you. Thank you for this. My first question is just a clarification. When this is published at noon, will we know the names of the individuals that are sanctioned? That is one. Second, you said that the Israeli government was notified. Was it notified on the level of a prime minister? Was it notified also the last question while Dermer was in town in D.C.? And the last one: Was part of it was considered sanctioning Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich? On what exactly basis were they considered to also being sanctioned? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, we did a very we did a regular notification to the Israeli government, to senior officials of the Israeli government, both from Washington and from Ambassador Lew. I know your second question that has been I've seen that reported anywhere. That's just wrong. That is not something that is currently under contemplation. And the I don't know when the names will come out. I think the EO at noon. The four names I think come out a little bit later. [Senior administration official], do you want to confirm that? From State. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The names will be issued at noon as well. So the State Department the designations will be under this EO, either the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Treasury, in consultation with the other, can issue designations. And these designations will be issued by the Department of State at noon, contemporaneously with the EO being posted, as well as the broader rollout. So you will have the names. State Department will have as is normally in these sanctions programs, you will have a full press release with the names and the details of the rationale for the designation and the conduct that we are designating the individuals for, at noon. MODERATOR: Great. Thank you both. This is all the time that we have. As a reminder, this call was on background, attributable to senior administration officials. And it is embargoed until noon Eastern. Thanks again for joining. 10:50 A.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Action to Promote Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank February 01, 2024 President Biden has been clear that the United States strongly supports Israel's right to defend itself following the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred on October 7 and in its effort to defeat Hamas to make sure that such an attack never happens again. This includes taking steps to cut off Hamas' access to the international financial system. Since October 7, the United States has issued five rounds of sanctions against Hamas, including the most recent round of sanctions against Hamas last week. President Biden has also spoken about his concern about the rise in violence that we have seen in the West Bank from extremist actorsin particular the rise in extremist settler violence, which reached record levels in 2023. This violence poses a grave threat to peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, Israel, and the Middle East region, and threatens the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. Today, President Biden signed a new Executive Order to implement new measures to address actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. This E.O. will allow the United States to issue financial sanctions against those directing or participating in certain actions, including acts or threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, or engaging in terrorist activity in the West Bank. The State Department today will also be announcing an initial set of designations under this new E.O. Today's actions seek to promote peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Executive Order on Imposing Certain Sanctions on Persons Undermining Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank February 01, 2024 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) and section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 8 U.S.C. 1185(a)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that the situation in the West Bank in particular high levels of extremist settler violence, forced displacement of people and villages, and property destruction has reached intolerable levels and constitutes a serious threat to the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank and Gaza, Israel, and the broader Middle East region. These actions undermine the foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution and ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom. They also undermine the security of Israel and have the potential to lead to broader regional destabilization across the Middle East, threatening United States personnel and interests. For these reasons, these actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. Accordingly, I hereby order: Section 1. All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person, including any foreign branch, of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: (a) any foreign person determined by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State: (i) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, any of the following: (A) actions including directing, enacting, implementing, enforcing, or failing to enforce policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the West Bank; or (B) planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in any of the following actions affecting the West Bank: (1) an act of violence or threat of violence targeting civilians; (2) efforts to place civilians in reasonable fear of violence with the purpose or effect of necessitating a change of residence to avoid such violence; (3) property destruction; or (4) seizure or dispossession of property by private actors; (ii) to be or have been a leader or official of: (A) an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, any of the activities described in subsections (a) or (b) of this section related to the leader's or official's tenure; or (B) an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order as a result of activities relating to the leader's or official's tenure; (iii) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any person blocked pursuant to this order; or (iv) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person blocked pursuant to this order; or (b) any foreign person determined by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury: (i) to have committed or have attempted to commit, to pose a significant risk of committing, or to have participated in training to commit acts of terrorism affecting the West Bank; or (ii) to be a leader or official of an entity sanctioned pursuant to subsection (b)(i) of this section. Sec. 2. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of this order. Sec. 3. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include: (a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and (b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Sec. 4. (a) The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of noncitizens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section 1 of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and the entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is hereby suspended, except when the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, determines that the person's entry would not be contrary to the interests of the United States, including when the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, so determines, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General, that the person's entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives. (b) The Secretary of State shall implement this order as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish. (c) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement this order as it applies to the entry of noncitizens pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish. (d) Such persons shall be treated by this section in the same manner as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions). Sec. 5. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited. (b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited. Sec. 6. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the types of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order. Sec. 7. For the purposes of this order: (a) the term "entity" means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization; (b) the term "noncitizen" means any person who is not a citizen or noncitizen national of the United States; (c) the term "person" means an individual or entity; (d) the term "United States person" means any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States; and (e) the term "terrorism" means an activity that: (i) involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, property, or infrastructure; and (ii) appears to be intended: (A) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (B) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (C) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, kidnapping, or hostage-taking. Sec. 8. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked or affected by this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds and other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to this order. Sec. 9. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within the Department of the Treasury. All executive departments and agencies of the United States shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement this order. Sec. 10. Nothing in this order shall prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the Federal Government or the United Nations (including its specialized agencies, programs, funds, and related organizations) by employees, grantees, and contractors thereof. Sec. 11. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is authorized to submit recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency declared in this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)). Sec. 12. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. THE WHITE HOUSE, February 1, 2024. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Inherent Resolve - Normalize The United States is planning more military strikes against militias allied with Iran in response to an attack that killed three American soldiers in Jordan a week ago, after targeting Iran's allies in three countries in the Middle East, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The initial strikes avoided Iranian territory, but focused on the "Iranian corridor" in Deir ez-Zor Governorate in eastern Syria. It included the areas surrounding the governorate's capital, and the desert area of Al-Mayadeen. Washington and Tehran sought to avoid a deeper confrontation. The US military has not yet killed any Iranian forces in its strikes in Syria and Iraq, and the US government has given the Iranians ample time to move their forces out of the region, the Wall Street Journal notes. Despite the presence of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps advisors and fighters in the targeted areas, the strikes have not yet killed any Iranian personnel. As long as US strikes in Iraq and Syria avoid killing senior members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Tehran is unlikely to respond in kind. Even the hard-line media in Iran, which is close to the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and the security establishment, refrained from calling for revenge against the American strikes. Advisors to the Syrian and American government said that some Revolutionary Guard leaders in the eastern countryside of Syria have moved to safe homes in densely populated areas and to the south of the country, where they can easily mix with the Syrian and Russian military forces. In Yemen, about 50 advisors from the Iranian Guard and Lebanese Hezbollah left coastal areas where they were helping with missile and drone attacks on ships heading to Sanaa, the Houthis' de facto capital, according to people familiar with the redeployment process, according to the Wall Street Journal. US operations may carry "risks" if Iranian-backed groups decide to "retaliate independently of Tehran," which could deepen the growing regional conflict, analysts with experience in security issues in the Middle East region told the Wall Street Journal. The last thing Biden wants is to get stuck in another quagmire in the Middle East, said Saeed Golkar, an Iranian researcher at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. In fighting a more technologically advanced enemy, Iran is resorting to a war of attrition, he told the Wall Street Journal. Even if Iran does not retaliate for attacks on its allies, targeted militias may do so, said Hamid Reza Azizi, a visiting fellow and expert on Iran's regional policies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. They may decide that they need to respond in order to maintain their dignity, and in order to demonstrate effective force, Azizi added. For his part, Fouad Izadi, professor of American studies at the University of Tehran, said, The US armys strikes on Iraq and Syria provide Iran with a public relations victory. He added: "If the United States is afraid of attacking Iran, other countries will feel the same way." American strikes on Iraqi forces, some of which are part of the Iraqi security apparatus, also weaken Washington's relations with Baghdad, which is in Iran's interest. Manipulating undeclared red lines is dangerous and carries with it the risk of miscalculation and mistakes that could turn a low-intensity conflict into something that could destabilize the region. There are indications that US strikes may only lead to a temporary slowdown in Iranian-backed militia attacks. Analysts say that while Iran can influence its allies by cutting off military funding and aid, it has only limited control over them. Iran-backed militias in Iraq operate within a comprehensive framework dictated by Tehran but also follow their own agenda, and for years have sought to expel American forces from the country as their top priority. At the same time, the Houthis see the confrontation with the United States as a way to legitimize their claim to legitimate leadership of Yemen. How these groups respond to the wave of US strikes will likely determine whether the conflict can be contained, according to the Wall Street Journal. Since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle , the United States of America sought to prevent the escalation and expansion of the conflict so that it does not become regional. As part of its military and diplomatic support for the Israeli occupation state, Washington sent diplomatic and military messages to elements of the axis of resistance and Irans allies in the region urging them not to engage in the battle. On the Iraqi and Syrian front, on October 21, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq launched attacks with missiles and drones on American military sites in Syria and Iraq, in response to the American-backed Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. Data issued by both sides show that more than 200 attacks and attempted attacks occurred against American forces and international coalition forces throughout the Middle East by the Axis of Resistance in the past four months, a 20-fold increase compared to the previous four-month period. In the 12 months preceding the events of last October 7, only about 30 similar events were reported in the region. The United States indicated that its strikes at midnight on February 3 were the beginning of its response to many attacks. The United States has significantly escalated its military activity in the Middle East over the past four months, including retaliatory air strikes as part of more than 60 incidents against members of the Axis of Resistance since October 7. The US military command in the Middle East (Centcom) said that the strikes against Kataib Hezbollah targeted headquarters and storage and training sites for missiles, missile projectiles, and explosive drones. In Iraq, American strikes targeted both Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Hezbollah, which the United States accuses of being behind most of the recent attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria. In Syria, the strikes included armed groups loyal to Iran, Syrian army forces, Revolutionary Guard sites, and the Fatemiyoun Brigade. Official statistics show that the total number of deaths as a result of these air strikes reached 18 people. With these strikes, the United States seeks to deter these groups in light of the fragile security situation sweeping the region since the seventh of last October. The Biden administration also places these attacks in the context of the pressures on its forces and the international coalition forces to leave Iraq, based on the decisions of the Iraqi Council of Representatives. The Biden administration takes into account the proximity of the US elections and its desire to restore calm to the region before that. Washington also fears that the Axis of Resistance groups will develop their performance and engage more in direct targeting of Israel in light of the continued aggression against Gaza and the possibility of escalation in southern Lebanon. Biden accused the militias supported by Tehran of being behind the attacks, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed that the drone that carried out the raid was Iranian-made. As part of its retaliatory attacks, the United States was keen to avoid launching strikes inside Iranian territory, in addition to not directly accusing Tehran of bearing responsibility for the attacks on the Al-Tanf base and Tower 22 in Jordan. This comes in line with the policy of avoiding major regional escalation. In a statement, the US Secretary of Defense said, "We do not seek to escalate the conflict in the region, but we are fully prepared to take further measures to protect our forces and facilities." On the other hand, Iran declared a state of high alert and deployed its defense systems along the border with Iraq in anticipation of any potential American attacks. It also called on the armed groups associated with it to disappear and evacuate their positions, and directed that Iranian military commanders and advisors leave their positions in Iraq and Syria, to avoid being targeted by American or Israeli raids. The delay in the American response for nearly a week also indicates Washington's desire to avoid major human losses among the armed groups and their sites, and the delay in the response gave it sufficient time to evacuate the sites and take the necessary precautions. For its part, the Iranian Foreign Ministry last Saturday "strongly" condemned the American attacks on Iraq and Syria, and considered them a "strategic mistake" that contributes to exacerbating tension and instability in the region. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a statement, We strongly condemn the American military attacks on areas in Iraq and Syria, according to the Iranian Mehr Agency. Kanaani considered that "the attacks are a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria, and a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter." He continued, "In addition to the United States' full support for four months of brutal and continuous Israeli oppression against the residents of Gaza and the West Bank, and the military attacks on Yemen and the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country, last night's attack on Syria and Iraq is a new strategic adventure and mistake by the American government, which contributes to... "The tension and instability in the region have worsened." The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, "Syria condemns this blatant American violation, and categorically rejects all the pretexts and lies promoted by the American administration to justify this attack." The spokesman for the Iraqi Armed Forces, Yahya Rasool, responded in a statement saying, The strikes are considered a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, and constitute a threat that may drag Iraq and the region into undesirable consequences, and their consequences will be dire for security and stability in Iraq and the region. For its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) condemned the American attacks on Iraq and Syria, considering them a dangerous escalation and an attack on the sovereignty of two Arab countries. The movement said in a statement, "We condemn in the strongest terms the American aggression against both Iraq and Syria, and consider it a dangerous escalation, an infringement on the sovereignty of the two Arab countries, and a threat to their security and the stability of the region." It added that the attack came "in service of the Israeli occupation's expansionist agenda, and to cover up its horrific crimes against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip." The American strikes against the sites of armed groups in Syria and Iraq were disciplined and calculated so as not to lead to a greater escalation, which may push these groups to continue targeting American sites and perhaps develop their attacks to include Israeli targets. After the American attacks, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Syria announced the targeting of Ain al-Asad Air Base in Anbar Governorate, and Al-Harir Air Base in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. A missile bombardment also targeted the American base in the Conico gas field, east of Deir ez-Zor Governorate, northeastern Syria. The Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq pledged to respond to the American attacks that targeted its positions and civilian sites in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Al-Nujaba Movement, one of the most active Iraqi factions against American targets, announced that it will not suspend attacks on the Americans, and will respond to any attack by them. The largest US air operation in the region since 2003, which was presented by Joe Biden as an act of retaliation in response to an attack by an unknown source drone on an American base illegally located in Syria, has no justification, Russia's Permanent Representative to the Security Council, Vasily Nebenzia said at a UN Security Council meeting. He added: "We see in this muscle-flexing attempt, above all, a desire to influence the internal political situation in America, and a desire to somehow correct the failed image of the current American administration on the international scene in light of the growing momentum of the presidential campaign." US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan knocked critics of Biden as armchair quarterbacks and expressed confidence in the steps taken. We intend to take additional strikes and additional action to continue to send a clear message that the United States will respond when our forces are attacked, he told NBCs Meet the Press 04 February 2024. We are confident in the course that we are on going forward. Sullivan confirmed that the United States intends to launch further strikes on Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East, in response to the killing of three of its soldiers in Jordan, after the US army launched air strikes. In Iraq and Syria on Friday, more than 85 targets linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and factions supported by Tehran were found. Sullivan considered that "there is no indication that Iran has changed its policy regarding armed groups," warning that "if America continues to see threats and attacks, it will respond to them." In an interview with Al-Hurra TV, Sullivan described the Iranian role in the Middle East region as malicious, stressing that Washington will deal with it in a clear and direct manner. Sullivan said, in an interview with the From Washington program on the Al Hurra channel, which will be broadcast in full at 20:00 GMT, Sunday: The Iranian factor in the events in the Middle East is real, fundamental, and malicious, and we need to deal with it in a clear and direct way, and we will do that. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in separate statements on the " Fox News Sunday " program that the strikes launched by the United States on Friday evening on Iranian-backed groups were just a "first round" of measures that will continue later. Le Figaro newspaper reported on the delay in US President Joe Biden's retaliation for the killing of his soldiers in Jordan, and said that one of the explanations for the wait-and-see situation may lie in the sensitive negotiations currently taking place between Israel and Hamas, and the escalation of violence will only make it more difficult to conclude the talks in this regard. The Wall Street Journal said 04 February 2024 that the aerial bombardment launched by American forces on the sites of pro-Iranian armed groups in the Middle East may be less effective in calming tensions in the region than an agreement that stops the fighting between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ). According to the newspapers report, the American retaliatory strikes in response to the killing of 3 American soldiers at a military base in northeastern Jordan were carefully planned to ward off attacks on American forces in the Middle East without pushing Iran into a direct conflict. Whatever the reaction the bombing provokes, it is unlikely to prevent Iran's allies from launching further attacks against American and Israeli interests. However, analysts and officials in the region that the newspaper spoke to believe that stopping these attacks requires a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip . The American newspaper attributes the reason for igniting the fiery conflict between the United States and the "constellation of militias allied with Iran" to the war that Israel began in the Gaza Strip following the attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which came... In response to the ongoing Israeli violations of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the ongoing incursions into West Bank cities and towns. There are major obstacles preventing convincing both sides (the Israeli occupation and Hamas) to agree to a deal to stop the war, especially internal divisions in Israel over accepting its terms as they are. Since Israel's invasion of Gaza, Lebanese Hezbollah has also engaged in an exchange of fire on Israel's northern border. The attacks launched by the Iranian -backed Houthis have severely affected international shipping traffic in the Red Sea , which prompted the United States to launch air strikes on the territory controlled by the group in Yemen. The newspaper pointed out that the war in Gaza, which claimed the lives of 27,000 people - most of them women and children - put the administration of US President Joe Biden under greater pressure to achieve its dual political goal, which is that a ceasefire in Gaza would lead to the release of prisoners. Israelis detained by Hamas. However, the newspaper says that there are major obstacles preventing the two sides from being convinced to agree to the deal, especially internal divisions over accepting its terms as they are. The US launched strikes on Iranian targets in eastern Syria on 02 February 2024, in the opening salvo of retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan. Iraq said 16 people, including civilians, were killed on its soil, and a monitoring group reported 18 people were killed in Syria. CNN quoted a White House official as saying that it would not launch any raids inside Iran. CNN quoted US officials as saying that the military strikes launched by Washington are likely to be the beginning of a wide series targeting "militias supported by Iran." Washington warned of more strikes to deter the Iran-backed axis of resistance amid Israels war on Gaza. In announcing the overnight attacks, US President Joe Biden said: Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing. US Central Command stated At 4:00 p.m. (EST) Feb. 02, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. The facilities that were struck included command and control operations, centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aired vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III stated "Following the attack on U.S. and Coalition Forces in northeastern Jordan this past Sunday that killed three U.S. service members, at President Biden's direction, U.S. military forces today conducted strikes on seven facilities, which included more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militias use to attack U.S. forces. This is the start of our response. The President has directed additional actions to hold the IRGC and affiliated militias accountable for their attacks on U.S. and Coalition Forces. These will unfold at times and places of our choosing. We do not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else, but the President and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces. We will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our forces, and our interests." At least one American B-1 heavy bomber was reported to have left RAF Lakenheath, in the UK, during the evening shortly after strikes were already hitting Syria targets. Director of Operations at the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Douglas Sims, told reporters on Friday that the bomber crews that took off from the United States succeeded in carrying out the flight without stopping. He added that the United States is "really confident" in the accuracy of its strikes on targets. Sims stressed that the initial assessment indicates that all the targets struck were hit, with secondary explosions associated with the munitions and logistics sites targeted by the United States. He pointed out that "we know that there are militants using these sites," and these strikes were carried out with the idea that "there are likely to be people inside these facilities," noting that care was taken to avoid causing "unnecessary injuries or deaths." The American military official stated that Friday was chosen to carry out the strikes, which represents the best opportunity in terms of weather, although American munitions are capable of operating in any circumstance, but good weather was chosen to ensure that we hit all the right targets. American military expert, Mike Lines, pointed out that the use of these bombers indicates that Washington did not only want to launch a warning strike, as it always did against those groups, but rather aimed to strike them forcefully and accurately and cut off their supplies. Speaking to CNN, Lines said, It seems they did this because they really wanted to cut off logistical supplies to those groups, noting that the goal behind these strikes was to disrupt those groups that extend from Iran through Iraq to Syria. Lines said that using this type of launcher provides the accuracy necessary to disable these targets. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, "The facilities that were targeted were being used by groups affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to target American forces in the Middle East." Lines commented on this, saying, From a strategic perspective, this is exactly how it should be. Regardless of sending messages to Iran, American forces must obtain the results they want to obtain, referring to disrupting the work of armed organizations close to Iran. He concluded, "The use of B-1 bombers means that the goal is to increase the accuracy and effectiveness of strikes along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Perhaps they will be used to destroy bridges, or do other things that harm these organizations. There appears to be a desire to go behind supply lines to curb their ability to launch attacks." For its part, the Washington Post quoted American officials as saying that the strikes in Syria and Iraq targeted at least 8 sites. Fox News quoted a defense official that the American strikes were from multiple platforms, and that they were the beginning of a long campaign to target pro-Iranian groups in the coming days. The New York Times quoted American officials as saying that other strikes will be launched in the coming days, and their scope may expand to include other facilities and militias. A source in the Islamic Resistance in Iraq confirmed that 6 American strikes targeted a number of sites inside Iraq, including a weapons depot. The source explained that the bombing targeted sites from which missiles were launched against American bases. Sources told Al Jazeera that unidentified aircraft targeted sites south of the city of Al-Mayadeen, noting that the bombing included the areas of Al-Haidariya and Al-Shibli. A local source also said that raids took place in the vicinity of the city of Albukamal, east of Deir ez-Zor, near the Syrian-Iraqi border. For its part, Syrian media reported hearing strong explosions at the American base in the Al-Omar oil field in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. This base was repeatedly subjected to attacks by armed factions described as being supported by Iran. NBC quoted American officials confirming that the military response to the killing of soldiers may continue for days or weeks. The officials added that the upcoming operation will be Biden's strongest response to the militias that have launched more than 150 attacks on American forces since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. An American official said that Washington had strengthened its defenses on Jordanian soil at a time when it was preparing for a broad response to the attack that led to the killing of 3 American soldiers at a military base in Jordan. The Washington Post quoted the American official as saying that the options being considered by the United States include targets in Syria, Yemen and Iraq. NBC said that Biden asked his national security team whether the response would jeopardize talks on releasing detainees in the Gaza Strip, and that he decided to move forward with response measures after his team reduced concerns about the talks. Biden - who has so far said that he does not want escalation in the Middle East or an open war with Iran - is facing pressure to respond firmly to Tehran. An RT correspondent in Syria reported that unidentified drones attacked targets in the Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bukamal countryside in eastern Syria, amid reports of an American bombing targeting the headquarters of Iraqi factions in the Al-Sikak area in Al-Qaim. A field source also reported that drones targeted points belonging to the forces supporting the Syrian army in the Al-Mayadeen desert in the Deir ez-Zor countryside in eastern Syria. The source said, Drones targeted 3 points belonging to the forces supporting the Syrian army south of the city of Al-Mayadeen. He added, "The planes most likely took off from the American base in the Al-Omar oil field in the Deir ez-Zor countryside." A field source told Sputnik that warplanes carried out a new targeting of a point belonging to the forces supporting the Syrian army near Ain Ali in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. Meanwhile, an RT correspondent reported that preliminary information indicates that 8 air strikes were launched in the Al-Qaim district in Iraq, near the border with Syria. He explained that reports indicate that an ammunition store belonging to the Iraqi factions was targeted. Syrian television reported at dawn on Saturday that a number of people were killed and wounded as a result of attacks launched by American aircraft on a number of sites in the desert and the Syrian-Iraqi border. The aircraft carried out 4 rounds of raids on sites of the armed factions in Deir ez-Zor, 3 of them on Al-Mayadeen and one round on Al-Bukamal, while reconnaissance planes are still flying intensively in the regions airspace. Directly following the US attacks, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced the targeting of the Harir US base with drones in Erbil, declaring that the operation comes in "continuation of our path in resisting the American occupation forces in Iraq and the region, and in response to the massacres committed by the zionist entity against our people in Gaza." Iraqi Al-Nujaba Movement said that it will continue to launch attacks on American forces until the war in Gaza ends and American forces withdraw from Iraq. The movement - which is led by Akram Al-Kaabi and represents one of the main factions in the Islamic Resistance in Iraq - announced in a statement that any (American) targeting will face a response that suits it, stressing, We will not stop until two things are achieved, namely stopping operations on Gaza and withdrawing the American occupation from Iraq". The Hezbollah Brigades, which is affiliated with the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq", announced a few days ago that it was suspending its attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria. The Al-Nujaba Movement affirmed, in its statement on Friday, We respect (this decision) and appreciate it, but stressed that the Islamic resistance in Iraq and its other factions will continue with its decision until its demands are met. The attacks are a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria, international law, and a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, said Iraq Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nasser Kanaani. In addition to an all-out support of the US for four months of relentless and barbaric attacks by the Zionist regime against the residents of Gaza and the West Bank, and military attacks on Yemen and violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, last nights attacks on Syria and Iraq were another adventurous action and another strategic error by the US government which will have no result but to intensify tensions and instability in the region.... The attacks merely support the goals of the Zionist regime. Such attacks increasingly involve the US government in the region and overshadow the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza. This aggressive strike will put security in Iraq and the region on the brink of the abyss, the Iraqi government said in a statement, and denied Washingtons claims of coordinating the air raids with Baghdad as false and aimed at misleading international public opinion. The presence of the US-led military coalition in the region has become a reason for threatening security and stability in Iraq and a justification for involving Iraq in regional and international conflicts, read the statement from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanis office. Iraq reiterates its refusal to let the country be an arena for settling scores, said government spokesperson Basim Alwadi. The Iraq parliamentary Defense Committee slammed the attacks as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty and said they weaken security cooperation between Baghdad and Washington. "The Committee calls on the Iraqi government to assume its responsibility to protect fighters of the Popular Mobilization Forces, one of the formations of the Iraqi armed forces, by submitting a formal complaint with the UN Security Council and accelerating the process of reaching an agreement on the withdrawal of US and international coalition troops from Iraq. Their presence in Iraq is destabilizing the situation," it said in a statement. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the strikes served to inflame the conflict in the Middle East in an extremely dangerous way and added to Washingtons record of violations against Syrias sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its people, proving once again that it is the main source of global instability. The military said, The area targeted by the American attacks in eastern Syria is the same area where the Syrian Arab Army is fighting the remnants of the Daesh [ISIL] terrorist organisation, and this confirms that the United States and its military forces are involved and allied with this organisation, and are working to revive it as a field arm for it both in Syria and Iraq by all dirty means. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, yhe coalition of US and Israel-opposed armed groups in Iraq, which had suspended its attacks earlier this week, said it launched drones at a US base in Erbil. Iraqi groups also carried out attacks with missiles targeting the al-Tanf military base in Syria which is home to US personnel, as well as the Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq. Hamas stated We condemn in the strongest terms the American aggression against Iraq and Syria, and consider it a dangerous escalation, an infringement on the sovereignty of the two Arab countries, and a threat to their security and the stability of the region, in service of the occupations expansionist agenda and covering up its horrific crimes against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Irans proxies have played with fire for months and years, and its now burning them, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told reporters as he arrived for a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels. Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives, accused Biden of placating Tehran after the strikes, and said that to promote peace, America must project strength. Johnson stated that the US airstrikes were undercut by the fact that the Biden administration "waited for a week and telegraphed to the world, including to Iran, the nature of our response." Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, questioned the effectiveness of the US bombings. The aim is to degrade their ability to strike over a longer period of time, albeit at the risk of starting a regional war. This is ultimately a suboptimal strategy. It would be more effective to reduce their interest in striking against the US The most effective way to shift the interest of these militias is through a ceasefire in Gaza, said Parsi. There is no escaping this reality: Nothing in the region is likely to de-escalate unless there is de-escalation in Gaza. Unfortunately, Bidens approach thus far has been to avoid putting material pressure on Israel for a ceasefire. Joshua Landis, associate professor and director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Al Jazeera that politicians in Washington are pressuring Biden for a stronger response as the US presidential election looms. He has to respond, but at the same time hes made it very clear he does not want to escalate, and that means two things; he can hit Syrians, thats easy and nobody cares about the Syrian government, but the Americans do care about the Iraqi government. After the killing of 3 American soldiers in Jordan as a result of the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip and the targeting of American interests in the region in response to support for Tel Aviv, Washington vowed to respond to the armed factions loyal to Iran that it accuses of the attacks. After the strike carried out by a drone on January 28 against Burj 22, a logistical support base in Jordan on the border with Syria, and the killing of 3 American soldiers for the first time in the region since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip on October 7, In the past, American intelligence services specifically pointed the finger at the " Islamic Resistance in Iraq ," a group of widely influential Iraqi factions with close relations with Tehran. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby hinted that the Iraqi "Hezbollah Brigades," which is considered the most prominent faction in the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq," bears responsibility for the attack. The "Islamic Resistance" claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks using drones or missiles on American soldiers in Iraq and Syria who are part of the international coalition against ISIS. American forces had been subjected to more than 165 attacks since the start of the war on Gaza, which reveals the extent of escalating regional tension. Among the factions that explicitly declared their affiliation with the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" are the Al-Nujaba Movement and the Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades. Washington classifies all of these factions that demand the departure of American forces from Iraq and stand in solidarity with the Palestinians against Israel as terrorist organizations. These factions are also part of the Popular Mobilization Forces , an alliance of military groups that are part of the official Iraqi security forces. Washington had previously bombed sites of Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba in Iraq. American forces said that they struck a "logistical support center for the Popular Mobilization Forces" in central Baghdad. It also targeted the Jurf al-Sakhar area, which is a closed area protected by strict security measures where the activities of armed factions are concentrated and is located 60 kilometers south of Baghdad. It also targeted the Al-Qaim border area, where there is an official crossing point for crossing into Syria, specifically to areas where pro-Iranian factions are located in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor. Military expert Riyad Qahwaji said that the United States may seek to strike weapons depots (in Iraq) and areas from which drones are launched, and will try to identify depots that contain missiles. In Syria, the areas where the Iraqi factions are located are located mainly in the eastern side of Syria close to the Iraqi border in the Deir ez-Zor region ( ) in Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bukamal, which are the two largest centers that can be targeted, according to Qahwaji. Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, says, Deir ez-Zor city, the Palmyra desert in central Syria, which has airports from which drones fly, Al-Bukamal and Al-Mayadeen are potential targets, noting that they are the areas most (vulnerable) to targeting. And perhaps in A later stage, the Aleppo region in northern Syria. Abdul Rahman confirms that many bases and sites of pro-Iranian fighters have been evacuated in eastern Deir ez-Zor province. Meanwhile, a large portion of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers withdrew to Damascus, he said. In similar measures in Iraq, an official in an Iranian-backed faction took measures to confront American threats, by transferring some equipment and evacuating some camps to alternative locations. Another official said that "some field commanders" had moved to Iran, while others had moved to "safe locations," he said. Despite Washington's vow of revenge, American officials reiterate that they do not want to reach a "wider war" in the Middle East. Tehran also denied being behind the attack that killed the three American soldiers and wounded dozens, and repeated that it was not seeking escalation. At the end of January, the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades announced the suspension of its attacks against the American occupation forces, and called on its fighters to passive defense if any hostile American action occurs toward them, as it put it. The Hezbollah Brigades statement absolved Iran of responsibility for the attacks, stressing that Tehran objects to pressure and escalation against the American occupation forces in Iraq and Syria. The Al-Nujaba Movement issued a statement in which it pledged to continue attacks against American soldiers, and warned that any (American) targeting will face a response that suits it. US Under Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Barbara Leaf criticized the attacks launched by the Iraqi factions and considered that they also constitute an attack on the sovereignty of the Iraqi state, and an infringement on its control over weapons and national and foreign security policies. She confirmed that this file is subject to vigorous consultations with Iraqi officials. The American official called on the Iraqi authorities to control these groups, saying, "We would like to see more action." The United States deploys 2,500 soldiers in Iraq and about 900 in Syria as part of what it describes as fighting ISIS within the international coalition that was established in 2014. Inherent Resolve Defeat campaign phase was terminated effective 01 July 2020. Normalize campaign phase was established effective 02 July 2020. OIR transitioned to Phase IV of the campaign, Normalize. In this phase, the Coalition largely shifted from hands-on training, developing, and assisting partner forces in both Iraq and Syria to advising and enabling them, mainly remotely, from consolidated bases during operations against ISIS. In Syria, some training of partner forces continues. In Iraq, Coalition efforts focus on reforming and professionalizing Iraqi security institutions and combatting corruption to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. The United States and Iraq will start talks to end the U.S.-led international military coalition in Iraq and transition to a bilateral partnership, continuing a process that has been stalled by the Israel-Hamas war. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a statement 25 January 2024 saying the talks would begin "in the coming days." Last August, Iraq and the U.S. committed to the talks, which Austin said would allow a relationship between the two countries to build on the success of Iraq's campaign known as Defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or D-ISIS. "U.S. military personnel are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, as part of Operation Inherent Resolve's mission to advise, assist, and enable the Iraqi security forces in their ongoing fight against ISIS. The United States remains committed to a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq," Austin said. A separate statement from Iraq's Foreign Ministry described the talks as an effort to "initiate the gradual and deliberate reduction" of U.S. military advisors in Iraq. The talks will "formulate a specific and clear timetable that specifies the duration of the presence of international coalition advisors," it said. But what impact the talks will have on the U.S. military footprint in Iraq is unclear. While some Iraqi government statements seem to suggest a more rapid drawdown of U.S. forces, U.S. officials argue there is no rush. "There's no timeline set," Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said, while acknowledging the number of U.S. troops is "something that this working group is going to take a look at." "It will certainly be part of the conversations as it goes forward," she said. "But there are certain conditions that have to be met or certain factors that have to be met in order for both Iraq and the United States to feel that we can ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS." The Prime Minister in Iraq announced Friday 05 January 2024 that the government had formed a bilateral committee to determine arrangements for ending the mission of the international coalition led by the United States in the country. This came a day after an American strike targeted a leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces in the capital, Baghdad. A statement from the office of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani said, We are in the process of setting the date for the start of the dialogue through the bilateral committee that was formed to determine the arrangements for the end of this presence, and it is a commitment that the government will not back down from, and will not neglect everything that would complete national sovereignty over the land, sky and waters of Iraq. An American strike led to the killing of Talib Ali Al-Saidi, a leader in the Al-Nujaba Movement , which is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces factions. A Pentagon official said that the United States "continues to take measures to protect its forces in Iraq and Syria, and by addressing the threats they face." Al-Sudani pointed out - during the funeral of the leader of the Al-Nujaba movement - that Iraq has a strategic partnership agreement and diplomatic relations with Washington, and in this way the main principles of international relations have been violated, and what the United Nations Charter stipulates about equality of sovereignty between countries and the prohibition of the use of force in relations. International, adding that "Iraq lost a man whose concern throughout his years was for Iraq to be free and independent." Al-Sudani explained that the region has been living in a tense situation since last October 7, due to the aggressive and criminal policies practiced by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories. Washington had counted more than 115 attacks against its forces in Iraq and Syria since mid-October 2023, days after the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza, according to a new tally reported by an American military official. In December 2023, the United States carried out air strikes in Iraq in response to a drone attack carried out by gunmen, which resulted in the injury of 3 American soldiers, one of whom was seriously injured. In a related development, a source in the tribal mobilization in Iraq announced that a violent explosion rocked the Al-Baghdadi district near the Ain al-Assad base and caused material civilian damage, an indication of Washingtons intention to continue its attacks despite the official Iraqi condemnation of these attacks. Coalition forces were consolidated mainly to three major locations in and around Baghdad and Erbil. CJTF-OIR reported that U.S. troops remained at the Union III and Baghdad Diplomatic Security Complex in Baghdad, the al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province, and Erbil Air Base in Iraqs northern Kurdish region. While the Coalition continued to make changes to the composition of its forces in Iraq during the quarter, plans to reposition forces were complete. Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani said 18 January 2024 that Iraq wants the immediate withdrawal of the US-led foreign forces from his country due to their destabilizing activities. The Iraqi prime minister made the demand during a televised event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Sudani said the end of the US-led coalition was a necessity for the security and stability of Iraq.... It is also a necessity for preserving constructive bilateral relations between Iraq and the coalition countries. The prime minister said it was also necessary to immediately begin a dialogue, to reach an understanding and a timetable regarding the end of the mission of international advisers. Elsewhere in his remarks, Sudani lauded sacrifices made by the Iraqi military forces in the fight against terrorism. Longstanding calls by Iraqi factions for the US-led coalitions departure have gained steam in the wake of a series of US strikes on Iraqs Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), which are part of Iraqs security forces. Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani said on 28 December 2023 that his country was moving toward ending the presence of the international coalition against ISIS in the country, days after American strikes on Iraqi sites that Baghdad considered hostile and a violation of sovereignty. Al-Sudani said during a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez , in Baghdad, that he discussed in detail during his meeting with Sanchez the situation of the international coalition led by the United States, pointing to the role of the coalition and Spain in supporting Iraqs efforts to confront ISIS. He explained that the Iraqi government is in the process of rearranging the relationship in light of capable Iraqi forces, stressing that it is moving towards ending the presence of international coalition forces in Iraq . He added, "We stressed the importance of adhering to the legal mandate granted by previous Iraqi governments for this presence, which must be within the framework of support for the security forces in the areas of training, and must not exceed the limit of carrying out military actions, as they represent an infringement on Iraqi sovereignty, which is unacceptable." The US Department of Defense said 09 December 2021 its forces in Iraq had ended their combat mission and will instead take on a training and advisory role for the country's military. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said that the number of US troops in Iraq would not drastically change. The US has about 2,500 troops stationed in Iraq. The formal end of the combat mission is unlikely to change the facts on the ground; the coalition stopped engaging in combat missions early in 2020, and since then, the main US focus has been assisting Iraqi forces. Iraqi Staff Lieutenant General Abdul Amir al-Shammari, deputy commander of the Joint Operations Command for Iraq, said Iraqi forces were ready to take up the fight against ISIL. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kyrylo Budanov Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly pulled back on a threat to dismiss commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, according to media reports 31 January 2024, as relations remain strained. Zelenskyy reportedly threatened to dismiss Zaluzhnyi by presidential decree but was forced to back down after potential successors signaled that they would refuse to assume the post. After Zaluzhny told his subordinates he was leaving, senior commanders and international partners, including the United States and Britain, expressed concern. According to reports, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi and the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyryll Budanov, both refused to replace Zaluzhny. By mid-2023 Zelensky and Zaluzhny were in a major dispute as to who would take reponsibility for mobilizing the extra half million troops that Zaluzhny had said were needed. But Budanov took issue with the need for such a broad recuitment. He said 17 December 2023 that one of the main issues in this regard is the motivation of citizens. "The following question arises: all people who wanted to come, they came. Who is being called up now? Unfortunately, there will be no good answer here. If we do not find any motivation for them, then no matter how many people forcibly, not forcibly or according to some legal norms - we would drive [into the army], their efficiency will be almost zero. In principle, this is what has been happening recently, and this must be frankly acknowledged..." Unlike Oleksandr Syrskyi, Kyrylo Budanov is not considered Yermak's man. Moreover, he has his own direct channel of communication with President Zelensky and was previously considered one of Yermak's alternative channels of communication to Zelensky. Budanov is a blend of James Bond and George Patton. He evokes the remark of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, wh said "Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look, He thinks too much; such men are dangerous." For an intelligence chief running Ukraine's spy operations during war with Russia, Kyrylo Budanov had built up an unusually public presence by age, 37 Kyrylo Budanov is a Ukrainian military officer who was appointed as the Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine [GUR] in 2020. He has served in various capacities in the Ukrainian military, including in the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. By 2019, according to media reports, there were at least 10 attempts to assassinate a spy. Although at that time he was not yet the head of GUR. In April 2023, Russia decided to "arrest in absentia" the head of the GUR, accusing him of a "terrorist attack." Budanov answered this succinctly - he said that "he is pleased". For him, this is an indicator of good work. Kyrylo Oleksiyovych Budanov was born on January 4, 1986 in Kyiv. The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, Kyrylo Budanov, is the youngest head of this institution during its entire existence. The attention of the Ukrainian and international mass media is drawn to him. Almost nothing is known about the childhood of the chief scout and his young years. In particular, there is no information in open sources about who Budanov's parents are and what they do. In one of the interviews, Budanov said that he had been thinking about the path of a scout since childhood. Actually, in his early years, he firmly decided that he wanted to be a soldier when he grew up. Also, little is known about the family of the head of the GUR. Marianna, the wife of Kirill Budanov, is a psychologist by profession. At the same time, it is known that she ran for the Kyiv City Council and for some time was an adviser to Vitaliy Klitschko on issues of detection and prevention of corruption in the field of youth politics and sports. In one of the interviews, Budanov said that he had been thinking about the path of a scout since childhood. Actually, in his early years, he firmly decided that he wanted to be a soldier when he grew up. Also, little is known about the family of the head of the GUR. Marianna, the wife of Kirill Budanov, is a psychologist by profession. At the same time, it is known that she ran for the Kyiv City Council and for some time was an adviser to Vitaliy Klitschko on issues of detection and prevention of corruption in the field of youth politics and sports. Before being appointed as the Chief of the Defence Intelligence, Budanov served as the commander of the Special Operations Forces from 2018 to 2020. In this position, he oversaw several successful operations against separatist forces in the Donbass region. Budanov had also been outspoken about the challenges Ukraine faces from Russian military intervention and worked to modernize Ukraine's military intelligence capabilities. After February 24, 2022, Budanov permanently lived in the building of the Main Directorate of Intelligence. In one of the interviews, he even noted that his wife moved there after the start of the full-scale invasion. Before becoming head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov had come a long way. He was born on January 4, 1986 in Kyiv. In 2007, he graduated from the Odessa Institute of Ground Forces. It was in this educational institution that he received his main education. After graduating from the institute, he served in the special forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, where he held various positions. Since the spring of 2014, he participated in hostilities in Donbas. He had several injuries, one of which was serious. On August 6-8, 2016, he conducted a special operation in the city of Armyansk on the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea. From 2018 to 2020, he was on a special job. In 2020, he became the deputy director of the Department of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. On August 5, 2020, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, appointed Kyryl Budanov as the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Budanov replaced Vasyl Burba in this position. On August 24, 2021, he was awarded the military rank of brigadier general. On April 3, 2022, he was awarded the military rank of major general. Award include Full Knight of the Order "For Courage", "Cross of Combat Merit", "Participant of ATO", "For Military Victory", "Defender of the Fatherland" and others. It was impossible to ignore the figure of the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, who was a fairly well-known person in the Ukrainian and foreign media space. However, despite this, society knows very few facts from the life of the chief intelligence officer, who during his career took part in quite interesting events. For several years of working as the head of domestic intelligence he became widely known due to the effective operations of special services and forecasts regarding the further course of the war and the fate of the aggressor. As the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, Budanov continued to motivate commanders and fighters, directly participating in special operations. Information about this was reported by the spokesman of the GUR, Andriy Yusov, in an interview with "UP" and confirmed by the press service of the GUR of the MoD. According to Andrii Yusov, Kyrylo Budanov sometimes joins special operations. One of these tasks was carried out by the head of the GUR in April of last year. "The special operation to liberate the village of Ruska Lozova in Kharkiv Oblast at the end of April 2022 is not the only example and not the only operation in which Kyrylo Oleksiyovych Budanov took a direct part. By his own example, he shows soldiers and even commanders an example of motivation, planning and implementation of tasks," said Andriy Yusov. According to the representative of the GUR, such activities of Kirill Budanov improve the effectiveness of intelligence. The fact that the head of the GUR works directly on the spot allows more responsible and necessary decisions to be made. At the same time, Yusov stated that there were more than ten assassination attempts on Kyryll Budanov. A visible political ambition is detectable when it comes to Budanov. The publicity of the head of intelligence and his statements have an essentially political undertone. Some insiders say his ambitions are spurred on by the presidential circle, who see him as a future political ally. Journalists noticed the map in the office of Budanov at the end of 2022. On it, Kursk and Belgorod regions, as well as Kuban, were circled with a black marker. The Kaliningrad region was signed "FRG", the letter "F" stood in Karelia and the northwest, the Caucasus was called "Ichkeria", the central regions and part of Siberia were signed "CAR", in the Far East - the letter "K", in the Kuril Islands - "Japan". Kyrylo Oleksiyovych gave the volunteers a thing dear to him with a visualization of the future of Russia, so that the Prytula Foundation would turn it into drones for the GUR attack aircraft. The auction took place on 23 July 2023, live on Prytula's Facebook page and YouTube channel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I met Mr. L. multiple times when he was an in-house patient in a rehabilitation hospital and later in his outpatient therapy sections. He needed these rehabilitation sections to recover after a severe stroke. Having an extremely hard time coping with the sudden decline of his health after his stroke, he was frequently angry. As a man in his early 50s, Mr. L. has a fine figure and impressive big eyes. Although I could not say that Mr. L.is remarkably good looking, I would call him vivacious. But he always frowned, and had bad attitudes towards almost everybody. According to himself, he was a card game dealer in the MGM casino next to National Harbor. He has been a game dealer for more than 10 years, and has been working in grant casinos in Las Vegas. He said that since the weather in Las Vegas was too hot for him, he and his wife moved to Virginia this year after he got his new job in the MGM casino in hopes of having a better life in the east coast. He was on probation for four months before he could sign a formal contract with MGM. Two months into his probation,he had a massive stroke which significantly weakened his right side. Since he was not an official employee of the MGM casino yet, he had no health insurance. His company only paid a certain amount (maybe $5,000) of his medical bill out of humanitarian concern, and let him and his family pick up the remaining cost. Obviously, the cost for his treatment was colossal, and it was impossible that his family could afford it. In this situation, the INOVA health care system in Virginia, where he got his treatment, offered charity care for him, so that he could continue his treatment in the rehabilitation hospital. It was supposed to be a good news for him, but he and his wife, who looked like the only family he has in the USA, still worried about how long the charity care would last, what would happen if the term of charity care terminated, et al. Once, he asked the physician who was making rounds about these questions for about 10 minutes, and the physician told him that he did not have the answers for them, and he needed to ask social workers about these questions. At that time, his wife was on the phone, and tried to ask the physician the same questions. Because it was very difficult for them to accept the answers given by the physician, the conversation lasted more than 10 minutes. Although I thought he should be grateful of the free treatment he received in INOVA, he was highly irritable and would get angry whenever he could not have his needs fulfilled immediately. For example, one day, an occupational therapist asked if he wanted a shower, and he agreed. But, in fact he only wanted to have his hair washed. When the occupational therapist wanted to wash his body, he was enraged. Later, he demanded that the occupational therapist only washes his hair, not his body. Another time, a physical therapist asked him to exercise walking. For some reason, which could be that he would prefer to exercise his arms, he became angry and yelled that he was dissatisfied with this therapist, and would not work with her any more, and required another therapist. The therapist said he already fired several therapists, and she was not unhappy about not working with him. He would yell at me from time to time. I remembered that once I wanted to get more information from him because I did not fully understand what he meant, he became agitated and said all I need to do is to translate what he said, and it was not my place to ask more questions. I felt that the main source of his anger was that he could not accept his condition. He frequently babbled that he was so healthy and never needed to see doctors, how could he suddenly have such a severe stroke. I thought that he never went to see his doctor was one of the causes of his stroke. In fact, he was not as healthy as he thought. He had high blood pressure, which was not controlled by medication, and diabetes that he never knew. In addition, he had been a heavy smoker for decades. Because of all these factors, he got a stroke in his early 50s. Now, he promised that he would do his best to control his high blood pressure, diabetes and quit smoking in hope of never being sick again. But I thought it may be too late for him. After a couple of months of rehabilitation, Mr. L. could walk well with a walker, but still had problems with his balance. Also, he had major problems with the function of his right arm and hand, which means that he could not control his hand well enough to deal cards. Therefore, it was impossible for him to keep his job as a card dealer, and that of course became another major source of his frustration. Although I could understand his frustration and empathy about his situation, I could not accept his attitude. He was grumpy all the time, and it looked like the whole world owed him. But in fact, his carelessness and ignorance of his own health led to his illness. He has mainly himself to blame. All the people in the rehabilitation hospital, including therapists, nurses and physicians, were trying to help him, and he had no right to act on his frustration and take his anger on them. It was unfair. Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi On the evening of 08 February 2024, the official website of the Office of the President published a decree on the dismissal of Valery Zaluzhny from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, decrees were published on the dismissal of Oleksandr Syrsky from the post of commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and his appointment as the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Syrskyi is lionised by those around him, who admire his commitment, determination and cunning. Relaxation is a daily session in the gym. He sleeps for just four-and-a-half hours a night. Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi had a long history of service in the Ukrainian military. Syrskyi devoted his life to selfless service to the Ukrainian people, protection of sovereignty and independence as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The commander of the Ground Forces takes care of the security and strengthening of the defense capability of the Ukrainian state, ready to retaliate against any encroachment on the territorial integrity of the country, the peaceful life and work of Ukrainians. Oleksandr Syrskyi gave his first interview as Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with German ZDF on 23 February 2024: "We have transitioned from offensive actions to conducting a defensive operation. The goal of our operation is to exhaust the enemy, inflict maximum losses on them, using our fortifications, our technical advantages, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare systems, and maintaining prepared defense lines," Syrskyi says. At the same time, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, technological progress, particularly the use of drones, forces the war to enter a new stage. "This war emphasizes the importance of technological progress in the armed forces and the progress of armed combat itself. We already see, and for us, it's not news, the use of ground-based robotic platforms. Modules that are remotely controlled, which make it possible to save the lives of military personnel. Thus, the war is entering a new stage," he adds. Ukraine does not change its goal of reaching its borders. According to the Chief of the Armed Forces, Ukrainians have no other choice. "Everything is based on the fact that we must end the war by reaching our borders. Other options are not considered because we simply have no other way out. This is, firstly," Syrskyi says. However, according to him, society needs to unite around the common cause of victory, and it is also necessary to increase domestic arms production due to problems with external assistance. "Everyone needs to make an effort. If there is no external assistance, we need to establish production here in Ukraine. This process has been launched, but production needs to be increased. We need to rely on our own strength. It is also necessary to improve tactics. The main value is the life of our soldier," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine explains. According to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian army cannot afford to treat its soldiers like Russian commanders, who send troops into meat grinder tactics. "We cannot afford to treat our soldiers like Russian commanders, who use tactics of human waves attacks. I'd rather leave a position, but I won't allow the loss of personnel. For them, the lives of soldiers have no value. And we see this, their losses exceed ours by 7-8 times according to the latest data," he notes. "When the aggression started, I felt like I was going into some abyss with no clear time frames. At that moment, it was unclear when it would end, but I understood that it would be long and difficult," Syrskyi recounts. Syrsky nips any talk that the war may not end with a victory for Ukraine. He looks at war mathematically. For him, this is a problem that needs to be solved, and he is determined to do it. The conditions of this task: there is an enemy, he must be destroyed, says former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar, who worked closely with Syrsky in her line of duty. He plans military operations so carefully that each of them has a day and hour when they should begin and when they should end. Just as an orchestra has every instrument and its part, so it has every division and its task, she continues. Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev did not hide the fact that he feels disgusted by Syrskys biography . After all, he was a Soviet Russian officer, but became a Bandera traitor who broke his oath and serves the Nazis, destroying his loved ones, Medvedev wrote in his Telegram channel. Let the earth burn under his feet! In late 2023 a public conflict arose between Zelensky and Zaluzhny, spilling into the public space over the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the failed counter-offensive of the Ukrainian army and its prospects in an armed conflict with Russia. In Kyiv, they started talking about the imminent resignation of the commander-in-chief, who was inconvenient for Zelensky. Even then, along with the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine Budanov, the more accommodating land general Syrsky was named as a likely replacement for Zaluzhny. Unlike Zaluzhny, this general is not popular among the troops. Moreover, as the online publication Military Review wrote, citing Ukrainian sources, for Syrsky there is no value at all for the life of a serviceman on the battlefield. Peter Dickinson, editor of the Atlantic Councils UkraineAlert service, noted "Syrsky has also faced significant criticism for his role in the Battle of Bakhmut, which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. Opponents claim he is not popular within the ranks of the Ukrainian army, with some warning that his appointment could lead to a decline in morale among front line troops." It is worth noting again : Syrsky is not very popular in the troops. One of the reasons is the outcome of the "Debaltsevskaya" operation in January-February 2015 under his command, as well as failures to protect Soledar and Bakhmut in 2023. While Syrsky has been hailed as the "hero of Kiev" by Zelensky and Western media, his reputation among the troops is reportedly the far less flattering "Bakhmut Butcher," [Bahmutskij Miasnik], general cauldron, [General Kotel, referencing the Debaltsevskaya operation], and "General 200," a reference to "Cargo 200," a Soviet, Russian, and Ukrainian code term referring to the transportion of fallen soldiers. He was said to be influenced by Soviet thought, and became described as a man of the Soviet school who was imbued with its method and approach. This brought him many troubles, and placed him in the corner of criticism whenever he assumed additional military responsibility. A very bad decision, is how a captain of the Armed Forces of Ukraine commented on the appointment of Syrsky as commander-in-chief to the American newspaper Politico on condition of anonymity. There, the general is really considered a commander who does not spare his subordinates and sends them to certain death. Another American publication, the Washington Post, generally called the reshuffle in the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine a risky shake-up that is likely to be unpopular among troops exhausted by almost two years of conflict. Syrsky has always been Zelenskys man, a blind executor of his orders, for example, to defend Severodonetsk to the last soldier, to defend Artemovsk (Bakhmut) to the last soldier, and now to defend Avdiivka, emphasizes Polish general Waldemar Skrzypczak. It cost the Ukrainian army several tens of thousands soldier". But surely the policy guidance of a President to a commanding General is the unavoidable nexus through which the political objectives - war aims - are transmuted into mililtary strategy and operational orders. Carl von Clausewitz is more often quoted than read, more venerated than understood. Clausewitz described war as "an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will," and "a continuation of political activity by other means." He then logically constructs the anti-thesis of "absolute" war that is a pure act of physical force abstracted from other variables (such as international law or scarce resources) that might limit it but are theoretically external to the concept o fwar itself. In this abstract sense, the aim of warfare is purel ymilitary - to disarmthe enemy, rendering him powerless to resist the victor's will. The "pure," unencumbered interaction of military forces, Clausewitz deduces, leads inevitably through escalation to extremes of will and effort. Those who fear being killed in war will not achieve victories. Because the life of a Soldier is fraught with danger, courage is a requirement for every military leader. Soldiers, who do their duty regardless of fear and risk to life or limb, perform bravery on the battlefield. To inspire troops, leaders must instill a pervasive attitude to motivate their troops to advance under withering fire or hold a seemingly untenable position. Leaders inspire their Soldiers to perform deeds of heroism and sacrifice, which often requires suppression of natural feelings such as fear. Gen. George S. Patton knew a thing or two about projecting confidence. He could change at will and put on his "war face," followed by a speech, filled with "blood and guts," to motivate his men [some ofo whom who retorted "our blood and his guts"]. Gen. of the Army Douglas MacArthur was a historical leader who embodied the definition of strong character. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for defending the Philippines during World War II. He was evacuated by torpedo boat in March, on Marshalls orders, leading to the sobriquet Dugout Doug, and a new stanza for the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Dugout Dougs not timid, hes just cautious, not afraid Hes protecting carefully the stars that Franklin has made Four-star generals are as rare as good food on Bataan; And his troops go starving on! During the Great War he was promoted to Brigadier General and commander of the 84th Infantry Brigade. He was said to have had a "flamboyant romantic style matched only by real feats of courage on the battlefield." MacArthur was wounded twice and became the most decorated American soldier of the war. Marshal Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov saw casualties the natural by-product of war. As Stalin's, the first and one only ever, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, he was sent to Stalingrad during August 1942. Soviet casualties were enormous, perhaps one million. Under Zhukov's leadership Soviet soldiers fought, and ome say he was callous and brutal. In the final assault on Berlin, Zhukov would accept any number of casualties. A phrase coined in the Red Army during the war was "Where you find Zhukov, you find victory". A number of Kremlin media spread the news that the Pentagon allegedly expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and in particular Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, do not follow the orders of the West and are fighting arbitrarily. Syrskyi departed from the Pentagons advice and called for a stronger defense in the northeastern region, where Russian troops have become more active. Mykola Azarov, who was briefly Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2004-2005, recalled: Syrsky tried to hold Bakhmut-Artemovsk with the help of units formed precisely from recently mobilized soldiers. Among the military, Syrskys arrival in any front-line city is considered a harbinger of bad events, Azarov shared information. "Under the Pentagons reasoning, Kyiv should have massed an outsize number of forces on one portion of the front line to attempt a breakthrough. Ukrainian commanders have instead tried to divide troops and firepower in a manner that they consider to be as fair and as equal as possible between the east and south." writes the The New York Times on 26 August 2023. By early 2023 the Russians were fighting not just with numbers, but with a large number of small groups that are constantly advancing. Tatarigami_UA, a Ukrainian officer in reserves and founder of the Frontelligence Insight, stated 04 November 2023 "until General Syrski, widely disrespected within the army, is replaced, substantial improvements are unlikely. General Syrski's leadership is bankrupt, his presence or orders coming from his name are demoralizing, and he undermines trust in the command in general. His relentless pursuit of tactical gains constantly depletes our valuable human resources, resulting in tactical advances such as capturing tree lines or small villages, with no operational goals in mind. This approach creates a never-ending cycle of fruitless assaults that drain personnel. His failure to withdraw troops from Bakhmut in a timely manner earlier this year, coupled with his obsession to retake it, by utilizing Wagner Group's tactics, further depletes our resources and has more far-reaching consequences than people might realize." Syrsky established himself as an obedient general in everything long before the Russian special military operation. In the summer of 2014, as the commander of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, he drove it into the so-called Izvarinsky or Southern cauldron, where several hundred Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded. Later, already during the Northern Military District, Syrsky without hesitation carried out Zelenskys order - he did not allow his units to retreat from Bakhmut-Artemovsk, which was doomed to fall, and doomed hundreds of subordinates to death. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly pulled back on a threat to dismiss commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, according to media reports 31 January 2024, as relations remain strained. Zelenskyy reportedly threatened to dismiss Zaluzhnyi by presidential decree but was forced to back down after potential successors signaled that they would refuse to assume the post. After Zaluzhny told his subordinates he was leaving, senior commanders and international partners, including the United States and Britain, expressed concern. According to reports, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi and the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyryll Budanov, both refused to replace Zaluzhny. It seems that this is precisely the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - unquestioningly carrying out inhuman orders from Kyiv - that Zelensky needs today. The now disgraced Zaluzhny, with his own views on the conduct of war, with his popularity in the army and Ukrainian society, became a clear threat to Zelenskyy. Zelensky has already set tasks for the new commander-in-chief, without doubting that he will unquestioningly fulfill them. In particular, he will carry out the next massive mobilization of 500 thousand people in Ukraine and draw up an action plan for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 2024. In his first message to the troops after his new appointment, Syrsky, stated: "New tasks are on the agenda.: First of all, this is a clear and detailed planning of the actions of all military administration bodies, associations, connections and units, taking into account the needs of the front in the latest weapons that come from international partners. The fastest and most rational distribution and delivery of everything necessary for combat units was and remains the main task of military logistics. Knowing all the needs of the front without exception and mastering the situation in each of its areas is the task of headquarters at all levels. It is the qualification of the personnel of the military administration that is decisive for the development and successful implementation of ideas and plans. The life and health of servicemen have always been and are the main value of the Ukrainian Army. Therefore, maintaining a balance between the performance of combat tasks and the restoration of units and units with the intensification of training and training of personnel remains more relevant than ever. The introduction of new technical solutions and the scaling of successful experience, such as the use of unmanned systems, modern means of radio-electronic warfare, is one of the future vectors of building victory in our war of liberation. Only changes and constant improvement of the means and methods of warfare will make it possible to achieve success on this path. But, of course, a reliable rear is one of the main components of overall success in war. "" He was head of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, responsible for appointing key positions in brigades and much more. He also led the Khortytsia operational-strategic group. Judging by the number of awards he has received, Syrskyi is a protege of the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak. Since the beginning of the war, General Syrsky had received twice as many awards from the president as even the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny. Oleksandr Syrskyi [RU = Alexander Syrsky] was born on July 26, 1965 in the village of Novinki, Vladimir Region, into a military family. Since 1980 he has lived in Ukraine. His father is a retired colonel. His father was a military man, and the boy dreamed of following in his footsteps since childhood. In the 70s, Syrskys father was transferred to serve in Ukraine, and the whole family moved with him. Alexander graduated from school in Kharkov, which he considers his hometown. The brother of Alexander Syrsky, Oleg, who lives in Vladimir, does not maintain contact with his relative who is in Ukraine. There is a mother and brother Oleg, with whom the general has not maintained relations for a long time. And they support their Motherland - Russia and its president. By the way, Syrskys grandfather volunteered for the Leningrad Front and went missing in June 1941. So the parents of Syrsky from Vladimir were not faced with the question of whose portrait to carry on May 9 in the column of the Immortal Regiment. Syrsky is a graduate of the famous Moscow Higher Military Command College [MVOKU]. Syrsky studied at MVOKU from 1982 to 1986, and graduated with honors in 1986. In 1996, he graduated with honors from the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (operational-tactical level), in 2005 from the National Defense Academy of Ukraine (operational-strategic level) with a gold medal. Alexander Syrskys military service was already completely connected with Ukraine. In 1986 he was appointed the commander of ahe motorized rifle platoon of the 426th motorized rifle regiment of the 25th motorized rifle division of the 1st combined army. From 1993 to 1995, he was the commander of the motorized rifle battalion of the 17th regiment of the 6th division of the National Guard of Ukraine, and later - of the 19th regiment of this division. Some writings indicated that he worked from the beginning of his military career in an artillery unit equipped with 152 mm self-propelled howitzers, as well as in units designated for launching nuclear missiles. Sersky participated in the Soviet wars against Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and the Czech Republic until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 20002002, Oleksandr Stanislavovych held the post of Chief of Staff First Deputy Commander of the 72nd Mechanized Division of the 8th Army Corps, and later headed it, which was renamed a separate mechanized brigade. He also participated as a member of the Ukrainian army who fought alongside the United States of America in Afghanistan after 2001, and there he gained a special kind of military experience. In 2007, O.Syrskyi was appointed Chief of Staff First Deputy Commander of the Joint Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2009, by decree of President Viktor Yushchenko, Syrsky received the rank of major general. During 20112012, he was the first deputy chief of the Main Department of Military Cooperation and Peacekeeping Operations of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2013, the last year of peace for Ukraine, Syrsky was the first deputy head of the Main Command Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In this position, he was, in particular, responsible for the cooperation of the Ukrainian army with NATO and the implementation of part of the Alliance standards in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.In November 2013, Syrsky, on behalf of the Ministry of Defense, discussed changes in the Ukrainian army in accordance with NATO standards at the NATO headquarters of the alliance. In difficult times for the country, connected with the occupation of a part of the territory, he put all his rich experience as a soldier and commander to protect the interests of the state. The year 2014 was a turning point in his career, and coinciding with the start of the military escalation in eastern Ukraine, he was chosen for the position of commander of military operations against the pro-Russian separatists. Here he fought several confrontations and battles on behalf of the Ukrainian forces that fought the rebels supported by Moscow in the Donetsk region in the east of the country. He was responsible for resisting "terrorist operations", led operations in eastern Ukraine, and played a decisive role in the war that broke out due to Russia's annexation of Crimea. He later received a high military medal. In 2015, his star shone in the Donbass region in the east of the country, which at that time was prey to the fighting against pro-Russian separatists, and he was appointed deputy commander of the Ukrainian defense operation. He was involved in the management of battles in Vuglehirsk, the village of Ridkodub, and the unsuccessful attempt to recapture Logvynove. He also coordinated the exit of the Ukrainian military from Debaltseve. In particular, he was one of the main commanders of the ATO forces during the battles for Debaltseve in the winter of 2015, together with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko. They went to the city itself. The hottest battles of the entire ATO period were in full swing there: Debaltsevo and the surrounding villages seemed to crash into territories controlled by the self-proclaimed DPR. The Armed Forces of Ukraine tried to hold the city, which could become a springboard for further attacking actions; the militants, who were already openly supported by the regular Russian military (there tankers from Buryatia were first recorded fighting on the side of the DPR), wanted to cut off the Debaltsevo ledge. Initially, the purpose of Syrskys arrival was to understand the situation; in the end, it was he who commanded some of the military clashes, and later coordinated the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the city. Under his leadership, possible ways of crossing the Karapulka River were mined. However, the head of the sector, according to the general, did not allow all the detonations to be carried out, due to which the crossings were captured by the enemy. It was the "Bars" group formed by Sirsky that covered the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Debaltseve. Russian propaganda described the abandonment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of Debaltsevo as a stampede, accompanied by numerous casualties. Syrsky later insisted: the retreat was carefully planned and well organized. With my units, I occupied two heights along the road along which the exit was made. They were occupied by paratroopers and held those two heights virtually until our units completely left Debaltsevo... At the time of exit, all the main strongholds and units of the enemy were suppressed, and he was unable to adequately react to our exit. Therefore, the exit was carried out in an organized manner - on foot or in cars, but in an organized manner, he later told Ukrainskaya Pravda. The Debaltsevo operation also had a political dimension. During the days of the fighting for Debaltsevo, a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France took place in the capital of Belarus. On it, Vladimir Putin argued that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded in the Debaltsevo cauldron, and in order to save their lives, Kyiv must make serious concessions. The retention of the city until the end of the Minsk negotiations, and later the more or less organized withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Debaltsevo was, apparently, positively assessed by the then leadership of Ukraine. For the battles at the Debaltsevo bridgehead, Oleksandr Syrsky was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree and later received the rank of lieutenant general (05/06/2019). And in 2017, he was the commander of the entire Anti-Terrorist Operation in the East of Ukraine, which was later replaced by the Joint Forces Operation. Thanks to the key role he played in several battles, he was assigned the task of heading the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from May 6 to August 5, 2019. Syrsky, as the first deputy head of the Main Command Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, oversaw cooperation between the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and NATO. Then, he was replaced by Volodymyr Kravchenko in this position. Apparently, someone from the Alliance leadership took a liking to him, which undoubtedly contributed to his confirmation in his next position. He was appointed as the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 05 August 2019. On August 23, 2020 - on the Independence Day of Ukraine - Syrsky received the rank of Colonel General. He built the new G-structure, designed to fulfill the main purpose of generating troops. Responsible for the performance of a number of tasks: planning, organization and implementation of measures for the development of ground forces, their acquisition of capabilities, control over the implementation of planned activities; planning and management of the territorial defense of Ukraine within the land territory; organization of training of ground forces to perform assigned tasks. Syrskyi, a week before the start of the war in 2022, gave the order to withdraw the Ukrainian Air Force of the Armed Forces from the places of deployment and transfer them to more obscure locations. Syrsky is often called the most successful commander of the 21st century. It was he who led the defense of Kyiv at the beginning of Russian military aggression, and he also organized the victorious counter-offensive near Kharkov last summer. And the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the east of Ukraine - one of the two main axes of the current counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces - are also commanded by Syrsky. We want to get very quick results, but in our reality this is virtually impossible, General Syrsky admitted in an 18 July 2023 interview with BBC correspondent Jonathan Beale . Bloomberg pointed to his key role in the defense of Kiev against all odds at the start of Russias military operation in 2022, and Business Insider hailed his command as a shocking upset that surprised many who assumed the capital would fall quickly. AFP went so far as to suggest that it was Syrsky who scuppered the Kremlins" purported "plans to bring the country to its knees within days. President Zelensky awarded Syrsky the "Hero of Ukraine" title for the operation. Syrskys fortunes continued along the same vein through the autumn of 2022, when, during an operational regrouping of Russian forces to concentrate troops along a smaller front as additional troops were called up during Russias partial mobilization, the commander was hailed, again without any particular skilled maneuvers on his part, for the so-called Kharkov counteroffensive, which saw Ukrainian forces reoccupying much of the region with almost no resistance as Russian forces pulled back. For impeccable long-term service, exemplary performance of military and official duty, he received high awards of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine "Valor and Honor" (2005), "Badge of Honor" (2010), "Firearm" (2014) and other departmental awards of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the armed forces of Ukraine. For his significant personal contribution to the development and development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, maintaining high combat and mobilization readiness of the troops, strengthening the state's defense capability and security, he was awarded the honorary badge "Glory and Honor" (2015). Married. Father of two sons. He conveys to them the principles that he himself adheres to: "Decency, honesty, humanity." This is consistent with his life credo: "To be, not to pretend." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Valerii Fedorovych Zaluzhnyi President Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with Valery Zaluzhny on 08 February 2024. In particular, the head of state discussed with the general what updates the Armed Forces of Ukraine need. Later, Zelensky announced that he had dismissed Zaluzhnyi from the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and appointed Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who previously commanded the Ground Forces, in his place. A competent leader preserves combat power by putting his Soldiers first and doing the most to improve their situation. "The badge of rank that an officer wears on his coat is really a symbol of servitude to his men." -Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor. Rumors of an alleged conflict between the political and military leadership of Ukraine had appeared since the fall of 2023. The President's Office then denied them, and in December of last year, Defense Minister Rustem Umyerov said that Zaluzhnyi's resignation was not planned. Peter Dickinson, editor of the Atlantic Councils UkraineAlert service, noted "Zelenskyys decision to dismiss Zaluzhny comes as no surprise but it is nevertheless one of the Ukrainian leaders biggest gambles of the entire war. With no major breakthroughs for more than a year, the need for a change in tactics is obvious. However, Ukraine currently faces growing ammunition shortages amid alarming delays in Western military aid, making offensive operations particularly challenging and leaving Ukrainian commanders with little choice but to switch to active defense. If the military situation deteriorates further in the coming months, Zelenskyy will now be held personally responsible." On Monday, 29 January 2024, Ukrainians were shaken by claims that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, had been dismissed by order of the President. In fact, in a meeting, Zelensky asked the general to resign. When he refused, the president threatened his own firing order. Zaluzhny returned to his office, where he said that he had been fired. Zaluzhny reportedly told Zelensky that hsi close advisers close "wrap him in a warm blanket of positive news, beyond which it is difficult for him to see the real situation at the front." Zaluzhny was reportedly offered the position of secretary of the National Security Council, but he refused. According to reports, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi and the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyryll Budanov, both refused to replace Zaluzhny. On 02 February 2024, The Washington Post, citing two anonymous sources, reported that Ukrainian authorities had told the United States that Zelensky had decided to fire the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny. The administration of the United States "neither supported nor denied". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Sunday 04 February 2024 that he is thinking about replacing Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny. "This is a question that concerns the people who should lead Ukraine. Of course, a restart and a new beginning are needed," Zelensky said in an interview with Italian broadcaster Rai1 when asked about the dispute with Zaluzhny. "When we talk about this, I mean the replacement of several senior state officials, not only in the military. I am thinking about this replacement [of Zaluzhny], it is true," Zelensky said, adding that replacing "one person does not mean that we can move forward." In an appearance on the TG1 television newscast, he said "The issue concerns the entire management team that leads the country". Jake Sullivan, the adviser to the US president on national security, atated on Sunday 04 February 2024 on CBS News channel. "Personnel decisions in the Armed Forces are a matter for the Ukrainian government. This is not something that the US government should consider one way or the other. Therefore, we stayed away from this set of personnel decisions. And, of course, this is the sovereign right of Ukraine and the right of the president to make his personnel decisions decision. We have made it clear that we are simply not going to get involved in this particular decision. We indicated this directly to the Ukrainians," he said, answering the question of whether the Ukrainian government had informed the White House that the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army would be dismissed. According to Politico's analysis, the former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not listen to Pentagon military advisers during the failed counteroffensive and used his own tactics. Though even if the Pentagon's tactics had been followed, the result might not have changed, since the error of strategy could not be corrected by tactics. Cynical observers had suggested the US Ukrainian strategy was based on a protracted conflict. The longer the armed confrontation continues, the longer Moscow will be occupied with it, the more relations between Russia and Europe will collapse, which means that the United States will be able to sell more liquefied natural gas to the European Union, keep it under its control, and maintain the dominance of Atlanticism in Europe as opposed to China. and Russia and so on. Advisor to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Mikhail Podolyak, named the reasons for the dismissal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny. He wrote about this in his Telegram channel. The decision, according to the publication, is due to the need to reconsider the tactics of action, which did not fully ensure the desired result last year and to prevent stagnation on the front line. In addition, according to Podolyak, there are two more reasons: the launch of the process of changing management principles in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the search for solutions in order to retain and develop the initiative. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on 06 February 2024 that "I don't think that any changes in the government can affect our relations with our partners". Kuleba said "We can discuss tactics within the team, but we are all united around our strategic goal the defeat of Russia in Ukraine and the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. And there are no discussions about this strategic goal at all," NATO stated that they "have no opinion" regarding the possible resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny. This was said by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, 07 February 2024. "Of course, this is Ukraine's decision. NATO does not have any opinion on this matter. But I welcome the very clear statement of Foreign Minister Kuleba that any changes will not affect Ukraine's relations with its partners and NATO," Stoltenberg noted. On 28 November 2023, The Economist wrote about an alleged "conflict" between the top military and political leadership of Ukraine over the results of the summer 2023 counteroffensive. "Ukrainians straddling two increasingly distinct worlds: the grim reality of a trench war; and an ever more waspish political battleground in Kyiv. When Russia began its invasion in February 2022, competitive politics went into hibernation. They returned as the existential threat to Ukraine decreased later that year.... jostling has already made Ukraine unstable. Mistakes are being made on all sides. And presidential attempts to centralise decision-making and shut down dissent are having the opposite effect." According to German Colonel Wolfgang Richter, who gave an interview to the German television channel NTV, the conflict between Zelensky and Zaluzhny arose because the head of state wanted to continue the counteroffensive, but the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine withdrew the troops to the defensive, based on the means and capabilities of the army. Zelensky wants to return the lost lands, but Zaluzhny claims that these are all unrealistic plans. The picture can be briefly summarized as a deep gap between political purpose and military reality. Zelensky sets a goal, but Zaluzhny cannot achieve it due to the real situation on the battlefield. Zaluzhny, by the way, openly showed this contradiction in an interview with the Economist magazine, emphasizing: The conflict with Russia has reached a dead end. One observer suggested " the main problem of our army is that, according to the decision of Supreme Commander Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the vertical management in the army has actually been destroyed. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief's staff actually divided the active army into two large groups. One group is commanded by the commander of the Ground Forces, Sirskyi. Another group is commanded directly by the team of Zaluzhny, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to whom Sirsky is supposed to be subordinate.,, We actually have two commanders-in-chief on these 800 km: one half of the front, the other half. And everyone leads the army by himself. This is simply absurd.,,, There is a constant struggle for ammunition, to whom and where the replenishment goes. [Army problems: administration, counteroffensive, will Syrsky replace Zaluzhny? 08 December 2023] President Zelensky in The Sun on 20 November 2023 warned generals that getting involved in politics put national unity at risk. The warning followed a spat with Commander-in-Chief General Valeriy Zaluzhny who said the war with Russia was at a stalemate and that a breakthrough was unlikely. When The Sun asked Mr Zelensky about relations with his commanders, the president said generals who entered politics made a mistake. He also warned top brass risked being disobeyed by their soldiers if they became political. He said: Various political forces are pushing the military into politics. It was after 2014, when each political party wanted some military men, stars of the war, and I believe that was a very big mistake. They were pushed to politics because they were all destroyed, reputation etc. Zelensky said: If a military man decided to do politics, it is his right, then he should enter politics and then he cant deal with war. If you manage war keeping in mind that tomorrow you will do politics or elections, then in your words and on the front line you behave as a politician and not as a military man, and I think that is a huge mistake. Maryana Bezugla, the deputy head of the National Security Committee at the time, published a series of posts with accusations against Zaluzhny. She stated that the military command of Ukraine should resign because it did not provide "any action plan for 2024" either to the Headquarters or to the committee. On November 30, 2023, the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, assured that there is no conflict in Ukraine between President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny. On December 1, 2023, the Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk stated that there are no differences between the political and military leadership of Ukraine. Radio Svoboda asked Petr Kuzyk, commander of the Svoboda battalion of the Rubizh offensive brigade of NSU, call sign "Apostol", about this. "I will say frankly: fighters ask me... Trench conversations. This is not entirely good, because, firstly, Zaluzhnyi is a very popular leader, and secondly, it is important for us, for the soldiers, that we understand that there is a single unit in the headquarters: there are people who are trusted and believed. "It is very important for a soldier to have the confidence that he has a commander who cares about him. In general, Zaluzhny Atak has a reputation. And when an order comes that is very difficult, very risky, if there is an understanding that it is not a political motivation for this order or some personal ambitions, that it is necessary for Ukraine, it is easier to carry it out even at the risk of life. "That is, it is very important for a soldier to have confidence that there is a commander behind him who cares about him. In general, Zaluzhny Atak has a reputation. He is very popular among the military, obviously, and among the population of Ukraine. Therefore, let's put it this way, this is his resignation in this format, if it is also given a political color, it will definitely have a negative impact on the state of the army.... "Zaluzhny, as the facade of the entire defense of Ukraine, as a well-deserved person who repelled the heaviest attacks when there was an occupation, when it was unclear whether the country would survive at all, then Zaluzhny is the best character. He has trust, and I would like us to understand, fighting at the front, that there are no intrigues, there is no politics, we are all from the president to the opposition parties, to the parliament, to the officials, we are all engaged in the defense of Ukraine. I painted this idealistic picture somewhat ironically, but I would like it." General Valery Zaluzhnyi never declared any political, let alone presidential, ambitions. During December 4-10, 2023, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted an all-Ukrainian poll of public opinion "Omnibus", to which questions were added about trust in military commanders. Among all respondents, 92% trust Zaluzhny, 60% trust Budanov (18% do not know him), and another 33% trust Syrsky (48% do not know him). Among those who know these commanders, 94% trust V. Zaluzhny, 73% trust K. Budanov, and 63% trust O. Syrskyi . At the same time, the level of mistrust among those who know them is 5% for V. Zaluzhny, 24% for K. Budanov, 29% for O. Syrskyi. The majority of Ukrainians trust the President, and 59% trust both the President and the Commander-in-Chief. To the quesiotn "If the decision of Volodymyr Zelenskyi to dismiss Valery Zaluzhnyi and replace the Commander-in-Chief with another general, how would you react to this?" the vast majority of respondents - 72% - would have a negative attitude to V. Zaluzhny's resignation. Only 2% of respondents were positive about it. Another 21% have a neutral perception of it, and 5% could not formulate their opinion." The criticism against V. Zaluzhnyi will rather have a negative impact not on him, but on the political power of Ukraine in general. Major General Serhiy Kryvonos served as the first deputy commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "The number one problem is that the president's entourage fears that General Zaluzhny is the future Eisenhower (Dwight Eisenhower - general, 34th president of the USA) , who after the war will become the number one candidate for the position of president of Ukraine. That is why the current head of state wants to prevent this from happening, discredit General Zaluzhnyi in every possible way and remove him from this post." On December 12, 2023, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umyerov stated that there are no plans to replace the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny. The president said that he believed that Zaluzhnyi was engaged in political activities. And this is a violation of subordination, said President Zelensky in an interview with the British newspaper The Sun. In other words, the government itself politicizes as much as possible. On 19 December 2023, President Zelenskyy held a large press conference on the results of 2023. "I have a working relationship with Zaluzhny. He should be responsible for the results on the battlefield. We need strong steps and results. That's all, that's my attitude. I don't develop any complications in personalities. The state of Ukraine is not about personal. I plan to work, I'm waiting for decisions on mobilization, I'm waiting for decisions so that we help people on front, I expect very specific things on the battlefield. The strategy is clear, I want to see the details." Zaluzhny himself had not made any political comments yet. But he was already openly accused of politicization by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief himself. In an essay released via CNN on 01 February 2024, Zaluzhnyi referenced the apparent reluctance of his political masters in Kyiv to endorse his call for greater mobilization for up to half a million draftees. We must acknowledge the significant advantage enjoyed by [Russia] in mobilizing human resources and how that compares with the inability of state institutions in Ukraine to improve the manpower levels of our armed forces without the use of unpopular measures, he wrote. Zaluzhnyy mentioned drones as the best way for Ukraine to avoid being drawn into a positional war, where we do not possess the advantage. We must contend with a reduction in military support from key allies, grappling with their own political tensions, said Zaluzhnyi, suggesting that Ukraine is ready to keep finding new ways and new capabilities to deter the enemy. Criticism of Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny is growing in Ukraine, who does not ensure the safety of reserve formations before they are sent to the front. Zaluzhny is asked not to gather reserve personnel in one place, but to disperse them - with the possibility of subsequent delivery to the line of combat contact. Direct command and control over the Armed Forces in peace and wartime is executed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, if he is a military person. If he is a civilian, the Commander-in-Chief is the Chief of the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces. Looking at the correspondence skirmish between the teams of the two Ukrainian Z, one gets the persistent impression that the open dispute between them is becoming increasingly heated and has already gone beyond the scope of publications in the Western media. Zaluzhny had to admit (The Economists word) that the war is at a stalemate. The Washington Post reminded readers: Many consider Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Zaluzhny to be political rivals. In recent days, this alleged rift has received more attention after Zaluzhny wrote an article in the Economist. Zelensky publicly disagreed with this assessment. Russian international relations security analyst Mark Sleboda observed that there seems to have been a falling out between Zelensky and Zaluzhny after the latter told British media that the much-hyped Ukrainian counteroffensive turned out to be anything but a success. Noting how one of Zaluzhnys aides, Gennady Chistyakov, got killed by an explosion while celebrating his birthday earlier this week, Sleboda remarked that Ukrainian social media channels are just "full of speculation that this was a political hit. They also allege that this was a warning to Zaluzhny and taking one of his pieces off the board by Zelensky's Chief of Staff Yermak who is seen as kind of a gray cardinal manipulating a lot of things within the regime. Ruslan Borysovich Khomchak, Colonel General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (2020-2021), having served as Chief of the General Staff Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (2019-2020). President Volodymyr Zelenskiy replaced the head of Ukraine's armed forces as Kyiv pressed for deeper NATO ties while its seven-year war against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine grinds on.Presidential spokesman Serhiy Nikiforov said on 27 July 2021 that General Ruslan Khomchak will be replaced by General Valery Zaluzhny as the commander of some 250,000 active Ukrainian troops. Nikiforov said it was Zelenskiy's decision to sack Khomchak. He suggested the dismissal was an effort to stem infighting between Ukraine's armed forces and the Defense Ministry. On 5 March 2022, Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, was promoted to the rank of General by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and apointed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the highest military position in the country, the head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In general, it organizes the training of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other defense forces for their use in repelling armed aggression and provides direct military leadership during hostilities. The position was created by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 28 March 2020, before which the Chief of the General Staff was the commander-in-chief. Ukraines top military official, Lieutenant General Valery Zaluzhny, on May 27, 2022 took to Telegram, calling for "weapons that will allow us to hit the enemy at a big distance." Russian forces in eastern Ukraine appeared to be making more progress despite what U.S. military officials described as stiff resistance from Ukrainian troops. On October 14, 2022, Zaluzhny vowed to forge ahead with a counteroffensive launched last month. Were getting (what is) ours back. No one and nothing will stop us, Zaluzhny said in a video message. We have buried the myth of the invincibility of the Russian army. In an interview with The Economist, published on 15 December 2022, Zaluzhnyi said that he had no doubt that the Russians would try to attack Kyiv again. By January 2023 the front lines in the war, including those to the southeast of the city of Zaporizhzhia, had not moved significantly for weeks. But there has been growing expectation of a possible major Russian move in recent weeks since the head of Ukraines armed forces said in a rare interview in December 2022 that Russian troops were 100 percent being prepared, for an offensive. General Valery Zaluzhny told The Economist magazine he expected the push to happen, in February, at best in March and at worst at the end of January. The head of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said 10 May 2023 that Zaluzhny declined to participate in the meeting of the committee at the level of chiefs of staff "even in the format of a video conference" because of the "tense operational situation" in Ukraine. There were suggestions in the Russian and Ukrainian media that Zaluzhny or the commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky could have been eliminated as a result of Russian strikes. Military correspondent Alexander Rudenko reported on his Telegram channel 20 May 2023 that the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny was dying in the hospital. The journalist recalled that the general had stopped appearing in public since May 8. He did not even attend the important meeting of NATO defense ministers in Ramstein, where arms supplies to Ukraine were discussed. According to Rudenko, the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was seriously injured while at one of the command posts of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Here he checked the readiness of parts for contrasting. "During a missile attack on military infrastructure facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region, this command post was hit by a precise hit by a Russian cruise missile. As a result, a large number of high-ranking Ukrainian military personnel, including General Zaluzhny, were killed and wounded," the military commander wrote. "The information about Zaluzhny's injury is indirectly confirmed by the fact that on May 10, his wife Elena was seen driving up from Novospitalnaya Street to the Kiev military hospital, where she spent more than four hours," the journalist added. Recall that earlier on Ukrainian television they showed a documentary film with the participation of Zaluzhny, where he called the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov a strong and unpredictable enemy. It is clear that the picture was taken much earlier and, possibly, was shown in order to cover up the disappearance of Zaluzhny. Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Anna Malyar said that Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU) Valeriy Zaluzhny continues to perform his duties, despite suggestions that his recent absence from the public may be caused by an injury. "Commander-in-Chief is in place. He is doing his job," Maliar wrote on her Telegram channel on 20 May 2023, claiming that "the Russians have launched an information wave about the alleged disappearance" of Zaluzny. She added that she had just talked with Zaluzhny. Malyar denied rumors that Zaluzhny was wounded on May 10. On 24 May 2023, a representative of the Russian law enforcement agencies, citing sources in the Ukrainian army, said that Zaluzhny received a closed head injury and multiple shrapnel wounds after a missile attack on a command post near the village of Posad-Pokrovskoye, Kherson region, in early May 2023. According to the source, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had a craniotomy. Valery Zaluzhny will not be able to continue his army service, the source said. "In Nikolaev, Zaluzhny received first aid to stop bleeding. At a Kyiv military hospital, he underwent a craniotomy, a representative of law enforcement agencies said. The wounding of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny speaks of the "quality work" of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the so-called decision-making centers, Yan Gagin, adviser to the acting head of the DPR, said in an interview 24 May 2023. As for the wounding of Zaluzhny: firstly, this confirms the high-quality work of our Aerospace Forces in decision-making centers, in enemy headquarters. Secondly, this situation has seriously deprived the Ukrainian regime of a fairly competent and serious military leader," Gagin said on the Rossiya 1 TV channel. The condition of the Ukrainian commanderin-chief was complicated by the presence of an underlying disease of type II diabetes, the RIA source said. "The forecast is that he will live, but he will not be able to do his job," the representative concluded. A member of a hacktivist group in the DPR told Sputnik, citing sources in Ukrainian Armed Forces that Western patrons urged Kiev to hide information about Zaluzhny's condition in order to preserve the last bits of morale, completely undermined by Russian liberation of Artemovsk. the Ukrainian TsIPSO threw into the Internet a version that allegedly nothing special was happening and, while the brave defenders of Bakhmut were fleeing the city, dropping their slippers, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzny was calmly resting in Cyprus before the counteroffensive. Moreover, in confirmation of this version, a photograph was published where Valery Zaluzhny bathes in the warm sea. However, it soon became clear that the photo was old - the military leader looks too young. In addition, the commander-in-chief's luxurious rest at a time when his soldiers and officers are suffering a heavy defeat is too much even for the Ukrainian military. Russia receives reports of the wounding of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, but there is no guarantee that this information is reliable. This was stated 24 May 2023 by the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation Sergey Naryshkin. Of course, we receive information [about the injury of Zaluzhny]. But I cannot guarantee you that this information is one hundred percent reliable, Sergey Naryshkin said during a conversation with reporters. According to him, this is not a topic that should be given much attention. Reserve colonel, military expert Andrey Koshkin, in an interview with MK , commented on this information, naming a possible candidate for the position of commander. According to him, there were serious disagreements between the current head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. They concerned both Zaluzhny's popularity in the West and the situation in Artemovsk. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine spoke about the expediency of leaving the city and moving to more prepared positions. The advisers in the USA adhered to the same point of view. But Zelensky chose an alternative position, the expert explained. According to Koshkin, Zelensky would like to appoint a purely military person to this post, who would perform his duties at the front and unquestioningly follow the instructions of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But Western curators will not agree to this. They need a person who would become a political alternative to Zelensky in the future. I think that, most likely, a supporting figure will be appointed, satisfying the needs of the West, he said. As a result, for the public it will be a "pig in a poke", Koshkin summed up. Former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Oleinik believed that the disappearance of Zaluzhny will have serious consequences for the balance of power in the Ukrainian government. "The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed interest in social and political activities. For example, he created a fund of his own name, which helped veterans and the wounded. According to opinion polls, Zaluzhny had high ratings, the Western press wrote a lot about him. All this made the general Zelensky's main competitor. If something really happened to Zaluzhny, then the President of Ukraine will receive even more powers of authority and will establish full control over the military sphere. "I think the general was isolated, for example, sent under house arrest. The reasons could be the surrender of Bakhmut or the poor readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for a counteroffensive. The broad masses are not informed about this so as not to demoralize the army, retired colonel, military analyst Anatoly Matviychuk told Izvestia. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny personally denied the assumptions about his death. The video with the general was posted online 25 May 2023 by Anatoly Shtefan, a spokesman for the Ukrainian defense ministry. This is reported by "Lenta.ru" . First, Stefan appears in the video, announcing that the video was recorded today, May 25, 2023, and then Zaluzhny appears in the frame, greeting the audience. But skeptical observers noted that in the video Zaluzhny was not sitting in his office. And his appearance was somewhat frail. On 26 May 2023 the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in its Telegram channel published a fresh photo, where you can see the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny next to the combat boat "Bucha". According to official reports, he attended the celebrations for the first time in his long absence from the public field. Zaluzhny had not appeared in public due to disagreements with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the issue of a counteroffensive, Oleg Soskin, former adviser to Kuchma, said 26 May 2023. "There is a problem between Zaluzhny and Zelensky. The fact that Zaluzhny was absent from the information space for quite a long time indicates that there is some question either about the nature of the offensive, or about the time, or about directions," said the expert. Against the backdrop of the failure of the counteroffensive and stagnation at the front, behind-the-scenes squabbling has intensified in Ukrainian politics, during which interesting details come to light. Thus, in november 2023 MP Maryana Bezuglaya publicly actively criticizes the main icon of the Ukrainian army, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny. According to her, Ukraines Western partners back in 2021 asked to pay attention to border mining, which Zaluzhny refused. Bezuglaya also said that in 2022, at a parliamentary committee, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that drones were not needed, so they were purchased in minimal quantities. Bezuglaya proceeds to criticize not only Zaluzhny, but the entire generals as a whole, which she calls a caste that does not allow new people in, and during the war gained enormous wealth and power. It is interesting that after the successes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkov and Kherson regions, Zaluzhny was idolized and extolled his great genius in reports by the Ukrainian and Western media, but as soon as the Ukrainian army faced a series of failures, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces began to be reminded of all sorts of mistakes. Valery Zaluzhny was born on July 8, 1973, in the town of Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr region - a Soviet military garrison in northern Ukraine. In 1997, Zaluzhny graduated from the Odesa Institute of Land Forces and started his military career as a platoon commander. In 2009 2012, he was the commander of the 51st mechanized brigade. In 2014, Zaluzhny graduated from the National Defense University and as the best graduate of the operational and strategic level of training, he was awarded the Transitional Sword of the Queen of Great Britain. After graduation, he was appointed the sector commander of the Ukrainian forces in Donbas area. In 2019, Zaluzhny became the commander of the Operational Command North and in July 2021, he was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces. He became the first Ukraines Commander who has not served in the Soviet army. Since the beginning of Russias war against Ukraine Zaluzhny has not given any interviews. Military experts around the world point out the successful defense operation of the Ukrainian army, which did not allow the enemy to occupy Kyiv. Time magazine included Zaluzhny into the list of 100 most influential people. He is awarded state and service regals. General Zaluzhny is married and has two daughters. EDUCATION 1997 Odesa Land Forces Institute, graduated with honors; 2007 National Defense Academy of Ukraine, operational tactical level, graduated with a gold medal; 2014 Ivan Cherniakhovskyi National Defense University of Ukraine. As tht graduate of operational strategic level training he was awarded the transition sword of the Queen of Great Britain. MILITARY CAREER 1997 2005 platoon, company, and battalion commander; 2007 2009 Chief of Staff First Deputy Commander of the 24th detached motor brigade of the 13th Army Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 2009 2012 Commander of 51st detached motor brigade of the 13th Army Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 2015 2016 Head of the Combat Training Department Deputy Commander for Troops Combat Training of the Operational Command East of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 2016 2017 Deputy Commander of the Operational Command South of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 2017 2018 Chief of Staff First Deputy Commander of the Operational Command West of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 2018 2019 First Deputy Chief of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 2019 2021 Commander of the Operational Command North of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; since July 27, 2021 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 01 February 2024 - Day 707 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 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 the Russian National Guard, Rosgvardia, is incorporating three former Wagner assault detachments, the 15th, 16th and 17th, into its first Volunteer Corps formation. On 25 December 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law authorising Rosgvardia to form its own volunteer formations. Rosgvardia will likely deploy its new volunteer detachments to Ukraine and Africa. Rosgvardia is reportedly offering volunteers six-month contracts for service in Ukraine, and nine-month contracts for service in Africa. The incorporation of former Wagner assault detachments into Rosgvardia's Volunteer Corps highly likely indicates that Wagner has been successfully subordinated to Rosgvardia, increasing the Russian state's command and control over the Wagner Group. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 1, there were 58x combat engagements. Russian forces launched 2x missile strikes, one of them with 1x Kh-59 guided missile at the civilian infrastructure of Myrnohrad (Donetsk oblast). On top of that, Russian forces launched 66x air strikes, carried out 38x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have resulted in civilian injuries. Residential private and apartment buildings, a school and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine. Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Vovchans'k and Vil'khuvatka (Kharkiv oblast). More than 40x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Klyusy (Chernihiv oblast), Volfyne, Katerynivka, Volodymyrivka, Pysarivka (Sumy oblast), Udy, Vovchans'k, Mala Vovcha (Kharkiv oblast). Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x assaults near Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast). In that area the occupies made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched air strikes near Kolodyazne, Syn'kivka, Pishchane (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Tabaivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x assault in the vicinity of Terny (Donetsk oblast). In that area the Russian adversary, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. The Russian occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Spirne (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Yampolivka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne (Donetsk oblast). Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 1x attack in the vicinity of Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces made unsuccessful attempts to improve their tactical situation. More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York (Donetsk oblast). Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 15x attacks near Avdiivka and 5x more attacks near Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian occupiers, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Sukha Balka, Novobakhmutivka, Novokalynove, Ocheretyne and Orlivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars more than 15x settlements, including Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Stepove, Avdiivka, Sjeverne, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made 11x unsuccessful attempts to improve its tactical situation. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Kostyantynivka, Yelyzavetivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Kurakhove, Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka, Katerynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Vuhledar, Novodonets'ke and Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva (Donetsk oblast). Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 1x attack near Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). The Russian occupiers launched an air strike near Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Chervone, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces do not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units out of their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro. Thus, during the day, Russian forces made 13x unsuccessful assaults on positions of Ukrainian troops. The Russian occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Novokairy, Chervonyi Mayak, Novoberyslav, Krynky (Kherson oblast). Russian forces fired artillery at the city of Kherson as well as Solonchaky, Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast). On top of that, the invaders launched MLRS strikes at the vicinities of Ol'hivka, Krynky, Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Novotyahynka, Tokarivka, Chornobaivka (Kherson oblast). During the day of February 1, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 13x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x air defense system. The Ukrainian missile troops hit 2x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 4x artillery systems, 1x electronic warfare station. Also, on the night of February 1, forces of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) destroyed a missile boat of the 41st brigade of missile boats of the Russian Black Sea fleet in the western part of the temporarily occupied Crimea. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation repelled seven attacks launched by assault groups of 30th, 44th mechanised brigades of the AFU close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region), and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic) The enemy losses were over 125 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two motor vehicles. In conterbattery warfare, the Russian troops hit one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems. In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved their positions along the front line and inflicted fire damage on AFU and Ukriane's National Guard units near the Serebryansky forestry. In addition, three attacks launched by assault groups of the 60th and 63rd mechanised brigades have been repelled near Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic). The enemy losses were over 290 troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery system. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions and defeated clusters of manpower and hardware of 28th, 42nd, 54th, and 93rd mechanised, 81st Airmobile, 5th Assault, 95th Air Assault brigades of the AFU near Belogorovka, Kleshcheyevka, and Kurdyumovka, (Donetsk People's Republic). The Russian troops repelled four attacks launched by assault groups of the 22nd Mechanised, 46th Airmobile, and 79th Air Assault brigades of the AFU close to Georgiyevka, Novomikhailovka, and Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic) The enemy lost over 210 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, and six motor vehicles. In addition, in the course of counter-battery warfare during the day, the Russian troops hit: one Grad MLRS vehicle, one UK-made AS-90 self-propelled artillery system, three U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, two Msta-B howitzers, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one Giatsint-B gun, five Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, one Bukovel electronic warfare system, and one ammunition depot. In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces, supported by air and artillery, repelled two attacks and overwhelmed units of the 127th and 128th territorial defence brigades near Staromayorskoye and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). The AFU's losses were up to 80 troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, and two motor vehicles. In counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: one Grad MLRS vehicle, two UK-made FH-70 howitzers, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and one D-30 gun. In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian Group of Forces in cooperation with aircraft repelled an attack and defeated manpower and hardware of the AFU's 128th mountain assault, 33rd and 65th mechanised brigades close to Lugovskoye, Rabotino, Zherebyanka, and Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region). The AFU lost up to 50 troops and three pickup trucks. In addition, in counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: one Grad MLRS vehicle, two D-20 and two D-30 howitzers. In Kherson direction, as a result of competent action by units of the Dnepr Group of Forces and complex fire defeat, enemy losses amounted to up to 50 servicemen, three tanks, two armoured personnel carriers, two motor vehicles, and two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radars. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised a radar station of the Norwegian-made NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system, a 35D6M air target detection radar station, two AFU fuel depots as well as manpower and military hardware in 137 areas. Russia's air defence systems shot down 20 aerial guided missiles and 17 HIMARS MLRS projectiles. In addition, 68 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed close to Olshana and Berestovoye (Kharkov region), Zhytlovka and Krivosheyevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Yasinovataya and Makeyevka (Donetsk People's Republic), Pologi, Gulyaypole, and Tokmak (Zaporozhye region) and Radensk and Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region). In total, 568 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 11,580 unmanned aerial vehicles, 457 air defence missile systems, 14,877 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,214 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,931 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,124 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 Russo-Ukraine War - 02 February 2024 - Day 708 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 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 following a review of over a thousand military bribery cases, on 30 January 2024 independent Russian newspaper Verstka published an article on corruption in the Russian Army. Their research identified patterns of corruption and a system of bribes used by Russian servicemembers and their commanders. Bribes were given or demanded for various 'services' such as: leave, certification of physical training, military rank, driver licenses, and avoiding disciplinary action against soldiers for using smartphones or who get drunk. After February 2022 the set of 'services' was expanded to include injury certificates, awards for participating in the 'Special Military Operation' and avoiding being sent on a combat mission. This activity can be very lucrative for corrupt officers. Verstka published the going rates for these 'services, ranging from 40,000 roubles (GBP 425) to avoid being sent to the front line up to 1 million roubles (GBP 10,575) for an injury certificate. Corruption has long been a problem in the Russian Armed Forces. The journalist Dmitry Kholodov investigated military corruption in the 1990s and was killed in Moscow by a bomb in a briefcase in October 1994. It is likely that corruption significantly undermines the effectiveness of the Russian military. There is only a remote chance that significant progress will be made in reducing corruption levels. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 2, there were 55x combat engagements. Russian forces launched 50x air strikes and carried out 19x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have resulted in civilian injuries. Residential private and apartment buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine. Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vil'khuvatka (Kharkiv oblast). More than 30x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Sen'kivka, Prohres, Zorya, Hrem'yach (Chernihiv oblast), Seredyna-Buda, Bachivs'k, Iskryskivshchyna, Volodymyrivka, Hrabovs'ke, Popivka (Sumy oblast), Udy, Vovchans'k, Mala Vovcha, Potykhonove (Kharkiv oblast). Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 4x assaults near Syn'kivka and Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast). In that area Russian forces made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. The Russian occupiers launched air strikes near Ivanivka, Kyslivka, Tabaivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 3x assaults in the vicinity of Terny (Donetsk oblast). In that area Russian forces, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast). Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 2x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers made unsuccessful attempts to improve their tactical situation. More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasyukivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York (Donetsk oblast). Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 19x attacks near Avdiivka and 10x more attacks near Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Oleksandropil', Novokalynove, Ocheretyne (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars more than 15x settlements, including Berdychi, Stepove, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the invaders in the vicinities of Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces made 6x unsuccessful attempts to improve its tactical situation. The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Shakhtars'ke axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x attack south of Zolota Nyva (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Vuhledar and Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vuhledar, Urozhaine, Staromaiors'ke, Rivnopil' (Donetsk oblast). Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3x attacks near Robotyne and west of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense, to no success. Around 20x settlements, including Levadne, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Orikhiv, Novoandriivka, P'yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces do not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units out of their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro. Thus, during the day, Russian forces made 6x unsuccessful assaults on positions of Ukrainian troops. The Russian adversary fired artillery at the city of Kherson, the settlements of Beryslav, Inhulets' (Kherson oblast) as well as Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast). On top of that, Russian forces launched air strikes at the vicinities of Kherson and Respublikanets' (Kherson oblast). During the day of February 2, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 10x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment. The Ukrainian missile troops hit 3x ammunition depots of the Russian invaders. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled five attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 30th, 44th mechanised brigades, and 95th Air Assault Brigade near Terni (Donetsk People's Republic) and Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up 45 Ukrainian troops, two pickup trucks, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and with support of artillery repelled three attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 60th Mechanised Brigade near Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 270 Ukrainian troops, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one U.S.-made M119 howitzer. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 22nd Mechanised Brigade and 114th Territorial Defence Brigade near Kleshcheyevka and Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). Two attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 81st Airmobile Brigade were repelled near Belogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 290 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, and 17 motor vehicles. In the course of counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, one D-20 howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one D-30 howitzer, and one Grad MLRS combat vehicle were neutralised. In addition, four field ammunition depots were destroyed. In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by aviation inflicted losses on units of the AFU 58th Mechanised Brigade and 127th Territorial Defence Brigade near Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 100 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two D-30 howitzers. In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 118th Mechanised Brigade, 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, and 82nd Air Assault Brigade near Rabotino, Nesteryanka, and Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 55 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, three armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, and one D-30 howitzer. In Kherson direction, units of the AFU 38th Marines Brigade suffered losses. The AFU losses amounted to up to 35 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one ammunition depot of the AFU 110th Mechanised Brigade, as well as engaged manpower and hardware in 102 areas during the day. Air defence units intercepted two Olkha MLRS projectiles over the past 24 hours. In addition, 40 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down during the day near Berestovoye (Kharkov region), Novoselovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Novaya Mayachka (Kherson region), Semenovka, and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). In total, 568 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 11,620 unmanned aerial vehicles, 457 air defence missile systems, 14,888 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,215 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,946 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,156 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 Big leap in Space Defence Technology: Green Propulsion System, developed under DRDO's Technology Development Fund, successfully demonstrates in-orbit functionality India PIB Ministry of Defence Posted On: 01 FEB 2024 1:38PM by PIB Delhi A Green Propulsion System, developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme of DRDO, has successfully demonstrated in-orbit functionality on a payload launched by PSLV C-58 mission. This project - 1N Class Green Monopropellant thruster for altitude control and orbit keeping of micro satellite - was sanctioned to a Bengaluru-based start-up Bellatrix Aerospace Pvt Ltd (Development Agency). The Telemetry Data from PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru has been validated with ground level solution and is found to have exceeded all performance parameters. This innovative technology has resulted in non-toxic and environment-friendly propulsion system for low orbit space. The system consists of indigenously-developed Propellant, Fill and Drain Valves, Latch Valve, Solenoid Valve, Catalyst Bed, Drive Electronics, etc. It is ideal for space mission with high thrust requirements. The complete project has been carried out by the Development Agency under guidance of Project Monitoring & Mentoring Group of DRDO. It has demonstrated pulsed mode and steady state firing in vacuum, passivation of residual propellant in outer space, propellant realisation and establishing of filling procedure under the TDF. The TDF is a flagship programme of Ministry of Defence executed by DRDO under the 'Make in India' initiative for funding innovation in defence and aerospace, especially to start-ups and MSMEs. ***** SR/Savvy (Release ID: 2001210) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Iran's successful launch of Mahda satellite opens new window to space launches' IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 1, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Iranian minister of communications and information technology has said that the recent successful launch of three Iranian satellites into orbit has opened a new window to the country's space launches. In an exclusive interview with IRNA on Thursday, Issa Zarepour spoke about the features of one of those satellites, called Mahda. He said that Mahda was placed in elliptical orbits with minimum and maximum altitudes of 450 km and 1,100 km above the Earth's surface, making it the first Iranian satellite to be put in a space orbit with an altitude above 1,000 km thanks to its high-level technology. Referring to the progress in the country's space program, the minister attributed it to the policies of President Ebrahim Raisi's administration, which Zarepour said had been paying special attention to the space program since taking office in August 2021. The resumption of meetings by Iran's Supreme Council of Space after around eleven years is a clear example of those policies, the minister added. Zarepour further noted that the number of satellites, which are being manufactured will reach 30 by the late of this March. The number of satellites, which are ready to launch, will also reach 12 within the same period, he added. 3266**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau February 1, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan about the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The Prime Minister and the King expressed deep concern over the ongoing dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. They stressed the importance of upholding international humanitarian law, ensuring humanitarian access to the affected areas, and protecting civilians. Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada's humanitarian support to Palestinians, including through the recent announcement of an additional $40 million in funding to address urgent needs stemming from the ongoing crisis in the Gaza. The Prime Minister reiterated the need for a path to secure lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians, underscoring Canada's enduring support for a two-state solution, and emphasized the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security, and dignity, without fear. The two leaders also discussed the regional security implications of the conflict, the importance of avoiding an escalation, and ongoing efforts toward de-escalation. Both leaders reiterated support for urgent international efforts toward a sustainable ceasefire. Prime Minister Trudeau and His Majesty King Abdullah II agreed to remain in close contact as the situation continues to evolve. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Western slander of Article 23 made out of 'prejudice, defamation, and malicious intention' Global Times By Chen Qingqing Published: Feb 01, 2024 06:58 PM In response to some misunderstandings and confusion about the Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong, local legal experts and political representatives have made a series of clarifications on the original intention of the legislation, which aims to prevent, stop and punish acts and activities endangering national security and to target only a very small number of criminals while protecting the basic rights of the majority. While many countries including the US, the UK and Canada have enacted many laws to safeguard national security in light of their own national security risks and needs, some Western politicians continued badmouthing the Article 23 legislation, which China said was "nothing but sheer double standard." UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said at a recent Hong Kong-related event that the Article 23 legislation would "destroy" what made Hong Kong prosperous. The EU also raised "concerns" that this planned legislation may weaken "the city's freedoms," according to media reports. The Chinese Embassy in the UK said on Thursday that it firmly opposes the UK politicians' groundless attack on the Article 23 legislation. It is also a pressing task to prevent, curb and punish acts and activities endangering national security, the embassy said. The legislation will protect the fundamental well-being of all Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) residents and the interests of global investors in Hong Kong, and better safeguard its long-term stability and security, it noted. It was not the first time that some Western countries have criticized national security-related laws in Hong Kong. Countries such as the US and the UK also condemned the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong out of despicable motives. Hong Kong announced on Tuesday a public consultation period for the long-awaited Article 23 legislation, which will last until the end of February. The new law, with the proposed title "Safeguarding National Security Ordinance," aims to comprehensively address national security risks and will play a complementary role to the NSL for Hong Kong. Most of the changes involve refining existing legislation, and there will also be additions of new offenses as needed to align with the specific circumstances in Hong Kong, local officials told a press conference on Tuesday. The newly added items include prohibitions on certain activities endangering national security through computer or electronic systems and prohibitions on foreign interference including collaborating with foreign forces to interfere with national or regional affairs by improper means covering elections, legislation, and judicial decisions. Some misunderstandings and misconceptions regarding the 23 Article include the belief that the law restricts organizations or individuals from engaging in foreign exchanges, which could lead residents to inadvertently breaking the law. Some also think that the law infringes upon various freedoms of Hong Kong residents, scaring away foreign investment and disrupting financial markets. Others raised concerns about the vague definitions of the law, which they believe could be used to "suppress different views." These misinterpretations are all prejudice, defamation, and malicious slander, Louis Chen, a member of the Election Committee and general secretary of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times on Thursday. "The main reasons for such malicious slander include their desire to see the failure of One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong, fear of Hong Kong thriving after addressing its national security shortcomings, and political manipulation of playing the 'Hong Kong card' to win more votes," Chen said. The Article 23 legislation does not restrict organizations or individuals from engaging in foreign exchanges. The main principle is that when it involves any actions and activities that may harm national security, they will be subject to reasonable legal restrictions, which is in line with international conventions and standards, Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday. Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Dennis Leung Tsz-wing, who also represents the labor sector, was quoted as saying in media reports on Thursday that Article 23 aims to prevent political organizations from using foreign forces to interfere with national sovereignty. As long as it does not involve national security issues, free exchanges with foreign organizations are allowed, Leung said. For example, labor unions often engage in discussions with foreign individuals on labor policies, contributing to the development of a global community of human civilization, he said. The Article 23 legislation is defined clearly and without ambiguity, Fu said, noting that it explicitly states that maintaining national security shall follow important legal principles such as respecting and safeguarding human rights, and it does not punish speech. "While there may be individuals with bad intentions attempting to falsely claim that the legislation has vague definitions, is used to suppress dissent, or incite, the residents of Hong Kong must recognize the true intentions of these individuals who seek to mislead the public," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on February 1, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 2024-02-01 21:11 AFP: US authorities said yesterday they had dismantled a Chinese network of hackers that targets US public infrastructure. Besides, FBI Director stated yesterday that China is the country that conducts the most hacking activities. What's the Foreign Ministry's response?a Wang Wenbin: China firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with law. Without valid evident, the US jumped to an unwarranted conclusion and made groundless accusations against China. It is extremely irresponsible and is a complete distortion of facts. China firmly opposes this. The US itself is the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks. The US Cyber Force Command openly declared that the critical infrastructure of other countries is a legitimate target for US cyberattacks. Since last year, China's cybersecurity agencies have released reports revealing the US government's long-running cyberattacks against China's critical infrastructure. Such irresponsible policy and practices have exposed global critical infrastructure to huge risks. We urge the US to stop its worldwide cyber espionage and cyberattacks, and stop smearing other countries under the excuse of cyber security.a Bloomberg: The US Pentagon has added China's leading memory chip maker as well as AI company to a list of companies that it accuses of aiding China's military. It added Yangtze Memory and Megvii. That list already has companies like Huawei and SMIC on it. What's the Foreign Ministry's comment on this recent addition of companies to the list by the US Pentagon? Wang Wenbin: China firmly opposes the US overstretching the concept of national security, setting up all kinds of discriminatory lists, going after Chinese companies and disrupting normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the US. This is a complete departure from the principles of market competition and international trade rules that the US has long claimed to champion. Such moves erode the confidence of foreign companies to invest and operate in the US, and undermine the interests of US companies and investors. It is bound to backfire. In fact, the US government is the mastermind of military-civil fusion policy. This policy in the US dates back to before WWI, when the US Pentagon set up offices in the Silicon Valley and other tech hubs to guide high-tech companies to accelerate the military application of technologiesa and their use in the battlefield. Many large multinational corporations in the US are actors of the military-civil fusion policy, since their business scope and product portfolio go far beyond the civilian sector into the military sector. We urge the US to immediately correct these discriminatory practices and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies. China will continue to firmly safeguard the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of its companies. Ukrainian News Agency: According to Russian media, China's Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu yesterday that China provides Russia with support on the Ukrainian issue. Could you please share more detailed information on what kind of support was provided by the Chinese side to Russia?a Wang Wenbin: China's Ministry of National Defense released the readout on the video call between Chinese and Russian defense ministers. You may refer to that. China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. We hope all parties will strive to cool down the tensions and create favorable conditions for the political settlement of the crisis. This position has not changed. Bloomberg: New Zealand has agreed to officially explore joining AUKUS. Australia, for example, will be sending a team of officials to New Zealand soon to further discuss this possibility. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on New Zealand's desire, plan or consideration of joining AUKUS? Wang Wenbin: We've repeatedly said that the establishment of the so-called AUKUS security partnership between the US, the UK and Australia to promote cooperation on nuclear submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies reveals a typical Cold War mentality. It will only exacerbate arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and hurt regional peace and stability. Peace-loving countries have expressed grave concern and extensive opposition. The three countries, for their own geopolitical interests, have totally disregarded the concerns of the international community and gone further down the wrong and dangerous path. We hope that relevant countries will cherish the hard-won peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific, be prudent in words and actions on relevant issues and adopt concrete actions to uphold the overall peace, stability and development in the region. AFP: According to Vatican's latest announcement, three newly appointed Chinese Catholic bishops were consecrated over the past week in accordance with an agreement between the Vatican and the Chinese government. What's your comment on the announcement and the current relations between China and the Vatican? Wang Wenbin: In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained communication and the Provisional Agreement Between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China on the Appointment of Bishops has been well implemented. China stands ready to improve the relations with the Vatican based on the spirit of mutual respect and equal-footed dialogue.a CCTV: The Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which brings together the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and other UN agencies and non-governmental bodies, in a joint statement issued yesterday said that suspension of funds for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) by relevant countries would result in disastrous consequences and asked these countries to reconsider their decisions. The statement called on the world "not to abandon the people of Gaza." What's China's comment? Wang Wenbin: As the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict drags on into the fourth month, Gaza faces unprecedented humanitarian disaster. Under the current circumstances, there's no other choice than a ceasefire that can deescalate the crisis and there's no other task that is more pressing than protecting civilians. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has made important effort in easing the humanitarian situation in Gaza, playing an indispensable and irreplaceable role. Data shows that two thirds of the over two million people in Gaza received assistance from UNRWA. Ensuring the normal and orderly operation of the UNRWA means preserving the most basic life guarantee for the people in Gaza and the last string of hope for the almost desperate refugees. We noted that the UN has launched an investigation and adopted measures concerning the allegation that UNRWA personnel were involved in the October 7 attack. UN Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres said that UNRWA is the "backbone" of all humanitarian response in Gaza. We support the UN in conducting an independent, just and objective investigation. That said, collective punishment against the people in Gaza should be avoided. We call on the international community, especially major donors, to prioritize the lives of the people in Gaza, reconsider the decision to suspend funding, and continue to support the work of UNRWA. We must not deny all of the work of UNRWA because of the moves by certain individuals. We must not allow more collective punishment against the people in Gaza. We must not sit idly by and see the humanitarian situation in Gaza get worse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Report: Global Carmaker Supply Chains Exposed to Xinjiang Forced Labor By William Yang February 01, 2024 A new report finds that some global carmakers are applying weaker human rights and responsible-sourcing standards to their joint ventures in China due to pressure from the Chinese government. The lax standards increase the risk of exposing supply chains to forced labor from China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, where more than 1 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been subject to mass internment and other forms of persecution. According to the report from Human Rights Watch, titled Asleep at the Wheel, several major global carmakers, including Volkswagen, Tesla, General Motors and Toyota, have failed to minimize the risk of Uyghur forced labor being used in their aluminum supply chain, an important material for automotive parts. "The aluminum supply chain operates with multiple layers between the car company and the aluminum producer, and these layers create an opaqueness that kind of benefits the car industry because carmakers can buy material without knowing its origin and without knowing the risks to a context like Xinjiang," Jim Wormington, a senior researcher at HRW and author of the report, told VOA by phone. In recent years, several international investigations have found evidence of forced labor in Xinjiang. Some research warns that the supply chains of certain industries, such as the solar panel and auto industries, may be exposed to forced labor from Xinjiang. With about 15% of the aluminum produced in China being sourced from Xinjiang, HRW found evidence through Chinese state media articles, company reports and government statements that aluminum producers in the region are participating in labor transfers. "The link between Xinjiang, the aluminum industry, and forced labor is Chinese government-backed labor transfer programs, which coerce Uyghurs and members of other Turkic Muslim communities into jobs in Xinjiang and other regions," the report said. It added that evidence from Chinese government sources shows that aluminum smelters in Xinjiang participated in labor transfers. Since most aluminum from Xinjiang is mixed with other metals to make aluminum alloys in other parts of China, it's difficult to determine how much aluminum came from Xinjiang. "Aluminum ingots from Xinjiang are brought and sold by commodities traders, further obscuring the links between Xinjiang and supply chains," the report said. At least three aluminum producers or smelters in Xinjiang, including Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals, Tianshan Aluminum and Xinfa Group Xinjiang, have been identified as either receiving labor transfers targeting Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities or are being closely linked to Xinjiang Production Construction Corps, which plays a key role in the repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, according to previous research and investigations. In response to criticism of facilitating forced labor in Xinjiang, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said the accusation is "a lie of the century fabricated to smear China." "The people in Xinjiang have their workers' rights concretely guaranteed," a spokesperson from the embassy told VOA in a written response. "This falsehood only proves that some in the United States are using human rights to disadvantage China, disrupt international trade rules and undercut the stability of international industrial and supply chains." Despite Beijing's efforts to push back against accusations related to forced labor in Xinjiang, Human Rights Watch said global carmakers have a responsibility to identify, prevent, and mitigate the presence of forced labor in their supply chains under regulations mandated by the United Nations. Some carmakers, including Volkswagen and Tesla, told HRW they have limited capacity to address their Chinese joint ventures' supply chain links to Xinjiang. Volkswagen, which holds 50% of the equity of its joint venture in China with Chinese automaker SAIC, claimed they are "not legally responsible" for human rights impacts in its joint venture's supply chain because Germany's supply chain law "only covers subsidiaries in which companies have decisive influence." When asked about the potential links between their Chinese joint venture and an aluminum producer in Xinjiang, Volkswagen admitted they have "no transparency about the supplier relationships" of their Chinese joint ventures. Despite the difficulty of conducting audits in China and fear of retaliation from the Chinese authorities, Wormington from HRW said there are ways for carmakers to demand more information from Chinese suppliers about the supply chain. "[While] some carmakers really fear retaliation, since Chinese carmakers want access to global markets, global carmakers can ask their suppliers to get more information on their supply chain," he told VOA. "There are things that carmakers can do, but in the context where they can't ask suppliers about human rights issues, that becomes extremely difficult." Some foreign jurisdictions, including the United States and European Union, have enacted or are planning to pass laws that require businesses to disclose their supply chains and identify potential links to human rights abuses. Some governments have also imposed import restrictions to prevent products connected to forced labor from entering their countries. Despite efforts by governments to prevent supply chains from being exposed to elements of forced labor from Xinjiang, some analysts think businesses need to clearly express their concerns to Beijing. "In an ideal world, businesses would make clear at the highest level to the Chinese government that this is going to be a problem unless businesses can have their staff conduct due diligence freely to ensure there isn't forced labor in their supply chains," said William Nee, research and advocacy coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a U.S.-based activist network, in a telephone interview. Yalkun Uluyol, a researcher at Sheffield Hallam University, said companies "must stop directly or indirectly sourcing anything made in the Uyghur region, in part or whole, to ensure their products are free of Uyghur forced labor." The companies should make public commitments to such a policy, he added in a written response to VOA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address When attorney R. Anthony Rupp III was leaving Chefs Restaurant on a December night seven years ago, he saw a vehicle without its headlights on stop just short of two pedestrians on Seneca Street. So he did what he thought the moment called for: He yelled at the driver to turn on his headlights, ending his sentence with an expletive. Rupp didnt know the vehicle in question was a Buffalo Police Department SUV, and his exhortation eventually led to an encounter with several police officers and landed him a ticket for violating a city noise ordinance, a ticket that he successfully challenged. Rupp wrote a letter the next day to the police commissioner about the incident, and thought that would be the end of that. But when two officers he encountered that night were involved in an incident two months later that ended with a mans death, Rupp decided his encounter had something in common with the mans death: that the officers lacked the proper training and temperament for the job and they and the city needed to be held to account. So Rupp sued them. A federal judge in Buffalo dismissed his case, but this week, an appeals court reversed the lower courts decision and said Rupps case should proceed. Rupp said he initially never intended to sue over his encounter with police that night, calling it a stupid case. But Rupp changed his mind when he learned that two of the officers involved in his incident Todd C. McAlister and Nicholas J. Parisi were involved a few months later in the deadly arrest of Wardel Meech Davis. The 20-year-old unarmed African American man died Feb. 7, 2017, of an acute asthma attack exacerbated by physical exertion from when he struggled during his arrest. The Attorney Generals Office found no evidence to warrant criminal charges against either police officer. But the fatal arrest triggered Rupp to sue over his encounter. I just decided that somebody needed to stand up for Meech Davis because the guy was dead, Rupp said. When I saw that it was the same two cops who were involved in my incident, when they retaliated against me because I (angered) them and Meech Davis (angered) them by resisting arrest, I went forward with a lawsuit that I never would have brought, Rupp said. In my view, if a then-50-year-old lawyer with his own law firm couldnt stand up against police abuse and misconduct in the face of a civil rights killing, who was going to do it? The appeals court Wednesday reinstated Rupps claims of false arrest, malicious prosecution and First Amendment retaliation over what happened after he shouted to a police officer to turn on his SUVs headlights at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2016. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a lower court judge erred by summarily tossing out the lawsuit from Rupp. Turn your lights on, asshole, Rupp yelled after the officer stopped his vehicle just short of hitting two women walking across Seneca Street toward Chefs Restaurant. At first, Rupp didnt know he was yelling at a police officer. After hearing Rupps shout, McAlister pulled into the Chefs parking lot where Rupp and his wife were walking to their car after dining at Chefs. Thats when Rupp realized the vehicle without the headlights turned on was a black and white Buffalo police SUV. McAlister rolled down the front passenger window, leaned across the console, and said to Rupp, You know you can be arrested for that. Rupp responded, Are you kidding me? according to the lawsuit. Rupp questioned McAlister why he would be arrested while McAlister was the one driving in the dark with no headlights on. Rupp said he told McAlister he could have killed the two women. McAlister then slams his car into park, gets out, detains me and asked for my ID and then everything went on from there, Rupp told The News. By the time the encounter ended, several more police officers and a lieutenant arrived at the scene, Rupp said, and he was ticketed for the noise violation. The next day, Rupp wrote a five-page letter to the police commissioner about his concerns over how police handled the encounter. He did not receive a response. I wrote that letter because I thought these guys needed more training, Rupp said. They needlessly provoked an incident. They were in the wrong. They confronted me. They used the power of their badge to cite me. Rupp said the Police Department displayed a cavalier attitude toward the officers who confronted him at Chefs. If these two officers had gotten training, based on my complaint following my incident, and if they had bothered to open an internal affairs investigation, or even just read my letter and talked to these guys about how not to provoke and exacerbate a situation, I think Meech Davis would still be alive. The city, in its legal filing, said that what happened to Rupp did not support his claims of false arrest and other constitutional violations. The encounter was brief. He was not physically restrained or injured. He was not formally arrested or booked but simply issued a summons, according to the city. Yelling an obscenity loud enough for an officer to hear it while driving his police vehicle provided ample probable cause, according to the citys filing. The officer could have arrested Rupp for disorderly conduct, the city said in its court filing. U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny agreed that there was probable cause for Rupps arrest, thus defeating his claims of false arrest, malicious prosecution and First Amendment retaliation. But in Wednesdays ruling, the appellate judges said Skretny erred in granting summary judgment in favor of the city and the four members of the Police Department named in the suit. There are questions for a jury to consider, the appellate panel ruled. The appellate judges also disagreed with Skretnys ruling that Rupps shout at McAlister was not entitled to First Amendment protection primarily because Rupp did not know that he was yelling at a police officer. But not knowing that the vehicles driver was a police officer had no bearing on whether Rupps shout was speech on a matter of public concern, according to the appellate courts written decision. Rupp did not need to know who was driving in the dark without headlights in order to understand that such conduct was dangerous. And he had not shouted at the driver until he saw the vehicle nearly hit the two pedestrians. Skretny said Rupp simply yelled out at a passing car because he was upset with the drivers reaction, and the yell contained an expletive. We have many difficulties with this rationale, including the courts interpretation of the record, its assessments of the evidence, and its acceptance of defendants assertion that there was in fact no danger, the appellate judges said of Skretnys ruling. As to the substance of Rupps five-word shout, the (district) court focused on the fact that it contained an expletive. A jury would be entitled to view a shout as unreasonable noise if all five words were expletives, the appeals judges said. But that wasnt the case with Rupps shout, they said. We have no doubt that he was upset, but his shout was an exhortation that was forward-looking in the interest of public safety, the appellate court ruled. A rational juror could easily view the shout as an attempt to avert a possible accident by a vehicle without lights, whose driver appeared not to know he was driving without lights, who had just had to stop for two pedestrians in his path attempting to cross the street, and who even after that abrupt stop, resumed driving without headlights. Jurors could easily view the shout as eminently reasonable, the panel of judges said. This was never about money, Rupp said. I dont want an award of damages. I want $1 and a determination that these officers acted inappropriately. Report: Iran's oil exports hit 5-year high despite US sanctions Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 8:03 PM Iran's oil exports have hit a 5-year high in spite of US sanctions, helping to prevent a sharp increase in oil prices triggered by the conflict in West Asia. According to the Nikkei Asian Review, Iranian exports of crude oil grew by roughly 50 percent last year to a five-year high of about 1.29 million barrels per day. The major English-language Japanese weekly noted that the vast majority of Iran's oil exports were going to China. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has said Iran produced 2.99 million barrels of oil daily in 2023, or 440,000 barrels more than its production in 2022. The agency predicted Iran daily crude production to increase another 160,000 barrels in 2024. Rapidly-growing Chinese demand for more crude is encouraging Iran to ramp up its oil production. Dozens of oil refineries in China are now purchasing oil from Iran. Based on data and analytics gathered by the Kpler research company in Europe, some 90 percent of Iran's crude oil exports went to China. In past years, the Islamic Republic has been working towards building its bonds with China. Iran's president and his Chinese counterpart met in Beijing last February and agreed to call for US sanctions to be lifted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the 3rd anniversary of the military coup European Council / Council of the European Union Council of the EU Press release 31 January 2024 Three years ago, on 1 February 2021, the military in Myanmar overthrew by force a democratically elected Government. The military's actions have undermined the country's democratic development and plunged Myanmar into a deep political, economic, human rights and humanitarian crisis, significantly threatening the stability of the country and the region. The European Union (EU) renews its condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the military coup and its aftermath. We remain deeply concerned by the continuing escalation of violence and the evolution towards a protracted conflict in the country. The repressive actions of the Myanmar military, marked by the use of indiscriminate violence against its own population, stand as a grave violation of basic human rights and a blatant disregard for the principles of justice and humanity. Reports of widespread atrocities, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, sexual and gender-based violence, physical abuse, torture, persecution of human rights defenders and journalists, aerial bombardments and shelling of populated areas including of children and camps for internally displaced persons, all illustrate the military's systemic campaign of violence against the very people it is supposed to protect. The military regime has also cracked down on freedoms of expression, assembly and association, which are the foundations of democracy and stability, and continues to discriminate against the Rohingya and other religious and ethnic minorities. There are now over 2.6 million people internally displaced in Myanmar; 2.3 million of them have been forcibly displaced since 1 February 2021. More than 70,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries as refugees, while over one million Rohingya refugees remain in Bangladesh following their expulsion by the Myanmar military. The Myanmar military still impedes the rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all displaced persons and people in need, in all parts of the country, in violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law. The EU reiterates its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality and independence. Humanitarian assistance must be delivered with respect to these principles. The Myanmar military continues to obstruct any engagement in an inclusive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders as called for by ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus. There is only one way out of the protracted conflict that can pave the path towards a meaningful democratic process that reflects the will of the Myanmar people: ending violence, releasing all prisoners arbitrarily detained, respecting human rights and establishing a dialogue with all stakeholders, including the National Unity Government (NUG), the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), political parties, civil society, religious and minority leaders, and ethnic groups. To this end, the EU continues to support ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus and invites all countries within the region and in the international community to support a peaceful solution. The EU stands ready to actively support efforts of the recently appointed ASEAN Special Envoy and any credible and inclusive mediation process with a view to resolve the crisis. The EU reiterates its call for increased international preventive action, including an arms embargo in order to cease the sale and transfer of arms and equipment as they facilitate the military's atrocities. The EU encourages an active role for the United Nations, notably through the appointment of a UN Special Envoy on Myanmar, the designation of a Resident Coordinator, and to continue taking action in holding the military accountable for its crimes. In the absence of progress in Myanmar, the EU stands ready to adopt further restrictive measures against those responsible for the serious human rights violations taking place in the country and for undermining democracy and the rule of law. On this sad anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup, the EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the people of Myanmar in their quest for a free, peaceful and democratic future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ongoing concerns about situation in Myanmar three years after coup Government of Norway News story | Date: 01/02/2024 'The situation in Myanmar is deeply worrying. Three years after the military coup, the country is contending with a humanitarian crisis that has led to widespread human suffering,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. Norway and seven other countries issued a joint statement together with the EU today on the situation in Myanmar. The UN estimates that 18.6 million people in Myanmar will be in need of humanitarian aid in 2024. More than 2.5 million people have been forced to leave their homes. At the same time, the UN and other actors are being denied humanitarian access to conflict areas where the needs are greatest. Since October, there has been an increase in fighting and attacks against the military regime in many parts of the country. The military's use of air attacks and artillery have led to widespread civilian casualties. 'Norway condemns the military regime's violations of human rights and attacks on people across the country, including the Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities, in the strongest possible terms,' said Mr Eide. The UN and other organisations are now describing the situation as a human rights crisis. 'I am deeply concerned by reports of air attacks on residential areas, schools, health facilities and places of worship, and of villages being burnt to the ground. There have also been serious restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, arbitrary arrests and violent attacks on civilians,' said Mr Eide. 'The military regime must change its course. The violence must stop. Steps must be taken to ensure an inclusive and meaningful political dialogue. This is essential if there is to be a return to a democratic process in Myanmar. All parties have a responsibility to protect civilians and give humanitarian actors full and unhindered humanitarian access,' said Mr Eide. Norway will maintain its long-term, active engagement in support of the people of Myanmar. Humanitarian aid, human rights and democracy, peace and reconciliation, and access to basic services will be key priority areas in these efforts. Norway will also continue its close dialogue with partners on the ground. Norway's policy of talking to all parties in a conflict is a hallmark of our peace and reconciliation work and will remain unchanged. Norway has aligned itself with the EU's sanctions against the military regime in Myanmar. 'We are working to promote a united international response. The countries in the region have a particularly important role to play,' said Mr Eide. Norway fully supports the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN to promote political dialogue and increase humanitarian access in Myanmar, in line with Security Council resolution 2669. Facts about Norwegian support to Myanmar Since the military coup, Norway has suspended all government-to-government aid to Myanmar. Assistance provided by Norway is now channelled through the UN and civil society organisations. In 2023, Norwegian aid to Myanmar amounted to NOK 348 million, largely due an increase in humanitarian assistance. In addition, Norway provided NOK 124 million for humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya community in Bangladesh. Norway also provides core funding to the UN and other multilateral organisations, which is used to finance projects in Myanmar. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address January sees 23 landmine injuries in Myanmar Mine-affected townships have increased by 68 since 2020, according to a new monitor report. By RFA Burmese 2024.02.01 -- Landmines have killed one and injured 22 others across Myanmar's north in January alone, locals told Radio Free Asia Thursday. One woman is dead and most of the injured have lost limbs during the explosions in northern Shan state, social aid organizations said. A 36-year-old man from Namtu township's Hko Hpeik village was sent to Lashio Hospital after being hit by a landmine on Tuesday. He was struck while cutting bamboo, said neighbors and residents who transported him to the hospital. "He went to cut bamboo in the north of the village. One of his legs was amputated and he was sent to Lashio," he told RFA on Thursday, asking to remain anonymous to protect his identity. On Monday, a 29-year-old man had his leg amputated after stepping on a landmine. He was cutting wood in a forest of Muse township, said a Muse resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons. In Namhkam township, a woman was killed by a landmine on Jan.18 on her way to a farm, according to data compiled by RFA. Five women and 17 men were injured by landmines across seven townships, including Lashio, Hsipaw, Manton, and Kokang region. The highest number of people injured were from Muse, according to compiled data. The number of people injured by landmines was the highest in areas where the fighting between the military junta and the Three Brotherhood Alliance was intense, those living in northern Shan state said. However, residents could not confirm which group had planted the mines. Neither the military nor the Three Brotherhood Alliance has released any information regarding deaths and injuries from landmine blasts. Nationwide, 168 out of 330 townships are at risk of death or injury by landmines, compared to 100 in 2020, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor's report released on Dec. 28, 2023. 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 February 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 military-linked enterprises and infantry divisions sanctioned 3 years on from the military coup The UK has imposed fresh sanctions on Myanmar military-linked entities and infantry divisions to mark 3 years since the military coup. 1 February 2024 UK imposes fresh sanctions against military divisions and enterprises involved in the repression of the civilian population and serious human rights violations in Myanmar in the 3 years since the military coup, the UK has sanctioned 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar sanctions regime the UK and partners have published a joint statement condemning the military's ongoing violence against civilians 3 years on from the military coup in Myanmar, the UK has imposed further sanctions against those responsible for ongoing repression in the country. Sanctioned today are 2 Myanmar military divisions responsible for carrying out serious human rights violations and 2 state-owned enterprises which provide economic resources and support to the Myanmar security forces. Sanctions against 2 state-owned enterprises affiliated with the Myanmar security forces will help block the regime's access to vital resources used to strengthen the military's grip. Also sanctioned today are 2 Light Infantry Divisions of the Myanmar security forces, which since the coup have escalated their appalling attacks against civilians, including targeting voices of dissent and opposition. Since the coup the UK has sanctioned 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar Sanctions Regime, targeting the military's access to finance, arms and equipment. The UK has also targeted the military's 2 key conglomerates and their 111 subsidiaries, as well as 3 individuals under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, most recently in December 2023. In addition to fresh sanctions, the United Kingdom has, alongside 8 countries and the EU, released a joint statement, reiterating our condemnation of the military regime's continued violence against and repression of its own people. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: Three years after its coup, we are increasing our pressure on the Myanmar military to stop its brutal repression of the Myanmar people. That's why the UK is imposing new sanctions to help stop the military's access to resources. We are joining with international partners to call for renewed efforts to secure a peaceful and democratic future for Myanmar. The entities sanctioned today Mining Enterprise 1 (ME1) for involvement in the repression of the civilian population in Myanmar, by being affiliated to the Myanmar Security Forces (MSF) and making available funds or other economic resources to the MSF. Mining Enterprise 2 (ME2) for involvement in the repression of the civilian population in Myanmar, by being affiliated to the Myanmar Security Forces and by making available funds or other economic resources to the MSF. Light Infantry Division 77 (LID 77) for involvement in serious human rights violations in Myanmar. Namely the crackdown on protestors involving excessive lethal force and killing, and internet shutdowns during protests in Bago. Light Infantry Division 101 (LID 101) for involvement in serious human rights violations in Myanmar. This includes arbitrary arrests, detention or enforced disappearance; torture or cruel treatment against people for their political opinion, religious belief or ethnicity; and forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Background Asset freeze An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. Travel ban A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Al-Qaida, Afghan Taliban Assist TTP With Attacks in Pakistan By Ayaz Gul February 01, 2024 A new United Nations report warns that al-Qaida has established eight new training camps in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and is increasingly assisting anti-Pakistan militants to launch cross-border attacks. The report said an al-Qaida camp in the Afghan border province of Kunar is "conducting suicide bomber training" to support operations of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, a globally designated terrorist group leading attacks against Pakistani security forces. The U.N. Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team released its findings this week, providing a fresh assessment of the threat militant groups, particularly TTP, pose to the region from their sanctuaries in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Thursday, the de facto Afghan authorities rejected the U.N. findings as "false allegations." The report noted that the Taliban's relationship "remains strong" with senior al-Qaida leaders, particularly with the terror group's regional affiliate, al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent or AQIS. It found that the Taliban "are generally sympathetic to TTP aims" and have not responded to Pakistan's repeated requests to prevent cross-border militant violence, which last year alone killed nearly 1,000 Pakistani security forces and civilians. "The short-term detention of 70 to 200 TTP members and the relocation of personnel northward away from the border areas by the Taliban were assessed as deflecting pressure from Pakistan to contain TTP," the report noted. "Besides supplying weapons and equipment, Taliban rank and file, Al-Qaida core and AQIS fighters assisted TTP forces in cross-border attacks ... Some Taliban members also joined TTP, perceiving a religious obligation to provide support." TTP members and their families receive regular aid packages from the Taliban, the U.N. report said, adding that the de facto Afghan authorities reportedly provided a monthly $50,500 to TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud. "A notable development is the increase of Afghan nationals in the TTP ranks. Al-Qaida core and AQIS continue to provide training, ideological guidance, and support to TTP," the report said. It added that al-Qaida recently ordered all its vehicles to be "gifted" to TTP due to fear of being targeted by the United States. The support has "strengthened and emboldened" TTP to increase attacks "with a broader degree of autonomy to maneuver." The U.N. report noted that AQIS reportedly supplied armed fighters to support a major TTP assault on security outposts in the Pakistani border district of Chitral, increasing the group's morale. The report said a newly emerged group, Tehrik-e-Jihad Pakistan, or TJP, is operating from Afghan territory, possibly with support from al-Qaida and providing TTP with "plausible deniability to alleviate the pressure from Pakistan on the Taliban government." TJP has claimed responsibility for several high-profile attacks against the Pakistani military in recent months. Officials in Islamabad said some of the assailants killed by security forces involved in these attacks were Afghan nationals. Last December, TJP militants, including suicide bombers, assaulted an army base in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing 23 soldiers and making it the deadliest raid against the Pakistan military in recent years. The U.N. study said that several member states reported "continued proliferation of weapons from stockpiles" left by U.S.-led coalition troops after they withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, when the then-insurgent Taliban seized power. "In one case Taliban commanders were reported to have provided TTP with significant quantities of weaponry, including M24 sniper rifles, M4 carbines with Trijicon ACOG scopes, and M16A4 rifles with thermal scopes," the report said. It added that weapons and equipment, particularly night vision capability, have reportedly added "lethality to TTP attacks on Pakistani security forces." The chief Taliban government spokesperson Thursday rejected as propaganda the U.N. report about the presence of al-Qaida camps or allegations that Kabul is providing support to militant groups. "There is no one related to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, nor does the Islamic Emirate allow anyone to use the territory of Afghanistan against others," Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. Mujahid previously also refuted Pakistani allegations that his government is allowing TTP to conduct cross-border attacks. "We will not allow anyone to use the soil of Afghanistan against Pakistan. However, it is not our responsibility to prevent and control attacks inside the territory of Pakistan," the Taliban spokesperson said in a recent statement. TTP is known to have provided recruits and sheltered Taliban leaders on Pakistani soil while they directed insurgent attacks against U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan for years. The group moved its command-and-control operations to Afghan border areas after the Taliban takeover and is conducting attacks with greater operational freedom from there, according to Pakistani officials. VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Interview: 'I Don't See How This Cannot Happen,' Bill Browder Says Of Seizing Russian Assets By Vazha Tavberidze February 01, 2024 U.S.-born British financier and political activist Bill Browder is perhaps best-known for his lobbying for the United States' Global Magnitsky Act, a sanctions list targeting Russian officials responsible for the death of Russian tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009 in a Moscow prison and foreign officials around the world for human rights abuses. Browder has called himself the "No. 1 enemy" of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has campaigned for years to freeze Russian assets in the West. Now, he is among the loudest advocates of the transfer of Russian funds held in Western banks to Ukraine. In an interview with RFE/RL's Georgian Service during last month's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Browder spelled out why such a decision could not only help Ukraine rebuild from Russia's ongoing invasion, but also fund weapons purchases, lightening the load for the West amid concerns of "Ukraine fatigue." RFE/RL: What were the focus of and main takeaways from the recently concluded World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland? Bill Browder: From my perspective, you know, the focus [at Davos] was on the war in Ukraine. For me, the most important [topic] was the confiscation of the Russian Central Bank reserves, which have been frozen since the beginning of the war. As we all know, the financing of the war has come under strain in recent months from the EU and the U.S., and so it's put a lot of focus on what other sources of funding there are. And, of course, the $350 billion of frozen Russian Central Bank reserves could potentially be another source of funding. And, for me, one of the big developments in the World Economic Forum this year is that now this is a topic which is being talked [about] as a realistic possibility. The British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has openly supported it. A number of other foreign ministers from European countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania also support it. The United States is now warming up to it. And it's a very different conversation than I had a year ago at Davos over the same topic. RFE/RL: So there appears more of an appetite. But in practical terms, how do you see that happening, the seizing of Russian assets? What would be the step-by-step approach? Browder: The most important thing is that it [be] done in unison by all the major allied countries. You can't have one country doing it and another country not doing it, because there's a big fear that, let's say that if the U.S. were to do it by itself, then the U.S. dollar will be a less attractive currency than the euro, for example. And therefore, you have to have all the countries do it together. And different countries are working at different speeds in order to come up with a political consensus, legal justification, etc. And so I think that probably the single most important issue is just getting everybody active at the same time.... But I suspect that we're going to see a lot more open discussion about this at the G7 (Group of Seven). The other thing which I should point out is that the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian president are now talking about this. In the past, you had [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskiy talking about tanks, and then long-range missiles, and then F-16s, and he was basically narrowing his requests to military equipment. Now that we're in this potential financial squeeze, and that has a very dramatic effect on weapons, this is now becoming the regular talking point of the president, of the Ukrainian foreign minister, and various other ministers. And then there's a final point, which is that the previous discussions had been around this money being used for reconstruction. And reconstruction, of course, is a very optimistic thought. You can't reconstruct Ukraine if they've lost the war. And so there's now a much greater sense of urgency, first of all, but of using this money towards the defense of Ukraine, because you can't reconstruct a country that can't defend itself. And so it's all moving in a sort of a logical direction. I don't think it's going to be resolved in the next weeks or months. But I think that as the U.S. election approaches, [ex-President and potential Republican nominee] Donald Trump has talked about cutting off funding for Ukraine. This is what I would describe as potentially "Donald Trump insurance," if it can be put in place before the U.S. presidential election [on November 5].... And it's a much more attractive proposition for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to pay than for the taxpayer to pay. Of course, taxpayers have been paying, and I would say willingly paying, because this is an existential war, not just for Ukraine, but for the rest of the world. But there's no logical reason why Putin should not be paying for it. RFE/RL: The proposal sounds so enticing. What are the arguments of those naysayers who oppose seizing these Russian assets? Browder: Well, the first argument is that there is no legal precedent to doing this. And we would be playing by the same set of lawless rules that Putin plays with. That argument, first of all, is not correct. There is historic precedent. The United States did this after World War II with German Nazi assets. And the United States did this after Iraq invaded Kuwait and froze and confiscated Iraqi assets. The only difference between this and those situations is that the war is not over yet. And the war probably won't be over for a long time to come. The argument that there is no legal basis for doing this is also incorrect. One side of the story is that Russia's assets are protected by sovereign immunity and you can't touch them. However, the other side of the argument is that Ukraine's well-being is protected by something called the law on countermeasures. If a country inflicts monetary damage on another country, then the country that's inflicted the damage can be liable for economic damages through the law on countermeasures. And when you have a situation where two laws are in conflict with one another, generally what you have to do is then you have to create some kind of clarity about that. And so that's why there's legislative change that's needed in the United States, in the EU, and other places to make it clear that there can be no legal claims afterwards because the law on countermeasures trumps the law on sovereign immunity. The second argument is that people would abandon the euro or the U.S. dollar if Europe did this, or the U.S. did this. However, it's kind of hard to imagine a scenario where, if the U.S does this, Europe does this, the UK does this, Japan does this, Canada does this, how anyone abandons all those currencies, because there's nothing left. Those are the liquid reserve currencies of the world. You can't have countries like China and Saudi Arabia, keeping their money in Iranian rials or Argentinian pesos; they have to keep their money in a reserve currency. And so that's kind of a false argument, as well. The third argument is that if the West confiscates Russian Central Bank reserves, then Russia will confiscate Western assets. That's also a false argument, because the Bank of England isn't keeping rubles on deposit in the Bank of Russia; nor is the [U.S.] Federal Reserve. And then if you move over from sovereign reserves into corporate reserves, yes, there are corporate investments in Russia, but Russia has already started expropriating those investments long before this has ever happened. For example, [South Korean-based automaker] Hyundai had a $3 billion plant expropriated in St. Petersburg. [Danish-based beverage giant] Carlsberg had their brewing facilities expropriated. German utilities and gas companies have had their assets expropriated. And so it's kind of nonsense to say that that's a risk. And furthermore, even if they haven't been expropriated, those people who took the risk of investing in Russia shouldn't be hijacking the national security of the West, of Europe, because we're worried about their profitability. RFE/RL: You say there is growing support for this, but at the same time there is growing "Ukraine fatigue," as it's been dubbed in the West. How do these two interact with each other? Browder: First of all, I would say that this solves that problem because people don't have to be so tired of funding Ukraine, because someone else will fund it. But I would also point out that in my meetings in Davos with leaders, the former foreign secretaries or the foreign ministers or for people in the State Department, there is no official fatigue. There's no fatigue at the government level. There is fatigue at the population level; there's some public-interest fatigue just because a war going on for two years doesn't generate the same amount of emotion. But, at the government level and the closer you get to Ukraine, the more they're conscious of this. If you're sitting in Lithuania, you know, you may lose your country if you don't do everything you possibly can to help Ukraine. At the moment, they're defending the rest of Europe. RFE/RL: So, given all that, how would you assess this last Davos summit? Was it a win or a failure for Ukraine? Browder: Well, from my perspective, it's been a big win. I think the frozen [Russian] Central Bank reserves are probably one of the most important things out there. And frankly, I was surprised that it took the Ukrainians this long to elevate that to the top of the agenda because, you know, money is what makes the world go round; money is what protects; money buys weapons; and money is very crucial. And this is a very easy point to make. I don't think anyone really, if you talk to the average person in any country would say, "Who should pay for this, Russia or us?" They'll say, "Well, let's get Russia to pay for it." I don't think anyone would object. The ones who object in Western countries are the bureaucrats, the ones that just don't want to do something new, because doing something new is scary. But at the end of the day, financial necessity will force this to happen. RFE/RL: So, you're convinced that this is some sort of foregone conclusion, that it is inevitable? Browder: I think this is the same thing as tanks, and long-range missiles, and F-16 [U.S.-designed fighter jets]. When we first started talking about them as if they could never happen, and then people sort of slowly warmed up to it. And then eventually it happened. I don't see how this cannot happen, frankly. RFE/RL: Speaking of Western aid to Ukraine, be it military equipment or funds: When the West says they will be with Ukraine "as long as it takes," how long is that really? Browder: Well, sadly, I think it's going to take a very long time. I know how Vladimir Putin behaves, and he's a man who's not going to give up. And I know the danger to the Ukrainians of losing, which is total catastrophe, and they're not going to give up. And so I suspect this is going to go on for a while. Having said that, the Ukrainians have a great ability to fight, even with limited resources. And I think if you give them the resources to fight, that they could definitely take care of the Russians. And we're seeing a lot of that. I mean, there is no more risk from the Black Sea Fleet. A year ago, we were worrying about, you know, world food shortages because of the [Russian naval blockade against] shipping grain out of Ukraine. That's no longer the case. The Ukrainians are shooting all sorts of sophisticated [Russian] aircraft out of the sky. RFE/RL: I don't really doubt the Russian tenacity, or the Ukrainians' willingness to defend their land. My question was mostly about the Western willingness and Western resolve to stay in the fight. Browder: Well, I think that at the end of the day, in Europe in particular, it's not even a question of "if." I mean, Europe has to support Ukraine, because if Europe doesn't support Ukraine, we're going to end up with a much bigger land war. And I think that the people in most defense ministries and most governments understand that. RFE/RL: Speaking of Putin, whom you just mentioned: You are often dubbed as Putin's nemesis, and you call yourself Putin's No. 1 enemy. And if he's known for not being something, it's not being forgiving and lenient toward his enemies. And I'm asking this question with, you know, the least possible cynicism: How come you are still with us? How lucky have you been? Browder: For many years they tried to get me back to Russia, in order to torture and kill me in their own prison. They wanted to use their Interpol and extradition requests, and arrest warrants, and surveillance, and so on. And I was able to successfully evade that. They haven't tried, so far, to shoot me; they might still do that. You know, I can't tell you that that's not going to happen. And so you just have to go through life. But the one thing I can say is that I'm not changing my approach towards Russia out of fear. That's what everybody else does. And that's why Putin is able to get away with it. And I'm not going to do that. And I'm not going to do that because they've killed Sergei Magnitsky, my lawyer, and tried to cover up his murder, and I just won't accept that. And so far, since Sergei was murdered in 2009 -- it's now 2024, and I'm still alive. RFE/RL: Your personal security and safety, is it something you need to be consciously aware of at all times? Browder: Well, you can't be totally vigilant every minute of every day, for every year for 15 years. You know, it's like living in a war zone. You figure out when the bombs are coming in, you go to the shelter. I know when the bombs were coming in, and I go to the proverbial shelter. And it takes a lot of effort. I have spent a lot of money, I have a lot of lawyers, I have a lot of professionals in other areas, assisting me. And it has taken a lot of energy. But, you know, I've expanded the energy and I haven't in any way made any mistakes. RFE/RL: How high a target of Putin's do you think you are? To put it bluntly, do you think you are on his "hit list"? Browder: Well, I think that I am high on that list. But there are other people that are higher now. And I think Zelenskiy is higher; I think [imprisoned Russian opposition leader Aleksei] Navalny is higher. I think there are quite a few people that are higher on his list. But this is very much like [Indian-born British-American novelist] Salman Rushdie and the fatwa that was issued. (Editor's note: In 1989, Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree, or fatwa, asserting that pious Muslims should kill Rushdie. Rushdie was gravely injured in a knife attack at a book fair in New York state in August 2023.) Once it's sort of in the system, it doesn't really matter what Putin's mind is. Putin's mind, you know, is on the war. They've issued a decree, which is to kill Bill Browder. It's a Kremlin fatwa, it's in the system, and it's not going away, and I have to live with that. RFE/RL: How about Putin? Do you see fate catching up with him? Will he face justice? Browder: I think that Putin's big, big risk is not any individual but the collective individuals of Russia. You know, he has basically robbed everybody of financial resources for 23 years now, going on 24 years. He's now robbing many, many young men, hundreds of thousands of young men of their lives. You know, women have lost their husbands; children have lost their fathers; mothers have lost their sons. And in the meantime, the entire economy of Russia has collapsed. They claim everything's going swimmingly well, but that's just not true. It's a mess. I see images of the heating systems breaking down all across Russia. They have like, no heat, no hot water in all sorts of places, because they have reallocated all the money for maintenance to the war. RFE/RL: So, you don't believe the Russian economy has endured the sanctions and they'll have enough money to fund this war? Browder: That is Putin's spin specifically designed for Western policymakers. They say, "Well, if sanctions aren't working, maybe we don't need to do any more sanctions." It's not true. Oil and gas revenue -- which is their main revenue -- has gone down by 24 percent between this year and last year. Their Central Bank reserves: $350 billion is frozen; the oligarchs' money is frozen. They can't get access to the capital markets. Almost every Western country has fled Russia. A million able-bodied, able-minded young man have fled the country. That's not a good situation. RFE/RL: This got me thinking: What would be a fitting punishment for Putin, in your eyes? Browder: Well, I think that the Russian people can design that when they finally get good enough guts. Let's let the Russian people figure out what to do with Putin. I'm sure they have some good ideas. RFE/RL: Finally, why did it take so long for so much of the world to see Putin as you do, as a crook and a murderer? Browder: Well, I think that there is huge economic interest basically in not acknowledging the truth. In Britain, there was a huge amount of money sloshing around from oligarchs, and everybody wanted a piece of that. In Germany, the entire industry was running off of cheap Russian gas. It's just greed, pure, narrow greed. And you had the economic entities dictating defense and foreign policy in a very destructive way. And that's what has led to this situation. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-confiscate- assets-war-browder/32801482.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 Navalny Calls On Russians To Flock To Polling Stations At Noon During Election To Show Opposition To Putin By RFE/RL February 01, 2024 Jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny has called for a protest against incumbent Vladimir Putin during a presidential election next month by having voters turn out en masse at noon on the voting days to form huge lines as a show of opposition. "That could be a strong demonstration of national sentiment. The real voters versus the fiction of e-voting. Real people standing in line to vote against Putin, versus fake and fraudulent 'yes' votes," Navalny said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on February 1. Navalny, who last month marked the third anniversary of his incarceration on charges widely believed to be politically motivated, said the idea behind the protest was to ensure the action was "completely legal and safe" during the election, which will be held over three days, ending March 17. He said in the social media posts that turnout at noon is traditionally high, which would make it "simply impossible" to identify those who vote against Putin. "There is no way to stop this action. Well, what can they do? Will they close the polling stations at 12 noon? Will they organize an action in support of Putin at 10 AM? Will they register everyone who came at noon and put them on the list of unreliable people?" he asked. "This will be a nationwide protest against Putin, close to where you live. It is accessible to everyone, everywhere. Millions of people will be able to participate. And tens of millions of people will be able to witness it," he added, noting the original idea came from his longtime friend and former St. Petersburg City Council member Maxim Reznik. Putin was officially registered as a candidate earlier this week for a vote he is expected to easily win with most of his main opponents -- including Navalny -- in jail or outside the country, having fled for security concerns. Russian elections are tightly controlled by the Kremlin and are neither free nor fair but are viewed by the government as necessary to convey a sense of legitimacy. They are mangled by the exclusion of opposition candidates, voter intimidation, ballot stuffing, and other means of manipulation. "I have already said that simply participating in the elections and voting against Putin is not a fight against him, but a self-deception," Navalny wrote. "In fact, that's exactly what Putin wants you to do: come and vote as you wish (the witch Panfilova will fix everything), but don't do anything else. You should consider that you are fighting in this way." Navalny, who nearly died from a poisoning with Novichok-type nerve agent in 2020 which he blames on Russian security operatives acting at the behest of Putin, was detained on January 17, 2021, at a Moscow airport upon his arrival from Germany, where he was treated for the poisoning. He was then handed a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for violating the terms of an earlier parole during his convalescence abroad. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in Navalny's poisoning. The original conviction is widely regarded as a trumped-up, politically motivated case. In March 2022, Navalny was handed a nine-year prison term on charges of contempt and embezzlement through fraud that he and his supporters have repeatedly rejected as politically motivated. Later, Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation and his network of regional offices were designated "extremist" organizations and banned after his arrest, which led to another probe against him on extremism charges. In August last year, a court extended Navalny's prison term to 19 years and sent him to a harsher "special regime" facility from the maximum-security prison where he was held. Last month, Navalny was transferred to Polar Wolf, which is a "special regime" prison in Russia's Arctic region. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/navalny-protest-presidential- election-putin/32801298.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 Taiwan, Eswatini sign joint declaration reaffirming diplomatic ties ROC Central News Agency 02/01/2024 05:16 PM Taipei, Feb. 1 (CNA) The Republic of China, Taiwan's official name, and Eswatini on Thursday signed a joint declaration reaffirming more than five decades of diplomatic relations. "Today's joint declaration once again highlights our long-cherished friendship," Foreign Minister Joseph Wu () said before signing the pact with his Eswatinian counterpart Pholile Shakantu in Taipei. "By signing it, Eswatini is reiterating highly-valued diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and renewing its commitment to advocate for Taiwan's participation in the international community," Wu added. Taiwan and Eswatini have maintained close cooperation in a range of areas, including education, agriculture, health, and information technology, Wu said, while pointing to Taipei's desire to deepen economics, trade, and investment relations with the African country. Shakantu, who is on a five-day visit to Taiwan, said her country was "grateful" for the many years of bilateral cooperation, which she said had "not only transformed the lives of many Eswatinians back home" but also "been a turning point for Eswatini as a country." "The Kingdom of Eswatini wishes to reiterate its firm, constructive and sustainable alliance with Taiwan," she said, adding that she looked forward to working closely to "deepen fraternal relations." Thursday's joint declaration comes following Nauru's switch of recognition from Taipei to Beijing on Jan. 15, a move that left Taiwan with just 12 diplomatic allies. At the same time, Shakantu called for "more ways to extend contact between our people," noting that the people of Taiwan and Eswatini "can and should know more about each other." Shakantu, joined by her husband Michelo Shakantu and one of her deputies, Vulindlela Kunene, arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday. Eswatini's top diplomat also held a meeting with President-elect Lai Ching-te () earlier the same day, during which both sides pledged to continue bolstering bilateral ties, according to a press release issued by the Presidential Office. Shakantu has served as minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of Eswatini -- the ROC's only diplomatic ally in Africa and the continent's last absolute monarchy -- since November 2023. (By Teng Pei-ju) Enditem/ASG NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan's exercise hyping PLA turning drills into attack only political show, exposes guilty conscience of 'Taiwan independence' secessionists: experts Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Published: Feb 01, 2024 06:53 PM The armed forces on the island of Taiwan recently simulated the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) "turning drills into an attack," a move Chinese mainland experts said on Thursday is only a powerless political show and exposes the guilty conscience of "Taiwan independence" secessionists. Carried out in front of media in the island's eastern county of Taitung on Wednesday, the exercise simulated a scenario in which the Chinese mainland "suddenly turns one of its regular drills around the island into an actual attack," Reuters reported on the day. The two-day exercise was held at sea, on land and in the air, the Associated Press reported. Since then US house speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to the island of Taiwan in August 2022, when the PLA launched a large-scale exercises blockading the island, the PLA has made combat patrols and training around the island a daily routine, observers said. Similar PLA drills also took place on Wednesday concurrently with the exercise by the island, as the island's defense authority said in a press release on Thursday morning that it detected 33 PLA aircraft and six PLA vessels operating around the island over the past day, with 14 of the detected aircraft crossing the so-called median line of the Taiwan Straits and entering the island's self-proclaimed southwest air defense identification zone. The exercise by the island of Taiwan is just a political show deceiving itself and hyping "threats" from the Chinese mainland, as it has little military significance in the face of the overwhelming capabilities of the PLA, experts said. Fu Qianshao, a Chinese mainland military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that the separatist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities on the island of Taiwan are afraid of the PLA's routine activities around the island because such regular exercises have greatly compressed the defense capabilities of the island's armed forces and put significant pressure on them. If the situation comes to that, and the PLA launches a reunification-by-force operation, the island will have no chance of reacting even if it prepares through training, Fu said. There is no reason to be afraid of the PLA if the DPP authorities do not seek "independence," observers said. The Chinese mainland pledges to show the utmost sincerity and make the greatest efforts for the prospect of peaceful reunification, but it makes no promise to renounce the use of force and reserves the option of taking all necessary means against interference by external forces and the very small number of "Taiwan independence" separatists and their activities. "Resisting reunification by force has no way out, and there is no way to stop the eventual reunification. Our wish is peaceful reunification, but if the Taiwan secessionists insist on taking the wrong path, use of force might just become the only way," Fu said, urging the DPP authorities to see the situation clearly and choose a path of resolving the cross-Straits question peacefully. In a move analysts said constituted interfering in the Taiwan question, the US Navy's aircraft carriers the USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt drilled with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Ise from Monday to Thursday in the Philippine Sea, the USNI News, the website of the US Naval Institute, reported on Wednesday. The more accurate location of the US-Japan joint exercise is in the West Pacific waters to the east of the island of Taiwan, according to a USNI News graphic tracking US aircraft carriers released on Monday. The exercise included "air defense drills, sea surveillance, cross-deck exercises and tactical maneuvers to advance unique high-end warfighting capability," the USNI News quoted a US 7th Fleet statement as saying. The US and Japan are two external forces actively engaged in interfering in the Taiwan question, and the PLA's routine drills, often also held in waters to the east of the island of Taiwan, are also aimed at denying their potential military interference, analysts said. Song Zhongping, another Chinese mainland military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that the US and Japan are enhancing military cooperation mainly aimed at containing China. The US recently gained access to more military bases in the Philippines, and Japan is also boosting military cooperation with Manila, so the Philippines, as well as more US allies, could join military exercises on China's doorstep, including near the island of Taiwan and in the South China Sea, Song said. "We must increase vigilance over these trends," Song said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A vacant four-story commercial building on Niagara Street is being targeted for conversion into new apartments and commercial space, while the company that bought Life Storage is seeking to convert a vacant former East Side warehouse into a self-storage facility. Sign up for the Buffalo Next free newsletter The News' Buffalo Next team covers the changing Buffalo Niagara economy. Get the news in your inbox 5 days a week. Coming Forth with a plan Christoff Forths 4th Property Bros. intends to spend $2.2 million to upgrade an existing mixed-use building at 1287 Niagara, converting the empty old building into eight market-rate apartments and a commercial space on the first floor for a future tenant. According to a letter from architect Rachel Mordaunt of Elev8 Architecture, the goal of the project is to increase the vibrancy of Niagara Street and further develop the community. The 12,768-square-foot brick and concrete building sits on 0.1 acres in the Upper West Side neighborhood, between Lafayette and Auburn avenues, a couple blocks north of the Rich Products Corp. headquarters campus and a little south of Ciminelli Real Estate Corp.s Mentholatum apartment building. The site is zoned as urban core-secondary employment center. Designs call for the existing concrete first-floor facade in front to be painted charcoal to be more inviting along the street front with new storefronts, awning and lighting, while the upper level brick will be painted off-white to allow the front and back additions to blend more fluidly with the brick building, Mordaunt wrote. Additionally, the glass block windows will be removed and replaced. The exterior design brings new life to a beautiful old brick building by celebrating the existing characteristics and better integrating a non-original front addition, she wrote. However, Forth needs a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals because the project will use charcoal-colored vinyl siding on the exterior of the rear addition. That is more affordable to keep costs down, Mordaunt noted, but it is prohibited on loft buildings under the Green Code. Mordaunt said the developer considered painting the existing wood clapboard siding, but it is rotting and beyond repair, and fiber-cement siding is too expensive. Also, she said, the surrounding homes also use vinyl or similar siding, and the dark color will blend into the proposed painted existing concrete facade along the first floor. The request was supposed to be reviewed by the Zoning Board on Jan. 17, but the meeting was postponed until Feb. 7 because of snowstorms. Finding extra space for storage In the Hamlin Park neighborhood, Upper Space Buffalo wants to redevelop a vacant warehouse into an indoor, climate-controlled facility for Extra Space Storage of Salt Lake City, which acquired Williamsville-based Life Storage last year. The proposed $2 million project would include exterior facade renovations to remove some brick and restore original window openings in select places, in order to enhance the buildings appearance and increase transparency, according to a letter to the Zoning Board of Appeals from project attorney Corey Auerbach. Located at 160 Dupont St. and 294 E. Ferry St., the 1.2-acre property is owned by Chaim Friedmans Ferry Square and includes a two-story masonry building. But the Green Code requires that individual storage units must be located in a fully enclosed building, with access to them from common areas located indoors. While the building will include such indoor common areas to provide that access, the design also incorporates existing overhead garage-bay doors along Dupont as accessible storage units. So, Upper Space is asking for a variance to allow exterior access, as well as one for ground-floor transparency. Granting the requested variance promotes adaptive reuse of the existing building, reactivates street frontage, and promotes economic revitalization, Auerbach concluded. Besides the Zoning Board of Appeals, the project is located in a historic district, so it also requires separate review and approval by the Preservation Board for the facade improvement, as well as a combination of properties and minor administrative site plan approval from the city. Also pending before the ZBA is a request by TKO Installations to allow a drive-through ATM with a single lane in the parking lot of the American Legion Niagara Frontier Post 1041, at 533 Amherst St. The full-service, stand-alone ATM for Chase Bank with its speakers, signage and stacked cars would be located in the side-yard of the 1.6-acre property, rather than the rear-yard as required by the Green Code, because there isnt enough room in back. Taiwan protests Chinese plan for flight paths to skim median line Beijing is walking back an earlier concession that had shifted the civilian air routes closer to China. By Huang Chun-mei for RFA Mandarin and Lee Heung Yeung for RFA Cantonese 2024.02.01 -- Authorities in Taiwan have protested a "unilateral" change in flight paths starting Thursday that will bring civilian aircraft closer to the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which separates former civil war enemies the People's Republic of China and the 1911 Republic of China, which controls democratic Taiwan. The island's Civil Aviation Administration said it "deeply regretted and strongly protested" a Jan. 30 announcement from the Civil Aviation Administration of China regarding the M503 flight route, which has sparked further concerns about flight safety and sovereignty in Taiwan, amid ongoing saber-rattling and incursions from Beijing. "In 2015, China unilaterally declared the operation of M503 route, which is situated in the Shanghai Flight Information Region but very close to the Taipei Flight Information Region, prompting concerns about flight safety and sovereignty in Taiwan," the island's Central News Agency reported. The route was later shifted further to the west -- closer to China and further away from the border with Taiwan's restricted airspace. Now, that concession is being canceled, Beijing says. "China's new flight routes which are set to come into force on Feb. 1 not only disregard aviation safety and show disrespect for Taiwan, but also appear to be a deliberate attempt to use civil aviation as a cover for political, and possibly military intentions aimed at altering the status quo in the Taiwan Strait," the agency quoted Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council as saying. The fear is that China could take advantage of the route's proximity to the strait median line to launch a surprise air raid on Taiwan, although it is unlikely that such an attack could keep the element of surprise for long. 'No such thing' as median line But experts told the agency that Chinese aircraft will now be flying just 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the median line on a daily basis, compared with 25 kilometers (16 miles) prior to the changes, making it harder for Taiwan to monitor the airspace close to the media line. Chen Binhua, spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, rejected concerns, saying the move "conforms to the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," and that it would reduce flight delays and ease pressure on regional air routes. He said there was "no such thing" as the median line, because Taiwan is already an "inalienable" part of China's territory. Taiwan's government has repeatedly rejected Beijing's territorial claim on the island, while the majority of the island's 23 million people identify as Taiwanese rather than Chinese. Shen Mingshi, director of Taiwan's National Defense and Security Research Institute, said that the move rides roughshod over the symbolic meaning of the median line, which is seldom crossed by Chinese aircraft. Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu said the move could prove dangerous. "When a country poses a military threat to Taiwan and has ambitions to annex it, when these routes are closer to Taiwan, that compromises flight safety and our ability to identify aircraft, putting pressure on ... response times," Wang said. "This is an extremely irresponsible move by China." 'A serious matter' Taiwan's Minister of Transportation Wang Kuo-tsai said there's a danger that aircraft flying a route that is just 4.2 nautical miles away from the median line could stray to the east in bad weather, potentially running into conflict with civilian or military aircraft. "This is a very serious matter," Wang Kuo-tsai said. "The national security agency is now in charge of handling the response [to this announcement]." Yu Tsung-kee, former dean of the School of Political Warfare at Taiwan's National Defense University said China changed the M503 route without authorization or coordination with Taiwan in advance. "China's unauthorized changes are aimed at stepping up pressure on Taiwan's territory and international existence," Yu said. "Their aim is to force Taiwan to come to the negotiating table and accept 'unification' [under Chinese rule]." Since Taiwanese voters elected Beijing's least favorite candidate Lai Ching-te as their next president last month, China has responded with growing pressure towards what it terms "peaceful unification," in a bid to bring the island under its control through propaganda, threats and infiltration rather than armed invasion. China launched its diplomatic offensive just two days after the elections, with Taiwan's former diplomatic ally Nauru announcing it had switched diplomatic ties to Beijing. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Roseanne Gerin. 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 February 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 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Feb. 1, 2024 ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/02/01 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 0900hr (UTC+8), Feb. 1, 2024 1.Dateis 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Wednesday to Thursday , Jan. 31-Feb. 1 2.PLA activitiesis 33 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 14 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwest ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China-Friendly Opposition Politician Elected Legislative Speaker in Taiwan By William Yang February 01, 2024 Taiwan's legislature elected Han Kuo-yu, a politician from the China-friendly opposition Kuomintang, or KMT, as its new speaker Thursday a a victory analysts say could lead to legislative gridlock and potentially create an opening for Beijing to influence domestic politics. "We are in for a very slow and lackluster set of time in which we are not going to see any sort of policy being able to be passed with this kind of stonewall approach to politics," Lev Nachman, a political scientist at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, told VOA by phone. The election of a new speaker comes nearly three weeks after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, won an unprecedented third term in office, winning the presidential election but losing its majority in the legislature. Thursday was the first day of Taiwan's new legislature, and Han received 54 votes, while the DPP's candidate, You Si-kun, received 51 votes. The legislature's third political party, Taiwan People's Party, or TPP, was initially seen as a potential partner in helping either party to secure the speakership. But after voting for their own candidate in the first round of the speaker election, the eight legislators from the TPP abstained from voting in the second round. Following the vote, Han said that since all Taiwanese expect the legislature to be united and to prioritize people's benefits, he hopes all three political parties can explore the possibility of working together on important social and economic issues. "The general public expects a new and reformed Legislative Yuan that is solid and practical in creating happiness for the common people, and this is the responsibility on my shoulders," he told reporters outside the legislature following the election. Divided government Taiwan's Premier Chen Chien-jen, who typically works closely with the legislature on key policy agenda, congratulated Han on becoming the new speaker and said his office was committed to communicating with the new legislature and responding to feedback from civil society. Thursday's election result also confirms that for the next four years, Taiwan's government will be divided, with the pro-sovereignty DPP controlling the executive branch of government and the main opposition KMT controlling the largest bloc of seats and the speakership in the legislature. Neither party will be able to secure the votes needed for passage of legislation without support from TPP lawmakers, which has taken more of a middle-of-the-road approach when it comes to China, advocating engagement with Beijing but also upholding Taiwan's sovereignty. Some experts say legislation related to certain issues will likely face serious challenges. "I think new policy proposals related to national defense, foreign policy or cross-strait relations will face more obstacles in the new legislature," Yeh Yao-yuan, an expert on Taiwan politics at the University of St. Thomas in Texas, told VOA by phone. While defense and cross-strait-related legislation will require more negotiation among political parties, Yeh said some policy proposals that are likely to benefit most Taiwanese people, such as education and healthcare, may find room for cooperation. "The most important aspect in Taiwan's legislature is negotiation between political parties, so with the new legislature taking office today, one important thing to keep an eye on is what will be the outcome of party negotiation in the legislature and whether they can facilitate proper negotiations," Yeh said. Areas of agreement More negotiation and outreach will also be necessary between the legislature and the incoming DPP administration. President-elect Lai Ching-te will be sworn into office on May 20. "Whether policymaking will be seriously stalled in Taiwan for the next four years depends on how the incoming administration negotiates with the opposition parties," Chen Fang-yu, an expert on Taiwan politics at Soochow University in Taiwan, told VOA by phone. In his view, the DPP should prioritize policy proposals that may face less challenge from opposition parties and try to engage the KMT and TPP in those areas. "Policies related to social welfare and long-term care are less likely to face objection from opposition parties, so these are areas that the new administration could prioritize," he said. Since Han has a track record of maintaining friendly ties with the Chinese government, including holding a meeting with Chinese officials during his trip to Hong Kong in 2019 as the mayor of Kaohsiung, Chen thinks Beijing may try to influence Taiwan's domestic politics through the legislature. "One possible development is the Chinese government may invite Han to visit China," he told VOA. During a regular press conference on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Affairs Office urged the two opposition parties in Taiwan to exercise "effective supervision and strong checks and balances" on the ruling DPP in order to "live up to the public's expectation." Nachman in Taipei said Beijing's rhetoric indicates that China will likely be pleased about Han's election. "This is a victory for [Beijing], and they are probably very happy that someone like him can publicly say a lot of stuff that the PRC would prefer Taiwanese politicians to be saying," he told VOA. In his view, Thursday's result may create incentives for Beijing to adjust its approach toward Taiwan while not "letting Taiwan off" completely. "[The result] doesn't create as much incentive for Beijing to punish Taiwan more, but it doesn't mean they're going to let off Taiwan by any means," Nachman said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM call with the Sultan of Oman: 1 February 2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik al Said, this morning. 1 February 2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik al Said, this morning. He welcomed the long friendship between the UK and Oman, stretching back centuries, and committed to continue deepening that partnership in areas including trade, defence and security. The leaders discussed the ongoing Houthi attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, agreeing that it was vital for international security and stability to deescalate tensions in the region. The Prime Minister stressed that military action was a last resort in the face of intolerable threats to global shipping, and followed consistent international warnings. The UK continued to urge the Houthis to end their reckless attacks. The Prime Minister also raised the UK's position on the devastating conflict in Gaza. He said the immediate priority was agreeing a humanitarian pause to allow more aid to be delivered across Gaza and to secure the release of all hostages. The UK was pushing for more routes to be opened to bring far greater quantities of aid into the suffering civilian population, including maritime routes. He reiterated the UK's support for progress towards a viable two state solution, where Palestinians and Israelis can live in dignity and security. That would require Israel's security to be guaranteed, Hamas no longer in charge in Gaza, and a bolstered Palestinian Authority. The leaders agreed on the importance of international cooperation to reach a sustainable long-term settlement to the crisis. The Prime Minister closed the call by reaffirming his personal commitment to building on the long UK-Oman relationship, and the leaders looked forward to working closely together in the future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on the International Court of Justice finding no discrimination against Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in Russia and completely rejecting Ukraine's reparations claims 31 January 2024 20:18 153-31-01-2024 On January 31, 2024, the UN International Court of Justice released its final Judgment in the dispute with Russia initiated by Ukraine in January 2017, based on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The court rejected practically all Ukraine's demands and recognised that Russia's policy conforms to its commitments under the convention. There is no discrimination against Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in Crimea. The main false accusation levelled by Kiev against Russia was that Russia's law-enforcement actions against members of the terrorist group Hizb ut-Tahrir and the extremist groups Tablighi Jamaat and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People constituted persecution of Crimean Tatars on ethnic grounds. The court did not agree with this assessment. It did not find any elements of discrimination in the standards of Russian anti-extremist legislation. Nor did it detect any signs of racial discrimination in the application of these standards by Russian law-enforcement bodies. The court did not find that the ban on the Mejlis, which Russia has outlawed as an extremist organisation, violated the Convention. It emphasised in its Judgment that the Qurultay is the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people. It was not banned and continues fulfilling its functions in Crimea. The court rejected Ukraine's accusations of Russia's alleged involvement in the targeted murders and abductions of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in Crimea. The court also rejected all Ukraine's claims on the issues of citizenship. It did not identify any cases of racial discrimination in the Russian laws on granting citizenship in Crimea since 2014. Ukraine's allegations about the infringement of the rights of the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians to access to their national media, assemblies and rallies and the preservation of cultural heritage sites were also found to lack merit. Russia's restoration of the Khan's Palace in Bachchisarai was not a "cultural catastrophe" as Ukrainian representatives tried to present it. It was necessary to remedy the effects of negligence on the part of the Ukrainian authorities that had brought this landmark of history and culture to a dilapidated state. The International Court of Justice recognised that the residents of Crimea have access to education in the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian languages. At the same time, a majority on the court ruled that the sharp reduction in the number of schools with instruction in Ukrainian after Crimea's transfer to Russia's jurisdiction in 2014, is a violation of its commitments on the right to education under the CERD. This finding is controversial enough, especially considering that the court admitted that Crimeans chose instruction in Russian of their own free will. Were the Russian authorities supposed to drag children into Ukrainian schools against their will? All those who want instruction in Ukrainian will be granted this opportunity in one way or another in accordance with current legislation. The case is over. Russia is not supposed to take any special action to fulfil this judgment. All of Ukraine's demands for reparations have been rejected. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on the UN International Court of Justice's refusal to designate Russia as an aggressor state and the DPR and LPR as terrorist organisations in response to Ukraine's allegations 31 January 2024 20:15 152-31-01-2024 On January 31, the UN International Court of Justice delivered its judgment on the merits in the case filed by Ukraine in January 2017 on the Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (ICSFT). Russia's arguments undercutting Ukraine's groundless insinuations were heard in The Hague: the Court rejected almost all of more than 20 submissions made by Kiev during the seven-year proceedings, and left Ukraine without any reparations. The Court also dismissed Ukraine's insinuations that the DPR and the LPR are allegedly terrorist organisations These findings are of particular importance in light of the fact that Kiev intended to use the Court's Judgment to support its demands for the transfer of Russian assets stolen in the West and the imposition of international restrictions on Russia. In addition, the Court rejected Ukraine's claim under the ICSFT that Russia should be held responsible for the crash of Boeing Flight MH17 and did not accept the Ukrainians' allegations that the DPR was involved in the crash. During the hearing, Russia presented compelling evidence of fatal flaws in the pseudo-international investigation of the incident by the Joint Investigation Team under the umbrella of the Dutch justice system. With regard to the events of 2014-2017, the UN International Court of Justice was unable to support Ukraine's arguments about Russia's alleged involvement and the guilt of the Donetsk militias in the shelling of the Bugas military checkpoint near Volnovakha, the military airfield in Kramatorsk, where the headquarters of the so-called ATO was located, and AFU positions in Mariupol and Avdeyevka, stating that these incidents did not fall under the ICSFT. The Russian side highlighted the particular cynicism of the Ukrainian allegations: Kiev tried to present strikes against military targets as "acts of terror," although the Ukrainian armed forces have been firing on the cities of Donbass with heavy weapons for many years, striking civilian objects, including an air strike on the building of the Lugansk regional administration on June 2, 2014, the killing of civilians in an attack on a public transport stop in Donetsk on January 22, 2015, and many other bloody crimes. Equally cynical is the way in which the Kiev regime tried to designate humanitarian aid to Donbass residents suffering from Ukrainian shelling and the economic blockade as financing terrorism. The UN International Court of Justice stated that Russia had complied in good faith with its obligations to cooperate in the field of the suppression of terrorism financing, including the obligation to identify and freeze assets used to finance terrorism; to extradite or independently prosecute perpetrators of terrorist crimes; to provide mutual legal assistance; and to cooperate in the prevention of terrorist crimes. This is fully consistent with the FATF's earlier conclusions about the high level of Russia's fulfillment of its obligations in this area; the FATF assessed Ukraine's claims as being of a purely political nature. We were bewildered, against this background, at the Court's conclusion that Russia had failed to take measures to investigate two facts contained in information received from Ukraine regarding persons who have allegedly collected funds in Russia to help the people of Donbass. The Court had to go against its own practice and set an unprecedentedly low bar for proving the applicability of the Terrorist Financing Convention when there was no evidence of either terrorism or its financing. As a result of the proceedings, Ukraine was completely denied all claims for reparation or other forms of compensation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Czech teams in Poland trained one thousand Ukrainians last year. EUMAM training continues through 2024 Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 1.2.2024 Author: by Major Tereza Kabourkova Specialised mobile teams comprising Czech combat engineers, CBRN defence specialists, paramedics and snipers trained around one thousand Ukrainian service members in Poland in 2023. Their assignment to the EUMAM will continue throughout this year, and will even expand. According to the commanding officer of the first rotation Captain Pavel Kinc, common training benefits the Czech Armed Forces service personnel too: "Thanks to current lessons from the battlefield, we are able to update our own operating procedures, create sustainable solutions, work to prevent future conflicts and strengthen cooperation with other partners." The assignment of the mobile teams has been coordinated through the Czech Armed Forces liaison officers posted in the multinational Combined Arms Training - Command (CAT-C) in Poland. Five-week intensive training tours "Intensive combat engineer and precision shooting training usually took five weeks. A month was dedicated to training, while the last week saw the final exercise to verify the acquired skills harmonised on company level," CPT Kinc elaborated. Precision shooter training focused on basic academic skills from range calculation, through ballistic curve, weapons theory to very firing available weapons provided by the Polish Armed Forces. The training also covered all associated sniper actions from task reception, movement planning, covert movement to the position, area surveillance and return to the unit. The academic part of engineer training involved mock-ups, practise munitions and charges. There was also live blasting every week, during which the AFU service members were able to practise all skills. Medical and CBRN defence training took place in weekly blocks. The medical training was performed according to the NATO standard Tactical Combat Casualty Care/Combat Life Saver (TCCC/CLS) methodology. Instructors focused on training first aid in field with emphasis on gunshot wounds treatment and life-saving actions. The training was organised at night while stress conditions through fire, noise or smoke were simulated for Ukrainian service personnel. They also rehearsed situations when casualties outnumbered medics (MASCAL) or there was a lack of medical materiel. Czech CBRN defence specialists were embedded in a Polish team that specialised in treating casualties affected by the weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Czechs were responsible for areas directly related to CBRN (decontamination, use of detectors and individual protective equipment). The treatment of persons affected by weapons of mass destruction was the Polish responsibility. Training always comprised both academic and field part completed with practising response to CBRN incidents, in which Ukrainian service personnel proved their ability to evacuate casualties from contaminated areas, remove individual protective equipment and provide decontamination in a light decon site. Finally, they were up to providing medical treatment and loading the casualty into an evacuation vehicle. Ukrainian mechanised and infantry battalions were assigned for training. Since the very beginning, Ukrainian service members had a very positive opinion of their Czech instructors, mostly due to their level of engagement, motivation, preparedness for training and mentoring abilities. "Ukrainian personnel were truly hungry for information and wanted to learn as much as possible to be ready," said the commanding officer of the first rotation of Czech instructors, CPT Kinc. Sharing experience helps CPT Kinc underscored that common exercises, exchange of knowledge and capabilities and sharing of experience from the theatre helps the Czech Armed Forces update its own operation procedures for contingencies and further help create sustainable solutions, prevent potential conflicts and strengthen global cooperation in favour of peace and security in Europe. According to the commanding officer of the first rotation, the details of the deployment to Poland were initially unknown. However, a well-working training system was gradually set up which satisfied both Allied partners and Ukrainian units. "We were an indispensable element for the Polish hosts with regard to training and especially to the strengthening of EU's joint effort to support Ukraine's own defence capabilities. Polish units' commanders valued our sense of organisation and professional approach to training," CPT Kinc concluded. 2nd Task Force took over This year, the Czech Armed Forces assigns the second rotation to continue providing specialist training the AFU service members to the effect of increasing their combat readiness. The core of the 2nd Task Force is manned by the servicemembers of the 43rd Airborne Regiment home-based in Chrudim, who bring along, besides the task force command element and logistic support, the medical and sniper training teams. The task force is complemented with CBRN defence specialists from the 31st Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Regiment in Liberec and combat engineers from the 15th Engineer Regiment, specifically 153rd Engineer Battalion based in Olomouc. The structure of the mobile training module remains unchanged. Czech service members comprising the mobile engineer, medical and sniper teams recently departed for the first AFU training tour. A mobile CBRN defence team took off just a couple of days ago. "We started another year of activity of our mobile module, which the Czech Armed Forces assigns to the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine. Our task will be to continue specialist assistance, training and mentoring to Ukrainian service personnel in order to enhance their skills and abilities to swiftly and flexibly respond to various security challenges. That involves both the training as well as opportunities for sharing experience and lessons learnt," commanding officers of the second rotation Captain Ondrej Kucera expanded on his expectations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU's 50 billion euro fund to Ukraine more to boost confidence than to play significant role Global Times By GT staff reporters Published: Feb 01, 2024 09:38 PM The European Union (EU)'s 50 billion euro ($54 billion) fund to support Ukraine is primarily aimed at bolstering Kiev's confidence rather than having any substantial significance, as the money is planned for a duration of four years, said Chinese experts. They noted that Western countries are eyeing a long-term plan of aid to Ukraine to fend off the uncertainties that may come with their turbulent domestic politics. European Council President Charles Michel says the 27 EU countries have sealed a deal on aid to Ukraine just over an hour into a summit of the bloc's leaders and despite threats from Hungary to veto the move, AP reported. "We have a deal," Michel said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He wrote that all "27 leaders agreed on an additional 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) support package for Ukraine within the EU budget." Hungary and the other members of the EU were at odds about passing the plan, as Hungary wants to be able to veto the disbursements every year. The other 26 EU countries have rejected Hungary's demand, and they and Hungary have been in a stand-off since December 2023. Reuters believed that the stability of the four-year financing the EU budget would provide is all the more important at a time when financial assistance from the US, another large aid provider to Ukraine, is uncertain because of infighting in the US Congress. If you even it up and assume the aid is provided as guaranteed, Ukraine only gets just over 10 billion euro per year, which means the aid serves more to boost Ukraine's confidence than having any substantial significance, Cui Hongjian, a professor with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday. Cui pointed out that the EU is now eyeing a long-term aid plan for Ukraine because it is hoping such a plan can help fend off the uncertainties coming from its own, as well as the US' domestic politics. "This year, Europe will hold European Parliament elections while the US is having a presidential election, both of which could have a huge impact on European and US aid to Ukraine. So both the European Union and NATO are making plans to guard against potential changes," said Cui. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Europe to manage the Ukraine crisis as it approaches the two-year mark. On the one hand, fatigue is raising questions about the practicality of endless support. On the other, the consequences of Ukraine losing the war could be unconscionable for the rest of Europe, CNN reported on Wednesday. European countries are also anxiously watching the US presidential election for what a second Donald Trump presidency would mean for Ukraine and European security as a whole, said experts. On Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reassured top EU officials that the Biden administration was "firmly committed" to its request for Congress to approve $11.8 billion in budget aid for Ukraine, saying failure to do so would hand a victory to Russia, Reuters reported on Thursday. However, Chinese experts believe that now Ukraine has pivoted to defense as Russia is conducting offensive operations, if the Western countries don't make substantial changes in assisting Ukraine, such as providing F-16 fighter jets, the battlefield situation won't be changed by symbolic financial aid provided by those countries. On top of this, Europe and the US are both encountering difficulties providing assistance to Kiev, said experts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President at the European Council: The EU once again demonstrated its unity and resolve to support Ukraine President of the Republic of Lithuania February 01, 2024 On Thursday, President Gitanas NausAda is participating in the European Council meeting in Brussels, where the European leaders agreed on a revision of the EU's multiannual financial framework to include a50 billion in long-term financial support for Ukraine. In his address to the European leaders, Gitanas NausAda stressed the importance of support for Ukraine and the need for the European Union to show unity and keep its promises to Ukraine. The Head of State emphasized that the a50 billion financial support is vital for a war-torn Ukraine in order to ensure the functioning of the country during wartime. "With this decision, the EU has demonstrated its unity and resolve to support Ukraine. I am confident that our military, financial and political support will speed up Ukraine's victory and the return of peace to Europe," the President underlined. At the European Council meeting, Gitanas NausAda stressed the need to maintain and boost support for Ukraine within the framework of the European Peace Facility. "This instrument has proven to be effective, and I therefore call for an increase in support for Ukraine with an additional a5 billion," the President added. The Head of State also underlined the need to implement earlier decisions on the transfer of 1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine. According to the President, this is a collective commitment of the EU, which needs to be implemented as soon as possible. Gitanas NausAda pointed out the importance of strengthening the EU's defense industry and stepping up the production of ammunition, by allocating additional funding for this purpose and implementing joint projects with transatlantic allies. The Lithuanian President also referred to the opening of EU membership negotiations with Ukraine, the continuation and reinforcement of the policy of sanctions against Russia, and the use of frozen assets of the aggressor Russia for the reconstruction of Ukraine as further important steps to ensure support for Ukraine. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU leaders see 'urgent need' for ammo, missile deliveries to Ukraine Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 5:55 PM EU leaders have cited an "urgent need" to accelerate the delivery of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine after unanimously agreeing to extend 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in new aid to Kiev. A statement issued at an EU summit in Brussels, however, stopped short of endorsing a call by some member states to inject 5 billion euros separate to the 50 billion euros into a broader military assistance fund for Ukraine. The leaders said they were determined to continue providing timely, predictable and sustainable military support to Ukraine. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said the critical situation in Ukraine required EU member states to bolster their all-out support to the Kiev forces. Borrell insisted that the NATO allies were required to step up on the shipment of arms and ammo to Ukraine, warning that a failure to act would result in greater losses for EU member states. Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said that the West must not let up supplying Kiev with weapons and money if it wants Kiev to succeed. The United States also says Washington will continue supplying Ukraine with weapons, despite a row in Congress on approving US President Joe Biden's new funding package. US lawmakers have been debating for months on whether to continue to support Kiev with weapons and munitions in the war against Russia and if sending more military aid would make a difference. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Elmwood Taco & Subs workers are asking customers not to spend money at the Elmwood Avenue restaurant in response to what they say are illegal union-busting activities happening at the store. The boycott began Thursday and will end as soon as the company agrees to stop fighting the union, settles the unfair labor practice charges, and bargains fairly with the workers, the Workers United union said in a statement. Workers hope this will end very soon, Workers United said. They want to be able to support ETS as a business and serve their community as a proud union restaurant. Owners Jackie Kooshoian and Mike Lucchino could not be reached to comment. Workers said ETS dramatically cut workers hours, trying to force them to quit and replace them with anti-union workers, and in retaliation for trying to organize a union. At least one worker was demoted after participating in a strike during working hours, the union said. And the company has begun strictly writing up workers for minor infractions that were never enforced before, workers said in a campaign video. They have filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. No company, no matter the size, should be allowed to flagrantly break the law and get away with it. We have offered many olive branches to the owners and management of ETS, and they continue to union-bust, said Gary Bonadonna Jr., manager of the Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United. We want a collaborative relationship with ETS, and there is no reason that that cant happen. State Sen. Tim Kennedy, D-Buffalo, backs the boycott. All workers deserve to have their rights respected, including when they choose to unionize, and Im deeply discouraged to hear that employees at ETS are being retaliated against simply for seeking protections and fair working conditions, Kennedy said. I join them in boycotting ETS until management can come to the table in good faith and have an honest, productive dialogue. US Patriot missiles shoot down Russian military plane: Moscow Iran Press TV Thursday, 01 February 2024 3:27 PM Russian investigators say they have evidence that a US Patriot air defense system was used to shoot down a Russian Il-76 military transport plane that crashed near the border with Ukraine last week. "The fragments seized from the scene, according to their design features, geometric characteristics and available markings, are structural elements of the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the Patriot complex of the United States, developed by Raytheon and Hughes corporations and manufactured by Raytheon," the investigating committee said in a statement on Thursday. During a presidential campaign event on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "It's been definitively established that the plane was shot down by an American Patriot air defense system." Putin added that Moscow "insists" on an international investigation into the incident, which took place in western Russia's Belgorod region on January 24. The plane crash resulted in the death of 74 people on board, including nine Russian crew members and 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers who Moscow said were en route to be swapped for Russian prisoners of war. The investigative committee said that Ukrainian soldiers in the area of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region that borders Russia had fired two missiles at the military transport plane. "The following markings were found on the seized fragments: 'ASSY 11455748', 'SN740179', 'ASSY 11461343', 'SN740206', 'ASSY 11461865', 'SN740207', 'Raytheon', 'CONFIDENTIAL classified by PATRIOT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION GUIDE DATED: 9/22/83 ADDENDUM DATED 11/28/83 8/8/84 CONTRACT NO/DAAH01-86C-A018'," the committee said in a statement. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied the charge, but has challenged details of Moscow's account and called for an international investigation. As per the figures given by the US Department of State in December 2023, Washington has provided approximately $44.2 billion in military aid in the form of training and war equipment to Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started in February 2022. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU's Semantic Gymnastics Helped Ukraine Get The Aid By Rikard Jozwiak February 01, 2024 BRUSSELS -- In the end it went surprisingly quick and painlessly: there was unanimity among EU leaders already well before noon on February 1 that the bloc will provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($54 billion) of grants in loans for the next four years. It's a significant signal, as the U.S. Congress has so far failed to agree on more Ukraine funding and Kyiv has indicated that it will be running out of money soon. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had spectacularly vetoed a deal at a Brussels summit in December. On the surface it seems that he lost this time around, underestimating the other 26 member states' resolve, and getting very little out of it. He will not get any annual vetoes for the Ukrainian money for the disbursements between 2024 and 2027, he won't see any money meant for Budapest that the European Commission has frozen over rule-of-law concerns in the country, and he didn't even get a prolongation in order to secure some of those funds in the future. The EU money will start going to Ukraine already in March. But take a closer look and it isn't so entirely black and white as it may seem. The easiest way to start is to look at the EU summit conclusions that were agreed in the morning. This, after some intense discussions during an informal dinner among some of the leaders in Brussels the night before, smaller huddles among groups of them after that dinner, and wider consultations taking place in the morning before the summit started. There were two paragraphs that were crucial to secure the achieved unanimity, following key contributions from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Council President Charles Michel. A trio of leaders that Orban has a close rapport with, according to sources familiar with the talks. The first of those two paragraphs says that "on the basis of the [European] Commission annual report on the implementation of the Ukraine facility, the European Council will hold a debate each year on the implementation of the facility with a view to providing guidance. If needed, in two years the European Council will invite the commission to make a proposal for review in the context of the new MFF (multi-financial framework -- the long-term EU budget)." Here, it's clear that Hungary didn't get the annual vetoes it had indicated that it wanted. An annual report by the European Commission is not a veto, nor is an annual debate among leaders in the European Council. The last sentence about the review is quite an interesting one as well. In order to trigger a review, all 27 EU member states must agree. So, some of Ukraine's greatest friends, like the Baltic states, can simply prevent a review if they feel it isn't necessary. And then there is the word "review" in itself. Does it entail an actual veto? Maybe Hungary can interpret it as a veto and others won't. The European Union is an expert in semantic gymnastics to get a compromise. Things simply mean different things to different member states. As an anecdote to illustrate this, a few diplomats pointed at the agreement the EU struck at the end of 2022 regarding the price cap on Russian oil. It was settled at $60 at the time and even though some hawkish member states wanted a lower figure, they were won over by the promise to hold reviews every other month, probably thinking that the review actually meant that there would be proper negotiations (with potential vetoes) in order to lower the cap further. Nothing like that has happened and the price cap remains at $60 to this day. A review in this case meant just regular updates and not much more. So, this paragraph doesn't seem to give Hungary too much. But then there is the second one, a single sentence in the 12-page summit conclusions that states, "the European Council recalls its December 2020 conclusions on the application of the conditionality mechanism." Quite cryptic and open to interpretation. The conditionality mechanism was the very rule change agreed for the EU budget of 2020-27 to withhold money for member states if there was a fear that money was being misused -- exactly what the European Commission has done with Hungary. Now, how to read this? One, perhaps the most obvious one, is that it is a hint from the member states to the commission to unfreeze some of the 10 billion euros held back from Hungary. Or at least to interpret the strict milestones that Hungary has to fulfill to get the money a bit more leniently? Or it could mean that the conditionality mechanism should be used more sparingly in the future? Don't rule out that some of the cash will start flowing to Hungary in the spring, especially since the European Parliament, one of Orban's fiercest critics, will soon go from legislative mode to election mode as the June European elections approach. Attention will simply turn elsewhere. And then there is the stuff that remains unwritten. There's no concrete evidence yet to prove it right or wrong, for that matter. Ukraine's enlargement process might be further slowed down -- something that Budapest is interested in. It could be that the intergovernmental conference for Ukraine that would mark the official opening of accession talks won't happen in March as Kyiv certainly hoped, but after the parliamentary elections in the summer or even in the autumn. And then there is the pure PR. Listen to the doorstep comments of the leaders ahead of the summit and the two most spoken words were "Viktor" and "Orban." Orban claimed victory by saying, "Hungary's funds will not end up in Ukraine and we have a control mechanism at the end of the first and second year." And that message might be appealing for more Europeans than just Hungarians. The same day as the summit, thousands of farmers descended on the EU capital, many on tractors, to demonstrate against rising production costs, among other things. In more than one sense. It's clear that crucial EU elections are just around the corner. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-ukraine- orban-semantics/32801597.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's Military Chief Reiterates Need For Unmanned Weapons Amid Dispute With Zelenskiy By RFE/RL February 01, 2024 Valeriy Zaluzhniy, the commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said the country must develop an array of unmanned weapons systems to reduce combatant losses amid a dispute with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy over mobilization. In a commentary for CNN published on February 1, Zaluzhniy said Ukraine must "redesign" its battlefield operations around the latest technological developments, such as drones, which in turn will reduce dependence on "heavy material," a possible reference to Western-supplied armaments. "Perhaps the number one priority here is mastery of an entire arsenal of (relatively) cheap, modern and highly effective, unmanned vehicles and other technological means. The remote control of these assets means fewer soldiers in harm's way, thus reducing the level of human losses," he wrote. Zaluzhniy's commentary comes amid rumors of his possible ouster later this month due to a conflict with Zelenskiy over mobilization plans. Zaluzhniy is seeking hundreds of thousands of new recruits this year to strengthen Ukraine's forces, replace expected losses, and demobilize those who have served for years. Zelenskiy has resisted the request amid concern over public backlash. In the meantime, Russia has been mobilizing a significant number of men, including convicts, through a combination of force and financial incentives. That has allowed Moscow to repeatedly attack Ukrainian positions despite suffering large losses. "We must acknowledge the significant advantage enjoyed by the enemy in mobilizing human resources and how that compares with the inability of state institutions in Ukraine to improve the manpower levels of our armed forces without the use of unpopular measures," he wrote. Tensions between Zaluzhniy and Zelenskiy surfaced in November after the commander in chief published a commentary in The Economist, saying the war had entered a stalemate and only a technological breakthrough would allow Ukraine to achieve its goals of liberating occupied territory. Zelenskiy's office was quick to reject that battlefield assessment. Zaluzhniy said Ukraine could create a new domestic system of technological rearmament in five months. Further development of domestic weapons systems would reduce the dependence on U.S. military aid, which has become increasingly unreliable amid partisan disputes. "We must contend with a reduction in military support from key allies, grappling with their own political tensions," Zaluzhniy wrote. Ukraine has been developing its own air and sea drone capabilities, using them to attack military targets inside Russia and on the Black Sea. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-commander- dispute-zelenskiy-war-russia-commentary/32801727.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's First Lady Urges Allies To Act 'Faster' In Effort To Force Russia To Return Children By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 01, 2024 RIGA -- Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska called on Kyiv's allies to move more quickly in their joint effort to force Moscow to return Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the war, saying that time is not on the children's side. In an interview with RFE/RL in Riga, where she co-hosting a conference titled Russia's War On Children, Zelenska said Ukraine is working with Western allies on developing legal mechanisms to put pressure on Moscow to release the children back home. According to official Ukrainian data, more than 19,500 children have been illegally taken and sent to Russia since Moscow launched its invasion nearly two years ago. Zelenska warned that Russia is accelerating the adoption process and that the longer they are there, the deeper the impact on their lives. "Our main enemy here is time, unfortunately, because, first of all, children grow up. We don't have a year, or two, or three. We need to understand this. I hope that today's conversations will encourage our partners to act faster," she told RFE/RL. Several Ukrainian children who returned from Russia spoke at the conference to share their stories. Zelenska said it was critical that people hear and see the children to understand the trauma they have gone through and why the rest need to be returned as soon as possible. The Ukrainian children held by Russia "should not become just statistics," she said. "Unfortunately, human psychology works in such a way that when you don't see faces, when you just look at documents, it doesn't impact you, your soul." The International Criminal Court in The Hague last year issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and children's commissioner Lvova-Belova, charging them with the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia -- a war crime under international legislation. Zelenska called the children who spoke "important witnesses" and said their stories are "evidence" of Russia's crimes. "I really hope that what they went through will only remain a page in their lives that they have turned over. They will remember, but it will not be the thing that changed their lives forever," she said. As she seeks the return of Ukrainian children from Russia, Zelenska said it would be wrong to force Ukrainian mothers who fled to Western countries with their children to return home while the war is still ongoing. "We in Ukraine understand that saving a child is the most important thing for a mother. And our dream is for everyone to come back [to Ukraine]. But we understand that this requires peace. We need peace, we need recovery, so that people have a place to return," she said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenska-russia- children-return-riga-conference/32801605.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 EU Leaders Reach Deal On Ukraine Aid As Hungary Drops Demands By RFE/RL February 01, 2024 Leaders from the European Union unanimously agreed to a four-year 50 billion-euro aid package for Ukraine as Hungary, which vetoed the deal in December, fell into line with the other 26 member states, ending weeks of wrangling over the move. "We have a deal.... This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine. The EU is taking leadership & responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake," European Council President Charles Michel wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after the deal was reached rapidly after the start of a special summit in Brussels on February 1. Ukraine is in desperate need of financial and military assistance amid signs of political fatigue in the West as the war kicked off by Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion nears the two-year mark. In a video address to EU leaders after the deal was agreed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed the move as "a clear signal that Ukraine will withstand and that Europe will withstand." "It is also really important that the decision was made by all of you, all 27 member states, which is another clear sign of your strong unity," Zelenskiy told the EU leaders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the only EU leader who maintains warm relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, had been repeatedly at odds with the other leaders of the bloc over measures to help Ukraine since Russia's invasion. Orban, a right-wing populist who has been in power since 2010, has faced criticism that his opposition to EU aid for Ukraine amounts to an attempt to blackmail the bloc into disbursing billions of euros in EU funds for Hungary frozen by Brussels over rule-of-law and democracy concerns. In December he vetoed the package, and ahead of the February 1 summit in the Belgian capital he appeared on track to try and do the same again. But a deal was swiftly announced on February 1 after Orban held talks with the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "He gave some ground," one European diplomat told AFP. "He saw that people were growing irritated, that there was a line not to cross," said the diplomat, who spoke under the condition of anonymity. All of the bloc's 27 members must unanimously vote in favor of the aid package from Ukraine that would come from the EU's common budget. "A good day for Europe," von der Leyen wrote on X, formerly Twitter after the deal. "Once again, Europe has delivered," European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on X. In a video on Facebook, Orban put on a brave face, presenting the move as a victory for Hungary, saying that a review mechanism accompanying the aid package would "guarantee the rational use of the funds." "Hungarians' money cannot be given to Ukrainians," Orban said. "We will not take part in the war, we will not send weapons, we continue to stand on the party of peace!" An unnamed EU source said the leaders agreed that the European Commission would propose a review of the Ukraine aid package in two years, if needed, but such a move wouldn't include a veto right for Budapest. Following the agreement, Ukraine said it expected to receive the first tranche of 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) from Brussels next month. Ukrainian leaders have been warning for months that they are desperately in need of fresh supplies of weapons and ammunition as Kyiv's counteroffensive stalls. In his video address to the summit, Zelenskiy also warned that Ukrainian forces were in a race against the clock with the Russian invaders as intelligence reports confirmed that Russia was receiving 1 million artillery shells and missiles from North Korea. "Meanwhile, the implementation of the European plan to supply 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine is being delayed," Zelenskiy said, adding that this was "a competition Europe cannot afford to lose." Adding to the urgency, a supplementary spending bill that includes $61 billion in aid to Ukraine has been stalled in the U.S. Congress amid opposition from Republican lawmakers who want any spending package to also include sweeping changes to border protection policy in the United States. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-summit-ukraine-aid-package- hungary/32800912.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 Top Biden Official Confident Congress Will Pass Ukraine Aid As Senators Struggle To Agree On Bill By RFE/RL February 01, 2024 A senior U.S. diplomat visiting Kyiv expressed confidence that Congress would back new aid for Ukraine as senators back in Washington struggled to finalize a bipartisan deal that would release up to $61 billion in aid for the embattled country. "Bipartisan support for Ukraine remains strong across the country," U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland told reporters on January 31 after a day of talks with Ukrainian leaders. "I have great confidence that that understanding will be reflected in the vote that the Congress makes on this request from President Biden," she said. Ukraine is dependent on support from its Western allies, especially the United States, to beat back Russia's invasion, now approaching the two-year mark. Republicans and Democrats are at odds over immigration funding and reform, which is part of a larger spending package that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The two sides have been unable to reconcile their differences since September, impacting the flow of U.S. military aid to Ukraine at a time when Russia is stepping up attacks in the east. Congress at the end of 2022 approved about $45 billion in financial, humanitarian, and military aid to Ukraine but those funds have now been depleted. Ukraine has been running low on ammunition in the meantime, raising concerns among staunch Ukraine supporters in Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned in a morning floor speech that "the survival of Ukraine is on the line." Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said "we need to get help to Israel and to Ukraine quickly." NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg was in Washington on January 31 to encourage Congress to pass aid. He told the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ambitions don't just end with Ukraine. He said the Russian president is intent on "reestablishing Russia's sphere of influence and shaping an alternative world order." Reporting by AP, Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/biden-congress-ukraine-aid- senators-russia-israel/32800729.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 EU Leaders Agree to Allocate $54Bln in Macro-Financial Assistance to Ukraine Sputnik News 20240201 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The EU leaders have reached an agreement on allocating 50 billion euros ($54 billion) as part of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel said on Thursday. "All 27 leaders agreed on an additional a50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget. This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for #Ukraine. EU is taking leadership & responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake," Michel wrote on X. EU Agrees to Hold Debate Each Year on Ukraine Assistance - Reports The EU leaders have agreed to hold a debate about its assistance to Ukraine every year, and to review it after two years if necessary, The Guardian reported on Thursday, citing the EU summit's conclusions. According to the conclusions, the European Council will hold a debate every year on the implementation of the Ukraine facility, and will invite the European Commission to make a proposal to review it in two years if needed. Meanwhile, Reuters reported, citing a European diplomat, that the EU funds for Hungary will remain frozen after Budapest also agreed on the allocation of assistance for Ukraine. European officials have continuously said that they are ready to study alternatives in the event of a final blocking of aid to Kiev from the EU budget. The total amount of EU macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in 2023 amounted to 18 billion euros, transferred in monthly payments in the amount of 1.5 billion euros. This assistance was provided to Kiev regardless of the implementation of reforms and the fight against corruption. In December, Hungary vetoed an enlargement of the EU's 2024-2027 budget to incorporate 50 billion euros in macro-financial aid for Ukraine. Media reported that Hungary had proposed splitting the package into four tranches, subject to approval each year. However, several EU diplomats are reportedly opposed to giving Hungary the option of an "annual veto. Western countries, led by the United States, have been providing military aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's special military operation in February 2022. The aid evolved from providing artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavy weapons, including tanks, advanced air-defense systems, prohibited cluster munitions and long-range missiles, later that year and in 2023. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin on EU's Assistance to Kiev: Ukraine Continues to Experience Problems Sputnik News 20240201 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Kiev continues to experience problems, just like Western countries, with Europeans having to carry the burden, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, commenting on the EU's assistance to Ukraine. The European Union leaders are holding a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, with financial aid to Kiev on the agenda. "Of course, we keep track of all information. We understand that Kiev continues to experience problems and that the collective West is also experiencing problems. Here, it is now obvious that there will be a process of trying to shift the financial burden of this support for the Kiev regime by Washington onto the shoulders of European taxpayers, but we will follow the decision-making process," Peskov told reporters. Moscow is aware of the situation regarding the accounts of Russian companies in Turkey and is in touch with Ankara on the matter, Peskov said. "Yes, we know. And we are in a state of active dialogue with our Turkish partners and colleagues, discussing these problems," Peskov told reporters. The problem with the accounts of Russian companies in Turkey is caused by aggressive pressure from the United States, the official said , adding that the external pressure on Turkey should not interfere with cooperation with Russia. Earlier in the day, a source in the Turkish banking sector told Sputnik that a number of private banks in Turkey had closed accounts of Russian companies under unprecedented pressure from the United States in connection with sanctions against Moscow. It is important for Russia that Armenia's joining the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) does not have a negative impact on relations between Moscow and Yerevan, Dmitry Peskov stressed. "There is nothing to comment on. This is generally the sovereign right of Armenia. But on the other hand, it is important for us that such decisions do not affect both de jure and de facto our bilateral relations, which we value and hope to further develop," Peskov told reporters. On Thursday, Armenia officially became the 124th country to join the ICC and the 19th state party from the Group of Eastern European States to enter the organization. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Investigators Find Fragments of MIM-104A Patriot Missiles at Il-76 Crash Site Sputnik News 20240201 Ilya Tsukanov President Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday that Russian investigators had determined that Ukraine used a US-made Patriot missile system to bring down an Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane full of Ukrainian prisoners of war on January 24. The Russian Investigative Committee has identified missile fragments found near the Il-76 crash site in Belgorod region. "Based on the conclusion of examinations carried out during the investigation, the fragments seized from the scene of the incident, based on their design features, geometric characteristics and available markings, are structural elements of the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the US Patriot complex, developed by the Raytheon and Hughes corporations, and produced by Raytheon," the Investigative Committee said in a summary of findings released Thursday. "It has been established that on January 24, 2024, a Russian Aerospace Force Il-76 military transport aircraft was attacked using an anti-aircraft missile system firing two missiles operated by personnel from the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the settlement of Liptsy in Kharkov region, Ukraine," investigators said. In the course of the investigation at the scene of the incident, in an area about 1.8 km northeast and 4.8 km southeast of the presumed attack site, 116 fragments of two missiles with English-language inscriptions were found. Ion mobility spectrometry, gas chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses were used to find traces of RDX (hexogen) with impurities of up to 10 percent, as well as HMX (octogen) on the fragments. Such chemical compounds are "typical for foreign-made explosives," according to investigators. English-language markings included a series of coded part numbers, "Raytheon," and text marked "CONFIDENTIAL classified by PATRIOT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION GUIDE DATED: 9/22/83 ADDENDA DATED 11/28/83 8/8/84 CONTRACT NO/DAAH01-86C-A018." All Passengers and Crew Aboard Doomed Plane Killed The Investigative Committee was also able to confirm Thursday that all 74 people onboard the downed Il-76 plane were killed, identifying the victims after recovering over 670 bodies and body parts, as well as partially preserved identification documents. The committee said it had access to the 'genetic profiles' of all of the Ukrainian PoWs onboard to help make the determination that they had been killed. The dead included six Russian crew members, three Russian military police officers and 65 Ukrainian military personnel. US Complicit in Il-76 Downing, Moscow Says Commenting on the findings, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the Biden administration of turning ordinary American citizens into accomplices of the Kiev regime in the Il-76's downing. "Americans should know where their money is going. Biden and his team have made Americans complicit in a bloody tragedy," Zakharova wrote in a social media post. Separately on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov complained that Washington's European allies don't seem all that interested in President Putin's proposal for an international investigation into the Il-76 shootdown. "Yesterday, the president openly, publicly stated that we are ready for an international investigation into this horrific act and are interested in it. Now we are already hearing European voices asking us to give them some documents - that they won't consider anything without documents," Peskov said. "None of them will be interested in conducting an investigation to end up accidentally finding themselves in it. The position of the collective West, which is a direct participant in this armed conflict, is also obvious," he said. On the one week anniversary of the January 24 incident, the Russian president admitted that he still doesn't fully "understand" why Ukraine decided to shoot down a Russian plane full of Ukrainian PoWs on its way to a prisoner exchange. "You asked why they did it. I don't know. I don't understand it," Putin said, suggesting it may have been done to provoke Russia into retaliatory attacks on civilian targets inside Ukraine, or to "divert the attention of their own population and sponsors from the failures of the so-called counteroffensive." Ukrainian media and officials made a series of contradictory statements regarding the incident, initially reporting that a Russian plane had been shot down by Ukrainian air defenses, then scrubbing this information. Ukraine's military intelligence confirmed that a prisoner exchange was scheduled for January 24 and subsequently canceled. Ukraine's General Staff claimed the plane was carrying weapons and that the Ukrainian military would "continue to take measures to destroy the missile delivery means" used by Russia "including in the Belgorod-Kharkov direction." President Zelensky called for an international investigation and accused Moscow of "playing with the lives" of Ukrainian PoWs. A week on, as evidence of Kiev's culpability mounts, Ukrainian and Western officials and media have largely gone silent. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia is inflicting hardship and suffering on Ukrainian people in territories it claims to have "liberated": UK statement to the OSCE Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown condemns reports of the declining humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian territories temporarily under Russian control and Russia's attempts to erase Ukrainian identity. 1 February 2024 Thank you, Madam Chair. Firstly, I would like to thank you and your team for convening last week's Special Permanent Council. We heard 22 statements condemning Russia's heinous attacks and underscoring our unwavering support for Ukraine. We must, and will, continue to hold Russia to account for failing to uphold the OSCE's founding principles and abide by international humanitarian and human rights law. The humanitarian situation in the regions of Ukraine temporarily under Russian control is deeply concerning. Millions of people live in these areas where access for humanitarian organisations has been mostly impossible. Reports suggest civilians are struggling to access water, food, shelter and other essential services. Russia has repeatedly ignored calls to allow humanitarians safe access to these areas. Russia claims to have "liberated" these territories. Instead, it has brought hardship and suffering. There are reports that Russia has carried out enforced disappearances, summary executions of civilians, and unlawful detention and torture, especially targeting civil servants, pro-Ukraine activists and journalists, and other civilians presumed to oppose the occupation. We condemn Russia's decision to hold Russian presidential elections in Ukraine this year, further violating Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia will not succeed in legitimising its attempted illegal annexation in this way. As the UN General Assembly made overwhelmingly clear in October 2022, these regions are and always will be Ukrainian. Russia's despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine's future, is unfortunately not limited to changes on a map. Ukrainian children have been targeted by Russia's appalling forced deportation strategy. We are seriously concerned by reports that over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia or temporarily controlled Russian territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion; that fewer than 400 have so far been returned to Ukraine; and that a senior Russian politician has even illegally adopted a Ukrainian child. Under a new Russian citizenship law passed in January, Russian authorities claim they can confer Russian citizenship upon vulnerable Ukrainian children deported to Russia. We call upon Russia to cease these deportations immediately. We condemn these actions, and are determined to hold to account those responsible for forcibly deporting and attempting to indoctrinate Ukrainian children. The UK is pleased to be joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children tomorrow. We welcome its establishment and fully endorse the joint Declaration. This is an important step towards a global coordinated effort to return Ukrainian children to their homeland, and an initiative the UK fully supports. In closing, Madam Chair, we have raised the case of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a dual British-Russian national imprisoned in Russia, on several occasions in this Forum. While we welcome the news that he has been located following a prison transfer, he should not be in prison at all. He is in prison for engaging in legitimate criticism of the political situation: for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and against Putin's regime. We reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release. And, as we raised last week, we remain concerned at Russia's continued detention of our three OSCE colleagues of the Special Monitoring Mission. The UK again calls for their immediate release, along with all Ukrainians currently victims of arbitrary detention. The United Kingdom will stand with Ukraine today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes. Thank you, Madam Chair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Abuse of force only makes bigger crises 14:07, February 02, 2024 By Huan Yuping ( People's Daily Recently, the coalition forces of the United States and Britain launched new strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The escalation of the crisis in the Red Sea has triggered widespread concerns in the international community about the further rise in the overall security risks in the region. The use of force will not help resolve the issue, but only exacerbate tensions. The waters of the Red Sea are an important international transportation route for goods and energy. It is in the common interest of the international community to ensure unimpeded access to the waterway and the safety of passing vessels. All parties should work together to safeguard the security of the waters. Major countries should play a constructive and responsible role in keeping the shipping lanes safe in the Red Sea waters. Any action must abide by the norms governing international relations, and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen and other countries bordering the Red Sea. The military actions taken by the U.S. and Britain have damaged infrastructure and caused casualties of civilians. They couldn't help to protect the safety of merchant shipping, and even increased the overall security risks in the region. This is something that the international community does not want to see. The international community has voiced concerns and opposition after the U.S. and Britain launched military strikes. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called upon all parties involved not to escalate even more the situation in the interest of peace and stability in the Red Sea and the wider region. He called for every effort to be made to ensure that Yemen pursues a path towards peace and that the work undertaken thus far to end the conflict in Yemen should not be lost. Saudi Arabia stressed in a statement the importance of maintaining the security and stability of the region. It demanded freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and called on all parties involved to exercise restraint and avoid escalation. Egypt called for unifying international and regional efforts to ease tensions in the region and ensure the safety of navigation in the Red Sea. Iran believed that arbitrary attacks would only make the Middle East more insecure and unstable. Iraq said in a statement that expanding the scope of targets does not represent a solution to the problem, rather, it will lead to continued spillover and proliferation of risks. The international community has a clear understanding of the negative effects brought about by military strikes on the regional situation. It hopes to resolve the crisis with political means that address both the symptoms and root causes. The escalating tensions in the Red Sea indicate that the abuse of force will only make bigger crises. The world is seeing the spillover effects of the new round of conflict between Palestine and Israel, and as the factors of instability in the region are clearly upswing, the risk of more forces being dragged into the conflict is on the rise. It's obviously contradictory that some countries are actually abusing military force while stressing the importance of preventing the spillover of the conflict. The UN Security Council has never authorized any country to use force against Yemen. The military actions taken against Yemen not only have increased security risks in the Red Sea, but also could possibly impact the political process of Yemen. Since the 21st century, the abuse of force has only brought turmoil and humanitarian disasters to the Middle East, as evidenced by what has happened in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. U.S. magazine Foreign Policy said that Washington's unwavering devotion to its current approach to the Middle East has produced a vicious cycle: By committing itself to the root of regional instability, the U.S. repeatedly finds itself having to confront challenges that are largely the product of its own presence and policies in the region. The escalating tensions in the Red Sea indicate that an ultimate solution never comes from the ignorance of justice. Conflicts in the Middle East are complex. The participation of extra-regional countries in Middle East affairs should consider the region's reality, coordinate the interests of all relevant parties and stick to the principle of fairness and justice. However, some countries have long implemented tactics like "bolster one and bash the other" and "divide and rule" in the Middle East for their own geopolitical interests, which makes it difficult for the region to establish stable security orders. The current crisis in the Red Sea is a spillover of the conflict in Gaza, and the prolonged failure to resolve the Gaza conflict is attributed to certain countries' blatant prejudices and repeated obstruction of UN Security Council draft resolutions calling for a ceasefire. The fundamental problems of the tensions in the Red Sea cannot be solved by "cut-the-knot" military actions with an ignorance of the root cause. As a commentary published on the website of Al Jazeera said, the military strikes "clash with the Biden administration's stated goals of de-escalation and fail to address the root cause of the soaring tensions in the region." The Middle East is on the edge of extreme danger. What's the most urgent now is to cease fire in Gaza, and major countries must play a constructive role in stopping violence. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that the central issue that needed to be addressed lies in Gaza, and only by resolving the Gaza issue can all other issues be resolved. The ceasefire is the prevailing priority, and humanitarian aid is the imperative moral responsibility. The future arrangement of Gaza must fully respect the Palestinian people's aspiration, and the two-state solution is the sure path to a just settlement of the Palestinian issue. Justice has already been delayed, but it should never be denied. Major countries should exert their influence by abandoning geopolitical self-interests, bearing in mind the real interests of the people in the Middle East, solving disputes and conflicts through political means and playing a constructive role in promoting peace in the region. Only when all parties stand on the side of peace and justice, implement the two-state solution and push for a comprehensive, just and sustainable solution to the question of Palestine at an early date, can the Middle East achieve lasting peace and stability. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Du Mingming) Ford is one of the top-selling auto brands in the Buffalo market, and its Dan Balestrieris job to stay connected with the regions nine Ford dealers. Balestrieri, 46, is Fords regional manager for a multistate territory that includes Western New York: Q: What kind of a sales market is Buffalo for Ford? A: Buffalo is a very good market for Ford Motor Co. Some of our top dealers in the nation are located here, when it comes to volume, and on top of volume, customer satisfaction. Q: What contributes to Fords high market share here? A: Loyalty starts with the stamping plant. We have great UAW partners over at the stamping plant, who grew up driving Fords. Their parents, they worked there. But its about how the dealers go to market and treat customers like family. Q: What are the top concerns you hear from dealers? A: A lot of its production supply. Covid threw us all in many different ways for a loop, but also our supply chain. For a year and half, or two years, we werent able to provide all the product that we wanted to our dealers so that they could sell to their customers. We are now building back to that demand level where we need to be. Q: What stands out to you about the local Ford dealers? A: To me, their generosity is second to none, when I look at a group of dealers who are competitors, but they get together and think about the bigger picture and think about the people of Western New York. On top of that, a fantastic group of business people. They know how to navigate in a very competitive market. The EU's decision on a50 billion for Ukraine means that Ukrainians have financial guarantees for social stability - address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy President of Ukraine 1 February 2024 - 23:15 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! We continue this week with good dynamics for Ukraine - with events that are contributing to the country's strength. Today the EU has made a long-awaited decision: a50 billion for Ukraine. A support program. A long-term program for four years. This means Ukrainians have financial guarantees for our social stability. The decision was adopted today at the meeting of the European Council - at the level of leaders. The Ukrainian team and our friends in the EU have been working quite thoroughly and actively for this decision - through various channels and at various levels. The key thing is that this decision is now in place and that it is a unanimous decision of Europe. I thank all our friends who helped, and, of course, our entire team, Ukrainian international relations officials: the government, the Office, everyone who was involved. I raised this issue of support for Ukraine with every European leader in my talks. I am grateful to each of the 27 EU countries and the heads of European institutions. Now it is important that the distribution of these funds is carried out similarly to the previous format of support: the first two tranches require a larger amount - 18 billion euros per year, and then the state's resilience will be greater. The teams of Ukraine and the European Union will work on this issue. Today, in my address to the European Council, I also reminded about our other two goals for the year. This is the creation of an appropriate Ukraine Assistance Fund within the European Peace Facility to maintain our defense capabilities and our defensive actions at the front. This is also the preparation of this year's Global Peace Summit in Switzerland - an event the organization of which I have invited all leaders of the European community to join. The second thing worth mentioning today. The release of our guys from captivity, which took place yesterday, was a very emotional event. Now all 207 guys are in the process of rehabilitation and recovery. Each is being provided with all the necessary assistance. Everyone is already in touch with their families. Families and friends can visit them all. And every time our people are back home, it proves that Ukraine is working to bring everyone back. We do not forget anyone. Sometimes the exchange can be significantly complicated by different situations. Some people sometimes say that the exchange is even impossible. But we are looking for ways. We are looking for intermediaries. And I am grateful to everyone who helps Ukraine. The Ukrainian team is continuing its work on the next exchanges. Thirdly. We continue to work on security commitments for Ukraine. Today, another round of negotiations took place in Berlin - we are preparing the relevant agreement. I am grateful to the German side for its pragmatic and at the same time value-based approach. We are also working with other states and we can already see that we are achieving a very extensive and comprehensive system of security commitments. In all those areas that are critical for the normal life of any democratic country. And there is a lot of work to be done on each such agreement and its implementation. With this system of security commitments, Ukraine can now create a new model for ensuring the protection of the states of the free world while they are outside of effective security alliances. And, of course, we are working to make progress with NATO for our country - we have already decided on Ukraine's position on the expected results of the NATO Summit in Washington this year. Fourthly. Today, I signed several new decrees on honoring our warriors with state awards. 294 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Different brigades, different directions. But equally vital battles. The bravery without which Ukraine would not have been able to withstand. The strength that ensures Ukraine's independence and its own path in this world. We must be grateful to each and every one of our warriors - all the defenders, all those who strengthen our defense and help it. In total, since February 24, almost 70 thousand of our warriors have been honored with state awards. To be precise, 69,945 have been honored as of today. All elements of our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine. The Army. The National Guard. The Security Service of Ukraine. The National Police. The State Border Guard Service. The State Emergency Service. The Foreign Intelligence Service. The Department of the State Protection. The State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection. And, of course, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. Today, by the way, the guys have achieved another hit - this time at sea. A spectacular addition to the Russian submarine fleet. Thank you! And the fifth thing that is important. Today, Europe has demonstrated exactly the kind of unity that is needed. 27 countries - together. The EU institutions - in full cooperation. This is a clear signal to Moscow that Europe will withstand and that Europe will not be broken by any destructive waves that the Kremlin always comes up with. But at the same time, it is a clear signal across the Atlantic that Europe is taking on commitments. Security commitments. Strong commitments. We are waiting for America's decisions. I thank everyone who stands with freedom! I thank everyone who adds their personal strength to the strength of the whole of Ukraine! We can win! We must win! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Another round of talks with Germany on bilateral security commitments is held in Berlin President of Ukraine 1 February 2024 - 19:27 On the instructions of the President of Ukraine and the Head of the Office of the President, during a working visit to Berlin, the Ukrainian negotiating team headed by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva held a further round of negotiations with Germany on the conclusion of a bilateral agreement on security commitments and long-term support for Ukraine. During the visit, Ihor Zhovkva also discussed with his German counterparts further deepening of bilateral cooperation in priority areas and thanked Germany for supporting the EU's decision on a financial instrument for Ukraine for 2024-2027 in the amount of 50 billion euros. The parties agreed on a schedule of contacts at the highest level in the near future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address It is only a full-fledged tribunal that will allow lifting the immunity of the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Russia - Andriy Smyrnov President of Ukraine 1 February 2024 - 17:18 Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Smyrnov endorses the establishment of a Special International Tribunal through a vote in the UN General Assembly or by signing an international treaty with the mandatory lifting of the immunities of the three Russian leaders - the President, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. This was discussed at the conference on the establishment of a Special International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, which took place in London today. "Currently, many countries are concerned that the hybrid model, which will essentially be a Ukrainian domestic court, cannot be implemented, as it will delay, or perhaps even completely eliminate, the prospect of bringing Putin, Lukashenko, Lavrov and other high-ranking officials to justice, as they will enjoy personal immunity before the domestic hybrid tribunal," explained Smyrnov. According to the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, the establishment of an international rather than a hybrid tribunal would be the best way to lift the relevant immunities. "We call on lawyers and experts to consider how the future tribunal could overcome the immunity of the "trio": the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Russia and try them for the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine. Given its global influence and historic leadership in human rights issues, the UK can play a crucial role in further galvanizing international support for this proposal," said Andriy Smyrnov. He recalled that a core group of 40 countries is negotiating the establishment of a Special Tribunal to try Russia's senior officials for the crime of aggression. The Dutch government has offered to host such a tribunal. However, it remains to be decided what model it will be based on. The conference "Special International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine" took place today in London. Among the speakers of the one-day event were Minister of Justice of Ukraine Denys Maliuska, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin, MPs Alicia Kearns and Stephen Doughty, Executive Director of the International Bar Association Mark Ellis, Member of the UN International Law Commission Dapo Akande, Chief Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda Richard Goldstone, Former Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone David Crane, Director of Legal Advice and Public International Law of the Council of Europe JArg Polakiewicz. Following the conference, the participants signed a joint communiquA submitted to the UK leadership, calling for the establishment of a tribunal through a vote in the UN General Assembly or by signing an international treaty with the mandatory lifting of the trio's immunities. The draft communiquA also contains specific recommendations voiced at the conference on how to lift the immunities of the "trio" in accordance with international law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Today, Europe sends a signal to the world that the international rules-based world order will withstand all challenges - address by the President of Ukraine at the special meeting of the European Council President of Ukraine 1 February 2024 - 14:25 Dear Charles, Mr. President! Dear leaders! Thank you for this opportunity! Greetings to all of you and I am grateful for your decision on the financial instrument for us, for our people, for Ukraine. Ukraine Facility with 50 billion euros for a 4-year period. This is a clear signal that Ukraine will withstand and that Europe will withstand. It is also really important that this decision was taken unanimously by all of you, all 27 member states. It is yet another clear sign of your strong unity and support of Ukraine. The last time a European Council meeting was held, credibility of Europe was at stake - and we all together strengthened that credibility. The EU has proven that its word matters, and its promises work for the interests of entire Europe. The political decision made in December that gave a green light for membership negotiations with Ukraine proved that European priorities, as defined by all European leaders, are being fulfilled. This is the kind of policy we all need in Europe in the future. This year. And every next year. So, thank you very much again. Dear leaders! Especially now, this year, it is essential and decisive to demonstrate Europe's complete reliability and the effectiveness of its decisions. RussiaEs aggression against Europe, initiated by Moscow on the European front, has now been bolstered by another Russian accomplice, namely artillery shells and ballistic missiles from North Korea. They are already terrorizing our cities, in addition to the Iranian Shaheds that are destroying our civilian infrastructure. Intelligence confirms that Russia will receive a million artillery shells from Pyongyang. Meanwhile, unfortunately, the implementation of the European plan to supply one million artillery shells to Ukraine is being delayed. And this too is a signal of global competition, in which Europe cannot afford to lose. And that's why today your unity is so needed in creating the Ukraine Assistance Fund within our European Peace Facility. This is the kind of reliability and long-term support which we now have to set against the corresponding challenges. Not less than 5 billion euros per year, for a term of 4 years. A clear priority. And one more point. During my visit to Switzerland this January, we reached an agreement to convene a Global Peace Summit. The work on its organization has already started. And I invite all of you to actively engage in the preparation of the Summit. Europe must have its say, and Europe's word must be constantly significant, reliable, and implemented in concrete decisions. Europe - today - sends a signal across the Atlantic and the world over that the international rules-based world order will withstand all challenges. Europe sets the tone for global affairs - with its unity. Now this is a fact. And it must remain so. Thank you for today's decision! Thank you for your attention! And I believe in Europe. I believe that European unity will preserve normal life on our continent, and I am as confident as all of you are. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Leaders Agree on $54 Billion Ukraine Support Package By Henry Ridgwell February 01, 2024 European Union leaders agreed unanimously Thursday on a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) support package for Ukraine, overcoming previous opposition from Hungary. European Council President Charles Michel celebrated the agreement, saying the EU was taking leadership and responsibility in its support for Ukraine and knows "what is at stake." "This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine," Michel said on X. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the unanimous vote, saying it "proves strong EU unity." "Continued EU financial support for Ukraine will strengthen long-term economic and financial stability, which is no less important than military assistance and sanctions pressure on Russia," Zelenskyy said on X. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Thursday's approval goes against "any talk about alleged 'fatigue' or 'waning' support" for Ukraine. "This is also a clear indication that [Russian President Vlaidimir] Putin's hopes of outlasting Ukraine's and the world's resolve are futile," Kuleba said. At the last council summit in December, Hungary vetoed a four-year, $54 billion aid package for Ukraine, arguing the money should not come from the bloc's budget, as Ukraine is not a member state. All 26 other member states voted in favor of the aid package. EU financial assistance is vital for Kyiv, said Luigi Scazzieri with the Centre for European Reform. "That's essentially budget support that Ukraine needs to stay in the war and to stay solvent. But it doesn't aim to increase its military capacity. There is a separate budget line for that a that is also being held up by Hungary a and that will be discussed, as well. And that is a 5 billion [euro] top-up to a common fund that the EU has to supply weapons to Ukraine," he told VOA. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long been a thorn in the side of EU unity on Russia and has good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Hungary has refused to join sanctions [against Russia] at the beginning. Hungary has refused to send weapons to Ukraine. Hungary refused to give Ukraine candidate status for EU membership until it got the return that it wanted," noted Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. That return included the EU releasing $11 billion of EU funds to Hungary in December that had been frozen over concerns about democratic backsliding in the country. The EU is still withholding a further $24 billion, and Orban will likely demand that some of it is released, according to Fix. Brussels had threatened to "sabotage" Hungary's economy unless it drops its veto of the Ukraine aid, according to a report Monday in London's Financial Times newspaper. Budapest has accused the EU of "blackmail." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baltic Speakers Back Supporting Ukraine Amid US Debate on Aid By Nike Ching February 01, 2024 Speakers from the Baltic states voiced solidarity with Ukraine amid Russian aggression and said continued U.S. support for Ukraine holds significant implications for the Indo-Pacific region. This week, parliamentary speakers from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia visited Washington, holding talks with U.S. lawmakers, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, and officials from the State Department. On the social media platform X, Johnson said he discussed "ongoing challenges" and "the importance of deterring threats like China, Russia, and Iran" during his meeting with Baltic parliamentary speakers earlier this week. The talks came amid U.S. congressional debate on new aid for Ukraine. Ukraine is dependent on support from its Western allies, especially the United States, to fight back against Russia's invasion, now approaching the two-year mark. "It seems that they [Russians] are really preparing themselves for a long-time war," said Lauri Hussar, president of the Riigikogu, Estonia's single-chamber legislature. Hussar said during a press briefing on Wednesday that it is "extremely important" to continue support for Ukraine as Russia gears up for a prolonged conflict by bolstering its wartime economy and military structure. Estonia has contributed more than $434 million in military aid to Ukraine, amounting to 1.4% of its gross domestic product, with a commitment to allocate 0.25% of its GDP annually for the next four years, according to Hussar. Additionally, the Riigikogu is exploring the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's rebuilding and advocating that Russia compensate Ukraine for its aggression. Lithuanian official notes conflict's significance Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of Lithuania's Seimas (parliament), highlighted the global significance of the conflict in Ukraine, particularly for the Indo-Pacific region and Taiwan. She said international response from the West, particularly the United States, to support "a victim of a brutal aggression" is under close watch, because inadequate support of Ukraine could diminish global trust in the West. "Autocratic regimes, or perhaps countries that are considering undertaking aggressive measures, can also act upon that" if they see the support for Ukraine is not strong enough, Cmilyte-Nielsen told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday. "On the case of Lithuania, we have been subjected to coercive measures by China after our decision to develop our cooperation with democracies in the Pacific, specifically with Taiwan," she added. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and vows to bring the self-governed democracy under Beijing's control by force if necessary. In 2021, Lithuania became the first European country to allow Taiwan to open an office in its capital with the name of "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania." Other nations often designate such offices with the name "Taipei Representative Office" or "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to avoid offending China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory. On Wednesday, China's new defense chief, Dong Jun, urged closer military ties with Russia in a video talk with his counterpart, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoygu. Dong told Shoigu that militaries from the two nations will "promote bilateral military relations to reach an even higher level, in order to play an even bigger role in upholding global security and stability," according to a readout from the Chinese Defense Ministry. Russian attack injures 4, says Ukraine Ukrainian officials said Wednesday a Russian aerial attack on a hospital in the Kharkiv region had injured four people. Oleh Synehubov, regional governor of Kharkiv, said the attack happened late Wednesday in the town of Velykyi Burluk, located east of the city of Kharkiv and about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from the Russian border. Synehubov said guided aerial bombs hit the hospital, damaging its faAade, windows and roof. He added that 38 people were evacuated, and that both staff and patients had time to respond to air alerts before the strike. The Russian Defense Ministry reported downing five Ukrainian drones late Wednesday. The ministry said it destroyed four of the drones over the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, and one other drone in the neighboring Kursk region. There were no reports of damage or injuries. Some information for this report came from Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: New York, N.Y., February 1, 2024. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE: BTI) between February 9, 2023 and December 6, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important March 25, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action commenced by the Firm. SO WHAT: If you purchased British American Tobacco securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the British American Tobacco 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 pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 25, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. 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. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) British American Tobacco materially understated the risks and potential likelihood of an impairment to its Premium American Cigarette Brands as a result of longstanding headwinds and; (2) as a result, defendants statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the British American Tobacco 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 pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm. Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. 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. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firms attorneys are ranked and recognized by numerous independent and respected sources. Rosen Law Firm has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 investing in British American Tobacco stock or options between February 9, 2023 and December 6, 2023 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). You may also click here for additional information: www.faruqilaw.com/BTI. There is no cost or obligation to you. NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against British American Tobacco p.l.c. (British American Tobacco or the Company) (NYSE: BTI) and reminds investors of the March 25, 2024 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading minority and Woman-owned national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) British American Tobacco materially understated the risks and potential likelihood of an impairment to its Premium American Cigarette Brands as a result of longstanding headwinds and; (2) as a result, Defendants statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. 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. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding British American Tobaccos conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4bde5a72-f32e-4aaf-9187-2830bc82c5a2 Elanders has signed an agreement to acquire almost 90 percent of the shares in the English company Bishopsgate, which has previously been part of Master Removers Group Limited. Bishopsgate is a leading actor in the UK within special transportation, installation and configuration of medical devices, office printers, data centers, parcel lockers and charging stations for electric vehicles. The company has around 250 employees and had sales of GBP 27 million during the last twelve months with very good profitability. In line with Elanders' strategy to invest in and grow in Life Cycle Management services, Elanders has signed an agreement to acquire 88.5 percent of the shares in the English company Bishopsgate. The company is a leading actor within special transportation, installation, and configuration of advanced technical equipment. The acquisition is part of an effort to increase the share of value-added services to customers operating in Electronics and Healthcare & Life Science. Digitalization has been prioritized at Bishopsgate and the entire process of managing the customers' equipment can be followed digitally by the customers, all the way from receipt to delivery and installation. Small GPS units are mounted on expensive equipment to be able to follow it in real time. At the time of the acquisition, Bishopsgate was valued at GBP 47.5 million on a cash- and debt-free basis and Elanders will initially acquire 88.5 percent of the shares. The initial purchase price will have a negative impact on cash flow in the first quarter of 2024. There is also a compulsory put/call option that gives Elanders an opportunity to buy the remaining shares in a few years for a purchase price based on the company's performance in the coming years. Acquisition-related costs are estimated to amount to approximately SEK 20 million. Bishopsgate will be part of the business area Supply Chain Solutions and will be consolidated into the Elanders Group as of February 2024. The acquisition is conditional on the fulfillment of customary contractual terms and is expected to be closed within a couple of weeks. The acquisition will be financed in part by an acquisition loan of GBP 115 million from the Group's three main banks in cooperation with SEK, the Swedish Export Credit Corporation. The loan will also finance parts of Elanders' acquisition of Kammac Ltd. For further questions, please contact Magnus Nilsson, President and CEO, telephone: +46 31 750 07 50 Andreas Wikner, CFO, telephone: +46 31 750 07 50 This information is information that Elanders AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 08:00 CET on 2 February 2024. Attachment Dublin, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cooling Tower Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global cooling tower market has achieved a significant milestone, reaching a robust market size of US$ 2.9 Billion in 2022. As industries worldwide continue to seek sustainable and efficient cooling methods, this report anticipates the market to further expand to an impressive US$ 3.8 Billion by 2028, flourishing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% over the forecast period from 2023 to 2028. The market's growth trajectory is attributed to several factors, including the soaring demand for electricity coupled with the global rise in population. The trend is particularly noticeable amidst the continuous infrastructural developments propelling the use of HVAC systems. Furthermore, increased electrification across industry verticals and a surge in consumer electronics sales are bolstering the need for cooling towers globally. Technological advancements such as the implementation of 3D TRASAR technology for enhancing cooling tower system performance further contribute to the market expansion. Alongside technology, investments in thermal and nuclear power plant developments also play a pivotal role in stimulating market growth. With regards to market segmentation, open-circuit cooling towers are leading the pack due to their cost-effectiveness and simpler maintenance regimes. In terms of flow type, crossflow designs are preferred for their capabilities in managing water contamination effectively. Mechanical draft designs reign supreme in the design category, while fiber-reinforced plastic is a popular construction material choice for its durability and corrosion resistance. From a regional perspective, the Asia Pacific is leading the market charge, with factors such as increased energy consumption, population growth, and rapid industrialization propelling the demand for cooling towers. The competitive landscape of the cooling tower market is diverse, with key players actively investing in research and development to introduce more efficient solutions to meet the evolving needs of various end-users. These companies are at the forefront of designing cooling towers that promise not only superior performance but also align with the global shift towards sustainable industrial practices. This comprehensive market study delves into the industry dynamics, offering insightful analysis and detailed segmentation based on tower type, flow type, design, construction material, and end-user. It explores the intricate workings of the value chain and addresses the challenges and drivers influencing the cooling tower industry. The key regional markets are thoroughly assessed, shedding light on the impact of COVID-19 on the global market while providing valuable forward-looking statements and trend analyses. With an aim to demystify the cooling tower market's landscape, the report identifies and profiles the key market participants, discussing the competitive degree within the industry and offering strategic insights into overcoming potential market challenges. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 141 Forecast Period 2022-2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $2.9 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $3.8 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 4.6% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. Baltimore Aircoil Company Inc. (Amsted Industries Inc.) Brentwood Industries Inc. Delta Cooling Towers Inc. ENEXIO Management GmbH Hamon Corporation (Hamon & Cie) International Cooling Tower Inc. Johnson Controls Inc. SPX Cooling Technologies Inc. Reymsa Cooling Towers Inc. Thermal Care Inc. (IPEG Inc.) Thermax Limited (RDA Holdings Private Limited) For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ehu6x8 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 George Harrigan draws on lifetime of lessons from labor leadership The first day George Harrigan walked into his part-time job with UPS in 1979, someone handed him a copy of the company's collective bargaining agreement with the Teamsters. He had never seen such an agreement before and was impressed by what he read in it. "I said, 'Wow, we have a guaranteed wage set forward. We have health care. We have rights in the workplace. We have a grievance procedure,' " he said. "Just to have rights in the workplace, I was astounded by that. I thought everybody should have rights in the workplace. But if you don't have a collective bargaining agreement, you don't have rights in the workplace." Harrigan started on a path that would lead him up the ranks of Teamsters Local 449, which now has about 2,700 members. "I made up my mind at that time that one day, I wanted to lead this union," he said. "And my dream came true." Harrigan paid his way through Canisius College with his UPS job. He continued working for UPS, and as a union steward, until 1996. That was when Harrigan won his first election, as vice president and business agent for Local 449. From then on, he worked directly for the Teamsters and climbed the ranks. Now 65, Harrigan retired at the end of December as principal officer and secretary of Local 449, and president of Joint Council 46, which extends to Rochester. Along the way, he negotiated countless labor contracts and fought for members whose pension benefits were cut. In 2016, he was honored as grand marshal for the AFL-CIO's Labor Day parade in South Buffalo. Richard Lipsitz Jr., president emeritus of the Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, called Harrigan "one of the hardest working, most honest negotiators I have ever met. He exuded a union strength at the bargaining table. "He was clear-headed and clear-eyed about what he wanted, and he did everything he could to get that for his membership," said Lipsitz, who was also a longtime Teamsters official. Harrigan reflected on lessons learned from decades of work in organized labor. Bargaining. Among all of his union responsibilities, bargaining contracts is what Harrigan enjoyed most of all. The first contract he was ever involved in negotiating was at Praxair, which now goes by Linde. For a person coming out of UPS, the industrial gas business was new territory. But he had union stewards from Praxair at his side. "The stewards were magnificent, and they helped me tremendously," he said. "I never forgot what they did for me." Harrigan learned the business models of the different companies he negotiated with. And during bargaining, he would put to work his affinity for numbers: "Everything has a cost, and you have to break everything down." On his final day of work, he was still negotiating. School bus drivers. Harrigan considers negotiating first-time contracts for bus drivers and monitors his top achievement in his time with the union. It was a different experience from bargaining to replace expiring contracts. "We went in and lifted these people up to a living wage over time," he said. "I had to build that contract from scratch and take a whole new industry that we were never in before." Over the past 25 years or so, the local organized more than 700 workers in that industry, Harrigan said. Yellow's shutdown. Last summer, the financially troubled Yellow Corp. trucking company filed for bankruptcy and shut down. The closing eliminated about 30,000 jobs companywide, including about 300 Teamsters-represented employees in the Buffalo area. "That was the worst thing that could have happened under my watch," Harrigan said. "It really broke my heart to see men working at a company for 30 years to lose their jobs. But we did everything we could do to help them." His local, Teamsters Local 264, and local employers hosted a job fair for the laid-off workers. Harrigan estimated 90 to 100 of the displaced workers found new jobs that way. Harrigan said he also pushed for the laid-off workers to be compensated for vacation and sick time they were owed. Pension cuts. In 2017, active and retired Teamsters covered by the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund saw their pension benefits slashed as the fund confronted a financial crisis. Harrigan never stopped trying to get those benefits restored, through outreach to federal lawmakers and rallies to draw attention to the issue. "We didn't push it off on somebody else," he said. "We got right in the weeds, and we fought like hell." At forums he attended, he recalled seeing retired men crying, saying they couldn't take care of their families or pay for prescription drugs. "Every time I heard a story, it was heartbreaking," he said. "It went right through me." Last year, an agreement was announced to restore the lost benefits, through the infusion of federal funds. "I didn't want to retire until this was fixed," Harrigan said. "It was just gnawing at me. Once we fixed that pension, I said, 'Now I can leave in peace.' " Youth movement. Younger workers are bringing a new focus to what they want from union representation and that should be respected, Harrigan said. Younger workers still want rights and protections, he said, but they also want to balance their quality of life with their job. "I'm sick of people telling me that young people are lazy," Harrigan said. "It's such a fallacy, and it's wrong. Today, we have a different generation. Our generation had their turn, now it's their turn." Lifelong lesson. Harrigan said his Canisius education left a lasting impact on him. "I've lived my life in the spirit of the Jesuit mantra: men for others," he said. "My Jesuit education certainly pointed me in this direction." Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up: THE LATEST A troubled Williamsville nursing home could get new owners. Why the sidewalk around the AM&A's building downtown is partially closed. Keep off! Verizon is turning to eagles, of a sort. A piano store is closing after nearly two centuries. The next phase of the Northland complex is getting closer. A pair of new lawsuits could further slow the state's legal cannabis program. A closed Buffalo nursing home is on its way to becoming apartments. GM workers are getting some big bonuses. These 5 iconic Buffalo tourist attractions almost withered away. Ellicott seeks green light for 880 Elmwood Lofts apartment project. A pair of big computer investments are coming to the region. The Buffalo Bills stadium construction project is entering a new phase. The Marine Drive Apartments project got a little smaller. Gillibrand has a plan to help end food deserts. Moog Inc. is surprising analysts in a good way. Amherst is in line for a solar array. Critics blast a big National Fuel Gas rate hike proposal. The Buffalo Niagara unemployment rate is on the rise. A downtown Lockport project is staying in the Savarino family. ICYMI Five reads from Buffalo Next: 1. The state's slow rollout of its legal cannabis market is moving even slower. 2. How Buffalo Niagara's startup ecosystem has changed for the better. 3. What does the future of health care look like? A new report offers a glimpse. 4. Glass half full or half empty: The divergent signs on the state of the Buffalo Niagara job market. 5. The Buffalo Niagara advantage: The cost of living is lower here. 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. Dublin, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Medical Marijuana Market Analysis & Forecast 2024-2034: Market By Product; By Application; By End-user; and By Region" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global medical marijuana market size was estimated to be USD 16.88 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach at USD 154.83 billion by 2034 with a CAGR of 22.32% during the forecast period 2024-2034. Growing awareness regarding various therapeutic applications of the marijuana, surge in permitting the usage of medical marijuana, increasing adoption of cannabis in therapeutic applications, rising research & development activities, growing prevalence of chronic diseases, and increase in acquisition of market players for the manufacturing of advanced medical products are some of the key factors boosting the market growth. North America region is anticipated for the highest revenue share during the forecast period owing to the surge in cannabis legalization, increasing product launches by major market players. For instance, in December 2022, Jushi Holdings Inc., a multi-state cannabis operator with vertical integration, has introduced a diverse range of products in California, featuring three distinct brands tailored to cater to the preferences and budget considerations of cannabis consumers. The company has expanded its offerings to include Seche Pre-Roll Singles, Tasteology Fruit Chews, and The Lab Vapes, presenting a fresh assortment of premium brands and unique products exclusively accessible at the Company's Beyond HelloT retail outlets in California. Additionally, Asia Pacific region is predicted to grow at fastest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the increasing favourable government initiatives, growing disposable income, rising awareness regarding the benefits of the product, surge in the legalization of cannabis, and increasing research & development activities. Increase launch of advanced medical products is predicted to boost the market growth during the forecast period. Medical marijuana, also known as medical cannabis, is a marijuana plant extract utilized to alleviate symptoms, illnesses, and various health conditions. Nevertheless, numerous North American states have relaxed laws regarding cannabis use, both for medical and recreational purposes. Additionally, many other countries worldwide are following the lead of North America by legalizing cannabis. Therefore, the increasing trend of cannabis decriminalization is expected to significantly boost the development & launch of medical marijuana. For instance, in March 2023, Irwin Naturals Inc. is delighted to inform the public about the launch of their new product, Irwin Naturals Cannabis CBD 25mg Softgels, which are now accessible across Canada through the Starseed Medicinal Medical Group platform. By product, oil & tincture was the highest revenue-grossing segment in the global medical marijuana market in 2023 owing to increasing medicinal usage, growing research & development activities, rising clinical trial procedures, and surge in legalization of cannabis, and growing new product launch. For instance, in March 2022, Tilray is broadening its range of medical cannabis offerings by introducing the initial EU GMP medical cannabis oil products in Malta. Additionally, flower is predicted to grow at fastest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the rising launch of new products. By application, chronic pain was the highest revenue-grossing segment in the global medical marijuana market in 2023 owing to increasing research activities, surge in number of clinical trials with marijuana to treat neuropathic & chronic pain, rising acquisitions within market players, and growing research & development activities. For instance, In August 2023, The National Health Service (NHS) research ethics committee has granted authorization for a clinical trial on non-cancer-related chronic pain conducted by the private health clinic LVL Health. This pharmaceutical firm has dedicated its efforts to research, growing, producing, and distributing innovative cannabis-based medications. It has now received approval to commence its trial, which aims to involve as many as 5,000 patients. Additionally, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is predicted to grow at fastest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the increasing prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and rising legalization of the use of cannabis. By end-user, pharmaceutical was the highest revenue-grossing segment in the global medical marijuana market in 2023 owing to surge in use of cannabis in the pharmaceutical industry, growing investment by pharma companies in CBD due to the health benefits of cannabis, and increasing partnerships & collaborations within market players. For instance, in February 2022, Leaf Trade, Inc., a wholesale marketplace for the cannabis industry serving various stakeholders such as cannabis sellers, brands, distributors, and retailers across 25 markets, has unveiled a nationwide partnership with Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., a prominent global supplier of consumer cannabis products. While Leaf Trade is currently collaborating with Curaleaf in 11 states, this national partnership will extend its support to cover Curaleaf's operations in all 19 U.S. Wholesale Markets, including the upcoming launch in New York scheduled for this month. Additionally, research & development centres is predicted to grow at fastest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the growing research & development activities, rising number of clinical trials, and surge in focus on development of novel products. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 145 Forecast Period 2023 - 2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $16.88 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $154.83 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 22.3% Regions Covered Global Company Profiles Tilray Inc. Aphria Inc. Aurora marijuana Inc. MedReleaf. Corp. Terra Tech Corp. GW Pharmaceuticals plc. OrganiGram Holding Inc. Cannabis Sativa Inc. Canopy Growth Corporation VIVO Cannabis Inc. Medical Marijuana Inc. Cronos Group Inc. Tikun Olam Ltd. Maricann Group Inc. Segmentation: Medical Marijuana Market Report 2022 - 2033 Medical Marijuana Market Analysis & Forecast by Product 2023 - 2034 (Revenue USD Bn) Flower Oil & Tinctures Medical Marijuana Market Analysis & Forecast by Application 2023 - 2034 (Revenue USD Bn) Epilepsy Migraines Chronic Pain Diabetes Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Glaucoma Cancer Multiple Sclerosis AIDS Parkinson's Disease Depression and Anxiety Arthritis Tourettes Alzheimer's Disease Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Others Medical Marijuana Market Analysis & Forecast by End-user 2023 - 2034 (Revenue USD Bn) Research & Development Centres Pharmaceutical Medical Marijuana Market Analysis & Forecast by Region 2023 - 2034 (Revenue USD Bn) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France UK Spain Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Australia South Korea Rest of APAC Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Rest of LATAM Middle East & Africa South Africa GCC Rest of MEA For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/79ogp6 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, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. - Digital Transformation Strategies" company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides insight into Intesa Sanpaolo's fintech activities, including its digital transformation strategies, its innovation programs, its technology initiatives, its estimated ICT budget, and its major ICT contracts. Intesa Sanpaolo SpA (Intesa Sanpaolo) is a diversified financial services group that offers a range of banking solutions to private, SMEs, and corporate institutes. Its portfolio of offerings consists of accounts such as current, saving, and deposit; an array of loans for mortgage, personal needs, house, and corporate needs; unit-linked insurance solutions; card products such as credit, debit, prepaid, and business cards; bonds, mutual funds, saving plans, and other investment products. As part of its related financial services, it provides a range of services such as international cash management, credit for cash, collection and payments, leasing, funding, consultancy, portfolio management, trading, investment, Internet banking, mobile banking, and online payment services. In May 2023, Intesa Sanpaolo launched new Governance Area dedicated to innovation and information technology in line with its 2022-25 Business Plan. The new Governance Area incorporates market best practices typical of tech companies, highlighting company's strategy including investments in artificial intelligence, cloud, cybersecurity, and the new digital bank, while ensuring supervision of group-wide information systems. Alongside the existing talented individuals in the company, the structure will recruit approximately 2,000 IT professionals, and offer them with constant professional development and growth over time, making Intesa Sanpaolo an innovative and attractive employer. In December 2022, Intesa Sanpaolo signed a joint venture agreement with Digital Magics to invest EUR15 million in fintech, insurtech, and proptech start-ups. The investment vehicle Apside, in which Intesa and Digital Magics will be 50-50 shareholders, will invest in around 20 companies with an average investment of EUR250,000 each and possible follow-on investments for a total invested value of EUR15 million. The goal of the partnership is to select investment opportunities in the start-up ecosystem for growth acceleration, identifying solutions that bring innovation and competitiveness to the banks' offerings. Scope The transformation efforts by Intesa Sanpaolo rely on technology solutions, such as Intesa Sanpaolo Mobile app. The launch of the digital bank IsyBank, to serve its customers, and artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Turin, bear witness to Intesa Sanpaolo's commitment to digitalization. This commitment is not only aimed at customers, but also at finding solutions for transforming internal operating model. This includes the digital platform for bank's analytical cost management and digital process transformation project. The Group also promotes dialogue between industry leaders, fintech's and academic research centers, in addition to supporting development of innovative entities globally, through its venture arm Neva SGR. Intesa Sanpaolo has been exploring potential use cases of blockchain. It has established a team consisting of experts from different business areas of the bank to analyze the impact and benefits of the technology. The aim is to develop products and services around blockchain through collaboration. Intesa Sanpaolo collaborated with R3, a provider of distributed ledger technology, to develop the proprietary Corda platform and explore the benefits of blockchain. Intesa was also a founding member of the International Association of Trusted Blockchain Applications. Intesa Sanpaolo is adopting a hybrid cloud strategy by leveraging Cisco Intercloud Fabric to offer customers secure connectivity across multiple clouds. With Cisco, the bank is creating an integration hub, allowing the bank's business clients to connect with public clouds securely and flexibly at low infrastructure costs. The bank also signed agreement with TIM and Google for migration of significant part of its information system onto Google's cloud services, as of December 2022, 83 applications have been migrated and 27 new applications have been created directly on the cloud. Reasons to Buy Gain insights into Intesa Sanpaolo's tech operations. Gain insights into its tech strategies and innovation initiatives. Gain insights into its technology themes under focus. Gain insights into various product launches, partnership, investments and acquisition strategies. Key Topics Covered: Overview Digital Transformation Strategy Accelerators, Incubators, and Other Innovation Programs Technology Focus Technology Initiatives Venture Arm: Neva SGR Investment Acquisitions Partnership, Investment & Acquisition Network Map ICT Budget and Contracts Key Executives Contact the Publisher A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Pelican Expert System Deloitte Eternity IBM TIM Google Gemalto Apple Pay Fiserv Kyriba Armundia Alpian Diasoft Orbian Avaloq Iwoca MatiPay Coro BacktoWork24 Oval Money For more information about this company profile visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qdt3fi 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, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Diageo Plc. - ?Digital Transformation Strategies" company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Diageo Plc (Diageo) is an alcoholic beverages company that produces, distributes, markets, and sells spirits and beer products. Its product portfolio includes whisky, liqueur, beer, vodka, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) whisky, Canadian whisky, rum, ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages, liqueurs, gin, and tequila. The report furnishes a wealth of information and valuable insights into Diageo's technology activities, making it an indispensable resource for those interested in the company's digital transformation endeavors. It offers a deep understanding of Diageo's digital transformation strategies and innovation programs, shedding light on how the company leverages technology to drive growth and innovation. Furthermore, the report presents an overview of Diageo's technology initiatives, encompassing details about partnerships, product launches, and acquisitions. This provides readers with a comprehensive view of the company's technology-driven initiatives and its commitment to remaining at the forefront of innovation within its industry. The company own more than 200 brands. Some of the company's renowned brands are Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Guinness, and Tanqueray. Diageo owns and leases manufacturing, distilling, blending, bottling, and packaging facilities. The company distributes products through independent wholesalers and retailers, distributors and brokers, subsidiary companies, joint venture arrangements, and third-party distributors. It also sells its products through brewers, retail groups, and regional independent wholesalers and on-trade and off-trade operations. Diageo is headquartered in London. Scope Diageo has been applying a range of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics process automation (RPA) to improve productivity and business processes. Diageo has begun using drones for watering its agave fields in Jalisco, Mexico. As opposed to conventional spraying methods which spray every plant evenly regardless of its water and nutritional feed needs, the drones identify agave plants which require water and nutritional feed and sprays only those ones. In the US, Diageo has been tapping big data and predictive analytics to understand consumer behavior and help store-owners stock more of high-demand products. Diageo opened the Diageo Collaboration Center, a 17,000 square-foot facility, in Stamford, Connecticut. The facility helps Diageo's partners, distributors, and customers to unlock new opportunities and find solutions for challenges confronting the alcohol beverages industry. It enables Diageo to quickly share insights and work more closely with partners to generate new business opportunities. Reasons to Buy Gain insights into Diageo' tech operations. Gain insights into its tech strategies and innovation initiatives. Gain insights into its technology themes under focus. Gain insights into various product launches, partnerships and acquisition strategies. Key Topics Covered: Overview Digital Transformation Strategy Accelerators, Incubators, and Other Innovation Programs Technology Focus Technology Initiatives Acquisitions Partnership & Acquisition Network Map ICT Budget and Contracts Key Executives Contact the Publisher A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Vivanda Instagram Beerboard GladCloud IBM SAP Siemens Google DFS For more information about this company profile visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rz5hbp 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, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Potato Market 2024-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The latest comprehensive study on the Global Potato Market has been added to our research repository, detailing significant growth prospects, industry trends, market size, and forecasts from 2023 to 2028. The report underscores the rapid acceleration in the market at a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.39%, projecting growth by USD 28.21 billion within the forecast period. The potato market landscape is undergoing a transformative phase driven by evolving consumer preferences toward healthier food options, advancements in globalization of supply chains, and increased utilization of potatoes for industrial applications. This research provides a deep-dive analysis into the market dynamics that are shaping the current and future state of the industry. With a holistic approach, the market is analyzed across various segments including: End-user : Individual, Commercial, and Industrial : Individual, Commercial, and Industrial Distribution Channel : B2C and B2B : B2C and B2B Geographical Landscape: APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East & Africa, and South America Key Market Influencers and Growth Factors The market analysis identifies the rising nutritional awareness among consumers and burgeoning global trade as pivotal factors contributing to the growth of the potato market over the next few years. Population growth in various regions is also anticipated to generate substantial demand, bolstering market expansion. Vital Insights and Market Strategy The comprehensive vendor analysis included in the report is crafted to assist stakeholders in improving their market position. The report includes a spectrum of leading potato market vendors, alongside emerging trends and challenges poised to impact industry growth. This strategic intelligence is intended to equip businesses in formulating effective growth strategies and capitalizing on upcoming opportunities in the market. Through exhaustive primary and secondary research, including valuable inputs from key industry participants, the report presents a detailed market and vendor landscape. The research encompasses a myriad of market aspects by pinpointing key influencers such as profit, pricing, competition, and promotions. Market Research Integrity and Credibility The data presented emanates from comprehensive, reliable, and extensively researched sources. It combines study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple resources, ensuring an in-depth analysis of key market parameters. This report stands as an indispensable resource for entities seeking to understand the Potato Market's trajectory and dynamics, providing a competitive edge in market strategy and foresight. Spearheading developments and staying informed is crucial in the ever-changing landscape of global industries. The addition of the Global Potato Market study to our collection offers an essential tool for industry stakeholders looking to navigate and succeed within this growing market space. The report's findings are poised to play a significant role in guiding companies through the vibrant ecosystem of the potato industry. A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes AJC International Inc. Augason Farms B and G Foods Inc. Basic American Foods Cavendish Farms Corp. Conagra Brands Inc. Cooperatie Koninklijke Cosun UA General Mills Inc. Idahoan Foods LLC Inspire Brands Inc. J.R. Simplot Co. Keystone Potato Products Kroger Co. McCain Foods Ltd. Pacific Valley Foods PepsiCo Inc. The Kraft Heinz Co. Trader Joes Walmart Inc. WH Group Ltd. Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary: Market Overview Global Market Characteristics Market Segmentation by End-user and Distribution Channel Vendor Market Positioning Market Landscape: Market Ecosystem Parent Market Market Characteristics Market Sizing: Market Definition Market Segment Analysis Market Size 2023 and Forecast for 2023-2028 Historic Market Size (2018-2022) Five Forces Analysis: Bargaining Power of Buyers and Suppliers Threat of New Entrants Threat of Substitutes Threat of Rivalry Market Condition Market Segmentation: Segmentation by End-user (Individual, Commercial, Industrial) Segmentation by Distribution Channel (B2C, B2B) Market Opportunity by End-user and Distribution Channel Customer Landscape: Analysis of Price Sensitivity, Lifecycle, Customer Purchase Basket, Adoption Rates, and Purchase Criteria Geographic Landscape: Market Share by Geographical Landscape Geographic Comparison Market Size and Forecast for APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, South America, China, India, US, France, Germany Market Opportunity by Geographical Landscape Drivers, Challenges, and Trends: Market Drivers Market Challenges Impact of Drivers and Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape: Criticality of Inputs and Factors of Differentiation Landscape Disruption Industry Risks Vendor Analysis: Overview of Vendors Covered Market Positioning of Vendors Matrix on Vendor Position and Classification Profiles of Key Vendors: Augason Farms, Basic American Foods, Cavendish Farms Corp., Conagra Brands Inc., Cooperatie Koninklijke Cosun UA, General Mills Inc., Idahoan Foods LLC, Inspire Brands Inc., J.R. Simplot Co., Keystone Potato Products, Kroger Co., McCain Foods Ltd., Pacific Valley Foods, The Kraft Heinz Co., WH Group Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wr6n0a 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. Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust PLC (the "Company") LEI Number: 213800QMYPUW4POFFX69 2 February 2024 Publication of Circular NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY (IN WHOLE OR IN PART) IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICITON WHERE TO DO SO WOULD COSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THE JURISDICITON. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE UK VERSION OF EU MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 AS AMENDED ("UK MAR") AND IS BEING DISCLOSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANY'S OBLIGATIONS UNDER ARTICLE 17 OF UK MAR. UPON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN AUTHORISED FOR RELEASE BY THE COMPANY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Recommended Proposal for a Managed Wind-Down of the Company and associated adoption of the New Investment Policy and Notice of General Meeting The Company has today published a circular in relation to the recommended proposal for a managed wind down of the Company and the associated adoption of the New Investment Policy (the "Proposal"). The Proposal is subject to Shareholder approval and, accordingly, the circular contains a notice convening a general meeting of the Company to be held at 6th Floor, St. Magnus House, 3 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6HD on 28 February 2024 at 11.30 a.m. (the "General Meeting"). A copy of the circular will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism. The circular will also be available on the Company's website (www.downingstrategic.co.uk). Save as otherwise defined in this announcement, terms defined in the circular shall bear the same meaning in this announcement. Introduction On 9 May 2022 the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") announced its intention to provide a significant redemption opportunity to Shareholders on 31 May 2024 (the "Redemption Opportunity") in accordance with the provisions of the Company's Articles. It was envisaged that the Redemption Opportunity would enable Shareholders to redeem or have a matched sale for up to 50 per cent. of their holding in the Company. Since the announcement of the Redemption Opportunity, the market has continued to undervalue both micro-cap stocks and small investment companies and this is reflected, in part, in the material discount at which the Company's Ordinary Shares have been continuing to trade relative to their underlying net asset value and also in the continuing interest from shareholders in a full capital redemption. The Board therefore considered the best and fairest ways to meet its commitment of returning capital to Shareholders, seeking to realise the best value, at the time of realisation, for them equitably and, as announced by the Company on 28 December 2023, the Board concluded that it would be advantageous to all Shareholders equally and fairly to commence a managed wind down of the Company's portfolio (the "Managed Wind-Down"). In order to implement the Managed Wind-Down a material change to the Company's published Investment Policy will require to be approved by Shareholders. Under the proposed Managed Wind-Down process, the Company will be managed with the intention of realising all the assets in its portfolio in a manner consistent with the principles of good investment management and with a view to returning cash promptly to Shareholders in an orderly manner whilst seeking to obtain the best achievable value for the Companys investments at the time of their realisations. Background to and reasons for the Proposal A negative sentiment towards UK small companies has persisted over the past two to three years. Value and micro-cap investment strategies have equally been out of favour and the Company has not attracted a great deal of new investors, with the Company itself being a significant acquiror of its own Ordinary Shares. In addition, investment trusts are currently, generally trading at wide discounts and as the wealth management sector, a significant buyer of investment trust stock, itself consolidates there is little interest from such sector in small, specialist vehicles such as the Company. This continued negative sentiment has coincided with an intense period of merger and acquisition activity within the Companys portfolio. Over the past 5 months, three investee companies have been under offer or have fully exited. The total current market and exit value of these companies represents approximately 20 per cent. of the Companys net asset value as at 31 August 2023. Such corporate catalytic events have continually demonstrated the undervalue of the assets within the Companys investment portfolio, with the agreed sale of OnTheMarket plc at a premium of approximately 93.7 per cent. to 56.79 pence, being the three month volume weighted average price per share to the last practicable date prior to the announcement of the sale and the recently agreed bid for FireAngel Safety Technology Group plc representing a 46.5 per cent. uplift on its last funding round. The Investment Manager has estimated that in the course of 2024 cash realisations would be at a significant uplift to the relevant current share price. Further details of indicative returns and estimated timescales in relation to the Managed Wind-Down are set out below. As noted above, the Board has considered alternative options for the future of the Company, but none have matched the objective of returning capital, at a premium, to Shareholders. The Board therefore believes that the Proposal is a significant opportunity for Shareholders, both those who seek cash and those who may wish to invest the capital they receive from the Company back into the market or to put it to work in other markets. Therefore, following discussions with the Companys Investment Manager and given the impending Redemption Opportunity, in the context of the current market outlook and the level of activity in the Companys investment portfolio, the Board and Investment Manager believe that it is in the best interests of Shareholders to implement the Managed Wind-Down process with a view to maximising timely returns for Shareholders. Indicative returns for Shareholders and estimated timescales In the absence of unforeseen circumstances and subject to the market conditions, the Board, in consultation with the Investment Manager, is currently estimating that the Managed Wind-Down could be completed within 2 years. Further, the Board believes, in consultation with the Investment Manager, that within the first six months of 2024 up to, or exceeding, 50 per cent. of the Companys NAV could be returned to Shareholders in cash (assuming current bids for certain of the Companys investments complete by then) with more value remaining in the NAV of the residual portfolio to be realised through the process of complete wind-down. Specifically, the Board and Investment Manager estimate that, on a mid-case scenario, the Company will return: on or around the end of the first quarter in 2024, 25 per cent. of Shareholders capital at NAV which, given the Companys discount as at 31 January 2024 of 11.9 per cent., would be a 13.5 per cent. premium to the Current Share Price; a further 25 per cent. of Shareholders capital at above NAV by 30 June 2024, which on current discounts and NAV would represent a greater than 13.5 per cent. premium to the Current Share Price; and beyond 30 June 2024, a mid case scenario for the current market suggests a return above the current NAV and hence a significantly better than 13.5 per cent. premium to the Current Share Price. In order to keep up a timely rate of returns, the Board has constructed an incentive scheme for the Investment Manager (further details of which are set out below) to ensure that Shareholders receive their returns in a timely manner consistent with recovering value and rewarding appreciation above the current NAV. The above is derived from the Investment Manager's review of what it considers a reasonable outcome for the various portfolio companies and is not a forecast. In seeking to realise the Companys investments in an orderly manner, the Board, in conjunction with the Investment Manager, will take into account the continued costs of operating the Company and the impact of the reducing NAV on ad valorem adviser fees. Although current work for the Board is quite time consuming and will continue to be so for some time, the Directors also intend to reduce their fees following the end of the first half of 2024. The capacity to trade in the Ordinary Shares will be maintained for as long as the Board believes it to be practicable and cost-effective during the Managed Wind-Down period and the Board will seek to minimise costs wherever it is reasonable to do so. Once the Board is satisfied that the majority of the Companys portfolio has been realised, and subject to Shareholder approval, the Company will be put into members voluntary liquidation and wound-up. Benefits of the Proposal The Board believes that the Proposal is in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole and should yield the following principal benefits: implementing a managed and orderly disposal of investments should maximise the value to be realised on the sale of the Companys assets and, therefore, returns to Shareholders; the Proposal will allow capital to be returned to Shareholders in a cost-effective and timely manner; the Company will continue to benefit from the expertise of Judith MacKenzie and her team in generating premium value in the Companys portfolio and in implementing the Managed Wind-Down strategy; and Shareholders can invest the cash that is returned to them as part of the Managed Wind-Down as they wish, including into other funds in this or other markets. Change to the Investment Manager's fee If the Resolution is passed, the Board intends to amend the terms of the Investment Managers fee arrangement so as to ensure the Investment Manager is appropriately incentivised to maximise the value received from the Companys assets and in a timely manner. The new fee structure will combine a reduction in the base fee with the introduction of further fees that incentivise the Investment Manager, and will also align its interests with those of Shareholders, to complete the wind down whilst seeking the best achievable values, at the point of realisation, in a timely fashion in order for the Company to return cash to Shareholders. To this end, the Board and Investment Manager have agreed that, subject to Shareholder approval of the New Investment Policy, the Investment Managers current fee arrangement will be replaced with: a basic management fee at the rate of 0.25 per cent. per annum of the Companys market capitalisation payable monthly; a capital return fee which will be applied to the distributions made to Shareholders during the Managed Wind-Down process, with this fee being calculated on a sliding scale dependent on the date of distribution so as to incentivise the Investment Manager towards early distributions on the following basis: Period during which distributions take place Rate of capital return fee on the total value of distributions made to Shareholders within the period Before 30 June 2024 0.95% 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024 0.65% 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025 0.2% 1 July 2025 and after nil an equity appreciation fee payable only on completion of the Investment Managers realisation process equal to 2.5 per cent. of all amounts (if any) by which total distributions to Shareholders exceed the net asset value of the Company as at the date Shareholders approve of the New Investment Policy to encourage achieving value appreciation, subject to an overall cap on total fees payable to the Investment Manager in any 12 month period equal to 4.9 per cent. of the market capitalisation (or NAV if lower) of Company as at the date Shareholders approve of the New Investment Policy. The notice period that will be required to be given by the Company in the event the Company wishes to terminate the Investment Management Agreement will remain 6 months. Shorter notice may be provided so long as the Investment Manager receives payment in lieu of such notice on the basis of the basic management fee. All the other key commercial terms of the Investment Management Agreement will remain unchanged. The Investment Manager is a related party to the Company and this change to the fee arrangements constitutes a smaller related party transaction under Listing Rule 11.1.10R. No other changes are being made to the management arrangements at this time. Means of returning capital Pursuant to the Managed Wind-Down, the Company will seek to return cash to Shareholders in an efficient and fair manner that accounts for, among other things, the UK tax consequences for Shareholders and the composition of the Companys Shareholder register. Returns of capital pursuant to the Managed Wind-Down are likely, in the main, to take the form of bonus issues of redeemable shares to Shareholders and potentially also tender offers and, in such cases, will be conditional on, inter alia, the relevant Shareholder approvals being obtained. In the light of the advice received from the Companys tax advisers, the Company intends to implement returns of capital principally by means of a bonus issue of redeemable B shares to Shareholders with a nominal value of 1.00 each (the B Shares). Such B Shares would then be immediately redeemed by the Company with the return of cash to Shareholders being treated as capital rather than income from a UK tax perspective. Dividends If Shareholders vote to approve the Resolution and put the Company into Managed Wind-Down, the Company will continue to pay a sufficient level of dividend so as to maintain the Companys investment trust status during the Managed Wind-Down process. The payment, quantum and timing of any dividends during the Managed Wind-Down process will be at the sole discretion of the Board, and the Board will take account of the UK tax consequences for Shareholders in determining the most efficient means of returning realised cash. The amount of the net proceeds from the Managed Wind-Down that can be paid as dividends and the timing of any distributions will also be determined by the distributable reserves of the Company. There can be no guarantee as to the payment, quantum or timing of dividends during the Managed Wind-Down process. No further investments The Company will not make any new investments during the Managed Wind-Down process. Realised cash may be invested in liquid cash-equivalent securities, including short-dated corporate bonds, government bonds, cash funds or bank cash deposits (and/or funds holding such investments) pending its return to Shareholders. Therefore, although the New Investment Policy will provide the Company with the flexibility to make new investments, in certain limited circumstances, it is not expected that the Company will use this flexibility. Amendments to the Investment Policy The Proposal involves amending the Companys Investment Policy and adopting the New Investment Policy to reflect the realisation strategy and the Company ceasing to make any new investments. The proposed amendments to the Companys Investment Policy are considered a material change and therefore, in accordance with the Listing Rules, the consent of Shareholders to the adoption of the New Investment Policy is being sought. The Listing Rules also require any proposed material changes to the Companys published investment objective and policy to be submitted to the FCA for prior approval. The FCA approved the New Investment Policy on 8 January 2024. Resolution The Proposal is subject to the approval of Shareholders. The Resolution, which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution, seeks authority to adopt the New Investment Policy. As an ordinary resolution, for the Resolution to pass, more than 50 per cent. of the votes cast must be voted in favour. General Meeting The General Meeting will be held at 6th Floor, St. Magnus House, 3 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6HD on 28 February 2024 at 11.30 a.m. The Resolution will be voted on by way of a poll. In accordance with the Articles, all Shareholders entitled to vote and who are present in person or by proxy at the General Meeting shall upon that poll have one vote in respect of every Ordinary Share held. Recommendation The Board considers that the Proposal is in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole and is unanimously recommending that Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolution to be proposed at the General Meeting. Enquiries: Chairman T: 020 7416 7780 Hugh Aldous Dickson Minto Advisers LLP T: 020 7649 6823 Douglas Armstrong Beverly Hills, CA, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Growing Our Future podcast host Aaron Alejandro sits down with a special guest, Tuhon Harley Elmore, and they discuss the topic of Are You a Warrior? Elmore is not only a successful businessman, but also an accomplished martial artist and a true American warrior. Alejandro begins by saying, If we want to know what the future is, we have to grow it, and then asks, how do we grow the future? And his answer is simple, yet a difficult task: You have to plant seeds in the minds of young people so they can grow to be great Americans and great leaders in our communities. Alejandro asks his normal starting question: What are you grateful for today? Elmore responds with the people in his life, the tribe he has been able to build and how close they have become. Things come and go, opportunities come and go, businesses come and go but people, Elmore says, and when you invest in them and they invest in you, where you can come to a mindset and philosophy that everyone comes together to accomplish greater things that is a powerful thing. I think its the best force multiplier we can have is to invest in other people, Elmore says. Alejandro shares his excitement about this unique episode, as Elmore's words and presence have deeply intrigued him since their first encounter. Together, they aim to explore various topics and provide valuable insights and experiences. Elmore shares his captivating journey through his life, highlighting the significant milestones and key influences that shaped him into the person he is today. From growing up on a farm in rural Arkansas, where he was raised on his grandfathers farm, he became motivated in martial arts, as a way to stand up for myself, he says. He practiced in his grandfathers hay barn in the beginning, and then he eventually started professional training and became a black belt martial artist. He trained with various leaders in the field, and is proud of the work he was able to do, the learning and training he was able to accomplish with professionals in the field. He has just celebrated his 23rd anniversary of his Warrior's Way Martial Arts in Wichita Falls, Texas, and they have trained about 10,000 members. Alejandro says that he has learned from Elmore since they have been friends for so long, and said one thing that he learned most, is if you want to learn to be the best, you have to learn from the best. And that has stayed with him over the years, because there is an importance of training with the best. Elmore shares his passion for martial arts and its profound impact on his personal growth and mindset. Elmore emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with the right people, acknowledging that his tribe and the strong bonds he formed have been instrumental in his success. He attributes the growth and reach of his organization to the unity and support of his close-knit community. Thats what teaching is all about carrying on to the next generation all those insanely valuable lessons that build not just the people, but the society, Elmore says about his stewardship of his students and his philosophy as a leader. Alejandro expands on Elmores views on expanding your community and tribe of leaders, saying that his role in the Texas FFA is to make doors bigger for students so they have more opportunities. Listen to the full podcast interview by Aaron Alejandro with Tuhon Harley Elmore on your favorite podcast channel. In this podcast, the host and guest cover: What is the importance of learning from the best? Why is it important to learn from various leaders and masters in your field of study? How can having a dedicated tribe of people be impactful when learning from strong leaders? What are some ways peer groups can help other students? About the Podcast Host and Guest The Texas FFA Foundations purpose is to strengthen agricultural education and the Texas FFA program, so each student can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace. Learn more about the Texas FFA Foundation at mytexasffa.org. Learn more about Tuhon Harley Elmore at facebook.com/TuhonHarleyElmore/. https://www.harleyelmore.com/ and https://headhunterblades.com/ Media Communications Mission Matters Podcast Agency distributes the Growing Our Future Podcast Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com Attachment OTTAWA, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Honest Talk, the innovative website which features daily content and a leading podcast for women, is thrilled to announce its collaboration with Fancy Face, the prestigious Canadian cosmetic and skincare company. Together, the two female-founded companies will provide women with practical information, advice and inspiration that enhances their self-care. Were delighted to be collaborating with Fancy Face to bring our readers cosmetic insights which can help them feel and look their best, says Catherine Clark, Co-Founder of The Honest Talk. Women spend so much of their time caring for others that we wanted to create a space which offered them tips and tools they can use to care for themselves, says Jennifer Stewart, Co-Founder of The Honest Talk. We are incredibly excited that this collaboration allows us to do that with one of Canadas fastest growing and most prestigious beauty brands. According to Circana, a leading advisor on consumer behaviour, beauty continues to be the fastest-growing industry in Canada, with sales revenue of $1.7 billion in the first half of 2023. Part of what has fueled this rise, according to a recently released McKinsey report, is a strong focus on wellness as consumers increasingly take a more mindful approach to their own personal care. Self care is a key component of Fancy Faces mission, says Fancy Face Founder & CEO Brittany Gray. We offer women the tools they need to help put their best face forward in a way that makes them comfortable and authentic, whether theyre at work or their kids skating practice thats why we think this collaboration with The Honest Talk is a perfect fit. The collaboration will feature regular columns penned by Brittany Gray, amplified by social media videos and information which help women learn the best techniques to care for their skin, while enriching what makes them feel beautiful. About The Honest Talk: The Honest Talk is on a mission to become the go-to daily site for women seeking inspiration and information. Through first-person stories submitted by our readers, to curated global content focussed on issues that impact women, to a leading podcast which has interviewed some of this countrys most influential female leaders, The Honest Talk is committed to creating a powerful community of women. About Fancy Face: Founded by innovative beauty expert and coveted makeup artist Brittany Gray, Fancy Face has fast become Canadas most prestigious beauty brand. Fancy Face provides upscale in-home, on-site, or in-store hair and makeup services for women who want to feel exquisitely beautiful for any occasion. For more information, please contact: Jennifer Madigan, Syntax Strategic 613-470-8555 SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now . Class Period: Apr. 30, 2019 Dec. 21, 2023 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Mar. 15, 2024 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/cmi Contact An Attorney Now: CMI@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Cummins Inc. (CMI) Securities Fraud Class Action: In a report to clients, analysts at UBS recently commented on Cummins agreement to pay a $1.675 billion fine for installing devices on hundreds of thousands of engines to allow them to emit excess pollution, the largest-ever civil penalty for a Clean Air Act violation. UBS remarked that the settlement is bigger than we were expecting, noting that it equates to ~5.8% of [Cummins] current market cap. UBS emphasized the cash drag the settlement presents, stating that payment /charge are not tax deductible and there is no insurance to reduce the amount CMI has to pay out, and that CMI might do some short term borrowing to finance a part of it. In addition to negative analyst sentiment, Cummins also faces a recently filed securities fraud class action stemming from the EPA/Carb settlement. The complaint there alleges Cummins misrepresented and concealed that: (1) contrary to its post-April 2019 assurances about its commitment to compliance, Cummins continued to produce engines utilizing undisclosed engine control software features from 2019 to 2023; and (2) accordingly, the company understated its legal and regulatory risks. We are investigating whether Cummins intentionally made false statements concerning its public health and regulatory compliance, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firms investigation. We are also investigating when the directors knew of the continued non-compliance. If you invested in Cummins and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, submit your losses now If youd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Cummins investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Cummins 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 CMI@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. Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McKeown Medical, a centre of aesthetic excellence in Scotland, lead by award-winning doctor Dr Darren McKeown, who has become renowned in the for advanced aesthetic treatments, is excited to announce the release of his clinics guide to facelift techniques, including surgical and non-surgical techniques, to help patients choose the right procedure to achieve their aesthetic goals. To meet the increasing demand for facelift procedures, McKeown Medicals new Guide to Facelifts demystifies the entire process. This comprehensive guide offers detailed insights into choosing the appropriate facelift procedure, from deep plane facelifts to the combined deep plane face and neck lift, and details a patients complete aesthetics journey to help them confidently make an informed decision. The expert team of medical professionals at McKeown Medical offers a range of Facelift procedures to help patients achieve their aesthetic goals whilst still preserving a natural appearance. A facelift is an operation designed to remove excess skin from the lower face, jawline and neck. It is especially popular among those in their late 40s, 50s and 60s who wish to restore a more youthful silhouette to their face. Some of the specialist facelift procedures offered at McKeown Medical include: The Full Facelift Comprehensive Rejuvenation: The Full Facelift is the entire rejuvenation of a patients face through the combination of several effective procedures that are performed in conjunction to address multiple aspects of the ageing process across the face. With a personalised approach, McKeown Medicals specialists create a bespoke plan of surgical and non-surgical treatments to help achieve the most effective and transformative results. Deep Plane Face and Neck Lift: A Deep Plane Face and Neck Lift is a sophisticated surgical technique that allows the surgeon to get deeper into the face to achieve the most effective result. The objective is to reposition the soft tissues of the face to restore a patients elegant and youthful facial appearance. For a more comprehensive understanding and expert insights, you can watch a video on Facelifts with Dr. Russell Bramhall. The Volumetric Facelift A Non-Surgical Revolution: The Volumetric Facelift is a non-surgical solution to facial ageing that is designed to restore the lost volume in a patients face, resulting in a fresher and more youthful-looking appearance. Unlike traditional surgical approaches, the Non Surgical Face Lift instead creates a full-face rejuvenation through Dr. McKeowns advanced injecting techniques that restore volume to a patients face with dermal fillers for a refreshed yet natural appearance. Every facelift procedure provided at McKeown Medical is uniquely tailored to the individual patient to ensure they achieve their specific aesthetic goals. Whether it is a surgical or non-surgical procedure, our facelift specialist Dr Russell Bramhall and his team utilise their expertise, effective technologies, innovative protocols, and years of experience to provide patients with a rejuvenated, more youthful appearance and a reduction of loose skin. If youre considering a facelift, the team at McKeown Medical is ready to help. Head to the website for more information on facelifts and to start your story with the team. More Information To learn more about McKeown Medical and the release of its comprehensive guide to Facelifts, please visit www.drdarrenmckeown.com. Source: https://thenewsfront.com/mckeown-medical-release-in-depth-guide-to-facelifts-to-help-patients-choose-the-right-facelift-technique-to-achieve-their-aesthetic-goals/ Dublin, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market (2023-2028) by Service, Organization Size, Application, Sales Channel, and Geography, Competitive Analysis, Impact of Covid-19 and Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market is experiencing a surge, with forecasts estimating a growth from USD 97.30 billion in 2023 to USD 180.46 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 13.15%. A recent comprehensive market research report has been added to our repository, shedding light on the crucial trends, market dynamics, and growth opportunities within this sector. E-commerce fulfillment services, which offer warehousing, packing, shipping, and other logistic solutions, are becoming increasingly indispensable to the burgeoning e-commerce sector. The market's expansion is bolstered by an uptick in online sales, a diversified product offering available to global consumers, and enhanced convenience associated with digital shopping experiences. Segmentation and Regional Insight The report classifies the market into distinct segments based on Service, Organization Size, Application, Sales Channel, and Geography. Shipping fulfillment services have emerged as the leading segment, propelled by increased international trade and liberal trade policies. The large enterprises segment is leveraging e-commerce fulfillment services, greatly benefiting from cost savings and efficient operations. A rapid growth trajectory is anticipated for the consumer electronics segment, emphasizing the demand for meticulous handling and specialized packaging. Geographic Dominance and Opportunities Geographically, the Asia-Pacific region commands the market, with significant contributions from countries like China, Japan, and South Korea. The region's untapped markets, coupled with increasing internet penetration, are set to sustain its dominance over the forecast period. The comprehensive report delves into the nuances of this regional market, including the impact of e-commerce on local economies and trade practices. Competitive Landscape and Strategic Analysis The market report provides a meticulous analysis of key players' financial performances and competitive strategies. Recent developments, such as Shopify's expansion of its fulfillment network, signify the strategic moves by major industry players in response to the market's demands. An in-depth analysis, including the Competitive Quadrant and Ansoff Matrix, offers valuable insights into industry position scores, market performance scores, and potential strategic growth approaches. Americas (U.S., Canada, Brazil, etc.) Europe (U.K., Germany, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, etc.) Middle East & Africa (UAE, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, etc.) The report also examines the impact of COVID-19 on the market and provides a regulatory analysis crucial for informed decision-making. Entities looking to solidify their foothold in the market can find strategic recommendations based on SWOT analysis and industry-specific challenges. In summary, this research study articulates the dynamic forces shaping the Global E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market, offering a lens into future market scenarios, consumer preferences, and strategic imperatives driving growth within this vibrant industry. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 212 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $97.3 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $180.46 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 13.1% Regions Covered Global For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d99cxx Companies Amazon.com, Inc. Aramex Best Logistics Group C.H. Robinson Worldwide DB Schenker DHL eFulfillment Service, Inc. FedEx Hub Group Ingram Micro, Inc. JD Logistic Kerry Logistics Network NIPPON EXPRESS Rakuten Super Logistics Red Stag Fulfillment ShipBob, Inc. Shipfusion, Inc. Sprocket Express United Parcel Service of America, Inc. Xpert Fulfillment Key Highlights of the Report: Global E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market (2023-2028) 1. Comprehensive Report Overview Clear Study Objectives Accurate Market Definition Currency Consideration Inclusion of Relevant Years Language Accessibility Identification of Key Stakeholders 2. Rigorous Research Methodology Transparent Research Process Robust Data Collection and Validation Secondary Research Primary Research Analyst Models Precise Market Size Estimation Bottom-Up Approach Top-Down Approach Assumptions and Limitations Acknowledged 3. Informative Executive Summary Introduction to Market Dynamics Comprehensive Market Size, Segmentations, and Outlook 4. Dynamic Market Dynamics Analysis Key Drivers Growing Growth in Internet and Smartphone Penetration Rate Increasing Use of Automation, Robotics, and Augmented Reality (AR) in Warehouses Consumer Demand for Fast Shipping Major Restraints High Level of Competition in the Industry Environmental Concerns Lucrative Opportunities Growing Customization and Value-Added Services Existing Challenges High Investment in Advanced Technology 5. Holistic Market Analysis Regulatory Scenario Comprehensive Porter's Five Forces Analysis Thorough PESTEL Analysis Impact of COVID-19 Strategic Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6. Detailed Global E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market Analysis By Service Warehousing and Storage Fulfillment Services Bundling Fulfillment Services Shipping Fulfillment Services Others By Organization Size Small & Medium Enterprises (SME) Large Enterprises By Application Automotive Beauty & Personal Care Books & Stationery Consumer Electronics Healthcare Clothing & Footwear Home & Kitchen Application Sports & Leisure Others By Sales Channel Direct to Customer Business to Customer Business to Business 7. Regional Market Analysis Americas' E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market In-Depth Exploration of Key Countries Europe's E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market Detailed Insights into European Nations Middle East and Africa's E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market Comprehensive Analysis of MEA Region APAC's E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market Exploration of Key Asian-Pacific Countries 8. Competitive Landscape Comprehensive Analyst's Competitive Quadrant Analysis In-Depth Market Share Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d99cxx 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 Consumers in the Buffalo Niagara region who want to check out a Tesla electric vehicle wont have to take a road trip to Rochester to do it for much longer. Tesla plans to open a gallery and service center across the street from its Riverbend factory on South Park Avenue in Buffalo. Once it opens, probably by the end of March, consumers who are interested in buying a Tesla electric vehicle no longer will have to go to Rochester to take a demonstration drive with one. Hochul: Tesla to install $500M supercomputer in Buffalo, while UB will host new AI computing center Tesla Inc., the electric vehicle maker, will spend more than $500 million over five years to install the Dojo supercomputer it is developing at its RiverBend gigafactory in South Buffalo, the governor said. The location will allow potential new Tesla customers to explore Tesla vehicle products and serve Teslas growing customer base in Western New York and southern Ontario by letting them avail themselves of Tesla service in a convenient location, said Jeff Munson, the treasurer for the Tesla affiliate that operates the Buffalo plant. But Tesla buyers who want to take delivery of their cars in New York will have to travel about 170 miles to a Tesla office at the Turning Stone Casino, located on Oneida Indian Nation land in Verona, outside Utica. Tesla also plans to open a sales, service and delivery site on Oneida land in Canastota, west of Syracuse. Even with the gallery coming to Buffalo, consumers still wont be allowed to purchase a vehicle there, in the way they would at a conventional auto dealer. That will still have to be done online. The galleries have to operate under strict guidelines that limit how much the Tesla representatives who work there can assist interested consumers who go there, including discussions about costs and other aspects of a possible purchase. The complicated buying process for Teslas stems from the states franchise laws, which protect auto dealerships from competitors like Tesla, which sell directly to consumers and bypass the franchise model used by all of the conventional auto makers. Auto dealers view the direct sales model as a threat to their existence, and they have vigorously fought and succeeded so far in thwarting any legislation that would open up the states vehicle market to new sales methods. Tesla also said it has been unable to install its electric vehicle Superchargers at the renovated service areas on the Thruway, even though the company has offered to put them at every service area and to cover the cost of installation. Until this anti-competitive policy changes, the state will lag other states around the country in electrifying its fleet, Munson said in a letter accompanying a report Tesla filed with the state. Teslas continued job growth and expansion may be hampered unless the state and local jurisdictions throughout the state eliminate regulatory and operational barriers to electric vehicle sales, vehicle charger installations and solar and energy storage and development. Teslas involvement in the plan for the $2 million gallery and service center across the street from its Riverbend factory was shrouded behind a Cleveland-area auto dealer that bought the property for $5.25 million and then took out a $7.25 million mortgage on the site to cover the purchase and the project costs, according to documents filed with the Erie County Clerks Office. The Cleveland auto dealer Mark Sims and his Brendan Properties NY bought the former Parkers Great British Institution property on South Park Avenue and guided the project through the citys planning and review process last year without ever mentioning Tesla. They said their plans were to reuse the building as a showroom, customer delivery space and car maintenance facility. Dublin, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market (2023-2028) by Software, Application, Vehicle Type, and Geography, Competitive Analysis, Impact of Covid-19 and Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Recent In-Depth Study Estimates Market to Reach USD 7.36 Billion by 2028, Growing at a CAGR of 3.50% A comprehensive research report focusing on the Global Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market for the period 2023-2028 has been released, highlighting the significant growth potential and technological advancements that are expected to shape the future of the industry. As consumers increasingly seek quieter and more comfortable driving experiences, manufacturers are responding with innovations in noise cancellation technologies to meet these expectations. This pressing demand is fuelling a projected growth rate of 3.50%, taking the market from its current valuation of USD 6.2 billion in 2023 to an anticipated USD 7.36 billion by the year 2028. The in-depth study presents a detailed analysis of the market segmented by software, application, vehicle type, and geographic region. The market's integration within vehicle categories such as passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and electric vehicles indicates a broad application of noise cancellation technology, providing a tranquil driving environment and enhancing driver and passenger comfort. Innovations within the sector, such as Engine Harmonic Cancellation, Road Noise Control, and Engine Harmonic Enhancement, exemplify the industry's commitment to improving the acoustic environment within vehicles. The report also outlines the competitive landscape, providing insights into financial performances and strategic moves by key market players. Developments such as the launch of a low-latency, active road noise cancellation solution and the introduction of cutting-edge noise cancellation technologies in select vehicle models reflect an industry that is both dynamic and ripe with opportunities for further enhancement. Geographically, the market is examined across regions such as America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. These regional insights provide a holistic view of the market, taking into account the varied levels of adoption and the influence of regulatory frameworks across different areas. America : The market in regions such as the United States, Brazil, and Canada reflects a strong emphasis on technological adoptions and an eco-friendly approach towards vehicle manufacturing. : The market in regions such as the United States, Brazil, and Canada reflects a strong emphasis on technological adoptions and an eco-friendly approach towards vehicle manufacturing. Europe : Notable advancements and regulatory compliance are key drivers in countries like Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. : Notable advancements and regulatory compliance are key drivers in countries like Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Asia-Pacific : With countries like China, Japan, and South Korea at the forefront, the market is influenced by rapid industrialization and the introduction of electric vehicles equipped with noise cancellation. : With countries like China, Japan, and South Korea at the forefront, the market is influenced by rapid industrialization and the introduction of electric vehicles equipped with noise cancellation. Middle East and Africa: The market is emerging, with a focus on luxury automobiles and increased consumer demand for comfort. The study includes various strategic analyses, such as a Competitive Quadrant and Ansoff Analysis, to aid in assessing industry position and market growth strategies. These tools help evaluate approaches for market development, penetration, product diversification, and innovation. The research report is an invaluable resource for stakeholders within the automotive industry, offering a thorough examination of market dynamics, trends, and the impact of technological advancements on future market growth. As the industry moves towards a quieter automotive experience, the Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market is set to offer new opportunities for innovation and competition among key players. For further insights and detailed market analysis, interested parties are encouraged to access the full report here - https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5upurf Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 202 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $6.2 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $7.36 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 3.5% Regions Covered Global Companies AKM (Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation) Analog Devices Inc. Bose Corporation Faurecia Harman Hyundai Jaguar-Land Rover QNX Siemens Silentium Tesla Key Highlights of the Report 1. Comprehensive Report Overview Clear Study Objectives Accurate Market Definition Currency Consideration Inclusion of Relevant Years Language Accessibility Identification of Key Stakeholders 2. Rigorous Research Methodology Transparent Research Process Robust Data Collection and Validation Secondary Research Primary Research Analyst Models Precise Market Size Estimation Bottom-Up Approach Top-Down Approach Assumptions and Limitations Acknowledged 3. Informative Executive Summary Introduction to Market Size, Segmentations, and Outlook 4. In-Depth Market Dynamics for Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Identification of Key Drivers Mandatory Compliance with Noise Standards across the World Ongoing Noise Cancellation Technology Advancements (Improved Microphones, Speakers, and Signal Processing Algorithms) Improvement in Fuel Efficiency by Using Noise Cancellation Technology Thorough Analysis of Restraints Complexity of Noise Cancellation Systems (Multiple Components, Including Microphones, Speakers, and Control Units) Ensuring Long-Term Durability and Reliability Exploration of Lucrative Opportunities Rising Demand for Premium and Electric Vehicles Tailoring Noise Cancellation Systems to Individual Preferences Collaboration with Audio System Manufacturers Development of Eco-Friendly and Lightweight Materials Challenges Faced by the Market High Power Consumption Impacting Energy Efficiency Challenges in Retrofitting Older Vehicles with Noise Cancellation Systems in the Aftermarket 5. Holistic Market Analysis Regulatory Scenario Analysis Comprehensive Porter's Five Forces Analysis In-Depth PESTEL Analysis SWOT Analysis Impact of Covid-19 on the Market Strategic Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6. Global Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market Analysis By Vehicle Type Passenger Cars Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs) Electric Vehicles (EVs) Hybrid Vehicles Off-Road and Utility Vehicles By Software Road Noise Cancellation (RNC) Engine Order Cancellation (EOC) Hybrid ANC Adaptive ANC Feedback ANC By Application Engine Harmonic Cancellation Engine Harmonic Enhancement OEM for sensor placement Minimizing ambient external sound like the engine, HVAC, Road, or wind noise Power Train Noise Cancellation 7. Regional Market Analysis Americas' Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market In-Depth Exploration of Key Countries Europe's Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market Detailed Insights into European Nations Middle East and Africa's Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market Comprehensive Analysis of MEA Region APAC's Automotive Noise Cancellation Technologies Market Exploration of Key Asian-Pacific Countries 8. Competitive Landscape Comprehensive Analyst's Competitive Quadrant Analysis In-Depth Market Share Analysis Strategic Initiatives Mergers and Acquisitions Investments Partnerships and Collaborations Product Developments and Improvements For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5upurf 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, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Electro Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS) Market (2023-2028) by Component Type, Motor Type, Vehicle Type, and Geography, Competitive Analysis, Impact of Covid-19, Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The comprehensive landscape of the Global Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS) Market has been examined in a new, pivotal research publication. This report encompasses component type, motor type, vehicle type, and geographic regions, offering an incisive competitive analysis and a detailed study of the impact of Covid-19 on the market. Key Market Dynamics The study identifies crucial driving forces, such as the escalating regulatory push towards more efficient technologies, initiatives by OEMs to diminish vehicle complexity, and increasing vehicle production rates. However, the market faces restrictions, such as the higher cost of EPS systems and challenges posed by the shortage of steering fuel and the limitations in the load-bearing capacity of EPS systems. Expanding Horizons Through Market Opportunities Lucrative opportunities identified within the report include the adoption of steer-by-wire technology, penetration of EPS into the commercial vehicle segment, and integration of ADAS features into EPS systems. These innovations are pivotal growth corridors that are shaping the future dynamics of the automotive industry. Market Divisions and Competitive Outlook Divided into key segments based on component and motor types, as well as vehicle type, the EHPS market's geographic segmentation includes insights into developed and emerging markets such as the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Noteworthy developments in the sector include advancements in Brake Steer systems by CNXMotion and strategic business reorganizations by key players such as Hyundai Mobis, enhancing focus on electric vehicle production. Market Strategy Analysis Strategies for market growth are backed by a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis within the report. This strategic tool facilitates companies in developing market growth plans by evaluating different approaches such as market development, market penetration, product development, and diversification. The research also leverages Porter's 5 forces, PESTLE analysis, and proprietary tools to assess the competitive positioning of key market players, thereby informing stakeholders about current market strategies and potential entry points. Essential in-Depth Insights This report is an indispensable tool for companies seeking a nuanced understanding of the market's landscape, bolstering decision-making with its in-depth qualitative analysis, authentic data sources, and robust market size projections. A thorough regulatory scenario helps businesses navigate the complex legislative context of the industry across various geographies, ensuring informed decision-making. Extensive qualitative and quantitative analysis Insights into parent industry trends and dynamics Detailed segmentation and market dynamics Projection of market size with a historical and current perspective Strategies of key players and product offerings Market shares and strategic recommendations for new entrants Comprehensive analysis of market growth bleprints The report encapsulates the richness of the Global Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering Market, offering stakeholders a solid foundation for strategizing and capitalizing on the market's evolving trajectory. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 228 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $26.51 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $37.01 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 6.9% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned Bosch Mobility Solutions Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. Hycet Technology Co. Ltd Hyundai Mobis JTEKT Corporation KYB Corporation Mando Corporation Mitsubishi Electric Nexteer Automotive NSK Steering Systems Co. Ltd. Robert Bosch GmbH Thyssenkrupp ZF Friedrichshafen AG For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q00g3h 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 METAIRIE, La., Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mutual Savings and Loan Association, a federally chartered savings association headquartered in Metairie, Louisiana, today announced that its Board of Directors adopted a plan to convert Mutual Savings and Loan Association (Mutual Savings or the Association) to a stock institution (Plan of Conversion). In accordance with the Plan of Conversion, Mutual Savings will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of a stock holding company and the common stock of the holding company will be offered to deposit customers of the Association and others, including members of the general public, in the manner and subject to the priorities set forth in the Plan of Conversion. Michael L. Hurley, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated that, We are pleased and excited about the prospect of operating as a stock company as it will provide support for our lending activities and facilitate our growth through expanded products and services. Mr. Hurley continued, The Board of Directors believes the conversion will permit the Association to better serve our customers and the communities in which we currently operate, as well as offer new products and services and possibly open an additional branch office. The Plan of Conversion is subject to approval by the Associations depositor members as well as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. A proxy statement setting forth detailed information relating to the Plan of Conversion will be sent to the depositor members for their consideration prior to a special meeting called to consider the Plan of Conversion. Depositors will continue to hold accounts in Mutual Savings as a stock institution identical as to dollar amount, rate of return and general terms (other than voting and liquidation rights) as prior to the conversion. Borrowers loans will be unaffected by the conversion and will remain contractually fixed as they existed prior to the conversion. The normal business of Mutual Savings accepting deposits and making loans will continue without interruption in the Associations existing offices. Mutual Savings anticipates filing the requisite regulatory applications in the near future. The offering of shares pursuant to the Plan of Conversion will be made only by means of a prospectus in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all applicable state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Mutual Savings operates two full-service banking offices in the greater New Orleans metropolitan area. As of December 31, 2023, Mutual Savings had $35.8 million in total assets, $21.2 million in deposits and $14.0 million in total equity. Silver, Freedman, Taff & Tiernan LLP, Washington, D.C., is special counsel to Mutual Savings and Loan Association for the conversion and stock offering. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., a Stifel Company, is acting as marketing agent for the stock offering. For further information contact: Michael L. Hurley, President and Chief Executive Officer (504) 455-2444 Dublin, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Rare Disease Treatment Market (2023-2028) by Therapeutic Area, Drug Type, Drug Class, Mode of Administration, Distribution Channel, and Geography, Competitive Analysis, Impact of Covid-19, Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The latest research publication added to a comprehensive collection of market analyses highlights an expected significant growth in the Global Rare Disease Treatment Market. Estimated at USD 135.02 billion in 2023, the market is projected to expand to USD 228.34 billion by 2028, demonstrating a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.08%. Market Overview and Dynamics This insightful report delves into the intricate dynamics of the market, including shifts in consumer demands, competitive landscapes, technological advancements, economic influences, and changes in regulatory frameworks. The publication provides a segmented view of the market based on therapeutic area, drug type, drug class, mode of administration, distribution channel, and geography. Segmentation Analysis As detailed in the report, the market is segmented by therapeutic area and further categorized by drug class into Originator Drugs and Generic Drugs. The segment on Originator Drugs discusses the impact of patented molecules and their innovation in addressing rare diseases, despite the challenges regarding accessibility and affordability. The analysis on Generic Drugs reveals the importance of market competition for promoting cost-effectiveness and improving access to treatments for rare diseases. Recent Developments in the Sector A notable update included in the research publication discusses a significant governmental directive in India aimed at enhancing the delivery of treatments for orphan diseases, presenting notable opportunities for manufacturers in the Global Rare Disease Treatment Market. Competitive Landscape and Strategic Insights The report involves an in-depth examination of key players in the market. It features a financial performance analysis of publicly listed companies and details on recent developments, providing a comprehensive competitive scenario. The research also incorporates a proprietary tool called the Competitive Quadrant, which evaluates and positions companies based on their market performance and industry position. Comprehensive Ansoff Analysis Part of the publication dedicates an entire section to the Ansoff Matrix analysis, guiding companies in formulating and assessing strategic growth options such as Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development, and Diversification. Detailed Geographical Insights The research study provides detailed insights into various geographic regions, including America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific, facilitating a better understanding of different market dynamics. The report's findings are expected to serve as a valuable resource for stakeholders in the industry, providing detailed qualitative and quantitative analyses. By encompassing Porter's 5 forces model, PESTLE Analysis, and the potential impact of COVID-19, the report equips readers with a robust understanding of the sector. Business leaders and decision-makers will find the Global Rare Disease Treatment Market report an indispensable tool in strategizing for market growth, competitive advantage, and long-term success. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 220 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $135.02 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $228.34 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 11.0% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned AbbVie Inc. AstraZeneca Bayer AG Bristol Myers Squibb F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Merck & Co. Inc. Novartis AG Novo Nordisk Pfizer, Inc. PTC Therapeutics For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/387i9i 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 SALISBURY, N.C., Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Isaac Smalls, store manager of the Food Lion located at 2465 Main St., Elgin, SC 29045, was named Food Lions 2023 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner. Smalls was selected from a group of more than 1,100 store managers serving their neighbors across Food Lions 10-state operating area. Named after one of Food Lions founders, the Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Awards recognize and honor exceptional store managers who enrich the lives of Food Lions customers, associates and the communities they serve. In addition to Smalls being selected as Food Lions 2023 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner, four other store managers were recognized for exceptional leadership and honored as 2023 Divisional Store Manager Excellence Award recipients. They include: Mid-Atlantic Division : Angela Robinson, 238 Pritchard Road, Clayton, NC 27520 : Angela Robinson, 238 Pritchard Road, Clayton, NC 27520 Northern Division : Jay Moaveni, 130 Duella Dr., Inwood, WV 25428 : Jay Moaveni, 130 Duella Dr., Inwood, WV 25428 Central Division : Patrick Burns, 3680 S. New Hope Road, Gastonia, NC 28056 : Patrick Burns, 3680 S. New Hope Road, Gastonia, NC 28056 Richmond/Norfolk: Jeff Salmon, 11010 Kentucky Road, Mineral, VA 23117 The annual award celebrates and recognizes outstanding Food Lion store managers who make an impact on those around them. In recognition of Smalls impact on his community, Food Lion will donate 20,000 meals in his name to Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist in Bishopville, SC, through the retailers hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds. I am truly honored to receive this honor and represent the Southern Division. It gives me the ultimate sense of pride and accomplishment, said Smalls. No matter where your journey begins, strive to be the best at what you're doing, as bigger and better opportunities will await you here at Food Lion. Isaac joined Food Lion in 2008 as a Bagger and has held multiple roles leading up to Store Manager. He leads a dedicated team of nearly 95 associates that help neighbors shop for everything they need to affordably nourish their families. Isaac believes an exceptional Store Manager is a leader who listens, communicates effectively, leads by example, possesses the ability to adapt to change and brings out the best in others. He is also passionate about being able to provide the local community with adequate nutrition every day. He believes a successful life starts with the nutrients that Food Lion provides. He and his staff have partnered with the local sheriffs department, local food banks and NAACP of Columbia. "Isaac's leadership is a testament to the positive influence a store manager can have on associates, customers, and the towns and cities they serve, said Meg Ham, President, Food Lion. Our store managers are the heartbeat of Food Lion. They foster a culture of care and belonging that helps their associates thrive and their communities flourish. I am proud to recognize these five leaders and deeply appreciate all they do to bring our brand, strategy and culture to life while nourishing families and setting them up for success in life. The five honorees are also celebrated for successfully leading the business, supporting their teams and inspiring others. About Food Lion Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors during the moments that matter most. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its Count on me culture, Food Lion fosters a sense of belonging for all associates, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that has supported LGBTQ+ equality for nearly two decades. Food Lion is the only company in the country to be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 22 consecutive years. It also pioneered a food rescue program to support food-insecure neighbors. Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com. CONTACTS: Food Lion Media Relations 704-245-3317 publicrelationsteam@foodlion.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae1d22b1-4587-450c-8c4b-b362c8cdb097 Wilmington, Delaware, United States, Feb. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - The autotransfusion devices market was valued at US$ 382.3 million in 2022. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2023 to 2031, reaching US$ 573.0 million by 2031. Integrating autotransfusion devices into complete blood management methods may receive more attention as the value of blood conservation becomes more widely recognized. In addition to minimizing the need for allogeneic blood, this involves maximizing the patient's blood resources. Anticipate continued progress in the field of autotransfusion devices. Upcoming gadgets might have more user-friendly interfaces, increased automation, and improved safety features. Real-time monitoring through integrating digital technology and communication may become more common. Developing autotransfusion equipment that is more portable and smaller might be on the rise. As a result, it will be possible to use it in various healthcare contexts, including outpatient and ambulatory care, where mobility and space are important. Download PDF Sample of the Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=40781 The advent of modern filtration technology and sterile techniques has resulted in autotransfusion becoming more widely used. Individuals under 44 years of age continue to die from trauma. Road traffic crashes caused 1.2 million deaths worldwide in 2018. Rapid population growth and industrialization are expected to increase traffic accident deaths by 67% globally. The process is generally accepted as relatively safe. Automating and artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to optimize autotransfusion procedures. Using AI-driven algorithms, blood parameters could be monitored in real-time to ensure accuracy and improve efficiency. International initiatives may be taken to expand access to autotransfusion equipment. For autotransfusion technology to be accessible to more healthcare systems, affordable solutions that accommodate different resource capacities may need to be created. Key Findings of the Market Report The advancement of technology has enabled autotransfusion devices to become more efficient and user-friendly. The majority of the market was dominated by ambulatory surgical centers by 2022. The largest share of autotransfusion devices was held by North America in 2022. Based on product type, an on-pump transfusion device is expected to lead the market. Global Autotransfusion Devices Market: Growth Drivers Rising need for blood transfusions due to a variety of medical operations, including cardiovascular interventions, trauma situations, and surgeries. The need for blood transfusions is predicted to increase as the world's population ages and the frequency of chronic diseases rises. Autotransfusion systems reduce the need for outside blood sources, lower the risk of transfusion reactions, and allow patients to use their blood. The focus is on patient safety and the increasing knowledge of the possible dangers of allogeneic blood transfusions. Autotransfusion devices reduce the need for donor blood, immune problems, adverse reactions, and infection risk by collecting and reinfusing a patient's blood. Autotransfusion systems have risen as healthcare professionals seek to improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital-acquired infections, and streamline recovery processes. Technology developments and ongoing innovation in the design of autotransfusion devices are crucial to the market's expansion. Due to the development of more effective and user-friendly autotransfusion devices with features such as closed-system processing and enhanced safety precautions, the technology is becoming increasingly popular. To increase the adoption of their products on the market, manufacturers are spending money on research and development to produce gadgets that are simple to use, reduce the possibility of human error, and abide by strict regulations. Global Autotransfusion Devices Market: Regional Landscape Blood transfusions are frequently needed for many surgical procedures performed in North America, including orthopedic, cardiac, and trauma cases. Autotransfusion devices, which enable the collection and reinfusion of a patient's blood, are essential to these treatments. This may lessen the region's dependency on outside blood supplies, increasing the need for autotransfusion equipment. Healthcare professionals are always concerned about patient safety, and autotransfusion devices provide a safer option than allogeneic blood transfusions. Healthcare professionals in North America have used autotransfusion technology to reduce the risks of transfusion reactions, infections, and other issues related to donor blood. The emphasis on patient safety has driven the market for autotransfusion devices. Regulatory agencies in North America, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada, influence the market for autotransfusion devices. When manufacturers comply with regulatory standards, medical professionals rely on autotransfusion devices for safety and efficacy. Do you have any queries or need more insights on Autotransfusion Devices Market, Talk to Our Analyst@ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=ASK&rep_id=40781 Global Autotransfusion Devices Market: Key Players Several players dominate the global market for autotransfusion devices. Expansion of product portfolios and mergers and acquisitions are key strategies prominent players adopt. Fresenius Kabi AG Haemonetics Corporation LivaNova PLC Medtronic Terumo Corporation Stryker Atrium Medical Technologies Advancis Surgical Key Developments In March 2023, Haemonetics announced that the FDA had cleared its Cell Saver Elite+ autotransfusion system under 510(k). Haemonetics began releasing Intelligent Control, its latest software update, to the market. In addition to improving user experience, the software was designed to simplify operations and support efficiency. Global Autotransfusion Devices Market: Segmentation By Product Type On-pump Transfusion Device Off-pump Transfusion Device By End User Hospitals Ambulatory Surgical Centers Cardiac Research Centers By Region North America South America Asia Pacific Europe Middle East & Africa Buy this Premium Research Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=40781